A Body of Divinity

Contained In Sermons Upon The Westminster Assembly’s Catechism

By Thomas Watson

Contents

• 1. Brief Memoir Of Thomas Watson
• 2. A Preliminary Discourse To Catechising
• 3. Introduction
• 3.1. Man’s Chief End
• 3.2. The Scriptures
• 4. God and his creation
• 4.1. The Being Of God
• 4.2. The Knowledge Of God
• 4.3. The Eternity Of God
• 4.4. The Unchangeableness Of God
• 4.5. The Wisdom Of God
• 4.6. The Power Of God
• 4.7. The Holiness Of God
• 4.8. The Justice Of God
• 4.9. The Mercy Of God
• 4.10. The Truth Of God
• 4.11. The Unity Of God
• 4.12. The Trinity
• 4.13. The Creation
• 4.14. The Providence Of God
• 5. The fall
• 5.1. The Covenant Of Works
• 5.2. Adam’s Sin
• 5.3. Original Sin
• 5.4. Man’s Misery By The Fall
• 6. The covenant of grace and its mediator
• 6.1. The Covenant Of Grace
• 6.2. Christ The Mediator Of The Covenant
• 6.3. Christ’s Prophetic Office
• 6.4. Christ’s Priestly Office
• 6.5. Christ’s Kingly Office
• 6.6. Christ’s Humiliation In His Incarnation
• 6.7. Christ’s Exaltation
• 6.8. Christ The Redeemer
• 7. The application of redemption
• 7.1. Faith
• 7.2. Effectual Calling
• 7.3. Justification
• 7.4. Adoption
• 7.5. Sanctification
• 7.6. Assurance
• 7.7. Peace
• 7.8. Joy
• 7.9. Growth In Grace
• 7.10. Perseverance
• 8. Death and the last day
• 8.1. The Death Of The Righteous
• 8.2. A Believer’s Privilege At Death
• 8.3. The Resurrection

Brief Memoir Of Thomas Watson

Compiled by C. H. Spurgeon

Thomas Watson’s Body of Practical Divinity is one of the most precious of the peerless works of the Puritans; and those best acquainted with it prize it most. Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond all the rest, useful to the student and the minister. Although Thomas Watson issued several most valuable books, comparatively little is known of him - even the dates of his birth and death are unknown. His writings are his best memorial; perhaps he needed no other, and therefore providence forbade the superfluity. We shall not attempt to discover his pedigree, and, after the manner of antiquarians, derive his family from a certain famous Wat, whose son distinguished himself in the Crusades, or in some other insane enterprise; whether blue blood was in his veins or no is of small consequence, since we know that he was the seed-royal of the redeemed of the Lord. Some men are their own ancestors, and, for ought we know, Thomas Watson’s genealogy reflected no fame upon him, but derived all its lustre from his achievements. He had the happiness to be educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, which in those days deserved to be called the School of Saints, the nursing mother of gigantic evangelical divines. In Kennet’s ‘Register and Chronicle,’ is a list of eighty-seven names of Puritan ministers, including many well-known and loved as preachers and commentators; such as Anth. Burgess, W. Jenkyn, Ralph Venning, Thomas Brooks, T. White, Samuel Slater, Thomas Watson, John Rowe, Dr. W. Bates, Stephen Charnock, Samuel Clarke, Nathaniel Vincent, Dr John Collings, William Bridge, Samuel Hildersam, Adoniram Bifield, followed by this remark, ‘These are most of them mentioned in the list of sufferers for Nonconformity, and appear upon the registers to have been all of Emmanuel College, beside great numbers, no doubt of the same society, who were forward preachers up of the unhappy changes of 1641,’ etc. In the margin of the book is the following observation on the foregoing: ‘It may not be improper to observe how much young students, in both Universities, fell in with the prejudices of their governors and tutors. This was the reason that this single College of Emmanuel, in Cambridge, bred more of the Puritans and Nonconformists than perhaps any seven of the other Colleges or Halls in either University.” Such a fact as this should attract the prayers of all believers to our seminaries for the sons of the prophets, since upon the manner in which these institutions are conducted will depend under God the future well-being of our churches. The Pastors, College, for the use of whose students this work is published, earnestly petitions for a place in the intercessions of the saints.

We are not at all surprised to learn that Thomas Watson enjoyed the repute, while at Cambridge, of being a most laborious student; the great Puritanic authors must have been most industrious workers at the university, or they never would have become such pre-eminent masters in Israel. The conscientious student is the most likely man to become a successful preacher. After completing his course with honour, Watson became rector of St Stephen’s, Walbrook, where in the very heart of London he executed for nearly sixteen years the office of a faithful pastor with great diligence and assiduity. Happy were the citizens who regularly attended so instructive and spiritual a ministry. The church was constantly filled, for the fame and popularity of the preacher were deservedly great. Going in and out among his flock, fired with holy zeal for their eternal welfare, his years rolled on pleasantly enough amid the growing respect of all who knew him. Calamy, in his Nonconformist Memorial, says of him: - ‘He was so well known in the city for his piety and usefulness, that though he was singled out by the Friendly Debate, he yet carried a general respect from all sober persons along with him to his grave. He was a man of considerable reaming, a popular, but judicious preacher (if one may judge from his writings), and eminent in the gift of prayer. Of this, the following anecdote is a sufficient proof. Once on a lecture day, before the Bartholomew Act took place, the learned Bishop Richardson came to hear him at St Stephen’s, who was much pleased with his sermon, but especially with his prayer after it, so that he followed him home to give him thanks, and earnestly desired a copy of his prayer. “Alas!” (said Mr Watson) “that is what I cannot give, for I do not use to pen my prayers; it was no studied thing, but uttered, pro re nata, as God enabled me, from the abundance of my heart and affections.” Upon which the good Bishop went away wondering that any man could pray in that manner extempore.

But the hand which of old had oppressed the church was again stretched forth to vex certain of the saints. The most learned, holy, and zealous of the clergy of the Church of England found that the Act of Uniformity would not allow them to preserve a clean conscience and retain their livings, and therefore they submitted to the loss of all things for Christ’s sake. Thomas Watson did not hesitate as to the course he should pursue. He was not a factious hater of royalty, a red republican, or fifth monarchy-man; in fact, he had in Cromwell’s day been all too loyal to the house of Stuart; he had protested against the execution of the King, and had joined in Love’s plot for the bringing in of Charles II; yet all this availed nothing, he was a Puritan, and therefore must not be tolerated by the bitter spirits then dominant in the Establishment. What seeds of discord were sown on that black Bartholomew history has not had space to record; yet the ultimate results have been fraught with results scarcely then imaginable. Comprehension might have hindered truth; the crown rights of King Jesus might have lacked advocates had monarchs and priests been more tolerant; as it was good men were forced into a truer position than they would otherwise have occupied, and the beginning of a real reformation was inaugurated. From that commencement in suffering what progress has been made! Every day the cause of the ejected gathers force and pushes on its adversary towards the brink of the precipice, a down which all establishments must fall.

With many tears and lamentations the congregation of St Stephen’s saw their shepherd about to be removed from his flock, and with aching hearts they listened to his parting words. He himself speaking as one bereaved of his dearest delight, and yet suffering joyfully the loss of all things, bade them adieu, and went forth ‘not knowing whither he went.’

In the collection of Farewell Sermons there are three by Mr Watson, viz.: two delivered August 17th, and the third on the Tuesday following. The first, preached in the forenoon, is on John 13:34. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.’ It discovers much of the spirit of the gospel, particularly in recommending love to enemies and persecutors. The second, preached in the afternoon, is on 2 Corinthians 7:7. ‘Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’ In the former part of it, he insists largely on ‘the ardent affections of a right gospel minister towards his people.’ This head he closes thus: ‘I have now exercised my ministry among you for almost sixteen years; and I rejoice and bless God that I cannot say, the more I love you, the less I am loved: I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you. Though other parishes have exceeded you in number of houses, yet, I think, none for strength of affection. I have with much comfort observed your reverent attention to the word preached; you rejoice in this light, not for a season, but to this day. I have observed your zeal against error in a critical time, your unity and amity. This is your honour. If there should be any interruption in my ministry among you, though I should not be permitted to preach to you again, yet I shall not cease to love you, and to pray for you. But why should there be any interruption made? Where is the crime? Some, indeed, say that we are disloyal and seditious. Beloved, what my actions and sufferings for his Majesty have been is known to not a few of you. However, we must go to heaven through good report and bad report; and it is well if we can get to glory, though we press through the pikes. I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my love to you. I will not promise that I shall still preach among you, nor will I say that I shall not. I desire to be guided by the silver thread of God’s word and providence. My heart is towards you. There is, you know, an expression in the late Act, “that we shall now shortly be as if we were naturally dead;’’ and if I must die, let me leave some legacy with you. Then follow twenty admirable directions, well worthy the fervent perusal of every Christian. He closes them thus: ‘I beseech you treasure them up as so many jewels in the cabinet of your breasts. Did you carry them about you, they would be an antidote to keep you from sin, and a means to preserve the zeal of piety flaming upon the altar of your hearts. I have many things yet to say to you, but I know not whether God will give another opportunity. My strength is now almost gone. I beseech you, let these things make deep impressions on all your souls. Consider what has been said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.’

The last discourse, August 19th, is on Isaiah 3:30, 11. ‘Say ye t0 the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.’

After his ejectment, Watson preached occasionally whenever he could do so with safety. Fines and imprisonments were insufficient to close the mouths of the witnesses of Jesus. In barns, kitchens, outhouses, or dells and woods, the faithful few gathered to hear the message of eternal life. Those little secret assemblies were doubtless charming occasions for devout minds: the word of the Lord was precious in those days. Bread eaten in secret is proverbially sweet, and the word of God in persecution is peculiarly delightful. Little can we realise the joyful anticipation which preceded the appointed meetings, or the lingering memories which clung to them long after they were over. After the great fire in 1666, when the churches were burned, Mr Watson and several other Nonconformists fitted up large rooms for those who had an inclination to attend. Upon the Indulgence, in 1672, he licensed the great hall in Crosby House, on the east side of Bishopsgatestreet, then belonging to Sir John Langham (a Nonconformist). It was a happy circumstance that the worthy baronet favoured the cause of Nonconformity, and that so noble a chamber was at his disposal. Here Watson preached for several years. Rev Stephen Charnock, B.D.’ became joint pastor with him at Crosby Hall in 1675, and continued so till his death in 1680. What two shepherds for the flock! Men of such most extraordinary gifts and graces were seldom if ever united in one pastorate. They both attempted a Body of Divinity, and the goodly volume on the Divine Attributes was Charnock’s first stone of a colossal structure which he was not spared to complete. Our author was more modest in his attempt and the present volume shows how he succeeded.

Mr Watson at length returned to Essex, where he died suddenly, in his closet at prayer, as is supposed, about 1689 or 1690. The time either of his birth or death is nowhere mentioned.

In the life of Colonel James Gardiner, there is this remarkable account: ‘In July, 1719, he had spent the evening, which was the Sabbath, in some gay company, and had an unhappy assignation with a married lady, whom he was to attend exactly at twelve. The company broke up about eleven, and he went into his chamber to kill the tedious hour. It happened that he took up a religious book, which his good mother or aunt had, without his knowledge, slipped into his portmanteau, called, “The Christian Soldier,” written by Mr Watson. Guessing by the title that he should find some phrases of his own profession spiritualised in a manner which might afford him some diversion, he resolved to dip into it: while this book was in his hand, an impression was made upon his mind, which drew after it a train of the most important consequences. Suddenly he thought he saw an unusual blaze of light fall on the book while he was reading, and lifting up his eyes, he apprehended, to his extreme amazement, that there was before him, as it were suspended in the air, a visible representation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross, surrounded with a glory, and was impressed as if a voice had come to him, to this effect: “O sinner, did I suffer this for thee, and are these thy returns?” He sunk down in his chair, and continued for some time insensible. He then arose in a tumult of passions, and walked to and fro in his chamber, till he was ready to drop, in unutterable astonishment and agony of heart, which continued until the October following, when his terrors were turned into unutterable joy.’

Mr Watson published a variety of books upon practical subjects, and of a useful nature, for the titles of which, see foot-note.* But his principal work was a body of divinity, in one hundred and seventy-six sermons, upon the Assembly’s Catechism, which did not appear till after his death. It was published in one volume folio, in 1692, and accompanied with a portrait of the author, by Sturt; together with a recommendatory preface by the Rev William Lorimer, and the attestation of twenty-five other ministers of principal note in that day. For many a year this volume continued to train the common people in theology, and it may still tee found very commonly in the cottages of the Scottish peasantry. Rev George Rogers, Principal of the Pastors, College, has carefully superintended the issue of this present edition, and in a note to us he writes: ‘I know of no work with so much sermon matter within the same compass. In Howe, and Charnock, and Owen, we must often read much before we are tempted to close the book and think out a whole sermon, but Watson teaches us to make short work of it. The whole may be utilised. On this account it would be, I think, of great value to all our students who have pastorates. It is for their benefit, I suppose, you wished the reprint. As several select sermons, which are usually bound up with this work, will appear with his whole works, after a time, in Nichol’s series, they are not included here. This is a distinct work by itself and complete. All editions extant which we have seen, abound in errors and imperfections. These have been rectified, not entirely we fear, but in a degree as nearly approaching to accuracy as in revision of another’s composition could be expected. No alteration of sentiment has been made, but every shade of the author’s meaning has been scrupulously retained. The style has been modernised, so far as could be done without detracting from its own peculiar characteristics. Long sentences have been divided into two or three, where it could be done without injury to the clearness or force of the signification. Modern words have been substituted for such as had become obsolete; Latin quotations restored to their correct form, as far as their sources could be ascertained; and divisions of subjects more perspicuously arranged. The whole, in fact, has been rendered more readable, and consequently more attractive and intelligible, which in our estimation far outweighs all the supposed advantages that could arise from perpetuating the crudities and vulgarities, as they now appear to us, of former times. By popularising ancient works, their readers are multiplied and their meaning may often be more readily apprehended’.

* The following are the tides of the principal works of Thomas Watson: viz. Three treatises: 1. ‘The Christian’s Charter.’ 2. ‘The Art of Divine Contentment.’ 3. ‘A Discourse of Meditation,’ to which is added several sermons, 1660. This volume contains, besides the three treatises, the following, viz.: ‘God’s Anatomy upon Man’s Heart,’ ‘The Saint’s Delight,’ ‘A Christian on Earth still in Heaven,’ ‘Christ’s Loveliness,’ ‘The Upright Man’s Character and Crown,’ ‘The One Thing Necessary,’ ‘The Holy Longing; or, the Saint’s Desire to be with Christ,’ ‘Beatitudes; or, a Discourse upon part of Christ’s Famous Sermon upon the Mount,’ 1660, ‘A Body of Practical Divinity,’ etc.’ with a supplement of some sermons, ‘A Divine Cordial,” The Holy Eucharist,’ ‘Heaven taken by Storm,’ etc.’ etc.

1. A Preliminary Discourse To Catechising

’If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.’ - Col 1:23.

Intending next Lord’s day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. ‘If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.’

I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith.

II. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded.

I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. It is the apostle’s prayer, I Pet 5:50, ’The God of all grace stablish, strengthen, settle you.’ That is, that they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed stars. The apostle Jude speaks of ‘wandering stars, in verse 13. They are called wandering stars, because, as Aristotle says, ‘They do leap up and down, and wander into several parts of the heaven; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celestial matter as the fixed stars are, they often fall to the earth.’ Now, such as are not settled in religion, will, at one time or other, prove wandering stars; they will lose their former steadfastness, and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unsettled are of the tribe of Reuben, ‘unstable as water,’ Gen 49:9; like a ship without ballast, overturned with every wind of doctrine. Beza writes of one Belfectius, that his religion changed as the moon. The Arians had every year a new faith. These are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds shaken every way. The apostle calls them ‘damnable heresies.’ 2 Pet 2:2. A man may go to hell as well for heresy as adultery. To be unsettled in religion, argues want of judgement. If their heads were not giddy, men would not reel so fast from one opinion to another. It argues lightness. As feathers will be blown every way, so will feathery Christians. Triticum non rapit ventus inanes palae jactantur. Cyprian. Therefore such are compared to children. Eph 4:44. ‘That we be no more children, tossed to and fro.’ Children are fickle sometimes of one mind sometimes of another, nothing pleases them long; so unsettled Christians are childish; the truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another; sometimes they like the Protestant religion, and soon after they have a good mind to turn Papists.

[1] It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a settlement in religion. Eph 4:41, 12, 14. ‘And he gave some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the edifying of the body of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children.’ The word is called a hammer. Jer 23:39. Every blow of the hammer is to fasten the nails of the building; so the preacher’s words are to fasten you the more to Christ; they weaken themselves to strengthen and settle you. This is the grand design of preaching, not only for the enlightening, but for the establishing of souls; not only to guide them in the right way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not settled, you do not answer God’s end in giving you the ministry.

[2] To be settled in religion is both a Christian’s excellence and honour. It is his excellence. When the milk is settled it turns to cream; now he will be zealous for the truth, and walk in close communion with God. And his honour. Prov 16:61. ‘The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.’ It is one of the best sights to see an old disciple; to see silver hairs adorned with golden virtues.

[3] Such as are not settled in the faith can never suffer for it. Sceptics in religion hardly ever prove martyrs. They that are not settled hang in suspense; when they think of the joys of heaven they will espouse the gospel, but when they think of persecution they desert it. Unsettled Christians do not consult what is best, but what is safest. ‘The apostate (says Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the devil’s service, and proclaims him to be the best master: and, in this sense, may be said to put Christ to open shame.’ Heb 6:6. He will never suffer for the truth, but be as a soldier that leaves his colours, and runs over to the enemy’s side; he will fight on the devil’s side for pay.

[4] Not to be settled in the faith is provoking to God. To espouse the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gospel, which will not go unpunished. Psa 78:87, 59. ‘They turned back, and dealt unfaithfully. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel.’ The apostate drops as a wind-fall into the devil’s mouth.

[5] If ye are not settled in religion, you will never grow. We are commanded ‘to grow up into the head, even Christ.’ Eph 4:15. But if we are unsettled there is no growing: ‘the plant which is continually removing never thrives.’ He can no more grow in godliness, who is unsettled, than a bone can grow in the body that is out of joint.

[6] There is great need to be settled, because there are so many things to unsettle us. Seducers are abroad, whose work is to draw away people from the principles of religion. I John 2:26. ‘These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.’ Seducers are the devil’s factors; they are of all others the greatest felons that would rob you of the truth. Seducers have silver tongues, that can put off bad wares; they have a sleight to deceive. Eph 4:14. The Greek word there is taken from those that can throw dice, and cast them for the best advantage. So seducers are impostors, they can throw a dice; they can so dissemble and sophisticate the truth, that they can deceive others. Seducers deceive by wisdom of words. Rom 16:68. ‘By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple.’ They have fine elegant phrases, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker sort. Another sleight is a pretence of extraordinary piety, that so people may admire them, and suck in their doctrine. They seem to be men of zeal and sanctity, and to be divinely inspired, and pretend to new revelations. A third cheat of seducers is, labouring to vilify and nullify sound orthodox teachers. They would eclipse those that bring the truth, like black vapours that darken the light of heaven; they would defame others, that they themselves may be more admired. Thus the false teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal 4:17. The fourth cheat of seducers is, to preach the doctrine of liberty; as though men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as the curse, and Christ has done all for them, and they need to do nothing. Thus they make the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentiousness. Another means is, to unsettle Christians by persecution. 2 Tim 3:12. The gospel is a rose that cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Christ has bequeathed is the CROSS. While there is a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expect a charter of exemption from trouble. How many fall away in an hour of persecution! Rev 12:2. ‘There appeared a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven.’ The red dragon, by his power and subtilty, drew away stars, or eminent professors, that seemed to shine as stars in the firmament of the church.

To be unsettled in good is the sin of the devils. Jude 6. They are called, ‘morning stars,’ Job 38:8, but ‘falling stars;’ they were holy, but mutable. As the vessel is overturned with the sail, so their sails being swelled with pride, they were overturned. I Tim 3:3. By unsettledness, men imitate lapsed angels. The devil was the first apostate. The sons of Sion should be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.

II. The second proposition is, that the way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. ‘If ye continue grounded and settled.’ The Greek word for grounded is a metaphor which alludes to a building that has the foundation well laid. So Christians should be grounded in the essential points of religion, and have their foundation well laid.

Here let me speak to two things:

[1] That we should be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. The apostle speaks of ‘the first principles of the oracles of God.’ Heb 5:12. In all arts and sciences, logic, physic, mathematics, there are some praecognita, some rules and principles that must necessarily be known for the practice of those arts; so, in divinity, there must be the first principles laid down. The knowledge of the grounds and principles of religion is exceedingly useful.

(1.) Else we cannot serve God aright. We can never worship God acceptably, unless we worship him regularly; and how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion? We are to give God a ‘reasonable service.’ Rom 12:2: If we understand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reasonable service?

(2.) Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enriches the mind. It is a lamp to our feet; it directs us in the whole course of Christianity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief mysteries of religion; it gives us a whole system and body of divinity, exactly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours; it helps us to understand many of those difficult things which occur in the reading of the word; it helps to untie many Scripture knots.

(3.) It furnishes us with armour of proof; weapons to fight against the adversaries of the truth.

(4.) It is the holy seed of which grace is formed. It is semen fidei, the seed of faith. Psa 9:10. It is radix amoris, the root of love. Eph 3:17. ‘Being rooted and grounded in love.’ The knowledge of principles conduces to the making of a complete Christian.

[2] This grounding is the best way to being settled: ‘grounded and settled.’ A tree, that it may be well settled, must be well rooted; so, if you would be well settled in religion, you must be rooted in its principles. We read in Plutarch of one who set up a dead man, and he would not stand. ‘Oh,’ said he, ‘there should be something within.’ So, that we may stand in shaking times, there must be a principle of knowledge within; first grounded, and then settled. That the ship may be kept from overturning, it must have its anchor fastened. Knowledge of principles is to the soul as the anchor to the ship, that holds it steady in the midst of the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of persecution. First grounded and then settled.

Use one: See the reason why so many people are unsettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and dress themselves in as many religions as fashions; it is because they are ungrounded. See how the apostle joins these two together, ’unlearned and unstable.’ 2 Pet 3:16. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity are unstable. As the body cannot be strong that has the sinews shrunk; so neither can that Christian be strong in religion who wants the grounds of knowledge, which are the sinews to strengthen and stablish him.

Use two: See what great necessity there is of laying down the main grounds of religion in a way of catechising, that the weakest judgement may be instructed in the knowledge of the truth, and strengthened in the love of it. Catechising is the best expedient for the grounding and settling of people. I fear one reason why there has been no more good done by preaching, has been because the chief heads and articles in religion have not been explained in a catechistical way. Catechising is laying the foundation. Heb 6:6: To preach and not to catechise is to build without foundation. This way of catechising is not novel, it is apostolic. The primitive church had their forms of catechism, as those phrases imply, a ‘form of sound words,’ 2 Tim 1:13, end ‘the first principles of the oracles of God,’ Heb 5:52. The church had its catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the ancient fathers have written for it, as Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God has given great success to it. By thus laying down the grounds of religion catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian faith, insomuch that Julian the apostate, seeing the great success of catechising, put down all schools and places of public literature, and instructing of youth. It is my design, therefore (with the blessing of God); to begin this work of catechising the next Sabbath day; and I intend every other Sabbath, in the afternoon, to make it my whole work to lay down the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a catechistical way. If I am hindered in this work by men, or taken away by death, I hope God will raise up some other labourer in the vineyard among you, that may perfect the work which I am now beginning.

2. Introduction

1. Man’s Chief End

Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God.

I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: ‘That God in all things may be glorified.’ The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. ‘Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.’ Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; now, man being a rational creature, must propose some end to himself, and that should be, that he may lift up God in the world. He had better lose his life than the end of his living. The great truth is asserted, that the end of every man’s living should be to glorify God. Glorifying God has respect to all the persons in the Trinity; it respects God the Father who gave us life; God the Son, who lost his life for us; and God the Holy Ghost, who produces a new life in us; we must bring glory to the whole Trinity.

When we speak of God’s glory, the question will be moved, What are we to understand by God’s glory?

There is a twofold glory: [1] The glory that God has in himself, his intrinsic glory. Glory is essential to the Godhead, as light is to the sun: he is called the ‘God of Glory.’ Acts 7:7. Glory is the sparkling of the Deity; it is so co-natural to the Godhead, that God cannot be God without it. The creature’s honour is not essential to his being. A king is a man without his regal ornaments, when his crown and royal robes are taken away; but God’s glory is such an essential part of his being, that he cannot be God without it. God’s very life lies in his glory. This glory can receive no addition, because it is infinite; it is that which God is most tender of, and which he will not part with. Isa 48:8: ‘My glory I will not give to another.’ God will give temporal blessings to his children, such as wisdom, riches, honour; he will give them spiritual blessings, he will give them grace, he will give them his love, he will give them heaven; but his essential glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a ring off his finger to Joseph, and a gold chain, but he would not part with his throne. Gen 41:10. ‘Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.’ So God will do much for his people; he will give them the inheritance; he will put some of Christ’s glory, as mediator, upon them; but his essential glory he will not part with; ‘in the throne he will be greater.’ [2] The glory which is ascribed to God, or which his creatures labour to bring to him. I Chron 16:69. ‘Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name.’ And, I Cor 6:60. ‘Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit.’ The glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others. Phil 1:10. ‘Christ shall be magnified in my body.’

What is it to glorify God?

Glorifying God consists in four things: 1: Appreciation, 2. Adoration, 3. Affection, 4. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.

[1] Appreciation. To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts, and to have a venerable esteem of him. Psa 92:2. ‘Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.’ Psa 97:7. ‘Thou art exalted far above all gods.’ There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and delight; there is a constellation of all beauties; he is prima causa, the original and springhead of being, who sheds a glory upon the creature. We glorify God, when we are God-admirers; admire his attributes, which are the glistering beams by which the divine nature shines forth; his promises which are the charter of free grace, and the spiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid; the noble effects of his power and wisdom in making the world, which is called ‘the work of his fingers.’ Psa 8:8. To glorify God is to have God-admiring thoughts; to esteem him most excellent, and search for diamonds in this rock only.

[2] Glorifying God consists in adoration, or worship. Psa 29:9. ‘Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.’ There is a twofold worship: (1.) A civil reverence which we give to persons of honour. Gen 23:3. ‘Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth.’ Piety is no enemy to courtesy. (2.) A divine worship which we give to God as his royal prerogative. Neh 8:8. ‘They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground.’ This divine worship God is very jealous of; it is the apple of his eye, the pearl of his crown; which he guards, as he did the tree of life, with cherubims and a flaming sword, that no man may come near it to violate it. Divine worship must be such as God himself has appointed, else it is offering strange fire. Lev 10:0: The Lord would have Moses make the tabernacle, ‘according to the pattern in the mount.’ Exod 25:50. He must not leave out anything in the pattern, nor add to it. If God was so exact and curious about the place of worship, how exact will he be about the matter of his worship! Surely here everything must be according to the pattern prescribed in his word.

[3] Affection. This is part of the glory we give to God, who counts himself glorified when he is loved. Deut 6:6. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.’ There is a twofold love: (1.) Amor concupiscentiae, a love of concupiscence, which is self-love; as when we love another, because he does us a good turn. A wicked man may be said to love God, because he has given him a good harvest, or filled his cup with wine. This is rather to love God’s blessing than to love God. (2.) Amor amicitiae, a love of delight, as a man takes delight in a friend. This is to love God indeed; the heart is set upon God, as a man’s heart is set upon his treasure. This love is exuberant, not a few drops, but a stream. It is superlative; we give God the best of our love, the cream of it. Cant 8:8. ‘I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.’ If the spouse had a cup more juicy and spiced, Christ must drink of it. It is intense and ardent. True saints are seraphims, burning in holy love to God. The spouse was amore perculsa, in fainting fits, ‘sick of love.’ Cant 2:2. Thus to love God is to glorify him. He who is the chief of our happiness has the chief of our affections.

[4] Subjection. This is when we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready dressed for his service. Thus the angels in heaven glorify him; they wait on his throne, and are ready to take a commission from him; therefore they are represented by the cherubims with wings displayed, to show how swift they are in their obedience. We glorify God when we are devoted to his service; our head studies for him, our tongue pleads for him, and our hands relieve his members. The wise men that came to Christ did not only bow the knee to him, but presented him with gold and myrrh. Matt 2:2: So we must not only bow the knee, give God worship, but bring presents of golden obedience. We glorify God when we stick at no service, when we fight under the banner of his gospel against an enemy, and say to him as David to King Saul, ‘Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ I Sam 17:72.

A good Christian is like the sun, which not only sends forth heat, but goes its circuit round the world. Thus, he who glorifies God, has not only his affections heated with love to God, but he goes his circuit too; he moves vigorously in the sphere of obedience.

Why must we glorify God?

[1] Because he gives us our being. Psa 100:0. ‘It is he that made us.’ We think it a great kindness in a man to spare our life, but what kindness is it in God to give us our life! We draw our breath from him; and as life, so all the comforts of life are from him. He gives us health, which is the sauce to sweeten our life; and food, which is the oil that nourishes the lamp of life. If all we receive is from his bounty, is it not reasonable we should glorify him? Should we not live to him, seeing we live by him? Rom 11:16. ‘For of him, and through him, are all things.’ All we have is of his fulness, all we have is through his free grace; and therefore to him should be all. It follows, therefore, ‘To him be glory for ever.’ God is not our benefactor only, but our founder, as rivers that come from the sea empty their silver streams into the sea again.

[2] Because God has made all things for his own glory. Prov 16:6. ‘The Lord has made all things for himself:’ that is, ‘for his glory.’ As a king has excise out of commodities, so God will have glory out of everything. He will have glory out of the wicked. If they will not give him glory, he will get glory upon them. Exod 14:17. ‘I will get me honour upon Pharaoh.’ But especially has he made the godly for his glory; they are the lively organs of his praise. Isa 43: 21. ‘This people have I formed for myself, and they shall shew forth my praise.’ It is true, they cannot add to his glory, but they may exalt it; they cannot raise him in heaven, but they may raise him in the esteem of others here. God has adopted the saints into his family, and made them a royal priesthood, that they should show forth the praise of him who has called them. I Pet 2:2.

[3] Because the glory of God has intrinsic value and excellence; it transcends the thoughts of men, and the tongues of angels. His glory is his treasure, all his riches lie here; as Micah said. Judges 18:84. ‘What have I more?’ So, what has God more? God’s glory is more worth than heaven, and more worth than the salvation of all men’s souls. Better kingdoms be thrown down, better men and angels be annihilated, than God should lose one jewel of his crown, one beam of his glory.

