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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18711	Miscellanea philo-theologica, or, God, & man A treatise compendiously describing the nature of God in his attributes, with a lively pourtraiture of his wisedome in ordering, and disposing of the celestiall, and terrestriall bodies. Containing much variety of matter ... and apt applications singular for brevity, and perspicuity. By Henry Church.	Church, Hen. (Henry), fl. 1636-1638.	1637 (1637)	STC 5217; ESTC S107879	200,401	392

MISCEL●●●●● PHILO-THEOLOGI● OR GOD MAN A Treatise compendiously describing the Nature of God in his Attributes with a lively pourtraiture of his Wisedome in ordering and disposing of the Celestiall and terrestriall Bodies Containing much variety of Matter Theologicall and Philosophicall wherein many secrets in Scripture and in Nature are unbowelled with solid Proofes and apt Applications singular for brevity and perspicuity By HENRY CHURCH Joell 2.28 I will poure out of my Spirit on all flesh Psal 8.1 3 4. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the world w●● hast set thy Glorie above the Heavens c. When I consider the Heavens the Worke of thy Fingers Moone and the Stars c. What is man c. LONDON Printed for JOHN ROTHWELL and are to be 〈◊〉 the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard M.DC.XXXVII TO THE LEARNED READER I Humbly desire your Charitable Construction of my poore endeavours being willing to be convinced and reformed I confesse my impotencie and desire my errours may be purged and all truths allowed TO ALL whomsoever I Confesse my spare time hath beene this way employed in methodicall Meditations the Reason why I so much exercised my penne was because a drowsinesse fell on mee when I did reade and wrighting kept me awake if any be offended I writ not to offend them if any be in the least measure edified for their sakes I have taken this paines and thinke my labour well bestowed HENRY CHURCH Imprimatur THOMAS WEEKES An Advertisement to the Christian Reader concerning the scope of the Booke with some passages of the Life of the Authour TRVE and solid knowledge layes its foundation in God he that will know himselfe and the sublunary Creatures as they are must first see and know him by faith that is invisible The studie of the knowledge of God in his Attributes gives a man a possession of heaven on earth Its life eternall to know thee c. This knowledge is the basis and foundation of that precious Faith the Apostle speakes of They that know thee trust in thee So that before a man can with the wise Builder build on the Rock he must beleeve that God is This godly Man Mr. HENRY CHURCH began here his maine studie was this saving Knowledge and this he did not by starts and fits but daily as his calling did permit him Great was his wisedome and his industrie in the husbanding of his time for as he chose Maries Part so hee was carefull of Martha's a good Christian and a provident Husband Those that knew his Employments many urgent in the world and wondered how he could spare time or find time for these Contemplations I may answer for him he loved much and therefore with Marie was resolved to doe much Hee denied himselfe in his pleasures in his diet and in his sleepe hee bare the yoke of the Lord in his youth I have heard that when hee had libertie to sport himselfe as others his pleasure his delight was in his Closet with the Law of GOD hee prevented the dawning of the day and with DAVID meditated of GOD in the night-watches hee could not intend to be idle hee had learned of his Master CHRIST who went about doing good hee filled-up his vacant houres either with doing or receiving good as if hee had exactly learned that charge of the Lord by Moses These words which I command thee thou shalt * Iunius Whet them or p●int th●m in m●morie rehearse them continually to thy Children and thou shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest up Hee knew not onely for himselfe but for others his light was on a candle-stick not under a bushell hee did not with the Idle Servant hide his Talent but improved it to a good increase Hee was greedy of all advantages to glorifie God if hee was covetous this was his covetousnesse hee coveted the best things He was of a compassionate spirit ready to doe good both to the Soules and Bodies of others Hee lived as lent to himselfe and given to others How sedulous he was to instruct the Ignorant to reclaime the wandring to releeve those that were in want to settle the unstable