evill hee should practically feele what he had lost and what evill he had plunged himselfe into Some have thought that those words Gen. 3. 24. should not be understood Historically but allegorically that is that God gave him noe hopes of coming into this place againe but the text contradicts that some have understood by Cherubims some species and images of terrible creatures as wee call Scarecrowes but that is simple to thinke that Adam was so childish to be afraid of those others interpret it of the fire of Purgatory The more probable Interpretation is that by Cherubims are meant Angels who did after a visible manner shake up and downe this fiery sword Moses doth therfore call them Cherubims because the Jewes knew what he meant having such formes over the Arke Therefore it is taken for Angels not simply but as they appeared in some shape It is a curiositie to enquire how long they staid there although it is certaine they ceased when Paradise was destroyed which was by the floud Therefore this serves 1. For information to instruct us 1. That everyman and woman hath a soule there is a bodie and a spirit which enlivens acts the bodie for all performances of the Compositum we must glorifie God in both 1. Cor. 6. 20. 2. It is immortall by Gods appointing but in it selfe endable because it hath a begining that it may be capable of everlasting weale or woe 3. It is soe immortall that it admits of no cessation or intermission the Anabaptists say it is asleep when it parts froÌ„ the bodie as soone as it leaves the bodie it goes either to Abrahams bosome or a place of torment 4. At the last day it shall be united with the bodie and the bodie raised up for it and both be happie or miserable for ever 2. Be thankfull to God that hath given us our soules and redeemed them by the bloud of his Son propter hanc Deus facit mundum propter hanc filius Dei venit in mundum Chrysost. blesse him especially for sovle-mercies Ephes. 1. 3. 3. John 2 4. and let the soule praise him Psal. 103. and 104. first and last Wee should love our selves Psal. 22. 26. David calleth his soule his darling it is the immediate worke of God CHAP. IX Of Gods Providence TWo things are to be discussed abovt it 1. That there is a Providence whâ—reby the world is governed 2. What it is 1. That there is a Providence which governeth the world and that nothing is done in the world without the certaine and determinate counsell of God is thus proved 1. Faith which leanes and rests on testimonies of holy writ Psal. 14. 2. and 33. 13. the 104. Psal. wholly and 91. Psal. 8 9 10 11. Act. 17. 25. 28. Ephes. 1. 11. At the feast of Tabernacles the Jewes were wont to reade the Booke of Ecclesiastes principally because it speakes so much of the workes of Gods providence 2. Certaine demostrative reasons taken 1. From the causes viz. the Attributes and nature of God 1. There is a God therefore providence because he is a most powerfull and wise King 2. The omnipotent will of God whereby all things are done without which nothing can come to passe 3. His infinite wisedome whereby he can be present with all things which are done in his kingdome 4. His justice in distributing rewards and punishments and goodnesse whereby he communicateth himselfe to the creatures 5. His foreknowledge of all things â— unchangeably depending on the counsell and decree of God 6. He regards the ends of things therefore also the meanes to those ends 7. Hee is the first cause therefore on him depend the second causes 2. From tbe effects the works of God 1. The most wise order of things both naturall and politicke which could not be setled much lesse preserved by blind nature chance or fortune 2. Naturall notions or the law of nature in the difference of honest and dishonest things 3. Peace or torment of conscience from keeping or violating the Law 4. Punishments rewards agreeable to mens deeds which prove there is some Judge of the world and revenger of sins whose severity we cannot shun 5. Heroicke motions vertues and singular gifts given by God to Princes Magistrates Inventers of Arts Artificers others for the common benefit of mankind Lastly by the same reasons it is proved that there is both a God and Providence 2. what providence is It is an externall and temporall action of God whereby he preserveth governeth and disposeth all and singular things which are and are done both the creatures and the faculties and actions of the creatures and directeth them both to the mediate ends and to the last end of all after a set determinate manner according to the most free Decree Counsell of his owne will that himselfe in all things may bee glorified 1. The matter or object of Gods providence is the whole world and whatsoever is b in it for God cares for and governs all things Substances Accidents things great and little necessary and contingent good and evill Hebr. 1. 3. Nehem. 9. 6. The care of God for the bruite beasts living creatures all Meteors is described Psal. 135. Job 37. 2. and ch 38. Matth. 6. 26. Also concerning voluntary things and actions of men good and bad as Prov. 26. 1. 9. Jer. 10. 23. Psalm 139. 1. Psalm 33. 13. 15. concerning things that are contingent Exod. 21. 13. Prov. 16. 33. Matth. 10. 29 30. The least and smallest things are by the God of heaven ordered disposed of according to his owne pleasure and wisdome for very good purpose not so much as a sparrow falls to the ground without Gods providence he saith the hairs of our head are all numbred therefore Cicero was out when he said Dij magna cuâ—ant parva negligunt and the Poet Non vacat exiquis rebus adesse Iovi The reasons of this are these 1. God is infinite in all excellencies infinite in wisedome there may as much wisdome be seen in little as in great things all things in the world yea even all things which might have beene as well as those that have fallen out are subject to his wisedome and power nothing so small but it is a fit subject of knowing and ordering 2. There is a necessary connexion and mutuall dependance betweene great and small things the one supporting upholding the other so that it is not possible to conceive how any thing should be ordered by God if all things were not the little things being like the pins of a house which hold the building together or the hinges of a great gate upon which the whole is moved Object These things are so small as it is an abasement to the Divine Majesty to intermeddle with them Sol. It is his highest commendation to be infinite so that nothing can bee hid from his knowledge the Lords manner of working in
Arts and Sciences but they could not learne of them the knowledge of the true God they themselves being ignorant and grosse Idolaters Neither could they erre in that which they delivered for by them the Spirit of Christ and Christ himselfe did speake 1 Pet. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Acts 28. 25. 2 Cor. 13 3. In thâ—ir owne judgement the most holy did erre as 1 San 16. 1 and Nathan 2 Sam. 6. which errour is truly related in the Scripture but when they spake according to the guidance of the Spirit which did ever assist them in the penning of the Scripture they could not erre I have learned saith Austin to Jerome to give this honour onely to the Canonicall bookes firmely to believe that no authour of them erred in writing from all others he expected proofe from Scripture or reason 12. The wonderfull consent singular harmony and agreement of the Scriptures shewes that they came not from men but from God John 5. 46. each part sweetly agreeth with it selfe and with another and with the whole Acts 26. 22. 11. 17. Luke 24 27. John 5. 46. Matth. 4. 4. what was foretold in the old is fulfilled in the new Testament If there seem any contrariety either in numbring of yeeres circumstance of time and place or point of doctrine the fault is in our apprehension and ignorance not in the thing it selfe and by a right interpretation may easily be cleared See Dr. Willet on Gen. 24. 38. These considerations strengthen this argument 1. The length of time in which this writing continued from Moses untill John to whom was shewed the last authenticall revelation which prevents all conceits of forgery since they were not written in one nor yet in many ages 2. The multitude of books that were written and of writers that were imployed in the service 3. That difference of place in which they were written which hinders the writers conferring together Two other arguments may evince this truth that the Scriptures were from God 1. Miracles both of 1. Confirmation which the Lord shewed by Moses Exod. 19. 16. 24. 18. 34. 29. the Prophets 1 Kings 7. 24. Christ himselfe and the Apostles for the confirmation of their doctrine such as the devill was not able to resemble in shew The raising of the dead the standing still or going backe of the Sunne the dividing of the Sea and the Rivers the making of the barren fruitfull My works testifie of me saith Christ and believe the workes which I doe if you will not believe me 2. Preservation of the bookes of the Scripture 〈◊〉 the fury of many wicked Tyrants which sought to suppresse and extinguish them but could not As God caused it to be written for the good of his people so by divine providence he hath preserved the same whole and entire Here we have three arguments in one 1. The hatred of the Devill and his wicked instruments against the Scripture more then any other booke Antiochus burnt it and made a Law that whosoever had this booke should die the death yet secondly it was preserved maugre his fury and the rage of Dioclesian Julian and other evill Tyrants Thirdly the miserable end of Julian Antiochus Epiphanes Herod Nero Domitian and Dioclesian and other persecutors of this doctrine The bookes of Salomon which he wrote of naturall philosophy and other knowledge the profitablest bookes that ever were the Canon excepted are perished but those alone which pertaine to godlinesse have been safely kept to posterity which is the rather to be observed since many more in the world affect the knowledge of naturall things then godlinesse and yet though carefull of keeping them they have not been able to preserve them from perpetuall forgetfulnesse whereas on the other side these holy writings hated of the most part and carelesly regarded of a number have notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gave them unto the Church The Roman Empire for 300 yeeres set it selfe to persecute and extirpate this new doctrine and in all these troubles the Church grew and increased mighily Acts 12. 1. Herod killed JAmes with the sword yet v. 24. the word grew and multiplied The miracles wrought in the confirmation of Scripture differ much from the wonders wrought by the false Prophets Antichrist and Satan himselfe Matth. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Apoc. 13. 13 14. they are neither in number nor greatnesse comparable to these 1. They differ in substance Divine miracles are above and against the force of nature as dividing of the red Sea the standing still of the Sunne the others seem wonderfull to those which are ignorant of the cause of them but are not true miracles simply above the ordinary course of nature but effected by the art and power of Satan or his instruments by naturall causes though unknown to men and many times they are but vaine delusions 2. They differ in the end those true miracles were wrought by the finger of God for the promoting of his glory and mans salvations these to seale up falshood and destroy men confirmed in idolatry and heathenisme 2 Thess. 2. 9. Those were not done in a corner or secretly but openly in the presence of great multitudes nay in the sight of the whole world by the evidence of which an unknown doctrine before contrary to the nature and affections of men was believed Bainham said in the midst of the fire Ye Papists behold ye looke for miracles and here now ye may see a miracle for in this fire I feele no more paine then if I were in a bed of down but it is to me as sweet as a bed of Roses The miracles done by our Saviour Christ and his Apostles receved testimony of their most venemous and bitterest enemies they had 2. The Testimony 1. Of the Church and Saints of God in all ages 2. Of those which were out of the Church 1. Of the Church Both ancient and Judaicall and the present Christian Church 2. Of the members of the Church 1. The Church of the Jewes professed the doctrine and received the bookes of the old Testament and testified of them that they were Divine which invincible constancy remaineth still in the Jewes of these daies who though they be bitter enemies to the Christian Religion doe stiffely maintaine and preserve the Canon of the old Testament pure and uncorrupt even in those places which do evidently confirme the truth of Christian Religion 2. The Christian Church hath also most faithfully preserved the old Canon received from the Jewes and now delivered by the Apostles as a depositum and holy pledge of the Divine will 2. Of the members of the Church the constant testimony which so many worthy Martyrs by their blood have given to the truth Rev. 6.
fall of the Devill and mans fall 10. Either the world was eternall or had a beginning it could not be eternall 1. Because it is compounded of divers parts those in nature contrary one to another which could not meete together in that order themselves therefore it was made by some-what and then either by it selfe which could not be for that which maks is before that which is made and the same thing cannot be before it selfe or by some creature which could not be because that is but a part of the whole and therefore meaner then it considered as whole and not able to make it 2. The world could not be eternall because it is limited in respect of place quantity power therefore it is not infinite in time That which is eternall is the first thing consequently the best therefore God is only so having no parts nor being subject to corruption By these reasons it is evinced that the world is not eternal but was created by the chiefe work-man of all things in time But concerning the time of the yeare when the world was made whether in Summer Autumn or the Spring wee will not raise any curious and unprofitable questions See Sarsons Chronologia vapulans page 123. Let it suffice to know that it was created by God in the beginning Gen. 1. 1. that is in the beginning of time or rather together with time then in time for the instant and moment of Creation was the beginning of all following but not the end of precedent time Hitherto concerning the efficient cause there followeth the matter of Creation Of the first and immediate Creatiâ—n there was no matter at all the Divine power drew out nature it selfe not out of any pre-existent matter but out of meer nothing Materiam noli quaerere nulla fuit Nâ—thing but nothing had the Lord Almighty Whereof wherwith whereby to build this Citie Thus were created all incorporeall and immateriall substances the Angels the reasonable soule and the highest Heaven as some say for those things which are void of matter cannot be framed out of matter 2. The mediate Creation is when a thing is brought forth of a praexistent matter yet so rude and indisposed that it may be accounted for nothing so Adams body was created of the Dust or Slime of the earth Gen. 2. 7. Beasts and Birds out of the earth Gen. 1. 19. which yet God did meerely of his good pleasure no necessity compelling him nor the matter he took any way helping him in working it was nothing privatively as they call it Divines observe foure things in Gods Creation 1. His command whereby he said Let there be light and there was light Gods words are things 2. His approbation whereby all things are acknowledged as good God saw they were good That is apt for the end for which they were made free from all defect and deformity or punishment Gen. 1. 31. 3 Ordination and appointment whereby He assigned unto all creatures their use Jeremy 52. 1â— He made nothing in vaine 4 A sanction of a Law and Decree which the creatures must alwayes observe called a Covenant with day and night Hitherto of the efficient cause and the matter there followeth the forme of Creation which may be considered either in respect of God or in respect of the things created 1 The manner of Creation in respect of God is this He did not create the World by a necessity of nature but according to the Eternall and Immutable yet most free decree of his will 2 By his word and bâ—ck alone without any change wearinesse or toyle He made and established all things 2 The forme of Creation in respect of the things created is two fold 1. Internall viz. the very force and power of nature imprinted by God both in all things in a common manner and respect and in the severall kinds according to the particular essence and condition of every thing by which they are made powerfull to proper or common operations 2. The externall forme is two-fold partly a suddaine and momentary production of all things partly a most beautifull disposing and excellent order of all things produced both in themselves and among one another The world hath its name in Greek from beauty God could have created them all at once but he made them in the space of siâ—e daies that he might shew 1. His power in producing whatsoever effects he would without their generall causes while he enlightned the world made the earth fruitfull and brought plants out of it before the Sun and Moone were created 2. His goodnesse and liberality while he provides for his creatures not yet made and brings the living creatures into the earth filled with plants and nourishment men into a world abundantly furnished withall things for necessity and delight 3. That we might thereby more easily conceive that the world was not made confusedly or by chance but orderly and by counsell and might not perfunctorily but diligently consider the works of Creation How should we deliberate in our actions which are subject to imperfection 〈◊〉 it pleased God not out of need to take leasure So much for the forme of Creation there remaines in the last place the end which is two-fold 1. The last and chiefest the glory of God the Creator in manifesting his goodnesse power and wisedome which excellencies of God shining forth in the existence order and wonderfull workmanship of all creatures and in the wise government and administration of them God would have acknowledged and praised by reasonable creatures Psal. 19. 1. and 10. 24. Prov. 16. 4. Rom. 1. 20. 36. 2. The next end for the worke it selfe that all things should serve man and be usefull to him especially to further the salvation of the Elect. Genesis 1. 20. Psalme 8. 4 5 6. 1 Corinth 3. 21. 22. It serves to confute sundry errors 1. The Arrians which said the world was made by Christ as the instrument and secondary cause that place Rom. 11. 36. doth not prove an inequality of persons 2. The Manichees which held two beginnings contrary to themselves God the authour of good things and the devil the authour of evil this is blasphemy against God and is contrary to what Moses saith Gen. 1. 31. 3. Aristotle that held the world was eternall though some say he did not Democritus who held that the world was made by a casuall concourse of atomes and that there were infinite worlds when the Scripture speaketh but of one God sent his Sonne into the world not worlds See the discovery of the world in the Moon Proposit. 2. Galene who having read the fifth Chapter of Genesis said that Moses said much but proved little 2. It condemes 1. Those which set their affections on the creature if there be beauty in that what is in the Creatour 2. Those that abuse the creatures by cruelty or pretended Lordship 3. Those which mock
