that a man hath begun to run well there is danger to begin to sit down what if he should then be set upon by the dart of death was there not danger but if a man sit not downe let death come upon him he shall dye in peace If death finde thee walking thou shalt rest with God and shalt have all things in this life and in the life to come eternall happinesse THAT GOD IS MOST PERFECT CHAP. IX EXOD. 34.6 The Lord the Lord strong mereifull and gracious GOD hath revealed himselfe in his word wherein we are taught as you have heard what he is which we reduced to this short summe that he is a spirituall Essence most perfect distinguished into three persons in the which description are many things to be considered as First that he is an Essence Secondly that he is but one Essence Thirdly that he is a spirituall Essence Fourthly that he is most perfect all these belong to his Essence and lastly that he is distinguished into three persons Now the perfection of God is in his Attributes and is made manifest to us by them and therefore in the next place we are to speake of them and so I propound this question for orders sake Quest Wherein consisteth the perfection of the Divine Essence Answ In Attributes which God hath given unto it to make it better knowne to us which are either incommunicable or proper or else communicable these things are commonly spoken of Gods Attributes and properties and saving other mens judgements I like of them that doe distinguish between Attributes and Properties Attributes are those that belong to the Essence and Properties to the persons themselves so that the Attributes are to be spoken of when we speake of the Essence and Properties when we speake of the persons Attributes are nothing else but the divine Essence of God yet they are called Attributes because God hath taken them to himselfe to make himselfe better knowne to us so farre as we are able to conceive of his divine Essence now these Attributes are of two sorts either incommunicable and proper to God and not communicated to any other and of this sort are his simplenesse eternity immutability and his immensity others there are communicable they are not indeed in the same measure in us as they are in God for that they cannot be but they are the like therefore we say that they are communicable of which we will speake when we come unto them and so much shall serve for the first question Now the next question which is the point to be stood upon is concerning the Simplenesse of God Quest What is the Simplenesse of this Divine Essence Answ It is an incommunicable Attribute whereby God is conceived to be without all composition this must be confirmed and this place which I have read will prove it the Lord the Lord c. wherein it is manifest that he is Jehovah of himselfe and by himselfe and though there be many things that we take to be in him yet there is nothing in him but himselfe in him there is no composition therefore these Attributes that are given to God in the Scripture are given in the abstract to shew the simplenesse of his nature as Iohn 8.12 I am the light of the world 1 Iohn 1.5 God is light not a thing enlightened God is love 1 Iohn 4.16 What doth this intimate but that all these are his Essence without composition every thing that is loving is compounded but that which is love it selfe is simple he is so simple that he hath no composition no not so much as of accidents and this is grounded upon the place we have set downe the Lord the Lord c. then he addes his Attributes strong mercifull and gratious and thathe is such it is cleare Isa 43.22 I even I forgive thy sinnes for my selfe the Lord when he forgives sinnes he forgives not sinne for the merit of man but for his mercies sake and to shew that mercy and goodnesse is not in him as it is in man therefore he saith for my selfe Quest What grounds establish this truth Answ The answer is First he is most perfect Secondly he is truely eternall Thirdly he is not subject to any accident or quality To explane these I say he is most perfect then most simple Reason 1. Because every thing the more perfect it is the more simple for composition detracts from perfection we manifest it thus In mettalls the more simple the more perfect therefore Founders doe use their art to separate the drosse to make the mettall purer the purer it is from other mettalls the more perfect so all liquid matters as in wine the more perfect the more free from lees so for the Elements the purest water is in the bottom of the sea because we have not perfect things to resemble God by we use imperfect this shewes us that God is of a simple nature Reason 2. The second reason is because he is truly eternall and therefore free from any composition we say truly eternall for God is without beginning without ending therefore he must needs be without composition for if there be composition in God two things are required a compound and simples whereof he may be compounded but neither of these two can be in reference to God for God is eternall if another should make the composition God should not be before all things If he should compound himselfe he should be before himselfe and as there was no compounder so for the same reason there was no simple to be compounded because that God gives being to every simple Isa 43.10 I was before there was any God therefore it must needs follow that the Essence is without composition Reason 3. Because there are no accidents fall into God God is subject to no accidents or qualities from which if he be free it must needs follow that he is most simple for when we affirme that God is gracious and good c. when we speake of these things in God we speake of them not as they are vertues in men but as they are meerly his Essence In man they are qualities but in God they are his Essence those in man may be changed but in God they cannot S. Bernard speaking of the love of God breakes forth of a suddaine and saith Let no man think when I speak of Gods love that I mean qualities in God for when I say God is love I mean no new thing but that same which the Apostle saith 1. Ioh. 4.16 God is love now then there is a double love there is love giving love there is love the substance love the quality If it be the name of the substance it is given to God if the name of the quality it is given to man and whatsoever is said of love may be said of any other Attribute as mercy justice c. This teacheth us that there is but one Essence though there be three persons if thou aske
and scorne them as Mychall scorned David then they have joy yea the Martyrs have laid downe their lives rejoycing whence comes this but from God the Apostle speakes to this purpose Heb. 10.34 You suffered with joy the spoiling of your goods why because you know you have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance all which proves that there is a God The second thing is without man and that is from the wonderfull frame of the world it had a beginning but it was not made by nature nor by man nor by it selfe nor by chance It had a beginning and therfore subject to alteration and change and therefore it made not it selfe nor came it by chance If a man come into a strange place and see a small cottage he will say it was made by some body much more if a man look upon the frame of the world he cannot thinke it was made by it selfe well who should make it it selfe or nature or man First chance made it not which is a casual concurrence of things and na-nature made it not for if it did then there should be a naturall reason of all things in the world but there are Millions of things in the world of which none can give a reason as the ebbing and flowing of the Sea The master of reason could not find it out therfore sayd because I cannot finde thee thou shalt find me and cast himselfe into the Sea who can give a reason of the colors in the Rainbow and who can give a reason for the heate of a mans stomack that digesteth all things that it receives and consumes not it selfe Neither did man make it it was made for man and he was brought into it as a guest therefore man could not make it besides there is such skill in the frame of the world that man could not do it and Christ teacheth us that man hath not power to make a haire of his head white or blacke much lesse to make such an earth and such an heaven as there is therefore it could not be made by man as the Apostle saith the invisible things of God are seen by the creation of the world Rom. 1.20 Hereby they that have doubted whether there was a God have been brought to confesse one for Pliny saith that when he saw a Butterfly or a gnat buffing about him he confessed that there was a God because that so little a creature could not else make so great a noise to adde to these the motions that are in things it is the reason that Philosophers have had to prove that there must be a God because all inferiour things must be moved by superiours that as the pulse carries a mans eie or reason to the heart so these to God especially when all these things move to one principall end though things have two or three causes yet all comes to one end Prov. 16.4 God made all things for his own glory so that by these arguments we have proved that there is a God Vse 1. This serves to confute all Atheists such as deny that there is a God and say that religion is nothing but a meer invention to keep men in awe Saint Austin in his confession saith If there be any that deny God I know not what to say I know not with what manner of arguments to go to them but I should offend in speaking to them Tully in his book of the nature of God makes mention of one Protagoras who wrote a booke and in the beginning of the booke he wrote thus The Gods whether they be or not I know not the Athenians abhorred this and for this they banished him out of the Country and burnt his bookes in a publique assembly this I say if there be any Atheists amongst us I could wish they were banished the Court and Country I adde this further as Seneca speakes there are no Atheists though there would be some if any say there is no God they lie though they say it in the day time yet in the night when they are alone they denie it howsoever some desperately harden themselves yet if God doth but shew himselfe terrible to them they confesse him Many of the heathen and others have denied that there is a God yet when they were in distresse they did fall down and confesse him as Diagoras that grand Atheist when he was troubled with the strangullion acknowledged a diety which he had denied these kinde of Atheists I leave to the mercy of God of which I doubt it whether there be any for them Vse 2. The second use serves to teach every man to bethinke himselfe and to humble himselfe for these Atheisticall thoughts in which he hath called into question and disputed whether there be a God or no Brethren know thus much if thou beest a man that doest believe thou canst not be perfectly without these thoughts arising out of the seed of thy owne infidelity to call into question whether there be a God for the divel out of his malice which he beares to God labors to corrupt men in this that so they may call their faith into question It may be a man by grace may resist these thoughts but know that there is no man so resisteth a temptation of Sathan but that it leaves some filth behind it a man cannot perfectly resist him by reason of his weakenes therefore every man ought to humble himselfe for he that is least troubled with them hath least faith but he that wrastleth with them and humbleth himselfe for them may have comfort Therefore labour to strengthen thy selfe against these that if they come they may be but as a flash of fire For the conclusion of this use what shall a man do even as St. Chrysostom saith teaching how we may make the divel nought to himselfe and good to us labour for more strength by his temptations It grieves the divel to see us bettered by him if we were watchfull against occasions and temptations and resisted them by this meanes we should grow strong in faith and gaine by him and to this end the Apostle saith resist the divel and he will fly from thee Quest What doth the word teach us concerning God Ans That there is but one true God it is manifest where in my text he that comes to God must believe that God is and that there is but one God when God spake to Abraham of Isaak he sayd I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So Isai 44.6 I am the first and the last and besides me there is no God Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God 1 Cor. 8.5 Though there be many that are called gods and lords yet unto us there is but one onely true God Quest What Reasons are there of this Answ There are three First from him are all things Secondly Because there can be but one Infinite Thirdly Because there is but one Omnipotent For the
