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BODY
OF
PRACTICAL DIVINITY,
CONSISTING OF ABOVE
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTV-S1X SERMONS
ON THE
SHOETEK. CATECHISM,
COMPOSED BY
THE REVEREND ASSEMBLY OF DIFINES AT WESTMINSTER,
WITH
A SUPPLEMENT OF SOME SERMONS
ON SEVERAL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
Si iPcto (Edition:
TO WHICH IS NOW ADDED, BY THE SAME AUTHOR,
THE ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT;
AND
CHRIST'S VARIOUS FULNESS.
By the Rev. THOMAS IV AT HON,
Formerly Minister at St. Stephen'?, Walbrook, London.
Recommended to Masters of Families, and Others, bxj Several Aiinisters.
IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I
HE BEING DEAD, YET SPEAKETH. HEB. xii. 4«
LONDON : PRINTED FOR W. BAYNES, 54, PATERNOSTER- ROW,
isor.
W. Nuholsori) Warner Street, Printer. .
TO THE
READER.
THESE catechetical Lectures of the late Reverend Mr. Thomas Watson, all but one, written with his own hand, I have read over, together with fome Sermons annexi .! to them; and fince my teftimony is defired concerning them, I do hereby declare, that (though I will not undertake to juftify every expreflion or fentence in them, or in any human writing,) I find them, in the main, agreeable to the doctrinal articles of this Church, and unto the Weftminfter Affembly's Confeflion of Faith and Catechifms : and I believe, that, through the bleffing of God, they may be profitable unto the edification of all that read them, with an honed defire to know and do the will of God ; for certainly there are many excellent things in them, which, if they meet with a well d if poled ferious mind, are very apt to have a good effect, upon it ; and if it prove other- wife with any that happen to read this book, it will be their own fault more than the book's. Moil writers have different ftyles ; and it is well known that Mr. \flfatfon had one peculiar to himfelf, which yet hath found good' acceptance with, and has been ufeful unto ferious people ; and I hope this (by reafon of the great variety of excellent matter) may be more generally ufeful than any other thing he ever wrote. 1 little doubt but every fober Chriftian will be of this mind, after he has read his lectures on God's attributes, the ten commandments, Lord's prayer, &c. I ilncerely profefs, I have no other end in giving this teftimony of this book, but thereby to ferve the common good of ChrilVs church, and not the private intereft of any per- fon or party in the world : if my conlcience did not bear me witnefs, that this book may be uleful to that excellent end, no man fhould ever have prevailed with me, thus to prefix my teftimony and name to it. That it may anfwer the main end for which it was at firft written by the author, (whom I always took to be a grave, ferious, modeft, good man) and for which, I hope, it is now publiiTied, to wit, the edification of the church of Chrift in faith, holinefs, and comfort, is the hearty defire of one of the meaueft fervants of our molt blefied Lord Jesus.
William Lorimer.
4 TO THE READER.
We whofe names are fubfcribed, having feen the teftimony of our worthy brother, Mr. William Lorimer, after his perufal of this book, doubt not but it may be of ufe to many ; as the former writings of Mr. Thomas Watfon have been ; and, with that defire and hope, we recommend it to the mailers of families and others.
William Bates, Matthew Barker, John Howie, Matthew Mead, Edward Lawrence, Samuel Slater, Richard Mayo, Matthew Sylvejler, Daniel Burges, Jofeph Cawthorne, Daniel Williams, Richard Wavel, Timothy Crufo, Timothy Rogers,
Nalhaniel Oldjield, Richard Adams, Richard Steel, Samuel Stancliff, John Raynolds, Nathaniel Vincent, John Hughes, Jofeph Read, Abraham Hume, Richard S tret ton, John Shoiver, Francis Glqfcock, Daniel Williams,
A
SHORT ACCOUNT
OF THE
AUTHOR.
IT is fufficiently known to all that have any acquaintance with the hiftories of the church, that many valuable and uleful minifters were ejected for non-conformity, by the act of uni- formity in the reign of King Charles II. which took place, Auguti24th, 1662. Among others, the Reverend Mr. Thomas Waison was ejected from his charge, at St. Stephen's, Wal- brook, London; whofe character is given by the Reverend Dr. Edmond Calamy, in his Abridgments, Vol. II. p. 37 ; and is as follows:
" From St. Stephen's, Walbrook. Mr. Thomas Watfon; " he was of Emanuel College in Cambridge, where he was noted " for being a hard ftudent; one fo well known in the city, viz. " London, for his piety and ufefulnefs, that though he was " fingled out by the Friendly Debate, he yet carried a general •* refpect for all l'ober perfons along with him to his grave. A " memorable paflage, which I have from good hands, muft not " be palled by: When Mr. Watfon was in the pulpit, on a " lecture-day, before the Bartholomew act took place, among " other hearers, there came in that Reverend and learned Pre- " late, Bifhop Richardfon, who was fo well pleafed with his " fermon, but efpecially with his prayer after it, that he follow- " ed him home, to give him thanks, and eameftly defired a " copy of his prayer. Alas! faid Mr. Watfon, that is what " I cannot give; for I do not ufe to pen my prayers ; it was M no ftudied thing, but uttered as God enabled me from the " abundance of my heart and affections, pro re nata. Upon M which the good Bifhop went away, wondering that any man " could pray in that manner, extempore. After his ejectment, " he continued in the exercife of the miniltry in the city, " as providence gave opportunity, for many years: but his " ftrength wearing away he retired into Eflex, and there died u fuddenly, in his clofet, at prayer."
A
PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE
TO
CATECHISING.
Col. i. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled.
INTENDING the next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechihng, it will not be amifs to give you this prelimi- nary difcourfe, as preparatory to it ; fhewing you how needful it is for Chriltians to be well inftructed in the grounds of religion, ' If ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled,'— Two pro- pofitions :
Firfi, It is the duty of Chriftians to be fettled in the do&riue of faith.
Second, The bed way for Chriftians to be fettled, is to be well grounded.
Doct. I. That it is the duty of Chriftians to be fettled in the dodirtne of faith. It is the apoftle's prayer, 1 Pet. v. 10. € The God of all grace, ftablifh, Itrengthen, fettle you.' That they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed ftars. The apollle Jude fpeaks of * wandering ftars,' verfe 13. They are called wandering ftars, becaufe, as Ariftotle faith, '* They do leap up and down, and wander into feveral parts of the heaven ; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celeftial matter as the fixed ftars are, they often fall to the earth." Now, fuch as are not fettled in religion, will, at one time or other, prove wandering ftars ; they will lofe their former ftri&- nefs, and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unfettled are of the tribe of Reuben, * unliable as water,' Gen. xlix. 4. like a fhip without ballaft, overturned with every wind of doctrine. Beza writes of one Belfectius, whofe religion •changed as the moorj,* The Arians had every year a new faith. Thefe are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds fhaken every way. The apoftle calls them * damnable herefies/ 2 Pet. ii. 1. A man may go to hell as well for herefy as adul- tery. To be unfettled in religion, argues want of judgment: if their heads were not giddy, they would not reel lb fall from one opinion to another. It argues lightnefs : feathers will be
8 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE
blown every way ; fo will feathery Chriflians : Trilicum non rapit ventus inanes palce jaftantur, Cypr. Therefore fuch are compared to children, Eph. iv. 14. ' That we be no more children, toiled to and fro.' Children are fickle, fometimes of one mind, fometimes of another ; nothing pleafes them long : fo unfettled Chriflians are childifh ; thofe truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another ; fometimes they like the Protefbmt religion, and foon after they have a good mind to turn Papifts. Now, that you may labour to be fettled, (as Ignatius) in the faith, in unfettled times of fettled judgments.
1. It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a fettlement in religion : Eph. iv. 11, 13. ■ And he gave fome, evangeliits, and fome, paftors and teachers, for the edifying of the body of Ch rift ; that we henceforth be no more children.' The word is called an hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29. Every blow of the hammer is to fallen the nails of the building ; the preacher's words are but to faften you the more to Chriil; they weaken themfelves to firengthen and fettle you. This is the grand defign of preaching, not only for the enlightening, but for the eftablilhing of fouls ; not only to guide them in the right way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not fettled, you do not anfwer God's end in giving you the miniftry.
2. To be fettled in religion : it is both a Chrittian's excellency and honour : it is his excellency ; when the milk is fettled, it turns to cream ; now, he will be fomething zealous for the truth, walk in clofe communion with God. And his honour, Prov. xvi. 31. 5 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteoufnefs.' It is one of the bed fights, to fee an old difciple ; to fee filver hairs adorned with golden virtues.
3. Such as are not fettled in the faith, can never fuffer for it ; fceptics in religion will hardly ever prove martyrs ; they that are not fettled do hang in fuf pence ; when they think of the joys of heaven, then they will efpoufe the gofpel ; but when they think of perfecution, then they defert it. Unfettled Chriftians do not confult what is beft, but what is fafeft : " The apoftate (faith Tertullian) feems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their fervices, prefers the devil's fervice, and pro- claims him to be the beft mafter : and, in this fenfe, may be (aid to putChriitto open fhame," Heb. vi. 6. They will never fuffer for the truth, but be as a foldier that leaves his colours, and runs over to the enemy's fide ; he will fight on the devil's fide for pay.
