they are exactly conformable to the rectitude of the eternall law Quia tam perfecte vult rectitudinem quam perfecte illam concipit He works as perfectly as he conceives perfectly As is Gods judgment so is his will And hence it is that the love of the Father is so passing great to Christ for the father loveth the son c. Joh. 5.20 Why should God love the son more then any other creature but because he saw more of himself wrought in the sonne then in any other creature Love is an inclination of the will to that thing which is good and thereupon the soul of God runs out to Christ who was altogether lovely this is formal holinesse in God this is the formality of this attribute in God he loveth himself in his love to the creatures All the actions of God proceede from an holy spirit from a spirit of holines As hath beene said already holiness is to love God to seek Gods glory to love ones selfe in God and in this sence God is certainly holy for he loves none as himselfe and seekes and aimes at his owne glory in every thing he doth And here by the way let me speake a word of the formality of the holines of Saints Is it not their love to God and Christ And the Saints that makes them to delight in beholding him whom their soule loveth Doubtles it is My beloved saith the spouse is whit and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Canticles 5.10 As it was said by the Queen of Sheba of Solomon 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men Happy are those thy servants which stand continually before thee and which hear thy wisdom So much more may we say as the spirit of holines maketh us to say Blessed are they that know Christ and have of the graces of his Spirit And here I must needs say once againe if God be holy because he loveth good men which are his choice workmanship then so are the Saints therein holy also for they love wonderfully that choise master piece Christ and all the Saints which are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 And so by the rule of contraryes as it is said Psalme 45.7 by way of prophesy and mystically of Christ Thou lovest righteousnes and hatest wickednes c. God must needs hate sin with an infinite hatred for he loveth the rectitude of the eternall law and therefore hateth what is contrary to it for the sinfullnes of sinne is its contrariety to Gods eternall law And then Secondly God necessarily loveth his own goodnes and perfection and therefore necessarily hateth sinne which is contrary and repugnant to that goodnes Repugnant I say not as one forme to another but as an inordinate thing to its rule and measure Keep sinne up and God must go downe keepe God up and sinne must go down You may as well expect to see the Ocean sea burn to ashes or stones to fly upward as look to see an union betweene God and sinne or that God should not looke upon it with highest indignation What sinne is you should finde in every catechisme almost it is the transgression of the holy law of God even the least sinne doth turne aside Gods love and because he is holy it maketh his very soule to hate the persons in whom it is Sinne is like Coloquintida in the Pot and this I must tell you that when God smels it he cannot but throw away pot and all it is so contrary to his holines Where ever God sees sinne he runs at it presently If his owne son do but stand in the sinners steede though he had no sinne of his owne yet you see how the wrath of God ran out against him And the reason is Gods love of his law which is his holines of which sin is the transgression and upon this account God must needs hate it And this David a man of much acquaintance with God tells us Psalm 5.4 5. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednes neither shall evill dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquitie and so Isaiah 1.24 Ah saith the Lord I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies By which words the prophet meaneth that God will not be appeased he will ease himselfe here is an allusion to the disposition of men Calv. in loc for even as wrath is nothing else but a desire of revenge so revenge it selfe also is a kind of contentment for when any is revenged he is glad and satisfied Thus the Lord saith that he will satisfie himselfe in chastising his enemies as if it were a kind of recompence And because this holines of God doth so glorious shine-out in his hating of sin which is contrary both to his eternal law workings in both Church and world and also to the actings of Saints acted by the Spirit of holines I will a little fasten here and give you some evidence of the bitter hatred which is in God against sinne First Therefore when we shall see an all-mercifull God to deprive men and Angels of such an infinite good as himselfe Evidences of Gods hating sin certainly you must suppose there is some great cause reason for it why the fruition of God is the greatest good and Angells and men were his most excellent creatures yet such is Gods holines causing his hatred of sinne that he tumbles man out of Paradise and Angels out of heaven here is one evidence of Gods hatred of sinne and severitie against sinners But Secondly God doth not only deprive these prime creatures of such a goodnes to wit himself infinitly and eternally but also cast them into extreame sorrows pains and torments And the Angels which kept not their first estate or principalitie but lost their owne habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkenes unto the judgement of the great day Jud. ver 6. And for men who can be ignorant of these misteries sinne hath brought upon all sexes and ages even in this life besides those everlasting burnings to the which all wicked ones are reserved Thirdly God will blot out all the good that ever men did if that fall a sinning once If the righteous turneth away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquitie c. All his righteousnes that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse Ezek. 18.24 that he hath trespassed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them he shall die If a man should live many a yeare in serving God and do great things for the people of God Yet if he give out and sin and persist and die in his sinne all his former good should be blotted out Q. A. But here comes a great question can a righteous man fall from his righteousnes To which I answer It is impossible Ratione Decreti promissionis in regard of Gods decree and promise Yet we
must know that as God only hath immortality essentially and immutably so likwise all kindes of goodness are only in God firme and sure Saints might fall Angels might fall the Saints in heaven might fall and dy also againe were it not that God holds them to their estates he hath brought them unto and will even as the Psalmist saith Psalme 91.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and buckler But for more cleare and full answer to the place in Ezekiel You must know that the Holy Ghost meanes not truly gratious neither is it the scope to prove falling from grace but to cleare the Lords justice and my scope is to shew the deadly hatred God beares to sinne And either by righteous in that place we are to understand a moral legal righteous man or else it is a caution to prevent a righteous mans falling if we will understand it of Gospel righteousnes Or lastly as I intimated in the beginning of my Answer to his Question it may be true of a righteous man considered in himselfe not in relation to God or Christ that he may turne from his righteousnes as Angels and Adam did We have a rule conditional suppositions are of things impossible aswell as of possibles therefore make what ye will of the text yee can never necessarily conclude either with Bellarmine that a man may Exuare cor novum put away a new heart that faith may be lost Lib. 3. de Inst c. 14. Quid clareus quomodo quaeso avertitur justus à justicia si fide sola justificatur fides semel concepta extergui non potest or with Arminians that it is so evident that every one may see it that a just man may totally and finally fall away Hominem justum posse totaliter de ficere Ames in antisynod de presen Sanct. c. 2. Christ tells his disciples that he would send the comforter that he might abide with them forever that he might dwell with them and be in them John 14.16.17 But I must end this businesse which is but by the by God must needs hate sin seeing one sin in the evening of a mans age persisted in unto death will make God forget all former services done to him this is the third evidence Fourthly Gods willing the abased incarnation and dolorous death and passion of his sonne that sinne might be abolished is the highest discovery of his hatred towards it If nothing but the blood of his owne son be able to remove sin it shall be laid down rather then God will endure it so hateful is sin and so loathsome in the eyes of God And therefore Soules do but consider this ye that make light of sin see and consider a little what sinne is in the account of God in whose ballance all things must be wayed Yea look upon the readines of Christ to make his soule an offering for sin to lay down his pretious life that this ugly thing sin so hateful to Gods holines might be slain as well as satisfied for and that Gods soul might be eased and comforted justice being satisfied which the holy severitie of God did call for I have beene very long upon the formalitie of Gods holines which as you may remember is the fourth way or manner God is said to be