present them to him undoubtedly they should speed and therefore they should goe with assurance so God vouchsafes this mercy that he will let us come to put up our petition to him and he gives us his spirit to make them his Sonne to present them and these three are one and therefore we may goe with boldnesse as Cyprian sayth if any man pray to God and use that prayer his Sonne made he may have good hope to be heard and we say he may be assured to be heard when he makes that prayer which the spirit of God made and thus have we comfort in this that the Father Son and holy Ghost are but one Essence OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES CHAP. VIII JOHN 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him c. THE last day you heard these things concerning God that he is one spirituall Essence distinguished into three persons In which description of God I have shewed you that we are to speake of these particulars First that he is an Essence Secondly that he is one Essence Thirdly that his Essence is spiriuall Fourthly that it is perfect of his Essence and that he is but one was spoken of the last day Now to proceed to the third viz. that it is a spirituall Essence according to our order the question and answer stand thus Quest What is meant when it is said that God is a spirituall Essence An. That God is a spirit his nature substance is indivisible and corporeall we may come to see what he is by that which he is not as it is not possible to tell what God is so it is hard to describe what a spirit is but yet by that which he is not we may see in part what he is as Saint Austin saith to know what God is is the safest way to know what he is not To prove this description of God that he is a Spirit 2. Cor. 3.17 The Lord is a spirit invisible that a spirit is invisible Christ saith Luke 24.34 see feele me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see I have 1. Tim. 1.17 To God only wise invisible and he is described by negatives Col 1.15 The Image of the invisible God where it appeares that God is a Spirit invisible and incorporeall Quest How do you confirme this by reason Answ By three reasons First because he is most simple without composition Secondly because he cannot be contained in any space or place Thirdly because he is insensible he cannot be perceived by any sense therefore he must needs be invisible and incorporeall to explane every one of these Reason 1. First that God is most simple without composition as you have heard out of Saint Bernard he is so simple that there are no parts in him if he have no parts then he must needs be simple and without composition and indeed of what should he be compounded He was before all things therefore necessarily he must be without all composition all created spirits are without bodies but all created spirits have a kinde of composition but God hath none all created spirits both Angels and soules of men have a kinde of composition they are compounded of act and power but God hath neither matter nor forme nor is compounded of act and power therefore he is without composition and it may well be said that he is a spirit invisible and incorporeall Reason 2. The second reason is because he cannot be comprehended or contained in any place or space corporeall things are comprehended as the bodies that are in this place may be circumscribed the reason is because they have length bredth and depth but no such thing is in God I say all spirits are without these and free from circumscription then much more this Spirit this is that Solomon speaks of 1. Kings 8.2 Doth God indeed dwell among men behold the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee So Ier. 23.24 I fill heaven and earth Saint Cyprian saith God is such an essence as is spirituall and is in every place and excluded out of no place nor included in any place but fills every place therefore he must needs be a spirit invisible and incorporeall Thirdly because he is insensible it must needs follow he is a spirit for spirits are not subject to senses so you heard out of Luk. 24. feel see a spirit hath not flesh bones as you see me have The reason is because spirits have not sensible qualities which are the object of mens senses much lesse hath God any such qualities in God there is no mutability nor change therefore he is not subject to sense for whatsoever is subject to sense is mutable that which is the snarpest sense and best able to comprehend is the eies but this cannot comprehend God God is infinite therefore cannot possibly fal under finit sense of man that which is subject to sense is subject to mans understāding but God exceeds mans understanding he is great we know him not saith Elihu we know him no futher then he doth reveale himselfe and when we know the most how little of him do we perceive Therefore it followes from hence that God is a Spirit Vse 1. The first use if this be so it reproves the error of those heretiques called the Anthropomorphite that taught that God had a bodily shape they are confuted by this that God is a Spirit in whom there cannot be any such thing Ob. Yea but say they the Scriptures give these things to God hands eies eares and feet Answ These are given to God by a Metaphor by a kinde of borrowed speech namely that which man doth with these members God doth without them and these are given to God in Scripture for our capacity when we say God hath a head feet or other members it is by effect and not by nature we say that God is life saith St. Ierom wisdome and hath eies c. we say God hath eies because he is wholly an eie and sees every thing in every place and so we say he hath feet because he is wholly feet he is in every place and doth behold all things and workes all things Obje And whereas it is said that man is made after the Image of God Answ He is indeed but not in bodily shape but in the soule in righteousnesse in wisdome holinesse knowlege c. therefore these are but cavells of theirs Vse 2. Secondly this reproves any representations of God in any Images either internall in the minde by thoughts or externall by Pictures there cannot be any representation of God for God is a spirit and a spirit cannot be represented by any grosse or earthly matter much lesse can God who is more spirituall then spirits It is not befitting his Majesty to to be pictured and hereupon it is that he forbids all representations of him neither did the people of God howsoever God did appear to them in bodily shapes at any time in any
and to obey him in all things Psal 119.6 I had respect unto all thy commandements as the Apostle Iames saith he that saith to thee thou shalt not commit adultry saith also thou shalt not steale c. Salvian saith no servant when he is commanded may chuse in what he will obey if he will acknowledge his master he that doth what he list he doth not his masters will but his owne he that will obey God must not doe what he list but what God will have him because he is absolute Lord and this is that duty that is required of us to give him obedience in all his commandements and this shall comfort us that we have obeyed and served him here and we shall have glory and happinesse hereafter OF THE POWER OF GOD. CHAP. XXII IOHN 9.19 If I speake of strength lo he is strong THE power of God which as you have heard was two fold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than is authority and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is power and might of the former we have spoken of the latter we are to speake concerning the power of God The next question is Quest What is the power of God or of the Divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he is able to doe all things what he will and many things that he will not this must be unfoulded the thing that is described is power the Master of Reason Phylosophie tells us there is a double power one passive and another active passive by which a thing is able to suffer some change in substance or accident when we speake of God we may not think of this power because God is Immutable without chang Iam. 1. he therfore having perfection cannot change nor suffer in substance or in accidents which he hath not and therefore he cannot die nor deny himselfe and this doth establish his power as after I will shew Active power we confesse is to be given to God not that God hath accidents in his Essence but we speake after mans capacity and hereof this place is meant So Exod. 34.6 in the description of God he is said to be strong So in the fowrth verse of the ninth chapter of Iob that we have read for this time he is wise in heart and mighty in strength the former part of this chapter is but a description of the power of God and Christ hath taught us Mat 6.13 thine is the power that is this active power that we have described we say that it is a communicable Attribute for the reason we have before spoken of The next that he is able to doe all things whatsoever he will hereupon he is said to be omnipotent whatsoever he will whatsoever he please that he can doe this power admits another distinction it is either active or absolute active is that by which he hath and doe whatsoever he will Psal 115.3 Looke what it pleaseth him that hath he done in heaven also in the earth And so also Ephe. 1.11 He works all things according to the counsell of his owne will and by his actuall power he workes sometimes immediatly and sometimes mediatly immediatly by his word and beck and so he doth what he will without the concurrence of the creature mediatly when he uses the ministry of the creatures for the working of what he will and this active power of his is as large as his will and is limited by his will he can do whatsoever he will and what he will not that he doth not hereupon is that Saint Cyprian speakes Gods will is to doe if he will it is his deed Tertullian makes a difference between the will of God and the power of God if there be any Gods power is more large then his will The next he can do what he doth not and what he will not he hath power to do it this is called absolute power by which he can do all things heerupon is that which Christ hath Mat. 19.26 Luke 1.37 There is nothing unpossible to the Lord. Ephe. 3.20 Iob 4.2 I know thou const doe all things This power is not limited by his will he is able to doe more then he will and whatsoever he hath done he could doe it better after a sort if he would Matth. 