4. Not to be fettled in the faith, is highly provoking to God : to efpoufe the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gofpel, which will not go unpuniflied : Pfal. lxxviii. 57, 59. ' They turned back, and dealt unfaithfully ; when
I H 3D JE X .
»*«iO!®»«»~
NoTE. — The Figures refer to the Page ; and the Roman Capitals i.
Volumes.
Abstaining from external acts
of fin not fufficient to entitle us
to falvation, p. 381. Vol. II. Acts of fin, how we may be kept
from them, 368. Adam, how long he continued in
paradife before he fell, 145. I. Adam's fin, how made ours, 150. Adoption, what it is, 239. From what, and to what
it is, ibid. Adopted fon, how free, 240. Adoption, the inftrumental caufe
of it, ibid.
figns of it, 243.
Adultery, the heinoufnefs of it,
wherein it appears, 489. ! how we may abflain
from it, 494. Afflictions of the godly, how they
differ from thofe of the wicked,
356. Afflicted, how they are happy,
357. Affliction, what kindnefs there is
in it, when God feems mofl un- kind, 214. II. ■ what profit is in it, 215.
Afflictions, how they contribute
to our happinefs, 221. how they magnify us,
357. Aggravations of Adam's fin, 148,
I. Aggravations of the lofs of the
kingdom of heaven, 148. II.
Angels, their fociety, how can it
add to the happinefs of fouls,
when God is infinite to fill the
foul witli delight ? 123. Anthropomorphites Objection an-
fwered, 51. I. Aphorifms about fin and forgive-
nefs, 257. II. Apoftacy from religion, whence it
proceeds, 142. Appearance of evil, the mifchief
of it, 368. Arguments to perfuade us to feek
after obtaining the kingdom of
heaven, 175. Arians* error about the Holy
Ghoft, confuted, 119. I. Arminians* objections againfl per-
feverance, ^90.
deny faints perfever-
ance, and why, 169. II.
AfTurance, what it is, 257. I.
the difference between
it and prefumption, 258.
its excellency, i;."9.
how to know if we have
a right to it, 26%
what we mint do to get
it, 264.
they that have it, how they muft carry themfelves, 265. Atheift, the wickedeft creaturj that lives, 46.
B Baptifm, what it is, 4. II. its benefits, ibid.
Index.
Believers, why they have not all the full enjoyment of peace, 270. I.
privileges at death, 298.
I how they come to have
thefe privileges, 300.
privileges, what they
are, 302. » privileges, how (hall we
know that we mall gain them at
death? 306. , privilege after death,
307. i when they enter upon
pofiefiion of glory, 309. Benefits of Believers at the refur-
reaion, 313. ■ of God's children, what
they are, 245. Bodies, how (hall we know that
they {hall be raifed at the refur-
re&ion: 316. fince they mud lie long in
the grave, what mall fupport us
till then ? ibid.
of the faints (hall be glo-
behave themfelves to fuch a Fa- ther, 61.
Chrift, the feveral names given to him in fcriptiire, 168. I.
why called o XoyS*, the
rious at the refurrection, 317«
Cain went out from the prefence
of the Lord ; what meant by it,
60. Call, twofold, 227.
effectual, the means of it, ib.
. thecaufeofit,228.
. the qualifications
of it, 229. Corinthian Heretics, their error,
170. Change in the new creature,
wherein it confifts, 412. II. Charity, the excellency of it, 483,
I. Children, wherein they are to (hew
refpect to their parents, 461. Child of God, how it appears that
he has worldly things in love,
46. II. Children of God, how they fhould
Word, 169.
is eternal, 170.
a Prophet, 173.
what he teaches, 1 74.
how his teaching differ*
from that of others, ibid.
what we mould do to have
him for our teacher, ] 77.
the parts of his prieftly of- fice, 179. .
how he could fuffer, being
God, ibid.
wherein the greatnefs of
his fufferings did appear, 180.
why he fuffered, ibid.
for whom he intercedes,
and what he does in the work of intercefiion, 185.
how he intercedes, 187.
how we may know that
Chrift intercedes for us, 191. how he comes to be a King,
194.
where, and how he rules,
195.
when he will deliver
his
people, 196.
how he came to be made
flefh, 199.
— - why born of a woman, ibid.
why born of a virgin, 200.
being thus born, how he
could be free from fin, ibid.
why made flefh, 201.
how we fhall know that he
is formed in us, 206.
in what, fince God exalted
him, and in how many ways, 211.
what is meant by his fitting
at the right hand of God, 212.
how, and from what he re- deems us, 217.
to what he redeems us, 218.
I N D
Chrift, how he was made a curfe
. For us, 371.
■ how he will prcferve the
faints' graces till they come to heaven, 59. II-
*. glory in heaven, how it can
ftand with it, to have a fellow- feeling in our miferies, 332.
.. how he fuccours them that
are tempted, 334. Commandments of God, 408. I. ■ ■ how we fliall keep
them, 413. Comforts of a pardoned foul, 2S8,
II. i for thofe that bewail
their want of growth, 1 15. Convictions, what makes them
prove abortive, 101. Covenant of works, 136. I. ■ why God made it with
Adam and his pofterity in a flatc
of innocency, ibid.
why he gave it'to Adam,
fince he faw that he would tranf- grefs it, ibid. of grace, what it is,
161.
names given to it, ibid. "
why God mould make it
with us, 162. how it differs from that
made with Adam, ibid.
163.
if works be required in it,
- what 165.
we muft do to be
in it,
To Covet, what it is, 511. Covetoufnefs, its danger, 513. how may it be
cured? 516. j Creation, what it is, 121. different from generation,
122. ■ two things to be confi-
dered in it, ibid.
D
Darling fin, otherwife called or.r
E X.
own, how it may be known, &66. II. Day of Judgment, how it appears
there fliall be one, 318. I. ■ why there muft
be one, 319.
« who fliall be
judge, ibid.
Deceit, how many forts of it there are, 380. II.
Decrees of God, what they are, and execution of them, 121. I.
Deliverance of Ifrael out of Egypt, why God mentions it in the preface to the ten command- ments, ''.49.
Deliverances of the godly and wicked, how they differ, 362.
Deliverance, when we are fitted for it, SG3.
how we fhould praife
God in a right manner forit, 364.
D:!ires unfeigned, how they may be known, 102. II.
Dignity of fuch as have God for their father, where it lies, 37.
Directions to obtain pardon of fin, 292.
to fuch as have over- come temptation, 348.
Doing of God's will, why fo re- quifite, 192.
duty unfeafonably, an effect
of Satan's temptation, 324.
Doves, we fhould be like them in three refpects, 397.
Drunkennefs defaces God's image as much as any fin, 393.
Duty of Chriflians to be fettled in the doctrine of faith. Prelimi- nary Dif. 1. I.
Duty of fuchas have their fins for- given, 292. II.
Earth, whether it did bear thorns
in innocency, 125. I. Elect people, how fhall we know
that we are of it, 284. II.
I N D
Encouragements to faith in prayer,
68. to the hallowing
of God's name, 84. Encouragement to perfeverance,
172. End, (chief) of man, what it is,
12. I. Enjoying of God twofold, 27. Eternity of God, 68. comfortable to
the godly, and terrible to the
wicked, 69, 71- Evidence of pardon, why it may
not appear for a time, 281. II. Evil, what, we fhould pray to be
delivered from, 350. Examine, we mull, our fins and
graces, 21.
F taith, more the condition of the
new covenant, than any other
grace, 163. I.
— the kinds of it, 221.
juftifying, ibid.
how it is wrought, 223.
theprecioufnefs of it, where- in it lies, ibid.
how it juftifies, 223.
why it mould juftify, and
fave'more than any other grace,
224. — — to know if it be true, 225. how to judge of the growth
of it, 226. .— - - a moft precious grace, how
it comes to be fo, 539. true, how it may be known,
541. how it comes to be ftrong,
174. II.
Fallen man could be reftored no other way but by God's afrum- ing flefh, 199. I.
Falfe witneffing, what is condemn- ed under it, 506.
the evil of it, 508.
Father, what meant by it in the fifth commandment, 455.
E X.
Father in heaven, how we mew our
honour to him, 42. II. Forgivenefs of fin, what it is, 257. the neceffity of
it, 270. Forgive others, how can we, when
God only forgives fin, 297. Forgive, how we muft, 302.
Gifts, whether fufficient for the
minifterial office, 385. Give us this day, &c. the meaning
of it, 237. Give us, why in the plural, 243.
Why our bread, 245.
Bread, what meant by it,
246. Glory, what, 307. T. God's glory, what, 12. Glorify, to, God, what, 13. Glorify God, why we muft, 15. how it mull be done,
17. Glory, God's, how we fhall aim
at it, ibid.
who "bring none to God, 24.