holy in A Fifth and indeed the last way or manner is that God is said to be holy Eminently and causally as the fountain and begining of all sanctitie in creatures As he is the root of all holines the object the example viz. of and unto his own holines and formally holy also as hath largly been demonstrated So likewise to the creator of all creatures holines He is the Efficient Formall Exemplary and final cause He hath first infused all holines into Angels and men which they have he converteth men to himselfe he doth away the spots of their sinnes he plants in them the light of grace and good inclinations All holines comes from him and what have we that we have not received from him who only it is that makes men to differ So that God is causally holy the efficient cause of all holines in the sons of men He it is that rooteth out sin and cleanseth them from filthines and planteth in them holines by his holy spirit And thus our God is holy as he doth effect holines Secondly he gives the very species of holines Holines as I have told you is placed in loving God and his waies Christ and his people Now it is God that forms Christ in us and gives a spirit of conformitie to him in holines He is the formal cause of holines in creatures not informing but in a higher way without imperfection we are transformed by the renewing of our mind Rom. 12.2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new creature the change of the soule as the worke is variously termed is wholy from God And so their people come to be willing in the day of Gods power in the beauties of holines Ps 110.3 Then when they have a holy frame of spirit they being to value ordinances and run too and fro for the increase of their knowledge Daniel 12.4 they cleave unto God and one to another praying in the Holy Ghost Jude ver 20. and submiting themselves one to another in the feare of God Ephes 5.21 Even as the father loveth the sonne and the sonne loveth the father and God loveth himselfe because of the holines in their divine essence so it is with the Saints that are made to be holy and are renewed Thirdly God is exemplarily the cause of holines in creatures he hath laid a coppy before us according to which we should square our lives He is principum exemplare Not only the mind and will of God revealed in the scripture but also the histories of Gods dealings in point of holines who would have us walk as he hath and be holy as he is holy And yet this is not all we have a plaine familiar coppy a demonstration before our eys I mean the behaviour and conversation of Christ in the daies of his flesh he hath left us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Such as walk according to these coppies and this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Holy Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Fourthly All the holines of the creature is directed unto God and his glory as unto its end Therefore the creature is sanctified and made holy that it may be for God the utmost end and honour him and praise and glorifie him And take this for a truth no action is any further holy then Gods glory is the end of it The Pharises almes fastnings and prayers were materially good but because their owne praise and not Gods glory was that which they aimed at this was that spoild all And therefore Christians well is that we have a Christ for seeing
to provocations ye cannot provoke God as ye do men Marke friends Though the Scripture say 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie and the word be used in many places of provoking God yet the Lord is never provoked properly as provocation can hang upon him For provocation argues mutation but God is alwaies the same Gods spirit cannot be brought to a distemper by all the wickednesses in the world All the blasphemy posible of men and Devils cannot raise a storme in the breast of God Fury is not in him And when God is said to be provoked to be angry to be furious and the like these things are spoken of God by way of allusion to men as it is in assertions of Gods eies hands and eares and the like not that God hath either passion or affection soule or limbe or member or body In allusion I say to men For as provoked men to revenge affronts wrongs and injuries So when God findes men in sinne though he be of a calme spirit and a good God Yet he causeth sorrows to fall on the wicked and unto all eternitie shall workers of iniquitie be tormented Yet this will be true for ever that God is good to all though men be damned What is this kindnes to send people to hell We may say to God is this thy kindnesse to thy creature Quest I answer It doth not belong to the goodnes of God which I am now speaking of to send people to hell Ans but it is an act of justice proceeding from his holines and puritie But it hath no smell in God of passion or anger or revenge or ill-will to the creature All which things are farre from Gods essence who is immutable perfection and with whom is no variableness neither shadow of during James 1.17 Reas 3 Thirdly God must needs be infinitely good because he neither carketh or careth for himselfe as vain men do who thereby are hindered from doing good to others O say they we may give so long that we may lake our selves I say God is under no such feare sith he is an ocean of goodnes and perfection and omnipotent and wanteth no sufficency Gen. 17.1 I am God alsufficient Saith he to Abraham And Fourthly it cannot stand with the alsufficiency of Gods essence to have it and not to dispence it He is alsufficient Reas 4 every way as well in goodnes as in power aswell in readines to do good as in abilitie I say Gods alsufficiency sets him a work to put himselfe out for the good of the creature above all that we can aske or think He is kind unto the unthankefull and to the evill Luke 6.35 He endureth with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 Surely then for the first Use no man alive hath cause to complaine of God as if he wanted a good disposition Vse T is true there is much murmuring against God in the world under the title of fortune when affliction sicknesse poverty is upon people But for remedy we should know that sinne is the cause of all evill Do away thy sinne and God will quickly do away the evill thou liest under Blessings must needs come upon us and overtake us if we shall harken unto the voice of the Lord our God Deut. 28. verses 1.2 c. And curses for the contrary ver 15. c. It is impossible God should take displeasure against any without a cause The Lord is righteous in all his waies Ps 145.17 And we should for further remedy in the second place rather admire goodnes in our worst condition sith the attribute of justice and power must take place too Lamen 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not Soules conflict p. 425. In the worst time saith Dr. Sibs there is a presence of God with his children When we are at the lowest yet it is a mercy that we are not consumed we are never so ill but it might be worse with us whatsoever is lesse then hell is undeserved Thirdly We are to know that if we be Saints those evills that befall us which seem to crosse this Doctrine of the infinitenesse of Gods goodnes do very much establish it For affliction befal the Saints from the depth of goodnes in God Not only upon such an ordinary account as we reade Psalmes 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Wherin two notable uses are expressed of afflictons to wit to reduce the Saints from their straying and to make them more exact in their conversation But I say further ver 75. I know Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfullnes hast aflicted me From faithfulnes that no good thing shall be withheld that may make us eminently hapy here hereafter In great goodnes was Joseph so afflicted and Job and Daniel cast into the Lyans den that they might be prepared for great honours and employments and also great discoveries of God It is much and sweete to an afflicted soule to see a token of the Lords love upon him and a signe of his being received into Sonship Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth But more to see faithfulnes power in great deliverances out of great straites out of the Lions den out of the Whales belly to carry through the red Sea rather then to leave to Pharaohs pride and crueltie But yet I have a great deale more to say of the wonderfull goodnes of God to some choise ones whom he fiteth in the furnace of great sorrows for great employments and enjoyments of himselfe in the creature here even in this life Vse 2 For the next use heere is a good ground of encouragement for all sinners and distressed souls to come to God For the Lord is good And if ye cannot tell what to say I will teach you a prayer which David taught me Psalme 17.7 Show thy marvellous loving kindnes O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them Ye may have much comfort in the consideration of Gods abundant goodnes whether it be that our sinns be very great or our sorrows even as it were hellish God gives much good with much goodnes to his people He gives all with all his heart he makes every step to them in blood and yet in delight parts withall to enrich them Lockier or our condition never so obscure great sinners hath God received great sorrows hath God removed and beggars from the dunghell hath God advanced And for such as have tasted the blood of Christ in their meat and drink and weare cloathes died therein and have all their salvations and comforts swiming to them on the streames of the blood of God Let them say that the Lord is good to the lowest Saint affliction is but the pulling