26.33 I could pray unto my father and he would give me more then twelve legions of Angels And yet Christ would neither pray for them nor the father give them Matth. 3.9 He can raise up children of stones that which he never did yet thus the Scriptures shewes that his power is beyond his will Ephe. 1.3 Who is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all that we are able to aske or thinke who would call it into question but that God if he would could have made many and also other worlds nay as many men more as there are Saint Augustine saith that he could and can doe many things that he will not doe so that this is manifest that he cannot onely do all things that he will but also what he will not c. but yet we must observe that some things sometimes are said to be impossible and it is not absurd neither can any offend in saying that there are some things unpossible for God to do even by his absolute power first there are some things impossible to be done in themselves and their owne nature of which number are those things that imply a contradiction the affirming and denying of the same thing in the same time in the same respect is called a contradiction for instance to affirme that Peter lives and breathes at one and the same time and yet to say Peter doth not live and breath to say it is light and to deny it is light to say the world was created and not created these are contradictions then we apply this God cannot make contradictions true he cannot make the world and then make it never to have been when he hath created it he may destroy it but yet it had a being c. Secondly we say that there are some things impossible not because they are impossible to be done but for God to doe them the evill of sinne is impossible for the creator to doe but for the creature it is possible to cat to sleep to walke it is impossible for God to doe to the like purpose the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.13 saith God that cannot deny himself 1 Titus 2. God cannot lie man can lie man can deny himself Hab. 1.15 Thou art of pure eies c. that is thou canst not see sinne goe unpunished men may but God cannot these things are possible to the weaknesse and to the infirmities of man but they are not possible to God and thus I have explaned this description of the power of God Quest Why is power Attributed to God or the Divine Essence Answ Because he can make mar and destroy Secondly he can bring light out of darknesse good out of evill Thirdly he gives to every creature
and therefore as it is said of the Sonne that he is the onely begotten Son of the Father so it is said in the same place of the spirit that he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne but how may we understand this he received the whole Essence how he received it without division he received it without multiplication because that which is infinite cannot be multiplied yet he received it without alienation because he received so the whole Essence as it abides still in the Father and the Sonne Quest How is he said to sanctifie the elect Answ Because he dwells in the elect creating faith in them incorporating them into Christ applying Christ his death and resurrection to them To explane this First he dwells in them first he is said to sanctifie the elect in that he dwells in them in this we doe not exclude the Father and the Sonne any more then we did in the former they are all workes ad extra and therefore undivided yet understand the manner of working the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the elect it is he that creates faith in their hearts c. they all sanctifie the Father and the Son mediatly by the spirit the spirit immediatly by himselfe and why first he dwells in them namely not as by his gifts but a person therefore we may say this is his worke the Father not by any phrase of Scripture is said to dwell in them though they are said to be the temples of God he dwells in them not by his gifts onely but by his person because he is called the spirit of his Sonne when he dwells in them and again God hath sent the spirit of his Son Rom. 8. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you therefore they goe together Rom. 5. God hath shed his love in our hearts there is love which was the gift and the spirit which was the person againe he created faith that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.9 By the same spirit he gave to one the gift of miracles and to another the gift of faith c. 2 Cor. 4.13 He is called the spirit of faith faith is that that doth sanctifie as an instrument Acts 15. After that he had purified their hearts by faith Next that he doth incorporate men into Christ Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his intimating he that hath the spirit of Christ he is his Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwells in us by his spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptised into one body by the spirit then we are all united into one body by one spirit for as Rom. 8 10. If the spirit be in you the body is dead by reason of sin but the spirit is alive for righteousnesse sake and by this he doth apply unto us the death of Christ to the death of sinne and the resurrection of Christ to the life of grace Rom 6.3.4.5 As many as are baptised into Christ are baptised into the death of Christ by baptisme we are also ingrafted into the similitude of his resurrection therefore the spirit sanctifies when he dwells in every one of the elect c. it is necessarily and fitly said that it is he that sanctifies the elect and thus I have explaned this point so much as I thought fit to communicate unto you Vse 1. This teaches us that we ought to labour for the knowledge of this that we may keep our selves from error it was a commendable diligence of the ancient Fathers that taught when the spirit was taken for the person and when for the gifts because heresies have sprung from hence because they understood the words amisse therefore that we may hold the truth we are to labour to know it and in this case although we finde not a proper name given to the third person yet we must acknowledge him distinctly because we know there is a Father a Son and a Spirit Object You tell us he is a Spirit Answ We answer so is the Father and so is the Sonne but so the name of Father is common to all and the Sonne is said to be the Father and the holy Ghost also therefore there is no reason why we should conceive them to be three names given to the same God in divers respects but rather conceive that there was but a common name given to him because he was the common substantiall joy and love between the Father and Son Vse 2. This serves to confirme us in the faith against all hereticks that deny the holy Ghost not to stand upon their arguments the Macedonians stand up as it were to oppose the Diety of the holy Ghost and say he is not God and they thinke they have a colour for it from the counsell of Nice in which we say we beleeve in the Father God and Lord and in the Sonne God and Lord but when they come to the holy Ghost we beleeve in the holy Ghost and therefore these hereticks say that he was not God Saint Basil answering to this objection from the Nicen counsell saies they had no reason to explane this concerning the spirit as they had done the Father and Sonne for no man then made any question of the divinity of the holy Ghost nay saies Nazianzen this is a sufficient confession of his Deity for they say a particular thing assenting by it that he is God because they beleeve in him and whereas they observe that the spirit is taken for the gifts of the spirit true it is it is so but it is put for the person also and therefore though it be taken sometime for the gifts yet it doth not overthrow that he is a person as the Arians that could not deny of Christ that he was a person said notwithstanding he was but a made God so these say of the spirit that he is not a God by nature but it is manifest that he must needs be a God by nature when he hath the name Jehovah and the proper workes of God attributed to him yea but say they if he were a God by office yet he had a created nature and so not God from eternity the Fathers called these by that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fighters against the spirit of God for they say there was no spirit till after Christs glorification grounded upon Iohn 17.39 The spirit was not given because that Christ was not yet glorified and hereupon they added that blasphemy the Church in the beginning was content to beleeve in one God afterwards the counsell of Nice must have two persons and after this the counsell of Constantinople must have three but to answer their cavill that he was before all these appears Iohn 1.32 I saw the holy Ghost saith Iohn Baptist at Christs baptisme Iohn 1.33 Thou seest the holy Ghost to discend after he was risen Iohn 20.21 He breathed upon the Apostles and saies receive the holy Ghost Object But
first Because from him are all things thus the Apostle Paul reasons with the Gentiles that from him for him and by him are all things Rom. 11.36 If all things be from him then there can be but one for all other things come from him as maine roots have their first originall from one root so all beings have their being from God who is the first being And as all things come from him so all things returne to him againe and serve to manifest his glory and therefore he is called the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending The second Reason is because as the Master of reason saith there can be but one infinite being and wisdome and that must be the first mover and that is he that fils heaven and earth Ios 23.23 I fill heaven and earth and therefore there can be but one God The third Reason is because there can be but one Omnipotent It appeares manifestly that there cannot be many for as Lactantius speakes if there be two they must be equall and then they agree or disagree if they agree then one of them is superiour if they disagree then there will be a confusion therefore it followes that there can be but one for as Saint Austin saith a King cannot endure a fellow no more can God endure a copartner when was there heard that two Kings raigned together but the one sought the overthrow of the other Vse 1. This serves to overthrow the multitude of gods that the heathen have had and worshipped and the hereticks have invented It shewes that they were fictions of their owne braines because they made a multitude of them the true God hath not his name nay he will not have his name given to another a true Husband cannot endure a fellow a true Mother cannot endure the parting of her childe this argues that the Gentiles gods were false gods because if they might be gods they cared not how many there were And that was the reason why the Romans refused Christ because they would have their