God's, who fight againft
it, 25. of God ought to be prefer- red to our perfonal concerns,
236 II. God the chief good, 30. I. • proved to exift, 48.
what he is, 52.
is a fpirit, what is implied, ib.
how he differs from other
fpirits, ibid. — how we
may conceive
his
being a fpirit, without making
any refemblance of him, 54. — — what kind of fpirit he is, 57.
there is but one, 111.
from what, and to what he
calls men, 228.
how we fhall fee him, 308.
is a king, 88. II.
what his fovereignty requires
of us, 89.
I N D
God, his power is a comfort to the godly ; but a terror to the wicked, 92.
what it is to make him our
God, 373. I.
what it is to have other gods
befide him, 382.
— — fpake all thefe words, how we are to underftand them, when he has no bodily organs to de- liver them, 3:56.
how he comes to be ourGod,
and what is implied, 34-1.
how we may know. 342.
. in what fenle a Father, 35.
II.
■ being father to Chrift, and to the ele£t, different, ibid.
■ how our father, 36.
■ how the beft father, ibid. ^— — what we are to learn from
his being in heaven, 65. God's name, what meant by it,
72. name dimonouredby all forts
of perfons, 80. Grace, how a Chriftian may be
faid to grow in it, 230. I.
■ the right manner of growing
in it, ibid.
why it mult grow, 281.
why we mould grow in it,
ibid.
- how to know when we grow in it, 283.
- how to comfort them that
do'not grow in it, 285. . why called a kingdom, 97.
II Greatnefs of fin, an argument for
pardon, 280.
H
Happinefs of having God for our father, wherein it lies, 48.
Hallowing of God's name, what, 72.
when we may be faid to
do it, 73.
E X.
Hallower of God's name, the cha- racter of a godly pcrioii, |
How we may hallow God's name, 88.
Heart, how it may be bettered, 506.
Hell, how \vc mall know we are delivered from, 370. J.
Hell's torments, 359. II.
Holinefs of God, what, 90. L
■ ours, wherein it co 92.
how we may refcir.ble
God in it, 95. Holy Ghoft, what is meant b- its
power overshadowing the virgin,
200. Honour due to political fathers,
455.
■ to fpiritual fathers,
■ 456.
Houfe of bondage, a type of If- rael's deliverance from fin, 365.
Houfe, why put before wife in the tenth commandment, 519.
Humiliation comes ftiort of grace, 101.
Idolatry, how we may be kept
from' it, 390. Idolatrous places, a great blefTing
to be delivered from them, 350. Idolatry, why we are fo prone to
351. Illumination and conviction, how
many ways a man fins againil
them, 5_7. when it comes fhort
of grace, 101. II Image worfhip, the evil of it,
I.
of Chrift unlawful, 389.
of God, if not lawful, how
(hall we conceive of him aright,
389. Impotency, why God fuffers it to
lye on man that he cannot keep
the law, 523.
I N D
Indwelling prefence of the Spirit,
how known, 262. Infallibility of the kingdom of
glory, why, 131. II. Infant baptifm proved, 5.
the benefit, 6.
Interceflion of Chriil : fruits of it,
188. I. Invocation of faints unlawful, 382,
II. Joy in the Holy Ghoft, what,
274. I. Joys divine, when does God give
them ? 275.
to be fought for, 278.
worldly and fpiritual ; their
difference, 276. Joy, how to comfort thofe who ■
want it, 279- Judgment general ; when, 319. ■ how it will be perform-
ed, 320. Juftice of God, wThat, 95. — - — — — — how confiftent in
punifhing a momentary crime
with eternal torment, 369. Juftified perfons, in what fenfe
they are redeemed from fin, 21 7. Juftification, what, 2S2. the ground of it, 233.
- its material, merito- rious, and efficient caufe, ibid.
its effence, ibid.
its inftrument, ibid.
its end, 234-.
whether from eter-
nity, ibid.
its pofitions, ibid. — — different from falsi- fication, 264. II.
K
Kingdom, what, in the Lord's
prayer, 93. . of darknefs, how many
ways the natural man is in it, 95. of grace, why fhould
we pray that it fhould come into our hearts, 97.
E X.
Kingdom of grace, how we may know when it is in our hearts, 100.
■ how fhall we
obtain this kingdom, 110.
when it iu-
creafes in the foul, 1 1 2.
of glory, what, 116.
of heaven, what, 117.
of heaven, its bleffed-
nefs, 123.
of heaven, wherein it
excels all others, 127.
of heaven, when it fhall
be bellowed, 131,
of heaven, why we
mould pray for it, 133.
of heaven, how we fhall
know our right to it, 143.
of heaven, what advan-
ces a man may make towards it, without reaching it, 146.
of heaven, what we
mould do not to mifs it, 150. Knowledge of God, 62. I. ■ the chief work of con-
verfion, 517. II.
to do good, why not
followed with practice, 518.
Law, whether we may go to it
for debt, 298. Lead us not into temptation, the
meaning of it, 304. Live to God, what, 20. I. Lord's fupper, what, 11. II.
its ends, 13.
death, how to be com- memorated in the Sacrament, 14.
fupper, why we are to re-
ceive it, 15.
flered, 16. it, ibid.
ceiveit worthily, 17.
to be oft admini- who are to receive how we may re-
I N D
Lofs will befal us. if we give over
doing God's will, 20 k Love, what, 890, I. . wherein its formal nature
confifts, 331. . to God, how it mud be qua-
lified, ibid.
its vifible figns, 332.
how to perform it
aright, 335. to any thing more than to
God, is preferring it to God,
382.
to God, how qualified, 403.
— — how we may know
whether we do it, ibid.
M Man, being in honour, abode not,
how the Rabbins read it, 146. . why he does not obey God,
though he knows his duty,
323. Mafter, how he muft demean to- wards his fervants, 460. Means to bring our will to God
in affliaion, 232. II. ■ for obtaining the kingdom
of heaven, 150. ' conducing to perfeverance,
174. ( Meditation, a means to help us to
heaven, 169. on the kingdom of
glory, what effects it has, 1S6. Mercy of God, what, 101. I. what we muft do
to be interefted in it, 105. how many wavs God may
be faid to (hew it, 397.
how we may know if it be-
long to us, 401. « what (hall we do to get an
intereft in it ? ibid. Mifery of man twofold, 156. Miftakes of fin being pardoned
when it is not, 294. II. Moderation, in what cafes it is
good, 403.
E X.
Moral law, dill in force to Bc-
lirvers, U71. I. Moral perfuaiion, not fufficicnt ta
convert a finner, 109. II. Motions of the Spirit, how they
may be known from a deiulion,
166. Motion, how to know whether it
comes from our own heart, or
from Satan, 306. Murder, how many ways it is com- mitted, 473. I. its heinoufnefs, 474.
N Name of God, how taken in vain,
414. Natural man's oppofing fin, how
it differs from the new creature'*
oppofing it, 414. II. Neceffity why the kingdom of
grace fhould be increafed, 114. Neighbour, how we may keep from
coveting what is his, 520. I. New creature, what, 406. II.
its feveral caufes, ib.
has it a new foul?
ibid.
it is, 407.
what kind of work counterfeits of it,
409.
. how far one mud
put off the old man, that he may be one, ibid.
•the neceffity of being
one, 417. be fo? 419.
what (hall we do to
Obedience, how it muft be quali- fied, fo as to be acceptable, 326. I.
incentives to it, 328.
perfect, cannot be given,
521.
Original fin, its names, 150.
has fomething priva-
vative and pofitive, 151.
INDEX.
Original fin, its univerfality, ibid.
why God leaves it in
after regeneration, 154*.
Pardon of fin, why fo few feek
after it, 268. II. Parents, how they mould carry it
towards their children, 468. I. Participation of the facraments
confifts in three things, 17. II. Peace, the feveral kinds of, c268. I. fpiritual, whence it comes,
ibid.
■ whether gracelefs perfons
have it, 269.
■ falfe ; its figns, ibid.
true ; its figns, 270.
how to attain it, 272.
Perfeverance, how effected, 287. — — — of faints, how we may prove it, 288.
— — motives to it, 293.
■ means to be ufed for
it, 294.
its three -grand pil- lar?, 170. II.
People of God, why fo frequently in an affli&ed ftate, 355. 1.
— how he delivers
them out of their troubles, 360.
why brought out
of trouble, 361.
Pleafing God, what, 113.
Prayer, what, 27 II.
why to God only, 28.
its parts ibid.
feveral forts of it, ibid.
what fort is moft likely to
prevail, ibid.
in what order it muft be
dire^ed to Pod, 30. Praying in faith, what it implies,
67. how we may
know when we do fo, ibid. Pray in faith, how we mav do fo,
71.
Prayer, a means to elude tempta- tions, 345.
Power of God, how it is feen, 85L I.
Prefumptuous finning, what, 528.
Promifes of God, two thing in, them to comfort us, 107
Properties of bad debtors, 252. II,
Prosperity dangerous, 224.
Providence of God, what, 127. I.
pofitions about it, 128*
how exercifed towards
fin, 130.
Prudence and holinefs, how united in the real Chriftian, 399. II.
Punimment of fabbath breakers, 452. I.
Qualifications of our Intereefibr,
185. I. ' of the kingdom erf
heaven, 117. II.
of God's mercy,
396. I.
R
Redeemed, how we mall know that we are of the number, 22Q.