things contingent which are to come many ages after and which depend upon no necessary cause in nature therefore in what writings we meet with such things foretold and doe finde them fully and plainly acomplisht these writings we must confesse to have their birth from Heaven and from God Now in the Scripture we have divers such predictions The two principall and clearest which are most obvious and evident are 1. the conversion of the Gentiles to the God of Israel by meanes of Christ. For that was foretold exceeding often and plainly in him shall the Gentiles trust and he shall be a light to the Gentiles Jacob lying on his death-bed said the obedience of the Gentiles shall be to him and David all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God and Esay in him shall the Gentiles trust and Malachy my name shall be great to the ends of the earth See Esay 49. 6. 60. 3 5. Scarce one of the Prophets but have spoken of the conversion of the Gentiles Now we see the Gentiles turned from their Idols a great number of them and embracing the God of the Jewes and the Scriptures of the Jewes by means of Christ whom they see and acknowledge to be the Messias foretold to the Jewes Againe it was foretold that Christ should be a stone of offence to the Jewes that they should reject him and so be rejected by God from being a people doe we not see that to be performed The accomplishment of these two maine prophesies so long before delivered to the world by the Pen-men of holy writ shewes manifestly that they were moved by the holy Ghost That promise Gen. 3. 15. was made 3948 yeeres before it was fulfilled as Sâ—aliger computes it It was foretold of Christ that they should cast lots about his Garments and that his bones should not be broken Looke upon this in the inferiour causes the souldiers that brake the other mens bones and it seemes to be a very hap and chance yet there was a speciall ordering of this in Gods providence The predictions of Satan were doubtfull and ambiguous but these are distinct and plaine Satans predictions are of things which might be gathered by conjecture for the most part false though Satan cover his lying by likelihoods but these are aboue the reach of Angels most true and certaine their end was confirmation in sin and Idolatry 7. The CoÌ„mandements are 1. most righteous and equall 2. impartiall they bind all men all in men the affections thoughts consciences and that perpetually Secondly the Threatnings are generall 1 in respect of persons 2. In respect of things Deut. 28. 59 60. 3. The Promises are comprehensive Levit. 26. and strange Exod. 34. 24. of eternall life Marke 10. 29 30. 8. Another reason may be taken from antiquity of the Scripture many wonder at the Pyramids of Egypt being the most ancient structure in the world The Bible containes a continued History from age to age for the space of 4000 yeeres before Christ even from the beginning No writer of any humane story can be proved to be more ancient then Ezra and Nehemiah who wrote about the yeere of the world 3500. Amongst the Grecians some say Homer is the most ancient author that is extant who lived long after Troy was taken for that was the subject of his Poem Now those times were not neere so ancient as those in which the Scripture was written Homer was after Moses 600 and odde yeeres saith Peter du Moulin That which the Egyptians brag of their antiquity is fabulous by their account they were 6000 yeares before the creation unlesse they account a month for a yeere and then it maketh nothing against this argument History is an usefull and delightfull kind of instruction Among Histories none are comparable to the Histories of sacred Scripture and that in their antiquity rarity variety brevity perspieuity harmony and verity Dr Gouge on Exod. 13. 13. that song of Moses Exod. 15. was the first song that ever was in the world Orpheus Musaeus and Linus the most ancient of the Poets were 500 yeeres after this time 9. The power and efficacy of the Scripture upon the soules of men sheweth it to be of God and the wonderfull alteration that it makes in a man for God when he doth entertaine and believe it in his heart it makes him more then a man in power to oppose resist and fight against his own corruptions it brings him into a wonderfull familiarity and acquaintance with God It puts such a life and strength into him and that for Gods sake and his truth he can suffer all the hardest things in the world without almost complaining yea with exceeding and wonderfull rejoycing The holy Ghost by meanes of this word workes powerfully so changing and reforming a man that he â—â—ndes himselfe transformed and renewed thereby 1. It overmasters the soule 2. It separates the heart from lusts and the world 3. Alters and changeth the customes of men 4. It keeps the heart up under the guilt of sinnes against all the power of the divell It quickneth the dull Psal. 119. 93 107. comforteth the feeble Rom. 15. 4. giveth light to the simple Psal. 119. 7. convinceth the obstinaâ—e 1 Cor. 12. 3. 14. 24. reproveth errors rebuketh vices 2 Tim 3. 16. is a discerner of the thoughts 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. and aweth the conscience JAmes 4. 12. 10. If there be a God he ought to be worshipped and he cannot be worshipped unlesse he manifest himselfe to us which he hath done in the Scripture 11. The candour and sincerity of the Pen-men or Amanuenses respecting Gods glory onely and not their owne and in setting down not onely the sinnes of others but their own slips and infirmities doth testifie that they were guided by the holy Ghost Moses shewes his disobedience Num. 11. 11. Jonah his murmuring Jon. 1. 4. Jeremy his fretting Jer. 20. 14. David shames himselfe in his preface to the 51 Psalme Saint Marke wrote the Gospell out of Peters mouth and yet the deniall of Peter is more expresly laid down by the Evangelist St. Marke then any other and Paul sets down with his owne Pen his owne faults in a sharper manner then any other Matthew the Evangelist tels us of Matthew the Publican The Pen-men of holy Scripture were holy men called sent inspired by the Spirit which had denied the world with the lusts and affections thereof and were wholly consumed with zeale for the glory of God and salvation of men 2 Pet. 3. 15. 2 Tim 3. 16. Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 2. 11 12. Ephes. 2. 3 5. They learned not of men what they wrote Moses David Amos were heardsmen Jeremy was almost a child Peter JAmes and John were in their ships other Apostles were unlearned before their calling Acts 4. 13. Moses learned of the Egyptians and Daniel of the Chaldeans humane
and the principall verity from which all other truth hath its originall and it is the foundation of all true goodnesse and religion truly to beleeve it so saith the Author to the Hebrewes He that cometh to God to doe him any Service or to receive any benefit from him must beleeve that is be firmely and undoubtedly perswaded that God is By a God we meane an essence bettâ—â—â—hen all other things before all other things of whom another things are such a first essence is God and such an essence there must needs be neither is any thing of absolute necessity but this one thing even the divine essence Reasons to confirme this that there is a God are taken from authority or Testimony and reason The Testimonies are 1. Of God himselfe 2. The Creature 1. Generall of all men 2. Particular of each mans conscience Reasons may be drawne from two chiefe places viz. the efffects and the contrary The effects are either 1. Ordinary and those 1 Naturall both Generall the making and preserving of the world and Speciall the framing or maintaining of each man or other like creature in the world 2. Civill the upholding and altering the States of Kingdomes and particular Countryes 2. Extraordinary miracles Arguments from the contrary are two 1. The Being of the Devils 2. The slightnesse of the reasons brought to disprove this truth or to shew the Contrary Though no man can prove à causa why there should be a God yet every man may Collect ab effectu that there is a God by that wisdome which we see to have been in the making that Order in the Governing and that Goodnesse in the preserving and maintaining of the world All which prove as effectually that there needs must be a God as either warming or burning that the fire must needs be hot That there is a God is proved 1. By Testimony 2. By Râ—â—on 1. By the Testimony of God himselfe he that testifieth of himselfe either by word or writing is God hath written a Booke to us in which he affirmes of himselfe that he is every page almost and line of Scripture point to God He begins his Booke with himselfe saying In the beginning God made heaven and earth He concludes this Book with himself saying if any man shall take ought from this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life In every particular prophesie he testifieth the same thing saying thus saith the Lord. 2. By the generall Testimony of all men by the universall and constant consent of all Nations in the world Rom. 2. 15. It is called a Law written in their hearts all publikely confesse and professe their beleef of God we never read nor heard of any so barbarous uncivill which acknowledged not a deitie There is no History which sheweth the manners of any people but sheweth also their Religion All Common-wealths had alwayes some thing which they worshipt and called in their Language God this principle is written by God himselfe in the Table of every mans soule That which is written in the hearts of all men which with one mouth all acknowledge must needs be a truth seing it is the voice of reason it selfe Munster in his Cosmographie and Ortelius in his Theatrum Orbis have delivered unto us not onely a Cosmographicall description of all Countries but also a Tropographicall description of their manners yet neither of them hath noted any Nation to be without all Religion none to be profest in Atheisme Idolatry it selfe as Calvin observes in his Institutions is a sufficient Testimony of a Dietie men will rather have false God then none and worship any thing then nothing Porrum Caepe nefâs violare ac frangere morsu O sanctas gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina Invenal Satyr 15. Pythagoras Plato and all the Poets began their workes with Gods name 3. By the particular Testimony of each mans conscience Conscience proclaimes a Law in every heart and denounceth a punishment for the breach of Gods Law Conscience is a naturall ability of discerning the condition and State of our Actions whether good or bad and that not alone in respect of men but of some other thing above men for when one hath done things unlawfull though such as no man can accuse us of because no man doth know yet then he is accused and tormented then he hath some thing in him threatning arraigning accusing and terrifying a Deputy of God sitting within him and controlling him a man must therefore confesse there is a higher power to whom that conscience of his is an Office and a Supreame Judge That which the conscience of every man beareth witnesse unto is sure a truth for that is a thousand witnesses The feares of an ill conscience the joy and security of a good conscience prove this that there is a God a revenger of sinnes and a rewarder of vertues Nero having killed his Mother Agrippinâ— confessed that he was often troubled with her Ghost Caligula at the least thunder and lightening would cover his head and hide himselfe under his bed whence Statius saith Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor On the contrary Paul and Sylas could sing and Peter could sleepe securely in Prison David could triumphantly rejoyce in God in the greatest dangers 1 Sam. 30. 6. Austin cals peace of conscience the Soules Paradise and Salomon a continuall Feast Prov. 15. 15. Hic murus abeneus esto Nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpa 2. Divers reasons may be brought to prove that there is a God from the effects and the contrary 1. From his effects Ordinary Extraordinary 1. Ordinary Naturall Civill 1. Naturall 1. Generall the Creation and preservation of the world 1. Creation or making all things The world must needs be eternall or must be made by it selfe or by some thing which was before it selfe and therefore also was farre better then it selfe But it could not make it selfe for what maketh worketh what worketh is but what is made is not till it be made Now nothing can be and not be at the same time for both the parts of a contradiction can never be true together Neither could it be eternall for a thing compounded of parts must needs have those parts united together by some other thing beside it selfe and above it selfe and if they be compounded wisely artifâ—cially strongly and excellently by some wise strong and excellent worker seeing it is inimaginable how each of these parts being not reasonable should come together of themselves therefore sure there was some worker which did so handsomely dispose and order them and this worker must needs have a being before he could so worke and therefore also before the conjunction of them and so things in such sort made by composition of parts could not be eternall for that neither hath nor can have any thing before it therefore it must needs
be made by some thing which was capable of being from Eternity What is Eternall is of it selfe what is of it selfe is God the world is not God because the parts of it are corruptible therefore it is not eternall and what is Finite in quantity cannot be infinite in continuance It could not be made by any creature in it for the part cannot possibly make the whole because it is of farre lesse vertue then the whole and because it hath its being in and of the whole wherefore it must needs be made by some thing better then it selfe which is no part of it selfe and that is no other then God so the making of the world proves a God What Created the world is and is better then the world and before the world and above all creatures in the world God Created the world When we see the glorious frame of Heaven and earth the excellency magnitude and multitude of naturall things the beautifull order and harmony so great variety we cannot but conclude that there is a God who made and ordereth all these things 2. The Preservation and continuance of the world in that Order which we see maketh it manifest that there is a God which preserveth and ordereth it For either it must be preserved ruled and ordered by it selfe or by some more excellent thing then it selfe not by it selfe for what could not make it selfe cannot of it selfe keepe and uphold it selfe seeing no lesse power is required to its continuation then to its constitution for it could not continue if each of the parts did not so worke as to helpe and uphold the other in some respect or other Now these severall parts could not so worke for one Common end if they were not guided thereto by some common and understanding guide which were acquainted with and had power over each of them therefore it hath one ruler and upholder That which is effected by the constant orderly and subordinate working of innumerable particulars for one common end whereof no one of them hath any knowledge or acquaintance must needs be wrought by some common Ruler and Governour which knowes the motion and working of each and rules all and each to that end in their severall motions What upholds the world is but God upholds the world therefore he is 1. This is Aquinas his reason naturall bodies which want knowledge worke for a certaine end because they frequently worke after the same manner therefore there must be a minde understanding and governing all things and directing them to that speciall and chiefe end The whole world doth aptly conspire together for the attaining of one end the good and benefit of man All creatures incline to their proper operations the stone downe-ward the fire upward the seasons of the yeare constantly follow each other 2. Particular the framing and maintaining of each creature in the world the Heavens and Man especially these two were most artificially made as the Scripture shewes The Psalmist cals the heavens the worke of Gods Fingers Psal. 8. 4. because they were made with greatest ease and with exquisite Art Heb. 11. 10. whose builder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artifex is God speaking of the Heavens Psal. 139. 14 I am fearefully and wonderfully made 15. v. curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth The Hebrew word is very Emphaticall it signifieth Embroydered or wrought with a needle that is cunningly wrought with Nerves Veines Arteries Galen upon the contemplation of the admirable workmanship in the body of man breaketh out into an Hymne in the praise of him that made him 1. The Creation of the Heavens proves that there is a God The largenesse roundnesse purenesse solidnesse the continuall and constant motion of the heavens doth excellently declare the glory of God The very name of Astronomy whose object is the motion of the heavenly Orbes and Stars in exact signification importeth that the Starres observe a Law in their motion which Law is given unto them onely by God himselfe who is their true Law-giver Suidas affirmeth that even Abraham himselfe was first occasioned to seek after God by considering the motion of the Stars for he being by nation a Chaldean who as Aristotle observeth are naturally given to that kinde of contemplation and observing in their motion a wonderfull order and variety and yet no lesse a constancie he presently collected that these strange revolutions were directed and guided by some God 2 The Creation of man proves this truth that there is a God 1. A man may reason from his owne framing in the wombe and preserving in the world Man is framed in the wombe by some most noble wise and excellent workman The Parents frame him not there for they know nothing of his framing neither when nor how he was so formed therefore some more excellent thing then a man did frame him there and doth daily and hourely frame other men and that is a wise worker which is a like wise and potent in all places of the world at all times seeing there is something more excellent then man which hath set downe this Order for producing of men and so a God 2. The Nobility and Excellency of the soule sheweth plainely that it is of Divine Originall it being Spirituall and Incorporeall could not but proceed from that which is Incorporeall The effect cannot be toto genere better then the cause Divers workes are done by man arts invented Zach. 12. 1. 3. The being and preservation of each particular man Each particular man in the world may reason from his owne being thus either there must be an infinite number of men or else there must be a first man which was the beginning of all men but an infinite number of particular men is not possible seeing there can be no infinite number at all for every number begins with an unity and is capable of being made greater by the addition of an unity therefore there cannot be an infinite number of particular men Therefore we must come to some first man and that first man could not make himselfe nor be made by any inferiour thing to it selfe therefore it must be made by some thing more excellent then it selfe viz. One infinite thing from which all particulars had their Originall 4. God is manifested in the consciences of men as was touched before 1. By the Ministery of the word by which he powerfully worketh on their consciences 2. By the inward Checks of conscience after finne committed 1. In the godly 1 Sam. 24. 5. and 2. Sam. 24. 10. 2. In the wicked Matth. 27. 3. 4. 5. 2. Civill States and Kingdomes consist and the Governed by a few Magistrates and Rulers There are innumerable more men that wish and desire the overthrow and ruine of the State then that would live under Government and be subject to Order This effect must have some cause either the wisedome and goodnesse of the governed or of the Governours or