gods with him and he would be worshipped alone without them Vse 2. This teacheth us from whence it is that the world continues and is not destroyed not onely because there is a God but because there is but one God and he alwayes preserves it Saint Chrysostome saith as it is with the body If God doe forsake it it cannot continue so is it with the world if God did not uphold it it would come to nothing he saith further the world is like unto a ship the Marriners are the men the sayles are the heaven why doth this ship never perish because there is but one Governour if there were two governours the ship must needs perish for while the one would hoyst up sayle the other would cast ancor and so there would be a confusion Saint Athanasius saith if there were as many Governours and Coronels in one Armie as souldiers the Armie would soone be confounded this is the safety of an Army that there is but one Generall and so all are preserved so is it of the world that there is but one God The third Use is for matter of practice to restraine men from wronging one another because there is but one God It is not my use but the Prophets Mal. 2.10 Have not we all one Father and the Apostle in the new Testament exhorts that we live in peace c. he addes because there is but one God Father of us all c. so he that is about to injury another ought thus to reason with himselfe there is but one God and he is his God as well as mine and if any man injury me shall I goe about to take revenge therein shall I sinne against God for there is but one God Well might it be if an English man and a stranger should injury one another in a strange place they might returne revenge because they are not both under one supreme Governour but we may not do so we have all one God a Master of a family that hath two servants fallen out is most angry with him that strikes the second blow so with him that offers wrong God is angry but he is much more offended with him that takes revenge therefore we ought to reason thus with our selves he is his God and my God therefore I may not transgresse against him and this is not onely generall but particular for the Master to the servant for the King to the Subject we have but one God and his God is my God I may not wrong him for he will punish me and defend him and this is the argument that Iob uses If I did despise the counsell of my maid that is if I was a tyrant over them and would not heare them speake but would have done what I pleased what was the ground that restrained him he that made them made me therefore deale equally with your servants you have but one God and there is no difference betweene him and you therefore let every man take heed of himselfe especially that ye transgresse not one against another and every one shall receive of God as he hath done And so much for this time OF GOD AND HIS ESSENCE CHAP. VII EXODUS 3.14 And God said to Moses I am that I am THE word of God the fountaine of knowledge teacheth us first concerning God himselfe Secondly concerning the will of God Concerning God himselfe we proposed three heads First That there is a God Secondly That there is but one God Thirdly What this God is Concerning the two former That there is a God and that there is but one God we have already spoken now it remaines that we proceede to the third What this God is The nature of man is so weake and imperfect that it is altogether impossible for it to finde what God is and that made the Naturalists say that it was no easie thing by nature to finde that there is a God but to finde out what he is is altogether impossible The light that we have in his Word is imperfect and we can see but in part as the Apostle speaks God hath shewed himselfe unto us as he did to Moses by his back parts that is so much of himselfe as we may be saved by and no more may we seeke after and be saved and therefore as Moses saith and Saint Ambrose building upon him Secret things belong to God he hath kept them to himselfe and what things God hath kept secret we may not looke after and those things he hath revealed we may not neglect therefore we must follow the Word and the light of it and goe along therein as others have done before us who laboured to see this God For me to tell you the many descriptions the ancient Fathers have given of God would take up a great deale of time therefore to passe by all these and to come to that which may give us profitable knowledge The first Question is this Quest What
yet cannot bee separated as shall afterwards be declared The holy Ghost is the same Essence with the Father and the same is in the hearts of all the faithfull whersoever they be and how farre distant one from another for they are the temple of the holy Ghost who dwels in them not only by his grace but by his Essence therefore this Essence is infinite Ambrose proves the deity of the holy Ghost by this infinitenes of his Essence who dares say saith he that the holy Ghost is a creature when he is not limited so then we see by these reasons that God is infinite Vse 1. The first use then serves to confute the doctine of Popery and the ubiquitaries that hold that the body of Christ is in all or in many places at the same time which cannot be so my reason is because that Christs body is a finite creature and though it be glorified yet it is not deified and it is an incommunicable attribute of the deity to be in many places at one and the same time Christ his body though it be glorified yet it remaines a body still and therefore contrary to these opinions can bee but in one place at one time for to bee circumscribed in a place is an inseparable property of a body Vse 2. The second use is for our instruction Is God in every place by his Essence certainely if this were knowne and beleeved it would be a speciall meanes to restraine men from evill for they would know that whatsoever they doe they doe it before the face of God be they never so secret there is no place from which God is excluded but in every place is that God who is of more pure eyes then to behold sinne and can abide to looke upon any wickednesse therefore wheresoever a man is this should make him afraid to sinne against God whatsoever his place be or whatsoever his wealth bee yet this should restraine him This should not only restraine men from eternall sinning but even from the inward evill thoughts of the heart for God is in every place and ever present in the heart this presence of God being rightly considered is like a grave Matron coming among wanton maides as when she comes all is quiet so this will set the heart free from that coveteousnes pride that hatred which is ordinary in it Againe if God dwell in us and if we be desirous to have God to delight to dwell in us let us delight in good duties and labour to be the same inwardly that we seeme to be outwardly for God takes notice of our meditations as well as he takes notice of our outward actions God is in every place therfore this should make every man labour inward purity and holinesse Indeed man may forbeare the act of sinne for outward and carnall respects but to have a pure heart because God is present this is to be like him that loves truth in the inward parts God delights in him that trembles at his word therefore labour that God may delight in thee labor to be good in secret places where no body sees for God is present in secret to reward openly To conclude this point It is much to be lamented that many men know not this doctrine of Gods omnipresency that more beleeve it not for if they did it could not be that they should live so ungodly as they doe certainely the men of this age are meere infidels it appeares in this when they come into the Church the house of God and the place where they apprehend him present what holinesse and reverence doe they make a shew of when they depart from thence they leave their holynesse with the place A great fault which Clemens Alexandrinus pedagog l. 3. c. 11. sub finem complained of in the Christians of his time whereas if they did know and believe that God fils every place even their secret cogitations what maner of men would they alwaies be we think that God doth not see us but God doth see us therefore let us walke in the sight of God and we shall keepe our selves from many corruptions THE LIFE OF GOD. CHAP. XI 1 TIM 1.17 To the invisible and onely wise God IN the nature of God we considered his greatnesse and his goodnesse his greatnesse is discerned by his incommunicable attributes which are simplenesse eternity immutability and immensity of which we have spoken His goodnesse is best discovered by his communicable Attributes of which we now come to speake about which observe that we doe not call them communicable Attributes as if they were communicated so to the creature as they are in the creator but because there is in mans nature something in proportion or in effect like to these excellencies that are in God In man wisedome justice mercy c. are accidents in God not so but are his Essence these things are truely said of man in the concrete that he is wise just mercifull c. but of God in the abstract that he is wisedome justice mercy in man these things are different justice is not mercy mercy is not wisedome c. but in God they are all the same his most simple Essence being his justice wisdome mercy c. In man they have a mixture of imperfection but in God they are perfect those Attributes which are incommunicable running also through these and so as it were making these also incommunicable to explane it God is good and the creature good but God is simply eternally immutably infinitely good and therefore goodnesse is Gods alone as our Saviour there is none good but God in which respect also the Apostle cals him onely wise because onely simple eternally immutable infinitely wise In a word God takes these attributes to himselfe not because these doe fully and perfectly expresse what he is but because our shallow and weake understandings cannot ascend higher in conceiving the nature of God then these perfections doe reveale him of these we speak in order and first of the life of God Quest What is the life of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is a communicable attribute whereby we conceive that God lives of himselfe acting and moving of himselfe To open this first it is a communicable attribute not that life is in man as it is in God but that there is in man somewhat that is like to this life in God man hath life and the man and his life are two things but in God his life and his Essence are all one and there is nothing in God but his life This is that which acts and moves of it selfe without receiving any thing from any other It is that which lives eternally without beginning or ending this appears by those places of Scripture that call him the living God Deut. 5.28 My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God Psal 42.2 and other testimonies where God saith of himselfe that he lives Ezek. 33. As I live saith the Lord so by these