[4] Creatures below us, and above us, bring glory to God; and do we think to sit rent free? Shall everything glorify God but man? It is a pity then that man was ever made. (1.) Creatures below us glorify God, the inanimate creatures and the heavens glorify God. ‘The heavens declare the glory of God.’ Psa 19:9: The curious workmanship of heaven sets forth the glory of its Maker; the firmament is beautified and pencilled out in blue and azure colours, where the power and wisdom of God may be clearly seen. ‘The heavens declare his glory:, we may see the glory of God blazing in the sun, and twinkling in the stars. Look into the air, the birds, with their chirping music, sing hymns of praise to God. Every beast in its kind glorifies God. Isa 43:30. ‘The beast of the field shall honour me.’ (2.) Creatures above us glorify God: ‘the angels are ministering spirits.’ Heb 1:14. They are still waiting on God’s throne, and bring some revenues of glory into the exchequer of heaven. Surely man should be much more studious of God’s glory than the angels; for God has honoured him more than the angels, in that Christ took man’s nature upon him, and not the angels, Though, in regard of creation, God made man ‘a little lower than the angels,’ Heb 2:2, yet in regard of redemption, God has set him higher than the angels. He has married mankind to himself; the angels are Christ’s friends, not his spouse. He has covered us with the purple robe of righteousness, which is a better righteousness than the angels have. 2 Cor 5:5I. If then the angels bring glory to God, much more should we, being dignified with honour above angelic spirits.

[5] We must bring glory to God, because all our hopes hang upon him. Psa 39:9. ‘My hope is in thee.’ And Psa 62:2. ‘My expectation is from him;’ I expect a kingdom from him. A child that is good-natured will honour his parent, by expecting all he needs from him. Psa 87:7. ‘All my springs are in thee.’ The silver springs of grace, and the golden springs of glory are in him.

In how many ways may we glorify God?

[1] It is glorifying God when we aim purely at his glory. It is one thing to advance God’s glory, another thing to aim at it. God must be the Terminus ad quem, the ultimate end of all actions. Thus Christ, John 8:80, ’I seek not mine own glory, but the glory of him that sent me.’ A hypocrite has a squint eye, for he looks more to his own glory than God’s. Our Saviour deciphers such, and gives a caveat against them in Matthew 6: 2, ‘When thou givest alms, do not sound a trumpet.’ A stranger would ask, ‘What means the noise of this trumpet?’ It was answered, ‘They are going to give to the poor.’ And so they did not give alms, but sell them for honour and applause, that they might have glory of men; the breath of men was the wind that blew the sails of their charity; ‘verily they have their reward.’ The hypocrite may make his acquittance and write, ‘received in full payment.’ Chrysostom calls vain-glory one of the devil’s great nets to catch men. And Cyprian says, ‘Whom Satan cannot prevail against by intemperance, those he prevails against by pride and vainglory.’ Oh let us take heed of self-worshipping! Aim purely at God’s glory. We do this,

(1.) When we prefer God’s glory above all other things; above credit, estate, relations; when the glory of God coming in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations lie in our way to heaven, we must either leap over them, or tread upon them. A child must unchild himself, and forget he is a child; he must know neither father nor mother in God’s cause. Deut 33:3. ‘Who said unto his father and mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren.’ This is to aim at God’s glory.

(2.) We aim at God’s glory, when we are content that God’s will should take place, though it may cross ours. Lord, I am content to be a loser, if thou be a gainer; to have less health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory. Let it be food or bitter physic if thou givest it me. Lord, I desire that which may be most for thy glory. Our blessed Saviour said, ‘Not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Matt 26:69. If God might have more glory by his sufferings, he was content to suffer. John 12:28. ‘Father, glorify thy name.’

(3.) We aim at God’s glory when we are content to be outshined by others in gifts and esteem, so that his glory may be increased. A man that has God in his heart, and God’s glory in his eye, desires that God should be exalted; and if this be effected, let who will be the instrument, he rejoices. Phil 1:15. ‘Some preach Christ of envy: notwithstanding, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice’; they preached Christ of envy, they envied Paul that concourse of people, and they preached that they might outshine him in gifts, and get away some of his hearers: well, says Paul, Christ is preached, and God is like to have the glory, therefore I rejoice; let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine.

[2] We glorify God by an ingenuous confession of sin. The thief on the cross had dishonoured God in his life, but at his death he brought glory to God by confession of sin. Luke 23:3I. ‘We indeed suffer justly.’ He acknowledged he deserved not only crucifixion, but damnation. Josh 7:19. ‘My son, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confession unto him.’ A humble confession exalts God. How is God’s free grace magnified in crowning those who deserve to be condemned! The excusing and mincing of sin casts a reproach upon God. Adam denied not that he tasted the forbidden fruit, but, instead of a full confession, he taxed God. Gen 3:32. ‘The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat;’ if thou hadst not given me the woman to be a tempter, I had not sinned. Confession glorifies God, because it clears him; it acknowledges that he is holy and righteous, whatever he does. Nehemiah vindicates God’s righteousness; chap 9:93. ‘Thou art just in all that is brought upon us.’ A confession is ingenuous when it is free, not forced. Luke 15:58. ‘I have sinned against heaven and before thee.’ The prodigal charged himself with sin before his father charged him with it.

[3] We glorify God by believing. Rom 4:40. ‘Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God.’ Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the lie; ‘he that believeth not, maketh God a liar.’ I John 5:50. But faith brings glory to God; it sets to its seal that God is true. John 3:33. He that believes flies to God’s mercy and truth, as to an altar of refuge; he engarrisons himself in the promises, and trusts all he has with God. Psa 31:1. ‘Into thy hands I commit my spirit.’ This is a great way of bringing glory to God, and God honours faith, because faith honours him. It is a great honour we do to a man when we trust him with all we have, when we put our lives and estates into his hand; it is a sign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing. ‘The God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and will deliver us.’ Dan 3:17. Faith knows there are no impossibilities with God, and will trust him where it cannot trace him.

[4] We glorify God, by being tender of his glory. God’s glory is dear to him as the apple of his eye. An ingenuous child weeps to see a disgrace done to his father. Psa 69:9. ‘The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.’ When we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached; when God’s glory suffers, it is as if we suffered. This is to be tender of God’s glory.

[5] We glorify God by fruitfulness. John 15:5. ‘Hereby is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.’ As it is dishonouring God to be barren, so fruitfulness honours him. Phil 1:1: ‘Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the praise of his glory.’ We must not be like the fig tree in the gospel, which had nothing but leaves, but like the pomecitron, that is continually either mellowing or blossoming, and is never without fruit. It is not profession, but fruit that glorifies God. God expects to have his glory from us in this way. I Cor 9: 7. ‘Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit of it?’ Trees in the forest may be barren, but trees in the garden are fruitful. We must bring forth the fruits of love and good works. Matt 5:16. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ Faith sanctifies our works, and works testify our faith; to be doing good to others, to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, much glorifies God. Thus Christ glorified his Father; ‘he went about doing good.’ Acts 10:08. By being fruitful, we are fair in God’s eyes. Jer 11:16. ‘The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit.’ And we must bear much fruit; it is muchness of fruit that glorifies God: ‘if ye bear much fruit.’ The spouse’s breasts are compared to clusters of grapes, to show how fertile she was. Cant 7:7. Though the lowest degree of grace may bring salvation to you, yet it will not bring much glory to God. It was not a spark of love Christ commended in Mary, but much love; ‘she loved much.’ Luke 7:77.

[6] We glorify God, by being contented in that state in which Providence has placed us. We give God the glory of his wisdom, when we rest satisfied with what he carves out to us. Thus Paul glorified God. The Lord cast him into as great variety of conditions as any man, ‘in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft,’ 2 Cor 11:13, yet he had learned to be content. Paul could sail either in a storm or a calm; he could be anything that God would have him; he could either want or abound. Phil 4:13. A good Christian argues thus: It is God that has put me in this condition; he could have raised me higher, if he pleased, but that might have been a snare to me: he has done it in wisdom and love; therefore I will sit down satisfied with my condition. Surely this glorifies God much; God counts himself much honoured by such a Christian. Here, says God, is one after mine own heart; let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content. This shows abundance of grace. When grace is crowning, it is not so much to be content; but when grace is conflicting with inconveniences, then to be content is a glorious thing indeed. For one to be content when he is in heaven is no wonder; but to be content under the cross is like a Christian. This man must needs bring glory to God; for he shows to all the world, that though he has little meal in his barrel, yet he has enough in God to make him content: he says, as David, Psa 16: 5,’The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance; the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places.’

[7] We glorify God by working out our own salvation. God has twisted together his glory and our good. We glorify him by promoting our own salvation. It is a glory to God to have multitudes of converts; now, his design of free grace takes, and God has the glory of his mercy; so that, while we are endeavouring our salvation, we are honouring God. What an encouragement is this to the service of God, to think, while I am hearing and praying, I am glorifying God; while I am furthering my own glory in heaven, I am increasing God’s glory. Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say to him, You will honour and please me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.

[8] We glorify God by living to God. 2 Cor 5:55. ‘That they which live should not live to themselves, but unto him who died for them.’ Rom 14:4. ‘Whether we live, we live unto the Lord.’ The Mammonist lives to his money, the Epicure lives to his belly; the design of a sinner’s life is to gratify lust, but we glorify God when we live to God. We live to God when we live to his service, and lay ourselves out wholly for God. The Lord has sent us into the world, as a merchant sends his factor beyond the seas to trade for him. We live to God when we trade for his interest, and propagate his gospel. God has given every man a talent; and when a man does not hide it in a napkin, but improves it for God, he lives to God. When a master in a family, by counsel and good example, labours to bring his servants to Christ; when a minister spends himself, and is spent, that he may win souls to Christ, and make the crown flourish upon Christ’s head; when the magistrate does not wear the sword in vain, but labours to cut down sin, and to suppress vice; this is to live to God, and this is glorifying God. Phil 1:10. ‘That Christ might be magnified, whether by life or by death.’ Three wishes Paul had, and they were all about Christ; that he might be found in Christ, be with Christ, and magnify Christ.

[9] We glorify God by walking cheerfully. It brings glory to God, when the world sees a Christian has that within him that can make him cheerful in the worst times; that can enable him, with the nightingale, to sing with a thorn at his breast. The people of God have ground for cheerfulness. They are justified and adopted, and this creates inward peace; it makes music within, whatever storms are without. 2 Cor 1:1. I Thess 1:1. If we consider what Christ has wrought for us by his blood, and wrought in us by his Spirit, it is a ground of great cheerfulness, and this cheerfulness glorifies God. It reflects upon a master when the servant is always drooping and sad; sure he is kept to hard commons, his master does not give him what is fitting; so, when God’s people hang their heads, it looks as if they did not serve a good master, or repented of their choice, which reflects dishonour on God. As the gross sins of the wicked bring a scandal on the gospel, so do the uncheerful lives of the godly. Ps 100:0. ‘Serve the Lord with gladness.’ Your serving him does not glorify him, unless it be with gladness. A Christian’s cheerful looks glorify God; religion does not take away our joy, but refines it; it does not break our viol, but tunes it, and makes the music sweeter.

[10] We glorify God, by standing up for his truths. Much of God’s glory lies in his truth. God has intrusted us with his truth, as a master intrusts his servant with his purse to keep. We have not a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor has God a richer jewel to trust us with than his truth. Truth is a beam that shines from God. Much of his glory lies in his truth. When we are advocates for truth we glorify God. Jude 3. ‘That ye should contend earnestly for the truth.’ The Greek word to contend signifies great contending, as one would contend for his land, and not suffer his right to be taken from him; so we should contend for the truth. Were there more of this holy contention God would have more glory. Some contend earnestly for trifles and ceremonies, but not for the truth. We should count him indiscreet that would contend more for a picture than for his inheritance; for a box of counters than for his box of title deeds.

[II] We glorify God, by praising him. Doxology, or praise, is a God-exalting work. Psa 1:23. ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.’ The Hebrew word Bara, to create, and Barak, to praise, are little different, because the end of creation is to praise God. David was called the sweet singer of Israel, and his praising God was called glorifying God. Psa 86:12. ‘I will praise thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name.’ Though nothing can add to God’s essential glory, yet praise exalts him in the eyes of others. When we praise God, we spread his fame and renown, we display the trophies of his excellency. In this manner the angels glorify him; they are the choristers of heaven, and do trumpet forth his praise. Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion. In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels. Believers are called ‘temples of God.’ I Cor 3:16. When our tongues praise, then the organs in God’s spiritual temple are sounding. How sad is it that God has no more glory from us in this way! Many are full of murmuring and discontent, but seldom bring glory to God, by giving him the praise due to his name. We read of the saints having harps in their hands, the emblems of praise. Many have tears in their eyes, and complaints in their mouth, but few have harps in their hand, blessing and glorifying God. Let us honour God this way. Praise is the quit-rent we pay to God: while God renews our lease, we must renew our rent.

[12] We glorify God, by being zealous for his name. Numb 25:5: ‘Phinehas has turned my wrath away, while he was zealous for my sake.’ Zeal is a mixed affection, a compound of love and anger; it carries forth our love to God, and our anger against sin in an intense degree. Zeal is impatient of God’s dishonour; a Christian fired with zeal, takes a dishonour done to God worse than an injury done to himself. Rev 2:2. ‘Thou canst not bear them that are evil.’ Our Saviour Christ thus glorified his Father; he, being baptized with a spirit of zeal, drove the money-changers out of the temple. John 2:14-17. ‘The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.

[13] We glorify God, when we have an eye to God in our natural and in our civil actions. In our natural actions; in eating and drinking. I Cor 10:0I. ‘Whether therefore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.’ A gracious person holds the golden bridle of temperance; he takes his meat as a medicine to heal the decays of nature, that he may be the fitter, by the strength he receives, for the service of God; he makes his food, not fuel for lust, but help to duty. In buying and selling, we do all to the glory of God. The wicked live upon unjust gain, by falsifying the balances, as in Hosea 12:2. ‘The balances of deceit are in his hands;’ and thus while men make their weights lighter, they make their sins heavier, when by exacting more than the commodity is worth, they do not for fourscore write down fifty, but for fifty four-score; when they exact double the price that a thing is worth. We buy and sell to the glory of God, when we observe that golden maxim, ‘To do to others as we would have them do to us;’ so that when we sell our commodities, we do not sell our consciences also. Acts 24:16. ‘Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards men.’ We glorify God, when we have an eye to God in all our civil and natural actions, and do nothing that may reflect any blemish on religion.

[14] We glorify God by labouring to draw others to God; by seeking to convert others, and so make them instruments of glorifying God. We should be both diamonds and loadstones; diamonds for the lustre of grace, and loadstones for attractive virtue in drawing others to Christ. Gal 4:19. ‘My little children, of whom I travail,’ It is a great way of glorifying God, when we break open the devil’s prison, and turn men from the power of Satan to God.

[15] We glorify God in a high degree when we suffer for God, and seal the gospel with our blood. John 21:18, 19. ‘When thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not: this spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.’ God’s glory shines in the ashes of his martyrs. Isa 24:15. ‘Wherefore glorify the Lord in the fires.’ Micaiah was in the prison, Isaiah was sawn asunder, Paul beheaded, Luke hanged on an olive tree; thus did they, by their death, glorify God. The sufferings of the primitive saints did honour to God, and made the gospel famous in the world. What would others say? See what a good master they serve, and how they love him, that they will venture the loss of all in his service. The glory of Christ’s kingdom does not stand in worldly pomp and grandeur, as other kings’; but it is seen in the cheerful sufferings of his people. The saints of old ‘loved not their lives to the death.’ Rev 12:2: They embraced torments as so many crowns. God grant we may thus glorify him, if he calls us to it. Many pray, ‘Let this cup pass away,’ but few, ‘Thy will be done.’

[16] We glorify God, when we give God the glory of all that we do. When Herod had made an oration, and the people gave a shout, saying, ‘It is the voice of a God, and not of a man,’ he took the glory to himself; the text says, ‘Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms.’ Acts 12:23. We glorify God, when we sacrifice the praise and glory of all to God. I Cor 15:50. ‘I laboured more abundantly than they all,’ a speech, one would think, savoured of pride; but the apostle pulls the crown from his own head, and sets it upon the head of free grace: ‘yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ As Joab, when he fought against Rabbah, sent for King David, that he might carry away the crown of the victory, 2 Sam 12:28, so a Christian, when he has gotten power over any corruption or temptation, sends for Christ, that he may carry away the crown of the victory. As the silkworm, when she weaves her curious work, hides herself under the silk, and is not seen; so when we have done anything praiseworthy, we must hide ourselves under the veil of humility, and transfer the glory of all we have done to God. As Constantine used to write the name of Christ over his door, so should we write the name of Christ over our duties. Let him wear the garland of praise.

[17] We glorify God by a holy life. A bad life dishonours God. I Pet 2:2. ‘Ye are an holy nation, that ye should shew forth the praises of him that has called you.’ Rom 2:24. ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.’ Epiphanius says, ‘That the looseness of some Christians in his time made many of the heathens shun their company, and would not be drawn to hear their sermons.’ By our exact Bible-conversation we glorify God. Though the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet our light must so shine that others may behold it. The safety of a building is the foundation, but the glory of it is in the frontispiece; so the beauty of faith is in the conversation. When the saints, who are called jewels, cast a sparkling lustre of holiness in the eyes of the world, then they ‘walk as Christ walked.’ I John 2:6. When they live as if they had seen the Lord with bodily eyes, and been with him upon the mount, they adorn religion, and bring revenues of glory to the crown of heaven.

Use one: This subject shows us that our chief end should not be to get great estates, not to lay up treasures upon earth; which is the degeneracy of mankind since the fall. Sometimes they never arrive at an estate, they do not get the venison they hunt for; or if they do, what have they? that which will not fill the heart any more than the mariner’s breath will fill the sails of the ship. They spend their time, as Israel, in gathering straw, but remember not, that the end of living is to glorify God. Eccles 5:16. ‘What profit has he that laboureth for the wind?’ These things are soon gone.

Use two: It reproves such, (1.) As bring no glory to God; who do not answer the end of their creation; whose time is not time lived, but time lost; who are like the wood of the vine, Ezek 15:5; whose lives are, as St Bernard speaks ‘either sinfulness or barrenness. A useless burden on the earth.’ God will one day ask such a question as King Ahasuerus did, Esth 6:6. ‘What honour and dignity has been done to Mordecai?’ What honour has been done to me? what revenues of glory have you brought into my exchequer? There is no one here present but God has put in some capacity of glorifying him; the health he has given you, the parts, estate, seasons of grace, all are opportunities put into your hand to glorify him; and, be assured, he will call you to account, to know what you have done with the mercies he has entrusted you with, what glory you have brought to him. The parable of the talents, where the men with the five talents and the two talents are brought to a reckoning, evidently shows that God will call you to a strict account, to know how you have traded with your talents, and what glory you have brought to him. Now, how sad will it be with them who hide their talents in a napkin, that bring God no glory at all! Matt 25:50. ‘Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.’ It is not enough for you to say, that you have not dishonoured God, you have not lived in gross sin; but what good have you done? what glory have you brought to God? It is not enough for the servant of the vineyard that he does no hurt in the vineyard, that he does not break the trees, or destroy the hedges; if he does not do service in the vineyard, he loses his pay; so, if you do not good in your place, do not glorify God, you will lose your pay, you will miss of salvation. Oh, think of this, all you that live unserviceable! Christ cursed the barren fig tree.

(2.) It reproves such as are so far from bringing glory to God, that they rob God of his glory. Mal 3:3. ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me.’ They rob God, who take the glory due to God to themselves. 1: If they have gotten an estate, they ascribe all to their own wit and industry, they set the crown upon their own head, not considering that, Deut 8:18, ‘Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.’ 2. If they do any duty of religion, they look to their own glory. Matt 6:6. ‘That they may be seen of men;’ that they may be set upon a theatre for others to admire and canonise them. The oil of vainglory feeds their lamp. How many by the wind of popular breath have been blown to hell! Whom the devil cannot destroy by intemperance, he does by vainglory.

(3.) It reproves those who fight against God’s glory. Acts 5:59. ‘Lest ye be found to fight against God.’ Such as oppose that whereby God’s glory is promoted fight against God’s glory. His glory is much promoted by the preaching of the word, which is his engine whereby he converts souls. Now, such as would hinder the preaching of the word fight against God’s glory. I Thess 3:16. ‘Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved.’ Diocletian, who raised the tenth persecution against the Christians, prohibited church meetings, and would have the temples of the Christians to be razed down. Such as hinder preaching, as the Philistines that stopped the wells, stop the well of the water of life. They take away the physicians that should heal sin-sick souls. Ministers are lights, Matt 5:14, and who but thieves hate the light? They directly strike at God’s glory; and what an account will they have to give to God, when he shall charge the blood of men’s souls upon them! Luke 11:12. ‘Ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.’ If there be either justice in heaven, or fire in hell, they shall not go unpunished.

Use three: Exhortation. Let every one of us, in our place, make it our chief end and design to glorify God. (1.) Let me speak to magistrates. God has put much glory upon them. Psa 82:2. ‘I have said, Ye are Gods;’ and will they not glorify him who has put so much glory upon them? (2.) Ministers should study to promote God’s glory. God has entrusted them with two of the most precious things, his truth, and the souls of his people. Ministers, by virtue of their office, are to glorify God. They must glorify God, by labouring in the word and doctrine. 2 Tim 4:4: ‘I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead: preach the word, be instant in season, out of season,’ etc. It was Augustine’s wish, ‘that Christ, at his coming, might find him either praying or preaching.’ Ministers must glorify God by their zeal and sanctity. The priests under the law, before they served at the altar, washed in the laver; so, such as serve in the Lord’s house, must first be washed from gross sin in the laver of repentance. It is matter of grief and shame to think how many, who call themselves ministers, instead of bringing glory to God, dishonour him. 2 Chron 11:15. Their lives, as well as their doctrines, are heterodox; they are not free from the sins which they reprove in others. Plutarch’s servant upbraided him, by saying, ‘he has written a book against anger, et ipse mihi irascitur, yet he falls into a passion of anger with me.’ So is a minister who preaches against drunkenness, yet he himself is drunk; he preaches against swearing, yet he himself swears! (3.) Masters of families must glorify God, must season their children and servants with the knowledge of the Lord; their houses should be little churches. Gen 18:19. ‘I know that Abraham will command his children, that they may keep the way of the Lord.’ You that are masters have a charge of souls. For want of the bridle of family discipline youth runs wild.

It will be a great comfort in a dying hour, to think we have glorified God in our lives. It was Christ’s comfort before his death: John 17:7. ‘I have glorified thee on the earth.’ At the hour of death, all your earthly comforts will vanish: if you think how rich you have been, what pleasures you have had on earth; this will be so far from comforting you, that it will torment you the more. What is one the better for an estate that is spent? But to have conscience telling you, that you have glorified God on the earth, what sweet comfort and peace will this let into your soul! how will it make you long for death! The servant that has been all day working in the vineyard longs till evening comes, when he shall receive his pay. How can they who have lived, and brought no glory to God, think of dying with comfort? They cannot expect a harvest where they sowed no seed. How can they expect glory from God, who never brought any glory to him? Oh in what horror will they be at death! The worm of conscience will gnaw their souls, before the worms can gnaw their bodies.

If we glorify God, he will glorify our souls for ever. By raising God’s glory, we increase our own: by glorifying God, we come at last to the blessed enjoyment of him.

11. Man’s chief end is to enjoy God for ever. Psalm 73:35. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee?’ That is, What is there in heaven I desire to enjoy but thee? There is a twofold fruition or enjoying of God; the one is in this life, the other in the life to come.

[1] The enjoyment of God in this life. It is a great matter to enjoy God’s ordinances, but to enjoy God’s presence in the ordinances is that which a gracious heart aspires after. Psalm 63:3. ‘To see thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.’ This sweet enjoyment of God, is, when we feel his Spirit co-operating with the ordinance, and distilling grace upon our hearts, when in the Word the Spirit quickens and raises the affections, Luke 24:42, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us?’, when the Spirit transforms the heart, leaving an impress of holiness upon it. 2 Cor 3:18. ‘We are changed into the same image, from glory to glory.’ When the Spirit revives the heart with comfort, it comes not only with its anointing, but with its seal; it sheds God’s love abroad in the heart. Rom 5:5. ‘Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.’ I John 1: 3. In the Word we hear God’s voice, in the sacrament we have his kiss. The heart being warmed and inflamed in a duty is God’s answering by fire. The sweet communications of God’s Spirit are the first-fruits of glory. Now Christ has pulled off his veil, and showed his smiling face; now he has led a believer into the banqueting-house, and given him of the spiced wine of his love to drink; he has put in his finger at the hole of the door; he has touched the heart, and made it leap for joy. Oh how sweet is it thus to enjoy God! The godly have, in ordinances, had such divine raptures of joy, and soul transfigurations, that they have been carried above the world, and have despised all things here below.

Use one: Is the enjoyment of God in this life so sweet? How wicked are they who prefer the enjoyment of their lusts before the enjoyment of God! 2 Pet 3:3. ‘The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life,’ is the Trinity they worship. Lust is an inordinate desire or impulse, provoking the soul to that which is evil. There is the revengeful lust, and the wanton lust. Lust, like a feverish heat, puts the soul into a flame. Aristotle calls sensual lusts brutish, because, when any lust is violent, reason or conscience cannot be heard. These lusts besot and brutalise the man. Hos 4:41. ‘Whoredom and wine take away the heart;’ the heart for anything that is good. How many make it their chief end, not to enjoy God, but to enjoy their lusts!; as that cardinal who said, ‘Let him but keep his cardinalship of Paris, and he was content to lose his part in Paradise.’ Lust first bewitches with pleasure, and then comes the fatal dart. Prov 7:73. ‘Till a dart strike through his liver.’ This should be as a flaming sword to stop men in the way of their carnal delights. Who for a drop of pleasure would drink a sea of wrath?

Use two: Let it be our great care to enjoy God’s sweet presence in his ordinances. Enjoying spiritual communion with God is a riddle and mystery to most people. Every one that hangs about the court does not speak with the king. We may approach God in ordinances, and hang about the court of heaven, yet not enjoy communion with God. We may have the letter without the Spirit, the visible sign without the invisible grace. It is the enjoyment of God in a duty that we should chiefly look at. Psa 13:3. ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.’ Alas! what are all our worldly enjoyments without the enjoyment of God! What is it to enjoy good health, a brave estate, and not to enjoy God? Job 30:08. ‘I went mourning without the sun.’ So mayest thou say in the enjoyment of all creatures without God, ‘I went mourning without the sun.’ I have the starlight of outward enjoyments, but I want the Sun of Righteousness. ‘I went mourning without the sun.’ It should be our great design, not only to have the ordinances of God, but the God of the ordinances. The enjoyment of God’s sweet presence here is the most contented life: he is a hive of sweetness, a magazine of riches, a fountain of delight. Psalm 36:6, 9. The higher the lark flies the sweeter it sings: and the higher we fly by the wings of faith, the more we enjoy of God. How is the heart inflamed in prayer and meditation! What joy and peace is there in believing! Is it not comfortable being in heaven? He that enjoys much of God in this life carries heaven about him. Oh let this be the thing we are chiefly ambitious of, the enjoyment of God in his ordinances! The enjoyment of God’s sweet presence here is an earnest of our enjoying him in heaven.

This brings us to the second thing:

[2] The enjoyment of God in the life to come. Man’s chief end is to enjoy God for ever. Before the plenary fruition of God in heaven, there must be something previous and antecedent; and that is, our being in a state of grace. We must have conformity to him in grace, before we can have communion with him in glory. Grace and glory are linked and chained together. Grace precedes glory, as the morning star ushers in the sun. God will have us qualified and fitted for a state of blessedness. Drunkards and swearers are not fit to enjoy God in glory; the Lord will not lay such vipers in his bosom. Only the ‘pure in heart shall see God.’ We must first be, as the king’s daughter, glorious within, before we are clothed with the robes of glory. As King Ahasuerus first caused the virgins to be purified and anointed, and they had their sweet odours to perfume them, and then went to stand before the king, Esth 2:22, so must we have the anointing of God, and be perfumed with the graces of the Spirit, those sweet odours, and then we shall stand before the king of heaven. Being thus divinely qualified by grace, we shall be taken up to the mount of vision, and enjoy God for ever; and what is enjoying God for ever but to be put in a state of happiness? As the body cannot have life but by having communion with the soul, so the soul cannot have blessedness but by having immediate communion with God. God is the summum bonum, the chief good; therefore the enjoyment of him is the highest felicity.

He is a universal good; bonum in quo omnia bona, ‘a good, in which are all goods.’ The excellencies of the creature are limited. A man may have health, not beauty, learning, not parentage, riches, not wisdom; but in God are contained all excellencies. He is a good, commensurate fully to the soul; a sun, a portion, a horn of salvation; in whom dwells ‘all fulness.’ Col 1:19. God is an unmixed good. There is no condition in this life but has its mixture; for every drop of honey there is a drop of gall. Solomon, who gave himself to find out the philosopher’s stone, to search out for happiness here below, found nothing but vanity and vexation. Eccl 1:1. God is perfect, the quintessence of good. He is sweetness in the flower. God is a satisfying good. The soul cries out, I have enough. Psalm 17:15. ‘I shall be satisfied with thy likeness.’ Let a man who is thirsty be brought to an ocean of pure water, and he has enough. If there be enough in God to satisfy the angels, then sure there is enough to satisfy us. The soul is but finite, but God is infinite. Though God be a good that satisfies, yet he does not surfeit. Fresh joys spring continually from his face; and he is as much to be desired after millions of years by glorified souls as at the first moment. There is a fulness in God that satisfies, and yet so much sweetness, that the soul still desires. God is a delicious good. That which is the chief good must ravish the soul with pleasure; there must be in it rapturous delight and quintessence of joy. In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima immo rapitur [There is a certain sweetness about God’s person which delights, nay, rather, ravishes the soul]: The love of God drops such infinite suavity into the soul as is unspeakable and full of glory. If there be so much delight in God, when we see him only by faith, I Pet 1:1, what will the joy of vision be, when we shall see him face to face! If the saints have found so much delight in God while they were suffering, oh what joy and delight will they have when they are being crowned! If flames are beds of roses, what will it be to lean on the bosom of Jesus! What a bed of roses that will be! God is a superlative good. He is better than anything you can put in competition with him: he is better than health, riches, honour. Other things maintain life, he gives life. Who would put anything in balance with the Deity? Who would weigh a feather against a mountain of gold? God excels all other things more infinitely than the sun the light of a taper. God is an eternal good. He is the Ancient of days, yet never decays, nor waxes old. Dan 7:7. The joy he gives is eternal, the crown fadeth not away. I Pet 5:5. The glorified soul shall be ever solacing itself in God, feasting on his love, and sunning itself in the light of his countenance. We read of the river of pleasure at God’s right hand; but will not this in time be dried up? No! There is a fountain at the bottom which feeds it. Psa 36:6. ‘With the Lord is the fountain of life.’ Thus God is the chief good, and the enjoyment of God for ever is the highest felicity of which the soul is capable.