of some higher cause then they both Now it cannot be attributed to the wisedome of the Governours as being often times foolish and men of meane understanding at the best such as cannot prevent the conspiracies of those under them Nor yet doth it arise from the goodnesse of the persons governed most of which most times are wicked and unwilling to come under government therefore it must be of God that is a common Superiour which holds all in awe 2. Extraordinary Miracles There is a work of Miracles for all stories both of Scripture and other Countries doe agree in relating divers Miracles Now the worker of a Miracle is he that can lift Nature off the Hinges as it were and set it on againe as seemeth best to himselfe and therefore is above the course of nature and the Commander of the course of nature and so is the Author of all things under himselfe under nothing and that is none but God The certaine and plaine predictions of things future long afore whose events could by no wit of man be either gathered from their causes or conjectured from their signes Miracles are wrought beyond and above the course of nature therefore some supreame Power must work them Secondly Arguments may be drawn from the contrary to prove that there is a God Reasons From the contrary are two 1. From the being of Devils There is a Devill an Enemy to God which sets himselfe against God and desires and strives and prevailes in many places to be worshiped as God therefore it must needs be there is a God to whom the Service and honour is due of being confessed and adored as God which these doe unduly affect and seeke Againe the Devill is a Creature for strength wisdome nimblenesse able to destroy all man-kinde quickly and out of his Malice and Fury very willing to doe it Yet he cannot doe it it is not done of this restraint there is some cause therefore there must be something which over-commands and over-rules him and that can be no other then a God that is something of Higher Power and in wisedom farre beyond him Now there are Devils it is apparent by the horrible temptations which are cast into the hearts of men quite against and beyond their naturall inclinations as Blasphemous Suggestions and as appeareth by the practises of conjurers and witches who practise with the Devill and of those Countreys which worship him instead of God and as a God being beguiled by him 2. From the sleightnesse of the reasons brought to disprove this truth or to shew the Contrary The reasons produced to shew there is no God are fond and weake and what is opposed alone by weake and false reasons is a truth 1. If there were a God some man should see him and sensibly converse with him This is a brutish reason what cannot be seene is not then man hath no soule God is above sense more excellent then to be discerned by so poor weak and low a thing as sense is 2. God daily makes himselfe after a sort visible to men by his workes 2 If there were a God he would not suffer wicked men to prosper and oppose better men then themselves nor himselfe to be so blasphemed as he is Those things that to us seeme most unjust and unfit if we could see the whole tenour of things from the beginning to the ending would appeare just and wise 3 All Divine Religion say the Atheists is nothing else but an humane invention artificially excogitated to keep men in awe and the Scriptures are but the device of mans braine to give assistance to Magistrates in Civill government This objection strikes at the root and heart of all Religion opposeth two many Principles at once 1. that there is a God 2. That the Scripture is the word of God which though it be but a meer idle fiction yet it prevailed too much with some learned men Tullie and Seneca were the chiefest Patrons of that conceit that Religion is no better then an humane invention 1. Religion is almost as Ancient as man when there were but three men in the universall world we read that two of them offered up their sacrifices unto God 2. The universality of Religion declareth that it is not a humane invention but a Divine impression yea and a Divinity-Lesson of Gods own heavenly teaching Lactantius accompteth Religion to be the most proper and essentiall difference between a man and a Beast 3. The perpetuity of Religion proveth also that it was planted by God For the second part of the objection about the Scriptures I answer Nothing is more repugnant to Prudence and Policy What Policy was it in the old Testament to appoint circumcision to cut a poor Child as soon as he comes into the world two and twenty thousand Oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand Sheep were spent by Salomon at the dedication of one Altar To slaughter so many Oxen and Sheep such usefull creatures was enough to bring a Famine They were to give away the seventh part of their time to God Christ was not the Sonne of the Emperour Augustus to commend him to the Grandees of the world but the supposed Son of a poor Carpenter a Starre leads the Wise Men to a Stable though that shined gloriously without yet there was nothing within but what was base and contemptible Christ fell on the Pharisees the great Doctors 23. of Matthew called them fooles and blind and threatened them with Hell he cryed down the Ceremoniall Law the Ministry which had beene practised diâ—â—rs hundred years the Jewes were naturally tenacious of their Customes Christ chose silly unlearned men to propagate the Gospell Nothing crosseth humane wisdome more then the whole Scripture from the beginning to the end Martin Fotherby Bishop of Salisbury who wrote Atheomastix addes another reason to prove that there is a God and it is taken from the grounds of Arts There is no Art saith he neither liberall nor illiberall but it cometh from God and leadeth to God 1. From Metaphysicks he urgeth that the bounding of all naturall bodies is the work of God to be unlimited and boundlesse is onely the Prerogative of the Maker of all things Every finite body being thus limited must needs have those bounds prescribed unto it by some other thing and not by it selfe For every thing by nature seeking to inlarge it selfe as far as it is able if it had the setting of its owne bounds it would set none at all but would be as infinite as God himselfe is who hath the setting of limits unto all things who could circumscribe all things within their limits but onely God Himselfe who is both the Maker and Ruler of all things Psal. 33. 7. Job 38. 11. 2. From Philosophy every thing that is must needs have a cause and nothing can be the cause of it selfe and among all the causes there can be but one
first and principall cause which is the true cause of all the rest and of all those effects which proceede from all of them then the first cause can be nothing else but God for what can that be which giveth being unto all things but only God All motion depends on some mover the motion of sublunary things depends on the motion of the Heavens and their motion must needs be caused by some supreame first mover Therefore we must necessarily come at last to some first mover which is moved of no other and that is God Others adde these reasons to prove that there is a God 1. The heroick motions and prosperous successe of some famous men in undertaking and acting those things which exceede the common capacity of humane nature the gifts of minde in Aristotle Achilles Alexander 2. The hainous punishments inflicted on particular men Familes and Kingdomes for great offences some of which were wonderfully brought to execution when by their power and subtilty they thought they could escape the Magistrates Sword If we speake of Atheists strictly and properly meaning such as have simply denied all Deity and denied it constantly Tullies sentence is most true that there was never any such Creature in the World as simply and constantly to deny God The name of an Atheist in this sense is nomen â—ciosunt a name without a thing It wee speake of Atheists in a larger sense for such as have openly though not constantly denied the Divinity of such professed Atheists there have not beene past two or three If wee speake of Atheists in the largest sense meaning such as denied Gods providence justice goodnesse though they have done it but weakely rather upon some sodaine passion then any setled resolution their number hath scarcely amounted to a score I meane of such open Atheists as have made any publike profession of their Atheisme though but even in these secondary points Those Atheists that denied a God spake what they wished rather then what they thought or else they opposed the Heathenish Gods or to shew their wit Diagoras the chiefest of them did Potius Gentilium Deos ridere quam Deum negare Hee rather derided false Gods then denied the true that hee was not a meere Atheist appeareth in that hee thus began his Poeme Quod a numine summâ— reguntur omnia The Athenians also condemned Protagoras for an Atheist yet not for denying God but for seeming to doubt of him Because in the beginning of his Booke hee propounded this Probleme De diis quidem statuere nequeo neque an sint nec ne For this the Athenians banished him and decreed that his Bookes should be publikely burned Theodoras who for his notable prophanesse was surnamed Atheos though at the first he was noted of Atheisme yet at the last hee fell into Autotheisme professing himselfe a God as Laertius reporteth though carrying God in the name hee was an Atheist in his opinion saith Fuller in his prophane state of this Theodorus A Pope dying said now I shall bee resolved of three things 1. Whether there be a God 2. Whether the soule be immortall 3. Whether there be an Heaven and Hell Some indirectly deny God by denying his providence as Epicurus who denied not Gods Essence but onely his Providence He granted that there was a God though he thought him to be such an one as did neither evill nor good But God sitteth not idle in Heaven regarding nothing that is done upon the Earth as the Epicure conceiteth He is a most observing God and will reward or punish men according to their actions 1. This serves to blame and condemne the miserable corruption of our evill hearts which are so farre overrun with Atheisme though this be the very first Truth which God hath ingraven into the soule of a man that there is a God yet we weakely hold this conclusion for all sinne may and must be resolved into the ignorance of God and Atheisme wee should be humbled for our thoughts of Atheisme for saying in our hearts that there is no God the Devill in judgement never was an Atheist we should take notice of and bewaile this foule vice Though the Atheist did never so carefully or cunningly dissemble it yet he could not but inwardly know that there was a God 2. We should oppose this Atheisme and labour to grow more and more in the knowledge of God and to strengthen our Faith in this principle that God is meditate and ponder of his Works and be perfect in those Lessons which the common Booke of nature teacheth pray to God to cleare the eye of our minde and to imprint a right knowledge of himselfe in us The Papist is a make-God and the Atheist is a mock-God The Papist deludeth his conscience and the Atheist derideth his â—onscience Popery comforteth the flesh and Atheisme suppresseth the spirit As the Heathen Emperours tooke upon them the Title of God so doth the Pope Dominus Deus noster Papa His Decrees and Canons are called Oracles Oracle signifieth the answer of God Rom. 3 2. 11. 4. And his decretall Epistles are equalled to the Canonicall Epistles Deale with thy heart as Junius his Father dealt with him he seeing his sonne was Atheisticall he laid a Bible in every Rome that his son could looke in no Rome but behold a Bible haunted him upbraiding him wilt thou not reade me Atheist wilt thou not reade me And so at last he read it and was converted from his Atheisme The often meditating in the Scriptures will through Gods blessing settle us in these two great Principles 1. That there is a God 2. the Scripture is the Word of God That God which made Heaven and earth is the onely true God we must believe that this God which we reade of in Scripture is the onely true God so it is not enough to believe there is a Scripture but that the Scripture of the old and new Testament is the Word of God CHAP. II. What God is IN him consider First his Nature Secondly his Workes In his Nature two things are considerable First his Essence Secondly the distinction of persons in that essence 1. Of Gods Essence God is an Infinite Essence which is of Himselfe and gives being to all other things Some things have their being wholly in another as accidents whitenes in the Wall Wisdome in the minde 2. Some things have a being by themselves not inhering in another as substances which are of two kindes 1 Bodily substances which have dimensions length bredth and thicknesse possessing a place by commensuration of parts 2. Spirituall freed from dimensions and from all circumscription of place God is not an accident that is the most weake and imperfect being nearest to a not being and most easily reduced into nothing as if the Grasse and Flower fade then the colour and fashion of it commeth soon to nothing God is not in any other
because they are inherent after a sort in the bodies of things accompanying a corporall being which is the meanest being But thirdly there is a more worthy and noble kinde of life called reasonable such as is seen in men and in Angels which is an ability to proceed reasonably and understandingly in all actions for the attaining of good and shunning of evils fit for the welfare of the person indued with reason Now we must not conceive in God any such imperfect thing as growth or sense for he is a spirituall a Simple and Immateriall essence but his life is to be understood by the similitude of the life of reason for he is a perfect understanding To the being then of God adjoyn reasonablenesse in our concerning of him and we conceive his life somewhat aright God life differs from the life of the creature 1. His life is his nature or essence he is life it selfe their 's the operation of their nature he is life they are but living 2. His life is his own he liveth of and by and in himself their life is borrowed from him in him we live and move Act. 17. 25. 28. He is life and the fountaine of life to all things 3 His life is infinite without beginning or ending their life is finite and had a beginning and most of them shall have an end 4. His life is entire altogether and Perfect their 's imperfect growing by addition of dayes to dayes He liveth all at once hath his whole life perfectly in himselfe one infinite moment 5. He liveth necessarily they contingently so as they might not live 6. His life is immutable their 's mutable and subject to many alterations 1. This serves to blame those which carry themselves no otherwise to God then if he were a very dead Idoll not fearing his threats or seeking to obey him 2. To exhort us all often to revive in our selves the memory and consideration of his life by stirring up our selves to feare his threats respect his promises obey his Commandements decline his displeasure and seeke his favour Let us serve feare and trust in him which liveth for evermore Provoke not the Lord by your sinnes for it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. 3. Here is comfort to all the faithfull servants of this God which desire to please him for they have a King which liveth and hath lived for ever a King eternall immortall invisible and onely wise in his life they shall injoy life though friends dye God ever liveth His life is the preserver upholder and comforter of your life God living of himselfe can blesse you with naturall spirituall and eternall life John 14. 19. Rom. 8. 10. 17. Men will give skinne for skinne and all that they have for life It is reported of one that he offered to redeeme his life thrice his weight in Silver twice in Gold once in Pearle But we doe little for the living God and communion with him in the life of grace and for obtaining eternall life God is immortall and incorruptible he liveth for ever in like perfection The Scripture confirmeth this 1. Negatively when it removes mortality and corruption from God Rom. 1. 23. 1 Tim. 1. 17. and 6. 16. 2. Affirmatively when it giveth life to God Gen. 16. 14. Deut. 5. 26. Jer. 2. 13. The property of Gods life is it is endlesse incorruptible Deut. 32. 40. Life is essentiall to God he is life it selfe but the life of other things is accidentall His life is also effective he gives life to all living creatures 2. God is of himselfe eternall of himselfe and absolutely immortall and incorruptible He onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. Angels are not immortall in and of themselves they have not originall or absolute immortality their immortality is dependent and derivative 3. Because he is voyd of all composition therefore he is free from corruption 4. Because he is simply and every way immutable 5 This is proved from the Nobility and perfection of the Divine essence Living bodies are more perfect then such as doe not live but God is the most perfect and noble being John 5. 26. 6. Because he is blessed therefore he is immortall Ezek. 37. 14 1. This comforts all Gods people who have the living God for their friend who liveth for ever and they shall live eternally with him the life of God comforted Job 19. 25. Let them trust in the living God This should comfort us against spirituall weaknesse and deadnesse though we be dull and dead in Prayer God is life and will quicken us 2. We miserable men for sinne are all subject unto death 2 Sam. 14. 14. Psal. 144. 4. Psal. 90. 6. Job 14. 1. Job describes there the brevity frailty instability and manifold miseries of this life therefore let us place all our confidence and hope in God who is immortall and incorruptible our soule is immortall and made for immortality it is not satisfied with any thing nor resteth but in God who is immortall and incorruptible A thing may be said immortall two wayes first Simpliciter absolutè per se suaque natura so that there is no outward nor inward cause of mortality so onely God Secondly which in its owne nature may be deprived of life yet ex voluntate Dei neither dyes nor can dye so the soule and Angels are immortall CHAP. IV. GOd is truly Infinite in his nature and essence actually and simply by himselfe and absolutely he is Infinite It is a vaine conceite that there cannot be an infinite thing in Act. He is not infinite 1. In corporall quantity and extension but in essence and perfection 2. Not privativè but negativè he hath simply no end 3. He is Infinite not according to the Etymon of the word which respects an end only for he is both without beginning and end although the word be negative yet we intend by it a positive attribute and perfection The Scripture demonstrates God to be Infinite 1. Affirmatively Psa. 143. 3. 2. Negatively in the same place 3. Comparatively Job 11. 8. Isay. 40. 12. 15. Dan. 4. 32. 2. reasons prove this 1. From the perfection of God whatsoever thing hath not an end of its perfection and vertue that is truly and absolutely infinite Infinitenesse is to be without bounds to be unmeasurable to exceede reason or capacity it is opposed to Finite which is to bound or limite to define to end or conclude Infinitenesse is such a property in God that he is not limited to any time place or particular nature and being or it is that whereby God is free altogether from all limitation of time place or degrees He hath all good things in him in all fulnesse of perfection above all measure and degrees yea above all conceiveable degrees by us He hath all wisdome and power above all that all creatures can conceive and