also his sonne therefore he is called his beloved sonne Matth. 3.7 So he loves the spirit as proceeding from himselfe and being properly the love whereby the divine nature loves it selfe so he loves the creatures as Angels and men and other creatures that he loves this appears by many testimonies of Scripture Angels and men are called the children of God Angels Iob 1.6 Vpon a time the children of God came c. So Adam is called the son of God Luke 3. last Next he loves his creatures freely the cause why he loves them is in himself not in them he loves some with a speciall love and some with a generall freely that appears by the Scriptures Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world 1. Iohn 1.3 Herein is the love of God made manifest that he hath given us his sonne 1. Iohn 4.19 God loved us first if first then freely and no love in us procured his love againe he loves them not equally for he loves men more then other creatures Tit. 3.9 The love he beares to man is manifest yet further he loves some men more then others Exod. 19.5 You shall be my peculiar people as if he should say though all the Nations be mine in generall yet ye shall be my chiefe treasure Tit. 2.14 A peculiar treasure these are as treasures that men lock up he loves those that are elected and those that are called those that are elected he loved them when they were enemies Ephe. 1.4 He loved them before the foundation of the world But he loves them better whom he hath called then those he hath not called Pro. 8.17 I love them that love me those whom he hath endued with his spirit Psal 146.8 The Lord loves the righteous c. To conclude this with that of Saint Austine God loves all that he hath made he loves especially men and Angels and among men he loves those especially that are the members of his Sonne and most of all he loves his Sonne c. and so wee have made manifest this description The next question is Quest Why is love attributed to God Answ The answer to this is because there is none wills better none works better acting upon men to make them good nor delights in them more when they are good To explane these First that God is love it is not an accident for Saint Bernard saith let no man understand me when I say God is love that it is an accident for then I should say there were some things in God that were not God Againe there is none wills better you have heard there are three things in love to will good to doe good and to delight in good now none doth this better then God Iam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift comes downe from the father of lights c. Finally he delights in those that he hath made good Saint Bernard speaking of this saith thou lovedst them when they were not that thou mightest make them to be when they were thou madest them beautifull that thou mightest delight in them The next Question is Quest Why say you that God loves himselfe and his Sonne and his spirit Answ The answer is because they are all infinitely good they are all one Essence and one will as the object of the will is good so the object of love is good and God is love then no marvell that he loves himselfe his Sonne and his spirit because they have the same Essence every thing loves it selfe and then there is no marvell as wisdome speaks Pro. 8. That he was his delight Saint Bernard saith that the love in the Trinity which is divine charity keeps them together and unites them in one and therfore he loves himselfe Quest Why is it added that he loves his creatures freely Answ Because he made them good with a severall goodnesse he loves them First he loves them being enemies he loves them not for benefit to himselfe but for their good therefore we say he loves his creatures freely each of these we will explane he made all things very good Gen. 1.31 He looked vpon all that he had made and behold it was very good but it is said he loves them freely he loved some before they were before they could possibly desire any thing therefore freely he loved some when they were his enemies Rom. 5.8 When we were his enemies God set forth his love insending Christ to die for us as Saint Bernard saith God loveth them for their owne benefit not for his good God hath no neede of the creature he created them not for himselfe but that he might make them partakers of his owne goodnesse and so we see that God loves them freely without any merit or desert in them Quest Why is it said he loves them not equally Answ Because they are not all alike to him Some creatures onely others servants onely some children and among his children he loves those that are called better then those that are not called I say they are not all alike to God man loves the worke of his owne hands well but he loves his servants better and his childe best of all if it be so with man much more is it so with God some are his creatures some his servants some his sonnes so that he loves them not all alike some are his children but not begotten againe he loves those with a good will and purpose to call them those that he hath called he hath justified sanctified and hath bestowed upon them faith repentance and grace and he delights in these especially that he hath bestowed his grace upō And thus I have laid open the love of God now to come to the Uses Vse 1. This teacheth us first that which the Apostle Saint Iohn gives us to know he that loves not his brother knowes not God for God is love let him boast what he will that he loves God if he loves not his brother he is a lyer he knowes not God to be love he hath not the experimentall feeling of it for if he knowes God to be love he cannot but out of his experimentall knowledge love his brother so the Apostle saith that man loves not God that loves not his brother that is he hath no experience of the love of God we may allude to that which is said of Pharaoh Exod. 1. that he used the people hardly the reason is given because he knew not Ioseph for there was another Pharaoh risen that knew not Ioseph so we may say that many men because they are ignorant of God and the love of God use his children hardly they are scoffers and mockers of those that desire to love God certainly these men know not the love of God but they are fed like an Oxe to the slaughter Saint Austin hath a speech to this purpose Doest thou heare the Apostle say God is love and darest thou so goe against God as not love thy brother for to goe against those that are beloved of God is
done yet God hath done it and we must rest satisfied that it is just hath God made vessels of honour and dishonour the Apostle teacheth us in these cases to answer objections with this Rom. 11.33 Oh the greatnesse and riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. how secret are his judgements and his wayes past finding out it is enough for us to stand amazed at them not to enquire into them Secondly if any aske further Why did he so the answer is Rom 9.14 that there is no unrighteousnesse with God These two things Saint Austin used to answer to the Pelagians I have this answer saith the Father Oh the deepenesse both of the wisdome and mercy of God c and if you will be wrangling yet I answer further Rom. 9.14 There is no unrighteousnesse with God and if you will know any more seeke you other teachers but beware you doe not finde presumptuous men that will take upon them to search Gods counsell happily here may be other Objections as this Quest Is it just seeing all men are concluded under sinne that God should free some men from sinne and leave other men in sinne how should this stand with Gods justice Answ To this I answer If God did free some men from punishment without satisfaction then he could not be just but when he frees none but those for whom he is fully satisfied his justice is not impaired It is true indeede that no man satisfies for himselfe nor could finde out a means of satisfaction but it was Grace not injustice for God out of the greatnesse of his mercy and wisdome to finde out a meanes to satisfie his justice which they that had sinned could never have thought of It was free for him to send his Sonne to redeeme some therefore the Apostle saith that our forgivenesse is of mercy but Iohn saith of justice 1 Iohn 4.9 God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes the reason is from the 7. verse Because the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne hath cleansed us from all sinne and so he doth it for justice and not without mercy It is true his election was free in respect of man Justification was free in respect of man but it was grace that found out a meanes to save some and yet because he would have his justice satisfied he sent his Son that he might dye for them he would save Quest Happily some will say this seemes to he injustice that God should punish his wicked servants and also punish them upon the back of his dutifull Son Answ To this I answer with Saint Chrysostome true it is that to the righteousnesse of mans justice it seemes he doth injustice that for wicked servants doth give to death a good Sonne but saith the Father this is the admirable pietie that the greatnesse of his justice exceeded mans reason though this justice hath a shew of injustice to man that God should lay the sinnes of others upon him yet was it just because their sinnes were accounted his he was the mediator the head and husband of his Church and therefore for God to require their sinnes of him was no injustice Their sinnes were made his 1 Cor. 5.21 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us a sacrifice for sinne Not to stand upon this our sinnes are all laid upon his score here mercy and justice kisse each other mercy in this that he found out a meanes to satisfie justice in this that he would have satisfaction And this he laid upon Christ because he willingly and freely tooke our sinnes upon him Vse 2. This doth manifest that there is a judgement of the last day wherein God will judge the world and so answers that objection against the justice of God which sometimes stumbled David Psa 73. Ierem 12.2 3. that the godly have their wayes hedged with thornes and are in much affliction but what is the estate of the wicked Now they have the Pipe and the Harpe and are in a prosperous and florishing estate c. Well amongst many other things that may be answered there is a day wherein he will judge them though now sometimes the Lord defers their punishment yet he is not unjust as one saith well that that is deferred is not taken away forbearance is no quittance God will justly reward both the good and wicked in a fit opportunity Quest Why doth he deferre the punishment of the wicked Answ Because by this meanes he would draw them to goodnesse or make his forbearance a greater meanes of their condemnation And so he deferres to recompence his owne because he would try their faith and constancy and goodnesse so that by this meanes they are more established in goodnesse wheras other men perish ease slayeth the foolish there are many secret sinnes that lye in good men that God oftentimes by these meanes makes them to finde out Of the wicked saith Saint Austin some are punished in this life and that but a few because he reserves them for an eternall punishment So then it is manifest there must be a day wherein God will judge the world and though the Lord spares the wicked it is no good to them nor mercy and it is not against justice to spare them that he might when he comes makes his justice more apparant afterwards so that there must needes be a judgement to come Vse 3. Is God just this is to awaken the secure and drowsie professor and also the carefull Christian though he must go through evill reproofes and slanders yet God is just howsoever he can call for nothing at his justice by merit desert yet by promise he may let him lay hold upon the promises and they should stay and strengthen his heart On the other side justice should make all carnall men to remember that they must come to give an account God should be unjust if he should not recompence the wayes and workes of every man therefore these men should be awakened out of that security wherein they are doe not thou thinke that thou hast lost thy good workes and thy practice of godlinesse shall goe unrewarded God is just in his promise on the other side if thou hast done wicked workes though God doth not come presently to punish them presume not of impunity if God be God certainly those sinnes which thou hast committed when thou wast a youth when thou wast a servant when thou wast a master shall not goe unpunished for God is just When the act is ceased and gone it may be thou thinkest thy sinne is gone it is not so the act is ceased the guilt remains still and God will call every worke to judgement every worke good and bad therefore labour that thou never forget it unlesse thou doe undoe it by repentance this should make every man carefull and watchfull over his wayes as Saint Bernard saith God hath two feet Mercy and Justice there be two signes of these feet in the heart of man feare