Use one: Let it be the chief end of our living to enjoy this chief good hereafter. Augustine reckons up 288 opinions among philosophers about happiness, but all were short of the mark. The highest elevation of a reasonable soul is to enjoy God for ever. It is the enjoyment of God that makes heaven. I Thess 4:17. ‘Then shall we ever be with the Lord.’ The soul trembles as the needle in the compass, and is never at rest till it comes to God. To set out this excellent state of a glorified soul’s enjoyment of God: (1.) It must not be understood in a sensual manner: we must not conceive any carnal pleasures in heaven. The Turks, in their Koran, speak of a paradise of pleasure, where they have riches in abundance, and red wine served in golden chalices. The epicures of this age would like such a heaven when they die. Though the state of glory be compared to a feast, and is set out by pearls and precious stones, yet these metaphors are only helps to our faith, and to show us that there is superabundant joy and felicity in the highest heaven; but they are not carnal but spiritual delights. Our enjoyment will be in the perfection of holiness, in seeing the pure face of Christ, in feeling the love of God, in conversing with heavenly spirits; which will be proper for the soul, and infinitely exceed all carnal voluptuous delights. (2.) We shall have a lively sense of this glorious estate. A man in a lethargy, though alive, is as good as dead, because he is not sensible, nor does he take any pleasure in his life; but we shall have a quick and lively sense of the infinite pleasure which arises from the enjoyment of God: we shall know ourselves to be happy; we shall reflect with joy upon our dignity and felicity; we shall taste every crumb of that sweetness, every drop of that pleasure which flows from God. (3.) We shall be made able to bear a sight of that glory. We could not now bear that glory, it would overwhelm us, as a weak eye cannot behold the sun; but God will capacitate us for glory; our souls shall be so heavenly, and perfected with holiness, that they may be able to enjoy the blessed vision of God. Moses in a cleft of the rock saw the glory of God passing by. Exod 33:32. From our blessed rock Christ, we shall behold the beatific sight of God. (4.) This enjoyment of God shall be more than a bare contemplation of him. Some of the learned move the question, Whether the enjoyment of God shall be by way of contemplation only. That is something, but it is one half of heaven only; there shall be a loving of God, an acquiescence in him, a tasting his sweetness; not only inspection but possession. John 17:74. ‘That they may behold my glory;’ there is inspection: Verse 22. ‘And the glory thou hast given me, I have given them;’ there is possession. ‘Glory shall be revealed in us,’ Rom 8:18; not only revealed to us, but in us. To behold God’s glory, there is glory revealed to us; but, to partake of his glory, there is glory revealed in us. As the sponge sucks in the wine, so shall we suck in glory. (5.) There is no intermission in this state of glory. We shall not only have God’s glorious presence at certain special seasons; but we shall be continually in his presence, continually under divine raptures of joy. There shall not be one minute in heaven, wherein a glorified soul may say, I do not enjoy happiness. The streams of glory are not like the water of a conduit, often stopped, so that we cannot have one drop of water; but those heavenly streams of joy are continually running. Oh how should we despise this valley of tears where we now are, for the mount of transfiguration! how should we long for the full enjoyment of God in Paradise! Had we a sight of that land of promise, we should need patience to be content to live here any longer.

Use two: Let this be a spur to duty. How diligent and zealous should we be in glorifying God, that we may come at last to enjoy him! If Tully, Demosthenes, and Plato, who had but the dim watch-light of reason to see by, fancied an elysium and happiness after this life, and took such Herculean pains to enjoy it, oh how should Christians, who have the light of Scripture to see by, bestir themselves that they may attain to the eternal fruition of God and glory! If anything can make us rise off our bed of sloth, and serve God with all our might, it should be this, the hope of our near enjoyment of God for ever. What made Paul so active in the sphere of religion? I Cor 15:50. ‘I laboured more abundantly than they all.’ His obedience did not move slow, as the sun on the dial; but swift, as light from the sun. Why was he so zealous in glorifying God, but that he might at last centre and terminate in him? I Thess 4:17. ‘Then shall we ever be with the Lord.’

Use three: Let this comfort the godly in all the present miseries they feel. Thou complainest, Christian, thou dost not enjoy thyself, fears disquiet thee, wants perplex thee; in the day thou canst not enjoy ease, in the night thou canst not enjoy sleep; thou cost not enjoy the comforts of thy life. Let this revive thee, that shortly thou shalt enjoy God, and then shalt have more than thou canst ask or think; thou shalt have angels’ joy, glory without intermission or expiration. We shall never enjoy ourselves fully till we enjoy God eternally.

2. The Scriptures

Q-II: WHAT RULE HAS GOD GIVEN TO DIRECT US HOW WE MAY GLORIFY AND ENJOY HIM?

A: The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

2 Tim 3:16. ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,’ By Scripture is understood the sacred Book of God. It is given by divine inspiration; that is, the Scripture is not the contrivance of man’s brain, but is divine in its origin. The image of Diana was had in veneration by the Ephesians, because they supposed it fell from Jupiter. Acts 19:95. The holy Scripture is to be highly reverenced and esteemed, because we are sure it came from heaven. 2 Pet 1:11. The two Testaments are the two lips by which God has spoken to us.

How does it appear that the Scriptures have a Jus Divinum, a divine authority stamped upon them?

Because the Old and New Testament are the foundation of all religion. If their divinity cannot be proved, the foundation on which we build our faith is gone. I shall therefore endeavour to prove this great truth, that the Scriptures are the very word of God. I wonder whence the Scriptures should come, if not from God. Bad men could not be the authors of it. Would their minds be employed in inditing such holy lines? Would they declare so fiercely against sin? Good men could not be the authors of it. Could they write in such a strain? or could it stand with their grace to counterfeit God’s name, and put, Thus saith the Lord, to a book of their own devising? Nor could any angel in heaven be the author of it, because the angels pry and search into the abyss of gospel mysteries, I Pet 1:12, which implies their nescience of some parts of Scripture; and sure they cannot be the authors of that book which they themselves do not fully understand. Besides, what angel in heaven durst be so arrogant as to personate God and, say, ‘I create,’ Isa 65:17, and, ‘I the Lord have said it,? Numb 14:45. So that it is evident, the pedigree of Scripture is sacred, and it could come from none but God himself.

Not to speak of the harmonious consent of all the parts of Scripture, there are seven cogent arguments which may evince it to be the Word of God.

[1] Its antiquity. It is of ancient standing. The grey hairs of Scripture make it venerable. No human histories extant reach further than Noah’s flood: but the holy Scripture relates matters of fact that have been from the beginning of the world; it writes of things before time. That is a sure rule of Tertullian, ‘That which is of the greatest antiquity, id verum quod primum, is to be received as most sacred and authentic.’

[2] We may know the Scripture to be the Word of God by its miraculous preservation in all ages. The holy Scriptures are the richest jewel that Christ has left us; and the church of God has so kept these public records of heaven, that they have not been lost. The Word of God has never wanted enemies to oppose, and, if possible, to extirpate it. They have given out a law concerning Scripture, as Pharaoh did the midwives, concerning the Hebrew women’s children, to strangle it in the birth; but God has preserved this blessed Book inviolable to this day. The devil and his agents have been blowing at Scripture light, but could never blow it out; a clear sign that it was lighted from heaven. Nor has the church of God, in all revolutions and changes, kept the Scripture that it should not be lost only, but that it should not be depraved. The letter of Scripture has been preserved, without any corruption, in the original tongue. The Scriptures were not corrupted before Christ’s time, for then Christ would not have sent the Jews to them. He said, ‘Search the Scriptures.’ He knew these sacred springs were not muddied with human fancies.

[3] The Scripture appears to be the Word of God, by the matter contained in it. The mystery of Scripture is so abstruse and profound that no man or angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity should be born; that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle; that he who rules the stars should suck the breasts; that the Prince of Life should die; that the Lord of Glory should be put to shame; that sin should be punished to the full, yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of such a mystery, had not the Scripture revealed it to us? So, for the doctrine of the resurrection; that the same body which is crumbled into a thousand pieces, should rise idem numero, the same individual body, else it were a creation, not a resurrection. How could such a sacred riddle, above all human disquisition, be known, had not the Scripture made a discovery of it? As the matter of Scripture is so full of goodness, justice and sanctity, that it could be breathed from none but God; so the holiness of it shows it to be of God. Scripture is compared to silver refined seven times. Psa 12:2. The Book of God has no errata in it; it is a beam of the Sun of Righteousness, a crystal stream flowing from the fountain of life. All laws and edicts of men have had their corruptions, but the Word of God has not the least tincture, it is of meridian splendour. Psa 119:940. ‘Thy word is very pure,’ like wine that comes from the grape, which is not mixed nor adulterated. It is so pure that it purifies everything else. John 17:17. ‘Sanctify them through thy truth.’ The Scripture presses holiness, so as no other book ever did: it bids us live ‘soberly, righteously, and godly;’ Titus 2:12; soberly, in acts of temperance; righteously, in acts of justice; godly, in acts of zeal and devotion. It commends to us, whatever is ‘just, lovely, and of good report.’ Phil 4:4. This sword of the Spirit cuts down vice. Eph 6:67. Out of this tower of Scripture is thrown a millstone upon the head of sin. The Scripture is the royal law which commands not only the actions, but affections; it binds the heart to good behaviour. Where is there such holiness to be found, as is digged out of this sacred mine? Who could be the author of such a book but God himself?

[4] That the Scripture is the Word of God is evident by its predictions. It prophesies of things to come, which shows the voice of God speaking in it. It was foretold by the prophet, ‘A virgin shall conceive,’ Isa 7:14, and, the ‘Messiah shall be cut off.’ Dan 9:96. The Scripture foretells things that would fall out many ages and centuries after; as how long Israel should serve in the iron furnace, and the very day of their deliverance. Exod 12:2I. ‘At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day, it came to pass that the host of the Lord went out of Egypt.’ This prediction of future things, merely contingent, and not depending upon natural causes, is a clear demonstration of its divine origin.

[5] The impartiality of those men of God who wrote the Scriptures, who do not spare to set down their own failings. What man that writes a history would black his own face, by recording those things of himself that might stain his reputation? Moses records his own impatience when he struck the rock, and tells us, he could not on that account enter into the land of promise. David relates his own adultery and bloodshed, which stands as a blot in his escutcheon to succeeding ages. Peter relates his own pusillanimity in denying Christ. Jonah sets down his own passions, ‘I do well to be angry to the death.’ Surely had their pen not been guided by God’s own hand, they would never have written that which reflects dishonour upon themselves. Men usually rather hide their blemishes than publish them to the world; but the penmen of holy Scripture eclipse their own name; they take away all glory from themselves, and give the glory to God.

[6] The mighty power and efficacy that the Word has had upon the souls and consciences of men. It has changed their hearts. Some by reading Scripture have been turned into other men; they have been made holy and gracious. By reading other books the heart may be warmed, but by reading this book it is transformed. 2 Cor 3:3. ‘Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.’ The Word was copied out into their hearts, and they were become Christ’s epistle, so that others might read Christ in them. If you should set a seal upon marble, and it should make an impression upon the marble, and leave a print behind, there would be a strange virtue in that seal; so when the seal of the Word leaves a heavenly print of grace upon the heart, there must needs be a power going along with that Word no less than divine. It has comforted their hearts. When Christians have sat by the rivers weeping, the Word has dropped as honey, and sweetly revived them. A Christian’s chief comfort is drawn out of these wells of salvation. Rom 15:5. ‘That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.’ When a poor soul has been ready to faint, it has had nothing to comfort it but a Scripture cordial. When it has been sick, the Word has revived it. 2 Cor 4:17. ‘Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ When it has been deserted, the Word has dropped in the golden oil of joy. Lam 3:3I. ‘The Lord will not cast off for ever.’ He may change his providence, not his purpose; he may have the look of an enemy, but he has the heart of a father. Thus the Word has a power in it to comfort the heart. Psa 119:90. ‘This is my comfort in mine affliction; for thy word has quickened me.’ As the spirits are conveyed through the arteries of the body, so divine comforts are conveyed through the promises of the Word. Now, the Scriptures having such an exhilarating, heart-comforting power in them, shows clearly that they are of God, and it is he that has put the milk of consolation into these breasts.

[7] The miracles by which Scripture is confirmed. Miracles were used by Moses, Elijah, and Christ, and were continued, many years after, by the apostles, to confirm the verity of the holy Scriptures. As props are set under weak vines, so these miracles were set under the weak faith of men, that if they would not believe the writings of the Word, they might believe the miracles. We read of God’s dividing the waters, making a pathway in the sea for his people to go over, the iron swimming, the oil increasing by pouring out, Christ’s making wine of water, his curing the blind, and raising the dead. Thus God has set a seal to the truth and divinity of the Scriptures by miracles.

The Papists cannot deny that the Scripture is divine and sacred; but they affirm quoad nos, with respect to us, it receives its divine authority from the church; and in proof of it they bring that Scripture, I Tim 3:15, where the church is said to be the ground and pillar of truth.

It is true, the church is the pillar of truth; but it does not therefore follow that the Scripture has its authority from the church. The king’s proclamation is fixed on the pillar, the pillar holds it out, that all may read, but the proclamation does not receive its authority from the pillar, but from the king; so the church holds forth the Scriptures, but they do not receive their authority from the church, but from God. If the Word of God be divine, merely because the church holds it forth, then it will follow, that our faith is to be built upon the church, and not upon the Word, contrary to Eph 2:20. ‘Built upon the foundation (that is the doctrine) of the apostles and prophets.’

Are all the books in the Bible of the same divine authority?

Those which we call canonical.

Why are the Scriptures called canonical?

Because the Word is a rule of faith, a canon to direct our lives. The Word is the judge of controversies, the rock of infallibility. That only is to be received for truth which agrees with Scripture, as the transcript with the original. All maxims in divinity are to be brought to the touchstone of Scripture, as all measures are brought to the standard.

Are the Scriptures a complete rule?

The Scripture is a full and perfect canon, containing in it all things necessary to salvation. 2 Tim 3:15. ‘From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.’ It shows the Credenda, what we are to believe; and the Agenda, what we are to practise. It gives us an exact model of religion, and perfectly instincts us in the deep things of God. The Papists, therefore, make themselves guilty, who eke out Scripture with their traditions, which they consider equal to it. The Council of Trent says, that the traditions of the church of Rome are to be received pari pietatis affectu, with the same devotion that Scripture is to be received; so bringing themselves under the curse. Rev 22:18. ‘If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.’

What is the main scope and end of Scripture?

To reveal a way of salvation. It makes a clear discovery of Christ. John 20:01: ‘These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that believing ye might have life through his name.’ The design of the Word is to be a test whereby our grace is to be tried; a sea-mark to show us what rocks are to be avoided. The Word is to sublimate and quicken our affections; it is to be our directory and consolatory; it is to waft us over to the land of promise.

Who should have the power of interpreting Scripture?

The Papists assert that it is in the power of the church. If you ask whom they mean by the church, they say, The Pope, who is head of it, and he is infallible; so Bellarmine. But that assertion is false, because many of the Popes have been ignorant and vicious, as Platina affirms, who writes the lives of Popes. Pope Liberius was an Arian, and Pope John XII denied the immortality of the soul; therefore Popes are not fit interpreters of Scripture; who then?

The Scripture is to be its own interpreter, or rather the Spirit speaking in it. Nothing can cut the diamond but the diamond; nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture. The sun best discovers itself by its own beams; the Scripture interprets itself to the understanding. But the question is concerning hard places of Scripture, where the weak Christian is ready to wade beyond his depth; who shall interpret here?

The church of God has appointed some to expound and interpret Scripture; therefore he has given gifts to men. The several pastors of churches, like bright constellations, give light to dark Scriptures. Mal 2:2. ‘The priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth.’

But this is to pin our faith upon men.

We are to receive nothing for truth but what is agreeable to the Word. As God has given to his ministers gifts for interpreting obscure places, so he has given to his people so much of the spirit of discerning, that they can tell (at least in things necessary to salvation) what is consonant to Scripture, and what is not. I Cor 12:20. ‘To one is given a spirit of prophecy, to another discerning of spirits.’ God has endued his people with such a measure of wisdom and discretion, that they can discern between truth and error, and judge what is sound and what is spurious. Acts 17:7: ‘The Bereans searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.’ They weighed the doctrine they heard, whether it was agreeable to Scripture, though Paul and Silas were their teachers. 2 Tim 3:36.

Use one: See the wonderful goodness of God, who, besides the light of nature, has committed to us the sacred Scriptures, The heathen are enveloped in ignorance. Psa 147:70. ‘As for his judgements they have not known them.’ They have the oracles of the Sibyls, but not the writings of Moses and the apostles. How many live in the region of death, where this bright star of Scripture never appeared! We have this blessed Book of God to resolve all our doubts, to point out a way of life to us. John 14:42. ‘Lord, how is it thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?’

God having given us his written Word to be our directory takes away all excuses from men. No man can say, I went wrong for want of light; God has given thee his Word as a lamp to thy feet; therefore if thou goest wrong, thou cost it wilfully. No man can say, If I had known the will of God, I would have obeyed it; thou art inexcusable, O man, for God has given thee a rule to go by, he has written his law with his own finger; therefore, if thou obeyest not, thou hast no apology left. If a master leave his mind in writing with his servant, and tells him what work he will have done, and the servant neglects the work, that servant is left without excuse, John 15:52. ‘Now you have no cloak for your sins.’

Use two: Is all Scripture of divine inspiration? Then it reproves, (1.) The Papists, who take away part of Scripture, and so clip the King of heaven’s coin. They expunge the second commandment out of their catechisms, because it makes against images; and it is usual with them, if they meet with anything in Scripture which they dislike, either to put a false gloss upon it, or, if that will not do, to pretend it is corrupted. They are like Ananias, who kept back part of the money. Acts 5:5. They keep back part of the Scripture from the people. It is a high affront to God to deface and obliterate any part of his Word, and brings us under that premunire, Rev 22:19, ‘If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life.’ Is all Scripture of divine inspiration? (2.) It condemns the Antinomians, who lay aside the Old Testament as useless, and out of date; and call those who adhere to them Old Testament Christians. God has stamped a divine majesty upon both Testaments; and till they can show me where God has repealed the Old, it stands in force. The two Testaments are the two wells of salvation; the Antinomians would stop up one of these wells, they would dry up one of the breasts of Scripture. There is much gospel in the Old Testament. The comforts of the gospel in the New Testament have their rise from the Old. The great promise of the Messiah is in the Old Testament, ‘A virgin shall conceive and bear a son.’ Nay, I say more. The moral law, in some parts of it, speaks gospel - ‘I am the Lord thy God;’ here is the pure wine of the gospel. The saints’ great charter, where God promises to ‘sprinkle clean water upon them, and put his Spirit within them,’ is to be found primarily in the Old Testament. Ezek 36:65, 26. So that they who take away the Old Testament, as Samson pulled down the pillars, would take away the pillars of a Christian’s comfort. (3.) It condemns the Enthusiasts, who, pretending to have the Spirit, lay aside the whole Bible, and say the Scripture is a dead letter, and they live above it. What impudence is this! Till we are above sin, we shall not be above Scripture. Let not men so talk of a revelation from the Spirit, but suspect it to be an imposture. The Spirit of God acts regularly, it works in and by the Word; and he that pretends to a new light, which is either above the Word, or contrary to it, abuses both himself and the Spirit: his light is borrowed from him who transforms himself into an angel of light. (4.) It condemns the slighters of Scripture; such as those who can go whole weeks and months and never read the Word. They lay it aside as rusty armour; they prefer a play or romance before Scripture. The magnalia legis are to them minutula [The weighty matters of the law are to them insignificant]. Oh how many can be looking at their faces in a glass all the morning, but their eyes begin to be sore when they look upon a Bible! Heathens die for want of Scripture, and these in contempt of it. They surely must needs go wrong who slight their guide. Such as lay the reins upon the neck of their lusts, and never use the curbing bit of Scripture to check them, are carried to hell, and never stop. (5.) It condemns the abusers of Scripture. Those who mud and poison this pure crystal fountain with their corrupt glosses, and who wrest Scripture. 2 Pet 3:16. The Greek word is, they set it upon the rack; they give wrong interpretations of it, not comparing Scripture with Scripture; as the Antinomians pervert that Scripture, Numb 23:3I, ‘He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob;’ from which they infer that God’s people may take liberty in sin, because God sees no sin in them. It is true, God sees no sin in his people with an eye of revenge, but he sees it with an eye of observation. He sees not sin in them, so as to damn them; but he sees it, so as to be angry, and severely to punish them. Did not David find it so, when he cried out of his broken bones? In like manner the Arminians wrest the Scripture in John 5:50, ’Ye will not come to me;’ where they bring in free will. This text shows how willing God is that we should have life; and that sinners may do more than they do, they may improve the talents God has given them; but it does not prove the power of free will, for it is contrary to that Scripture, John 6:64, ’No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him.’ These, therefore, wring the text so hard, that they make the blood come out; they do not compare Scripture with Scripture. Some jest with Scripture. When they are sad, they take the Scripture as their lute or minstrel to play upon, and so drive away the sad spirit; as a drunkard I have read of, who, having drunk off his cups, called to some of his fellows, ‘Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.’ In the fear of God, take heed of this. Eusebius tells us of one, who took a piece of Scripture to make a jest of, but was presently struck with a frenzy and ran mad. It is a saying of Luther, Quos Deus vult perdere, &c.’ ‘Whom God intends to destroy, he gives them leave to play with Scripture.’

Use three: If the Scripture be of divine inspiration, then be exhorted, (1.) To study the Scripture. It is a copy of God’s will. Be Scripture-men, Bible-Christians. ‘I adore the fulness of Scripture,’ says Tertullian. In the Book of God are scattered many truths as so many pearls. John 5:59. ‘Search the Scriptures.’ Search as for a vein of silver. This blessed Book will fill your head with knowledge, and your heart with grace. God wrote the two tables with his own fingers; and if he took pains to write, well may we take pains to read. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures. Acts 18:84. The Word is our Magna Charta for Heaven; shall we be ignorant of our charter? Col 3:16. ‘Let the word of God dwell in you richly.’ The memory must be a tablebook where the Word is written. There is majesty sparkling in every line of Scripture; take but one instance, Isa 63:1: ‘Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Here is a lofty, magnificent style. What angel could speak after this manner? Junius was converted by reading one verse of John; he beheld a majesty in it beyond all human rhetoric. There is a melody in Scripture. This is that blessed harp which drives away sadness of spirit. Hear the sounding of this harp a little. I Tim 1:15. ‘This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;’ he took not only our flesh upon him but our sins. And 1. ‘Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ How sweetly does this harp of Scripture sound, what heavenly music does it make in the ears of a distressed sinner, especially when the finger of God’s Spirit touches this instrument! There is divinity in Scripture. It contains the marrow and quintessence of religion. It is a rock of diamonds, a mystery of piety. The lips of Scripture have grace poured into them. The Scripture speaks of faith, self-denial, and all the graces which, as a chain of pearls, adorns a Christian. It excites to holiness; it treats of another world, it gives a prospect of eternity! Oh, then, search the Scripture! make the Word familiar to you. Had I the tongue of angels, I could not sufficiently set forth the excellency of Scripture. It is a spiritual optic-glass, in which we behold God’s glory; it is the tree of life, the oracle of wisdom, the rule of manners, the heavenly seed of which the new creature is formed. James 1:18. ‘The two Testaments,’ says Austin, ‘are the two breasts which every Christian must suck, that he may get spiritual nourishment.’ The leaves of the tree of life were for healing. Rev 22:2. So these holy leaves of Scripture are for the healing of our souls. The Scripture is profitable for all things. If we are deserted, here is spiced wine that cheers the heavy heart; if we are pursued by Satan, here is the sword of the Spirit to resist him; if we are diseased with sin’s leprosy, here are the waters of the sanctuary, both to cleanse and cure. Oh, then, search the Scriptures! There is no danger in tasting this tree of knowledge. There was a penalty laid at first, that we might not taste of the tree of knowledge. Gen 2:27. ‘In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.’ There is no danger in plucking from this tree of holy Scripture; if we do not eat of this tree of knowledge, we shall surely die. Oh, then, read the Scriptures! Time may come when the Scriptures may be kept from us.

Read the Bible with reverence. Think in every line you read that God is speaking to you. The ark wherein the law was put was overlaid with pure gold, and was carried on bars, that the Levites might not touch it. Exod 25:14. Why was this, but to give reverence to the law? Read with seriousness. It is matter of life and death; by this Word you must be tried; conscience and Scripture are the jury God will proceed by, in judging you. Read the Word with affection. Get your hearts quickened with the Word; go to it to fetch fire. Luke 24:42. ‘Did not our hearts burn within us?’ Labour that the Word may not only be a lamp to direct, but a fire to warm. Read the Scripture, not only as a history, but as a love letter sent you from God, which may affect your hearts. Pray that the same Spirit that wrote the Word may assist you in reading it; that God’s Spirit would show you the wonderful things of his law. ‘Go near,’ saith God to Philip, ‘join thyself to this chariot.’ Acts 8:89. So, when God’s Spirit joins himself with the chariot of his Word, it becomes effectual.

(2.) Be exhorted to prize the written Word. Job 23:12. David valued the Word more than gold. What would the martyrs have given for a leaf of the Bible! The Word is the field where Christ the pearl of price is hid. In this sacred mine we dig, not for a wedge of gold, but for a weight of glory. The Scripture is a sacred collyrium, or eye-salve to illuminate us. Prov 6:63. ‘The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light.’ The Scripture is the chart and compass by which we sail to the new Jerusalem. It is a sovereign cordial in all distresses. What are the promises but the water of life to renew fainting spirits? Is it sin that troubles? Here is a Scripture cordial. Psa 65:5. ‘Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away;’ or, as it is in the Hebrew, ‘thou shalt cover them.’ Do outward afflictions disquiet thee? Here is a Scripture cordial. Psa 91:15. ‘I will be with him in trouble,’ not only to behold, but to uphold. Thus, as in the ark manna was laid up, so promises are laid up in the ark of Scripture. The Scripture will make us wise. Wisdom is above rubies. Psa 119:904. ‘By thy precepts I get understanding.’ What made Eve desire the tree of knowledge? Gen 3:3. ‘It was a tree to make one wise.’ The Scriptures teach a man to know himself. They discover Satan’s snares and stratagems. 2 Cor 2:2: ‘They make one wise to salvation.’ 2 Tim 3:35. Oh, then, highly prize the Scriptures. I have read of Queen Elizabeth, that at her coronation, she received the Bible presented to her, with both her hands, and kissing it, laid it to her breast, saying, that that book had ever been her chief delight.

(3.) If the Scripture is of divine inspiration, believe it. The Romans, that they might gain credit to their laws, reported they were inspired by the gods of Rome. Oh give credence to the Word! It is breathed from God’s own mouth. Hence arises the profaneness of men, that they do not believe the Scripture. Isa 53:3: ‘Who has believed our report?’ Did you believe the glorious rewards the Scripture speaks of, would you not give diligence to make your election sure? Did you believe the infernal torments the Scripture speaks of, would it not put you into a cold sweat, and cause a trembling at heart for sin? But people are in part atheists, they give but little credit to the Word, therefore they are so impious, and draw such dark shadows in their lives. Learn to realise Scripture, get your hearts wrought to a firm belief of it. Some think, if God should send an angel from heaven, and declare his mind, they would believe him; or, if he should send one from the damned, and preach the torments of hell all in flames, they would believe. But, ‘If they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one arose from the dead.’ Luke 16:61. God is wise, and he thinks the fittest way to make his mind known to us is by writing; and such as shall not be convinced by the Word, shall be judged by the Word. The belief of Scripture is of high importance. It will enable us to resist temptation. I John 2:14. ‘The Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.’ It conduceth much to our sanctification; therefore sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, are put together. 2 Thess 2:13. If the word written be not believed, it is like writing on water, which makes no impression.

(4.) Love the Word written. Psa 119:97. ‘Oh how love I thy law!’ ‘Lord,’ said Augustine, ‘let the holy Scriptures be my chaste delight.’ Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden, every truth is a fragrant flower, which we should wear, not on our bosom, but in our heart. David counted the Word ‘sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.’ Psa 19:90. There is that in Scripture which may breed delight. It shows us the way to riches: Deut 28:8, Prov 3:30; to long life, Psa 34:42; to a kingdom, Heb 12:28. Well then may we count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy Scriptures; well may we say with the prophet, Jer 15:16, ‘Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.’

(5.) Conform to Scripture. Let us lead Scripture lives. Oh that the Bible might be seen printed in our lives! Do what the Word commands. Obedience is an excellent way of commenting upon the Bible. Psa 86:6: ‘I will walk in thy truth.’ Let the Word be the sun-dial by which you set your life. What are we the better for having the Scripture, if we do not direct all our speeches and actions according to it? What is a carpenter the better for his rule about him, if he sticks it at his back, and never makes use of it for measuring and squaring his work? So, what are we the better for the rule of the Word, if we do not make use of it, and regulate our lives by it? How many swerve and deviate from the rule! The Word teaches to be sober and temperate, but they are drunk; to be chaste and holy, but they are profane; they go quite from the rule! What a dishonour is it to religion, for men to live in contradiction to Scripture! The Word is called a ‘light to our feet.’ Psa 119:105. It is not only a light to our eyes to mend our sight, but to our feet to mend our walk. Oh let us lead Bible conversations!

(6.) Contend for Scripture. Though we should not be of contentious spirits, yet we ought to contend for the Word of God. This jewel is too precious to be parted with. Prov 4:13. ‘Keep her, for she is thy life.’ The Scripture is beset with enemies; heretics fight against it, we must therefore ‘contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.’ Jude 3. The Scripture is our book of evidences for heaven; shall we part with our evidences? The saints of old were both advocates and martyrs for truth; they would hold fast Scripture, though it were with the loss of their lives.

(7.) Be thankful to God for the Scriptures. What a mercy is it that God has not only acquainted us what his will is, but that he has made it known by writing! In the old times God revealed his mind by visions, but the Word written is a surer way of knowing God’s mind. 2 Pet 1:18. ‘This voice which came from heaven we heard, we have also a more sure word of prophecy.’ The devil is God’s ape, and he can transform himself into an angel of light; he can deceive with false revelations; as I have heard of one who had, as he thought, a revelation from God to sacrifice his child, as Abraham had; whereupon, following this impulse of the devil, he killed his child. Thus Satan deceives people with delusion, instead of divine revelations; therefore we are to be thankful to God for revealing his mind to us by writing. We are not left in doubtful suspense that we should not know what to believe, but we have an infallible rule to go by. The Scripture is our pole-star to direct us to heaven, it shows us every step we are to take; when we go wrong, it instructs us; when we go right, it comforts us; and it is matter of thankfulness, that the Scriptures are made intelligible, by being translated.

(8.) Adore God’s distinguishing grace, if you have felt the power and authority of the Word upon your conscience; if you can say as David, Psa 119:90, ’Thy word has quickened me.’ Christian, bless God that he has not only given thee his Word to be a rule of holiness, but his grace to be a principle of holiness. Bless God that he has not only written his Word, but sealed it upon thy heart, and made it effectual. Canst thou say it is of divine inspiration, because thou hast felt it to be of lively operation? Oh free grace! that God should send out his Word, and heal thee; that he should heal thee, and not others! That the same Scripture which to them is a dead letter, should be to thee a savour of life!