that after this life when all promises are fulfilled Obj. there is no use of fidelity I Answer that we may distinguish the property from the exercise of it or else and rather This I say Sol. to all eternity there is use of Gods fidelity for that his saints continue in their blessednes is by vertue of his promise and fidelity where some also have said there is some kind of faith that lasts in heaven which they call the faith of depency This truth I say will stand when all that oppose it or slight it shall fall and such as doubt of it shall be without Fides depenetiae Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should ly nor the sonne of man that he should repent shall he say and not do or shall he speake and not make it good Malachy 3.6 For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed And the Apostle James saith with him is no varablenesse nor shadow of turning Deut. 7.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant mercy with them that love him c. Proofs are plentifull in the history of the Scriptures Gods truth and faithfullnes is the ground of the Saints security and the sinners destruction And this must needs be in God who first knows what hee saies to be good and fit and truth in a logicall sence of which ye have already heard and therefore he need not repent he hath no after thoughts And Secondly He hates and threatens and punisheth the want of faithfulnes in others Ezekiell 17.15 16. Shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things or shall he breake the covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king whose oath he despised and whose covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall dy Now put these two together First What God saith is so good and true according to the just rule as that he hath no cause to alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Secondly that he hates and punisheth faithfullnes and want of truth in others and it will be surely concluded that God is a God of truth and faithfullnes Now what God saith is either by way of menace or promise as may be abundantly read in Scripture and of both it is true as it is written of the law Mat. 5.18 One jot or title shall in no wise passe from it till all be fulfilled God watcheth over his word to perform it It is a note of Mr. Capel upon the fifth verse of the first of Zachary Your fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever That the power of Truth of Gods word depends not on any mens persons nor is limited to one age Their Fathers were dead that were threatned and the Prophets were dead too that did threaten them but the truth of their prophesies was not buried with them but was in every point fulfilled according to their preaching That follows v. 6. But my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the Prophets did they not take hold of your Fathers And they returned and said like as the Lord of hoasts thought to do unto us according to our ways according to our doings so hath he dealt with us It is confessed by them selves the hand of God upon them did draw a confession from them that they were punished as God had threatned as they had deserved and they returned that is were convinced better advised as Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Men will know one day to their sorrow that God is a God of truth not a word goes out of his mouth but is exactly performed Yea circumstances exactly observed ye find Gen. 15.13 a promise made to Abram that after foure hundred yeares his seed should be freed and come out of the land of Bondage with great substance And compare that place with Exod. 12.41 And ye shall find great exactnes And it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares even the selfe same day it came to passe that all the hosts of the Lord went out of the land of Aegypt The Lord is most true yea truth it selfe And all his promises in Christ are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 He is a faithfull witnes and whatsoever he hath spoken shall be accomplished so that though the heavens decay and wax old like a garment though the sunne lose his light and the moone be turned into blood though the earth tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines be moved and shake yea though heaven and earth and all things therein contained perish and pass a way yet all that God hath threatned or promised shall be accomplished God is Jehovah he hath his essence and beeing in and from himselfe alone giveth beeing unto all things else especially to his word and promises And therefore for the First Use Let the people of God be confident upon this truth of God Light is sowen for the righteous and Vse 1 joyfull gladnesse for the upright in heart Psalme 97.11 And Gods Testimonies are very sure Psalme 93.5 He hath promised to all beleevers and repentant sinners that he will in Christ Jesus pardon all their sinnes and will receive them into his grace and favour and that he will be a sunne and shield to them and that no good thing will he withhold from them And therefore let us believe and rest upon our Saviour Christ alone for salvation truly repenting us of all our sinnes and build upon Gods truth that though our sinnes be never so many and grievious yet the Lord will pardon and forgive them and though our distresses and misery be never so great and woefull yet he can and therefore will because he is a God of truth deliver us from all Truth and faithfulnes is one of Gods names a part of his title let us not therfore call it into question it is a great dishonor to God It is an errour in the foundation to subsistitute fals objects either in religion or in christian conversation We must not build upon works but rely upon promises made by the God of truth God can neither endure fals objects nor a double object His faithfulnes or truth must be our shield buckler And therefore in the second place Ps 91.4 this reproves our doubtings somtimes churlish enough concerning the truth faithfulnes Vse 2 of our gratious God who yet is ever will be without falshood Titus 1.2 A God that cannot ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet is often charged with breach of promise to his children by his very children 2 Pet. 3.4 5. If only scoffers walking after their owne lusts should say where is the promise of his
come out of Gods head so holy ones come out of his heart 53. That the reason we love God no more is because we know him no better ibid. God most conjoyned to himselfe must needs be holy ibid. God is holy in regard of his puritie yet without regard to an eternal Law to be measured by ibid. God said to be holy five manner of waies among school-men 54. What it is to be holy radically and objectively ibid. What it is to be holy exemplarily and formally 55. God is holy in his works two manner of waies ibid. All the actions of God proceede from a spirit of holinesse 56. The formality of Saints holines is their love to God Christ ibid. God must needs hate sinne as contrary to his eternal Law ibid. And as repugnant to his goodnes and how it is so repugnant ibid. Foure evidences of Gods hating sinne 57. 58. 59 God is holy causalty as the fountaine c ibid. God is the efficient formall exemplary and finall cause of all holinesse in the creature 59. 60. Vse 1. Holines not to be contemned 61. Vse 2. God must needs delight in holy persons 62. Vse 3. Such as would become acceptable to God must labour to become holy persons ib. Motives to labour for holines 63. 2. Doct. That holines is communicable to mankind 64. Reasons or arguments to make it good ibid. Vse 1. The true cause that many want holinesse is in themselves and not in God 65 Vse 2. Such as desires holines may have it c. ibid. Vse 3. To provoke to holy desires and indeavours with diverse Motives besides this Doctrine 66. c. 1. God commands it 2. Directs what to do to obtaine it 3. Hath promised that they that aske shall have c. 4. Without it we cannot see God 5. We have excellent Coppies God and Christ 6. The Scriptures left to be a meanes of sanctification 7. We have many outward favours to allure us Two meanes to be used 1. Prayer 2. To study this Doctrine 68. That holines is the renovation of the whole man That secondly it is a giving up our selves to God That holines is the better seene by its contrary the old man and the former conversation thereof Where in the old man standeth many particulars Page 69. Another to wit an eighth Motive to labour for holines 70. That holy men are the lest fearing men ibid. Diverse instances of the truth of his Motive 71. That wicked men are called Magor Missabib ibid. 3. D. That God is infinitely and incomprehensibly holy 72. Three reasons hereof and Vse 1. That therefore men in seeking for holinesse cannot exceed measure ibid Vse 2. That God will beare up holines against all the world 73. Vse 3. They that will imitate God must never stand at a stay in holines Fifth Motive to labour for more holines 74.75 The more holines 1. The more perfection 2. The more comfort 3. The more boldnes 4. The more acquaintance with God 5. The more glory in heaven The fourth Attribute The Benignity or usefull goodnes of God THat Goodnes benignitie usefullnes is an attribute of God p. 77. That Gods goodnes is communicated in a double sence naturally to his onely begotten sonne freely unto creatures 78. That although