both visible and invisible CHAP. VI. GOd is exceeding Great 1 Kings 8. 42. 2. Sam. 7. 22. Psal. 95. 3. and 96. 4. and 99. 2. 3. and 145. 3. Tit. 2. 13. God is Great and greatly to be praised and who is so Great as our God He is Great 1. In his nature and essence 2. In his workes 3 In his authority His name is Great Jer. 10. 6. 11. Josh. 7. 9. his power is great Psal. 147. 5. His Acts are great Psal 111. 1. his judgements are great Exodus 7. 4. He is great in counsell Jer. 32. 19. and mighty workes Deut. 32. 4. There is a double Greatnesse 1. Of quantity or bulk and that is an attribute of a body by which it hath very large bodily dimensions as a mountain is a great substance the Sun a great body and this cannot be found in God who is not a body but an Immateriall essence 2. Of Perfection worth and vertue and that is abundance of all excellencies and largenesse of whatsoever makes to perfection of being and this is in God He is so perfect every way that he stands in need of nothing God is absolutely and simply Perfect because he hath all things which are to be desired for the chiefest felicity He is pefect 1. In the highest degree of perfection simply without any respect or comparison secondly he is perfect in all kindes 1. John 1. 5. John saith he is light in which there is no darknesse that is Perfect and Pure without the least mixture of the contrary the Authour and cause of all perfections in all the creatures they are all in him but more perfectly and in a perfecter manner God is most absolutely Perfect Job 22. 2. Psal. 16. 2. Matth. 5. 48. The words in Scripture attributed to God which signifie this are 1. Schaddai which is as much as one sufficient to help himselfe or one that gives nourishment to all other things and therefore Gen. 17. 1. when God was to make a Covenant with Abraham to leave all earthly things and so trust in him onely he brings this argument that he was such a sufficient God 2. Gomer The verbe is used five times in the Psalmes as much as Perfect from the effect because God doth continually preserve to the end 3. Tom. Job 37. 16. It signifieth both Simple and Perfect 4. Calil à Col. omnis that in which all good things are God is perfect 1. Essentially he is Perfect in and by himselfe containing in him all perfections eminently Matth. 5 48. He hath all needfull to a Deity 2. Nothing is wanting to him he hath no need of any other thing out of himselfe Job 22. 2. 3. Psal. 16. 2. 3. Originally he is the cause of all perfection what hast thou which thou hast not received Jam. 1. 17. 4. Operatively all his workes are Perfect Deut. 32. 4. A thing is Perfect 1. Negativè which wanteth nothing which is due by nature to its integrity 2. Privativè which wanteth no perfection and so God onely is Perfect 2. God is Great in his workes Deut. 4. 36. Gods Perfection stands in an Infinitenesse of goodnesse Matth. 19. 17. wisedome Rom. 11. 33. power Gen. 17. 1. perfect wisedome goodnesse righteousnesse moderation holinesse truth and whatsoever may possibly be required to grace and commend an action that is found in the whole course and frame of Gods actions the worke of Creation is a perfect worke he made all things in unsearchable wisedome no man could have found any want of any thing in the world which might be reasonably desired no man could have found there any evill thing worthy to be complained of The worke of Providence is perfect all things are carryed in perfection of wisedome justice and goodnesse So is the work of Redemption likewise Perfect The perfectest measure of justice wisdome truth power that can be conceived of doth shew it selfe forth in that work Reason Such as the work-man is such must the work be a perfect Artists workmanship will resemble himselfe The perfection of God is his incomprehensible fulnesse of all excellenciâ—s He is absolutely and simply perfect Ob. Why doth God use the help of others Sol. Not out of need as the Artificer his Instruments so that he cannot work with them but out of choyce and liberty to honour them the more Hence sometimes he will use no meanes at all sometimes contrary meanes to shew that they help not and that we should not rely upon them Ob. Why is there sinne in the world seeing God needs not any glory that comes to him by Christ and by his mâ—rcy in pardoning of sinne why doth he suffer it Sol. Because sinne is not so great an evill as Christ is a good and therefore God would not have suffered sinne if he could not have raised up to himself matter of honour God makes an antidote of this poyson Ob. How comes it to passe that God makes one thing better then he did at first as in the creation all things had not their perfection at first Sol. Those things were perfect ex parte operantis he intended not they should have any farther perfection at that time the essence of nothing can be made better then it is because it consists in indivisibili God makes not out graces perfect in us because he aymes at another end Gods Perfection hath all imperfections removed from it 2 Tim. 2. 13. Titus 1. 2. Jam. 1. 3. There be 6 imperfections found in every creature 1. Contingency 2. Dependance 3. Limitation 4. Composition 5. Alteration 6. Multiplication Now God is free from all these He is 1. a necessary essence 2. Independent 3. Unlimited 4. Simple 5. Unchangeable 6. Wholly one Three of these viz. Gods Simplicity unlimitednesse in respect of time and place and unchangeablenesse I have handled already I shall speak of the other three when I have dispatched this attribute of Gods Greatnesse or Perfection 3. God is Great in his Authority I have shewed already that he is Great in his nature and essence and also in his workes now his Greatnesse in Authority is to be considered He is a Great King he hath Soveraign absolute and unlimited Authority over all things they being all subject and subordinate to him for at his will they were and are created This is signified by the Title of the most High so frequently given him in Scripture He is the High and lofty one Isay 57. 15. 1. In respect of place and dwelling he is in heaven Eccles. 5. 2. above the clouds 2. In respect of essence he is High indeed unexpressibly high the high God Gen. 14. 22. the Lord most High Psal. 7. 17. 3. In respect of Attributes he hath more wisedome power justice mercy then all creatures 4. In respect of State and dominion he is exalted in Authority power jurisdiction he is above all as Commander of all God hath
5. It notes the eternall decree of God separating some men to holinesse and glory for the praise of his rich grace Ephes. 1. 4. 11. Election is the decree of Gods good pleasure according to Counsell whereby he hath from eternity chosen and determined with himselfe to call some men to faith in Christ to justifie adopt sanctifie and endue them with eternall life for the praise of incomprehensible grace and rich mercy Or it is an action of God ordaining some men out of his meere good will and pleasure to eternall life which is to be had by faith in Christ for the manifestation of his grace and mercy 1. The Generall nature of it it is an action of Gods ordaining 2. The impulsive Cause of his meere good will Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 9. 16. 18. There can be no other reason given when men have wearied themselves out in disputes but onely Gods will Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Matth. 11. God will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy Gods meere free-will makes us differ in naturalls thou art a man and not a Toad how much rather must it make us differ in supernaturalls To flie to a scientia media or a congrua motio divina or to the preparation and use of Free-will is to wander and to say any thing in man makes a difference 3. The object of Election whether man absolutely considered or respectiuely as good by Creation miserable by sinne Some make homo condendus man to be made the object of Election some man made but not fallen some man made and fallen But these opinions may be reconciled for those who hold homo Condendus or massa pura to be the object doe extend Election further than the latter doe even to comprehend in it a decree to make man and to permit him to fall but as for that actuall Election and Separation Calvin and Beza hold it to be from the corrupted Masse of which opinion these reasons may be given 1. We are chosen that we might be holy and unblameable this supposeth that we were considered in Election as finners Ezek. 16. 6. 9. 1. Rom. 2. 9. Election is of God that sheweth mercy and wee are called vessells of mercy mercy presupposeth misery 2. We are elected in Christ as our head and he is a Mediatour and Saviour which presupposeth sinne he came to save sinners Matth. 20. 16. the meanes of salvation are given to few few are holy the effect of Election Matthew 7. 13. 3. Man simply considered is the object of Predestination in respect of the preordination of the end but man corrupted if we respect the ordination of the meanes which tend to that end or man absolutely in respect of the supreame or last end or in respect of this or that subordinate end 4. The end of Election is two-fold 1. neare and immediate eternall life 2. farther off and ultimate the glory of his name Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. 5. The meanes to bring about these ends Christs merits apprehended by faith Consider also the adjuncts of this Decree the eternity immutability and certainty of it There is a certaine and determinate number of the Elect which cannot be diminished or augmented Christ prayed to his Father that the Faith of his Elect might not faile Joh. 17. 16. 20. It is impossible they should be deceived Mat. 24. 24. The Papists thinke that the certaintie of immutable election begetts in a man a certaine carnall securitie and prophannesse but Peter thinks farre otherwise 2 Pet. 1. 10. God was not moved by any thing outwardly to choose us to eternall life but it was onely the meere will of God Some of the Papists say God did choose man to eternall life upon the foresight of his good workes and his perseverance in them 2. The Lutherans say for faith foreseene not because of any dignity in faith but for Christ apprehended by it Object If God should not predestinate for some thing in us he is an accepter of persons for all were alike Judas was no more opposite then Peter why then should one bee elected and not another Sol. 1. This makes the Doctrine of Election such a depth that God loveth Jacob and hateth Esau in the Angels some are elected and some fallen 2. To accept of persons is then when we preferre one before another and ought not to doe so now that God chooseth some it is of his meere grace for all deserve eternall damnation Arguments against the Papists and Lutherans That which is the effect and fruit of election that cannot be a cause or condition for then a thing should be a cause to it selfe but these are effects Ephes. 1. 4. It should be according to them he hath chosen us because we were foreseene holy Acts 13. 48. A man is not ordained to eternall life because he beleeveth but he beleeveth because he is ordained to eternall life Secondly then we should choose God and not he us contrary to that John 15. 19. Thirdly Infants are elected who cannot beleeve or doe good workes Fourthly if man were the cause of his owne election he had cause to glorie in himselfe election should not be of grace All the Sons of Adam without exception are not elected for election supposeth a rejection He that chooseth some refuseth others See Esay 41. 9. John 13. 8. Whom God electeth he doth also glorifie Rom. 8. 30. but all are not glorified 2 Thes. 1. 10. 2. 13. 2. Saving faith is a true effect of Gods election peculiar to the elect common to all the elect which live to be of age and discretion but many are destitute of faith for ever therefore they must needs be out of Gods election 3. The Scripture saith expresly that few were chosen Matth. 20. 16. Few saved Luke 13. 23. The elect considered apart by themselves are a numberlesse number and exceeding many in comparison of the wicked they are but few even a handfull Matth. 7. 13. 14. 22. 14. Luke 12. 32. Though some of the places of Scripture may be expounded of the small number of Beleevers in the dayes of our Saviour yet some are more generally spoken shewing plainly that only few do find the way to life At this day if the world were divided into thirty parts 19. of them doe live in Infidelity without the knowledge of the true God The Mahometans possesse other sixe parts of the world Amongst them which professe Christ scarce one part of those five remaining do embrace the true religion And many more do professe with the mouth then do with the heart beleeve unto salvation The Arminians say there is an election axiomaticall not personall they acknowledge that there is a choise of this or that particular meanes to bring men to salvation God say they hath revealed but two wayes to bring men to life either by obedience to the Law or by faith
our election sure by our calling Rom. 8. 29 30. and our effectuall calling by two things 1. by a new light 2. a new life 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. John 12. 36. Ephes. 5. 8. We have a new knowledge wrought in us of our selves we see our miserie by sin and our inability to help our selves Rom. 2. 23. 2 of God God in Jesus Christ is discovered to us 2 Pet. 1. 3. We see our need of Christ and know him to be a mediatour who must reconcile God and us 2. a new life is wrought in us Ephes. 2. 1. We now die to sin and live to God 1. By faith Rev. 17. 14. These three are put together faithfull chosen and called 2. By new obedience CHAP. II. 2. The Execution of Gods Decree GOD executes his Decree by Actions Creation and Providence Gods workes are in time 1. Past Creation of all things 2. Present Governement and preservation Creation is taken 1. Strictly when God makes any Creature of nothing meerly of nothing not as if nothing were the matter but the terme so the souls of men and Angels are created of nothing 2. Largely when of some prejasent matter but very unfit and indisposed a creature is made as Adam of the earth Creation is the action of God whereby out of nothing he brought forth nature it selfe and all things in nature both substances and accidents in and with the substances and finished them in the space of sixe dayes both to his owne glory and the salvation of the Elect. Or it is an action whereby God the Father by his word and holy Spirit made all things exceeding good for the glory of his name Or thus Creation is a transient or externall action of God whereby in the beginning He made the world by a meere command out of his owne free will in sixe dayes space to the glory of his name 1. An action not a motion or change motion argueth some succession but in the things created the fieri factum esse is all one nor is it a change because that supposeth some alteration in the Agent 2. Transient it passeth from the Agent to the thing created whereas in immanent actions as Gods will decrees and personall actions they abide in himselfe 3. Of God The efficient cause of Creation is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Creation is the proper worke of God alone so that He is God which created the world and he created the world who is God Jer. 10. 11. It is without controversie that the worke of creation agrees to God the Father the same is expressely given to the Sonne John 1 3. Col. 1. 16. and to the Holy Ghost also Psal. 33. 6. 4. In the beginning By the Scripture it is a matter of faith to hold that the world was not from all eternity in the beginning that notes not that there was time first and then God created the world for time is a creature and concreated but it denotes orde that is at first 5. The world that is the Heaven and Earth and all things contained in them Acts 4. 4. and 17. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that well ordered decent beautifull and comely frame of heaven and earth 6. By his meere command as appeares Gen. 1. Let there be light let there be heavens wâ—ich argues his omnipotencie 7. Out of his owne free will for God did not need the world and therefore he created it no sooner 8. The finall cause to the glorie of his name Rom. 2. 20. Three Attrbiutes especially manifest themselves in this work of Creation Gods power wisedome goodnesse his power in that he made all thingâ— by a word and of nothing his wisedome is seene in the order and exceeding wonderfull and particular uses all creatures have his goodnesse in that he would communicate being to the creatures He needed not the world but was happie enough in himselfe without men or Angels The worke of Creation say some set out generally in a generall proposition In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth Which proposition He after explains by its parts That the world was not from eternity but was made by God these arguments may perswade First and principally Faith Heb. 11. 3. which is grounded upon divers places of Scripture as the first and second chapters of Genesis 38 and 39 chapters of Job and some Psalmes almost whole as 104. and 136. this also is the first Article of our Creede that the world was created in time by God The Apostle Paul Acts 14. 15. and 17. 24. doth point out God to the Heathen by this worke above others Secondly and probably the light of nature shining in these reasons 1. The originall of Nations laid downe by Moses Gen. 10. and else where which could not be fained by him since some memorie of them was then extant among many which yet in progresse of time was extinguished 2. The beginning of Arts the first inventers whereof are known and in what time they flourished for it is not probable that so many ages before mankind lived without arts and that in these last times they were all both invented perfected 3. The newnesse of all Heathenish histories the ancientest of which tell of nothing before Noah's flood or the beginning of the Assyrian Empire under Ninus The holy history it selfe is only of 4000. yeares or thereabout which neverthelesse iâ— the greatest monument of antiquity Now it would be a most unworthy reproach and contumelie cast upon all those men who had lived so many infinite ages agoe to say that they were so ignorant that they could not or so sloathfull that they would not deliver in writing what was done in their times 4. The decay of mans bodie and age which from a great strength quantity bignesse and time of life is now come down to a narrow scantling which if had decreased so alwais in infinite ages it would by this time have been brought almost to nothing The certaine series and order of causes and impossibility of their proceeding in infinitum for it must needs be that there should be one first which is the universall cause but first it is not unlesse it be one nor one except it be God 6. As a thing is so it workes but God doth not depend upon another in his being therefore neither in working doth he require a pre-existent matter 7. Art presupposeth nature and nature matter but God in working is a more excellent cause then art or nature therefore presupposeth nothing in working 8. The first cause viz. God is infinite therefore he can do whatsoever implyeth not a contradiction but the Creation of things in time implyeth it not 9. Whatsoever perisheth hath a beginning the world doth perish because all its parts decay and are subject to corruption therefore the whole The Angels and soules of men are changeable by nature as appears by the