soule those that knew him can judge He withstood errours hee was an Enemie to errour for hee received the truth in the love of it Hee was a Friend to truth Hee endeavoured to comfort afflicted Consciences for by observing his owne heart and Conference with such he attained a singular dexteritie this way In his Booke you may heare him yet speake that is now dead His Religion lay not in Tongue but in his Heart not in a forme of godlinesse but in power as if he had learned to doe what once Minutius said Non multa loqui sed vivere The scope and end of this good Mans studies I suppose in this Booke was chiefly for himselfe and his Familie that it might like a fruitfull Spring supplie himselfe and them Againe his friends knowing his desire hee had to the publicke good as also the favourable acceptance of his two former Bookes in the hearts of good men viz. The Good mans treasury Divine letters already printed gives us good incouragement to adventure againe on a publicke Censure Reade it through before you judge I hope you shall find it profitable and abounding with much varietie under briefe Heads drawing on the Reader to delight to studie God in his Attributes and to inlarge them in thine owne Meditation as also hee represents God to thee in the glasse of the Creature and among the rest Man the Epitome of all that while thou art poring after curious speculations and secrets of Nature hee endeavours wisely to divert thy thoughts by apt application heaven-ward To satisfie the Iudicious If thou shalt except against any thing consider its a Posthumus issue then I hope you will pardon both the Author and the Printer For Censorious Criticks I care not to satisfie The Blessing of the Almightie be with it Imprimatur THOMAS WEEKES A TABLE OF THE SEVERALL Heads contained in this ensuing Treatise I. OF Saving Knowledge page 1 II. What GOD is p. 6 III. What it is to glorifie God p. 11 IIII. Of Admiration p. 12 V. Of Praising God p. 15 VI. Of Gods Subsistence p. 18 VII Simplenesse p. 20 VIII Eternitie p. 25 IX Omnipotencie p. 32 X. Immutabilitie p. 39 XI Infinitenesse p. 45 XII Omni-science p. 47 XIII Omni-presence p. 51 XIV Perfection p. 56 XV. Invisibilitie p. 62 XVI Wisedome p. 69 XVII Truth p. 77 XVIII Mercie p. 82 XIX Iustice p. 88. XX. Life p. 95 XXI Blessednesse p. 101 XXII Hatred p. 107 XXIII Love p. 112 XXIV Patience p. 122 XXV Will p. 130 XXVI Grace p. 136 XXVII Glorie p. 143 XXVIII Of the Lord of Hosts p. 148 XXIX How God is made an Idoll p. 153 XXX How to conceive of God in Prayer p. 158 XXXI Of the

in the enemy Iudges 5.8 Iudges 10.14 15. 3. In the life to come they are shut out of heaven 1. Cor. 6.9 4. To prevent idolatry we should shunne their society and converse with them onely by constraint and necessity not to choose them for lodgers in our houses but wee are to abhorre them as vessels in whom is no pleasure and to manifest our detestation as wee have power in our hands Deut. the 13.6 7 8 9 10 c. 5. Te endeavour to give God a spirituall and sincere worship by these meanes idolatry will be prevented Quest 5 How shall I give God a spirituall worship and service Answ 1. Prepare to come before him Psal 26.6 2. From the helpe of Gods spirit to worship him 3. From the inward affections spiritually 4. Lively fervently cheerefully Spirit and life is required in the service of the living and true God The contrary is 1. To come carelesly without reverence 2. To performe spirituall duties only from a naturall carnall heart 3. To give only an externall worship 4. To performe the duty with deadnesse coldnesse and lumpishnesse How to conceive of God when we pray 1. What it is to conceive 2. How we must not conceive of God 3. How we may rightly conceive of him 4. Questions resolved 5. Applications to edifie Sect. 1 First What it is to conceive THe word signifies a gathering things together to conceive is to apprehend conceptions they have copulations By the way we may observe unlesse Gods spirit doe joyne with our spirit our conceptions will prove but abortives or monsters The foundation of the right conceiving of God must be by a better spirit then our owne and by better light then nature affoordes us To conceive is to apprehend to roule in our minds and to conclude to understand in some measure to know Sect. 2 Secondly How we must not conceive of God 1. VVE must not conceive him out of the Trinity of persons as the Turkes doe 2. We must not conceive of him after any bodily shape as the Anthropomorphits did 3. Nor conceive of him shut up in the Circle of heaven as some kinde of Atheists doe 4. Nor a God all made of mercy as some ignorant persons doe 5. Nor all of Iustice as some despairing persons doe 6. Nor as a God regardes not what is done here below as some doe that deny his providence Ezek. 8. 