Regenerate perfon, what comfort he may have under the imper- fections of his obedience, 525.
Repentance, the counterfeit of it, 544.
its advantages 547.
How we may attain to a peniten- tial frame of mind, 549.
Repentance, its ingredients, 260. II. .
Refignation to the will of God in affliaion, 212.
Refurre&ion, by what arguments it may be proved, 313. I.
Righteous, mall not only be railed, 314.
Rule of obedience, what, 325.
Sabbath, why God appointed it, 424.
INDEX.
Seventh day, fabbath, why we do
not keep it, 42.5. Sabbath, why the firft day of the
week, is changed to the feventh,
ibid. how we are to fan&ify it,
429. Sacrament, what names and titles
are given it in fcripture, 9. II. Saints in glory, whether they know
each other, 309. I. why God fuffers them to
be buffetted by Satan, 329. II. San&ification, what, 247. I.
its counterfeit, 249.
its neceflity, 250.
its figns, 252.
how attained, 255.
Sanctified perfons, have they all
aflui
> 9R
Oi
have they fuch
afiurance as to exclude all
an
doubting ? 258. ■ whether they all
have true peace, 270. Satan's temptations, the fubtilty
of them, 146.
< malice in tempting, 304. IL
diligence and power in
tempting, 306.
fubtilty in tempting, 307.
comes upon us at two times
in our weaknefs, 308.
tempts five forts of perfons
more than others, 311.
my does he attack
faith ? 320. difturbs the faints'
our
3-27.
peace,
why called the evil one,
377. Scriptures, why the word of God,
34. I. why called canonical,
37.
a complete rule, ibid, their fcope and end, ib. who has the power of
interpreting them, 38.
Scriptures, mould fearch them, as
finding life in them, 42. Senfons when fatan tempts, 30$.
II. when God delivers his
people from trouble, 361. I. Self-murder, its various kinds,
479. Self-examination, 17. II. the rule by which
it muft be done, 18. muft be previous
to our approaching the Lord's
table, ibid. Servant muft honour his mafter,
458. I. Serpents, how we muft be like
them, and wherein not, 402. II. Sin committed in time, why it
mould be punifhed to eternity,
70.1. the evil of it obvious in its
original, 140. — - in the price paid for it, and
theeffeasof it, 113. of our firft parents, what it
was, 144. why called a debt, 253. II.
in what fenfe it is the word
debt, 254.
how we may know that it is
forgiven, 282.
the evil of it, 350.
worfe than affliction, 354.
how we may reprove it, and
love the perfon, 400. to know when pardoned, 399,
I.
- of God's people provoke him more than thofe of the wicked, 375. II.
worfe than death and hell, 358.
we mould particularly take
heed to fome, 363.
Socinians' error, 118. I.
Sorrow goes before forgivenefs,
260. II. Soul-murder, 481. I.
■ its excellency, 251. II.
I N D
Soul, drefs for receiving the ordi- nance, 23.
Souls deferted, that want comfort, how they mufl get it, 262. I.
Spiritual, what meant by it, 52.
State of nature, bad, 140.
Submiflion to God's will, 207. II.
wanting at times, 211.
Subtilty of fatan, 307.
E X.
U
Temptations, whence they come,
304.
two cafes dated, 337.
of fatan, means to
defeat them, 346
■ — what good may come out of them, 348.
Theft, whence it arifes, 500. I.
how many forts, ibid.
its aggravations, 502.
Thoughts, vain, how they come in when hearing the word, 439.
■ the evil of them,
Vifiting iniquity, what, 394. Unchangeablenefs of God, 79. Unchangeable God, 75. Unpardoned foul, how miferable,
276. II. Vortfius, objections againft Godrs
ubequity, anfwered, 53.
W
Ways of Satan to tempt man, 33. Will of God, what, 191.
■ how we are to do it,
and find acceptance, 196.
how we may evan-
gelically do it, 199.
how we may do it
aright, 206.
Wifdom of God, wherein it ap- pears, 79. I.
— — and innocency, neceflary qualifications of a Chriftian, 386. II.
where it chiefly confifts,
387.
440.
to overcome them, 30. II. Tongue, how it is evil, 500. — evil, the feveral forts,
501,
Word's, the, effectually working, how we may get what is meant by it, 549. I.
Word, how it may be read effec- tually, 550.
— how it may be heard effec- tually, ibid. World, why God made it, 123. — — in what fenfe it is evil,
help againft them, 441.
in prayer, how
508.
rules for governing it, fins, motives to beware
of them, 509. Torments of hell, 149. Trinity of perfons, 117. I. Truth of God, 107.
378. II. Worfhip, what kind is moft fait-
able to God, 55. I. Worfhip, to, God in the Spirit,
what, ibid. Wrath to come ; what {hall we do
to efcape ? 533.
TO CATECHISING. 9
God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael.' The apoftate drops as a windfall into the devil's mouth.
5. If ye are not fettled in religion, you will never grow : we are commanded ' to grow up into the head, Chrift,' Eph. iv. 14. But if we are unfettled, no growing : * the plant which is continually removing never thrives.' He can no more grow in godlinel's, who is unfettled, than a bone can grow in the body that is out of joint.
(j. What great need is there to be fettled ? becaufe there are fo many things to unfettle us, and make us fall away from the truth. Seducers are abroad, whofe work is to draw away peo- ple from the principles of religion, 1 John ii. 26. ' Thofe things have I written unto you concerning them that feduce you.' Seducers are the devils factors ; they are of all others the greateft felons, that would rob you of the truth: feducers have iilver tongues ; a fair tongue can put off bad wares ; they have a flight to deceive, Eph. iv. 14. The Greek word there is taken from thofe that can cog a die, and caft it for the belt advantage : fo feducers are impoftors, they can cog a die ; they can fo dif- femble and fophiiticate the truth, that they can deceive others. Now, the ftyle by which feducers ufe to deceive, is,
1. By wifdom of words, Rom. xvi. 18. ■ By good words and fair fpeeches they deceive the hearts of the Ample.' They have fine elegant phrafes, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker fort, as being chrifted with Chrift, and the light within them.
2. Another flight, is a pretence of extrordinary piety, that fo people may admire them, and fuck in their doctrine. They feem to be men of Zealand fan6tity, and to be divinely infpired : they pretend revelations, as Munfter, Michael Servetus, and other of the Anabaptifts in Germany, though they were tainted with pride, lull, and avarice.
3. A third flight or cheat feducers have, is a labouring to vilify and nullify found orthodox teachers; they would ecJipfe thofe that bring the truth, like unto the black vapours that darken the light of heaven : they would defame others, that themfelves may be more admired. Thus the falfe teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal. iv. 17.
4. The fourth flight or cheat of feducers, is by " preaching " doctrine of liberty :" as the Antinomian preacheth, that men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as thecurfe. He preacheth that Chrift hath done all for them, and they need to do nothing. So he makes the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentioufnefs.
5. Another thing to unfettle Chriftians, is perfecutors, 9 Tim. iii. 12. Thegol'pel is a role cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Chrift hath bequeathed is the Crofs : while there is
Vol. I. no. I. B
10 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE
a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expect a charter of exemption from trouble ; and how many fall away in an hour of perfecution ? Rev. iii. 4. ' There appeared a great red dragon, having feven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the (lars of heaven :' the red dragon, the hea- thenifh empire; and his tail, viz. his power and iubtilty, drew away liars, viz. eminent profellors, that feemed to mine asftars in the firmament of the church. Therefore we fee what need there is to be fettled in the truth, for fear the tail of the dragon call us to the earth.
6. To be unfettled in good, is the fin of the devils, Jude 6. They are called ■ morning (tars,' Job xxxviii. 7. but « falling ftars;' they were holy, but mutable. As the veifel is over- turned with the fail, fo their fails being fwelled with pride, were overturned, 1 Tim. iii. 6. By unfettlednefs, who doil thou imitate but lapfed angels ? The devil was the firft apoftate. So much for the firft proportion, that it is a great duty of Chril- tians to be fettled : the fons of Sion fhould be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.
Second, The fecond propofition is, that the way for Chris- tians to be fettled, is to be well grounded : ■ if ye continue grounded and fettled.' The Greek word for grounded, a meta- phor, it alludes to a building that hath the foundation well laid ; fo Chriftians lhould be grounded in the eifentiai point of re- ligion, and have their foundation well laid.
Here let me fpeak to two things : 1. That we fhould be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the beft way to fettling.
(1.) That we fhould be grounded in the knowledge of funda- mentals : the apoitle fpeaks of the * firft principles of the oracles of God,' Heb. v. 13. In all arts and fciences, logic, phyfic, mathematics, there are fome prcecognita, fome rules and prin- ciples that muft neceffarily be known to the practice of thofe arts ; fo, in divinity, there muft be the firft principles laid down : the knowledge of the grounds and principles of religion is ex- ceeding ufeful.
1. Elfe we cannot ferve God aright; we can never worfhip God acceptably, unlefs we worfhip him regularly ; and how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of re- ligion ? We are bid to give God a * reafonable fervice,' Rom. xii. 1. If we underftand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reafonable fervice ?
2. Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enricheth the mind : it is a lamp to our feet ; it directs us in the whole courfe of Chriltianity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief myfteries of religion ; it gives us a whole iyftem and body of divinity, ex-
TO CATECHISING. 11
a&ly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours: it helps 119 to underfland many of t hole difficult thing9, which do occur in the reading of the Word ; it helps to untie many fcripture knots.
3. Armourof proof; it doth furniih us with weapons to fight againil the adverlaries of the truth.
4. It is the holy feed of which grace is formed : It is the femenjidei, the feed of faith, Pfal. ix. 10. It is radix amor is 9
the root of love, Eph. iii. 17- ' Being rooted and grounded in love.' The knowledge of principles conduceth to the making of a complete Chriltian.
(2. ) That this grounding is the bed way to fettling : c ground- ed and fettled.' A tree, that it may be well fettled, muit be well rooted i fo, if you be well fettled in religion, you mult be rooted in the principles of it. He, in Plutarch, fet up a dead man, and he would not (land. O faith he, " there muft be " fomething within :" fo, that we may (land in (baking times, there mult be a principle of knowledge within ; (irlt grounded, and then fettled. That the (hip may be kept from overturning, it muft have its anchor (aliened ; kuowledge of principles, is to the (bul as an anchor to the (hip, that holds it Heady iu the midft of all the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of perfecution. Firit grounded and then fettled.
Use I. See the reafon why fo many people are unfettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and drefs themfelves in as many religions as they do fafliions ; it is becaufe they are un- grounded. See how the apoftle joins thefe two together, ■ un- learned and unliable,' 2 Pet. iii. 16. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity, will be unliable. As the body cannot be (trong that hath the finews (hrunk ; fo neither can that Chriftian be {trong in religion, who wants the grounds of knowledge, which are the (mews to flrengthen and iiablifli bim.
Use II. See then what great neceffity there is of laying dowu all the main grounds of religion in a way of catechife, that the weakeft judgment may be inltru&ed in the knowledge of the truth, and (lengthened in the loveof it; catechiiing is the belt expedient for the grounding and fettling of people. I fear, one reafon why there hath been no more good done by preaching, hath been becaufe the chief heads and articles in religion have not been explained iu a catechiltical way ; catechiiing is the Jaying the foundation, Heb. vi. 7. to preach, and not to cate- chife, is to build without a foundation. This way of catechiiing, is not novel, it is apollolical : the primitive church had their forms of catechifm : fo much thofe phrafes imply a ' form of found words,' c2 Tim. i. 13. and * the firft principles of the oracles of God,' Heb. vi. 1. And fince the church had their
B2
12 man's chlef end
catechimonoi, asGrotiusand Erafmus obferve ; many of the an- cient lathers have written for it, Fulgentius, Aufiin, Theodoret, Laclantius and others. God hath given great fuccefs to it. By this laying down of grounds of religion catechiftically. Chrii- tians have been clearly inftru&ed, and wondroufly built up in the Chriftian faith, infomuch that Julian the apoilate, feeing the great fuccefs of catechifing, did put down all fchools and places of public literature, and inftru&ing of youth. It is my defign therefore (with the blefling of God) to begin this work of catechifing the next fabbath-day : and I intend every other fabbath, in the afternoon, to make it my whole work to lay down the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a catechillical way. If I am hindered in this work by men, or taken away by death, I hope God will raife up fome other labourer in the vineyard among you that may perfect this work which I am now begin- ning.
MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD.
Q. 1 . WHA T is the chief end of man 9
Anf Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.
Here are two ends of life fpecified, 1. The glorifying of God 2. The enjoying of God.
Firjly 1 begin with the firft, the glorifying of God, 1 Pet. iv. 11. • That God in all things may be glorified?' the glory of God is a filver-thread which mutt run through all our aclions : 1 Cor. x. 31. ' Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatfo- ever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Every thing works to fome end in things natural and artificial ; now man being a rational creature, muft propofe fome end tohimfelf, and that is, that he may lift up God in the world ; and better lofe his life, than lofe the end of his living : fo then, the great truth afierted is this, that the end of every man's living, is to glorify God ; this is the yearly rent that is paid to the crown of heaven. (Glorifying of God hath refpe6t to all the perfonsin the Trinity ; it refpe&s God the Father, who gave us our life ; it refpecls God the Son, who loft his for us; it refpeds God the Holy Ghoft, who produceth a new life in us ; we muft bring glory to the whole Trinity.
When we fpeak of God's glory, the queftion will be moved, phat are ice to underjiand by God's glory ?
Anf. There is a twofold glory : 1 . The glory that God hath in himfelf, his intrinfical glory. Glory is effential to the God- head, as light is to the fun : he is called the * God of glory/
IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 13
Acts vii. 2. Glory is the fparkling of the Deity j glory is fo co- natural to the Godhead, that God cannot be God without it. The creature's honour is not effential to bis being ; a king is a man without his re^al ornaments, when his crown and royal robe are taken away : but God's glory is fuch an eflentiaj part or his being, that lie cannot be God without it : God's very life lies in his glory. This glory can receive no addition, be- caufe it is infinite ; this glory is that which God is molt tender of, and which he will not part with, Ifa. xlviii. 8. * My glory I will not give to another.' God will give temporal blellin^s, to his children, fuch as wifdom, riches, honour; he will give them fpiritual blelhngs, he will give them grace, he will give them his love, he will give then) heaven ; but his effential glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a ring off his finger to Jofeph, and a gold chain, but he would not part with his throne. Gen. xli. 40. ■ 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 fome ofChrift's glory, as mediator upon them : but his effential glory he will not part with ; 4 in the throne he will be greater.'
2. The glory which is afcribed to God, or which his creatures labour to bring to him, 1 Chron. xvi. 29. * Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name.' And, 1 Cor. vi. 20. ' Glorify God in your body and in your fpirit.' The glory we give God, is nothing elfe but our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others, Phil. i. 20. ' Chrift fhall be magnified in my body.'
Q. IV hat is it to glorify God, or wherein doth it confift ?
A. Glorifying of God conlilts in four things : (1.) Appretia- tion. (2.) Adoration. (3.) Affection. (4.) Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.
1. Appretiation : is to glorify God, to let God highefl; in our thoughts, to have a venerable efteem of him, Pial. xcii. 8. 1 Thou, Lord, art molt high for evermore,' Pfal. xcvii. 9. ' Thou art exalted far above all gods.' There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and delight ; there is in him a conitellation of all beauties ; heis prima, cau/a, the original and fpring-head of being, who fheds a glory upon the creature. This is to glorify God, when we are God-admirers ; we admire God in his attributes, which are the glittering beams by which the divine nature mines forth ; we admire him in his promiles, which are the charter of free-grace, and the fpiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid ; we admire God in the noble effects of his power and wiidom, viz. the making of the world ; this is called « the work of his fingers,' Pfal. viii. 3. Such curi- ous needle-work it was, that none but a God could work. This
14 MAN'S CHIEF END
is to glorify God, to have God-admiring thoughts; we efteem him moft excellent, and fearch for diamonds only in this rock.
2. Glorifying of God confifis in adoration, or worfhip, Pfal. xxix. 2. ■ Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ; worfhip the Lord in the beauty of holinefs.' There is a twofold worfhip: 1. A civil reverence we give to perfons of honour, Gen. xxiii. 7. ' Abraham ilood up and bowed himfelf to the children of Heth :' Piety is no enemy tocourtely, 2. A divine worfhip, which we give to God, is his prerogative royal, Neh. viii. 6. * They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground.' This divine worfhip God is very jealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this is the pearl of his crown, which he guards, as he did the tree of life, with cherubims and a flaming fvvord, that no man may come near it to violate it; divine worfhip mud be fuch as God him- felf hath appointed, elfe it is ■ offering ftrange fire,' Lev. x. 2. The Lord would have Mofes make the tabernacle, * according to the pattern in the Mount,' Exod. xxv. 40. he muft not leave out any thing in the pattern, nor add to it. If God was fo exact and curious about the place of worfhip, how exact will he be about the matter of his worfhip ? Surely here every thing mull be according to the pattern prefcribed in his word.
3. Affections : this is a part of the glory we give to God ; God counts himfelf glorified when he is loved, Deut. vi. 5. * Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul.' There is a twofold love : 1 . Amor Concupifcentice, a love of concupifcence, which is felf-love ; when we love ano- ther, becaufe he doth us a good turn : thus a wicked man may be faid to love God, becaufe he hath given him agood crop, o filled his cup with wine ; and, to fpeak properly, this is rather to love God's bleffing than to love God. 2. Amor amicitice, a love of delight, as a man takes delight in a friend; this is in- deed to love God : the heart is fet upon God, as a man's heart is fet upon his treafure. And this love is, 1. Exuberant, not a lew drops, but a ftream. 2. It is fuperlative ; we give God the beft of our love, the cream of it, Cant. viii. 2. « I would cauie thee to drink of fpiced wine, of the juice of my pomegra- nate.' If the fpoule had a cup more juicy and fpiced, Chrift rouit drink of it. 3. It is intenfe and ardent ; true faints are feraphims burning in holy love to God. The fpoufe was amore perculj'a, in fainting fits, * lick of love,' Cant. ii. 5. Thus to iove God is to giorify him ; he who is the chief of our happinei's, hath the chief of our affections.