region of the aire is cold in respect of the two other because it cannot follow the motions of the Heavens as the upper region doth being hindered by the tops of mountains 2. being free from the reflex beames of the Sun by which the lower region of the aire is made hot The Aire is most thin without light or colour but apt to receive heate light and cold heavier then the fire lighter then the earth or water placed in the midst of them fit for breathing seeing smelling and moving This Element also leades us to God For 1. It tâ—uly and really subsisteth though it be not seene So also the Lord the maker of it hath a reall but invisible existence 2. It is every where within and without us so is God every where present 3. It is the preserver of my life and we may say of it truly as the Apostle of God himselfe in it under God we live move and have our being 4. Fire which is some say to be understood in light an adjunct and quality of it Scaliger would prove a fiery Element because fire tends thither First God made the Elements of the earth and water which in Geography make one globe Others say light neither is that Element nor proceedes from it but the Sun however I shall handle it here among the workes of the first day Without light Gods other works could not have been discovered by men Light is an excellent worke of God tending to manifest his excellency to men it is a comfortable thing to behold the light Psalm 104. 2. Who coverest thy selfe with light as with a garment that is createdst the light thereby shewing his excellencie as a man doth by making and wearing a rich and glorious suite of cloths hee made and doth maintaine the light in its perfection God expresseth his greatnesse above Job in that hee could not make light nor knew not what it was q. d. Job thou art a meane Creature thou dost not create nor order the light neither dost thou know the nature and working of it The greatnesse of this worke appeares principally by two considerations 1. The hidden abstruse and difficult nature of it Philosophers cannot tell what to say of it whether it be a substance or accident and if a substance whether corporeall or incorporeall and spirituall it is a quality say they which makes other things visible that is the effect of it This word light in English signifieth both that which the Latines call lux and that which they call lumen which yet are two distinct things The first being in the Sunnâ— or Moone properly the second in the Aire and an effect of the other Some thinke that it is a substance one of the simple substances which they call Elements of which compounded substances are made by mixing them together and is nothing but the Element of fire which Philosophers speake of being more subtill then the Aire And as the water compassed the earth and the aire the water so did light the aire and was far greater then the aire as that was then the water and earth so as this is the highest of all the Elements 2. It is very usefull needfull and beneficiall For first it carrieth heate in it and conveigheth heate and the coâ—lestiall influences unto all other things 2. It distinguisheth day and night each from other without it what were the world but a dungeon 3. It is exceeding necessary for the dispatch of all businesse 4. To make the beautifull workes of God visible Heaven and Earth and dissipate those sad thoughts and sorrowes which the darknesse both begetteth and maintaineth 1. We cannot see light without light nor know God without his teaching 2. This serves to condemne our selves which cannot see God in this light though we see it with content and lament this blindnesse When the day begins to peepe in at your windowes let God come into your thoughts hee comes clothed thus attired tell your selves how beautiful excellent he is 3. It may exhort us to labour to raise up our hearts to God in hearty thankfulnesse for the light how mercifull and gracious art thou who givest me light and the sight of it take heed of abusing it to sinne and thy eyes whereby thou discernest it especially magnifie God that giveth you spirituall light and sight Christ is the light of the world naturall darknesse is terrible light comfortable what is spirituall Light is so pure faire and cleare that nothing can pollute it a resemblance of Gods infinite purity The creation of day and night and the distinction and vicissitude of both is the last thing in the first dayes work Day is the presence of light in one halfe of the world and night the absence of it in the other So that the dispute whether day or night were first seems superfluous seeing they must needes be both together for at what time the light is in one halfe of the world it must needes bee absent from the other and contrarily for all darknesse is not night nor all light day but darkness distinguished from light that is night light distinguished from darknesse that is day unlesse we wil take day for the naturall not the artificiall day that is the space of 24. houres in which the Sun accomplisheth hiâ— diurnall motion about the Earth Darknesse is nothing but the absence of light Night is the space of time in every place when the light is absent from them Day is the space of time in every place when the light is present with them it is not simply the presence of light but presence of light in one halfe of the world when the other is destitute of it and Night is not simply the absence of light but the absence of it from one halfe of the world when the other halfe enjoyeth it God made the Sun the chiefe instrument of continuing the course of day and night forever by its diurnall and constant motion This is a wonderfull worke of God and to be admired The Scripture notes it the day is thine and the night also is thine saith the Psalmist the ordinances of day and night cannot be changed The greatnesse of this worke appeareth in the cause of it the beneficiall effects First for the cause it is the incredibly swift motion of the Sunne which goeth round about the world in the space of 24. houres that is the space of 60. miles every houre in the earth but how many thousand 60. miles in its own circle or circumference for the Earth is a very small thing compared to the Sun The bodie of the Sunne is 166. times as it is thought greater then the Earth therefore the circumference that it goes must needs be at least so much larger then the compasse of the Earth therefore its course must needs be at least so much larger then the compasse of the Earth therefore its course
aloft in the aire Zanchius saith there are foure sorts of Meteors others make but 3. sorts 1. Fiery which in the Supreame Region of the aire are so enflamed by the fire that they are of a fiery nature as Comets Thunder 2. Airy which being begotten of dry vapours of the earth come neare the nature of aire as winds 3. Waterie which retaine the nature of the water as snow and raine 4. Earthly which being begot of earthly vapours are also digged out of the Earth as metals stones The efficient cause is God according to that of the Psalmist haile snow ice winde and storme doe his will The remote matter of the Meteors are Elements the next matter are exhalations which are two-fold fumus et vapor smoake is of a middle nature between earth and fire vapour betweene water and aire If it come from the earth or some sandy place it is fumus a fume or kind of smoak if it come from the water or some watery place it is a vapour Vapours or exhallations are fumes raised from the water earth by the heavenly bodies into one of the 3. Regions of the aire whence divers impressions are formed according to the quality and quantity of the exhalations Thunder is a sound heard out of a thick or close compacted Cloud which sound is procured by reason of hot and dry exhalations shut within the cloud which seeking to get out with great violence rend the cloud from whence proceedes the tumbling noise which we call Thunder The Earth sends out partly by its owne innate heate and partly by the externall heate and attraction of the Sun certain hot and dry steames which the Philosopher calls exhalations and these going up in some abundance are at last enclosed within some thicke cloud consisting of cold and moist vapours which finding themselves straightned do with violence seeke a vent and breake through the sides or low part of the cloude There is first a great conflict and combate there of the contrary qualities a great rumbling and tumbling and striving of the exhalations within the cloud untill it breake forth into a loud and fearfull cracke Then the exhalation by its heate incensed in the strife proves all on a flame as it comes in the aire and that is Lightning Lastly the exhalation falling downe upon the earth is so violent that sometimes it breakes trees sometimes it singeth and burneth what it meetes mith it kills men and living creatures and in the most abundance of it there is a Thunder bolt begotten through exceeding great heate hardning the earthy parts of it God hath power over the Thunder He commands it rules it orders it for time place manner of working and all circumstances the Thunder in Egypt at the delivering of the Law proves this Therefore in the Scripture it is called the voyce of God and the fearefulnesse and terriblenesse thereof is made an argument of the exceeding greatnesse of God that can at his pleasure destroy his enemies even by the chiding of his voyce in Egypt he smote them with haile lightning thunder and with stormy tempest At the delivering of the Law mighty thunder-claps made way to the Lords appearance and were his harbingers to tell of his comming and prepare the hearts of the people with exceeding great awfulnesse and obedience to receive directions from him The Lord puts down Job 40. 9. with this question Canst thou thunder with a voyce like God speake terribly and with as big and loud a voice as thou canst and if thy voyce be answerable to loud thunder either in terriblenesse or loudnesse then will I confesse my selfe to be thy equall and Elihu reasoned for God by consideration of this great worke David Psal. 29. sheweth the greatnesse of God in the greatnesse of this mighty sound But it pleaseth God to effect this worke not immediately but mediately using naturall and ordinary causes according to his owne good will and pleasure for the effâ—cting thereof There doe arise from the ends of the earth as the Scripture speaks that is from all quarters of this inferiour part of the world consisting of earth and water certain steams or fumes partly drawn up thence by the heate and influence of the Sun and other Planets or constellations partly breathed out of the earth by the naturall heate thereof Whereof some are hot and moist being as it were of a middle nature betwixt water and aire some hot and dry being of a middle nature betwixt fire and aire as some Philosophers thinke of which two as of the matter are brought forth these strange things which wee see in the aire and among the rest Thunder Though thunder bee first in nature being by the violent eruption it makes out of the cloud the cause of fulgurations yet we see first the lightning before wee heare the Thunder because of the swiftnesse of the fire above the aire and because the eye is quicker in perceiving its object then the eare This is done for the benefit of the world that by shaking of the aire it might bee purged and made fit for the use of man and beast being cleansed from those ill and pestilent vapours which otherwise would make it too thicke grosse and unwholsome for our bodies for this is one speciall end of winds thunders and the like vehement works that are in the aire besides the particular work for which God assigneth them and therefore with thunder likely is joyned much raine because the cloud is dissolved at the same time and sometimes violent winds and tempests because the exhalation inflamed snatcheth with it selfe such windy fumes as it meetes withall in the aire and so by violent stirring the aire purgeth it and openeth the parts of the earth by shaking and moving it 1. We must turne all this to a spirituall use viz. to instruct us in the feare of him that is Lord of Hoasis who shews his greatnesse in these mighty deedes of his hand to which purpose alwayes the Scripture speakes of it exhorting the mighty to give unto the Lord glory and strength in regard of this 2. We must observe God so in this and all his great works as to cause our mindes to encrease in the knowledge of his excellencie and our hearts in the love and feare of him All his works are therefore exhorted to praise him because wee by all should learn his praise and greatnesse How able is God to destroy sinners how quickely and in a moment can hee bring them to ruine let him but speake to the thunder haile tempest and they will beate downe and consume his adversaries before his face ô then tremble before him 3. We must learn to put our confidence in God and boldly to promise our selves deliverance when he promiseth it God is wonderfull in making and ruling the clouds This is a work which God doth often alleadge in Scripture to prove his greatnesse Job 37. 26. Hee bindes
the waters in a garment Prov. 30. 4. that is makes the Clouds How as it were by an even poysing of one part with the other God makes these Clouds to hover a great while over the earth before they bee dissolved is a thing worthy admiration and greatly surpasseth our knowledge Job 38. 34. Psal. 14. 78. and Prov. 8. 28. Psal. 104. 3. The cloud is water rarified drawn upward till it come to a cold place and then it is thicke and drops downe They are but nine miles say some from the earth but they are of unequall height and are lower in Winter then in Summer when the Sun hath the greater force then they ascend higher and in his smaller force they hang the lower Let us consider the causes of these clouds and the uses of them The efficient causes are thought to be the heate influence of the Sun and the Stars which doth rarifie the water draw thence the matter of the clouds as you shall perceive if you hold a wet cloath before the fire that a thicke steame will come out of it because the fire makes thin the thickness of the water and turns it into a kind of moist vapour and the earth hath some heate mixed with it through a certain quantity of fire that is dispersed in the bowels of it which causeth such like steames to ascend out of it and the coldnsse of the middle region doth condensate and thicken these steames or breaths and turne them againe into water at length and at last to thicke clouds 2. The matter is the steams that the waters and earth doe yeeld forth by this heate The uses of it are to make rain and snow snow is nothing but rain condensated whiâ—ened by the excessive cold in the winter time as it is in descending for the watering of the earth and making it fruitfull or else for the excessive moistning of the earth to hinder the fruitfulnesse of it if God see fit to punish The earth without moysture cannot bring forth the fruitâ— that it should and some parts of the earth have so little water neare them below that they could not else be sufficiently moystened to the making of them fruitfull God hath therefore commanded the Sunne among other offices to make the vapours ascend from the Sea and Earth that he may powre it down again upon the forsaken wildernesse or other places whether for punishment or otherwise Ob. How can it be conceived that the clouds above being heavy with water should not fall to the Earth seeing every heavy thing naturally descendeth and tendeth down-ward Sol. No man by wit or reason can resolve this doubt but only from the word of God which teacheth that it is by vertue of Gods Commandement given in the Creation that the Cloudes fall not Gen. 1. 6. Let the Firmament separate the waters from the waters by force of which commanding word the water hangeth in the clouds and the clouds in the aire and need no other supporters Job 26. 7 8. setting out the Majestie and greatnesse of God in his workes here beginneth that He hangeth the Earth upon nothing be bindeth the waters in the Clouds and the Cloud is not rent under them Philosophie is too defective to yeeld the true reason of this great work of God which commonly attributeth too much to natura naturata nature and too little to natura naturans the God of nature Now we must here also blame our own carelesnesse and folly which forbeare to consider of this worke that hangs over our heads The clouds are carried from place to place in our sight and cover the Sun from us They hinder the over-vehement heate of the Sunne from scorching the earth and yet wee never thinke what strange things they be and what a mercifull Creator is he that prepared them Not seeing God in the workes of nature shewes great stupidity and should make us lament Let us endeavour to revive the thoughts of God in our mindes by his workes When wee see the clouds carried up and downe as wee doe sometimes one way sometimes another swiftly then let us set our heart a worke to thinke there goes Gods Coach as it were here he rides above our heads to marke our way and to reward or punish our good or bad courses with seasonable raine for our comfort or excessive showers for our terrour O seeke to him and labour to please him that hee may not finde matter of anger provocation against us When the Clouds either favour or chastise us let us take notice of Gods hand in these either comfortable or discomfortable effects and not impute it all to the course of nature By meanes of the Clouds God waters the earth yea the drye wildernesse without moysture there can be no fruitfulnesse without Clouds no raine without that no corne or grasse and so no man or beast Raine is as it were the melting of a Cloude turned into water Psal. 104. 13. It is a great work of God to make raine and cause it fitly and seasonably to descend upon the earth It is a work often named in Scripture Deut 11. 14. and 28. 12. Levit. 26. 4. Jer. 5. 24. It is noted in Job divers times 36. 27. He maketh small the drops of water God propounds this worke to Job as a demonstration of his greatnesse Job 38. 25. 34. See Jer 30. 13. Psalm 137. 8. Now this work is the more to be observed in these respects 1. The necessity of it in regard of the good it bringeth if it be seasonable and moderate and the evill which followes the want excesse or untimelinesse of it 2. In regard of mans utter inability to procure or hinder it as in the dayes of Noah all the world could not hinder it and in the dayes of Ahab none could procure it 3. In regard of the greatnesse of the worke in the course of nature for the effecting of which so many wonders concurre First without this drinke afforded to the fields we should soone finde the world pined and sterved and man and beast consumed out of it for want of foode to eate It is the cause of fruitfulnesse and the want of it causeth barrennesse and so destruction of all living creatures that are maintained by the encrease of the earth As mischievous and terrible a thing as a famine is so good and beneficiall a thing is raine which keepeth off famine Secondly It procureth plenty of all necessaries when the Heavens give their drops in fit time and measure the earth also sends forth her off-spring in great store and fit season so both men and beasts enjoy all things according to their naturall desire this so comfortable a thing as plenty is so worthy a work of God is the effect of raine I meane raine in due season and proportion Lastly The greatnesse of the workes which must meet together for making and distributing of
raine doth magnifie the worke The Sunne by his heate drawes up moist steams breath from the earth and water these ascending to the middle region of the aire which is some-what colder then the lower are again thickned and turne into water and so drop downe by their owne heavinesse by drops not altogether as it were by cowles full partly from the height of place from which they fall which causeth the water to disperse it selfe into drops and partly because it is by little and little not all at once thickned and turned into water so descends by little portions as it is thickned So the Sunne and other starres the earth the water windes and all the frame of nature are put to great toile and paines as it were to make ready these Clouds for from the end◠of the earth are the waters drawn which make our showers God is the first efficient cause of raine Gen. 2. 5. It is said there God had not caused it to raine Job 5. 10. Jer. 14. 22. Zach. 10. 1. The materiall cause of it is a vapour ascending out of the earth 3. the formall by the force of the cold the vapours are condensed into Clouds in the middle region of the aire 4. The end of raine to water the earth Genes 2. 6. which generation and use of raine David hath elegantly explained Psal. 147. 8. The cause of the Raine-bow is the light or beames of the Sun in a hollow and dewie cloud of a different proportion right opposite to the Sun beames by the reflection of which beames and the divers mixture of the light and the shade there is expressed as it were in a glasse the admirable Raine-bow We should be humbled for our unthankfulness and want of making due use of this mercie the want of it would make us mutter yet we praise not God nor serve him the better when we have it Jer. 14. 22. intimating without Gods omnipotencie working in and by them they cannot doe it If God actuate not the course of nature nothing is done by it let us have therefore our hearts and eyes fixed on him when wee behold raine sometime it mizleth gently descending sometimes falls with greater drops sometime with violence this ariseth from the greater or lesse quantity of the vapour and more or less heate or cold of the aire that thickneth or melteth or from the greater or smaller distance of the cloud from the earth or from the greater purity or grossenesse of the aire by reason of other concurring accidents either we feele the benefit or the want of raine likely once every moneth· Let not a thing so admirable passe by us without heeding to bee made better by it Want of moisture from above must produce praying confessing turning 1 Kings 8. 35. 36. The colours that appear in the Rainbow are principally 3. 1. The Cerulean or watery colour which notes the destroying of the world by water 2. The grassie or greene colour which shewes that God doth preserve the world for the present 3. The yellow or fiery colour shewing the world shal be destroyed with fire Dew consists of a cold moist vapour which the Sun draweth into the aire from whence when it is somewhat thickned through cold of the night and also of the place whether the Sun exhaled it it falleth down in very small and indiscernable drops to the great refreshment of the earth It falleth only morning aud evening Hath the raine a Father or who hath begotten the drops of dew Out of whose wombe came the raine and the hoary frost of heaven who hath gendred it saith God to Job Ch. 38. 28 29. A frost is dew congealed by overmuch cold It differs from the dew because the frost is made in a cold time and place the dew in a temperate time both of them are made when the weather is calme and not windy and generated in the lowest region of the aire Haile and ice is the same thing viz. water bound with cold they differ onely in figure viz. that the hailestones are or bicular begotten of the little drops of raine falling but ice is made of water continued whether it be congealed in rivers or sea or fountaines or pooles or any vessels whatsoever and retaines the figure of the water congealed Though ice be not Chrystall yet some say Chrystall is from ice when ice is hardened into the nature of a stone it becomes Chrystall more degrees of coldnesse hardnesse and clearenesse give ice the denomination of Chrystall and the name Chrystall imports so much that is water by cold contracted into ice Plinie in his naturall Historie saith the birth of it is from ice vehemently frozen But Doctor Browne in his enquiries into vulgar errours doubts of it The windes are also a great worke of God he made and he ruleth the winds They come not by chance but by a particular power of God causing them to be and to be thus hee brings them out of his treasures He caused the winds to serve him in Egypt to bring Froggs and after Locusts and then to remove the Locusts againe He caused the winds to divide the red Sea that Israell might passe Hee made the winds to bring quailes and the winds are said to have wings for their swiftnesse the nature of them is very abstruse The efficient causes of them are the Sunne and starres by their heate drawing up the thinnest and dryest fumes or exhalations which by the cold of the middle region being beaten back againe doe slide obliquely with great violence through the ayre this way or that way The effects of it are wonderfull they sometimes carrie raine hither and thither they make frost and they thaw they are sometimes exceeding violent and a man that sees their working can hardly satisfie himselfe in that which Philosophers speakes about their causes the wind bloweth where it listeth wee heare its sound but know not whence it commeth nor whether it goeth It is a thing which farre surpasseth our understanding to conceive fully the causes of it They blow most ordinarily at the Spring and fall for there is not so much wind in winter because the earth is bound with cold and so the vapour the matter of the wind cannot ascend nor in summer because vapours are then raised up by the Sun and it consumes them with his great heate These Winds alter the weather some of them bringing raine some drinesse some frost and snow which are all necessary there is also an universall commodity which riseth by the onely moving of the ayre which ayre if not continually stirred would soone putrifie and infect all that breath upon the earth It serves to condemne our owne blindnesse that cannot see God in this great worke the wind commeth downe unto us it is neere us we feele the blasts of it and yet we feele not the power and greatnesse of God in it When