3. God and his creation

1. The Being Of God

Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH?

A: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Q-IV: WHAT IS GOD?

A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Here is, 1: Something implied. That there is a God. 2: Expressed. That he is a Spirit. 3: What kind of Spirit?

I. Implied. That there is a God. The question, What is God? takes for granted that there is a God. The belief of God’s essence is the foundation of all religious worship. Heb 11:1. ‘He that comes to God must believe that he is.’ There must be a first cause, which gives being to all things besides. We know that there is a God.

[1] By the book of nature. The notion of a Deity is engraven on man’s heart; it is demonstrable by the light of nature. I think it hard for a man to be a natural atheist; he may wish there were no God, he may dispute against a Deity, but he cannot in his judgement believe there is no God, unless by accumulated sin his conscience be seared, and he has such a lethargy upon him, that he has sinned away his very sense and reason.

[2] We know that there is a God by his works, and this is so evident a demonstration of a Godhead, that the most atheistical spirits, when they have considered these works, have been forced to acknowledge some wise and supreme maker of these things; as is reported of Galen and others. We will begin with the creation of the glorious fabric of heaven and earth. Sure there must be some architect or first cause. The world could not make itself. Who could hang the earth on nothing but the great God? Who could provide such rich furniture for the heavens, the glorious constellations, the firmament bespangled with such glittering lights? We see God’s glory blazing in the sun, twinkling in the stars. Who could give the earth its clothing, cover it with grass and corn, adorn it with flowers, enrich it with gold? God only. Job 38:8. Who but God could make the sweet music in the heavens, cause the angels to join in concert, and sound forth the praises of their Maker? Job 38:8. ‘The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ If a man should go into a far country, and see stately edifices there, he would never imagine that these built themselves, but that some greater power had built them. To imagine that the work of the creation was not framed by God, is as if we should conceive a curious landscape to be drawn by a pencil without the hand of an artist. Acts 17: 24. ‘God that made the world, and all things therein.’ To create is proper to the Deity. The wise government of all things evinces there is a God. God is the great superintendent of the world, he holds the golden reins of government in his hand, guiding all things most regularly and harmoniously to their proper end. Who that eyes Providence but must be forced to acknowledge there is a God? Providence is the queen and governess of the world, it is the hand that turns the wheel of the whole creation; it sets the sun its race, the sea its bounds. If God did not guide the world, things would run into disorder and confusion. When one looks on a clock, and sees the motion of the wheels, the striking of the hammer, the hanging of the plummets, he would say, some artificer made it; so, when we see the excellent order and harmony in the universe, the sun, that great luminary, dispensing its light and heat to the world, without which the world were but a grave or a prison; the rivers sending forth their silver streams to refresh the bodies of men, and prevent a drought; and every creature acting within its sphere, and keeping its due bounds; we must needs acknowledge there is a God, who wisely orders and governs all these things. Who could set this great army of the creatures in their several ranks and squadrons, and keep them in their constant march, but HE, whose name is THE LORD OF HOSTS? And as God does wisely dispose all things in the whole regiment of the creatures, so, by his power, he supports them. Did God suspend and withdraw his influence ever so little, the wheels of the creation would unpin, and the axletree break asunder. All motion, the philosophers say, is from something that is unmoveable. As for example, the elements are moved by the influence and motion of the heavenly bodies; the sun and moon, and these planets, are moved by the highest orb, called Primum Mobile; now, if one should ask, Who moves that highest orb, or is the first mover of the planets? It can be no other than God himself.

Man is a microcosm or lesser world. The excellent contexture and frame of his body is wrought curiously as with needlework. Psa 139:15. ‘I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.’ This body is endowed with a noble soul. Who but God could make such a union of different substances as flesh and spirit? In him we live, and move, and have our being. The quick motion of every part of the body shows there is a God. We may see something of him in the sparkling of the eye; and if the cabinet of the body be so curiously wrought, what is the jewel? The soul has a celestial brightness in it; as Damascene says, ‘It is a diamond set in a ring of clay.’ What noble faculties is the soul endowed with! Understanding, Will, Affections are a glass of the Trinity, as Plato speaks. The matter of the soul is spiritual, it is a divine spark lighted from heaven; and being spiritual, is immortal, as Scaliger notes; anima non senescit; ‘the soul does not wax old,’ it lives for ever. Who could create a soul ennobled with such rare angelic properties but God? We must needs say as the Psalmist, ‘It is he that has made us, and not we ourselves.’ Psa 100:0.

[3] We may prove a Deity by our conscience. Conscience is God’s deputy or vicegerent. Conscience is a witness of a Deity. If there were no Bible to tell us there is a God, yet conscience might. Conscience, as the apostle says, ‘either accuseth’ or ‘excuseth.’ Rom 2:15. It acts in order to a higher judicatory. Natural conscience, being kept free from gross sin, excuses. When a man does virtuous actions, lives soberly and righteously, observes the golden maxim, doing to others as he would have them do to him, then conscience approves, and says, Well done. Like a bee it gives honey. Natural conscience in the wicked accuses. When men go against its light they feel the worm of conscience. Eheu! quis intus scorpio? [Alas! What scorpion lurks within?] Seneca. Conscience, being sinned against, spits fire in men’s faces, fills them with shame and horror. When the sinner sees a handwriting on the wall of conscience, his countenance is changed. Many have hanged themselves to quiet their conscience. Tiberius the emperor, a bloody man, felt the lashes of his conscience; he was so haunted with that fury, that he told the senate, he suffered death daily. What could put a man’s conscience into such an agony but the impression of a Deity, and the thoughts of coming before his tribunal? Those who are above human laws are subject to the checks of their own conscience. And it is observable, the nearer the wicked approach to death, the more they are terrified. Whence is this but from the apprehension of judgement approaching? The soul, being sensible of its immortal nature, trembles at him who never ceases to live, and therefore will never cease to punish.

[4] That there is a God, appears by the consent of nations, by the universal vote and suffrage of all men. Nulla gens tam barbara cui non insideat haec persuasio Deum esse. Tully. ‘No nation so barbarous,’ says Tully, ‘as not to believe there is a God.’ Though the heathen did not worship the true God, yet they worshipped a god. They set up an altar, ‘To the unknown God.’ Acts 17:73. They knew a God should be worshipped, though they knew not the God whom they ought to worship. Some worshipped Jupiter, some Neptune, some Mars. Rather than not worship something, they would worship anything.

[5] That there is a God, appears by his prediction of future things. He who can foretell things which shall surely come to pass is the true God. God foretold, that a virgin should conceive; he prefixed the time when the Messias should be cut off. Dan 9:96. He foretold the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and who should be their deliverer. Isa 45:5: God himself uses this argument to prove he is the true God, and that all the gods of the heathens are fictions and nullities. Isa 41:13. Testimonium divinitatis est veritas divinationis. Tertullian. To foretell things contingent, which depend upon no natural causes, is peculiar to Deity.

[6] That there is a God, appears by his unlimited power and sovereignty. He who can work, and none can hinder, is the true God; but God can do so. Isa 43:13. ‘I will work, and who shall let it?’ Nothing can hinder action but some superior power; but there is no power above God: all power that is, is by him, therefore all power is under him; he has a ‘mighty arm.’ Psa 89:13. He sees the designs men drive at against him, and plucks off their chariot wheels; he makes the diviners mad. Isa 44:45. He cutteth off the spirit of princes; he bridleth the sea, gives check to the leviathan, binds the devil in chains; he acts according to his pleasure, he doth what he will. ‘I will work, and who shall let it?’

[7] There are devils, therefore there is a God. Atheists cannot deny but there are devils, and then they must grant there is a God. We read of many possessed of the devil. The devils are called in Scripture ‘hairy ones’, because they often appeared in the form of goats or satyrs. Gerson, in his book De probatione spiritnum, tells us how Satan on a time appeared to a holy man in a most glorious manner, professing himself to be Christ: the old man answered, ‘I desire not to see my Saviour here in this desert it shall suffice me to see him in heaven.’ Now, if there be a devil, there is a God. Socrates, a heathen, when accused at his death, confessed, that, as he thought there was a malus genius, an evil spirit, so he thought there was a good spirit.

Use one: Seeing there is a God, it reproves such atheistical fools as deny it. Epicurus denied there was a Providence, saying that all things fell out by chance. He that says there is no God is the wickedest creature that is; he is worse than a thief, for he takes away our goods, but the atheist would take away our God from us. John 20:13. ‘They have taken away my Lord.’ So we may say of atheists, they would take away our God from us, in whom all our hope and comfort is laid up. Psa 14:4. ‘The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.’ He durst not speak it with his tongue, but says it in his heart: he wishes it. Sure none can be speculative atheists. ‘The devils believe and tremble.’ James 2:19. I have read of one Arthur, a professed atheist, who, when he came to die, cried out he was damned. Though there are few found who say, There is no God, yet many deny him in their practices. Tit 1:16. ‘In works they deny him.’ Cicero said of Epicurus, Verbis reliquit Deos resustulit [In his words he both denies the existence of the gods, and permits them to remain]. The world is full of practical atheism; most people live as if they did not believe there was a God. Durst they lie, defraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God who would call them to account? If an Indian who never heard of a God should come among us, and have no other means to convince him of a Deity, but the lives of men in our age, surely he would question whether there were a God; utrum Dii sint non ausim affirmare [I would not venture to assert that gods exist].

Use two: Seeing there is a God, he will deal righteously, and give just rewards to men. Things seem to be carried in the world very unequally; the wicked flourish. Psa 73:3. They who tempt God are delivered. Mal 3:15. The ripe cluster of grapes are squeezed into their cup, and, in the meanwhile, the godly, who wept for sin, and served God, are afflicted. Psa 102:2. ‘I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.’ Evil men enjoy all the good, and good men endure all the evil. But seeing there is a God, he will deal righteously with men. Gen 18:85. ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ Offenders must come to punishment. The sinner’s death-day, and dooms-day is coming. Psa 37:13. ‘The Lord seeth that his day is coming.’ While there is a hell, the wicked shall be scourged enough; and while there is eternity, they shall lie there long enough; and God will abundantly compensate the faithful service of his people. They shall have their white robes and crowns. Psa 58:11: ‘Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.’ Because God is God, he will give glorious rewards to his people.

Use three: Seeing there is a God, woe to all such as have this God against them. He lives for ever to be avenged upon them. Ezek 22:14. ‘Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee?’ Such as pollute God’s Sabbath, oppose his saints, trampling these jewels in the dust. Such as live in contradiction to God’s Word engage the Infinite Majesty of heaven against them; and how dismal will their case be! Deut 32:2I. ‘If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold of judgement, I will render vengeance to mine enemies; I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,’ &c. If it be so terrible to hear the lion roar, what must it be when he begins to tear his prey? Psa 122. ‘Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces.’ Oh that men would think of this, who go on in sin! Shall we engage the great God against us? God strikes slow but heavy. Job 40:0. ‘Hast thou an arm like God?’ Canst thou strike such a blow? God is the best friend, but the worst enemy. If he can look men into their grave, how far can he throw them? ‘Who knows the power of his wrath?’ Psa 90:01. What fools are they, who, for a drop of pleasure, drink a sea of wrath! Paracelsus speaks of a frenzy some have, which will make them die dancing; so sinners go dancing to hell.

Use four: Seeing there is a God, let us firmly believe this great article of our Creed. What religion can there be in men, if they do not believe a Deity? ‘He that cometh to God must believe that he is.’ To worship God, and pray to him, and not believe there is a God, is to put a high scorn and contempt upon him. Believe that God is the only true God: such a God as he has revealed himself in his Word, ‘A lover of righteousness, and hater of wickedness.’ Psa 45: 7. The real belief of a Deity gives life to all religious worship; the more we believe the truth and infiniteness of God the more holy and angelic we are in our lives. Whether we are alone, or in company, God sees us; he is the heart-searcher; the belief of this would make us live always under God’s eye. Psa 16:60: ‘I have set the Lord always before me.’ The belief of a Deity would be a bridle to sin, and a spur to duty; it would add wings to prayer, and oil to the lamp of our devotion. The belief of a Deity would cause dependence upon God in all our straits and exigencies. Gen 17:7: ‘I am God all-sufficient;’ a God that can supply all your wants, scatter all your fears, resolve all your doubts, conquer all your temptations; the arm of God’s power can never be shrunk; he can create mercy for us, and therefore can help, and not be beholden to the creature. Did we believe there is a God, we should so depend on his providence as not to use any indirect means; we should not run ourselves into sin to rid ourselves out of trouble. 2 Kings 1:1. ‘Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron?’ When men run to sinful shifts, is it not because they do not believe there is a God, or that he is all-sufficient?

Use five: Seeing there is a God, let us labour to get an interest in him. Psa 48:14. ‘This God is our God.’ Since the fall we have lost likeness to God, and communion with God; let us labour to recover this lost interest, and pronounce this Shibboleth, ‘My God.’ Psa 43:3. It is little comfort to know there is a God, unless he be ours. God offers himself to be our God. Jer 31:13. ‘I will be their God.’ And faith catches hold of the offer, it appropriates God, and makes all that is in him over to us to be ours; his wisdom to be ours, to teach us; his holiness ours, to sanctify us; his Spirit ours, to comfort us; his mercy ours, to save us. To be able to say, God is mine, is more than to have all mines of gold and silver.

Use six: Seeing there is a God, let us serve and worship him as God. It was an indictment brought against some in Rom 1:1I. ‘They glorified him not as God.’ Let us pray to him as to God. Pray with fervency. James 5:16. ‘An effectual fervent prayer availeth much.’ This is both the fire and the incense; without fervency it is no prayer. Let us love him as God. Deut 6:6. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.’ To love him with all the heart, is to give him precedence in our love, to let him have the cream of our affections; to love him not only appreciatively, but intensively, as much as we can. As the sunbeams united in a burning glass burn the hotter, so all our affections should be united, that our love to God may be more ardent. Let us obey him as God. All creatures obey him, the stars fight his battles, the wind and sea obey him. Mark 4:4I. Much more should man, whom God has endued with a principle of reason. He is God, and has a sovereignty over us; therefore, as we received life from him, so we must receive a law from him, and submit to his will in all things. This is to kiss him with a kiss of loyalty, and it is to glorify him as God.

II. The thing expressed. John 4:44. ‘God is a Spirit.’ God is essentia spiritualissima. Zanchius.

What do you mean when you say, God is a Spirit?

By a spirit I mean, God is an immaterial substance, of a pure, subtile, unmixed essence, not compounded of body and soul, without all extension of parts. The body is a dreggish thing. The more spiritual God’s essence, the more noble and excellent it is. The spirits are the more refined part of the wine.

Wherein does God differ from other spirits?

[1] The angels are spirits. We must distinguish spirits. The angels are created, God is a Spirit uncreated. The angels are finite, and capable of being annihilated; the same power which made them is able to reduce them to their first nothing; but God is an infinite Spirit. The angels are confined spirits, they cannot be duobus locis simul, but are confined to a place; but God is an immense Spirit, and in all places at once. The angels, though spirits, are but ministering spirits. Heb 1:14. Though they are spirits, they are servants. God is a super-excellent Spirit, the Father of spirits. Heb 12:2.

[2] The soul is a spirit. Eccles 12:2. ‘The spirit shall return to God that gave it.’

How does God, being a Spirit, differ from the soul?

Servetus and Osiander thought, that the soul being infused, conveyed into man the very spirit and substance of God. This is an absurd opinion, for the essence of God is incommunicable.

When it is said the soul is a spirit, it means that God has made it intelligible, and stamped upon it his likeness, not his essence.

But is it not said, that we are made partakers of the divine nature?

By divine nature there, is meant divine qualities. 2 Pet 1:1. We are made partakers of the divine nature, not by identity or union with the divine essence, but by a transformation into the divine likeness. Thus you see how God differs from other spirits, angels and souls of men. He is a Spirit of transcendent excellence, the ‘Father of spirits.’

Against this Vorstius and the Anthropomorphites object, that, in Scripture, a human shape and figure is given to God; he is said to have eyes and hands.

It is contrary to the nature of a spirit to have a corporeal substance. Luke 24:49. ‘Handle me, and see me: for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.’ Bodily members are ascribed to God, not properly, but metaphorically, and in a borrowed sense. By the right hand of the Lord is meant his power; by the eyes of the Lord is meant his wisdom. Now that God is a Spirit, and is not capable of bodily shape or substance, is clear, for a body is visible, but God is invisible; therefore he is a Spirit. I Tim 6:16. ‘Whom no man has seen, nor can see;’ not by an eye of sense. A body is terminated, can be but in one place at once, but God is everywhere, in all places at once; therefore he is a Spirit. Psa 139:9, 8. God’s centre is everywhere, and his circumference is nowhere. A body being compounded of integral parts may be dissolved; quicquid divisibile est corruptibile: but the Godhead is not capable of dissolution, he can have no end from whom all things have their beginning. So that it clearly appears that God is a Spirit, which adds to the perfection of his nature.

Use one: If God be a Spirit, then he is impassible; he is not capable of being hurt. Wicked men set up their banners, and bend their forces against God; they are said to fight against God. Acts 5:59. But what will this fighting avail? What hurt can they do to the Deity? God is a Spirit, and therefore cannot receive any hurtful impression. Wicked men may imagine evil against the Lord. Nahum 1:1. ‘What do ye imagine against the Lord?’ But God being a Spirit is impenetrable. The wicked may eclipse his glory, but cannot touch his essence. God can hurt his enemies, but they cannot hurt him. Julian might throw up his dagger into the air against Heaven, but could not touch the Deity. God is a Spirit, invisible. How can the wicked with all their forces hurt him, when they cannot see him? Hence all the attempts of the wicked against God are foolish, and prove abortive. Psa 2:2, 4. ‘The kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh.’ He is a Spirit, he can wound them, but they cannot touch him.

Use two: If God be a Spirit, it shows the folly of the Papists, who worship him by pictures and images. As a spirit, we cannot make any image to represent him. Deut 4:42. ‘The Lord spake to you out of the midst of the fire, ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude.’

God being a Spirit is imperceptible, cannot be discerned; how then can there be any resemblance made of him? Isa 40:18. ‘To whom then will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him?’ How can you paint the Deity? Can we make an image of that which we never saw? Ye saw no similitude. God is a Spirit. It were folly to endeavour to make a picture of the soul, because it is a spiritual thing, or to paint the angels, because they are spirits.

Are not angels in Scripture represented by the cherubim?

There is Imago personae et officii; ‘there is the image of the person, and the image that represents the office.’ The cherubims did not represent the persons of the angels, but their office. The cherubims were made with wings, to show the swiftness of the angels in discharge of their office; and if we cannot picture the souls nor the persons of angels, because they are spirits, much less can we make an image or picture of God, who is infinite and the Father of spirits.

God is also an omnipresent Spirit; he is present in all places. Jer 23:34. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.’ Therefore, being everywhere present, it is absurd to worship him by an image. Were it not a foolish thing to bow down to the king’s picture, when the king is present? So it is to worship God’s image, when God himself is present.

How then shall we conceive of God as a Spirit, if we may make no image or resemblance of him?

We must conceive of him spiritually. In his attributes; his holiness, justice, and goodness, which are the beams by which his divine nature shines forth. We must conceive of him as he is in Christ. ‘Christ is the image of the invisible God.’ Col 1:15. Set the eyes of your faith on Christ as God-man. In Christ we see some sparklings of the divine glory; in him there is the exact resemblance of all his Father’s excellencies. The wisdom, love, and holiness of God the Father, shine forth in Christ. John 14:4. ‘He that has seen me has seen the Father.’

Use three: If God be a Spirit, it shows us, that the more spiritual we grow, the more we grow like to God. How do earth and spirit agree? Phil 3:19. Earthly ones may give for their crest, the mole or tortoise that live in the earth. What resemblance is there between an earthly heart, and him who is a Spirit? The more spiritual any one is, the more like God.

What is it to be spiritual?

To be refined and sublimated, to have the heart still in heaven, to be thinking of God and glory, and to be carried up in a fiery chariot of love to God. Psa 73:35. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee?’ which Beza paraphrases thus, Apage terra, utinam tecum in coelo essem! ‘Begone earth! Oh that I were in heaven with thee!’ A Christian, who is taken off from these earthly things, as the spirits are taken off from the lees, has a noble spiritual soul, and most resembles him who is a Spirit.

Use four: It shows that the worship which God requires of us, and is most acceptable to him, is spiritual worship. John 4:44. ‘They which worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.’ Spiritual worship is virgin worship. Though God will have the service of our bodies, our eyes and hands lifted up, to testify to others that reverence we have of his glory and majesty, yet he will have the worship of the soul chiefly. I Cor 6: 20. ‘Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit.’ Spirit-worship God prizes, because it comes near to his own nature, which is a Spirit.

What is it to worship God in spirit 7

(1.) To worship him without ceremonies. The ceremonies of the law, which God himself ordained, are now abrogated, and out of date. Christ the substance being come, the shadows fly away; and therefore the apostle calls the legal ceremonies carnal rites. Heb 9:90. If we may not use those Jewish ceremonies which God once appointed, then not those which he never appointed.

(2.) To worship God in spirit, is to worship him with faith in the blood of the Messiah. Heb 10:19. To worship him with the utmost zeal and intenseness of soul. Acts 26:6. ‘Our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night,’ with intenseness of spirit; not only constantly, but instantly. This is to worship God in spirit. The more spiritual any service is, the nearer it comes to God, who is a Spirit, and the more excellent it is; the spiritual part of duty is the fat of the sacrifice: it is the soul and quintessence of religion. The richest cordials are made of spirits, and the best duties are such as are of a spiritual nature. God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit; it is not pomp of worship, but purity, which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward severities used to the body, as penance, fasting, and chastising the body, but it consists in the sacrifice of a broken heart. Thanksgiving does not stand in church-music, the melody of an organ, but rather in making melody in the heart to the Lord. Eph 5:19. Prayer is not the tuning the voice into a heartless confession, or telling over a few beads, but it consists in sighs and groans. Rom 8:86. When the fire of fervency is put to the incense of prayer, than it ascends as a sweet odour. The true holy water is not that which the pope sprinkles, but is distilled from the penitent eye. Spirit-worship best pleases that God who is a Spirit. John 4:43. ‘The Father seeketh such to worship him;’ to show the great acceptance of such, and how God is delighted with spiritual worship. This is the savoury meat that God loves. How few mind this! They give him more dregs than spirits; they think it enough to bring their duties, but not their hearts; which makes God disclaim the very services he himself appointed. Isa 1:12. Ezek 33:31. Let us then give God spirit-worship, which best suits his nature. A sovereign elixir full of virtue may be given in a few drops; so a little prayer, if it be with the heart and spirit, may have much virtue and efficacy in it. The publican made but a short prayer, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner,’ Luke 18:13, but it was full of life and spirit; it came from the heart, therefore it was accepted.

Use five: Let us pray to God, that as he is a Spirit, so he will give us of his Spirit. The essence of God is incommunicable; but not the motions, the presence and influences of his Spirit. When the sun shines in a room, not the body of the sun is there, but the light, heat, and influence of the sun. God has made a promise of his Spirit. Ezek 36:67. ‘I will put my Spirit within you.’ Turn promises into prayers. ‘O Lord, thou who art a Spirit, give me of thy Spirit; I, flesh, beg thy Spirit, thy enlightening, sanctifying, quickening, Spirit.’ Melanchthon prayed, ‘Lord, inflame my soul with thy Holy Spirit.’ How needful is his Spirit! We cannot do any duty without it, in a lively manner. When this wind blows upon our sails, we move swiftly towards heaven. Let us pray, therefore, that God would give us of the residue of his Spirit, Mal 2:15, that we may move more vigorously in the sphere of religion.

Use six: As God is a Spirit, so the rewards that he gives are spiritual. As the chief blessings he gives us in this life are spiritual blessings, Eph 1:1, not gold and silver; as he gives Christ, his love; he fills us with grace; so the main rewards he gives us after this life are spiritual, ‘a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’ I Pet 5:5. Earthly crowns fade, but the believer’s crown being spiritual is immortal, a never-fading crown. ‘It is impossible,’ says Joseph Scaliger, ‘for that which is spiritual to be subject to change or corruption.’ This may comfort a Christian in all his labours and sufferings; he lays out himself for God, and has little or no reward here; but remember, God, who is a Spirit, will give spiritual rewards, a sight of his face in heaven, white robes, a weight of glory. Be not then weary of God’s service; think of the spiritual reward, a crown of glory which fadeth not away.

III. What kind of Spirit is God?

He is infinite. All created beings are finite. Though infinite may be applied to all God’s attributes - he is infinitely merciful, infinitely wise, infinitely holy - yet, if we take infinity it implies,

God’s omnipresence. The Greek word for ‘infinite’ signifies ‘without bounds or limits.’ God is not confined to any place, he is infinite, and so is present in all places at once. His centre is everywhere, Divina essentia nusquam inclusa aut exclusa [In no place is God’s Being either confined or excluded]. Augustine. I Kings 8:87. ‘Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.’ The Turks build their temples open at the top, to show that God cannot be confined to them, but is in all places by his presence. God’s essence is not limited either to the regions above, or to the terrestrial globe, but is everywhere. As philosophers say of the soul, it is, Tota in tota, et tota in qualibet parse: ‘the soul is in every part of the body,’ in the eye, heart, foot; so we may say of God, he is ubique, his essence is everywhere; his circuit is in heaven, and in earth, and sea, and he is in all places of his circuit at once. ‘This is to be infinite.’ God, who bounds everything else, is himself without bounds. He sets bounds to the sea; Huc usque; ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further;’ he sets bounds to the angels; they, like the cherubims, move and stand at his appointment, Ezek 10:16, but he is infinite, without bounds. He who can span the heavens, and weigh the earth in scales, must needs be infinite. Isa 40:02.

Vorstius maintains that God is in all places at once, but not in regard of his essence; but Virtute et potentia, by his virtue and influence: as the body of the sun is in heaven, it only sends forth its beams and influences to the earth; or as a king, who is in all places of his kingdom authoritatively, by his power and authority, but he is personally on his throne.

God, who is infinite, is in all places at once, not only by his influence, but by his essence; for, if his essence fills all places, then he must needs be there in person. Jer 23:34. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’

But does not God say heaven is his throne? Isa 66:6.

It is also said, that a humble heart is his throne. Isa 57:75. The humble heart is his throne, in regard to his gracious presence; and heaven is his throne, in regard to his glorious presence; and yet neither of these thrones will hold him, for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him.

But if God be infinite in all places, he is in impure places, and mingles with impurity.

Though God be in all places, in the heart of a sinner by his inspection, and in hell by his justice, yet he does not mingle with the impurity, or receive the least tincture of evil. Divina natura non est immista rebus aut sordibus inquinata [The divine nature does not intermix with created matter, nor is contaminated by its impurities]. Augustine. No more than the sun shining on a dunghill is defiled, or its beauty spotted; or than Christ going among sinners was defiled, whose Godhead was a sufficient antidote against infection.

God must needs be infinite in all places at once, not only in regard to the simplicity and purity of his nature, but in regard to his power, which being so glorious, who can set him bounds, or prescribe him a circuit to walk in? It is as if the drop should limit the ocean, or a star set bounds to the sun.

Use one: It condemns the Papists, who would make more things infinite than the Godhead. They hold that Christ’s body is in many places at once, that it is in heaven, and in the bread and wine in the sacrament. Though Christ as he is God is infinite, and in all places at once, yet as man he is not. When he was on earth, his manhood was not in heaven, though his Godhead was; and now he is in heaven, his manhood is not on earth, though his Godhead be. Heb 10: 5,is spoken of Christ; ‘A body thou hast prepared me.’ This body cannot be in all places at once; for then it is no more a body, but a spirit. Christ’s body in heaven, though glorified, is not deified; it is not infinite, as it must be, if it be both in heaven, and in the bread and wine by transubstantiation.

Use two: If God be infinite, present in all places at once, then it is certain he governs all things in his own person, and needs no proxies or deputies to help him to carry on his government. He is in all places in an instant, and manages all affairs both in the earth and heaven. A king cannot be in all places of his kingdom in his own person, therefore he is fain to govern by deputies and vicegerents, and they often pervert justice; but God, being infinite, needs no deputies, he is present in all places, he sees all with his own eyes, and hears all with his own ears; he is everywhere in his own person, therefore is fit to be the judge of the world; he will do every one right.

Use three: If God be infinite by his omnipresence, then see the greatness and immenseness of the divine majesty! What a great God do we serve! I Chron 29:91. ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the glory, and the majesty, and thou art exalted as head above all.’ Well may the Scripture display the greatness of his glory, who is infinite in all places. He transcends our weak conceptions; how can our finite understanding comprehend him who is infinite? He is infinitely above all our praises. Neh 9:9. ‘Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.’ Oh what a poor nothing is man, when we think of God’s infiniteness! As the stars disappear at the rising of the sun, oh, how does a man shrink into nothing when infinite majesty shines forth in its glory! Isa 40:15. ‘The nations are as a drop of the bucket, or the small dust of the balance!’ On what a little of that drop are we! The heathens thought they had sufficiently praised Jupiter when they called him great Jupiter. Of what immense majesty is God, who fills all places at once! Psa 150:0.

Use four: If God be infinite, filling heaven and earth, see what a full portion the saints have; they have him for their portion who is infinite. His fulness is an infinite fulness; and he is infinitely sweet, as well as infinitely full. If a conduit be filled with wine, there is a sweet fulness, but still it is finite; but God is a sweet fulness, and it is infinite. He is infinitely full of beauty and of love. His riches are called unsearchable, because they are infinite. Eph 3:3. Stretch your thoughts as much as you can, there is that in God which exceeds; it is an infinite fulness. He is said to do abundantly for us, above all that we can ask. Eph 3:30. What can an ambitious spirit ask? He can ask crowns and kingdoms, millions of worlds; but God can give more than we can ask, nay, or think, because he is infinite. We can think, what if all the dust were turned to silver, if every flower were a ruby, every sand in the sea a diamond; yet God can give more than we can think, because he is infinite. Oh how rich are they who have the infinite God for their portion! Well might David say, ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage.’ Psa 16:6, 6. We may go with the bee from flower to flower, but we shall never have full satisfaction till we come to the infinite God. Jacob said: ‘I have enough;’ in the Hebrew, ‘I have all,’ because he had the infinite God for his portion. Gen 33:31. God being an infinite fulness, there is no fear of want for any of the heirs of heaven; though there be millions of saints and angels, which have a share in God’s riches, yet he has enough for them all, because he is infinite. Though a thousand men behold the sun, there is light enough for them all: put never so many buckets into the sea, there is water enough to fill them. Though an innumerable company of saints and angels are to be filled out of God’s fulness, yet God, being infinite, has enough to satisfy them. God has land enough to give to all his heirs. There can be no want in that which is infinite.