it be naturall in God to be good yet the acts of his goodnes are free 80. It is declared what the benignitie of God is 81. That there was but one necessary and naturall act of greatnesse in God to wit the communicating of his whole essence to the sonne ibid. Gods goodnes is Generall to all creatures Speciall to man-kind Singular to his Church p. 81 82. That no evill is comparable to that of being without Christ nor no good to the being in the number of redeemed ones 84. Vse 1. That hurtfull dispositions and michievous natures must needes be displeasing to God because contrary to Gods disposition ibid. Vse 2. It must needes be pleasing to God for men to be ready and willing to do good to every body 85. To do good to all is to walke in the feare of God 86. Vse 3. To stirre up all to become like unto God to be full of goodnes God is worth the imitating ibid. Such as will approve themselves good men must make it their study how to be most profitable this is a first advice 86.87 Under this first direction are 2. things 1. Not to take delight in sinfully practices and courses 2. Not to take delight in others troubles and sorrowes 88. A second direction to labour to be cured of froward dispositions ibid. Five Motives to stirre up to the doing of good 1. It is commanded 2. It is excellent 3. God will reward 4. The contrary threatned 5. It may be done and this proportion may be had p. 89. The second Doctrine that goodnes is a communicable attribute Reasons or demonstrations it was communicated at first it is restored in regeneration 90 it is commanded therefore 91. Vse 1. That men are unusefull and mischievous is not to be charged upon God 92 Vse 2. Such as desire to be good are in great possibility of it ib. Vse 3. Seek it at the hands of God by prayer 93 Motives upon this direction Other directions given touching this matter 94 Three other Motives for conclusion of this Point 95 The third Doctrine That God in goodnes is Infinite and incomprehensible ibid. Reasons 1. God is Summum bonum 2. not subject to provocation 3. He is not hindred from doing good to others by carking care c. 96. 4. he is alsufficient every way 97 Vse 1. No man alive hath cause to complaine of God ibid. Murmuring against God under afflictions condemned 3. Remedies given 1. to consider that sinne causeth evills 2. other attributes must take place 3. evills befalling Saints are from the depth of goodnes in God ibid. Vse 2. Sinners and distressed soules are encouraged to come to God 98. 5. Particulars named in the close of the point 1. come away and taste that the Lord is gratious 2. runne to this infinite goodnes in distresses 3. be like unto God in doing good 4. be like God in the extent of goodnes 5. especially to the Saints The Fifth Attribute The Mercy of God THat mercy is Attributed to God proved p. 100. What mercy is in man shewed at large ib. Whether mercy be a distinct vertue from goodnes and love 101. Distinct definitions given of goodnes love and mercy 102. That mercy in God signifieth 1. His inclination to shew mercy 2. The effects of this inclination 103 Gods mercy is general to all creatures special to mankinde more speciall to the elect 104 Three things in the general mercy of God to creatures ib. The mercies of God extended in this life reduced to 5. heads 105 Rewarding Pardoning preventing delivering sparing ib. Four degrees of sparing mercy in God Not punishing at all 106 Deferring 107 Moderation and rebates 107 Groaning in whipping 108 That God spared not Christ
Sublimity for he Reigneth with the highest and most absolute power Also he is great in regard of profundity because he ruleth not only bodies but hearts and ordereth the most inward thoughts and affections of all neither is there any thing so hidden or secret which the rod of his Kingdom and greatness doth not penetrate We may then understand somewhat by this word GREAT of God but must stop our mouths with the close of the Verse Psal 135.3 His greatness is unsearchable or of his greatness there is no search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word doth properly signifie finding out or searching after The Septuagint there is no end of his greatness and so the vulgar latine For therefore is no finding out of the greatness of God because the end thereof neither is nor can be found for in deed it is not there is no end of his greatness And therefore in all predications wherein GOD is the subject we must know that their force is in negation and exclusion As when we say God is a Spirit we mean he is not a body when we say he is a spiritual substance we mean he is not a corporeal substance When we say he is he is a substance we mean he is not an accident For properly a substance God cannot be according to the nature of that Lative word for a substance is that that doth stand under accidents and bear them up which asserted of the essence of God is blasphemy Yet is that word substance often attributed to God but by it we mean essence according to the greek word Ousia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essence or being but in God properly there is neither substance nor accident Objection But this may seem to deny God to be a living God properly and indeed to aver God to be properly neither just nor merciful nor any thing which he is said to be in scripture Solution For clearing up whereof yee must know that God is most properly Life And he is every thing that he is without a Metaphor for he is all that he is of himself He is truly all that the Scripture teacheth and the Saints conceive him to be but not in that manner or measure as men or Angels conceive of him He is all that we think him to be in our minds according to scipture Attributes and infinitely more As now to speak of this Attribute Life as life is considered in the Creature it is a principle of operation but in God all Attributes are his essence and so is his life Remember what I have said and so I shal come out of these briars that we have not words to set out God by and if there were such a language found out it would be worse then greek to us we should not have the capacity to learn it therfore with all humility let us blesse God for those discoveries of himself he hath been pleased to make and for making our ears blessed to hear and our eyes to see so much of God as we do I have but one question to answer and it is upon occasion of my close of the former discourse If it be so Question that God is so hidden that he is so above our reach that such clouds and darkness are round about him that he dwelleth in such eye-dazling unapproachable light why then may some say do you spend so many words about such a subject To whom I answer that if we can catch but one jot of what hath been said and make it our own why then Answ we are made forever if but the lest glimmerings of the living God be afforded to you as your God in Christ and yee are all resolved with David That it is good for you to draw near to him and so yee purpose to do and never to depart from him why then I say let men Ps 73 28 and Devils rage and do what they can yee are alive in God not only as Creatures but as new Creatures yee shal be carried as upon eagles wings yee shal lye in the bosome of Life Your life is hid with Christ in God Collos 3 ◠Wonder not then that I have been so forward to expose my self to censure and to speak of things that are not easily understood in any measure Difficilia quae pulchra There is beauty in these difficulties and something I hope wil stick All wil not I hope run over the narrow-mouth'd bottle O draw neer to this living God Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God They that do so forsake their own mercies Study this Attribute of God spend some time with prayer about it and so much for the Explication as I have been able Come we to the Application First Vses of this Doctrine The first Vse then he is worth the coming unto by those that are yet afar off and worth the keeping and holding fast by such as have him Draw neer to God therefore O yee sinners that are far from him For loe they that are far from thee shal perish saith the Psalmist Psal 73.27 O cast not the law of this living God behind your backs any longer Make not your wil your humors your lusts your Law any more Refuse not the Lord Jesus the Son of the Living God any longer lest he be angry and yee perish in the way Reject not the Ordinances of Life content not your selves with them as dead Ordinances let them be to you the Ordinances of a living God Take heed of a dead faith as all faith is without works Jam 2.17 take heed of worshipping a dead God Such as pretend to believe in God and in works deny him do in effect take away his life their faith is dead their works are dead they have not a lively hope they Worship a dead God Every bodies God is no bodies God A Traditional God every bodies God and that is no bodies God Come to Christ that yee may have God who is life And yee Saints that have him hold him fast and chuse rather to dye a thousand deaths then to forsake the living God Be circumspect take heed saith my Text we are in danger on every side watch over your hearts take heed of an evil heart that is the cause of departing from God If we have good hearts we shal never go away from God it is impossible And then in the next place mark the words that I have read in my Text an evil heart of unbelief What is that makes the heart evil Unbelief this is the cause peoples hearts be evil because they want Faith And if that be a truth that faith which comes by the hearing of the Word is increased daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and prayer Then take heed of throwing away of gospel-Ordinances in these ranting times Perkins 2d principle They that depart from Ordinances depart from God For this