torments because his justice is satisfied for them by his sonne and therefore it is said Psal 139. that he is not angry for ever neither deales he with us according to our sinnes Isai 27.8 He deales with them in measure in the branches but with the wicked in the root he deales with his owne as the Husbandman deals with his frute trees which he doth prune and cut off the unprofitable branches c. On the other side when he deales with the wicked he deales with them in the root stocking them up but not to stand long God sometimes inflicts punishments upon his owne children and they may be bitter and sharp as the Apostle saith Heb. 12.1 No afflictions for the present are pleasant but this he doth that they may not be condemned with the world and he deales patiently with the wicked and this he doth because they are vessels of wrath prepared for destruction and thus I have opened this description Quest Why is anger Attributed to God or to the divine Essence Answ Because that God is good and gracious We will explane this after this manner that which is good must be angry because it is good it is naturall to goodnesse to be opposite to evill as it is naturall to evill to be opposite to good experience teacheth us that the worser any man is the more he is offended with that which is good and no man can be good unlesse he be offended with evill and the more good a man is the more he is offended with sin therefore God being goodnesse it self must needs have anger against sinne Secondly God is gracious now these two anger and graciousnesse in God are opposite one to another the grace of God is only to some not to all his anger is to others all are not under favour therefore there must needs be anger in God all by nature corrupted are under anger so it is Ephe. 2.3 So we are by nature the children of wrath They who are reconciled are the children of mercy they that are not reconciled are children of anger therefore God being good and gracious anger is proper to him Quest Why say you by this anger he wills denounces threatens and executes punishments Ans The answer is because he is most wise most mereifull slow to anger most just not making the wicked innocent to explane these First he decrees and therefore most wise this comes from the wisedome of God that he doth he doth it not upon passion but upon deliberation especially when he comes to matter of anger this appeares for God speakes of himselfe to Abraham Gen. 18.21 I am come downe to see whether Sodome be so wicked c. before I doe execute I will see not that God knew it not but to shew how slow he is to anger in like case Ier. 44.21 Doth not the Lord remember and consider before he comes to execute his anger when he hath decreed it he doth not presently execute it but he doth denounce it why because he is most mercifull slow to wrath and therefore he doth denounce Isai 34.7 He is a God that will not punish but upon necessity he would willingly be alwaies shewing good and when he is angry he is compelled and provoked to it and because he would not willingly punish therefore he denounces punishment he speakes often before he will doe it once that if it might be he might be prevenred by repentance Lastly after threatning he proceeds to execution not with delight God delights not in the death of a sinner he afflicts not willingly but compassion As Titus the Emperour before he sacked the City of Jerusalem wept over it pittying them he should destroy it so doth God when threatnings prevaile not and by them men are not reclaimed then he comes to execution because he is just that he may not make the wicked innocent how is that by sparing to execute his justice on them for so I remember David said to Solomon that he should not make the wicked innocent how is that thou shalt not saith he let them goe with peace to the grave though I did not execute judgement upon them yet thou shalt do it as Savian saith of Sodom that God shewed mercy in that he was long before he did execute and justice and wrath in that he did execute at last Quest Why is this wrath Attributed to execute punishment upon offenders Answ Because he punishes impartially he respects no person we will explane this it is true it is the person he punishes but he punishes him for sinne who ever sinnes him he punishes he spares not his owne but punishes them sometimes more sharply then others this shewes that he is impartiall in that he punisheth them not onely when they be unrepentants but when they be repentants though not in themselves yet in their surety that is Christ so that he accepts no mans person repentance takes not away punishment but doth so much prevaile with God that he laies it upon Christ he was beaten for our transgressions and though sometimes he punishes one and the same sinne differently more in one then in another it is not for the person but to shew himselfe impartiall namely when circumstances make the sin greater then he laies the punishment greater as Levit. 24.9 If the Priests daughter committed fornication she should be burnt in as much as the circumstances made her sin the greater and thus you see the ground of this Vse 1. The first use is This teaches us that anger it not simply evill when the Scripture forbids it it doth not simply forbid it why because it is attributed to God and nothing that is simply evill can be attributed to God Saint Bernard saith simple affections are in us by nature being corrupted by our fall they are become sinfull whereas by creation they are naturally good but they are morally good in God so anger applied to God is morally good Anger is so farre from being ill that a man cannot without it avoyd evill nor walke in the practice of godlinesse as he ought Anger preserves the works of vertue A man of anger is like to a Souldier that hath put on his armor ready at the command of the Captaine Anger is the hand of reason the Souldier of reason to fight for God against sinne anger is the sinewes of the soule it makes a man zelous against sinne and he that hath not this is in small measure godly he is no way profitable for anger helpes a man against every iniquity hereupon the father uses a similitude anger is like to the Shepheards dogge how is that thus he barks at every stranger but is quiet with his masters friends and faunes upon them so is anger in the heart of man let sinne come anger sets upon it c. Anger truely sanctified is that which will oppose any corruption that shall be offered In these respects and many such anger is very profitable Anger saith one is like the edge of
not no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine God hath not revealed it that he did beget his Son that is revealed but the manner how he hath not revealed yet this we are sure of in the negative we may understand how he was not begotten every thing that is applied to God being purged and freed from corruption and made perfect is applied to him therefore in generall with men there is imperfection that the Father should be before the son in time this is imperfect that the Father should beget a son out of himself is imperfect this is imperfect for a father to beget a son by motion and corruption this is imperfect but it is perfection to beget him without motion this is imperfection for a father to beget a son with part of his Essence but this is perfection to beget him without difference in Essence here the Father and the Son are both at one time the Father begets him in himself not of himself thus much for the second distinction of the roperty The third distinction from the worke or manner of working creating the world of this we need no further proofe it is enough that we beleeve in God the Father almighty c. where Father is distinguished by his power that as his Sonne hath the worke of redemption the holy Ghost of sanctification so the Father of creation then I say it is manifest that the Father created the world begetting his Son in himselfe of the same substance with himselfe creating the world out of himselfe of an unlike substance to himselfe being every way divers c. This shall suffice for the opening of this distinction Quest Why is he first in order and not in time Answ Because he is the eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall sonne and spirit an eternall wisdome and power First he is an eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall Sonne for Father and Sonne are relatives one gives the being to the other Husband and wife are relatives Kings and Subjects are relatives Kings give a being to the subjects so in this Father and Sonne are relatives no Father without a Sonne and no Son without a Father and no sooner a father then a sonne if a man be a father he he must be elder then his sonne but God cannot be a Father elder then his Sonne therefore as Father and Son they are of the same age as it were the same day the same houre as I may so speake they are coeternall and therefore both of the same time Saint Basil saith how shall not he be from the beginning that had nothing before him but himselfe from whom he had his beginning In the next place because he is an eternall God and hath an eternall wisdome no God without his wisdome deny wisdome and deny the Sonne so Prov. 8. He is called the wisdome of his Father 23. verse he saith I was before his workes before all creatures whatsoever he and his wisdome were never separated therefore it followes that he must needs be an eternall Sonne hereupon is it that which Solomon calls the wisdome of God Saint Iohn calls the word of God in the beginning was the word therefore he must be an eternall person Thirdly the eternall God must have eternall power for God without power is nothing so Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee where God is not without his power then we conclude that seeing he is an eternall Father he must have an eternall Son and spirit and the eternall God must have eternall wisdome power therefore he is put first in order Quest How is he distinguished by begetting Answ By communicating his whole Essence from all eternity the Sonne is begotten how by receiving his whole Essence from