Use five: If God be infinite, he fills all places, is everywhere present. This is sad to the wicked, God is their enemy, and they cannot escape him, nor flee from him, for he is everywhere present; they are never out of his eye nor out of his reach. Psa 21:1. ‘Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies.’ What caves or thickets can men hide in, that God cannot find them; go where they will, he is present. Psa 139:9. ‘Whither shall I flee from thy presence?’ If a man owes a debt to another he may make his escape, and flee into another land, where the creditor cannot find him. ‘But whither shall I flee from thy presence?’ God is infinite, he is in all places; so that he will find out his enemies and punish them.

But is it not said, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord? Gen 4:16.

The meaning is, he went out from the church of God, where were the visible signs of God’s presence, and where God in a special manner manifested his sweet presence to his people; but Cain could not go out of God’s sight; for God being infinite is everywhere present. Sinners can neither go from an accusing conscience, nor from a revenging God.

Use six: If God be everywhere present, then for a Christian to walk with God is not impossible. God is not only in heaven, but he is in earth too. Isa 66:6: Heaven is his throne, there he sits; the earth is his footstool, there he stands. He is everywhere present, therefore we may come to walk with God. ‘Enoch walked with God.’ Gen 5:52. If God was confined to heaven, a trembling soul might think, How can I converse with God, how can I walk with him who lives in excelsis; above the upper region? but God is not confined to heaven; he is omnipresent; he is above us, yet he is about us, he is near to us. Acts 17:77. Though he be not far from the assembly of the saints, ‘He stands in the congregation of the mighty.’ Psa 82:2. He is present with us, God is in every one of us; so that here on earth we may walk with God. In heaven the saints rest with him, on earth they walk with him. To walk with God is to walk by faith. We are said to draw nigh to God, Heb 10:02, and to see him. Heb 11:17. ‘As seeing him who is invisible:, and to have fellowship with him. I John 1:1. ‘Our fellowship is with the Father.’ Thus we may take a turn with him every day by faith. It is slighting God not to walk with him. If a king be in presence, it is slighting him to neglect him, and walk with the page. There is no walk in the world so sweet as to walk with God. Psa 89:15. ‘They shall walk in the light of thy countenance.’ Psa 138:8. ‘Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord.’ It is like walking among beds of spices, which send forth a fragrant perfume.

Use seven: If God be infinite in his glorious essence, learn to admire where you cannot fathom. The angels wear a veil, they cover their faces, as adoring this infinite majesty. Isa 6:6. Elias wrapped himself in a mantle when God’s glory passed by. Admire where you cannot fathom. Job 11:1. ‘Canst thou by searching find out God?’ Here we see some beams of his glory, we see him in the glass of the creation; we see him in his picture, his image shines in the saints; but who can search out all his essential glory? What angel can measure these pyramids? ‘Canst thou by searching find out God?’ He is infinite. We can no more search out his infinite perfections, than a man upon the top of the highest mountain can reach the firmament, or take a star in his hand. Oh, have God-admiring thoughts! Adore where you cannot fathom. There are many mysteries in nature which we cannot fathom; why the sea should be higher than the earth, yet not drown it; why the Nile should overflow in summer, when, by the course of nature, the waters are lowest; how the bones grow in the womb. Eccl 11:1. If these things pose us, how may the infinite mystery of the Deity transcend our most raised intellectuals! Ask the geometrician, if he can, with a pair of compasses, measure the breadth of the earth. So unable are we to measure the infinite perfections of God. In heaven we shall see God clearly, but not fully, for he is infinite; he will communicate himself to us, according to the bigness of our vessel, but not the immenseness of his nature. Adore then where you cannot fathom.

If God be infinite in all places, let us not limit him. Psa lxxviii 4I. ‘They limited the Holy One of Israel.’ It is limiting God to confine him within the narrow compass of our reason. Reason thinks God must go such a way to work, or the business will never be effected. This is to limit God to our reason; whereas he is infinite, and his ways are past finding out. Rom 11:13. In the deliverance of the church, it is limiting God, either to set him a time, or prescribe him a method for deliverance. God will deliver Sion, but he will be left to his own liberty; he will not be tied to a place, to a time, or to an instrument, which were to limit him, and then he should not be infinite. God will go his own way, he will pose and nonplus reason, he will work by improbabilities, he will save in such a way as we think would destroy. Now he acts like himself, like an infinite wonder-working God.

2. The Knowledge Of God

’The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.’ I Sam 2:2. Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our thoughts, and the praises of angels. God’s glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the several beams by which the divine nature shines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the least, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, ‘A God of knowledges.’ Through the bright mirror of his own essence, he has a full idea and cognisance of all things; the world is to him a transparent body. He makes a heartanatomy. Rev 2:23. ‘I am he which searcheth the reins and the heart.’ The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to draw between us and his sight. Psa 139:12. ‘The darkness hideth not from thee.’ There is not a word we whisper but God hears it. Psa 139:9. ‘There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.’ There is not the most subtle thought that comes into our mind, but God perceives it. Isa 66:18. ‘I know their thoughts.’ Thoughts speak as loud in God’s ears as words do in ours. All our actions, though never so subtly contrived, and secretly conveyed, are visible to the eye of Omniscience. Isa 66:18. ‘I know their works.’ Achan hid the Babylonish garment in the earth, but God brought it to light. Josh 7: 2I. Minerva was drawn in such curious colours, and so lively pencilled, that which way soever one turned, Minerva’s eyes were upon him; so, which way soever we turn ourselves God’s eye is upon us. Job 37:16. ‘Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds; the wondrous works of him that is perfect in knowledge?’ God knows whatever is knowable; he knows future contingencies. He foretold Israel’s coming out of Babylon, and the virgin’s conceiving. By this the Lord proves the truth of his Godhead against idol gods. Isa 41:13. ‘Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods.’ The perfection of God’s knowledge is primary. He is the original, the pattern, and prototype of all knowledge; others borrow their knowledge of him; the angels light their lamps at this glorious sun. God’s knowledge is pure. It is not contaminated with the object. Though God knows sin, yet it is to hate and punish it. No evil can mix or incorporate with his knowledge, any more than the sun can be defiled with the vapours which arise from the earth. God’s knowledge is facile; it is without any difficulty. We study and search for knowledge. Prov 2:2. ‘If thou seekest for her as for silver.’ The lamp of God’s knowledge is so infinitely bright, that all things are intelligible to him.

God’s knowledge is infallible; there is no mistake in his knowledge. Human knowledge is subject to error. A physician may mistake the cause of a disease; but God’s knowledge is unerring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived; he cannot deceive, because he is truth, nor be deceived, because he is wisdom. God’s knowledge is instantaneous. Our knowledge is successive, one thing after another. We argue from the effect to the cause. God knows things past, present, and to come, uno intuito, at once; they are all before him in one entire prospect.

God’s knowledge is retentive; he never loses any of his knowledge; he has reminiscentia, as well as intelligentia; he remembers as well as understands. Many things elapse out of our minds, but God’s knowledge is eternized. Things transacted a thousand years ago, are as fresh to him as if they were done but the last minute. Thus he is perfect in knowledge.

But is it not said, Gen 18:81, I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me, and I will know?

It could not be that God was ignorant; because there is mention made of a cry; but the Lord speaks there after the manner of a judge, who will first examine the cause before he passes the sentence. When he is upon a work of justice he is not in a riot, as if he did not care where he hits; but he goes straight against offenders. ‘He lays judgement to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.’ Isa 28:87.

Hos 13:12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is hid.

Not that his sin is hid from God, but his sin is hid; that is, it is recorded, it is laid up against a day of reckoning. That this is the meaning, is clear by the foregoing words, his iniquity is bound up. As the clerk of the assizes binds up the indictments of malefactors in a bundle, and at the assizes brings out the indictments and reads them in court; so God binds up men’s sins in a bundle, and, at the day of judgement, this bundle shall be opened, and all their sins brought to light before men and angels. God is infinite in knowledge. He cannot but be so; for he who gives being to things must needs have a clear inspection of them. Psa 94:4. ‘He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?’ He who makes a watch or engine knows all the workmanship in it. God, that made the heart, knows all its movements. He is full of eyes, like Ezekiel’s wheels, and, as Austin says, Totus oculus, ‘All eye.’ It ought to be so; for he is to be ‘Judge of all the world.’ Gen 18:85. There are so many causes to be brought before him, and so many persons to be tried, that he must have a perfect knowledge, or he could not do justice. An ordinary judge cannot proceed without a jury, the jury must search the cause, and give in the verdict; but God can judge without a jury. He knows all things in and of himself, and needs no witnesses to inform him. A judge judges only matters of fact, but God judges the heart. He not only judges wicked actions, but wicked designs. He sees the treason of the heart and punishes it.

Use one: Is God infinite in knowledge? Is he light, and in him is there no darkness? Then how unlike are they to God who are darkness, and in whom is no light, who are destitute of knowledge, such as the Indians who never heard of God! And are there not many among us, who are no better than baptized heathens? who need to seek the first principles of the oracles of God. It is sad, that after the sun of the gospel has shined so long in our horizon, to this day the veil should be upon their heart. Such as are enveloped in ignorance cannot give God a reasonable service. Rom 12:2. Ignorance is the nurse of impiety. The schoolmen say, Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia [Every sin is founded upon ignorance]. Jer 9:9. ‘They proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, saith the Lord.’ Where ignorance reigns in the understanding, lust rages in the affections. Prov 19:9. ‘That the mind be without knowledge, it is not good;’ such have neither faith nor fear: no faith; for knowledge carries the torch before faith. Psa 9:90. ‘They that know thy name shall put their trust in thee.’ A man can no more believe without knowledge than the eye can see without light. He can have no fear of God; for how can they fear him whom they do not know? The covering of Haman’s face was a sad presage of death. When people’s minds are covered with ignorance, it is a covering of the face that is a fatal forerunner of destruction.

Use two: If God be a God of knowledge, then see the folly of hypocrisy. Hypocrites do not virtute miacere, but fingere [Hypocrites do not actually do good, they merely make a show of it]. Melanchthon. They carry it fair with men, but care not how bad their hearts are; they live in secret sin. Psa 73:31. ‘They say, How doth God know?’ Psa 10:0: ‘God has forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it.’ But, Psa 147:7, ‘His understanding is infinite:’ He has a window to look into men’s breasts; he has a key for the heart; he beholds all the sinful workings of men’s spirits, as in a glass-hive we can see the bees working in their combs. Matt 6:6. He sees in secret. As a merchant enters debts in his book, so God has his day-book, in which he enters every sin. Jeroboam’s wife disguised herself that the prophet should not know her; but he discerned her. I Kings 14:4. ‘Why feignest thou thyself to be another?’ The hypocrite thinks to prevaricate and juggle with God, but God will unmask him. Eccles 12:14. ‘God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing.’ Jer 29:93. ‘They have committed villany in Israel, even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.’ Ay, but the hypocrite hopes he shall colour over his sin, and make it look very specious. Absalom masks over his treason with the pretence of a religious vow. Judas dissembles his envy at Christ, and his covetousness, with the pretence of ‘charity to the poor.’ John 12:2. Jehu makes religion a stirrup to his ambitious design. 2 Kings 10:16. But God sees through these fig-leaves. You may see a jade under his gilt trappings. Jer 16:17. ‘Their iniquities are not hid from mine eyes.’ He that has an eye to see will find a hand to punish.

Use three: Is God so infinite in knowledge? Then we should always feel as under his omniscient eye. Sic vivendum est tanquam in conspectu [Hence we ought to live as if always in full view]. Seneca. Let us set David’s prospect before our eye. Psa 16:6. ‘I have set the Lord always before me.’ Seneca counselled Lucilius, that whatever he was doing, he should imagine some of the Roman worthies stood before him, and then he would do nothing dishonourable. The consideration of God’s omniscience would be preventive of much sin. The eye of man will restrain from sin; and will not God’s eyes much more? Esther 7:7. ‘Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me?’ Will we sin when our judge looks on? Would men speak so vainly, if they considered God overheard them? Latimer took heed to every word in his examination, when he heard the pen go behind the hangings: so, what care would persons have of their words, if they remembered God heard, and the pen is going on in heaven? Would men go after strange flesh if they believed God was a spectator of their wickedness, and would make them do penance in hell for it? Would they defraud in their dealings, and use false weights, if they thought God saw them, and for making their weights lighter would make their damnation heavier. Viewing ourselves as under the eye of God’s omniscience, would cause reverence in the worship of God. God sees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him. How would this call in our straggling thoughts? How would it animate and spirit duty? It would make us put fire to the incense. Acts 26:6. ‘The tribes instantly served God day and night,’ omnibus viribus, with the utmost zeal and intenseness of spirit. To think God is in this place would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion.

Use four: Is God’s knowledge infinite? Study sincerity, be what you seem. I Sam 16:6. ‘The Lord looketh upon the heart.’ Men judge the heart by the actions, God judges the actions by the heart; if the heart be sincere, God will see the faith and bear with the failing. Asa had his blemishes, but his heart was right with God. 2 Chron 15:17. God saw his sincerity, and pardoned his infirmity. Sincerity in a Christian is like chastity in a wife, which excuses many failings. Sincerity makes our duties acceptable, like musk among linen, that perfumes it. As Jehu said to Jehonadab, 2 Kings 10:15. ‘Is thy heart right with me? And he said, It is. If it be, said he, give me thy hand; and he took him up into the chariot:’ so, if God sees our heart is right, that we love him, and design his glory, now, says he, give me your prayers and tears; now you shall come up with me into the chariot of glory. Sincerity makes our services to be golden, and God will not cast away the gold though it may want some weight. Is God omniscient, and his eye chiefly upon the heart? Wear the girdle of truth about you, and never leave it off.

Use five: Is God a God of infinite knowledge? Then there is comfort, (1.) To the saints in particular. (2.) To the church in general.

(1.) To saints in particular. In case of private devotion. Christian, thou settest hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treasure; God takes notice of every good thought. Mal 3:16. ‘He had a book of remembrance written for them that thought upon his name.’ Thou enterest into thy closet, and prayest to thy Father in secret; he hears every sigh and groan. Psa 38:8. ‘My groaning is not hid from thee.’ Thou waterest the seed of thy prayer with tears, God bottles every tear. Psa 56:6. ‘Put thou my tears into thy bottle.’ When the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himself will be the herald of their praises. 1 Cor 4:4. ‘Then shall every man have praise of God.’

The infiniteness of God’s knowledge is a comfort, in case the saints have not a clear knowledge of themselves. They find so much corruption, that they judge they have no grace. Gen 25:52. ‘If it be so, why am I thus?’ If I have grace, why is my heart in so dead and earthly a frame? oh remember, God is of infinite knowledge, he can spy grace where thou canst not; he can see grace hid under corruption, as the stars may be hid under a cloud. God can see that holiness in thee which thou canst not discern in thyself; he can spy the flower of grace in thee, though overtopped with weeds. I Kings 14:13. ‘Because there is in him some good thing.’ God sees some good thing in his people, when they can see no good in themselves; and though they judge themselves, he will give them an absolution.

It is comfort in respect of personal injuries. It is the saints’ lot to suffer. The head being crowned with thorns, the feet must not tread upon roses. If saints find a real purgatory, it is in this life; but this is their comfort, that God sees what wrong is done to them; the apple of his eye is touched, and is he not sensible of it? Paul was scourged by cruel hands. 2 Cor 11:15. ‘Thrice was I beaten with rods;’ as if you should see a scullion whip the king’s son. God beholds it. Exod 3:3. ‘I know their sorrows.’ The wicked make wounds in the backs of the saints, and then pour in vinegar; but God writes down their cruelty. Believers are a part of Christ’s mystical body; and for every drop of a saint’s blood spilt God puts a drop of wrath in his vial.

(2.) Comfort to the church of God in general. If God be a God of knowledge, he sees all the plots of the enemies against Zion, and can make them prove abortive. The wicked are subtile, having borrowed their skill from the old serpent; they dig deep, to hide their counsels from God, but he sees them, and can easily counterwork them. The dragon is described with seven heads in Rev 12:2, to show how he plots against the church; but God is described with seven eyes in Zech 3:3, to show that he sees all the plots and stratagems of the enemies; and when they deal proudly, he can be above them. Come, says Pharaoh, ‘let us deal wisely;’ Exod 1:10; but he never played the fool more than when he thought to deal wisely. Exod 14:44. ‘In the morning watch the Lord looked to the host of the Egyptians by the pillar of fire, and troubled the host.’ How may this, like sap in the vine, comfort the church of God in her militant state! The Lord has an eye in all the councils and combinations of the enemy; he sees them in their train, and can blow them up in their own mine.

3. The Eternity Of God

The next attribute is, ‘God is eternal.’ Psa 90:0. ‘From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.’ The schoolmen distinguish between aevun et aeternum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a threefold being.

I. Such as had a beginning; and shall have an end; as all sensitive creatures, the beasts, fowls, fishes, which at death are destroyed and return to dust; their being ends with their life. 2. Such as had a beginning, but shall have no end, as angels and the souls of men, which are eternal a parte post; they abide for ever. 3. Such as is without beginning, and without ending, and that is proper only to God. He is semper existens, from everlasting to everlasting. This is God’s title, a jewel of his crown. He is called ‘the King eternal’ I Tim 1:17. Jehovah is a word that properly sets forth God’s eternity; a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it and used Adonai, Lord, in its place. Jehovah contains in it time past, present, and to come. Rev 1:1. ‘Which is, and which was, and which is to come,’ interprets the word Jehovah; (which is) he subsists of himself, having a pure and independent being; (which was) God only was before time; there is no searching into the records of eternity; (which is to come) his kingdom has no end; his crown has no successors. Heb 1:1. ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.’ The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream. I shall prove that God only could be eternal, without beginning. Angels could not; they are but creatures, though spirits; they were made; and therefore their beginning may be known; their antiquity may be searched into. If you ask, when were they created? Some think before the world was; but not so: for what was before time was eternal. The first origin of angels reaches no higher than the beginning of the world. It is thought by the learned, that the angels were made on the day on which the heavens were made. Job 38:8. ‘When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ St Jerome, Gregory, and venerable Bede understand it, that when God laid the foundation-stone of the world, the angels being then created, sang anthems of joy and praise. It is proper to God only to be eternal, without beginning. He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Rev 1:1. No creature can write itself Alpha, that is only a flower of the crown of heaven. Exod 3:14. ‘I am that I am,’ that is, He who exists from and to eternity.

Use one: Here is thunder and lightning to the wicked. God is eternal, therefore the torments of the wicked are eternal. God lives for ever; and as long as God lives he will be punishing the damned. This should be as the handwriting upon the wall, it should ‘make their joints to be loosed,’ &c. Dan 5:5. The sinner takes liberty to sin he breaks God’s laws, like a wild beast that breaks over the hedge, and leaps into forbidden pasture; he sins with greediness, as if he thought he could not sin fast enough. Eph 4:19. But remember, one of God’s names is Eternal, and as long as God is eternal he has time enough to reckon with all his enemies. To make sinners tremble, let them think of these three things: the torments of the damned are without intermission, without mixture, and eternal.

(1.) Without intermission. Their pains shall be acute and sharp, and no relaxation; the fire shall not be slackened or abated. Rev 14:41. ‘They have no rest day nor night;’ like one that has his joints stretched continually on the rack, and has no ease. The wrath of God is compared to a stream of brimstone. Isa 30:03. Why to a stream? Because a stream runs without intermission; so God’s wrath runs like a stream, and pours out without intermission. In the pains of this life, there is some abatement and intermission; the fever abates; after a fit of the stone, the patient has some ease; but the pains of hell are intense and violent, in summo gradu. The damned soul never says, I am now more at ease.

(2.) Without mixture. Hell is a place of pure justice. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy, he mixes compassion with suffering. Deut 33:35. Asher’s shoe was of iron, but his foot was dipt in oil. Affliction is the iron shoe, but mercy is mixed with it; the foot is dipt in oil. But the torments of the damned have no mixture. Rev 14:40. ‘They shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture.’ No mixture of mercy. How is the cup of wrath said to be full of mixture! Psa 75:5. ‘For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture: and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them.’ Yet in the Revelation it is said to be without mixture. It is full of mixture, that is, it is full of all the ingredients that may make it bitter; the worm, the fire, the curse of God, all these are bitter ingredients. It is a cup mixed, yet it is without mixture; there shall be nothing to afford the least comfort, no mixture of mercy, and so without mixture. In the sacrifice of jealousy, Numb 5:55, no oil was put to it; so, in the torments of the damned, there is no oil of mercy to abate their sufferings.

(3.) Without cessation, eternal. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, but the torments of the wicked are for ever. Sinners have a short feast, but a long reckoning. Origen erroneously thought, that after a thousand years the damned should be released out of their misery; but the worm, the fire, the prison, are all eternal. Rev 14:11. ‘The smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever.’ Poenae gehennales puniunt, non finiunt [The torments of hell keep on punishing, they never end]. Prosper. Eternity is a sea without bottom and banks. After millions of years, there is not one minute in eternity wasted; and the damned must be ever burning, but never consuming, always dying, but never dead. Rev 9:9. ‘They shall seek death, but shall not find it.’ The fire of hell is such, as multitudes of tears will not quench it, length of time will not finish it; the vial of God’s wrath will be always dropping upon a sinner. As long as God is eternal, he lives to be avenged upon the wicked. Oh eternity! eternity! who can fathom it? Mariners have their plummets to measure the depths of the sea; but what line or plummet shall we use to fathom the depth of eternity? The breath of the Lord kindles the infernal lake, Isa 30:03, and where shall we have engines or buckets to quench that fire? Oh eternity! If all the body of the earth and sea were turned to sand, and all the air up to the starry heaven were nothing but sand, and a little bird should come every thousand years, and fetch away in her bill but the tenth part of a grain of all that heap of sand, what numberless years would be spent before that vast heap of sand would be fetched away! Yet, if at the end of all that time, the sinner might come out of hell, there would be some hope; but that word ‘Ever’ breaks the heart. ‘The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.’ What a terror is this to the wicked, enough to put them into a cold sweat, to think, as long as God is eternal, he lives for ever to be avenged upon them!

Here the question may be asked, Why should sin that is committed in a short time be punished eternally?

We must hold with Augustine, ‘that God’s judgements on the wicked, occultu esse possum, injusta esse non possum, may be secret, but never unjust.’ The reason why sin committed in a short time is eternally punished, is, because every sin is committed against an infinite essence, and no less than eternity of punishment can satisfy. Why is treason punished with confiscation and death, but because it is against the king’s person, which is sacred; much more that offence which is against God’s crown and dignity is of a heinous and infinite nature, and cannot be satisfied with less than eternal punishment.

Use two: Of comfort to the godly. God is eternal, therefore he lives for ever to reward the godly. Rom 2:2. ‘To them who seek for glory and honour, eternal life’. The people of God here are in a suffering condition. Acts 20:03. ‘Bonds and afflictions abide me.’ The wicked are clad in purple, and fare deliciously, while the godly suffer. Goats climb upon high mountains, while Christ’s sheep are in the valley of slaughter. But here is the comfort, God is eternal, and he has appointed eternal recompenses for the saints. In heaven are fresh delights, sweetness without surfeit; and that which is the crown and zenith of heaven’s happiness, is, that it is ‘eternal.’ I John 3:15. Were there but the least suspicion that this glory must cease it would much eclipse, yea, embitter it; but it is eternal. What angel can span eternity? 2 Cor 4:47. ‘An eternal weight of glory.’ The saints shall bathe themselves in the rivers of divine pleasure; and these rivers can never be dried up. Psa 16:6: ‘At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.’ This is the Elah, the highest strain in the apostle’s rhetoric. I Thess 4:17. ‘Ever with the Lord.’ There is peace without trouble, ease without pain, glory without end, ‘ever with the Lord.’ Let this comfort the saints in all their troubles; their sufferings are but short, but their reward is eternal. Eternity makes heaven to be heaven; it is the diamond in the ring. Oh blessed day that shall have no night! The sunlight of glory shall rise upon the soul and never set! Oh blessed spring, that shall have no autumn, or fall of the leaf. The Roman emperors have three crowns set upon their heads, the first of iron, the second of silver, the third of gold; so the Lord sets three crowns on his children, grace, comfort, and glory; and this crown is eternal. I Pet 5:5. ‘Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’ The wicked have a never-dying worm, and the godly a never-fading crown. Oh how should this be a spur to virtue! How willing should we be to work for God! Though we had nothing here, God has time enough to reward his people. The crown of eternity shall be set upon their head.

Use three: Of exhortation. Study eternity. Our thoughts should chiefly run upon eternity. We all wish for the present, something that may delight the senses. If we could have lived, as Augustine says, a cunabulis mundi, from the infancy of the world to the world’s old age, what were this? What is time, measured with eternity? As the earth is but a small point to the heaven, so time is but, nay scarce a minute to eternity! And then, what is this poor life which crumbles away so fast? Oh, think of eternity! Annos aeternos in mente habe. Brethren, we are every day travelling to eternity; and whether we wake or sleep, we are going our journey. Some of us are upon the borders of eternity. Oh study the shortness of life and length of eternity!

More particularly think of God’s eternity and the soul’s eternity. Think of God’s eternity. He is the Ancient of Days, who was before all time. There is a figurative description of God in Dan 7:7. ‘The Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool.’ His white garment, wherewith he was clothed, signified his majesty; his hair, like the pure wool, his holiness; and the Ancient of Days, his eternity. The thought of God’s eternity should make us have high adoring thoughts of God. We are apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him. Psa 50:0I. ‘Thou thoughtest I was such an one as thyself,’ weak and mortal, but if we would think of God’s eternity, when all our power ceases, he is King eternal, his crown flourishes for ever, he can make us happy or miserable for ever, this would make us have adoring thoughts of God. Rev 4:40. ‘The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat upon the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever; and cast their crowns before the throne.’ The saints fall down, to signify by that humble posture that they are not worthy to sit in God’s presence. They fall down and they worship him that liveth for ever and ever; they do as it were kiss his feet. They cast their crowns before the throne, they lay all their honour at his feet; thus they show humble adoration to the eternal essence. Study God’s eternity, it will make us adore where we cannot fathom. Think of the soul’s eternity. As God is eternal, so he has made us eternal. We are never-dying creatures; we are shortly entering upon an eternal state, either of happiness or misery. Have serious thoughts of this. Say, O my soul, which of these two eternities is like to be thy portion? I must shortly depart hence, and whither then shall I go, to which of these eternities, either of glory or misery? The serious meditation of the eternal state we are to pass into would work strongly with us.

(1.) Thoughts of eternal torments are a good antidote against sin. Sin tempts with its pleasure; but, when we think of eternity, it may cool the intemperate heat of lust. Shall I, for the pleasure of sin for a season, endure eternal pain? Sin, like those locusts, Rev 9:9, seems to have on its head a crown like gold, but it has in it a tail like a scorpion, verse 10, and a sting in its tail, and this sting can never be plucked out. Shall I venture eternal wrath? Is sin committed so sweet as lying in hell for ever is bitter? This thought would make us flee from sin, as Moses from the serpent.

(2.) The serious thoughts of eternal happiness would very much take us off from worldly things. What are these sublunary things to eternity! They are quickly gone, they salute us, and take their farewell. But I am to enter upon an everlasting estate; I hope to live with him who is eternal; what is the world to me? To those who stand upon the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania are small things in their eyes; so to him who has his thoughts fixed on his eternal state after this life, all these things seem as nothing in his eye. What is the glory of this world! how poor and contemptible, compared with an eternal weight of glory!

(3.) The serious thoughts of an eternal state, either of happiness or misery, should have a powerful influence upon whatsoever we take in hand. Every work we do promotes either a blessed or cursed eternity; every good action sets us a step nearer to an eternity of happiness; every bad action sets us a step nearer to an eternity of misery. Oh what influence should the thoughts of eternity have upon our religious duties! It should make us do them with all our might. Duty well performed lifts a Christian higher towards heaven, and sets a Christian a step nearer to a blessed eternity.

4. The Unchangeableness Of God

The next attribute is God’s unchangeableness. ‘I am Jehovah, I change not.’ Mal 3:3. I. God is unchangeable in his nature. II. In his decree.

I. Unchangeable in his nature. 1. There is no eclipse of his brightness. 2. No period put to his being.

[1] No eclipse of his brightness. His essence shines with a fixed lustre. ‘With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ James 1:17. ‘Thou art the same.’ Psa 102:27. All created things are full of vicissitudes. Princes and emperors are subject to mutation. Sesostris, an Egyptian prince, having subdued divers kings in war, made them draw his chariot, like horses, as if he intended them to eat grass, as God did King Nebuchadnezzar. The crown has many successors. Kingdoms have their eclipses and convulsions. What is become of the glory of Athens? The pomp of Troy? Jam seges est ubi Troja fuit [Now corn grows where Troy once stood]. Though kingdoms have a head of gold, they have feet of clay. The heavens change. ‘As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.’ Psa 102:26. The heavens are the most ancient records, where God has written his glory with a sunbeam, yet these shall change. Though I do not think they shall be destroyed as to their substance, yet they shall be changed as to their qualities; they shall melt with fervent heat, and so be more refined and purified. 2 Pet 3:12. Thus the heavens shall be changed, but not he who dwells in heaven. ‘With him there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.’ The best saints have their eclipses and changes. Look upon a Christian in his spiritual estate, and he is full of variation. Though the seed of grace does not die, yet its beauty and activity often wither. A Christian has his aguish fits in religion. Sometimes his faith is at a high tide, sometimes low ebb; sometimes his love flames, and at another time is like fire in the embers, and he has lost his first love. How strong was David’s grace at one time! ‘The God of my rock, in him will I trust.’ 2 Sam 12:2. At another time he says, ‘I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.’ What Christian can say he does not find a change in his graces; that the bow of his faith never unbends, the strings of his viol never slacken? Surely we shall never meet with such Christians till we meet them in heaven. But God is without any shadow of turning. The angels were subject to change; they were created holy, but mutable. ‘The angels which kept not their first estate.’ Jude 6. These morning stars of heaven were falling stars. But God’s glory shines with a fixed brightness. In God there is nothing that looks like a change, for better or worse; not better, because then he were not perfect; not worse, for then he would cease to be perfect. He is immutably holy, immutably good; there is no shadow of change in him.

But when Christ, who is God, assumed the human nature, there was a change in God.

If the divine nature had been converted into the human, or the human into the divine, there had been a change, but they were not so. The human nature was distinct from the divine. Therefore there was no change. A cloud over the sun makes no change in the body of the sun; so, though the divine nature be covered with the human, it makes no change in the divine nature.

[2] There is no period put to his being. ‘Who only has immortality.’ I Tim 6:16. The Godhead cannot die. An infinite essence cannot be changed into finite; but God is infinite. He is eternal, ergo, he is not mortal. To be eternal and mortal is a contradiction.