Myst sanct Trin. 251. This totum bonum of God is that excellency of his nature in regard whereof he hath all perfection in toto genere entis as the Schoolmen say This attribute comprehends all other attributes whatsoever as they have respect to the perfection of this divine nature Now to demonstate this natural goodnes or perfection of God who is so good that he cannot be better I will fetch an argument from the gradations of things according to perfection in this manner There is in the nature of things somthing which is best most true most noble the prime being and which is the cause unto all other things of that goodnes that they have There are entities more or lesse noble as we have continual experience Now more and lesse are said of things diverse as they come neerer or are more remote from that which is the rule and especially and perfectly such And this is God the first efficient cause of all created perfections Per quod unum quodque est tale illudest magis tale A second argument or reason of Gods perfection Non ex vi ullius causae sed secundum suam quidditatem atque adeo ex se c. which are more or less excellent as they come neerest or are most distant from the goodness or perfection of God If all the goodnes natural that is wrapt up in the essence of all creatures Angels men beasts Fishes Fowls and what ever else hath a place in the creation were gathered into one goodnesse or perfection God would infinitely transcend it And the reason is because they have all they have from God God is the everlasting fountain of all the goodnesse in the world all Candles are lighted at his Candle and by what any thing is such as it is that must much more be such likewise the perfection of God must be most compleat because he is the ipsum esse of himself Other beings hang upon the being of God and did he not uphold them they would fall to nothing presently But as for God he is of himself before the mountains were brought forth saith the Psalmist Ps 90.2 Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou thou art God The former argument was strong For sith God doth most perfectly act he must needs be most perfect and good in all his actings and therefore a most perfect entity or being But this second reason is more convincing He is God of himselfe and not by the procurement of any other Many other things even to the dazling of the eys of your understanding might I say of this goodnes of Gods nature and being But that I am loath to puzzle you with darke things and notions lest the words spoken by the Lord to Job cap. 38.2 should be applied unto me Who is this that darkneth Counsell by words without knowledge Only those 4 reasons which Lessius bringeth out of Dionysius his 13 booke de divinis nominibus I shall briefly lay before you to make it yet more plain Reasons out of Dyonisius that naturall goodnes or perfection is an attribute of God and infinitly and incomprehensible in him First Because he is perfect of himselfe whereby is signified that he hath not received his perfection from another Qui est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either as from an efficient cause or as from a formall cause as it is done in creatures but he hath all perfections in him from his most simple essence alone Where his perfection doth not arise from the heaping or gathering together of many things as in creatures of which not one can be said to have in it selfe perfection But from one most simple being which is himselfe and so of him according to every kinde of perfection he is most perfect Secondly Because God is more then perfect that is above more excellent then any perfection that can be possibly Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceived For nothing can be thought upon by any created mind so great noble or excellent but God is infinitly more excellent and greater Thirdly He containing in himself by his own essence all things and truths naturally without either seeing hearing or argument cannot be more or lesse excellent at any time Non potest augeri vel minui but is still the very self same Fourthly He is so full and more then full of all good things that as a living fountain not to be drawn dry he doth abound Assiduè omnia suo influxu perfecit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his giving out unto all creatures and that daily and hourly which otherwise would vanish in a moment He aboundeth I say with one and the same unminishable giving by which he perfecteth all things perfected and filleth every thing with a goodnesse fit for it Whence it appeareth that God is the author of all naturall perfection and supernaturall also In all things from the highest and those next unto himself unto the lowest of all both in creation and providence he is present Math. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father saith Christ to his disciples Gods beames of goodnes do reach to all creatures and actions not only once when he made them but daily and continually He Vse 1 is first in every action None hath first given Now I say hath first given to him to be by him recompensed againe Who hath done it Paul challengeth any to shew if they can such a thing Rom. 11.34 whatsoever generall goodnes there is either by creation ro by ordination it commeth from this perfect fountain James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the father of lights with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning First the substance of each creature hath its goodnes and perfection be on this good being of God and in this regard saith Mr. Perkins whose waies I will use least I should be accounted a blasphemer as out of ignorance and malice I have often been for no more cause Every creature is good partly by creation and partly by ordination Perkins in his Preface to his case of conscience By creation it is that the substance of each creature as of the Sun the Moon the Earth Water Meat Drink c. is good Having the being thereof from God Hence also the essentiall properties quantites qualities actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselves considered withall their events are good Things again do take unto them the condition of goodnes not only by creation but also by Gods ordination whereby they are directed and appointed to some certaine uses and ends Thus the evill conscience hell and death are good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his justice howsoever in themselves and to us they be evill And it must needs be so Because as we began this
very fals yea Sathan himself with all his instruments as over-ruled and over master'd by God have this injunction upon them to further Gods good intendment to us and a prohibition to do us no harm O that we could see beauty and goodnes in every providence Vse 3 And lastly perfection is a communicable attribute There is still giving out God is a giving God therefore what James the Apostle saith of wisdome Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God c. So for all goodnesse and perfections go to God ask them of him that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and they shall be given you pray for a perfect heart which Hezekiah had gotten Isa 38.3 I have saith he walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart And this God requires of Abraham Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect Beloved God is a fountain and he communicates to the creature therfore ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you especially I say beg a good heart of God a perfect heart I know we shall have some ignorant prophane wretches make their boast of this Though they cannot talk as others do and now and then rap out an Oath or two and take a cup too much or so yet they have as good a heart as the best But as Christ said to the Devill hold thy peace c. So must I bid such hold their peace never talk of a perfect heart one may know by your tongues and actions what your hearts are ever stark-naked nought And therefore do not deceive your selves in thinking ye have that which ye have not But seek unto this giving God for a good and a perfect heart the presence of which causeth God to look over and passe by many failings and the abscence whereof was the cause that neither Cain nor his offring was respected And to encourage you know that God hath enough And that is the last thing That God in this attribute of perfection or natural goodnes is infinite and incomprehensible 3. Prop. or Doct. I will not stand to prove the point who doubts it I have said enough here and there in my former discourse to make this truth evident God is absolutely good without beginning without end without limit Bonus dominus amabilis valde bonitatis ens non est finis without manner and measure anticipating and alone containing every good Hence is it that all things suck their sweetnes according to their capacity from God And the perfections of God have no efficient cause and want all limits So is Gods Vse 1 wisdom power essence infinite infinite also is his goodnesse and perfection All in God is his most simple and one onely essence And therefore let me advise you all in the first place to have a care how ye medle with this God who is so