his Father The Father begetting the Sonne by communicating his Essence but how gives he to him his whole Essence not by alienation but by communication we thus open it he gave him his whole Essence because the whole Essence of God is so simple that it cannot be divided if it were divided it were the overthrowing of the whole Essence therefore when he communicates he communicates not a part but the whole and when he communicates he doth it not by alienation for then it should cease in him that gave it but it doth not cease so but by communication it is so given that abides his still though he communicates it to the Sonne one testimony for many Collo 2.9 In him dwelleth the Godhead bodily For in this Generation there is no division nor transmutation and yet there is a true multiplication of persons but not of the Essence that never divides Qu. The third thing how is he distinguished by the work of creation Answ Not by working but by the manner of working because the Father creates by the Son and by the holy Ghost the work is common to all for all create but the maner is different you heard the reason before these cannot be divided but the Father begins the worke and executes it by them and the reason is because the Father hath his beginning of his person himselfe and the Sonne and the holy Ghost receive it from the Father therefore it is the Father creates by them and is distinguished from them not in the matter wrought but in the manner of working and thus I have opened this Doctrine Vse 1. This teaches us how we ought to beleeve concerning the Father namely that he is thus distinguished in order not in time if any man should have a thought nourish it that the Father should be before the Son or spirit in time he doth not only overthrow the Trinity as much as in him is but the Deity S. Ambrose saith if the Father had beginning before the Son then he was God first and Father afterwards that cannot be God turne this thought from our hearts saith he tell me then how dost thou beleeve that he is the immutable God if he be so how can this stand there is a mutation by this accession of Father there is a change how is he without change if a God first then a Father God turne such conceits from us it may well be with men he is a man now and father some yeares after for he is subject to change but bring the nature of God to a change and thou overthrowest the nature of God therefore we must beware of this thus we are to beleeve that the eternall Father is with the Sonne and the eternall Son with the Father he that will worship God aright let him joine these two together that the Diety hath joined together beware you separate none of these It is true we are to hold it after a divine manner not to judge of it by a humane generation as that the Father must be elder then the Sonne we are not to judge after this manner for this is the ground of errors againe if the
Begetting and proceeding how they differ 302 C Church offices concerning the Scriptures 43 D Dominion of God what 239 Dominion why given to God 240 Creatures have their power of God 251 Why God workes by creatures 250 E Essence of God proved to be one 66. which distinguishes the true from false Gods 65. Confutes Hereticks and directs faith 68. 69. Comforts in praier 69 Election and grace immutable 137 Election may be knowne 175 Election how made sure 177 Election is of a few 174. 182 Evill things how and why willed of God 124. 128 F Father what 269 Father taken Essentially and Personally 269 The First person how 270 Fore knowledge no cause of sin 239 Faith shall not faile 99. Strengthned 144 Feare God 119. 220 Faith directed 265 G There is a God proved by reason 50. 51. c. God is but one 56. 57. 88 God what he is 61 Vses to be made of the Deiety 55. 58. c. Goodnesse of God what 148 Goodnesse of God proved 150 Goodnesse in God absolute 151 Goodnesse communicated to the creaturs 152 Vses to be made of Gods goodnesse 153 Grace of God what 171 The object of Grace 172 Grace why ascribed to God 173 Grace the cause of salvation 178 Grace may be made sure 175 Grace ground of thankfulnesse 187 Grace is not universall 229 Godly comforted 89. 100. 210 Godly cannot fall from Grace 254 Generation of the Son to be adored in silence 287 Against falling from Grace 305 H Hatred of God what 224 Hatred what it signifies 225 Hatred against some is absolute yet just 226 Vses to be made of Gods Hatred 229 Gods people Hated in the world and why 245 Heresies confuted 68. of Marcion 155 Humility the ground of it 136 Humbled sinners finde mercy 198 Holy Ghost what 291. Is God 292. 295. proceeds from the Father and the Sonne 293. 297. dwels in the elect 298. Incorporates into Christ ibid. I Immensity of God what and how proved 102. 103. c. Immensity of God should restraine from sin 107 Immutability of God what how many fold 96 Immutability of Gods number proved 97 Immutability proves God the true God 98 What uses to be made of it 98. c. Immutability not opposed to freedome 128 Objections against Gods Immutability answered 132 Ignorance of God the greatest folly 4. kinds of it ibid. Iustice of God what 200 Iustice why given to God 202 Object of Iustice 203 It is Iustice to reward the godly 204 It is Iustice to free some from sin and leaue others 207 It is Iustice to lay the punishment of the elect on Christ 208 There is a day of Iudgement proved 209 Acknowledge God to be Iust 205 Iudgements remooved in anger 223 Impossible things of two sorts 249. 252 K Knowledge of God chiefest wisedome 1. 2. 3 Knowledge of God is naturall 7. 8. c. Knowledge of God by revelation 12. 13. 14 Knowledge of God in the word 15. 16. by the spirit 17 Knowledge of the Trinity necessary to salvation 266 L Life of God what and how proved 109 Life proves God the true God 112 Long life how attained 113 Love of God what 158 Love why ascribed to God 160 Object of the Love of God 161 God Loves his creatures freely not equally 161. 162. 166 He that Loves not is not of God 162 Love God againe signes of Love 167 Love in God naturall or voluntary God an absoltue and free Lord 241. therefore is not unjust disposing of his creatures 243 He that hath God hath all things ibid. He must be served of all 245 Love of Christ demonstrated 288 M Merit condemned 135. 204. 205 Mercy of God what 189. generall and speciall 190. 196 Mercy is naturall eternall free 191 Mercy is more to some then others 192 Mercy shewen to the elect in three things 193 Vses to be made of Gods Mercy 194. c. Macedonians confuted 300 N Nature cannot finde God 61 P Pictures of God unlawfull 74 Perfection of God what 77 Perfection of God proved 78. c. Perfection of God different from that of creatures 79 Perfection of God wherein it consistes 84 Please God 82 Vses of Gods Perfection 80. c. Promises whether alwaies to be performed 147 Papists and Pelagians confuted 180. 181 Punishment of the wicked why deferred 209 Punishment two fold 214. Impartially inflicted 218 Power of God what 247. Active or absolute 248 Power why given to God 250 It is infinite 252 Provoke not God 255 A Person what 258. There are three Persons 260 The Son a Person 263. and the holy Ghost 265 The Persons how distinguished 258 Persons are distinguished not divided 259 Persons one before another not in dignity not in time but in order 260 Persons distinguished by their properties 261 Persons distinguished by their workes 263 Purity not to be scorned 303 Purity begun shall be perfected 304 R Redemption not Vniversall 183 S Spirit what it signifies 291 Spirit how distinguished from other Persons 292. 294 Services of men reach not to God 80 S mplicity of God what 85 S mplicity of God proved 86. c. Vses to be made of it 88. c. God a Spirit proved 71 c. God must be worshipped in Spirit 75 Swearing condemned 113 Syncerity commanded 119 Security awakened 143. 210 Scriptures reveale God 12. 13. to be searched 15. 21. 26 Scriptures a perfect sure infallible rule 19 Written for all men 23. to be translated 25 and applied 27. 39 The word of God 29. and 36. plaine reveald by the Spirit 37 Canonicall 40. and 45. Sufficient 45. and 49 Sat han why he tels truth 14 Sabellians confuted 256 Son eternall with the Father 269. 270. 287 T Truth of God what 138 Truth but one 139 Object of Truth 141. Vses of it 143 Be True as God is 146 Traditions to be abhorred 21. 47 Threatnings how to be understood 132 Thankefulnesse 156. 187 Trinity knowne by the word 257. by faith 256 V Vbiquitaries confuted 106 Vnworthinesse comforted 165 W Wicked terrified 90 Will of God what 121. is but one 125 Will of God free and immutable 122. 123. 126. 129 Object of Gods Will. 123. 127. Vses of it 135. c. Wisdome of God what 115. How proved 116 Vses of Gods wisdome 118 Women bound to know God 5 Wicked men punished 229 Workes of the Trinity undivided 263 Worship God aright and how 267 ERRATA PAg. 75. lin 23. condemn us for them p. 100. l. 3. it may doubt ibid. l. 24. Insolent against their inferiours p. 106. l. last but two from externall sinning p 115. l. 17. and 19. prescience p. 134. l. 11. one saith p. 140. l. 19. formally p. 145. l. 4. promise sure p. 148. l. 25 Good is an accident p. 158. l. 14. blot out in p 171. l. 9. in his Son though p. 176. l. 8. is in his sonne p. 185. l. 15. he chose the twelft p. 196. l. 8. 1 Cor. 10. p. 208. l. 10. 11. blot out And also punish them p. 210. l. 6. reports 212 from the end blot out the parenthesis p. 213. l. 12. simply p. 217. l. 4. d. fine blot out it p. 220. l. 14. injurious p. 224. in the text Psal 5. 5. p. 225. l. 9. one thing p. 226. l. 23. may not he make them to c. p. 230. l. 5. deny to some that grace ibid. l. 16. if he as the potter p. 239. l. dominion p. 244. l. 11. horses are thy horses p. 246. l. 5. â— fine blot out which ibid Iob 9. 19. ibid. l. 4. a fine that is authority p. 249. l. 1. blot out that yet p. 254. l. 4. a finite subject ibid. 11. effectings ibid. l. 20. actually it is p 253. l. 17. false true p. 254. l. penult fall p. 255. l. 19. Jer. 10. p. 302. l. 15. two mysteries in this