Use one: See the excellence of the divine nature in its immutability. This is the glory of the Godhead. Mutableness denotes weakness, and is not in God, who is ‘the same, yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.’ Heb 13:3. Men are fickle and mutable, like Reuben, ‘unstable as water.’ Gen 49:9. They are changeable in their principles. If their faces altered as fast as their opinions, we should not know them. Changeable in their resolutions; as the wind that blows in the east, presently turns about to the west. They resolve to be virtuous, but quickly repent of their resolutions. Their minds are like a sick man’s pulse, which alters every half hour. An apostle compares them to waves of the sea, and wandering stars. Jude 13. They are not pillars in God’s temple, but reeds. Others are changeable in their friendship. They quickly love and quickly hate. Sometimes they will put you in their bosom, then excommunicate you out of their favour. They change as the chameleon, into several colours, but God is immutable.

Use two: See the vanity of the creature. There are changes in everything but in God. ‘Men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are a lie.’ Psa 62:2. We look for more from the creature than God has put in it. It has two evils in it; it promises more than we find, and it fails us when we most need it. There is failure in omni. A man desires to have his corn ground, and the water fails; the mariner is for a voyage, and the wind does not blow, or is contrary; one depends upon another for the payment of a promise, and he fails, and is like a foot out of joint. Who would look for a fixed stability in the vain creature? It is as if one should build houses on the sand, where the sea comes in and overflows. The creature is true to nothing but deceit, and is constant only in its disappointments. It is no more wonderful to see changes fall out here below, than to see the moon dressing itself in a new shape and figure. Expect to meet with changes in everything but God.

Use three: Comfort to the godly. (1.) In case of losses. If an estate be almost boiled away to nothing, if you lose friends by death, there is a double eclipse; but the comfort is, God is unchangeable; I may lose these things, but I cannot lose my God; he never dies. When the fig-tree and olive-tree failed, God did not fail. ‘I will joy in the God of my salvation.’ Hab 3:38. Flowers in the garden die, but a man’s portion remains; so outward things die and change, but ‘thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.’ Psa 73:36.

(2.) In case of sadness of spirit. God seems to cast off the soul in desertion, as in Cant 5:5, ’My Beloved had withdrawn himself;’ yet he is unchangeable. He is immutable in his love; he may change his countenance, but not his heart. ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love.’ Jer 31:1. Hebrew, Olam, a love of eternity. If once God’s electing love rises upon the soul, it never sets. ‘The mountains shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee, neither the covenant of my peace be removed.’ Isa 54:40. God’s love stands faster than the mountains. His love to Christ is unchangeable; and he will no more cease loving believers than he will cease loving Christ.

Use four: Of exhortation. Get an interest in the unchangeable God, then thou art as a rock in the sea, immoveable in the midst of all changes.

How shall I get a part in the unchangeable God?

By having a change wrought in thee. ‘But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified.’ I Cor 6:6: Whence we are changed, a tenebris ad lucem [from darkness to light], so changed, as if another soul did live in the same body. By this change we are interested in the unchangeable God.

Trust to that God only who is unchangeable. ‘Cease ye from man,’ Isa 2:22; leave trusting to the reed, but trust to the Rock of ages. He that is by faith engarrisoned in God, is safe in all changes; he is like a boat that is tied to an immoveable rock. He that trusts in God, trusts in that which cannot fail him; he is unchangeable. ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ Heb 13:3. Health may leave us, riches, friends may leave us, but, says God, I will not leave thee; my power shall support thee; my Spirit shall sanctify thee; my mercy shall save thee; I will never leave thee. Oh trust in this unchangeable God! God is jealous of two things; of our love, and of our trust. He is jealous of our love, lest we love the creature more than him, therefore he makes it prove bitter; and of our trust, lest we should place more confidence in it than in him, therefore he makes it prove unfaithful. Outward comforts are given us as food by the way to refresh us, not as crutches to lean on. If we make the creature an idol, what we make our trust God will make our shame. Oh trust in the immortal God! Like Noah’s dove, we have no footing for our souls, till we get into the ark of God’s unchangeableness. Psa 125:5. ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.’

II. God is unchangeable in his decree. What he has decreed from eternity is unalterable. ‘My counsel shall stand.’ Isa 46:60. God’s eternal counsel or decree is immutable. If he changed his decree, it must be from some defect of wisdom or foresight, for that is the reason why men change their purposes; they see something after, which they did not see before; but this cannot be the cause why God should alter his decree, because his knowledge is perfect, he sees all things in one entire prospect before him.

But is not God said to repent? There seems to be a change in his decree, in Jonah 3:30. ‘The Lord repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them.’

Repentance is attributed to God figuratively. Numb 23:19. ‘He is not a man that he should repent.’ There may be a change in God’s work, but not in his will. He may will a change, but not change his will. ‘God may change his sentence, but not his decree.’ A king may cause sentence to be passed upon a malefactor whom he intends to save; so God threatened destruction to Nineveh, but the people of Nineveh repenting, God spared them. Jonah 3:30. Here God changed his sentence, but not his decree; it was what had lain in the womb of his purpose from eternity.

But if God’s decree be unchangeable, and cannot be reversed, to what purpose should we use the means? Our endeavours towards salvation cannot alter his decree.

The decree of God does not affect my endeavour; for he that decreed my salvation decreed it in the use of means, and if I neglect the means I reprobate myself. No man argues thus: God has decreed how long I shall live, therefore I will not use means to preserve my life, I will not eat and drink. God has decreed the time of my life in the use of means, so God has decreed my salvation in the use of the Word and of prayer. As a man who refuses food murders himself, so he that refuses to work out his salvation destroys himself. The vessels of mercy are said to be prepared unto glory. Rom 9:93. How are they prepared but by being sanctified? and that cannot be but in the use of means; therefore let not God’s decree take thee off from holy endeavours. It is a good saying of Dr Preston, ‘Hast thou a heart to pray to God? it is a sign no decree of wrath has passed against thee.’

Use one: If God’s decree be eternal and unchangeable, then God does not elect upon our faith foreseen, as the Arminians maintain. ‘The children being not yet born, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, it was said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated.’ Rom 9:11, 13. We are not elected for holiness, but to holiness. Eph 1:1. If we are not justified for our faith, much less are we elected for our faith; but we are not justified for it. We are said to be justified through faith as an instrument in Eph 2:2, but not for faith as a cause; and, if not justified for faith, then much less elected. God’s decree of election is eternal and unchangeable, and therefore depends not upon faith foreseen. ‘As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.’ Acts 13:38. They were not elected because they believed, but they believed because they were elected.

Use two: If God’s decree be unchangeable, it gives comfort in two cases. (1.) Concerning God’s providence towards his church. We are ready to quarrel with Providence, if everything does not accord with our desire. Remember God’s work goes on, and nothing falls out but what he has decreed from eternity. (2.) God has decreed troubles for the church’s good. The troubles of God’s church is like the angel’s troubling the water, which made way for healing his people. John 5: 4. He has decreed troubles in the church. ‘His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.’ Isa 31:1. The wheels in a watch move cross one to another, but they all carry on the motion of the watch; so the wheels of Providence often move cross to our desires, but still they carry on God’s unchangeable decree. ‘Many shall be made white.’ Dan 12:20. God lets the waters of affliction be poured on his people to make them white. Therefore murmur not at God’s dealings; his work goes on, nothing falls out but what he has wisely decreed from eternity; everything shall promote God’s design, and fulfil his decree.

Use three: Comfort to the godly in regard of their salvation. 2 Tim 2:19. ‘The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.’ God’s counsel of election is unchangeable. Once elected for ever elected. ‘I will not blot his name out of the book of life.’ Rev 3:3. The book of God’s decree has no errata in it, no blottings out. Once justified, never unjustified. ‘Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.’ Hos 13: 14. God never repents of his electing love. ‘He loved them to the end.’ John 13:3. Therefore, if thou art a believer, comfort thyself with this, the immutability of God’s decree.

Use four: To conclude with a word to the wicked, who march furiously against God and his people, let them know that God’s decree is unchangeable. God will not alter it, nor can they break it; and while they resist God’s will they fulfil it. There is a two-fold will of God, Voluntas praecepti et decreti; ‘the will of God’s precept, and of his decree.’ While the wicked resist the will of God’s precept, they fulfil the will of his permissive decree. Judas betrays Christ, Pilate condemns him, the soldiers crucify him; while they resist the will of God’s precepts, they fulfil the will of his permissive decree. Acts 4:48. God commands one thing, they do the contrary; to keep the Sabbath, and they profane it. While they disobey his command, they fulfil his permissive decree. If a man sets up two nets, one of silk, the other of iron, the silken net may be broken, not the iron; so while men break the silken net of God’s command, they are taken in the iron net of his decree; while they sit backward to God’s precepts, they row forward to his decrees; his decrees to permit their sin, and to punish them for their sin permitted.

5. The Wisdom Of God

The next attribute is God’s wisdom, which is one of the brightest beams of the Godhead. ‘He is wise in heart.’ Job 9:9. The heart is the seat of wisdom. Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro judicio. Pineda. ‘Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wisdom.’ ‘Let men of understanding tell me:’ Job 34:44: in the Hebrew, ‘Let men of heart tell me.’ God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. God only is wise; he solely and wholly possesses all wisdom; therefore he is called, ‘the only wise God.’ I Tim 1:17. All the treasures of wisdom are locked up in him, and no creature can have any wisdom but as God is pleased to give it out of his treasury. God is perfectly wise; there is no defect in his wisdom. Men may be wise in some things, but in other things may betray imprudence and weakness. But God is the exemplar and pattern of wisdom, and the pattern must be perfect. Matt 5:58. God’s wisdom appears in two things. I. His infinite intelligence. II. His exact working.

I. His infinite intelligence. He knows the most profound secrets. Dan 2:28. He knows the thoughts, which are the most intricate subtle things. Amos 4:43. ‘He declareth to man what is his thought.’ Let sin be contrived ever so politically, God will pull off all masks and disguises, and make a heartanatomy. He knows all future contingencies, et ante intuita [and, already foreseen], all things are before him in one clear prospect.

II. His exact curious working. He is wise in heart; his wisdom lies in his works. These works of God are bound up in three great volumes, where we may read his wisdom.

[1] The work of creation. The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom. None but a wise God could so curiously contrive the world. Behold the earth decked with variety of flowers, which are both for beauty and fragrance. Behold the heaven bespangled with lights. We may see the glorious wisdom of God blazing in the sun, twinkling in the stars. His wisdom is seen in marshalling and ordering everything in its proper place and sphere. If the sun had been set lower, it would have burnt us; if higher, it would not have warmed us with its beams. God’s wisdom is seen in appointing the seasons of the year. ‘Thou hast made summer and winter.’ Psa 74:17. If it had been all summer, the heat would have scorched us; if all winter, the cold would have killed us. The wisdom of God is seen in chequering the dark and the light. If it had been all night, there had been no labour; if all day, there had been no rest. Wisdom is seen in mixing the elements, as the earth with the sea. If it had been all sea, we had wanted bread; if it had been all earth, we had wanted water. The wisdom of God is seen in preparing and ripening the fruits of the earth, in the wind and frost that prepare the fruits, and in the sun and rain that ripen the fruits. God’s wisdom is seen in setting bounds to the sea, and so wisely contriving it, that though the sea be higher than many parts of the earth, yet it should not overflow the earth; so that we may cry out with the Psalmist, ‘O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.’ Psa 104:44. There is nothing to be seen but miracles of wisdom. God’s wisdom is seen in ordering things in the body politic, that one shall have need of another. The poor need the rich man’s money, and the rich need the poor man’s labour. God makes one trade depend upon another, that one may be helpful to another, and that mutual love may be preserved.

[2] The second work wherein God’s wisdom shines forth is the work of redemption. (1.) Here was the masterpiece of divine wisdom, to contrive a way to happiness between the sin of man and the justice of God. We may cry out with the apostle, ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.’ Rom 11:13. This astonished men and angels. If God had put us to find out a way of salvation when we were lost, we could neither have had a head to devise, nor a heart to desire, what God’s infinite wisdom had found out for us. Mercy had a mind to save sinners, and was loath that the justice of God should be wronged. It is a pity, says Mercy, that such a noble creature as man should be made to be undone; and yet God’s justice must not be a loser. What way then shall be found out? Angels cannot satisfy for the wrong done to God’s justice, nor is it fit that one nature should sin, and another nature suffer. What then? Shall man be for ever lost? Now, while Mercy was thus debating with itself, what to do for the recovery of fallen man, the Wisdom of God stepped in; and thus the oracle spake: - Let God become man; let the Second Person in the Trinity be incarnate, and suffer; and so for fitness he shall be man, and for ability he shall be God; thus justice may be satisfied, and man saved. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God, thus to make justice and mercy to kiss each other! Great is this mystery, ‘God manifest in the flesh.’ 1 Tim 3:36. What wisdom was this, that Christ should be made sin, yet know no sin; that God should condemn the sin, yet save the sinner! Here was wisdom, to find out the way of salvation. (2.) The means by which salvation is applied sets forth God’s wisdom; that salvation should be by faith, not by works. Faith is a humble grace, it gives all to Christ; it is an adorer of free grace; and free grace being advanced here, God has his glory; and it is his highest wisdom to exalt his own glory. (3.) The way of working faith declares God’s wisdom. It is wrought by the word preached. ‘Faith comes by hearing.’ Rom 10:17. What is the weak breath of a man to convert a soul? It is like whispering in the ears of a dead man. This is foolishness in the eye of the world; but the Lord loves to show his wisdom by that which seems folly. ‘He has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.’ I Cor 1:17. Why so? verse 29. ‘That no flesh should glory in his presence.’ Should God convert by the ministry of angels, then we should be ready to glory in angels, and give that honour to them which is due to God; but when God works by weak tools, makes use of men who are of like passions with ourselves, and by them converts, then the power is plainly seen to be of God. ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.’ 2 Cor 4:4. Herein is God’s wisdom seen, that no flesh may glory in his Presence.

[3] The wisdom of God wonderfully appears in the works of his providence. Every providence has a mercy or a wonder wrapt up in it. The wisdom of God, in his works of providence, appears. (1.) By effecting great things by small contemptible means. He cured the stung Israelites by a brazen serpent. If some sovereign antidote had been used, if the balm of Gilead had been brought, there had been some likelihood of a cure; but what was there in a brazen serpent? It was a mere image, and not applied to him that was wounded, he was to look upon it only; yet this wrought a cure. The less probability in the instrument, the more is God’s wisdom seen. (2.) The wisdom of God is seen in doing his work by that which to the eye of flesh seems quite contrary. God intended to advance Joseph, and to make all his brethren’s sheaves bow to his sheaf. Now, what way does he take? First Joseph is thrown into the pit; then sold into Egypt; then after that put in prison. Gen 39:90. By his imprisonment God made way for his advancement. For God to save in an ordinary way would not so much display his wisdom. But when he goes strangely to work, and saves in that very way in which we think he will destroy, his wisdom shines forth in a most conspicuous manner. God would make Israel victorious, and what way does he take? He lessens Gideon’s army. ‘The people that are with thee are too many.’ Judg 7:7. He reduces the army of two and thirty thousand to three hundred; and by taking away the means of victory makes Israel victorious. God had a design to bring his people out of Egypt, and a strange course he takes to effect it. He stirred up the hearts of the Egyptians to hate them. ‘He turned their heart to hate his people.’ Psa 105:55. The more they hated and oppressed Israel, the more God plagued the Egyptians, and the more glad they were to let Israel go. Exod 12:23. The Egyptians were urgent upon Israel, that they might send them out of the land in haste. God had a mind to save Jonah when he was cast into the sea, and he let the fish swallow him up, and so brought him to the shore. God would save Paul, and all that were in the ship with him, but the ship must break, and they all came safe to land upon the broken pieces of the ship. Acts 27:74. In reference to the church, God often goes by contrary means, and makes the enemy do his work. He can make a straight stroke with a crooked stick. He has often made his church grow and flourish by persecution. ‘The showers of blood have made her more fruitful,’ says Julian. Exod 1:10. ‘Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply;’ and the way they took to suppress them, made them multiply. Verse 12. ‘The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied;’ like ground, the more it is harrowed, the better crop it bears. The apostles were scattered by reason of persecution, and their scattering was like the scattering of seed; they went up and down, and preached the gospel, and brought daily converts. Paul was put in prison, and his bonds were the means of spreading the gospel. Phil 1:12.

(3.) The wisdom of God is seen in making the most desperate evils turn to the good of his children. As several poisonable ingredients, wisely tempered by the skill of the artist, make a sovereign medicine, so God makes the most deadly afflictions co-operate for the good of his children. He purifies them, and prepares them for heaven. 2 Cor 4:17. These hard frosts hasten the spring flowers of glory. The wise God, by a divine chemistry, turns afflictions into cordials. He makes his people gainers by losses, and turns their crosses into blessings.

(4.) The wisdom of God is seen in this, that the sins of men shall carry on God’s work; yet he should have no hand in their sin. The Lord permits sin, but does not approve it. He has a hand in the action in which sin is, but not in the sin of the action. As in the crucifying of Christ, so far as it was a natural action, God concurred; if he had not given the Jews life and breath, they could not have done it; but as it was a sinful action, so God abhorred it. A musician plays upon a viol out of tune; the musician is the cause of the sound, but the jarring and discord is from the viol itself; so men’s natural motion is from God, but their sinful motion is from themselves. When a man rides on a lame horse, his riding is the cause why the horse goes, but the lameness is from the horse itself. Herein is God’s wisdom, that the sins of men carry on his work, yet he has no hand in them.

(5.) The wisdom of God is seen in helping in desperate cases. God loves to show his wisdom when human help and wisdom fail. Exquisite lawyers love to wrestle with niceties and difficulties in the law, to show their skill the more. God’s wisdom is never at a loss; but when providences are darkest, then the morning star of deliverance appears. ‘Who remembered us in our low estate.’ Psa 136:63. Sometimes God melts away the spirits of his enemies. Josh 2:24. Sometimes he finds them other work to do, and sounds a retreat to them, as he did to Saul when he was pursuing David. ‘The Philistines are in the land.’ ‘In the mount will God be seen.’ When the church seems to be upon the altar, her peace and liberty ready to be sacrificed, then the angel comes.

(6.) God’s wisdom is seen in befooling wise men, and in making their wisdom the means of their overthrow. Ahithophel had deep policy. 2 Sam 16:63. ‘The counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God;’ but he consulted his own shame. ‘The Lord turned his counsel into foolishness.’ 2 Sam 15:51. ‘God taketh the wise in their own craftiness;’ Job 5:13; that is, when they think to deal wisely, he not only disappoints them, but ensnares them. The snares they lay for others catch themselves. ‘In the net which they hid is their own foot taken.’ Psa 9:15. God loves to counterplot politicians; he makes use of their own wit to undo them, and hangs Haman upon his own gallows.

Use one: Adore the wisdom of God. It is an infinite deep; the angels cannot search into it. ‘His ways are past finding out.’ Rom 11:13. As we should adore, so we should rest in the wisdom of God. God sees what condition is best for us. Did we believe the wisdom of God, it would keep us from murmuring. Rest in God’s wisdom. (1.) In want of spiritual comfort. God is wise; he sees it good sometimes that we should be without comfort. Perhaps we should be lifted up with spiritual enlargements, as Paul, with his revelations. 2 Cor 12:2. It is hard to have the heart low when comfort is high. God sees humility to be better for us than joy. It is better to want comfort, and be humble, than to have it, and be proud. (2.) In want of bodily strength, rest in God’s wisdom. He sees what is best. Perhaps the less health the more grace; weaker in body, the stronger in faith. ‘Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.’ 2 Cor 4:16. At Rome there were two laurel trees; when the one withered, the other flourished. The inward man is renewed. When God shakes the tree of the body, he is gathering the fruits of righteousness. Heb 12:21. Sickness is God’s lance, to let out the imposthume of sin. Isa 27:7. (3.) In case of God’s providences to his church. When we wonder what God is doing with us, and are ready to kill ourselves with care; let us rest in God’s wisdom. He knows best what he has to do. ‘His footsteps are not known.’ Psa 77:19. Trust him where you cannot trace him. God is most in his way, when we think he is most out of the way. When we think God’s church is, as it were, in the grave, and there is a tombstone laid upon her, his wisdom can roll away the stone from the sepulchre. ‘Christ cometh leaping over mountains.’ Cant 2:2. Either his power can remove the mountain, or his wisdom knows how to leap over it. (4.) In case we are low in the world, or have but little oil in our cruse, let us rest in God’s wisdom. He sees it best; it is to cure pride and wantonness. God knew if thy estate had not been lost, thy soul had been lost. God saw riches would be a snare unto thee. I Tim 6:6. Art thou troubled that God has prevented a snare? God will make thee rich in faith. What thou lackest in temporals shall be made up in spirituals. God will give thee more of his love. Thou art weak in estate, but God will make thee strong in assurance. Oh rest in God’s wisdom! he will carve the best piece for thee. (5.) In case of the loss of dear friends, a wife, or child, or husband, let us rest satisfied in God’s wisdom. God takes away these, because he would have more of our love; he breaks these crutches, that we may live more upon him by faith. God would have us learn to go without crutches.

Use two: If God be infinitely wise, let us go to him for wisdom, as Solomon did. ‘Give thy servant an understanding heart; and the speech pleased the Lord.’ I Kings 3:3. Here is encouragement for us; ‘If any one lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not.’ James 1:1. Wisdom is in God, tanquam infonte, ‘as in the fountain’; his wisdom is imparted, not impaired; his stock is not spent by giving. Go then to God. Lord, do thou light my lamp; in thy light shall I see light; give me wisdom, to know the fallacy of my heart, the subtleties of the old serpent; to walk jealously towards myself, religiously towards thee, prudently towards others; guide me by thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.

6. The Power Of God

The next attribute is God’s power. Job 9:19. ‘If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.’ In this chapter is a magnificent description of God’s power. ‘Lo, he is strong.’ The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. ‘He is strong.’ The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both.

I. He has a sovereign right arid authority over man. He can do with his creatures as he pleases. Who shall dispute with God? who shall ask him a reason of his doings? Dan 4:45. ‘He does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?’ God sits judge in the highest court; he calls the monarchs of the earth to the bar, and is not bound to give a reason of his proceedings. Psa 75:5. ‘He putteth down one, and raiseth up another.’ He has salvation and damnation in his power. He has the key of justice in his hand, to lock up whom he will in the fiery prison of hell; and he has the key of mercy in his hand, to open heaven’s gate to whom he pleases. The name engraven upon his vesture is, ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ Rev 19:96. He sits Lord paramount, and who can call him to account? Isa 46:60. ‘I will do all my pleasure.’ The world is God’s diocese, and shall not he do what he will in his own diocese? He it was that turned King Nebuchadnezzar to eat grass, and threw the angels to hell when they sinned; that broke the head of the Babylonish empire. ‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! Thy pomp is brought down to the grave.’ Isa 14:12. ‘Who sets bounds to the sea, and bridles the proud waves.’ Job 38:11. God is the supreme monarch, all power is seated originally in him. ‘The powers that be are ordained of God.’ Rom 13:3. Kings hold their crowns of him. ‘By me kings reign.’ Prov 8:15.

II. As God has authority, so he has infinite power. What is authority without power? ‘He is mighty in strength.’ Job 9:9. This power of God is seen.

[1] In the creation. To create requires infinite power. All the world cannot make a fly. God’s power in creating is evident; because he needs no instruments to work with; he can work without tools; because he needs no matter to work upon; he creates matter, and then works upon it; and because he works without labour; ‘He spake, and it was done.’ Psa 33:3.

[2] The power of God is seen in the conversion of souls. The same power draws a sinner to God that drew Christ out of the grave to heaven. Eph 1:19. Greater power is put forth in conversion than in creation. When God made the world, he met with no opposition; as he had nothing to help him, so he had nothing to hinder him; but when he converts a sinner, he meets with opposition. Satan opposes him, and the heart opposes him; a sinner is angry with converting grace. The world was the ‘work of God’s fingers.’ Psa 8:8. Conversion is the ‘work of God’s arm.’ Luke 1:51I. In the creation, God wrought but one miracle, he spake the word; but, in conversion, he works many miracles; the blind is made to see, the dead is raised, the deaf hears the voice of the Son of God. Oh the infinite power of Jehovah! Before his sceptre, angels veil and prostrate themselves, and kings cast their crowns at his feet. ‘He toucheth the land, and it shall melt.’ Amos 9:9. ‘He removeth the earth out of her place.’ Job 9:9. An earthquake makes the earth tremble upon her pillars, but God shakes it out of its place; he can remove the earth from its centre. He can do what he will; his power is as large as his will. Were men’s power as large as their will, what work would they make in the world! God’s power is of equal extent with his will. He with a word can unpin the wheels, and break the axletree of the creation. He can do ‘more than we can think.’ Eph 3:30. He can suspend natural agents. He sealed up the lions’ mouths; he made the fire not to burn; he made the waters to stand up on a heap; he caused the sun to go ten degrees backward in the dial of Ahaz. Isa 38:8. What can pose Omnipotence? ‘The Lord cuts off the spirit of princes.’ Psa 76:12. He counterworks his enemies; he pulls down their flags and banners of pride, infatuates their counsels, breaks their forces; and he does it with ease, with the turning of his hand; ‘with his breath,’ Psa 33:3, Isa 40:24; a look, a glance of his eye is all it needs cost God to destroy his enemies, ‘the Lord looked into the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire, and troubled their host.’ Exod 14:44. Who shall stop him in his march? God commands, and all creatures in heaven and earth obey him. Xerxes, the Persian monarch, threw fetters into the sea, when its waves swelled, as if he would have chained the waters; but when God speaks, the wind and sea obey him. If he say but the word, the stars fight in their courses against Sisera; if he stamp with his foot, an army of angels shall presently be in battalia. What cannot omnipotent power do? ‘The Lord is a man of war.’ Exod 15:5. ‘He has a mighty arm.’ Psa 89:13. ‘God’s power is a glorious power.’ Col 1:11. It is an irresistible power. Rom 9:19. ‘Who has resisted his will?’ To contest with him, is as if the thorns should set themselves in battle array against the fire; or, as if an infirm child should fight with an archangel. If the sinner be once taken in God’s iron net, there is no escape. ‘There is none that can deliver out of my hand.’ Isa 43:13. God’s power is inexhaustible; it is never spent or wasted. Men, while they exercise their strength, weaken it; but God has an everlasting spring of strength in himself. Isa 26:6. Though he spends his arrows upon his enemies, yet he does not spend his strength. Deut 32:23. ‘He fainteth not, neither is weary.’ Isa 40:08.

God cannot do all things, because he cannot deny himself.

Though God can do all things, he cannot do that which stains the glory of his Godhead. He cannot sin; he cannot do that which implies a contradiction. To be a God of truth, and yet deny himself, is a contradiction.

Use one: If God be infinite in power, let us fear him. We fear such as are in power. ‘Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence?’ Jer 5:52. He has power to cast our souls and bodies into hell. ‘Who knows the power of his wrath?’ Psa 90:11. The same breath that made us can dissolve us. ‘His fury is poured out like fire; the rocks are thrown down by him.’ Nahum 1:1. Solomon says, ‘Where the word of a king is, there is power, much more where the word of a God is. Eccles 8:8. Oh let us fear this mighty God! The fear of God will drive out all other base fear.

Use two: See the deplorable condition of wicked men. (1.) This power of God is not for them: (2.) It is against them.

(1.) This power of God is not for them. They have no union with God, therefore they have no warrant to lay claim to his power. His power is no relief to them. He has power to forgive sins, but he will not put forth his power towards an impenitent sinner. God’s power is an eagle’s wing, to carry the saints to heaven; but what privilege is that to the wicked? Though a man will carry his child in his arms over a dangerous stream, yet he will not carry an enemy. God’s power is not engaged to help those that fight against him. Let miseries come upon the wicked, they have none to help them; they are like a ship in a storm without a pilot, and driven upon the rocks.

(2.) This power of God is against the wicked. God’s power will not be the sinner’s shield to defend him, but a sword to wound him. God’s power will bind the sinner in chains. His power serves to revenge the wrong done to his mercy. He will be Almighty to damn the sinner. Now, in what condition is every unbeliever? God’s power is engaged against him, and ‘it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ Heb 10:31.

Use three: It reproves such as do not believe the power of God. We say we do not doubt of God’s power, but his will. But indeed it is his power that we question. ‘Is anything too hard for God?’ Jer 32:27. We stagger through unbelief, as if the arm of God’s power were shrunk, and he could not help in desperate cases. Take away a king’s power, and we unking him; take away the Lord’s power, and we ungod him. Yet how guilty of this are we! Did not Israel question God’s power? ‘Can he prepare a table in the wilderness?’ Psa 78:19. They thought the wilderness was a fitter place for making graves than spreading a table. Did not Martha doubt Christ’s power? ‘He has been dead four days.’ John 11:19. If Christ had been there while Lazarus was sick, or when he had been newly dead, Martha did not question but he could have raised him; but he had lain in the grave four days, and now she seemed to question his power. Christ had as much ado to raise her faith as to raise her dead brother. Moses, though a holy man, limited God’s power through unbelief. ‘The people among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh for a whole month: shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered for them to suffice? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short?’ Numb 11:21I. This is a great affront to God, to deny his power. That men doubt of God’s power appears by their taking indirect courses; for they would not defraud in their dealings, and use false weights, if they believed the power of God could provide for them; and by depending more upon second causes than upon God. ‘In his disease, he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.’ 2 Chron 16:12.

Use four: If God be infinite in power, let us take heed of hardening our hearts against him. ‘Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?’ Job 9:9. Job sends a challenge to all creatures in heaven and earth. Who ever took up the buckler against God, and came off conqueror? For a person to go on daringly in any sin is to harden his heart against God, and to raise a war against heaven. Let him remember God is El-Shaddai, almighty; he will be too hard for them that oppose him. ‘Hast thou an arm like God?’ Job 40:9. Such as will not bow to his golden sceptre shall be broken with his iron rod. Julian hardened his heart against God, he opposed him to his face; but what got he at last? Did he prosper? Being wounded in battle, he threw up his blood into the air, and said to Christ, Vicisti Galilaee, ‘O Galilean, thou hast overcome!’ I acknowledge thy power, whose name and truth I have opposed. Will folly contend with wisdom; weakness with power; finite with infinite? Oh take heed of hardening your heart against God! He can send legions of angels to avenge his quarrel. It is better to meet God with tears in your eyes than weapons in your hand. You may overcome him sooner by repentance than by resistance.

Use five: Get an interest in God, and then this glorious power is engaged for you. He gives it under his hand, that he will put forth the whole power of his Godhead for the good of his people. ‘The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel.’ I Chron 17:74. This almightiness of God’s power is a wonderful support and comfort to the believer. It was Samson’s riddle. ‘Out of the strong came forth sweetness;’ Judges 14:14; so out of the attribute of God’s power, out of this strong comes forth sweetness. It is comfort in several cases.