4. Subjection, when we dedicate ourfelves to God, and (land ready preifc for his fervice. Thus the angels in heaven glorify him ; they wait on his throne, and are ready to take a commil- fion from him ; therefore they are refembled by the cherubims
IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 15
with their wings difplayed, to (hew how fwift the angels are in their obedience. This is to glorify God, when wt ate dtl to hisiervice; our head ftudies for God, our tungue pleads for him, our hands relieve his members i The wife mm that carne to Chrift, did not only bow the knee to him, but prefented him with gold and myrrh, Matth. ii. 11. So we muft not only how the knee, give God wormin, but bring preftnts, golden obedi- ence. This is to glorify God, when we ilickat no lervice ; we will fight under the banner ofhis gofpel, againlt regiments =md fay to him, as David to King Saul, I Sam. xvii. 3L2. ■ Thy i'ervant will go and fight with this Philiftine.' Thus yon lee wherein the glorifying of God doth eonfift, in appret.iation, ado- ration, affedion, lubjeclion.
A good Chriltian is like the fun, which doth not only fend forth heat, but goes its circuit round the world ; thus, he who glorifies God, hath not only his affections heated with love to* (God, but he goes his circuit too; he moves vigoroufly in the inhere of obedience.
Q. Why muft we glorify God f
Anf. 1. Becaute he gives us our being, Pfal. c. 3. 'It is he that made us.' We think it a great kindnefs in a man to fpare our life, but what kindneis is it in God to give us our life? We draw our breath from him ; and as life, to all the comforts of life are from God : he gives us health, which is the fauce to iweeten our life ; he gives us food, which is the oil that nourifh- eth the lamp of life : now, if all we receive is from the hand of his bounty, is it not good reafon we fhould glorify him, and live to him, feeing we live by him? Rom. xi. 36. * For of him, and through him areall things.' Of him are all, all we have is ofhis fulnefs ; through him are all, all we have is through his free-grace; and therefore to him mould be all : fo it follows, ' To him be glory for ever.' God is not only our benefactor, but our founder ; the rivers come from the fea, and they empty their fi'.ver ilreams into the fea again.
c2. Becaufe God hath made all things for his own glory, Prov. xvi. 4. * The Lord hath made all things for himfelf;' that is, ' for his glory.' As a king hath exciie out of commodities. God will have his glory out of every thing : he will have glory out of the wicked, the glory of hisjuftice ; they will not give him glory, but he will get his glory upon them, Exod. xiv. 17. * I will get me honour upon Pharaoh.' But efpecially he haih made the godly for his glory ; they are the lively organs of hi* praife,' I fa. xliii. 12 1 - ■ This people have I formed for myfelf, and they mail (hew forth my praife.' If a true, they cannot add to his glory, but they may exalt it; they cannot faife him in heaven, but they may raiie him in theelleem of others. God hath adopted the faints into his family, and made them a royal
16 man's chief end
priefthood, that they fhould (hew forth the praifes of him who hath called them, 1 Pet. ii .0.
3. Becaufe the glory of God hath fuch intrinfic value and excellency in it ; it tranfcends the thoughts of men, and the tongue of angels. God's glory is his treafure, all his riches lie here ; as Micah faid, Judges xviii. 24. * What have I more ?* So of God, what hath God more? God's glory is more worth than heaven, more worth than the falvation of all men's fouls : better kingdoms he thrown down, better men and angels be annihilated, than God mould lofe 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 (it rent-free ? Shall every thing glorify God, but man ? It is a pity then that ever man was made ! 1. Crea- tures below us, glorify God, the inanimate creatures : the hea- vens glorify God, P(al. xix. 1. * The heavens declare the glory of God.' The curious workmanfliip of heaven lets forth the glory of its Maker ; the firmament is beautified and penciled out in blue and azure colours, where the power and wifdom of God may be clearly feen. ■ The heavens declare his glory ;' we may fee the glory of God blazing in the fun, twinkling in the (tars. 2. Look into the air, the birds, with their chirping mufic, fing hymns of praife to God, faith Anfelm. Every bead doth in its kind glorify God,, [fa. xliii. 20. ' The beads of the field (hall honour me.' (2) Creatures above us glorify God : * the angels are minidring (pints,' Heb. i. 14. They are dill waiting on God's throne, and bring fome revenues of glory into the exchequer of heaven. Then furely man fhould be much more itudious of God's glory than the angels; for God hath honoured him more than the angels, in that Chrift took man's nature upon him, and not the angels : fay, though in regard of creation, God hath made man ■ a little lower than the angels,' Heb. ii. 7- yet, in regard of redemption, God hath fet him higher than the angels; he hath married mankind to himfelf; the angels are Chrift's friends, but not his fpoufe ; he hath covered us with the purple robe of his righteoufnefs, which is a better righteoufnefs than the angels have, 2 Cor. v. 20. So that if the angels bring glory to God, much more (hould we, being dignified with honour above the angelical fpirits.
5. Anj\ We mud bring glory to God, becaufe all our hopes hang upon him, Pfal. xxxix. j. * My hope is in thee.' And Pfal. Ixii. 5. ' My expectation is from him ;' I expect a king- dom from him. A child that is good-natured will honour his parent, as expecting all that ever he is like to be worth from him, Pfal. lxxxvii. 8. 'All my frefh fpringsarein thee.' The iilver fprings of grace, the golden fprings of glory.
Q . How many ways may we glorify God f
Ifl to clority cod. 17
/inf. (I.) It is a glorifying God, when we aim purely at God's glory ; it is one thing to advance God'a glory, another tiling to
aim at it. God mult he the Terminus ad quem, the ultimate end of all actions. Thus C Drift, John viii. .a). ' 1 feck not mine own glory, hut tin- glory of him that feat ate.' It i| the note ofan hypocrite, be hath a iijmnt eye, be looks more to his own glory than God's glory. Our Saviour aVcynberi liuh, and giv. it againti thorn, Matth. vi. 8. * wood thou givoft
aim?, do not found a trumpet.' A ftranger would alk, •■ What means the noile of this trumpet ?" Then it was anfvvered, ' they are going to give to the poor.' And ib thevdid not give aims, hut fell them for honour and applauie, that they may have glory of men : the breath of men was the wind that blew the fails of their charity; * verily they have their reward.' The hypocrite may make his acquittance and write, * received in full payment.' Chrylbltom calls vain-glory one of the devil's great nets to catch men. And Cyprian lays, U whom Satan cannot prevail againft by intemperance, thole he prevails againtt by pride and vain-glory." Oh let us take heed of felf- wor- shipping! aim purely at God's glory.
Q. How jhall tve know iue aim at God's glory ? An fa. 1 . When we prefer God's glory above all other things ; above credit, eltate, relations; when the glory of God conies in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations lie in our way to heaven, we mult either leap over them, or tread upon them i a child mull unchild himltlf, and forget he is a cbild ; he muft know neither father nor mother in God's caufe, Deut. xxxiii. 9. * Who laid unto his father and mother, I have not feen him ;' neither did he acknowledge his brethren. This is to aim at God's glory.
8, Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content that God's will Ihould take place, though it croft ours : Lord, I am content to be a lofer, if thou be a gainer ; to have lefs :irh, ifl have more grace, and thou more glory ; whether it be food or bitter phytic thou give ft me, Lord, 1 deiire that which may be molt for thy glory : thus our blelled Saviour, * not as L will, but as thou wilt,' Matth. xxvi. 3n. So God might have more glory by his fuiierings, he was content to lutler, John xii. 2S. ■ Father, glorify thy name.*
3. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content to be out-lhined by others in gifts and efteem, lb God's glory may be increafed : a man that hath God in his heart, and God's glory in his eye, defires that God fliouldbe exalted ; and if this be efteeted, let who will he the intirument, he rejoiceth, Phil, i. 15. * Some preach Chrift of envy : notwithstanding Chrift is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice ;' they iched Chrift of envv, thev envied Paul that concourie of Vol. I. No. 1. C
18 man's chief end
people, and they preached that they might outfhinehimin gift?, and get away i'ome of his hearers: well, faith Paul, Chrift is preached, and God is like to have glory, therefore I rejoice; let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteoufnefs may but fhine.
(2.) We glorify God by an ingenuous confefiion of fin : the thief on the crofs had diihonoured God in his life, but at his death he brings glory to God by confeffion of fin, Luke xxiii. 41. • We indeed fulfer juftly.' He acknowledged he deferved not only crucifixion, but damnation, Jofh. vii. 19. ' My foil, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confefiion unto him.' An humble confefiion exalts God : how is God's free-grace magnified in crowning thole who deferve to be condemned ! as the excufing and mincing of fin doth cafta reproach upon God. Adam denies not he did tafte the forbidden fruit, but intlead of a full confefiion, he taxes God, Gen. iii. 19. ' The woman whom thou gaveft me, the gave me of the tree, and I did eat.' It is long of thee, if thou hadft not given me the woman to be a tempter, I had not finned. So confefiion glorifies God, it clears, it acknowledged) he is holy aud righteous, whatever he doth. Nehemiah vindicates God's righteoufnefs, ch. ix. 33. ' Thou artjult in all that is brought upon us.' A confefiion then is ingenuous, when it is free, not forced, Luke xv. 18. ' I have finned againft heaven, and before thee/ He chargeth himfelf with fin before ever his Father chargeth him with it.