seeke peace and pursue it This is the way to obtaine them In humility and the feare of the Lord are riches and honour and life It is true some wicked men live long but no wicked man can promise himselfe long life he is under the curse Psal 55. The bloudy and deceitfull man shall not live out halfe his daies It is true some good men die in their youth but not till they are glutted with life The child shall die an hundred yeares old Isa 65.20 that is as well satisfied with life as if he had lived an hundred yeares Thus to feare God is the way to live long in the earth nay it is the way never to die Eternall life is promised to those who with patience continue in well doing To conclude God is life God is the Fountaine of life unto him we must seek for the continuance of the life of nature the inchoation and preservation of the life of grace and the obtaining of the life of glory The next Attribute that is communicable is the wisdome of God and so according to our order the question is Quest What is the wisdome of the divine Essence Answ The answer is that it is that by which God knowes and understands himselfe and all things else not successively nor by discourse or reasoning but in a moment by one eternall act of understanding this needs a little explaning and First that it is a communicable Attribute because there is the like in man though not the same 2. By which he understands and knowes himselfe and not himselfe only but all things else with the causes circumstances and whatsoever else thereto belongeth how Not successively and by discourse and reasoning for though they be distinct one from another and come one after another yet he in a moment understands them all by one act of understanding Therefore howsoever the Scripture tells us of three things in God that there is presence science and remembrance yet they are all one in God for God to speake properly hath neither presence nor remembrance for he knowes all things by one eternall act of understanding he admits no succession howsoever in respect of us God doth foreknow yet in God there is nothing but science for by one act of understanding he knowes all things and that it is so that he understands himselfe is manifest Matth. 11. No man knoweth the Father but the son no man hath seen the Father Iohn 1.18 No man knowes the things of God but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 In which places though Christ and the Apostle expresse the Sonne or holy Ghost yet they exclude not the Father but intimate him teaching Psal 147.5 that this knowledge is in them all as he knowes himselfe so also all things else The wisedome of God is infinite if it be infinite then is nothing to be excluded from it Heb. 4.15 Every thing is manifest before him with whom we have to doe He knowes things past present and to come Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good he knowes all Gen. 6.5 He knew the wickednesse of mans heart was great So Psal 139.4 Thou seest my thoughts a farre off there is not a word in my mouth but thou knowest it Whither shall I goe from thy presence the night and the day are all one Againe he knowes all things without succession of time as well that which is present as that which is to come Therefore saith David Psal 90.4 a thousand yeares are with the Lord but as yesterday when it is past Whatsoever is to be done with the Lord a thousand yeares after is as present with him or as a thing already past The Apostle Saint Peter speaketh A thousand yeares is but as one day So that we see God understands all things past present and to come Quest Why is this wisedome Attributed to the Divine Essence Answ The answer is because this wisedome is this Essence it selfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things Thirdly because he is infinite both in time and place these things opened will manifest that he hath this infinite wisedome For the first this wisedome of God is his Essence it selfe as his will his holinesse his justice his mercy are himselfe so also the wisedome of God is himselfe You heard the rule because he is most simple and therefore of no composition nothing but himselfe therefore in this case seeing all is himselfe it will follow that his wisedome is himselfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things therefore he must needs know all things else the holy Ghost reasons not substantially Psalm 94. He that planteth the eare shall he not heare He intimates thus much that God knowes all things because he made all things And in the 11. verse he saith he knowes the thoughts of men that they are but vaine therefore he must needs know all secret things as it is with an Artist that hath made a Clock or some other instrument that hath motions in it both secret and open those that are open he seeth and all others may see them but those that are secret none knowes but he that made them so is it with God Those things which are in man no man knowes yet the Lord knowes them because he is the maker of them Secondly God governes and guides all things to their proper ends so that he must both know the things and the ends they are made for he made all things for his owne glory Thirdly he sustaines and bears up althings by his power then he must needs know every thing that he hath in his hand Againe he is the Judge of all men then he must needs know all that he may rightly judge for it is unrighteous judgement if it be not according to knowledge but God judgeth righteously I the Lord search the heart to give to every one according to his works to add to this that he is not only a Judge but a most wise Judge that will assure any thing upon his own knowledge Mal. 3.5 I will be a swift witnes against you saith God he will be both the Judge and witnes therefore he must needs know all things Finally he knowes all things not successively and by discourse of reason but by one act of understanding because he is infinite in place and in time without beginning and without ending this is the same which Saint Augustine speakes of that he is not prevented by any time or place but by one act of knowledge knowes all things and thus much for this Vse 1. The first use then teacheth us that we serve the true and living God because we serve the alknowing God we may heere discerne the true God from false gods Thus the Lord himselfe in the Prophet reasons Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things what they be or declare us things to come shew the
things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are gods c. Isaiah 40.21.22.23.26 Vse 2. The second use doth admonish men that they should not conceive too highly of themselves for any good that they finde in themselves nor yet to please themselves with this conceite that other men doe thinke well of them because the Lord is infinite in wisdome he knowes that by men that they know not by themselves nor doth any other know This is the eye of the world that every thing is manifest unto he knowes that by us that we know not by our selves therefore no man ought to please himselfe in his owne goodnesse God knowes all his thoughts though never so secret both past present and to come then no reason any should presume upon any grace The Prophet saith Psal 19. Who can understand his owne faults no man can but God can therefore reason after this manner as Saint Bernard saith I know and am knowne I know but in part but God knowes me and knowes me wholy but what I know I know but in part So the Apostle reasons I know nothing of my selfe yet am I not hereby Justified admit that thou keepest thy selfe so free and renewest thy repentance so daily that thou knowest nothing by thy selfe yet marke what the Apostle adds farther notwithstanding I doe not judge my selfe I am not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord This is the condition of all men he that is infinite knowes them therefore they should not dare to judge themselves but with the Prophet David in 19. Psal intreate the Lord that he would cleanse them from their secret sinnes Vse 3. The third use teacheth us that men ought to feare God because he is present in all places and infinite in knowledge Men may have things done behind their backs which they know not of but it is not so with God therefore every man should be wary of himselfe even in the secret thoughts of his heart for there is a God that knowes all things every man must beware of sinne in all places even in the secret places of their owne hearts for God knowes them we have a foolish proverbe that thoughts are free free indeed from the law of men because men know them not but if men did know them they were in danger of the law but they are free by reason of mans ignorance but to God all things are knowne There are many men that seeme to make conscience of many things because that God sees yet they take liberty to them selves in secret thoughts and they thinke God knowes not them yes God knowes thy heart better then thy selfe that which thou knowest not to be sinne he knowes to be sinne they that take away seeing from God saith Salvian they overthowe the Essence of God they are Atheists he sees all things and he knowes all things therefore take heed of secret sinfull thoughts that men see not Though thou carrie or colour things so that neither Master nor Servant nor Wife nor Husband see them thou hast a God that seeth and knowes all things and will bring every thing to judgment no thing so secret but he will make knowne therefore labour in the feare of God that thou walk secretly and openly doeing nothing that is displeasing to God because thou canst doe nothing but in the presence and privity of God OF THE WILL OF GOD. CHAP. XII ISIA 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure IN order knowledge is before will for that we will we know and what we know that we may will therefore we have first handled the wisedome and the knowledge of God and now we are to speake of the will of God whereby he willeth those things that he knowes for which I have made choice of this text my will or counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure In speaking of which we will keepe our order and first shew what his will is the question is Quest What is the will of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is a communicable Attribute whereby it doth freely and immutably will it selfe and all other things whatsoever it doth will the opening of which in the severall parts will manifest this plainly unto us First we say the will of God and not the wills of God because there is but one will of God and this appeares in as much as usually the Scripture speakes of it in the number of one as in this place My counsell shall stand there is but one will the like we finde Prov. 19.21 My counsell shall stand Matth. 6.10 our Saviâ—ur hath taught us to pray Thy will be done Ephe. 1.5 According to the good pleasure of his will so then there is but one will Againe I say it is a communicable Attribute given to this divine Essence I call it communicable as I said before not because it is in any creature as it is in God but because there is the same in proportion in man there is some thing like it whereby it freely and immutably wills it selfe and all other things First the divine Essence most freely willeth it selfe for howsoever it willeth it selfe by necessity of nature yet it willeth freely without any compulsion so as the Apostle speakes in other things the Lord cannot deny himselfe so we say the Lord out of the necessity of his nature wills himselfe but yet voluntarily out of the goodnesse of his nature but when he wills other things there is no such necessity of nature but he wills them most freely but whatsoever he wills he wills freely out of his owne will there being no cause of Gods will but the will it selfe which is the cause of all causes as appeares Matth. 11.25.26 I thanke thee oh heavenly father that thou hast hid these things from the wise c. even so for it is thy good pleasure It is not lawfull for me to doe what I will with my owne saith Christ Rom. 9.18 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy there is nothing in man that moves him it is still his will he wills freely The next thing is that this will is immutable that is when he hath willed it is without change this was drawne out of the mouth of the false Prophet Num. 23. The Lord is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he should repent the Lord cannot repent I am the Lord I change not Mal. 36. The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand Isai 14.24 He hath said and will he not doe it Num 23.19 So that whatsoever he doth will he wills it alwaies and eternally my will shall stand for ever God wills from eternity whatsoever he wills as the Apostle Acts 4.24 Thou