perfect and compleat Surely ye will meet with your over match Set not your selves against him Remember Pharaoh and consider what the Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealously Reas 1 Are we stronger then he It is as if he should say it will not be for your ease nor profit so to do For first let men do what they will God is perfect in wisedom and cannot be deluded Secondly he is perfect in power and blessednesse and Reas 2 cannot be damnified Never was he defeated never lost he so much as the hair of a mans head The very blasphemies oaths and villanies of wicked men do not touch him in the least A good Note He suffers not by any thing for he is infinitely and incomprehensibly perfect And this by the way may bear up the spirits of Gods poor servants afflicted and cast down for their sins Their sins have not cannot touch God ye have not hurt God by your sins there is no harm done as we say if ye have made God in Christ your all Thirdly God cannot be hindered or Reas 3 retarded He transcends all impediments Isay 43.13 Saith the Lord there Yea before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of my hand I will work and who shall let it as if God should say If I have a businesse in hand I would fain see that man that would hinder me But there be bars or nobles in the way for the word signifies either mark therefore the 14. vers Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the holy one of Israel for your sake I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their nobles and the Caldeaus whose cry is in the ships If Bars be in Gods way Nobles or Prelates or Kings themselves God doth but laugh at them Psalm 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. Heathen rage People imagine Kings set themselves Rulers take counsell Bonds must be broken they be resolute They will not allow of Christs wayes and will But he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure He must be King in Mount Sion in despite of men and devils What fools are men to blow feathers against Wals of Brass to beat water against the stream to thrust fleshy feet against Iron pricks that 's an expression Acts 9.5 It is hard for thee to kick against the prick And therefore what mad men are they that run upon God that run on his neck upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers as Job speaks Job 15.26 The folly of men is seen first in thinking to match perfection But secondly it is far worse to think to be too hard for God who with one blast of the breath of his nostrils can blow all his enemies into hell yea all the world to nothing Vse 2 Secondly Is God infinitely and incomprehensibly good and perfect as hath been shewed and the Author and worker thereof in all things created then let us learn that none hath done any thing for the Lord that came not from him first O consider this ye that advance nature above God Whatsoever goodness is in you either by creation or recreation comes from this fountain Jehovah blessed for ever Sacrifice not therefore to your own nets and burn not Incense to your own yarn Give God the glory and praise of thy wit wealth health deliverance and especially of saving grace What hast thou that thou hast not received Vse 3 A third Use shews us the extream folly of the wise men of the world so called that think to shew their wisdome and make themselves happy by heaping up many creatures riches pleasures honours and the like Might not all that these can do and much more be had in one most perfect And yet how lamentably do men hunt after the Butterflies of this world Frustra sit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora with labour care and
verse which will be the Sixth in order of the communicable attribute of God I shall now begin to speake of the goodnes of God as it is called by the name of benignity or sweetnesse or usefull goodnes out of these words For the Lord is good The vulgar latine hath it Quoniam suavis Dominus By some it is read for the Lord is sweet by others for the Lord is gracious All comes to one at last and will afford unto us a good ground to discourse of these three propositions as we have formerly done in handling the other attributes first that goodnes or benignitie or usefullnes or a readinesse to do good is an attribute of God Secondly That this attribute is communicable Thirdly that God in respect of this attribute is infinite and incomprehensible For the first of these I shall not be long upon the proofe of it In the 36. Psalme the fifth verse For thou Lord art good c. Lament 3.25 The Lord is good to them that waite for him to the soule that seeketh him The Church of God was now brought to a low condition which was the cause of the making of this booke of the Lamentations Then did she yet bear up her selfe by this attribute of God his goodnes And this indeed is that Which encourageth God's people to seeke unto him in all their streights and in all their difficulties the remembrance of his goodnes This sets a gracious soule to seeke him because he never shutteth up his hand nor stoppeth his eare to them Nahum 1.7 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him And here by the way we are to take notice that there is a certaine kind of proportioning out of this goodnes according to the workings of the Holy Ghost in any For though God be good to all there is a goodnes of God over all his work Yet he is not good to all alike There is a generall goodnes particular goodnes or peculiar goodnes He is good to all men and to all things with a generall goodnes Just and unjust evill and good are under his showres and Sun-blasts For he maketh his sun to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and unjust Math. 5.45 And he heareth and feedeth the young ravens when they cry Psalme 147.4 But yet ther is a goodnes peculiarly appropriated unto his people that do waite upon him and seeks unto him For this same waiting upon God and seeking unto him is as it were a fetching up of the waters of goodnes out of the deepe well of that other goodnes lately spoken of the infinitenes I meane and perfection of God in which they ly Seeking God and waiting on him is as it were the applying of God Ye know that if a wounded man had never so good plaisters ly by him if he do not make use of them by applying them to his wounds they may fester and rot and so perish notwithstanding his good salves And although God be the most compleat utmost and absoluâ—e good at all to any unlesse he be applyed O this is the goodnes which is proper to the Saints that waite on him It ariseth from that which is called all his goodnes Exod. 33.19 And that is communicated in a double sense First as it is naturally communicated to his onely son and in this sence God is onely good to his son the second person in the God head to whom God naturally Communicates the divine essence and so he is from everlasting the begetting father and the second person is from everlasting the begotten son This essential goodnes is proper to the sonne of God Secondly there is a free communication of the goodnes of God unto his creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their severall capacities And therefore if the creature be not made capable it cannot receive of this goodnes from him and that is the reason that beasts partake not so much of the goodnes of God as men nor naturall men as they that are gracious Beasts have not the goodnes men have nor common men that goodnes the Saints have because they are not capable of it And not only specifically but gradually too is this goodnes of God communicated to the Saints For the wider the mouth of the bottle is and the more capacious the more is it able to take in and hold of any liquor A man can hold more in his hand then a child in his So according to the measure or degree of faith do we receive in from of the goodnes of God So that all our scantings straightnings are from our selves not from God God would still be giving out but our narrow hearts are not able to take in If we could open our mouths wide God would fill them full T is true faith is the same in justification be it weak or strong but it is not alike in enjoying good things from God The hand of a child or a palsiman serves to bring meat to his mouth to feed them but it cannot hold so fast nor work so well as stronger hands can God doth communicat many goodnesses to all his creatures and some peculiar to reasonable creatures but as ye are Sts. ye are capable of other goodnesses and have such choise favors as flie over the heads of other men and women because they are not capable of them For instance none are capable of the love of God in Christ unto salvation but such as have believed in Christ and received him and to as many only as have received him is power given to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name John 1.13 It is never the better that there is water in the Wels if you have not a Well bucket to draw it up for your use David hath a notable prayer Psal 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour which thou bearest unto thy people O visite me with thy salvation And therefore let wicked men know this that though God be good yet it is never the better for them in this sence I meane in regard of the love which he beareth to his people Alas ye want faith ye are not of a perfect heart what will ye be the better for the waters that ly in the Well of Gods al-sufficient goodnes Sathan will tell you That God is a good God but he will leave out this to them that feare him and love him and waite upon him This is his Sophistry these be his tricks he dealt so with Christ in a quotation of Scripture as ye may see Math. 4.6 He leaves out those words in all thy waies He tels him of a promise to be kept and of a charge given to the Angels concerning him but if ye reade Psalm 91.9 Ye shall find the words are not faithfully alleadged by the devill He cares not though ye know that God is good but he would not