God doth so plainly and so many waies discover himselfe to us yet blind wretches we perceive him not We are now to stirre up our mindes to the consideration of God in this his mighty worke See him walking through the earth and visiting it in the swift wings of this creature It hath also an apt resemblance and image of God in it 1. In the subtilnesse and invisible nature of it the swiftnesse of the winde may note his omnipresence who is said to ride on the wings of the winde 2. In its powerfull motion efficacie which no man can hinder or resist 3. In the freedome of its motion John 3. 7. 4. In the secresie of his working of mighty workes the windes are invisible The consideration of the windes leades us into our selves and that 1. For humiliation for who knoweth the nature of the winde the place of the winde the way of the winde to see in it our owne vanity Job 7. 7. Psal. 78. 39. 2. Instruction shall so fierce a creature be at a becke and shall not I 2. See the miserable estate of wicked men on whom destruction and feare shall come as a whirle-wind Prov. 27. 18. They shall be as stubble or chaffe before the winde Psal. 1. Metalls are minerall substances susible and malleable They are commonly distinguished into perfect and imperfect perfect because they have lesse impurity or heterogenâ—ity in them as gold and silver imperfect because they are full of impurities as iron copper tin and lead Gold of all metalls is the most solid and therefore the most heavie It will loose none of his substance neither by fire nor water therefore it will not make broth more cordiall being boyled in it Silver is next in purity to gold but it is inferiour unto it Precious stones in Latine Gemmae are esteemed for their rarity or for some vertue fancied to be in them or for their purenesse and transparentnesse The Psalmist declares the great worke of God in distinguishing the waters from the earth and making Sea and dry land The waters at the first did encompasse and cover the earth round about as it were a garment and overflow the highest parts of it altogether so that no dry ground was seene or could be seene in the world this was the first constitution of them as Moses relateth Gen. 1. 2. The deepe was the whole Orbe of waters which inclosed the earth in themselves But then God pleased to divide the waters from the earth so as to make dry land appeare and for that end 1. He drave the waters into one place spreading the earth over them and founding it upon them Psal. 104. v. 6. 7. God by his mighty power compared there to a thundering voyce did make the waters to gather together into the place that hee had appointed for them under the earth and that by raising up hills and mountaines and causing dales and valleyes then God appointed the waters their bounds that they should still continue in these hollowes under the earth and not returne to cover the earth as else of their owne nature they would have done There are divers profitable questions about these things 1. Whether the Sea would not naturally overflow the land as it did at the first creation were it not with-held within his bankes by divine power The answer is affirmative and the reason is evident the water is lighter then the earth and heavier things are apt to pierce through the light and the light will take to themselves an higher place and give way to the heavier things to descend through them mixe a great deale of dirt and water and let it stand a while and take its owne proper course and the dirt will sinke to the bottome leaving the water above it selfe Aristotle and others say that the Sea is higher then the earth and they can render no reason why it being apt to runne abroad should be kept from over-flowing the land whence he proves Gods providence 2. Whether there be more Sea or Land The multitude of waters made by God at first did cover the earth and inclose it round the Sea therefore must needs be farre greater then the Earth The Mapps shew it to be greater in quantity then the Earth 3. Whether the deepnesse of the Sea doth exceed the height of the mountaines It was a great worke of God to make mountaine vallies hils dales The Scripture often mentions it Pro. 8. 25. Psal. 65. 6. and 95. 4. and 90. 2. Psalm 104. 8. Amos 4. 13. Therfore are the mountaines exhorted to praise God Psal. 146. 9. Esay 40. 12. Hee is said to have weighed the mountaines in scales and the hils in ballances that is to have poised them even so that the earth might remain unmoveably in the parts of it as well as in the whole The greatnesse of this worke appeares 1. In the strangenesse and hiddennesse of it How should so heavy a thing as the earth thus heave up it selfe into so great ascents to give place unto the waters under it the immediate power of God is the cause of it Ps. 24. 2. 136. Psalm It may bee some hills were made by the furie and violent motion of the waves of the waters of Noah's flood but the most and greatest were created on the third day 2. In the usefulnesse of it 1. For beauty and ornament it gives a more delightfull prospect to see hills and dales then to looke upon all one even and flat piece of ground without any such risings 2. It conduceth to the fruitfulnsse of the earth The vales are much more fruitfull then if they were flats without hills because of the dew and moysture that descendeth upon them from the hills and some things grow better upon the higher places on the sides or tops of the mountaines 3. Without these hills and mountaines there could not have been roome for the waters which before did swallow up the earth in its bowels neither could the dry land have appeared 4. Without such hills and dales there could not have beene rivers and springs running with so constant a course 5. Hills and mountaines are the receptacles of the principall mines for metalls and quarries for all kinde of usefull stones Deut. 8. 9. and 33. 15. They are for boundaries betwixt Countrey and countrey Kingdome and Kingdome We should tell our selves how admirable and usefull this kind of frame and scituation the earth is 4. Whether Islands came since the flood 5. What is the cause of the saltnesse of the Sea The water of the Sea is salt not by nature but by accident Aristotle refers the saltish quality of the Sea-water to the Sun as the chiefe cause for it drawes up the thinner and fresher parts of the water leaving the thicker and lower water to suffer adustion of the Sun-beames and so consequently to become salt two things chiefely concurre to the generation of
from countrey to countrey Men build moveable houses and so goe through the waters on dry ground they flye through the Sea by the helpe of windes gathered in fitly with sails as birds do through the aire and having learnt of birds to steere themselves in the Sea they have an helme at the which the Master sitting doth turne about the whole bodie of his ship at his pleasure The swiftnesse of the motion of a ship is strange some say that with a strong winde they will goe as fast and faster then an arrow out of a bow The Lord hath given understanding to man to frame a huge vessell of wood cut into sâ—t pieces and to joyne it so close with pitch and rozin and other things mixt together that it shall let in none or but a little water and it shall carry a very great burden within yet will not sinke under water and hath given wisedome also to man to make sailes to receive the strength of the winde and cords to move them up and down at pleasure and to make masts to hang on those sails hath given men a dexteterity to run up to the tops of these masts by means of a cord framed in fashion of a ladder that can but even amuze an ordinary beholder and all this for a most excellent use viz. of maintaining commerce betwixt Nation and Nation and of conveighing things needfull from one place to another that all places might enjoy the commodities one of another To this art of Navigation do Kingdoms owe most of their riches delights and choise curiosities a great part of Solomons riches came in this way it is the easiest safest and quickest way of transportation of goods How obnoxious are we to God therefore we should not be bold to offend him how much danger do we stand in if he should let the waters take their own naturall course and exalt themselves above the mountaines At the flood he gave leave to the great Deeps to break their bounds and permitted the waters to take their own place the waters were some 7. yards higher then the tops of highest mountaines He can doe as much now for the demonstration of his just wrath for though He hath promised that the waters shall never overflow the whole earth yet not that they shall never overflow England which stands also in the Sea 2. Let us praise the goodnesse of God which preserveth the whole world alive by a kind of miracle even by keeping the water from overflowing the earth God would convince us that we live of his meere favour and that his speciall power and goodnesse keeps us the waters if they were left to their own naturall propensity would soone overwhelm the earth againe but that God locked them up in the places provided for them This worke is mentioned in divers places Job 38. 8. and 26. 10. Psalme 37. 7. Prov. 8. 29. Jer. 5. 22. First it is absolutely needfull for the preservation of the lives of all things that live and breath out of the Sea 2. It is a strange and hidden work God effecteth it by some setled reason in the course of nature but we cannot by searching find it out Perhaps this may be it the naturall motion of every heavy thing is toward the Center and then it will rest when it hath attained to its own proper place Now the earth is stretched over the flouds and it may seeme that a great part of them doth fill the very bowells concavity of the earth in the very place where the Center or middle point of it is seated Hence it is that they will not be drawne up againe nor follow the upper parts which tosse themselves up and downe but rather pull down those rising graves againe especially seeing it is most evident in nature by many experiments every day that it is utterly impossible there should be any vacuum as they call it any meere empty place in which nothing at all is contained because that would divide the contiguity of things and so cause that the world should bee no longer an orderly frame of divers things together for the parts would not be contiguous and united together if such a vacuum should fall out therefore water will ascend aire will descend and all things wil even loose their own nature and doe quite contrary to their nature rather then such a thing should be Now it may seeme the Lord hath hidden the water in the earth with such turnings and windings some places in which it is being larger some lesse large that the larger places having no open vent for aire to succeed the water cannot be so soone filled from below as they would emptie themselves upward and so there must needs be vacuity if they should not returne back againe and stop their course and therefore they must needs stop as it were in the midst of their carriere And this also may seeme to be a great and principall cause of the fluxe and refluxe of the Sea which if it were not the waters having their course alwayes one way must needs by little and little returne againe to cover the earth If this be the cause as is probable it is wonderfull that God should set such an inclination into all parts of the world that they will suffer any crossing of their own particular natures rather then not maintain the generall course of nature in the close joyning together of things for if they might bee sundred one from another at length the whole must needs be quite out of frame and a generall confusion would follow We must even chide and reprove our selves for our extream stupidity that are so little if ever a whit affected with this worke so great in it selfe and so behoofefull for our very life and being How are we daily and hourly preserved from the swelling waves how comes it that in all this length of time the Sea hath not broken in upon us and overtopped the earth We doe not tell our selves of our debt to God for commanding the waves not to be so bold as to drowne us It may exhort us to feare him that hath appointed the Sands for a bound of the Sea and will not let the waves prevaile over us for all their tossing and tumbling He is of great power and can over-rule so furious an Element and feare not though the waters roare and though the mountains were cast into the midst of the Sea This commends unto us Gods greatnesse who doth so infinitely surpasse the Seas greatnesse and who hath made so much water for it and it a place for so much water Let us thinke of it in particular and dwell a little upon it that we may also know our nothingnesse What a great thing is the Sea in it selfe considerd What is this Island in comparison of the Sea and yet we call it Great Brittaine It must needs bee greater then the earth for the waters did round about involve and
obedience Deut. 11. 5. Zach. 10. 16. There are many things considerable in this work of making grasse 1. The plenty store and commonnesse of it It groweth every where and in abundance covering the face of the earth and hiding the dry and naked face thereof 2. The colour of it It is of a greene and some-what of a durke greene colour which is neither over-light nor over-darke but of an indifferent and middle nature and so most fit to content and delight the eye refresh preserve the sight 3. The usefulnesse of this creature for the Cattell it is a soft covering to make the lodging of the poore beasts more easeful for them even as it were a mattresse for them to lie upon It hath a sweet iuyce and verdure in it by which it is pleasant to the tasts of the beasts as any dainty meate can be to us and is fit to nourish them to be turned to bloud and flesh so to make them fat and well liking 4. The wayes meanes and manner for bringing it forth for this use the whole course of the Heauens Sun Moone and Starres which runne a large race daily with great swiftnesse and the great workes done in the aire for producing divers Meteors do tend in great part for the bringiug forth of this grasse The grasse it selfe hath a life and vigour in the roote of it by which it drawes from the earth that moisture which is agreeable to it and disperseth it likewise 1. Wee are dull and blinde and behold not God in this great worke when wee goe into the fields and can scarce tread beside it We do not consider Gods greatnesse and goodnesse in making so beneficiall a thing so common Wee let this worke of God perish in respect of any spirituall use wee make of it to make our soules the better 2. Let us stirre up our selves to observe Gods hand in this worke with others and confesse our debt to him that gives us Commons and Pasture for all our Cattell Trees are certaine plants springing from a roote with a single Trunke or Stemme for the most part shooting up in height and delineated with lims sprigs or branches Leaves are ornamenta arboris munimentà fructus they serve to grace the tree make it pleasant to behold and defend the fruit from the injury of the weather The Philosopher saith homo est arbor inversa a man is a tree turned upside downe for a tree hath his roote in the ground his branches spread above grouÌ„d but a mans root is in his head therein is the fountain of sense and motion and there doth hee take in nou-rishment but the arms and legs are branches of this tree they spread downe-ward The Psalmist compares a good man to a tree Psal. 1. 3. The Palme-tree growes in Egypt all along the shores of the red Sea It is said to yeeld whatsoever is necessary to the life of man The pith of it is an excellent sallet better then an Artichoake which in tast it much resembleth Of the branches they make Bedsteds and Lattices of the leaves Baskets Matts Fannes of the outward halfe of the Codde cordage of the inward brushes It is the nature of this tree though never so huge or ponderous a weight be put upon it never to yeeld to the burden but still to resist the heavinesse thereof to endeavour to lift raise it selfe the more upward for which cause it was given to Conquerours in token of Victory Hence figuratively it is used for the victory it selfe plurimarum palmarum homo and for the signe of it Palmaque nobilis Terrarum dominos evehit ad Deos. Rev. 7. 9. With white robes in token of their innocencie palmes in their hands in token of their victory It is reported that the Armes of the Duke of Rhoan in France which are lozenges are to bee seene in the wood or stones throughout all his Countrey so that break a stone in the middle or lop a bough of a tree and one shall behold the graine thereof by some secret cause in nature diamonded or streaked in the fashion of a lozenge Fullers prophane State l. 5. c. 6. It was a great worke of God in making all sorts of trees to proceed out of the earth Psal. 104. 16 17. The nature of the trees is wonderful in these respects principally First the way and manner of their growing and being An Oake comes from an acorne an Apple-tree from a kernell What a kinde of power and vertue is that which God hath put into a kernell being so small a thing that it should pull to it selfe by an unknown vvay the juice of the earth and should send some of it down-ward into little small strings as it were to fasten it selfe in the earth and send some upward to spread it selfe above the ground and yet it should distribute the moysture so fitly as to grow in due proportion within the earth and without that it should frame to it selfe a bodie and divers branches in such fashion that it should bâ—d and put forth leaves that it should cause a fruite to grow upon it or seede and that in great numbers every one of which is able to make another tree and that tree to yeeld as much more 2. The great variety of kinds of trees we in our Countrey have divers Oakes Elmes Ashes Beech-trees Chesnut-trees Sally Willow Maple Syccamore besides Apple and Peare-trees of divers kindes Cherry-trees Hazell Walnut-trees Some trees are of huge growth as Oakes Cedars Elmes some low as the Thorn the nut Some of one fashion colour making and manner of growth some of another this sheweth an exceeding great measure of wisedome in him that made them all The use of trees in the next place is manifold 1. They serve for fruit what great variety of fruit do they yeeld what pleasant and wholsome fruit what store and plenty of fruit Some Summer fruit that will be gone quickly some Winter fruit that will last most part of the year and some all the yeare 2. For building both by Land and Sea to make us houses both strong and stately warme dry and coole under which we may rest our selves in Summer free from scorching heate in Winter and stormie times free from pinching cold the injury of the weather With wood also wee make floating and fleeting houses with which wee may dwell upon the face of the waters and passe through the deep Sea as upon dry ground 3. It yeeldeth fuell too by which wee doe both prepare our food and keepe our selves warme in the winter and in the time of weaknesse and sicknesse Had wee not something to burn we could neither bake our bread nor brew our beer nor seeth our meate nor rost it nor at all make use of flesh to eate it as now we doe 4. For delight How comfortable a shade doth a spreading Ash or Oake yeild in the hot Summer how refreshing is it to man and beast How