(3.) We glorify God by believinsr, Rom. iv. 90. ■ Abraham was itrong in faith, giving glory to God.' Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the lie ; ■ He that believeth not, maketh God a liar,' 1 John v. 10. So faith brings glory to God, it fets to its feal that God is true, John iii. 33. He that believes, flies to God's mercy and truth, as to an altar of refuge; he doth not ingarrifon himfelf in the promifes, he truftsall he hath with God, Pi'al. xxxi. 5. ' Into thy hands I commit my fpirit.' This is a great way of bringing glory to God, therefore God honours faith, becaufe faith honours God. It is a great honour we do to a man, when we trult him with all we have, we put our lives and eftates into his hand ; a fign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing, * The God whom we ferve, is able to deliver us, and will deliver us,' Dan. iii. 17- Faith knows there are no impoflibilities with God, and will truft him, where it cannot trace him.
(4.) We glorify God by being tender of God's glory ; God's glory is dear to him, as the apple of his eye • now, when we are tender of his glory, by laying to heart his dilhonours, this is a glorifying of him. An ingenuous child weeps to fee a difgrace done to his father, Pfal. lxix. 9. * The reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me.' When we hear God re- proached, it is as if we were reproached ; when God's glory
IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 1<)
flitters, it is as if we fuffered. This is to be lender of God's glory.
(5.) We glorify God by fruitfulnefs, John xv. 8. ' Hereby is my father glorified, if ye bring forth much irnit.' An j| dilhonour to God to be barren, fo fruitfulnefs ddth honour him : Phil. i. 11. * Filled with the fruits of righteoulnefs, which are to the praiie of his glory.' We mull not be like tin- fig-tree in the gofpel, which had nothing but leaves, but like the pome- citron, that is continually either mellowing or blollbming ; it is never without fruit. It is not profeffion, but fruit glorifies God ; God experts to have his glory from us this way, I Cor. ix. 7. • Who planted a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit of it r * Trees in the forelt may be barren, but trees in the garden are fruitful : we mult bring forth the fruits of love and good works, Matth. v. 16. • Let your light fo fhine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Faith doth fanclify our works, and works do teftify our faith : to be doing good to others, to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, doth much glorify God. And thus Chrift did glorify his Father; * he went about doing good,' A6ts x. 38. By being fruitful, we are fair in God's eyes, Jer. xi. lt>. ■ The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit.' And we mult bear much fruit, it is muchneis of Iruit glorifies God ; ■ if ye bear much fruit.' The fpouie's breafts are com- pared to clullers of grapes, Cant. vii. 7. to (hew how fertile fhe was. Though the lowed degree of grace may bring falvation to you, yet not fo much glory to God ; it was not a fpark of love Chrilt commended in Mary, but much love, * flie loved much,' Luke vii. 47.
(0*.) We glorify God, by being contented in that date where his providence hath let us ; we give God the glory of his wifdom, in that we reft fatisfied with what he carves out to us : Thus did holy Paul glorify God ; the Lord did eaft him into as great variety of conditions as any man, * in prifons more frequent, in deaths oft,' c2 Cor. xi. 23. yet he had learned to be content: St. Paul could fail either in a ilorm or a calm ; he could be any thing that God would have him ; he could either want or abound, Phil. iv. 13. A good Chriftian argues thus : It is God that hath put me in this condition; he could have railed me higher, if he pleated, but that might have been a liiare to me ; God hath done it in wifdom and love ; theretore I will lit down iatisfied with my condition. Surely this doih much glorify G<>d ; God counts himfelf much honoured by fuch a Chnliian : faith God, Here is one after my own heart; let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content: this flie wd abundance of grace. When grace is crowning, it is not fo much to be content; but when grace is conflicting with inconveniences,
C2
$0 man's chief end
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 crofs, is like a Chriftian : this man muft needs bring glory to God ; for he (hews to all the world, that though he hath little meal in barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content; he faith, as David, Plal. xvi. 5. * The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me in pleafant places.'
(7.) We glorify God in working out our own falvation : God hath twilled thefe two together, his glory and our good ; we glorify him, by promoting our own falvation : it is a glory to God to have multitudes of converts; now, his defign of free grace takes, and God hath the glory of his mercy ; fo that, while we are endeavouring our falvation, we are honouring God. What an encouragement is this to the fervice 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 increafing God's glory ? Would it not be an encouragement to a fubject, to hear his prince fay to him, You will honour and pleafe me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourfelf as you can carry away? So, for God to fay, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much falvation as you can ; and the more happinefs you have, the more I (hall count my felf glorified.
(8.) We glorify God, by living to God, 2 Cor. v. 15. ' that they which live, (hould not live to themfelves, but unto him who died for them.' Rom. xiv. 8. ' Whether we live, we live unto the Lord.' The Mammomnift lives to his money, the Epicure lives to his belly ; the defign of a finner's life is to gratify lull. But then we glorify God, when we live to God.
Q. What is it to live to God?
Anfw. When we live to his fervice, and lay out ourfelves wholly for God : the Lord hath fent us into the world, as a merchant fends his factor beyond the feas to trade for him : then we live to God, when we trade for his intereft, and propagate his gofpel. God hath given every man a talent ; now, when he doth not hide it in a napkin, but improves it for God, this is to live to God. When a mailer in a family, by counfel and good example, labours to bring his fervants to Chrift ; when a minifter doth exhauft himfelf in the labours of his holy calling, when he fpends himfelf, and is fpent, that he may win fouls to Chrift, and make the crown flourifli upon Chrift's head ; when the magiftrate doth not wear the fword in vain, but labours to cut down fin, and fupprefs vice ; this is to live to God, and this is a glorifying of God : Phil. i. 20. ■ That Chrift might be magnified, whether by life or by death.' Three wifhes St. Paul
IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 21
had, and they were all about Chrilt, tha' Iio nnv be found in Chrift, be with Chrift, and that be night n ( brill.
(.0.) We l: lorit'y God by walking cheerfully. It h,i -I, God, when t lie world ices a Chriltian bulb tb.it wiihin him, that can make trim cheerful in the worlt times; he can, with the nightingale, ling with a thorn at U\> breaft. The God have ground of cbeerfulnefs ; they are juititied, and inflat- ed into adoption ; and this creates inward peace ; it makes mufic within, whatever itorms are without, <J Cor. i. 4. 1 ThelT i. & if we confider what Chi ill bath wrought for us by his blood, and wrought in us by his Spirit, it i> a ground of great cheerfulneis, and this cbeerfulnefs, glorilies God ; it re- flets upon a mailer when the lervant is always drooping and lad, lure he is kept to hard commons, his matter doth not give him what is fitting ; io, when God's people hang their harps on willows, fure they do not iervea good mailer, repent of their choice; this reflects dilhonour on God. As the grofs fins of the wicked bring a fcandal on the golpel, lb do the uncheerful lives of the godly, Pf. c. 2. 'Serve the Lord with gladnefs.' Your ferving him doth not glorify him, unlefs it be with glad- A Chriftian's cheerful looks glorify God ; religion doth not take away our joy, but refine and clarify it ; it doth not break our viol, but tunes it, and makes the mulic fweeter.
(tO.) We glorify God, by Handing up for his truths : much of God's glory lies in his truth ; God hath entrulted us with Ins truth, as a mailer entrulls bis fervant with his purfe to keep. We have not a richer jewel to truil God with, than our fouls, God hath not a richer jewel to truft us with, than his truth : truth is a beam that (bines from God, much of his glory lies in his truth : now, when we are advocates for truth, this is to glo- rify God ; fo Atbaualius, the bulwark for truth, Judeo. ' That ye mould contend earneftly for the truth,' viz. the doctrine of faith. The Greek word to contend, hgniliesa Gfreat contending, as one would contend for his land, and not tuife r bis right to be taken from him ; fo we lhould contend for the truth ; were there more of this holy contention, God would have more glory. Some can contend earneltly for trifles and ceremonies, but not for the truth : we fhould count him indifcreet, that would con- tend more for a picture, than for his land of inheritance ; for a box of counters, than for his box of evidences.