(1.) In case of strong corruption. My sins, says a child of God, are potent. I have no power against this army that comes against me; I pray, and humble my soul by fasting; but my sins return upon me. Ay, but dost thou believe the power of God? The strong God can conquer thy strong corruption; though sin be too hard for thee, yet not for him; he can soften hard hearts and quicken the dead. ‘Is any thing too hard for the Lord?’ Gen 18:14. Set his power to work, by faith and prayer. Say, Lord! it is not for thy honour that the devil should have so strong a party within me; oh, break the head of this leviathan! Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee.

(2.) In case of strong temptation. Satan is called the strong man; but remember the power of God. Christ is called, ‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah,’ he has broken the serpent’s head upon the cross. Satan is a chained enemy, and a conquered enemy. Michael is stronger than the dragon.

(3.) Comfort in case of weakness of grace, and fear of falling away. I pray, but I cannot send out strong cries. I believe, but the hand of my faith shakes and trembles. Cannot God strengthen weak grace? ‘My strength is made perfect in weakness: most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ 2 Cor 12:2. I fear I shall not hold out. Christian, dost thou believe the power of God? Has not God preserved thy grace thus far? Mayest thou not set up thy Ebenezer? God has kept thy grace hitherto as a spark in the main ocean; and is not he able still to keep it? ‘We are kept by the power of God,’ &c. I Pet 1:1. God’s mercy pardons us, but his power preserves us. He who by his power keeps the stars that they do not fall from their orbs, keeps our grace that it does not fail or annihilate.

(4.) Comfort in case of deficiency in thy estate. God can multiply the oil in the cruse; miraculously he can raise up supplies. Cannot he who provides for the birds of the air provide for his children? Cannot he that clothes the lilies clothe his lambs?

(5.) Comfort in regard of the resurrection. It seems difficult to believe, that the bodies of men, when eaten up by worms, devoured by beasts and fishes, or consumed to ashes, should be raised the same numerical bodies; but if we believe the power of God, it is no great wonder. Which is harder, to create, or raise the dead? He that can make a body of nothing, can restore it to its parts when mingled and confounded with other substances. ‘With God all things are possible.’ Matt 19:96. If we believe the first article of the creed, That God is almighty, we may quickly believe the other article, the resurrection of the body. God can raise the dead because of his power, and he cannot but raise them because of his truth.

(6.) It is comfort in reference to the church of God. He can save and deliver it when it is brought low. The enemies have power in their hand, but the remainder of wrath God will restrain. Psa 76:60. He can either confine the enemy’s power or confound it. ‘If God be for us, who can be against us?’ God can create Jerusalem a rejoicing. Isa 65:18. The church in Ezekiel is compared to dry bones, but God made breath to enter into them, and they lived. Ezek 37:70. The ship of the church may be tossed, because sin is in it, but it shall not be overwhelmed, because Christ is in it. Psa 46:6. Deus in medio. All the church’s pangs shall help forward her deliverance.

7. The Holiness Of God

The next attribute is God’s holiness. Exod 15:51. ‘Glorious in holiness.’ Holiness is the most sparkling jewel of his crown; it is the name by which God is known. Psa 111:1. ‘Holy and reverend is his name.’ He is ‘the holy One.’ Job 6:60. Seraphims cry, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.’ Isa 6:6. His power makes him mighty, his holiness makes him glorious. God’s holiness consists in his perfect love of righteousness, and abhorrence of evil. ‘Of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity.’ Hab 1:13.

I. God is holy intrinsically. He is holy in his nature; his very being is made up of holiness, as light is of the essence of the sun. He is holy in his Word. The Word bears a stamp of his holiness upon it, as the wax bears an impression of the seal. ‘Thy Word is very pure.’ Psa 119:940. It is compared to silver refined seven times. Psa 12:2. Every line in the Word breathes sanctity, it encourages nothing but holiness. God is holy in his operations. All he does is holy; he cannot act but like himself; he can no more do an unrighteous action than the sun can darken. ‘The Lord is holy in all his works.’ Psa 145:17.

II. God is holy primarily. He is the original and pattern of holiness. Holiness began with him who is the Ancient of Days.

III. God is holy efficiently. He is the cause of all that is holiness in others. ‘Every good and perfect gift comes from above.’ James 1:17. He made the angels holy. He infused all holiness into Christ’s human nature. All the holiness we have is but a crystal stream from this fountain. We borrow all our holiness from God. As the lights of the sanctuary were lighted from the middle lamp, so all the holiness of others is a lamp lighted from heaven. ‘I am the Lord which sanctify you.’ Lev 20:0. God is not only a pattern of holiness, but he is a principle of holiness: his spring feeds all our cisterns, he drops his holy oil of grace upon us.

IV. God is holy transcendently. ‘There is none holy as the Lord.’ I Sam 2:2. No angel in heaven can take the just dimensions of God’s holiness. The highest seraphim is too low of stature to measure these pyramids; holiness in God is far above holiness in saints or angels.

[1] It is above holiness in saints. It is a pure holiness. The saints, holiness is like gold in the ore, imperfect; their humility is stained with pride; he that has most faith needs pray, ‘Lord, help my unbelief:’ but the holiness of God is pure, like wine from the grape; it has not the least dash or tincture of impurity mixed with it. It is a more unchangeable holiness. Though the saints cannot lose the habit of holiness (for the seed of God remains), yet they may lose some degrees of their holiness. ‘Thou hast left thy first love.’ Rev 2:2. Grace cannot die, yet the flame of it may go out. Holiness in the saints is subject to ebbing, but holiness in God is unchangeable; he never lost a drop of his holiness; as he cannot have more holiness, because he is perfectly holy; so he cannot have less holiness, because he is unchangeably holy.

[2] The holiness of God is above the holiness of angels. Holiness in the angels is only a quality, which may be lost, as we see in the fallen angels; but holiness in God is his essence, he is all over holy, and he can as well lose his Godhead as his holiness.

But is he not privy to all the sins of men? How can he behold their impurities, and not be defiled?

God sees all the sins of men, but is no more defiled with them than the sun is defiled with the vapours that rise from the earth. God sees sin, not as a patron to approve it, but as a judge to punish it.

Use one: Is God so infinitely holy? Then see how unlike to God sin is. Sin is an unclean thing, it is hyperbolically evil. Rom 1:13. It is called an abomination. Deut 7:75. God has no mixture of evil in him; sin has no mixture of good, it is the spirit and quintessence of evil, it turns good into evil; it has deflowered the virgin soul, made it red with guilt, and black with filth; it is called the accursed thing. Josh 7:71. No wonder, therefore, that God hates sin, being so unlike to him, nay, so contrary to him: it strikes at his holiness; it does all it can to spite God; if sin could help it, God should be God no longer.

Use two: Is God the Holy One, and is holiness his glory? How impious are they that are haters of holiness! As the vulture hates perfumes, so they hate the sweet perfume of holiness in the saints; their hearts rise against holiness; as a man’s stomach at a dish he has an antipathy against. There is not a greater sign of a person devoted to hell, than to hate one for the thing wherein he is most like God. Others are despisers of holiness. They despise the glory of the Godhead. ‘Glorious in holiness.’ The despising holiness is seen in deriding it; and is it not sad that men should deride that which should save them? Sure that patient will die who derides the physic. Deriding the grace of the Spirit comes near to despising the Spirit of grace. Scoffing Ishmael was cast out of Abraham’s house. Gen 21:1. Such as scoff at holiness shall be cast out of heaven.

Use three: Is God so infinitely holy? Then let us endeavour to imitate God in holiness. ‘Be ye holy, for I am holy.’ I Pet 1:16. There is a twofold holiness; a holiness of equality, and a holiness of similitude. A holiness of equality no man or angel can reach to. Who can be equally holy with God? Who can parallel him in sanctity? But there is a holiness of similitude, and that we must aspire after, to have some analogy and resemblance of God’s holiness in us, to be as like him in holiness as we can. Though a taper does not give so much light as the sun, yet it resembles it. We must

imitate God in holiness.

If we must be like God in holiness, wherein does our holiness consist?

In two things. In our suitableness to God’s nature, and in our subjection to his will.

Our holiness consists in our suitableness to the nature of God. Hence the saints are said to partake of the divine nature, which is not partaking of his essence, but his image. 2 Pet 1:1. Herein is the saints’ holiness, when they are the lively pictures of God. They bear the image of God’s meekness, mercifulness, heavenliness; they are of the same judgement with God, of the same disposition; they love what he loves, and hate what he hates.

Our holiness consists also in our subjection to the will of God. As God’s nature is the pattern of holiness, so his will is the rule of holiness. It is our holiness when we do his will, Acts 13:32; when we bear his will, Micah 7:7; when what he inflicts wisely we suffer willingly. Our great care should be, to be like God in holiness. Our holiness should be qualified as God’s; as his is a real holiness, ours should be. ‘Righteousness and true holiness.’ Eph 4:44. It should not be the paint of holiness, but the life; it should not be like the Egyptian temples, beautified without merely, but like Solomon’s temple, gold within, Psa 45:13. ‘The king’s daughter is all glorious within.’ That I may press you to resemble God in holiness consider,

(1.) How illustrious every holy person is. He is a fair glass in which some of the beams of God’s holiness shine forth. We read that Aaron put on his garments for glory and beauty. Exod 28:8. When we wear the embroidered garment of holiness, it is for glory and beauty. A good Christian is ruddy, being sprinkled with Christ’s blood; and white, being adorned with holiness. As the diamond to a ring, so is holiness to the soul; that, as Chrysostom says, they that oppose it cannot but admire it.

(2.) It is the great design God carries on in the world, to make a people like himself in holiness. What are all the showers of ordinances for, but to rain down righteousness upon us, and make us holy? What are the promises for, but to encourage holiness? What is the sending of the Spirit into the world for, but to anoint us with the holy unction? I John 2:20. What are all afflictions for, but to make us partakers of God’s holiness? Heb 12:20. What are mercies for, but loadstones to draw us to holiness? What is the end of Christ’s dying, but that his blood might wash away our unholiness? ‘Who gave himself for us, to purify unto himself a peculiar people.’ Titus 2:14. So that if we are not holy, we cross God’s great design in the world.

(3.) Our holiness draws God’s heart to us. Holiness is God’s image; and God cannot choose but love his image where he sees it. A king loves to see his effigies upon a piece of coin. ‘Thou lovest righteousness.’ Psa 45:7. And where does righteousness grow, but in a holy heart? Isa 62:2. ‘Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee.’ It was her holiness that drew God’s love to her. ‘They shall call them the holy people.’ Verse 12. God values not any by their high birth, but their holiness.

(4.) Holiness is the only thing that distinguishes us from the reprobate part of the world. God’s people have his seal upon them. ‘The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And let all that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ‘2 Tim 2:19. The people of God are sealed with a double seal. Election, ‘The Lord knows who are his:’ and Sanctification, ‘Let every one depart from iniquity.’ As a nobleman is distinguished from another by his silver star; as a virtuous woman is distinguished from a harlot by her chastity; so holiness distinguishes between the two seeds. All that are of God have Christ for their captain, and holiness is the white colour they wear. Heb 2:20.

(5.) Holiness is our honour. Holiness and honour are put together. I Thess 4:4. Dignity goes along with sanctification. ‘He has washed us from our sins in his blood, and has made us kings unto God.’ Rev 1:1. When we are washed and made holy, then we are kings and priests to God. The saints are called vessels of honour; they are called jewels, for the sparkling of their holiness, because filled with wine of the Spirit. This makes them earthly angels.

(6.) Holiness gives us boldness with God. ‘Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.’ Job 22:23, 26. Lifting up the face is an emblem of boldness. Nothing can make us so ashamed to go to God as sin. A wicked man in prayer may lift up his hands, but he cannot lift up his face. When Adam had lost his holiness, he lost his confidence; he hid himself. But the holy person goes to God as a child to its father; his conscience does not upbraid him with allowing any sin, therefore he can go boldly to the throne of grace, and have mercy to help in time of need. Heb 4:16.

(7.) Holiness gives peace. Sin raises a storm in the conscience; ubi peccatum ibi procella [where there is sin, there is tumult]. ‘There is no peace to the wicked.’ Isa 57:7I. Righteousness and peace are put together. Holiness is the root which bears this sweet fruit of peace; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

(8.) Holiness leads to heaven. It is the King of heaven’s highway. ‘An highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness.’ Isa 35:5. At Rome there were temples of virtue and honour, and all were to go through the temple of virtue to the temple of honour; so we must go through the temple of holiness to the temple of heaven. Glory begins in virtue. ‘Who has called us to glory and virtue.’ 2 Pet 1:1. Happiness is nothing else but the quintessence of holiness; holiness is glory militant, and happiness holiness triumphant.

What shall we do to resemble God in holiness?

(1.) Have recourse to Christ’s blood by faith. This is lavacrum animae [the washing of the soul]. Legal purifications were types and emblems of it. I John 1:1. The Word is a glass to show us our spots, and Christ’s blood is a fountain to wash them away.

(2.) Pray for a holy heart. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God.’ Psa 51:10. Lay thy heart before the Lord, and say, Lord, my heart is full of leprosy; it defiles all it touches; Lord, I am not fit to live with such a heart, for I cannot honour thee; nor die with such a heart, for I cannot see thee. Oh create in me a clean heart; send thy Spirit into me, to refine and purify me, that I may be a temple fit for thee the holy God to inhabit.

(3.) Walk with them that are holy. ‘He that walketh with the wise shall be wise.’ Prov 13:30. Be among the spices and you will smell of them. Association begets assimilation. Nothing has a greater power and energy to effect holiness than the communion of saints.

8. The Justice Of God

The next attribute is God’s justice. All God’s attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God’s justice. Deut 32:4. ‘Just and right is he.’ Job 37:23. ‘Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in plenty of justice.’ God is said to dwell in justice. Psa 89:14. ‘Justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne.’ In God, power and justice meet. Power holds the sceptre, and justice holds the balance.

I. What is God’s justice?

’Justice is to give every one his due.’ God’s justice is the rectitude of his nature, whereby he is carried to the doing of that which is righteous and equal. Prov 24:12. ‘Shall not he render to every man according to his works?’ God is an impartial judge. He judgeth the cause. Men often judge the person, but not the cause; which is not justice, but malice. Gen 18:81. ‘I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me.’ When the Lord is upon a punitive act, he weighs things in the balance, he does not punish rashly; he does not go in the way of a riot, but a circuit, against offenders. Concerning God’s justice, I shall lay down these six positions: -

[1] God cannot but be just. His holiness is the cause of his justice. Holiness will not suffer him to do anything but what is righteous. He can no more be unjust than he can be unholy.

[2] God’s will is the supreme rule of justice; it is the standard of equity. His will is wise and good. God wills nothing but what is just; and therefore it is just because he wills it.

[3] God does justice voluntarily. Justice flows from his nature. Men may act unjustly, because they are bribed or forced: God will not be bribed, because of his justice; he cannot be forced, because of his power. He does justice out of love to justice. Psa 45:7. ‘Thou lovest righteousness.’

[4] Justice is the perfection of the divine nature. Aristotle says, ‘Justice comprehends in it all virtues.’ To say God is just, is to say, he is all that is excellent: perfections meet in him, as lines in a centre. He is not only just, but justice itself.

[5] God never did nor can do the least wrong to his creatures. God’s justice has been wronged, but never did any wrong. God does not go according to the summum jus, or rigour of the law; he abates something of his severity. He might inflict heavier penalties than he does. ‘Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve.’ Ezra 9:13. Our mercies are more than we deserve, and our punishments less.

[6] God’s justice is such that it is not fit for any man or angel to expostulate with him, or demand a reason of his actions. God has not only authority on his side, but equity. ‘He lays judgement to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.’ Isa 28:17. It is below him to give an account to us of his proceedings. Which of these two is more fit to take place, God’s justice or man’s reason? Rom 9:20. ‘Who art thou, O man, that replies against God?’ The plumb line of our reason is too short to fathom the depth of God’s justice. Rom 11:33. ‘How unsearchable are his judgements!’ We are to adore God’s justice, where we cannot see a reason of it.

II. God’s justice runs in two channels. It is seen in two things, the distribution of rewards and punishments.

[1] In rewarding the virtuous. Psa 58:8: ‘Verily there is a reward for the righteous.’ The saints shall not serve him for nought, he will reward praerces et lachrymas; though they may be losers for him, they shall not be losers by him. ‘God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed to his name.’ Heb 6:60. He gives a reward, not because we have deserved it, but because he has promised it.

[2] He is just in punishing offenders. He is just. (1.) Because he punishes sinners by a law. ‘Where there is no law, there is no transgression.’ Rom 4:15. But God has given men a law, and they break it, therefore he punishes them justly. (2.) God is just in punishing the wicked, because he never punished them but upon full proof and evidence. What greater evidence than for a man’s own conscience to be witness against him! There is nothing God charges upon a sinner but conscience sets its seal to the truth of it.

Use one: See here another flower of God’s crown, he is just and righteous. He is the exemplar and pattern of justice.

But how does it seem to stand with God’s justice, that the wicked should prosper in the world? ‘Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?’ Jer 12:1. This has been a great stumbling, and has led many to question God’s justice. Such as are highest in sin are highest in power. Diogenes seeing Harpalus a thief go on prosperously, said, ‘Sure God has cast off the government of the world, and mindeth not how things go on here below.’

(1.) The wicked may be sometimes instruments to do God’s work. Though they do not design his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus (Ezra 1:1) was instrumental in the building of God’s temple in Jerusalem. There is some kind of justice, that they should have a temporal reward. God lets those prosper under whose wing his people are sheltered. God will not be in any man’s debt. ‘Who has kindled a fire on my altar for nought?’ Mal 1:10.

(2.) God lets men go on in sin, and prosper, that he may leave them more inexcusable. ‘I gave her space to repent of her fornication.’ Rev 2:2 1: God adjourns the sessions, spins out his mercies towards sinners; and if they repent not, his patience will be a witness against them, and his justice will be more cleared in their condemnation. ‘That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judges”.’ Psa 51:1.

(3.) God does not always let the wicked prosper in their sin. Some he punishes openly, that his justice may be taken notice of. ‘The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth:’ Psa 9:16: that is, his justice is seen by striking men dead in the very act of sin. Thus he struck Zimri and Cozbi in the act of uncleanness.

(4.) If God lets men prosper a while in their sin, his vial of wrath is all this while filling; his sword is all this time whetting: and though God may forbear men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is in taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last. As long as there is eternity, God has time enough to reckon with his enemies.

Justice may be as a lion asleep, but at last the lion will awake, and roar upon the sinner. Do not Nero, and Julian, and Cain, now meet with God’s justice?

But God’s own people suffer great afflictions; they are injured and persecuted. ‘All the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.’ Psa 74:14. How does this stand with God’s justice?

(1.) That is a true rule of Austin, Judicia Dei possum esse occulta, non injusta; ‘God’s ways of judgement are sometimes secret, but never unjust.’ The Lord never afflicts his people without a cause; so that he cannot be unjust. There is some good in the godly, therefore the wicked afflict them; there is some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. God’s own children have their blemishes. ‘Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord?’ 2 Chron 28:10. These spiritual diamonds, have they no flaws? Do we not read of the spots of God’s children? Deut 32:5. Are not they guilty of much pride, censoriousness, passion, worldliness? Though, by their profession, they seem to resemble the birds of paradise, to fly above, and feed upon the dew of heaven; yet, as the serpent, they lick the dust. And these sins of God’s people do more provoke God than others. ‘Because of the provoking of his sons and daughters.’ Deut 32:19. The sins of others pierce Christ’s side, these wound his heart. Therefore is not God just in all the evils that befall them? ‘You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for your iniquities.’ Amos 3:2. I will punish you sooner, surer, sorer, than others.

(2.) The trials and sufferings of the godly are to refine and purify them. God’s furnace is in Sion. Isa 31:9. Is it any injustice in God to put his gold into the furnace to purify it? Is it any injustice in God, by afflicting his people, to make them partakers of his holiness? Heb 12:20. What more proclaims God’s faithfulness, than to take such a course with them as may make them better? ‘In faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.’ Psa 119:95.

(3.) What injustice is it in God to inflict a less punishment; and prevent a greater? The best of God’s children have that in them which is meritorious of hell. Does God do them any wrong, if he uses only the rod, where they have deserved the scorpion? Is the father unjust, if he only corrects his child, who has deserved to be disinherited? If God deals so favourably with his children, he only puts wormwood in their cup, whereas he might put fire and brimstone. They should rather admire his mercy than complain of his injustice.

How can it stand with God’s justice, that all men being equally guilty by nature, he does pass by one and save another? Why does he not deal with all alike?

’Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.’ Rom 9:14. ‘Does the Almighty pervert justice?’ Job 8:3.

(1.) God is not bound to give an account of his actions to his creatures. If none may say to a king, ‘What doest thou?’ Eccles 8:4, much less to God. It is sufficient, God is Lord paramount; he has a sovereign power over his creatures, therefore can do no injustice. ‘Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?’ Rom 9:21I. God has liberty in his own breast, to save one, and not another; and his justice is not at all impeached or blemished. If two men owe you money, you may, without any injustice, remit the debt to one, and exact it of the other. If two malefactors be condemned to die, the king may pardon the one and not the other: he is not unjust if he lets one suffer, because he offended the law; nor if he save the other, because he will make use of his prerogative as he is king.

(2.) Though some are saved and others perish, yet there is no unrighteousness in God; because, whoever perishes, his destruction is of himself. ‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.’ Hos 13:9. God offers grace, and the sinner refuses it. Is God bound to give grace? If a surgeon comes to heal a man’s wound, and he will not be healed, is the surgeon bound to heal him? ‘I have called, and ye refused.’ Prov 1:14. ‘Israel would none of me.’ Psa 81:1: God is not bound to force his mercies upon men. If they wilfully oppose the offer of grace, their sin is to be regarded as the cause of their perishing, and not God’s justice.

Use two: See the difference between God and a great part of the world. They are unjust. (1.) In their courts of judicature they pervert justice. ‘They decree unrighteous decrees.’ Isa 10:1. The Hebrew word for a judge’s robe signifies prevarication, deceit, or injustice, which is more often true of the judge than of the robe. What is a good law without a good judge? Injustice lies in two things, either not to punish where there is a fault, or, to punish where there is no fault. Again (2.) Men are unjust in their dealings. This is, [1] In using false weights. ‘The balances of deceit are in his hand.’ Hos 12:7. It is sad to have the Bible in one hand, and false weights in the other. Or, [2] In adulterating commodities. ‘Thy wine is mixed with water,’ Isa 1:12: when bad grain is mixed with good, and sold for pure grain. I can never believe he is good in the first table who is not good in the second. He cannot be godly who is not just. Though God does not bid you be as omnipotent as he is, yet he bids you be as just.

Use three: Imitate God in justice. Let Christ’s golden maxim be observed, ‘What you would have men to do to you, do ye even so to them.’ Matt 7:12. You would not have them wrong you, neither do you them; rather suffer wrong than do wrong. ‘Why do ye not rather take wrong?’ 1 Cor 6:7. Oh be exemplary for justice! Let justice be your ornament. ‘I put on righteousness (viz. justice) as a robe and a diadem.’ Job 29:14. A robe for its graceful beauty; and I put it on, et induebam justitiam [and I was clothed in righteousness]. A judge puts on his robe, and puts it off again at night; but Job did so put on justice, as he did not put it off till death; semper vestitus [forever clothed]. We must not lay off this robe of justice till we lay down our tabernacle. If you have anything of God in you, you will be like him. By every unjust action you deny yourselves to be Christians, you stain the glory of your profession. Heathens will rise up in judgement against you. The sun might sooner alter his course than God could be turned from doing justice.

Use four: If God be just, there will be a day of judgement. Now things are out of course; sin is rampant, saints are wronged, they are often cast in a righteous cause, they can meet with no justice here, justice is turned into wormwood; but there is a day coming, when God will set things right; he will do every man justice; he will crown the righteous and condemn the wicked. ‘He has appointed a day,’ &c. Acts 17:31. If God be a just God, he will take vengeance. God has given men a law to live by, and they break it. There must be a day for the execution of offenders. A law not executed is but like a wooden dagger, for a show. At the last day, God’s sword shall be drawn out against offenders; then his justice shall be revealed before all the world. ‘God will judge in righteousness.’ Acts 17:71: ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ Gen 18:85. The wicked shall drink a sea of wrath, but not sip one drop of injustice. At that day shall all mouths be stopped, and God’s justice shall be fully vindicated from all the cavils and clamours of unjust men.

Use five: Comfort to the true penitent. As God is a just God, he will pardon him. Homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit [Man acknowledges his sin, God spares him]. ‘If we confess our sins (i.e. confess and forsake), he is just to forgive us our sins.’ I John 1:1. Not only merciful but just. Why just? Because he has promised to forgive such. Prov 28:13. If thy heart has been broken for and from sin, thou mayest not only plead God’s mercy, but his justice for the pardoning of thy sin. Show him his hand and seal, and he cannot deny himself.

9. The Mercy Of God

The next attribute is God’s goodness or mercy. Mercy is the result and effect of God’s goodness. Psa 33:5. So then this is the next attribute, God’s goodness or mercy. The most learned of the heathens thought they gave their god Jupiter two golden characters when they styled him good and great. Both these meet in God, goodness and greatness, majesty and mercy. God is essentially good in himself and relatively good to us. They are both put together in Psa 119:98. ‘Thou art good, and doest good.’ This relative goodness is nothing else but his mercy, which is an innate propenseness in God to pity and succour such as are in misery.

1. Concerning God’s mercy I shall lay down these twelve positions.

[1] It is the great design of the Scripture to represent God as merciful. This is a loadstone to draw sinners to him. ‘The Lord, merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness,’ &c. Exod 34:6. Here are six expressions to set forth God’s mercy, and but one to set forth his justice: ‘who will by no means clear the guilty.’ Psa 57:70. ‘God’s mercy is far above the heavens.’ Psa 108:8. God is represented as a king, with a rainbow about his throne. Rev 4:3. The rainbow was an emblem of mercy. The Scripture represents God in white robes of mercy more often than with garments rolled in blood; with his golden sceptre more often than his iron rod.

[2] God is more inclinable to mercy than wrath. Mercy is his darling attribute, which he most delights in. Mic 7:18. Mercy pleases him. It is delightful to the mother, says Chrysostom, to have her breasts drawn; so it is to God to have the breasts of his mercy drawn. ‘Fury is not in me,’ Isa 27:7; that is, I do not delight in it. Acts of severity are rather forced from God; he does not afflict willingly. Lam 3:33. The bee naturally gives honey, it stings only when it is provoked; so God does not punish till he can bear no longer. ‘So that the Lord could bear no longer, because of the evil of your doings.’ Jer 44:22. Mercy is God’s right hand that he is most used to; inflicting punishment is called his strange work. Isa 28:21I. He is not used to it. When the Lord would shave off the pride of a nation, he is said to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own. ‘He shall shave with a razor that is hired.’ Isa 7:70. ‘He is slow to anger,’ Psa 103:3, but ‘ready to forgive.’ Psa 86:6.

[3] There is no condition, but we may spy mercy in it. When the church was in captivity, she cried out, ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.’ Lam 3:32. Geographers write of Syracuse in Sicily, that it is so situated that the sun is never out of sight. In all afflictions we may see some sunshine of mercy. That outward and inward troubles do not come together is mercy.

[4] Mercy sweetens all God’s other attributes. God’s holiness without mercy, and his justice without mercy were terrible. When the water was bitter, and Israel could not drink, Moses cast a tree into the waters, and then they were made sweet. How bitter and dreadful were the other attributes of God, did not mercy sweeten them! Mercy sets God’s power on work to help us; it makes his justice become our friend; it shall avenge our quarrels.

[5] God’s mercy is one of the most orient pearls of his crown; it makes his Godhead appear amiable and lovely. When Moses said to God, ‘I beseech thee shew me thy glory;’ the Lord answered him, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will shew thee mercy.’ Exod 33:19. God’s mercy is his glory. His holiness makes him illustrious; his mercy makes him propitious.

[6] Even the worst taste God’s mercy; such as fight against God’s mercy, taste of it; the wicked have some crumbs from mercy’s table. ‘The Lord is good to all.’ Psa 145:5. Sweet dewdrops are on the thistle, as well as on the rose. The diocese where mercy visits is very large. Pharaoh’s head was crowned though his heart was hardened.

[7] Mercy coming to us in a covenant is sweetest. It was mercy that God would give Israel rain, and bread to the full, and peace, and victory over their enemies, Lev 26:6 - 6, but it was a greater mercy that God would be their God, verse 12. To have health is a mercy, but to have Christ and salvation is a greater mercy; it is like the diamond in the ring, which casts a more sparkling lustre.

[8] One act of mercy engages God to another. Men argue thus, I have shown you kindness already, therefore trouble me no more; but, because God has shown mercy, he is more ready still to show mercy; his mercy in election makes him justify, adopt, glorify; one act of mercy engages God to more. A parent’s love to his child makes him always giving.

[9] All the mercy in the creature is derived from God, and is but a drop of this ocean. The mercy and pity a mother has to her child is from God; he that puts the milk in her breast puts the compassion in her heart. God is called, ‘The Father of mercies,’ because he begets all the mercies in the world. 2 Cor 1:1. If God has put any kindness into the creature, how much kindness is in him who is the Father of mercy!

[10] As God’s mercy makes the saints happy, so it should make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodness, but the fruit of God’s goodness. Mercy is an alms that God bestows. They have no cause to be proud that live upon the alms of God’s mercy. ‘If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head,’ Job 10:15: all my righteousness is the effect of God’s mercy, therefore I will be humble and will not lift up my head.

[11] Mercy stays the speedy execution of God’s justice. Sinners continually provoke God, and make ‘the fury come up in his face.’ Ezek 38:18. Whence is it God does not presently arrest and condemn them? It is not that God cannot do it, for he is armed with omnipotence, but it is from his mercy. Mercy gets a reprieve for the sinner, and stops the speedy process of justice. God would, by his goodness, lead sinners to repentance.

[12] It is dreadful to have mercy as a witness against any one. It was sad with Haman when the queen herself accused him. Esth 7:7. So will it be when this queen of mercy shall stand up against a person and accuse him. It is only mercy that saves a sinner; how sad then to have mercy become an enemy! If mercy be an accuser, who shall be our advocate? The sinner never escapes hell when mercy draws up the indictment.

I might show you several species or kinds of mercy; as preventing mercy, sparing mercy, supplying mercy, guiding mercy, accepting mercy, healing mercy, quickening mercy, supporting mercy, forgiving mercy, correcting mercy, comforting mercy, delivering mercy, crowning mercy but I shall speak of,

II. The qualifications or properties of God’s mercy.

[1] God’s mercy is free. To set up merit is to destroy mercy. Nothing can deserve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood; nor force it. We may force God to punish us, but not to love us. ‘I will love them freely.’ Hos 14:4. Every link in the chain of salvation is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Election is free. ‘He has chosen us in him, according to the good pleasure of his will.’ Eph 1:1. Justification is free. ‘Being justified freely by his grace.’ Rom 3:34. Salvation is free. ‘According to his mercy he saved us.’ Titus 3:3. Say not then, I am unworthy; for mercy is free. If God should show mercy to such only as are worthy, he would show none at all.