experienced an artist is to be taken notice of As if mercy and love were one and the same thing And yet in many places of Scripture we find goodnes mercy taken in the same sense mercy and love somtimes distinguished for satisfaction herein and clearing of this difficultie we must know that if we restraine the word mercy to his proper signification according to the etymon of the word the definition of the vertue to wit to rid one out of a notable distress or misery from an aflicted compassionate heart towards him then mercy hath a narrower object then goodnes or love But yet because usually such workes as we call workes of mercy proceed from the affection of love and that love which we call the love of good will towards our neighbour doth in a sort wholly live in workes of mercy for the love of complacency is of another nature I say for this cause love mercy and goodnes are sometimes used to signifie one and the same readines to do good to all or help any and to be of a loving deportment Howsoever therefore there may be use of destinctions sometimes to wit when we speake particularly of them as vertues in men or graces in saints or attributes in God yet in ordinary popular discourse they come all to one and so are used by the Holy Ghost oftentimes in Scripture in passages both concerning God and also men But that nothing may be left unsaid to give full satisfaction I will give you distinct definitions of these three goodnes or benignity love of goodwill and mercy as they are attributed to God and found in men Goodnes is the will of God whereby he is inclined to do good to creatures and the effects thereof Love is the will of God approving what in his creatures is good and agreeable to his holy mind and manifestâ—d by sundry effects thereof Mercy is the will of God whereby he is inclined to succour such as are in misery and the manifestation of it in acts accordingly In men goodnes or benignitie is a disposition and indeavour to make the lives of creatures comfortable Amore nihil est aliud quaÌ„ bonum velle amata by affording all that may any way conduce thereunto And love is a certaine propension of the appetite concupiscible unto what is accounted good and fit for him that loveth and a manifestation of good will and friendship upon occasion both in word and deede to such objects And mercy said Philosophers is a sicknes of mind conceived from the misery of another stirring up to shew pity and compassion and to succour such a one But lastly in saints these come to be graces and so acceptable to God being fruits of the spirit tending to God and having respect to him So we are full of goodnes towards the bodies and soules of others communicating what we have for their good and benefitt Shewing love for Gods sake in both word and deed even to them that wrong us and abuse us And having bowels of mercy towards all that be in misery and being ready to do any thing for their succour Now of all these three vertues in men graces in Saints attributes of God What mercy is in God Miseri cordia est voluntas Dei qua ad succurrendum miseris propensus Sharpius The mercy of God some call the propertie or attribute of his nature inclining him to relieve the misery of his creature some the essenee of God shewing mercy Sclator on the 117. Psalme Ira dicitur esse in Deo non ut turbidus motus animi sed simplex voluntas ad ultionem we are to speake of mercy now as it is to him attributed One thing is very necessary to be premised in this discourse to wit that mercy in God is not as it is defin'd by Philosophers as hath beene before hinted A sicknes of mind conceived from the misery of another For sadnes and afliction of mind cannot be in God though in Scripture there are such metaphors used But mercy in God is his very essence whereby he is infinitely disposed to helpe succour and comfort such as be in any miserable condition Those expressions in Scripture In their afflictions he was afflicted And mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Are borrowed Phrases As from the turning of the bowells in men at the fight of an object of pitty And yet in men this is not mercy it selfe but a companion of pitty Yet because by it our mercy is made known we call it by the name of mercy We call rowling of bowells mercy and mercy rowling of bowells which yet is but a companion of it and that in men only and not in God Mercy may be without it and in God allwaies is because God hath no bowels to be turned God is one most simple essence and hath no qualities And therefore when we say God is merciful we speak of him metaphorically as when we say God is angry Anger is a turbulency of spirit but there is no such thing in God The effects of that which is called anger in God are often put for angâ—r as when we see the punishment and scourges on the backes of wicked men we conclude that God is angry There is no real difference between his essence and attributes save only in our manner of conceiving Sclater In like manner when we see the rod taken of and cast into the fire which is an effect of mercy we say God is mercifull But mercy in God signifiâ—th two things First an inclination in his heavenly Majesty to shew mercy Secondly the effects of his supposed affection which is his helping of the miserable creature or a making out of God to such as have need of helpe and pitty The affection of mercy in men is knowne by that griefe that accompanies it Tanquam à nobis notiori vertus ipsa nomen traxit but such a companion of mercy cannot be in God O mercy is a glorious attribute of God he is a very sea of mercy he is never dry Amongst men he that is fullest of pitty is but a drop of it Their pitty falls infinitly short of what is in God And this mercy of God is either generall to all his creatures or speciall unto mankind or more speciall and peculiar that whereby he is said to be mercifull to his elect unto eternall life and freedom from the wrath to come Let us view the generall mercy of God to all his creatures Three things present themselves to be looked upon First the raising up of all creatures out of nothing Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Secondly The extension of tender mercies of providence towards all creatures wraped up in misery of which see Psalme 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes His mercy is over and upon all his workes as the warmth of the hen
the participation of them He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him vers 36. If any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9 And he that committeth sin is of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 But to return and so draw to an end Let us take notice of wonderfull condiscension in God to make a Covenant with any and of the unspeakable happinesse of such as be enabled to come into this Covenant To doubt of mercy and professe our selves Christians is a very great sin God that cannot ly hath promised eternall life before these ages even from the beginning Know therefore that he is faithfull which hath called you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Gods mercifulnesse is continued upon the account of his truth and faithfulnesse which Attribute is next to be spoken of out of this very Text. The end of the Attribute of Mercy Of the Truth of God Psalme 100. Verse the last For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting And his truth endureth to all generations WE are come now to the third property mentioned in this Text the sixth in order of the communicable attributes of God And this truth indureth to all generations In handling of which I purpose to keepe my selfe to those three propositions or rules which I have observed in the other five that have beene spoken off This word Truth hath diverse acceptations and no marvell for in the originall Hebrew there are more words then one rendered in our english tongue by this word Truth The usual word in the Bible which signifies truth is Kosht or Keshet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word here used is Emunatho by reason of the pronoune affix His truth it is It comes from the same roote that that common word among us doth viz. Amen Which in the forme Niphal signifieth to be true firme or stable And here in my text it denotes the truth firmness and faithfulness of God as ye shall God-willing hereafter heare Truth Generally signifieth the conformity of any thing with its measure or rule according to which it ought to be formed or made as true Gold true Silver true Water Veritas est conformitas seu adaequatio rei ad missam Vig. gra p. 8. because it is conformable according to its kind and agreeable to the appointed proportion or allay and is not false The measure of each created thing is that which is somtimes called an Idea to wit the divine conception of God in himselfe of each thing according to which as a rule by vertue of this conception of his he gave being in time For in the wisdome of God from everlasting hath the form of every thing not only specifically from the