Good and Omniscient as hee wherefore they must bee made by some Maker because they cannot bee Eternall and if made then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves not by themselves because that implies and absolute contradiction if by some other thing then by a better or worse thing not by a more meane for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing for then it should communicate more to the effect then it hath in it selfe any way which is impossible that any efficient cause should doe not by any better thing then themselves for excepting the Divine Majestie which is the first and best there is no better thing then the Angels save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ which could not bee the Maker of them because they were created some thousands of yeares before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb or united to the second person in Trinity Wee are not able to conceive of their Essence they are simple incorporeall Spirituall substances therefore incorruptible An Angell is a Spirituall Created compleat substance indued with an understanding and will and excellent power of working An Angel is a substance 1. Spirituall that is void of all corporeall and sensible matter whence in Scripture Angels are called Spirits Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evill Angels appeared were not naturall to them but only assumed for a time and laid by when they pleased as a man doth his garments not substentiall but aeriall bodies they were not Essentially or personally but only locally united to them so that the body was moved but not quickned by them 2. Created by which name hee is distinguished from the Creator 3. Compleate by which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soule of man which also is a spirituall substance but incompleate because it is the essentiall part of man 4. Indued with 1. an understanding by which an Angel knoweth God and his works 2. a will by which he desires or refuseth the things understood 3. An excellent power of working by which hee effects what the will commands this is great in them Psalm 103. 20. See 2 Kings 19. 35. The Angels are most excellent creatures when the highest praise is given of any thing it is taken from the excellencie of Angels Psal. 78. 25. 1 Cor. 13. 1. They are called holy Angels Luke 9. 26. Marke 8. 36. therefore they are cloathed with linnen Dan. 11. 4. to signifie their purity and are called Angels of light 2 Cor. 12. 14. to note the purity wherein they were created All the Individuall Angels were made at once and as God made Adam perfect at the first so they were made of a perfect constitution They have all our faculties save such as be badges of our weakenesse they have no body therefore not the faculties of generation nutâ—ition augmentation They have reason conscience will can understand as much as we doe and better too they have a will whereby they can refuse evill and chuse good a conscience reasonable affections though not such as depend upon the bodie They are endowed with excellent abilities know more of God themselves us and other things then we doe love God themselves and men are obedient to God The good Angels obey God 1. Universally in all things Psalme 103. 20. 2. Freely and readily make hast to doe what hee would have done therefore they are said to have Harps Revel 15. 2. as a signe of their chearfull mind 3. With all their might they serve God with diligence sedulity therefore they are said to have wings to flie 4. Constantly Rev. 7. 15. and 14. 4. They have incredible strength and therefore by an excellencie they are called strong in strength Psal. 103. 20. Angels of the power of the Lord Jesus 2 Thess. 1. 7. Powers Rom. 1. 38. One Angel is able to destroy all the men beasts birds and fishes and all the creatures in the world and to overturne the whole course of nature if God should permit it to drowne the earth againe and make the waters overflow it to pull the Sunne Moone and Starres out of their places and make all a Chaos therefore we reade of wonderfull things done by them they stopt the mouths of Lions that they could not touch Daniel they quencht the violence of the fire that it could not touch so much as a haire of the three Childrens heads nor a threed of their garments they made Peters chaines in an instant fall from his hands and feet they can move and stir the earth say the Schoolemen as appears Matth. 28. 2. The Angels shooke the foundation of the Prison where Paul and Silas lay and caused the doores to flie open and every mans bands to fal from him They destroyed the first borne of Aegypt Sodome and Gomorrah One Angel slew in one night in the host of Senacherib and hundred fourscore and 5000. men Reas. Their nature in respect of bodily things is wholy active not passive they are of a spirituall nature what great things can a whirl-wind or flash of lightning doe They are swift and of great agility they have no bodies therefore fill not up any place neither is there any resistance to them they move with a most quick motion they can be where they will they move like the winde irresistibly aud easily without molestation and in an unperceivable time they move more swiftly then the Sun can dispatch that space in as few minuts which the Sun doth in 24. hours They have admirable wisedome 1 Sam. 18. 14. and 14. 20. the knowledge of the good Angels is increased since their Creation for besides their natural knowledg they know many things by revelation Dan. 9. 22 23. Matth. 1. 20. Luke 1. 30. either immediately from God or from his Word Ephes. 3. 9 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Luke 15. 18. by experience and conjecture How an Angel doth understand is much disputed their understanding is not infinite they know not all things Mar. 13. of that day the Angells know not againe they cannot know future contingent things any farther then God reveales these things to them neither can they know the secrets of mans heart 1 Kings 8. 39. Psal. 7. 10. for that is proper to the Lord alone They are said indeed to rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner but that is no further then their inward conversion puts it selfe forth into outward actions They do not know the number of the Elect nor the nature of spirituall desertions the manner of mortifying sin unlesse by the Church and Ministry of the word So againe for the manner of their knowledge that of the Schooles about their morning and evening knowledge is vaine but it is plain they know discursivè as well as intuitivè though some say they are creaturae intelligentes but not ratiocinantes There are three degrees of their knowledg say the Schoolmen
signe that there is no difference betweene them but that the second is added to insinuate the perfection of the image There is a four-fold image or likenesse 1. Where there is a likenesse with an absolute agreement in the same nature and so the Son of God is called the expresse image of the Father 2. By participation of some universall common nature so a man and beast are like in the common nature of animality 3. By proportion onely as when we say the Governor of a Common-wealth and the Pilot of a ship are like 4. By agreement of order when one thing is a patterne or exemplar and the other thing is made after it now when man is said to be like God it is meant in those two last waies Christ was the essential image of God Mans was imago repraesentantis aliter imago imperatoris in nummo aliter in filio Augustine The Image of God in which man was cteated is the conformity of man unto God 1. In his soule 2. In his body for his soule 3. In the whole person for the union of both The soule of a man is conformable to God in respect of its nature faculties and habits 1. In respect of its nature essence or being as it is a spirituall and immortall substance The Scripture witnesseth 1. that the soule of man is a spirit Matth. 27. 20. Acts 7. 59 2. That it is immortall 1. Because it cannot bee destroyed by any second cause Matth. 10. 28. 2. Being served from the bodie it subsists by it selfe and goes to God Eccles. 12. 7. Luke 16. 22. 3. Because it is a simple and immateriall substance not depending on matter the minde workes the better the more it is abstracted from the body when it is asleep or dying 4. Because it transcends all terrene and mortall things and with a wonderful quicknesse searcheth after heavenly divine and eternall things There is an invincible argument for the thing secretly imprinted in the instinct and conscience of the soule it selfe Because it is every good mans hope that it shall be so and wicked mans feare 5. The foode of the soule is immortall 1 Pet. 1. 23. the evident promises of eternall life prove the soule to be immortall He that beleeveth in me hath eternall life and to day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Nothing can satisfie the soule but God 6. Man is capable of vertue and vice of immortall desires and affections 7. The soules of Adam and Eve were not made of any matter but came by immediate creation in whom God gave a specimen what he would perpetually doe with other men That is but a Cavill that Solomon Eccles. 12. 7. speakes only of our first Parents Children are called the fruit of their Parents body to note that that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is Father of their Spirits Saint Paul teacheth it Heb. 12. 9. and the use of it And this checks their opinion who will have soules propagated no lesse then bodies Many collect the immortality of the soule and salvation of Jobs children because they were not doubled as the rest of his estate was 2. The soule of man is conformable to God in respect of its faculties in its understanding will and memory is like the Trinity 3. In the qualities graces and admirable endowments of it In the understanding there was 1. An exact knowledg of God and all Divine things Coloss. 3. 10. knowledg is a principall part of Gods image by reason hee was enabled to conceive of things spirituall and universall 2. A perfect knowledge of all inferiour things Adam knew Eve and imposed names on the creatures sutable to their natures He had most exquisite prudence in the practicall part of his understanding in all doubtfull cases Hee knew what was to be done 2. In the will there was holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. 3. His affections were under the power of grace From this image did necessarily follow peace with God fellowship and union He knew God to be his Creator and to love him in all good things he enjoyed God and tasted his sweetness Mans body also after a sort is an image of Divine perfection Observe 1. The Majesticall forme of it of which the Heathens tooke notice but the structure of the bodie a man should be taught to contemn the earth which his feete tread upon and to set his heart upon heaven whether his eyes naturally tend 2. Gods artifice in it Psal. 139. 15. Thou hast curiously wrougâ—â— me and I was wonderfully made Materiam superabat opus Of the basest matter dust God made the noblest creature 3. The serviceablenesse of every part for its end and use 4. There is matter of humiliation because it was made of the dust Gen. 3 19. Job 14. 18 10. and 5 15. The Greek name makes man proud cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids him aspire looke up but the Hebrew and Latine humble him bids him stoop looke downe Adams bodie was mortall conditionally if he had not eaten of the tree there could be noe outward cause of his death for Gods protection kept that off nor noe in ward cause because originall righteousnesse was in his soule and for old age and weaknesse the tree of life would have preserved him from that 3. The whole person consisting both of soule and bodie was conformable to God in respect of his felicitie and dominion over the creatures Gen. 1. 26 28. The image of God doth not principally consist in this but secondarily therefore though the man and woman were created perfectly after Gods image in other respects yet in this respect the woman had not the image of God as the Apostle sheweth The power which Adam had over the creatures was not absolute and direct that God reserved to himselfe but it was for Adams use then the stoutest and fiercest beasts would be ruled by Adam this dominion since the fal is lost for a great part of our rebellion against God the creatures rebellion should mind us of ours we may see somtimes a little child driving before him 100. oxen or kine this or that way as he pleaseth for the infusing of the soul the time when it was infused it is most probable that the body was first made as the organe or instrument and then the soule put into it as God did make heaven and earth before man was made God did not create all the soules of men at once but he creates them daily as they are infused into the bodie There are these two Questions to be resolved 1. Whether immortalitie was naturall to Adam 2. Whether originall righteousnesse was naturall to Adam For the first A thing is immortall foure wayes 1. Absolutly soe that their is no inward or outward cause of mortalitie 1. Tim. 6. soe God onely 2. when it is not soe by nature but immortalitie is a perfection voluntarily put into the
Greenhill on third of Ezek. v. 14. p. 316. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Analysis 1. Grammatica quae proprias 2. Rhetorica quae tropicas dictiones excutit 3. Logica quae scopum qâ—ae antecedentium consequentium seriem prâ—bationumque vim indicat Altingius * Illum Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Latini post eos abijs Deum dixâ—re Galli Iâ—ali Hispani mutâ—â—to à Latiniâ— nomine Dieu Dio Dios appellant Germani Angli Belgae Goâ—t vel Godâ—um â—um nuncupant a Act. 17. 27. Rom. 1. 20. 21. * Ephes. 4. 18. There is no equall proportion between the facultie and the object Deum dignè aestimamus dum inaessimabilem dicimus Cyprian De Deo etiam dicere vera periculosum est Ruffin in exposit Symb. Things that excell in Scripture phrase usually are said to be things of God Psal. 36. 6. and 80. 10. John 3 3. * Some uâ—gâ— this what Moses was to the Jewes Christ in the new Testament that was Philosophie to the Heathens enough to save them Erasmus had much adoe to forbeare saying Sancte Socrates ora pro nobis But omnis doctrina Philosophorum â—ine Capite quia Deum ignorabant Lactantius extra ecclesiam nulla salus See Matth. 4. 16. 2 Cor. 4. 3. and Doctor Prideaux in his eighth Lâ—â—ure de Salute Ethnicorum To beleeve there is a God is the foundation of all Religion Caput est primum Divine legis ipsum Deum nâ—sse Loctamius It is a question whether â—man by the light of nature may know that there is a God Though this be denied by the Socinians yet those Scriptures Rom. 1. 19. and Psal. 19. heg seeme to prove it There are two kinds of Demonstrations or proofes 1. A demonstrating of the effects by their causes which is a proof â— priori Principles cannot be demonstrated à causa and â— priori because they have no superiour cause A demonstrating of causes by their effects which is a proofe drawne à posteriori So principles may be demonstrated All principles being Prima and Notissima of themselves are thereby made indemonstrable Quad sit Dâ—us * The weightiest Testimony that can be brought to prove there is a God is to produce the Testimony of God speaking in his own word None other in the world can have equall authority John 8. 13. 14. Yet this Testimony is not allowed by the Atheists For as they deny that there is a God so they deny likewise that the Scripture is his word Atheomastix l. 1. c. 2. Nulla gens tam effera ac barbara qvae non cognoscat esse Deum Cicero de natura Deorum Epicurum ipsum quem nihil pudendum pudet tamen Deum negare pudet Mornaeus * Inveniuntur qui siâ—e rege sine lege vivunt qui sub diò degunt qui nudi serarum instar sylvas oberrant avia querunt obvia depascuntur Qui religionâ—â— specie qui sacris qui numinis sensu planè carerent nulli inventi sunt nulli etâ—amnum inveniuntur Morneus de veritate Christianae relig C. 1. A Iove principium musae * The most pregnant and undeniable pâ—oofe of the God-head with the Heathen was the voyce of conscience The Scripture sheweth that the wicked were much terrified in their consciences after the committing of hainous sinnes Râ—m 2. 15. Isâ—y 57. 20. 21. Marke 6. 14. 16. So doth common experieâ—ce teach in Murtherers Theeves and the like Marke 9. 44. Act. 16. 25. Act. 12. 6. Psal. 3. 6. and 46. 1. 2. Si fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae Horat. Every effect hath its cause whatsoever is wrought or done is wrought or done by some thing which hath ability and fitnesse to produce such an effect seeing nothing can doe nothing and what hath not sufficiency to produce such and such effects cannot produce them Of whom there be workes and effects he is of God there be workes and effects therefore there is a God As God is to be felt sensibly in every mans conscience so is he to be seene visibly in the Creation of the world and of all things therein contained Man the best of the creatures here below was not able to raise up such a Roofe as the Heavens nor such a floore as the earth Dâ—cter Preston Job 12. 9. Serviunt omnia omnibus uni omnia Mundi Creatio est Dei Scriptura cuius â—ria sunt fâ—lia Caelum terra mare The preserving and ordering of the world and humane societies in it the planting and defending of the Church A number of wheeles in a Clocke doe worke together to strike at set times not any one of them knowing the intention of the other therefore they are ordered and kept in order by the care of some wise person which knowes the distance and frame of each and of the whole An Army of men could not meet together at one time and in one place to fight for or against one City if the wisdome of one Generall did not Command over all A number of Letters cannot all fall orderly together to make perfect sence without some Composer Protogenes by the smallnesse of a line drawn in a Table knew Apelles the chiefest Artificer He that sees but the shape and â—ffigies of a man presently thinkes of a Painter * Hic compono canticum in Creatoris nostri laudem Si Humani corporla admirabilem constructionem intus extraque conspicimus ut omnia ibi etiam minima suos usus habeant nullo studio nulla industria parentum arte vero tanta ut philosophorum ac medicorum praestantissimi nunquam eam satis possint admirari Grotius The Sunne is moved by another by whom he is tyed unto such a strâ—ct and unalterable motion that Astronomers can surely tell unto the very minute all the Ecclipses that shall ever fall out so long as the world it selfe shall last Psal. 148. 6. * The Heathens called the Soule of man divinae particulam aurae a parcell of the Divine essence but that speech must be taken â—um grano satis Civill Effâ—cts Politiae Leges probant mentemesse divinam intelligentem illas hominibus tum mâ—nstratem tum conervantem ne Diaboli impiorumodio machinationibus dissolutae corruant Deus enim est Deus ordinis Miraculous Effects Exodus 15. 11. 72. Psal. 18. and 136. 4. Isay 41. 23. A Miracle is a worke of infinite strength or omnipotency surpassing the whole power of created nature as to turne water into wine to multiplie seven loaves to the feeding and satisfying of 4000 men to give the use of sight to one borne blind to arise up a man indeed dead to cure a leprosie with the word The Brideling of wicked Spirits and men The Atheists third objection that Religion is but an humane invention Gen. 4. 3. 4. Gen. 3. 3. Matth. 15. 13. 2 Chron. 7. 5. * He spâ—nds his whole second Booke about this reason The Greekes insinuate that all Arts come from God in