7. Nor as a forgetfull God Psal 10.8 8. Nor must we conceive of a multitude of Gods as some heathen did 9. Nor of a superiority or inferiority in the Trinity in respect of essence or time 10. Nor must we conceive of God as of a thing we can comprehend in the scantling of our thoughts or imaginations Sect. 3 Thirdly How we may aright conceive of God 1. VVE must indeavour to conceiue of him as an infinite essence in Trinity of persons 2. We must conceive of him in his attributes as absolute incomprehensible eternall immutable invisible omnipresent c. 3. We must conceive of him as a God that will become unto through a mediatour in himselfe he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. last through Christ we have acceptance Heb. 13.15 4. We must conceive of him as good gracious loving mercifull a God hearing prayers Psal 65.2 delighting in prayers Prov. 15.8 Sect. 4 Fourthly Questions resolved Quest 1 HOw can we conceive of him who is invisible Answ We conceive of our owne soules that they are and have being yet we see them not we conceive not of God in his perfection yet a little portion we know of him and see him as Moses Heb. 11. Quest 2 How can we conceive of him who is incomprehensible Answ We conceive him to be as hee hath revealed himselfe we conceive of him with admiration adoration subjection divine reverence c. Quest 3 God hath appeared to the eyes of men in some * May we not conceive of him in some shape shapes and representations Ezek. 1. Dan. 7 He appeared to the capacity of his servants yet forbids adoration to any shape Deut. 4. Quest 4 Christ saith the Father is greater than hee and Saint Paul saith God is Christs head is there not superiority in the Trinity Answ It is spoken in regard of Christs humanity else hee and the father are one Quest 5 Did the Fathers in the old Law know there was a Trinity Answ They did Isaiah writes of Trinity Isaiah 61.1 and David Psal 33.6 The learned Rabbins speake of it Quest 6 What false gods have men conceived of to worship and serve Answ Some have worshipped and made gods of the hoast of heaven 2. Kings 21.3 The Persians worshipped the Sunne the Syrians worshipped Ashtaroth the Philistims Dagon the Moabites Chemosh the Amonites Moloch the Egyptians a Calfe the Babilonians an Idol named Bell the Athenians Appollo Carthage worshiped Iuno the Ephesians Diana the Moores the governours of their Countrey the Papists the Virgine Mary the Indians it is said doe worship the divell all men doe worship something Quest 7 How comes there such a mistake in the world Answ 1. Man naturally is in darknesse and stumbles at stocks and stones 2. Man naturally is foolish and beguiled with pictures and bables and Images 3. Man naturally is sensuall and desires first to see then to worship Sect. 5 Fifthly Applications to edifie 1. THis shewes it is hard to conceive aright of God when we doe pray 2. There must of necessity be some competent measure of knowledge in a true Worshipper 3. Let us alwayes minde Christ our blessed mediator when we come to pray 4. We should come with all reverence we can unto the Lord and labour in our prayers to conceive of him as he hath revealed himselfe 5. So let us conceive of God that we move towards him and desire after him Prayer is a compound of heavenly graces if ever we apprehend Gods favour in an espec●all manner if ever we have rapture of Spirit joy the light of Gods countenance or strong assurance it is in prayer Of the workes of God Sixe reasons why we should meditate on the workes of God 1. BEcause his workes doe shew forth his power Rom. 1.20 and his glory Psalme 19.1 By steppes we ascend from the creature to the Creator and so gaine knowledge of him 2. It is a duty to search out the workes of God and cheerefulnesse is required in the duty Psalme 111.2 3. Because Gods children should differ from wicked men who regard not the workes of the Lord. Isai 5.12 4. There is danger of ruine and destruction if men regard not Gods workes Psal 28.5 6. 5. Examples goe before us of the godly that have meditated of Gods majesty and of Gods workes as in the booke of Iob at large and David Psal 145.5 This is a true signe and mark of a wise man Psal 92. there it is negatively set down an unwise man wil not consider and 't is affirmatively set downe Psal 107.43 who is wise he will