highest Seraphim to the lowest Ant but in their particular individuum's If a creature should be otherwise Veritas est proprietas entis creati sicut bonitas Less then is so conceived in the mind of God it should not be true but false And as each thing is said to be true by its conformity to its exemplary cause so to be good by its agreement unto its finall cause And therefore we say truth is one although goodnes be manifold as there are many ends subordinate one to another yet neverthelesse there is but one utmost end and in that regard but one goodnes neither There is nothing which God hath made concerning which we may say Natura nihil fecit frustra it is good for nothing For what the heathens according to their skill say of nature that it made nothing in vain we may much more truly say of God It is agreed upon in the Church of Christ that God made all things and all persons in particular for certain ends whereby he may be glorified So Solomon saith Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill And look as a thing serves more to declare the excellencies of God so it is said to have in it more goodnesse Take all the jewells in the world they have not in them that goodnes in a true consideration that hath one blade of grasse which hath life though of the lowest sort yet it hath life Grasse and plants not so good as sensitives that have a better kind of life Lions and Eagles nothing comparable to the poorest man And to speake in the words of Chrysostome Take all the men in the world and they are not worth one Saint or gracious soule though never so meane in regard of outwards And what 's the reason of this surely because they are they by whom God attaines his end of making the world and from them alone hath his glory in the world And therefore I conclude the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Duae proprietates entis verum bonum There is a greater goodnes better a greater conformity to the end of being Ye see the two positive properties of an entitie the trueth of it and the goodnes of it But it may be demanded whether onenes or unitie be not another propertie of an entitie or being To which I answer No. Because the onenesse of a thing addes nothing unto the being of that thing Unitas suprà rationem entis nihil dicit nisi divisionis negationem Less veritas uniuscujusque rei est proprietas sui esse Avicen vigue Grav Instituit f. 8. neither doth it affirme any thing save onenesse which is a negation of division For that which is one is a thing undivided divided from all other things And therefore hath no place among properties But I hasten from these notions lest I should offend the judicious I have spoken of the property of goodnes as it is attributed to God and now to speak of truth though this be not that acceptation of the word which I purpose most to insist upon Yet take this by the way Our God is a true God that is he is truly God But here it may be objected if truth be a conformity of a being unto its rule or as Augustine saith a true similitude of the beginning which is without any dissimilitude what rule is there for God to be conformed unto To which I answer Truth as it is in this first acceptation attributed to God is not in him a conformity of being to a rule or pattern for then God should not be eternall Veritas est vera similitudo principii quae sine ulla dissimilitudine est Aug. de vera religione and something should be before God according to which his entitie being conforme should make him a true God but in this that his nature is such as that it ought to be the exemplary cause and measure of all things This being of God then is veritas fundamentalis as the Schoolmen call it In this sence he is the
For his faithfullnes is essentiall when God shall not be true of his word he shall be God no more The best of friends may prove unfriendly and be like a broken reede of Aegypt men are but men and so they act there is no repose upon the wisdome affection word of the creature they are mutable and liable to temptations and may faile of their purposes and promises which yet ought not so to be But God will not leave faile or forsake Heb. 13.5 For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee He is the Amen and all his promises in Christ are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 To eternity and without alteration he is faithfull and true and that essentially God is immutably what he is and therefore must needs be true but his immutability is a singularity it is proper to God and communicable to no creature God also is eternal and by him all things are defined and determined and must stand and be without the lest alteration Let this for every bear up the spirits of the Saints against all false dealings of men God is faithfull And especialy in such times Vse 1 as these wherein God seemeth to have forgotten to honour those that honour him As the foot of his enemies shall slide in due time so Psalm 37 5 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe and he shall bring forth thy righteousnes as the light and thy judgement as the noone day God is not only true but truth it selfe Nay this is a sore affliction that somtimes befalleth the Saints that good men disagree from God about truth touching things and persons I say this is a great affliction to some misjudged Saints But Gods truth will stand and in due time it shall be fulfilled and then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Psalm 58.11 Mr. Caryl upon Job Give leave a little to ream my heart The best of men may somtimes be undervalued and that by good men There is no judging of men or matters now a dayes by what is said of them should we how contemptible would many pretious souls appeare to us But sith God hath promised honour and esteem to his servants how comes it to passe that they have such evill favoured faces I Answer somtimes by their outward condition of lowness and where the stile is low every one will go over somtimes men that in their pride do not care what they say or do do so be dabble them yea somtimes such ugly vizards as men not only evill but good put upon them do cause the Saints to be in great contempt But God saith mine Author will trim up his Saints in due time as he did Job his truth will stand however for truth it selfe cannot ly or be deceived in what it hath promised or said But me thinks I here some poore distressed gratious soule say promises of temporall things are made 1 Tim. 4.8 As well as of those things that do belong to the life to come But for their part they are even faint in expectation c. O deare sirs consider no thing is so sure as that all that God saith is true But ye must take all truths together and then ye will see that it is not want of truth in God but of wit in you that maketh you so to be perplexed Take the promises of temporalities with their intended modus as one saith and ye shall see they are all exactly performed For First God having many wheels to turn must order things so that he may work all his will and fulfill all his mind Therefore he reserveth a power to himselfe to try the graces of his servants in and out among as he dealt with Job And so gives a hundred fold with persecutions Mark 10.30 Sometimes he chastiseth the particular delinquencies of his children For it is intended that we should demeane our selves as becomes Gods children see Psal 89.31 32. also there is a limitation of expediency implyed viz. so far as outward comforts may advance our spirituall good So thought Agur and made his prayer accordingly Spirituall blessings of two sorts Prov. 30.8 Give neither poverty nor riches feede me with foode convenient from me And yet again God doth not alwaies pay his debts in kind but in equivalents and sometimes in things of farre greater worth and value But sure it is that never went there a word from God in the fulfilling whereof he ever failed or ever shall or indeed can it is impossible Here I might be large about the truth of God touching spirituall blessings which are not all of one sort and therefore are not all alike absolutely promised Some are qualifications and some are rewards Faith repentance hope and love are absolutely promised to the elect in Christ but yet their perfection is not in this life to be expected nor a freedome from mixture with their imperfections promised Faith and doubting may stand together in a gratious soul And many more considerable truthes there be that might here be brought in Peace of conscience comfort in believing joy of the holy Ghost are not absolutely promised nor generally given And sometimes it is better for us to have the feare of Gods great name then peace of conscience But. Secondly to make an end of this subject I would present a coling Vse 2 carde as a parting blow from this Doctrine of the Infinitenes of Gods truth and faithfulnesse to all such as have not made God their portion Your seeming glory and prosperity and power O ungodly ones may make ye seeme as it were impregnable but truth hath said ye shall be overthrown and perish worldlings and vain men that fear not God shall leave their pompe shortly with woe and weale away for truth that never failed hath spoken it Let none therefore faint because of the forbearance that they see about performing of promises or such other depthes and darkenesses as are about this point And let none harden their hearts against threatned judgments which to do is no less then Blasphemy because Truth in God is God himselfe The end of the attribute of Truth