making Minerva the daughter of Jupiter and to have had her generation in his Divine braine As God the Son is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Grammer Logicke Rhetoricke carry upon them the same name There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbam that is Grammer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ratio that is Logick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oratio and that is Rhetoricke All second causes depend on the first and we cannot proceed in InfinituÌ„ Quicquid movetur ab alio movetur Some derive Deus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feare because the feare of him is planted in the very natures and consciences of all reasonable Creatures others a dando in English God quasi Good his daily mercies and blessings shew that there is a God Act. 14 17 The Heathens lift up their eyes and hands to Heaven in any suddaine distresse Psal. 9. 16. The pure Atheist according to the propriety of that name is hee which generally and constantly denyeth all Deity and beleeveth as he saith The stouâ—est Atheist that ever lived can not resolutely and constantly believe there is no God a Diagorus made a very eloquent Oration that there was no God but the people comming to him applauded him saying that in his Oration he had almost perswaded them but he did so â—lâ—quently that they thought hee was the God b Mornâ—eus cap. 1. de verit Relig. p. 16. c When he wanted fire he tooke one of Hercules wooden Images and made a fire of it saying go to Hercules thou shalt now go through thy thirteenth labour Psal. 14. 1. 53. 15. So Genebrard and Muis expound that 14. Ps. of indirect Atheists who deny Gods Providence Heb. 11. 6. It is not only innatum sed etiam in animo insculptum esse Deos Cic l. 2. de natura Deorum No Atheists almost can be named neither in the holy Scriptures nor in Ecclesiâ—stical Historiâ—s nor in Heathen writings which came not unto some fearfull end See Atheomastix l. 1. chap. 15. d So Domitian Dominus Deus noster sic fieri jubet Suetonius edictam Domini Deique nostri Martiall More Caligula Dominum se Deumque vocarit coegit Aurelius Victor e Psal. 48. 14. f Esay 40. 5. 8. Quid su 〈◊〉 Job 11. 7 8. 26. 14. In the Epistle to my Hebrew Critica Sacra and in the Booke it selfe judaei in legendis et scribediâ— nâ—mi nibus Dei â—ppidò quam superstitiosi sunt interpretantur tertâ—â— praeceptum nomen lehovae non esse prenunciandum librum in quo integrè scriptum est nudis manibus non esse contrectandum Of those two Greeke names See my Greeke Critica Sacra As * Jehovab Jah Ehich Exod. 13. 19. * Vocantur Attributa quia ea sibi attribait Deus nostra causâ Zanchius de Attributis l. 2. c. 11. Attributum est Divinae simplicissimae essentiae pro diversa agendi ratione diversa vera habitudo conceptio nobis expressa M. Stock on Gods Attributes * Proprietates Divinae naturae seu essentiae sunt Attributa Dei essentialia quibus essentiae Divinae veritas ac Majestas nobis innotâ—scit abaliis distinguiturs Wendelinus These Attributes differ not among themselves nor from the Divine essence Esay 43. 25. For my selfe not for my Mercy to teach us that his Mercy is himselfe and not different from his Essence as it is with us God is so light that in him there is no darknesse at all 1 John 1. 5. John 8. 12. 1 John 1. 5. 4. 16. Psal. 105. 8. Jam. 1. 17. Psal. 136. 1. and 100. 5. Psal. 117. 2. Num. 23. 10. Proprietates Dei sunt primi vel secundi generis Primi generis proprietates sunt quae ita Deo competunt ut earum contrariae omni in sint creaturae Cujusâ—odi sunt independentia simplicitas immutabilitas immensitas aeternitas Secundi generis sunt quae ita Deo competunt ut earum expressae imagines in creaturis reperiantur Wendelinus Christian. Theol. l. 1. C. 1. God is called a Spirit 1. Negatively because he is not a body 2. Analogically or by a certaine likenesse because there are many perfections in Spirituâ—Il substâ—nces which doe more shadow forth the Divine nature then any bodily â—â—ng can Doctor Ammes Theol. God is of a pure and spirituall nature To be a spirit implies 1. Invisibility 2. Efficacie and activity Ezek. 1. 20. 3. Simplicitie God is invisible 14. Luke 39. Col. 1. 15 John 1. 18. Consectaries a lib. adver Prax. de anima Rom. 1. 23. Anthropomorphites a sort of Hereticks so called because they misconceived that God had a bodily shape like man Psal. 34. 16. Zach. 4. 10. Quod de Deo dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligi debet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dextra Dei significat potentiam majestatem Dei oculi aures Omniscientiam The Scripture referring eyes to God by them intends 1. His knowledge and notice of things Prov. 15. 3. 2. His care Psal. 34. 15. 3. His direction Psal. 42. 8. L. 2. de Imag. Sanct. C. 8. Consectaries from Gods being a spirit and invisible Rom. 1. 9. Rom. 1. 20. a Matth. 5. 8 b Invisibile aliquid dicitur dupliciter inquit Cham. primò per se ipsa sui naturâ—â— ut Deus ut Spiritus sunt invisibiles Secundi per accidens â—um quid in se tale est quidem ut possitvideri sed al qua externa superveniente causa fit invisibile ijs à quibus vel alias potuit vel etiam debuit videri quo modo ijs qui sunt ad Septentrionem invisibiles sunt stellae ad Austrum quo modo stellae quaedam minutissimae sunt invisibiles The Divine essence is simple and altogether uncompounded Simplex proprie dicitur quod compositum ex diversis non est 2 Cor. 12. 3. The Gospell and the wayes of it are not Simple as Simplicity is opposed to the depth of wisedome for therein is made knowne the manifold wisedome of God Ephes. 3. 10. But as Simplicity is opposed to mixture Every thing the more simple in this sence the more excellent In Deo idem est esse essentia vivens vita quia Deus non vivit per aliud essentiae superadditum sed vitam habet inscipso est ipsa vita vivit à scipso per scipsum * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consectaries of God simplenesse Simplex quasi sine plicis Sincerus sine cera See prov 11. 20. * A great French paire is called Le bon Chrâ—stien the good Christian because they say it never rots at the core 22. Matth. Christ opposeth a single eye and corrupt one an Israelite in whom is no guile is worth an eccâ— a rare man Mâ—s. Elizabeth Juxton said she had nothing to comfort her but poore syncerity 1 John 5. 20. 21. 115. Psal. 4. 5. Psal. 42. 2. Rom. 9. 26. Graeci Deum vocant 〈◊〉 â vivendo quoniam solus verè vivit
omnia vivificat ut meritò sic ut vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita appellari possit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vivere est esse actuosum in se perse singulari vi unde Latinis vivâ— Ã vi ut Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Deut. 30. 20. Act. 17. 28. Gen. 2. 7. God lives because life is originally in him Psal. 36. 9 John 1. 4. in him was life A man hath foure kindes of faculties in the exercise of which he liveth and life in him is an ability to exercise them He hath understanding will affections and a power to move and woâ—ke outwardly The living God sees it fit to ascribe all thâ—se to himselfe Their life hath a cause his none His life consisteth in râ—st and he possesseth all his life in one instant our life is a fluxe and succession of parts Consectaries from Gods lâ—fe Dan 6. 27. Heb. 9. 14 15. Rev. 4. 9 10. Psal. 18. 46. John v. 5. 21. * The Latine word for men is mortales ipso vo cabulo suae conditionis admonentur Erasmus in colloq Psal. 17. 15. Zanchius de immortalitate l. 2. C. 8. Col. 3. 3. Exod. 40. 12. 15. 17. Psal. 145. 3. Spiritu Iufinitus non corpore non inquam quantitate magnitudine mole sed qualitate virtute bonitate si quid praestantius ab homine de Deo dici vel cogitari potest Mornaeus Cap. quarto de veritate Relig. Christ. Infinitas absoluta est essentiae Dei proprietas qua neque causae neque mensurae ullim terminis finitur Gomaâ—us (*) Infinitenesse is that whereby God cannot be limited measured or determined of any thing being the first cause from whom and the end wherefore all things were made (a) All his properties are infinite b Nature triumpheth in nothing so much as in dissimilitude c All creatures have such a measure and degree as the authour of them would communicate unto them * Infinite power is that whereby God can doe more tben all creatures can doe yea more then all creatures can conceive he can doe infinite understanding by which he knowes more then all creatures doe know or can conceive that he doth know Gen. 17. This one Attribute of Gods all-sufficiency may answer all the scruples of a Christian. Consectaries from Gods infinitenesse See Gen. 18. 17. Esay 6. 2. a God is infinitely good therefore deserves all our love and obedience the best Angell in heaven cannot love God according to his excellency we should love him with a love 1. of vnion 2. complacency 3 friendship 4. dependance b This Attribute of Gods being everywhere is called Immensity Omnipresence or Vbiquitie c Immensitas est proprietas Dei qua omnes essentia terminos excludit vbique quoad essentiam simul in caelo in terra imo extra caelum est absque ulla tamen expansione vel multiplicatione Wendelinus Christ. Theol l. 1. c. 1. * The Jewish Doctors call God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is place as containing all things himselfe being not contained of any thing * The Angels are in an ubi though not in a place properly in English we cannot so well distinguish these words They are limitted and confined to some space an Angell cannot be at the same time in heaven and earth God is said to descend and ascend two wayes Cameron praelect in Psal. 68. 19. Psal. 103. 49. and 115. 3. Matth. 6. 9. John 14. 2. Act. â— 49. Consectaries from Gods Immensity or Omnipresence Job 31. 14. * Boetius defines Eternity to be interminabilis vitae tota simul perfecta possessio l. 5. de â—onsol pros 6. The Schoolemen define it to be duratio interminabilis indivisibilis independens interminabilis quia excludit terminum à quo ad quem indivisibilis quia excludit omnem successionem temporis independens quìa excludit omnem imperfectionem mutationem Philosophi distinguunt inter aeternitatem aevum tempus aeternitatem principio fine carentem tribuunt soli Deo Aevum solo fine carens orâ—aturis nunquam desituris Tempus nec principio nec fine carens creaturis aliquando desituris Wendelinus Thou Lord remainest for ever say the Scrptures often Prov. 23. 25. He was said to be before the world Psal. 90. 2. Ephes. 1. 4. Of necessity there must be a first cause and therefore must be something without a beginning * Vide Augustine Confess l. 11. c. 12. Gnâ—lam from Gnalam because the beginning and end of eternity lyeth hid Consectaries from Gods eternity Psal 48 13. 14. Isay 46. 4. Hâ—b 1. 12. 13. Zeuxâ—â— the Painter was exact and curious because he did pingere aeternitati We are to pray live speake and doe all for eternity Crede stude vive aeternitati Cornel à Lap. in Evangel Psal. 117. 2. and 146. 6. Precious aâ—e the serious thoughts of eternity the treasures of eternity are are opened in the times of Gospell 2 Tim. 1. 10 Angels have an externall though no internall mutability * Geth loc commune Marimâ—us de Deo Wendelinus Christ. 1 â—el l. 1. C. 1. Psal. 120. 27. 28. Heb 4. 13. Matth. 5. 18. * Cum nos paenitet destruimus quod fecimus Sic Deus paenituisse dicitur secundum similitudinem operaâ—ionis in quamum hominem quem fecerat per diluvium à terrae facie delevit Aquinas quaest 19. Artic. 7. partis primae * Mutat facta non mutat confilia August Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem Aquinas quaest 19. Artic. Septimo partis primae * Jer. 18. 8. and 26. 2. 3. Wenlelinus Christ. Theol. l. 1 c. 1. Câ—osectaries from Gods Immutability 1 Sam. 15. 18. 19. Gods promises are faithfull and firme words What good thing the Lord hath promised what grace or priviledge as Christians any ever received or succour found the same may the faithfull looke for Gal. 6. 9. â— Tim. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. ult Queene Elizabeths word was Semper eadem Deut. 32. 3. Nihil magnum nisi magnus Deus Of Gods Perfection Greatnesse is attributed to God metaphorically and denoteth an incomprehensible and unmeasurable largenesse of all excellencies The Apostle by an Hebrew pleonasme saith the same thing twice illustrating it by thâ— contrâ—â—y Reasons of Gods Perfection 1. That which is the chiefest being and Independent is most Perfect 2. That which is Infinite in essence can want nothing * Psal. 7. 10. and 7. 6. 8 and 137. 9. Psal. 56. 3. and 11. 1. 3. The more Simple a thing is the more perfect Rom. 12. 2. Perfect in the generall is that to which nothing is wanting therefore that is most Perfect to which agreeth no imperfection Little workes of nature and of providence have a greatnesse in them considered as done by God 2 Sam. 22. 31. All Gods workes are perfect Gen. 1. 31. Alphansus was wont to say if he had been of councell with God in the making of his
The Peripate ricks call them Immateriall substances Intelligences abstracted and separated forms The angels are materiall 1. They are perfect effects therefore must have all the 4. causes 2. Finite therefore terminated in their essence nothing terminates things but matter and forme Barlow in Hierons last farewell Zanchie others hold otherwise a Col. 1. 16. 2. 10. * Angels are a meane betwixt God and man as man was betwixt the Angels and the beasts God made the Angels Psalm 104. 4. Coloss. 1. 16. Their nature An Angel defined Wendelinus * They are spirits Heb. 1. 14. glorious Spirits Hebr. 9. 5. Heavenly Spirits Matth. 24. 36. Immortall Spirits lâ—u 26. 36. For their nature or substance they are called Spirits for their property or quality glorious for their place orabode heavenly for their continuance Immortall * The bread of the mighty or Angels foode not because they brought it but because it was most pleasant so that should Angels need food they could not feede on better See River Willet on Exod. 16. Their faculties Matth. 28. 5. * Angeli alas habere dicuÌ„tur propter velo citatem celerem in cuncta discursum Hicron in Jesai 6. vento alas quoque ad fingunt ob eandem causam Drus. in Observat. Sac. l. 4. c. 19. Acts 6. 15. Mark 16. 32. * Tum veteres patres tum etiam Doctores Scholastici triplicèm cognitionem tribuunt Angelis ex Patribus Augustinus triplicem in Angelis statuit rerum cognitionem unam quares in verbo in filio scilicet Dei vident alteram qua eas cernunt in earuÌ„ naturis Tertiam qua eas norunt in suis men tâ—bus Casmannis Angelographia Luke 8. 30. Matth. 18. 10. and 22. 30. Psal. 68. 1. Luke 2. 13. Mark 12. 25. Esay 6. They cry one to another Holy holy holy Mighty Princes are attended with many followers a Numerus lapsorum in Scriptura non est definitus Quod Scholasticicum Thoma definiuÌ„t ex 2. Reg. 6. 16. plures aâ—gelos permansisse in gratia quam pecrasse parum soliditatis habet Voet. Disput. de natura Daemo There are degrees of them Câ—l 1. 16. Rom. 8. 38. 1 Thes. 4. 16. Some are named Angels some Aâ—ch-angels 1 Thess 4. * That ancient and high soaring though counterfeit Dioâ—ysius describes the Hierarchy of Angels as exactly as if hee had dwelt amongst them delivering unto us 9 orders of them out of 9. words sound partly in the old partly in the new Testament and tells us the severall natures distinctions and properties of them all Master Mede on Zach. 4. 16. see more there Cartwright on Ephes. 1. 21 in his Annotat. on the Rhem. Test. a Quatuor ijs vocabulis thronorum dominationum principatuum potestatum Apostolus complexus est universam caelestem societatem Quid inter se distant quatuor illa vocabula dicant qui possunt si tamen possunt probare quae dicunt Ego mâ— ista ignorare confiteor August Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 58. Cameron tomo 2 do Praelect * They are called Thrones saith a School man because they doe attend on the Throne of God Heb. 1. 14. Psalm 68. 17. Exod. 34. 24. Gen. 10. 9. Matth. 4. 10. Joh. 13. Act. 5. They are present at our Assemblies Eph. 1. mysteries are made known to them and the woman must be covered because of the Angels An Angel defeated Senacheribs armie Revel 16. * Mr. Baylie on Zach. 3. 1. p. 43. See Doctor Preston on Prayer Origines angelos docet invocandos certamque invocationis formulam praescribit Homil. in Ezech Jelem Casmannus * Cultus fraternae societatis Scriptura piis tantum angelorum custodiam ministerium attribuit Psal. 148. 91. Heb. 1. 14. impiis non item Imo plures angelos indefinitè circa pios excubare docet non unuÌ„ Psal. 34. 8. Spanhemius Matth. 18. 10. Vnde concludunt tum Patres tum Scbâ—lastici singulis pueris atque adultis etiam certos angelos esse attributos Sic interpretati sunt hunc locum Chrysostomus Augustinus Hieronimus alii Casmannus It is greater both Dignity and benefit that every one of the faithfull have many Angels appointed by the Lord for his guard whereof the proofe is manifest Psal. 34. 7. 91. 12. an host of Angels pitch their Tents round about them As many reprobate Angels seeke the destruction of one onely man Marke 5. 9. and 12. 45. so the Lord encountreth them by a number of his elect-Angels Master Cartwright Luke 7. 24. 1 Cor. 11. 10. See the last large Annotations a Vnicus quod sciam ex veteribus Ambrosius ex Papistis Caietanus ex nostris unicus Beza angelos exponunt Sacerdotes seu pastores ecclesiae Rectissime omnes alij tum veteres tum recentes intelligunt ip sos angelos eosque bonos ac sanctos Laurentius Mal. 2. 7. Revel 1. 20. b Beza in loc Ministers saith Laurentius are not any where in the Scripture called Angels absolutely but alwayes with addition Jun. Paral. l. 1. par 92. a Ipse Deus locutus est immediatè ad Mosem praesentibus ac testibus angelis Laurentius See Willet on 19. of Exod. 37 quest Ordination is put for ministration * Master Palmer Master Cauderie of the Christian Sabbath part 1. ch 4. a Grotius and Rivet Doctor White say God spake not immediatly but by an Angel See Psal. 78. 49. Dan. 10. 13. b Cartwright on the Rhem. Test. interprets it of Christ. See M. Perkins on Jude * Angels are the best creatures yet they are mutable Creatures they were created blessed as the Schooles determine with a naturall blessednesse not with a supernaturall which consists in the vision of God for then they had never fallen The good Angells indeed have obtained by Christ a supernaturall blessednesse though he be not a Redeemer yet he is a confirmer a supporter of the holy Angells In reference whereunto he is called the heaâ— of all things Eph. 1. 22. and 3. 15. Col. 1. 20. and that last place is not to bee restrained to men but takes in all things both in Heaven Earth Mr. Carill on 4. of Job 18. * In bono confirmatio non tollit bonorum angelorum liberum arbitriam Bernardus triplicem ostendit è sacris literis libertatem quarum unam vocat libertatem à peccato 2 Cor. 3. 17. Alteram vocat libertatem à miseria Rom. 8 20. 21. Tertiam appellat libertatem à necessitate hoc est à coactione necessitas enim hic non opponitur voluntario sed coactioni Casmannus Consectaries from Angels Let us not by our ill carriage thrust away our guard One Angell would quickly destroy all the wicked if God should charge him to doe it Vse the 4th See Elton on Collos. 1. and Cameron on Act. 12. * Superbi sunt nec noverunt Moysi sententiam sed amant suam non quia vera est sed quia sua est Aug Confess l. 12. c. 25.