[2] God’s mercy is an overflowing mercy; it is infinite. ‘Plenteous in mercy.’ Psa 86:6. ‘Rich in mercy.’ Eph 2:2. ‘Multitude of mercies.’ Psa 51:1: The vial of wrath drops, but the fountain of mercy runs. The sun is not so full of light as God is of mercy. God has morning mercies. ‘His mercies are new every morning.’ Lam 3:33. He has night mercies. ‘In the night his song shall be with me.’ Psa 13:3. God has mercies under heaven, which we taste; and in heaven, which we hope for.

[3] God’s mercy is eternal. ‘The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting.’ Psa 103:37. ‘His mercy endureth for ever,’ is repeated twenty-six times in one psalm. Psa 136. The souls of the blessed shall be ever bathing themselves in this sweet and pleasant ocean of God’s mercy. God’s anger to his children lasts but a while, ‘but his mercy lasts for ever.’ Psa 103:3. As long as he is God he will be showing mercy. As his mercy is overflowing, so it is everflowing.

Use one: We are to look upon God in prayer, not in his judgement robes, but clothed with a rainbow full of mercy and clemency. Add wings to prayer. When Jesus Christ ascended up to heaven, that which made him go up thither with joy was, ‘I go to my Father;’ so that which should make our hearts ascend with joy in prayer, is, ‘We are going to the Father of mercy, who sits upon the throne of grace.’ Go with confidence in this mercy; as when one goes to a fire, not doubtingly, saying, perhaps it will warm me, perhaps not.

Use two: Believe in his mercy. ‘I will trust in the mercy of God for ever.’ Psa 52:2. God’s mercy is a fountain opened. Let down the bucket of faith and you may drink of this fountain of salvation. What greater encouragement to believe than God’s mercy? God counts it his glory to be scattering pardons; he is desirous that sinners should touch the golden sceptre of his mercy and live. This willingness to show mercy appears two ways: -

(1.) By entreating sinners to come and lay hold on his mercy. ‘Whosoever will, let him come, and take the water of life freely.’ Rev 22:17. Mercy woos sinners, it even kneels down to them. It were strange for a prince to entreat a condemned man to accept of pardon. God says, Poor sinner, suffer me to love thee, be willing to let me save thee.

(2.) By his joyfulness when sinners lay hold on his mercy. What is God the better whether we receive his mercy or not? What is the fountain profited that others drink of it? Yet such is God’s goodness, that he rejoices at the salvation of sinners, and is glad when his mercy is accepted. When the prodigal son came home the father was glad, and made a feast to express his joy; so, God rejoices when a poor sinner comes in, and lays hold of his mercy. What an encouragement is here to believe in God! He is a God of pardons. Neh 9:97. Mercy pleases him. Mic 7:18. Nothing prejudices us but unbelief. Unbelief stops the current of God’s mercy from running. It shuts up God’s bowels, closes the orifice of Christ’s wounds, so that no healing virtue will come out.’ He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief, Matt 13:38. Why dost thou not believe in God’s mercy? Do thy sins discourage thee? God’s mercy can pardon great sins, nay, because they are great. Psa 25:11. The sea covers the rocks as well as the sands. Some that had a hand in crucifying Christ found mercy. As far as the heavens are above the earth, so far is God’s mercy above our sins. Isa 55:5. What will tempt us to believe, if not the mercy of God?

Use three: Take heed of abusing the mercy of God. Suck not poison out of the sweet flower of God’s mercy. Think not that because God is merciful, you may go on in sin; this is to make mercy your enemy. None might touch the ark but the priests, who by their office were more holy; so none may touch the ark of God’s mercy but such as are resolved to be holy. To sin because mercy abounds is the devil’s logic. He that sins because of mercy, is like one that wounds his head because he has a plaster. He that sins because of God’s mercy, shall have judgement without mercy. Mercy abused turns to fury. ‘If he bless himself, saying, I shall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst, the Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy, shall smoke against that man.’ Deut 29:19, 20. Nothing is sweeter than mercy, when it is improved; nothing fiercer, when it is abused; as nothing is colder than lead when taken out of the mine, and nothing more scalding when it is heated. Nothing is blunter than iron, yet nothing is sharper when it is whetted. ‘The mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him.’ Psa 103:17. Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not. God’s mercy is a holy mercy; where it pardons it heals.

What shall we do to be interested in God’s mercy?

(1.) Be sensible of your wants. See how much you stand in need of pardoning, saving mercy. See yourselves orphans. ‘In thee the fatherless find mercy.’ Hos 14:4. God bestows the alms of mercy only on such as are indigent. Be emptied of all opinion of self-worthiness. God pours the golden oil of mercy into empty vessels.

(2.) Go to God for mercy. ‘Have mercy upon me, O God!’ Psa 51:1. Put me not off with common mercy that reprobates may have; give me not only acorns but pearls; give me not only mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to save me; give me the cream of thy mercies; Lord! let me have mercy and lovingkindness. ‘Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.’ Psa 103:3. Give me such mercy as speaks thy electing love to my soul. Oh pray for mercy! God has treasures of mercy; prayer is the key that opens these treasures; and in prayer, be sure to carry Christ in your arms, for all the mercy comes through Christ. ‘Samuel took a sucking lamb,; I Sam 7:7; carry the lamb Christ in your arms, go in his name, present his merits; say, Lord! here is Christ’s blood, which is the price of my pardon; Lord! show me mercy, because Christ has purchased it. Though God may refuse us when we come for mercy in our own name, yet he will not when we come in Christ’s name. Plead Christ’s satisfaction, and this is an argument that God cannot deny.

Use four: Such as have found mercy are exhorted to three things. (1.) To be upon Gerizim, the mount of blessing and praising. They have not only heard the King of heaven is merciful, but they have found it so; the honeycomb of God’s mercy has dropped upon them; when in wants, mercy supplied them; when they were nigh unto death, mercy raised them from the sick-bed; when covered with guilt, mercy pardoned them. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.’ Psa 103:3. Oh how should the vessels of mercy run over with praise! ‘Who was before a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy.’ I Tim 1:13. I was bemiracled with mercy; as the sea overflows and breaks down the banks, so the mercy of God broke down the banks of my sin, and mercy sweetly flowed into my soul. You that have been monuments of God’s mercy, should be trumpets of praise; you that have tasted the Lord is gracious, tell others what experiences you have had of God’s mercy, that you may encourage them to seek to him for mercy. ‘I will tell you what God has done for my soul;’ Psa 66:16; that when I found my heart dead, God’s Spirit came upon me mightily, and the blowing of that wind made the withering flowers of my grace revive. Oh tell others of God’s goodness, that you may set others blessing him, and that you may make God’s praises live when you are dead.

(2.) To love God. Mercy should be the attraction of love. ‘I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.’ Psa 18:8. The Hebrew word for love signifies love out of the inward bowels. God’s justice may make us fear him, his mercy makes us love him. If mercy will not produce love, what will? We are to love God for giving us our food, much more for giving us grace; for sparing mercy, much more for saving mercy. Sure that heart is made of marble, which the mercy of God will not dissolve in love. ‘I would hate my own soul,’ says Augustine, ‘if I did not find it loving God.’

(3.) To imitate God in showing mercy. As God is the Father of mercy, show yourselves to be his children, by being like him. Ambrose says, ‘The sum and definition of religion is, Be rich in works of mercy, be helpful to the bodies and souls of others. Scatter your golden seeds; let the lamp of your profession be filled with the oil of charity. Be merciful in giving and forgiving. “Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful”.

10. The Truth Of God

The next attribute is God’s truth. ‘A God of truth and without iniquity; just and right is he.’ Deut 32:4. ‘For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.’ Psa 57:10. ‘Plenteous in truth.’ Psa 86:15.

I. God is the truth. He is true in a physical sense; true in his being: he has a real subsistence, and gives a being to others. He is true in a moral sense; he is true sine errore, without errors; et sine fallacia, without deceit. God is prima veritas, the pattern and prototype of truth. There is nothing true but what is in God or comes from God.

II. God’s truth, as it is taken from his veracity in making good his promises. ‘There has not failed one word of all his good promise.’ I Kings 8:56. The promise is God’s bond; God’s truth is the seal set to his bond.

There are two things to be observed in the promises of God to comfort us. [1] The power of God, whereby he is able to fulfil the promise. God has promised to subdue our corruption. ‘He will subdue our iniquities.’ Micah 7:19. Oh, says a believer, my corruption is so strong, that I am sure I shall never get the mastery of it. Abraham looked at God’s power. ‘Being fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform.’ Rom 4:21I. He believed that God, who could make a world, could make dry breasts give suck. It is faith’s support that there is nothing too hard for God. He that could bring water out of a rock is able to bring to pass his promises.

[2] The truth of God in the promises. God’s truth is the seal set to the promise. ‘In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie has promised.’ Tit 1:2. Eternal life, there is the sweetness of the promise: God which cannot lie, there is the certainty of it. Mercy makes the promise, truth fulfils it. God’s providences are uncertain, but his promises are the ‘sure mercies of David.’ Acts 13:34. ‘God is not a man that he should repent.’ I Sam 15:29: 29. The word of a prince cannot always be taken, but God’s promise is inviolable. God’s truth is one of the richest jewels of his crown, and he has pawned it in a promise. ‘Although my house be not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.’ 2 Sam 23:5. Although my house be not so, that is, though I fail much of that exact purity the Lord requires, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, that he will pardon, adopt, and glorify me; and this covenant is ordered in all things and sure. ‘The elements shall melt with fervent heat;’ but this covenant abides firm and inviolable, being sealed with the truth of God. Nay, God has added to his word his oath, wherein he pawns his being, life, and righteousness to make good the promise. Heb 6:17. If as often as we break our vows with God, he should break promise with us, it would be very sad; but his truth is engaged in his promise, therefore it is like the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered. ‘We are not,’ says Chrysostom, ‘to believe our senses so much as we are to believe the promises.’ Our senses may fail us, but the promise cannot, being built upon the truth of God. God will not deceive the faith of his people, nay, he cannot. ‘God, who cannot lie, has promised;’ he can as well part with his Deity as his verity. God is said to be abundant in truth. Exod 34:4 What is that? If God has made a promise of mercy to his people, he will be so far from coming short of his word that he will be better than his word. He often does more than he has said, never less. He is abundant in truth.

(1.) The Lord may sometimes delay a promise, but he will not deny. He may delay a promise. God’s promise may lie a good while as seed under ground, but at last it will spring up into a crop. He promised to deliver Israel from the iron furnace, but this promise was above four hundred years in travail before it brought forth. Simeon had a promise that he should not depart hence, ‘till he had seen the Lord’s Christ,’ Luke 2:26, but it was a long time first, but a little before his death, that he did see Christ. But though God delay the promise, he will not deny. Having given his bond, in due time the money will be paid.

(2.) God may change his promise, but he will not break it. Sometimes God changes a temporal promise into a spiritual. ‘The Lord shall give that which is good,’ Psa 85:12; which may not be fulfilled in a temporal sense, but a spiritual. God may let a Christian be cut short in temporals, but he makes it up in spirituals. If he does not increase the basket and the store, he gives increase of faith, and inward peace. Here he changes his promise, but he does not break it, he gives that which is better. If a man promises to pay me in farthings, and he pays me in a better coin, as in gold, he does not break his promise. ‘I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail.’ Psa 89:93. In the Hebrew it is, to lie.

How does it consist with the truth of God, that he will have all to be saved, and yet some perish? I Tim 2:4.

Augustine understands it, not of every individual person, but some of all sorts shall be saved. As in the ark, God saved all the living creatures; not every bird or fish was saved, for many perished in the flood; but all, that is, some of every kind were saved; so he will have all to be saved, that is, some of all nations.

It is said, Christ died for all. ‘He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.’ John 1:29. How does this consist with God’s truth, when some are vessels of wrath? Rom 9:22.

(1.) We must qualify the term world. The world is taken either in a limited sense, for the world of the elect; or in a larger sense, for both elect and reprobates. ‘Christ takes away the sins of the world,’ that is, the world of the elect.

(2.) We must qualify also Christ’s dying for the world. Christ died sufficiently for all, not effectually. There is the value of Christ’s blood, and the virtue. Christ’s blood has value enough to redeem the whole world, but the virtue of it is applied only to such as believe. Christ’s blood is meritorious for all, not efficacious. All are not saved, because some put away salvation from them, as in Acts 13:46, and vilify Christ’s blood, counting it an unholy thing. Heb 10:29.

Use one: The truth of God is a great pillar for our faith. Were not he a God of truth, how could we believe in him? Our faith were fancy; but he is truth itself, and not a word which he has spoken shall fall to the ground. ‘Truth is the object of trust.’ The truth of God is an immovable rock, on which we may venture our salvation. Isa 59:15. ‘Truth faileth:’ truth on earth does, but not truth in heaven. God can as well cease to be God, as cease to be true. Has God said, he ‘will do good to the soul that seeks him,’ Lam 3:25, and he will ‘give rest to the weary?’ Matt 11:28. Here is a safe anchor-hold, he will not alter the thing which is gone out of his lips. The public faith of heaven is engaged for believers. Can we have better security? The whole earth hangs upon the word of God’s power, and shall not our faith hang upon the word of God’s truth? Where can we rest our faith but upon God’s faithfulness? There is nothing else we can believe in but the truth of God. To trust in ourselves is to build upon quick sands; but the truth of God is a golden pillar for faith to stay upon. God cannot deny himself. ‘If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.’ 2 Tim 2:13. Not to believe God’s veracity, is to affront God. ‘He that believeth not, has made God a liar.’ I John 5:10. A person of honour cannot be more affronted or provoked, than when he is not believed. He that denies God’s truth makes the promise no better than a forged deed; and can there be a greater affront offered to God?

Use two: If God is a God of truth, he is true to his threatenings. The threatenings are a flying roll against sinners. God has threatened to ‘wound the hairy scalp of every one that goes on still in his trespasses.’ Psa 68:21. He has threatened to judge adulterers. Heb 13:4. To be avenged upon the malicious. Psa 10:14. ‘Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thine own hand;’ and to ‘rain fire and brimstone upon the sinner.’ Psa 11:6: 6. God is as true to his threatenings as to his promises. To show his truth he has executed his threatenings, and let his thunderbolts of judgement fall upon sinners in this life. He struck Herod in the act of his pride. He has punished blasphemers. Olympius, an Arian bishop, reproached and blasphemed the blessed Trinity, and immediately lightning fell down from the heaven upon him and consumed him. Let us fear the threatening that we may not feel it.

Use three: Is God a God of truth? Let us be like God in truth. (1.) We must be true in our words. Pythagoras being asked what made men like God, answered, ‘When they speak truth.’ It is the note of a man that shall go to heaven. ‘He speaketh the truth in his heart.’ Psa 15:5. Truth in words is opposed (I.) To lying. ‘Putting away lying, speak every one truth to his neighbour.’ Eph 4:25. Lying is when one speaks that for truth which he knows to be false. A liar is most opposite to the God of truth. There are, as Augustine says, two sorts of lies. An officious lie, when a man tells a lie for his profit; as, when a tradesman says his commodity cost him so much, when perhaps it did not cost him half so much. He that will lie in his trade shall lie in hell. A jesting lie, when a man tells a lie in sport, to make others merry, and goes laughing to hell. He who tells a lie makes himself like the devil. ‘The devil is a liar, and the father of it.’ John 8:44. He deceived our first parents by a lie. Some are so wicked, that they will not only speak an untruth, but will swear to it; nay, they will wish a curse upon themselves, if that untruth be not true. I have read of a woman, one Anne Avarie, who in 1575, being in a shop, wished that she might sink if she had not paid for the wares she took, and fell down speechless immediately and died. A liar is not fit to live in a commonwealth. Lying takes away all society and converse with men. How can you converse with a man when you cannot believe what he says? Lying shuts men out of heaven. ‘Without are dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.’ Rev 22:15. As it is a great sin to tell a lie, so it is a worse sin to teach a lie. ‘The prophet that teacheth lies.’ Isa 9:15. He who broacheth error teacheth lies; he spreads the plague; he not only damns himself, but helps to damn others. (II.) Truth in words is opposed to dissembling. The heart and tongue should go together, as the dial goes exactly with the sun. To speak fair to one’s face, and not to mean what one speaks, is no better than a lie. ‘His words were smoother than oil, but war was in his heart.’ Psa 55:21. Some have an art to flatter and hate. Jerome, speaking of the Arians, says, ‘they pretended friendship, they kissed my hands, but plotted mischief against me.’ ‘A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet.’ Prov 29:5. Impia sub dulci melle venena latent [Cruel poison can be hidden under sweet honey). Falsehood in friendship is a lie. Counterfeiting friendship is worse than counterfeiting money.

(2.) We must be true in our profession of religion. Let practice go along with profession. ‘Righteousness and true holiness.’ Eph 4:24. Hypocrisy in religion is a lie. The hypocrite is like a face in a glass, which is the show of a face, but no true face. He makes show of holiness, but has no truth in it. Ephraim pretended to be that which he was not; and what says God of him? ‘Ephraim compasseth me about with lies.’ Hos 11:12. By a lie in our words we deny the truth; by a lie in our profession we disgrace it. Not to be to God what we profess is telling a lie; and the Scripture makes it little better than blasphemy. ‘I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not.’ Rev 2:2. Oh! I beseech you, labour to be like God. He is a God of truth. He can as well part with his Deity as his verity. Be like God, be true in your words, be true in your profession. God’s children are ‘children that will not lie.’ Isa 63:8. When God sees ‘truth in the inward parts,’ and ‘lips in which is no guile,’ he sees his own image, which draws his heart towards us. Likeness produces love.

11. The Unity Of God

Q-5: ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE?

A: There is but one only, the living and true God.

That there is a God has been proved; and those that will not believe the verity of his essence, shall feel the severity of his wrath. ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.’ Deut 6:6. He is ‘the only God.’ Deut 4:49. ‘Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else.’ ‘A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.’ Isa 45:51. There are many titular gods. Kings represent God; their regal sceptre is an emblem of his power and authority. Judges are called gods. ‘I have said, Ye are gods,’ Psa 82:2, viz.’ set in God’s place to do justice; but dying gods. ‘Ye shall die like men.’ Verse 7. ‘There be that are called gods, but to us there is but one God.’ I Cor 8:8, 6.

I. There is but one First Cause that has its Being of itself, and on which all other beings depend. As in the heavens, the primum mobile moves all the other orbs, so God gives life and motion to everything that exists. There can be but one God, because there is but one First Cause.

II. There is but one infinite Being, therefore there is but one God. There cannot be two infinites. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?’ Jer 23:34. If there be one infinite, filling all places at once, how can there be any room for another infinite to subsist?

III. There is but one Omnipotent Power. If there be two Omnipotents, then we must always suppose a contest between these two: that which one would do, the other power, being equal, would oppose, and so all things would be brought into confusion. If a ship should have two pilots of equal power, one would be ever crossing the other; when one would sail, the other would cast anchor; there would be confusion, and the ship must perish. The order and harmony in the world, or the constant and uniform government of all things, is a clear argument that there is but one Omnipotent, one God that rules all. ‘I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God.’ Isa 44:4.

Use one: Of information, (1.) If there be but one God, then it excludes all other gods. Some have feigned that there were two gods; as the Valentinians: others, that there were many gods; as the Polytheists. The Persians worshipped the sun; the Egyptians the lion and elephant; the Grecians worshipped Jupiter. These ‘err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ Matt 22:29. Their faith is a fable. ‘God has given them up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned.’ 2 Thess 2:21.

(2.) If there be but one God, then there can be but one true religion in the world. ‘One Lord, one faith.’ Eph 4:4. If there were many gods, then there might be many religions, every God would be worshipped in his way; but if these be but one God, there is but one religion; one Lord, one faith. Some say, we may be saved in any religion; but it is absurd to imagine that God who is One in essence, should appoint several religions in which he will be worshipped. It is as dangerous to set up a false religion, as to set up a false god. There are many ways to hell; men may go thither which way their fancy leads them; but there is only one direct road to heaven, viz., faith and holiness. There is no way to be saved but this. As there is but one God, so there is but one true religion.

(3.) If there be but one God, then there is but One whom you need chiefly to study to please, and that is God. If there were divers gods, we should be hard put to it to please them all. One would command one thing, another the contrary; and to please two contrary masters is impossible: but there is only one God. Therefore you have but One to please. As in a kingdom there is but one king, therefore every one seeks to ingratiate himself into his favour, Prov 19: 6, so there is but one true God; therefore our main work is to please him. Be sure to please God, whoever else you displease. This was Enoch’s wisdom. He had this testimony before he died, that ‘he pleased God.’ Heb 11:1.

What doth this pleasing God imply?

(1.) We please God when we comply with his will. It was Christ’s meat and drink to do his Father’s will, John 4:44, and so he pleased him, Matt 3:37. A voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ It is the will of God that we should be holy. I Thess 4:4. Now, when we are bespangled with holiness, our lives are walking Bibles. This is according to God’s will, and it pleases him.

(2.) We please God when we do the work that he sets us about. ‘I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do,’ viz.’ my mediatory work. John 17:7. Many finish their lives, but do not finish their work. The work God has cut out for us is, to observe the first and second tables. In the first is set down our duty towards God; in the second our duty towards man. Such as make morality the chief and sole part of religion, set the second table above the first; nay, they take away the first table; for, if prudence, justice, temperance, be enough to save, then what needs the first table? Thus our worship towards God will be quite left out; but those two tables which God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

(3.) We please God when we dedicate our hearts to give him the best of everything. Abel gave God the fat of the offering. Gen 4:4. Domitian would not have his image carved in wood, or iron, but in gold. We please God when we serve him with love, fervency, and alacrity. These are golden services. There is but one God, therefore there is but One whom we have chiefly to please, namely, God.

(4.) If there be but one God, then we must pray to none but God. The Papists pray to saints and angels. (1.) To saints. A Popish writer says, ‘when we pray to the saints departed, they being touched with compassion, say the like to God for us as the disciples did to Christ for the Canaanitish woman. “Send her away, for she crieth after us.” Matt 15:53. The saints above know not our wants; if they did, we have no warrant to pray to them. ‘Abraham is ignorant of us.’ Isa 63:16. Prayer is a part of divine worship, which must be given to God only. (2.) They pray to angels. Angel-worship is forbidden. Col 2:18, I9. That we may not pray to angels is clear from Rom 10:14. ‘How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?’ We may not pray to any but whom we may believe in; but we may not believe in any angel, therefore we may not pray to him. There is but one God, and it is a sin to invoke any but God.

(5.) If there be but one God, who is ‘above all,’ Eph 4:4, then he must be loved above all. We must love him with a love of appreciation; set the highest estimate on him, who is the only fountain of being and bliss. We must love him with a love of complacency. Amor est complacentia amantis amato [The lover’s effort to please the beloved, this is love]. Aquinas. Our love to other things must be more indifferent. Some drops of love may run beside to the creature, but the full stream must run towards God. The creature may have the milk of our love, but we must keep the cream for God. He who is above all, must be loved above all. ‘There is none on earth whom I desire in comparison of thee.’ Psa 73:35.

Use two: Of caution. If there be but one God, then let us take heed of setting up more gods than one. ‘Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another god; their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.’ Psa 16:6. God is a jealous God, and he will not endure that we should have other gods. It is easy to commit idolatry with the creature. (1.) Some make a god of pleasure. ‘Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.’ 2 Tim 3:3. Whatever we love more than God we make a god. (2.) Others make money their god. The covetous man worships the image of gold, therefore he is called an idolater. Eph 5:5. That which a man trusts to he makes his god; but he makes the wedge of gold his hope; he makes money his creator, redeemer, and comforter. It is his creator; if he has money, he thinks he is made: it is his redeemer; if he be in danger, he trusts in his money to redeem him: it is his comforter; if at any time he be sad, the golden harp drives away the evil spirit: so that money is his god. God made man of the dust of the earth, and man makes a god of the dust of the earth. (3.) Another makes a god of his child, sets his child in God’s room, and so provokes God to take it away. If you lean too hard upon glass it will break, so many break their children by leaning too hard upon them. (4.) Others make a god of their belly. ‘Whose god is their belly.’ Phil 3:19. Clement of Alexandria writes of a fish that has its heart in its belly; an emblem of epicures, their heart is in their belly, they mind nothing but indulging the sensual appetite; sacrificant lari [They worship home comforts]; their belly is their god, and to this they pour drink-offerings. Thus men make many gods. The apostle names the wicked man’s trinity, ‘The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life,’ I John 2:16: the lust of the flesh is pleasure; the lust of the eye, money; the pride of life, honour. Oh take heed of this! Whatever you deify beside God will prove a bramble, and fire will come out of it and devour you. Judg 9:95.

Use three: Of reproof. If the Lord Jehovah be the only true God, it reproves those who renounce the true God, I mean such as seek to familiar spirits, which is too much practised among them that call themselves Christians. It is a sin condemned by the law of God. ‘There shall not be found among you any one that consults with familiar spirits.’ Deut 18:81. How common is this! If people have lost any of their goods, they send to wizards to know how they may obtain them again. What is this but consulting with the devil! and so renouncing God and their baptism. What! because you have lost your goods, will you lose your souls too? ‘Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Beelzebub?’ 2 Kings 1:1. So, is it not because you think there is not a God in heaven that you ask counsel of the devil? If any here be guilty, be deeply humbled, ye have renounced the true God. Better be without the goods ye have lost than have the devil help you to them again.

Use four: Of exhortation. (1.) If there be but one God, as God is one, so let them that serve him be one. This is what Christ prayed so heartily for. ‘That they all may be one.’ John 17:7I. Christians should be one, (1.) In judgement. The apostle exhorts to be all of one mind. I Cor 1:10. How sad is it to see religion wearing a coat of divers colours; to see Christians of so many opinions, and going so many different ways! It is Satan that has sown these tares of division. Matt 13:39. He first divided men from God, and then one man from another. (2.) One in affection. They should have one heart. ‘The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul.’ Acts 4:42. As in music, though there be several strings of a viol, yet all make one sweet harmony; so, though there are several Christians, yet there should be one sweet harmony of affection among them. There is but one God, and they that serve him should be one. There is nothing that would render the true religion more lovely, or make more proselytes to it, than to see the professors of it tied together with the heart-strings of love. ‘Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, to see brethren live together in unity!’ Psa 133:3. It is as the sweet dew on Hermon, and the fragrant ointment poured on Aaron’s head. If God be one, let all that profess him be of one mind, and one heart, and thus fulfil Christ’s prayer, ‘that they all may be one.’

(2.) If there be but one God, let us labour to make clear the title that this God is ours. ‘This God is our God.’ Psa 48:14. What comfort can it be to hear that there is a God, and that he is the only God, unless he be our God? What is Deity without property in him? Oh let us labour to make clear the title! Beg the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works by faith. By faith we are one with Christ, and through Christ we come to have God for our God, and thus all his glorious fulness is made over to us by a deed of gift.

Use five: Of gratitude. What cause have we to be thankful, that we have the knowledge of the only true God! How many are brought up in blindness! Some worship Mahomet. Many of the Indians worship the devil; they light a candle to him, that he may not hurt them. Such as know not the true God must needs stumble into hell in the dark. Oh let us be thankful that we are born in such a land, where the light of the gospel has shone. To have the knowledge of the true God is more than if we had mines of gold, rocks of diamonds, islands of spices; especially if God has savingly revealed himself to us; if he has given us eyes to see the light; if we so know God as to be known of him, to love him, and believe in him. Matt 11:15. We can never be thankful enough to God, that he has hid the knowledge of himself from the wise and prudent of the world, and has revealed it unto us.

12. The Trinity

Q-6. HOW MANY PERSONS ARE THERE IN THE GODHEAD?

A: Three persons, yet but one God.

’There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.’ I John 5:5.

God is but one, yet are there three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead. This is a sacred mystery, which the light within man could never have discovered. As the two natures in Christ, yet but one person, is a wonder; so three persons, yet but one Godhead. Here is a great deep, the Father God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God; yet not three Gods, but one God. The three persons in the blessed Trinity are distinguished, but not divided; three substances, but one essence. This is a divine riddle where one makes three, and three make one. Our narrow thoughts can no more comprehend the Trinity in Unity, than a nut-shell will hold all the water in the sea. Let me shadow it out by a similitude. In the body of the sun, there are the substance of the sun, the beams, and the heat; the beams are begotten of the sun, the heat proceeds both from the sun and the beams; but these three, though different, are not divided; they all three make but one sun: so in the blessed Trinity, the Son is begotten of the Father, the Holy Ghost proceeds from both; yet though they are three distinct persons, they are but one God. First, let me speak of the Unity in Trinity; then of the Trinity in Unity.

I. Of the Unity in Trinity. The Unity of the persons in the Godhead consists of two things.

[1] The identity of essence. In the Trinity there is a oneness in essence. The three persons are of the same divine nature and substance; so that in Deo nonest magis et minus, ‘there are no degrees in the Godhead’; one person is not God more than another.

[2] The Unity of the persons in the Godhead consists in the mutual inbeing of them, or their being in one together. The three persons are so united that one person is in another, and with another. ‘Thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.’ John 17:7I.

II. Let me speak of the Trinity in Unity.

[1] The first person in the Trinity is God the Father. He is called the first person, in respect of order, not dignity: for God the Father has no essential perfection which the other persons have not; he is not more wise, more holy, more powerful than the other persons are. There is a priority, not a superiority.

[2] The second person in the Trinity is Jesus Christ, who is begotten of the Father before all time. ‘I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, was I brought forth.’ Prov 8:3-25 . This Scripture declares the eternal generation of the Son of God. This second person in the Trinity, who is Jehovah, is become our Jesus. The Scripture calls him the branch of David, Jer 23:3, and I may call him the flower of our nature. ‘By him all that believe are justified.’ Acts 13:39.

[3] The third person in the Trinity is the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, whose work is to illuminate the mind, and enkindle sacred motions. The essence of the Spirit is in heaven, and everywhere; but the influence of it is in the hearts of believers. This is that blessed Spirit who gives us the holy unction. 1 John 2:20. Though Christ merits grace for us, it is the Holy Ghost that works it in us. Though Christ makes the purchase, it is the Holy Ghost that makes the assurance, and seals us to the day of redemption. Thus I have spoken of all the three persons. The Trinity of persons may be proved out of Matt 3:16. ‘Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son.’ Here are three names given to the three persons. He who spake with a voice from heaven was God the Father; he who was baptized in Jordan was God the Son; he who descended in the likeness of a dove was God the Holy Ghost. Thus I have shown you the Unity of essence, and the Trinity of persons.

Use one: For confutation. (1.) This confutes the Jews and Turks, who believe only the first person in the Godhead. Take away the distinction of the persons in the Trinity, and you overthrow man’s redemption; for God the Father being offended with man for sin, how shall he be pacified without a mediator? This mediator is Christ, who makes our peace. Christ having died, and shed his blood, how shall this blood be applied but by the Holy Ghost? Therefore, if there be not three persons in the Godhead, man’s salvation cannot be wrought out; if there be no second person in the Trinity, there is no redee