(II.) We glorify God, by praifing of hirn. Doxolo^v, or praife, is a God-exalting work : Plal. 1. 93. ' Whofo otferoth praife glorifieth me.' The Hebrew word Bara, to create, and Barak, to praife, are little different, becaule the end of creation is to praife God. David was called the tweet- finger of Ifrael, and his praifing God, was called a glorifying of God, PikL
22
lxxxvi. 12. 'I will praife thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name.' Though nothing can add to God's efi'ential glory, yet praife exalt* hint in the eyes of others : when we praife God, we fpread his fame and renown, we difplay the trophies of his excellency ; in i i»:s manner the angels glorify God, and they are the choirifters of heaven, and do trumpet forth God's praife. And praifing of God is one of the higheft and pureit acts of religion ; in prayer we a6t like men ; in praife we act like angels; this is an hic?h degree of glorifying God. Believers are called * temples of God,' 1 Cor. iii. 16. When our tongues praife, then the organs in God's 1 pi ritual temple are going. How fad is it, that God hath no more of his glory from us this way! Many are full of murtnurmgs and difcon- tents, but feldom do they bring glory to God, by giving him the praife due to his name. We read of the faints having harps in their hand, Rev. v. 8. the emblems of praife. Many have tears in their eyes, and complaints in their mouth, but few have harps in their hand, blefling and glorifying of God : let us honour God this way. Praife is the quit-rent we pay to God ; while God renews our leafe, we mult renew our rent.
(12.) We glorify God, by being zealous for his name, Numb. xxv. 11. * Phineas hath turned my wrath away, while he was zealous for my fake.' Zeal is a mixed affection, a compound of love and anger; it carries forth our love to God, and anger againft fin in a moft intenfe manner : Zeal is impatient of God's difhonour ; a Chriftian fired with zeal, takes a difhonour done to God, worfe than an injury done to himfelf : Rev. ii. 2. * Thou canlt not bear them that are evil.' Our Saviour Chrifl did thus glorify his Father : he, being baptized with a fpirit of zeal, drove the money-changers out of the temple, John ii. 14, 17. " The zeal of thine houle hath eaten me up.'
(13.) We glorify God, when we have an eye at God, both in our natural and in our civil actions : 1. In our natural ac- tions; in eating and drinking, I Cor. x. 31. ' Whether there- fore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.' A gracious perfon holds the golden bridle of temperance ; he takes his meat as a medicine to heal the decays of nature, and that he may be the fitter, by the ftrength he receives, for the fervice of God, he makes his food, not fuel for luft, but help to duty. 2. In buying and felling, we do all to the glory of God. The wicked live upon unjuft gain, either by falfifying the balance, Hof. xii. 7. * The balances of deceit are in his hands:' While men make their weights lighter, they make their fins heavier ; or, by exacting more than the commodity is worth, they do not for fourfcore write down fifty, but for fifty, fourlcore ; they ex- act double the price that a thing is worth : but then we buy and fell to the glory of God, when in our buying and felling,
IS TO GLORIFY GOD. 23
we obferve that golden maxim, * To do to others, as we would have them to do to us,' Mattb. vii I J. Wmi we do fell our commodities, that we do not fell our con fcience, .Acts xxiv. 10*. ■ Herein do I exercife myfelf, to liavt always a con&ieoj i
of offence toward God, and toward men.' This is to glorify God, when we have an eye at God in all our civil and na'uial actions, and will do nothing that may reflect any blemiih on re- ligion.
(I t.) We glorify God, by labouring to draw others to God ; we convert others, and lb make them initruaienta pf glorifying God. Weflioull be both diamonds and loaa (Ion es ; diamonds for the lultre of grace, and loadftones tor our attractive virtues in drawing others toChrilt: Gal. iv. 19. ' My little children, of whom I travel,' &c. This is a great way ot' glorifying God, when we break the devil's prifon, and turn men from the power of Satan to God.
(15.) We glorify God in a high manner, when we futfer for God, and leal the gofpel with our blood ; John xxi. 18, 1<). *• When thou (hall be old, another (hail tird thee, and carry thee, whether thou wouldett not : This l'pake he, figmfying by what death he fhould glorify God.' God'sglorv mines in the allies of his martyrs: I fa. xxiv. 15. * Wherefore glority the Lord in (ires.' Micaiah was in the prifon, Ilaiah was lawn afunder, Paul beheaded, Luke hanged on an olive-tree; thus did they, by their death, glorify God. The fuflferings of the primitive faints did honour God, and make the gofpel famous in the world : what would others fay ? See what a good mailer they i'ewe, and how they love him, that they will venture the lofs of all in his fervice. The glory of Chrift's kingdom doth not Hand in worldly pomp and grandeur, as other kings; but it is feen in the cheerful iu tie rings of his people ; The faints of old * loved not their lives to the death,' Rev. xii. 11. They (hatch up torments as fo many crowns. God grant we may thus glorify him, if he calls us to it. Many pray, ■ Let this cup pals away,' but not, f thy will be done.'
(16.) We glorify God, when we give God the glory of all we do. Herod, when he had made au oration, and the people gave a fliout, faying, * it is the voice of a God, and not of a man ;' and lie took this glory to himfelf, the text faith, ' Im- mediately the angel of the Lord fmote him, becaufe he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms,' Acts xji. Then we glorifyGod, when we facrifice the praife and glory of all to God, 1 Cor. xv. 10. ■ I laboured more abundantly than they all,' a fpeech, one would think, favoured of pride ; but the apoltle pulls the crown from his own head, and lets it upon the head of free-grace, * yet not 1, but the grace of God which was with me;' as Joab, when he fought againft Rabbah
24 man's chief end
Cent for king David, that he might carry away the crown of the victory, 2 Sam. xii. 28. So a Christian when he hath gotten power over any corruption, or tentation, fends for Chrift, that lie may carry away the crown of the victory ; as the filk worm, when (he weaves her curious work, (he hides herielf under the filk, and is not feen ; fo when we have done any thing praife- worthy, we muft hide ourlelves under the vail of humility, and transfer the glory of all we have done to God. Conftantine did ufe to write the name of Chrift over his door, fofhould we write the name of Chrilt over our duties ; let him wear the garland of praife.
(17.) We glorify God, by an holy life. As a bad life doth difhonour God, 1 Pet. ii. Q. ' Ye are an holy nation, that ye fhould fhew forth the praifesof him that hath called you.' Rom. ii. 24. ' The name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles through you.* Epiphanius faith, " That the loolenefs of fome Chriftians, in his time, made many of the heathen fhun the company of the Chriftians, and would not be drawn to hear their fermons." So, by our exact Bible- converfation we glorify God. Though the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet our light muft fo fhine, that others may behold it; the chief of building is in the foundation, yet the glory of it is in the fron- tifpiece, fo beauty in the converfation : when the faints, who are called jewels, caft a fparkling luftreof holinefs in the eyes of the world ; then they c walk as Chrift walked,* 1 John ii. 6. when they live as if they had feen the Lord with bodily eyes, and been with him upon the mount ; then they adorn religion, and bring revenues of glory to the crown of heaven.
life 1. It fhews us what fhould not be our chief end, not to get great eftates, not to lay up treafures upon earth ; this is the degeneracy of mankind fince the fall, their great defign is to com pafs the 'earth- and grow rich ; and this they make their chief end : thole never think of glorifying God, they trade for the world, but are not factors for heaven : Ecclef. ix. 3. ' Mad- nefs is in their heart while they live/ Sometimes they never arrive at an eftate, they do not get the venifon they hunt for; or tho* they do, what have they t that which will not fill the heart, no more than the mariner's breath will fill the fails of a fliip ; like a picture drawn on the ice, and to fpend all one's time, as Ifrael, in gathering itravv, but remember not the end of living to glorify God : Ecclef. v. 16. * What profit hath he that laboureth for the wind ?' And thefe things are foon gone.
Uje Q. It reproves fuch, 1 . As bring no glory to God : They do not anfwer the end of their creation, their time is not true lived, but time.loft; they are like the wood of the vine, Ezek. xv. <2. Their lives are, as St. Bernard fpeaks, '* Either finful- nef> or barrennels. An ufelefs burden on the earth." God
IS TO CLORIFY GOD. 25
will one day afk fuch a qucllion asking Ahafuerus did, Efth. Yi. 3. ' What honour and dignity hath been done to Mord< So will the Lord fay, What honour luuh been done to DM } what revenues of glory have you brought into my exchequer? There is none here prel'ent but God hath put you in fume capa- city of glorifying him ; the health he hath given you, the parts, eltate, feafons of grace, thefe all are opportunities put into your hand to glorify him ; and, be allured God will call you to ac- count, to know what you have done with the mercies he hath intruited you with, what glory you have brought to him. The parable of the talents, Mat. xxv. 15, where the man with the five talents, and the two tafents are brought to a reckoning, doth evidently (hew that God will call you to a ltrict account, to know how you have traded with your talents, and what glo- ry you have brought to him. Now how lad will it be with them who hide their talents in a napkin, that bring God no glo- ry at all ? ver. 30. ■ Call ye the unprofitable fervantinto utter darkneis.' It is not enough for you to lay, that you have not dishonoured God, you have not lived in grots fin ; but what good have you done ; what glory have you brought to God ? It is not enough for the lervant of the vineyard, that he do no hurt in the vineyard, he doth not break the trees, or deftroy the hedges; if he doth not do fervicein the vineyard, he loofeth his pay ; if you do not good in your place, not glorify God, you will lofe your pay, mils of fulvation. Oh think of this, all you that live unferviceably ! Chrift curftd the barren fig-tree.
6. It reproves fuch as are fo far from bringing glory to God, that they rob God of his glory, Mai. iii. 8. ■ Will a man rob God ? yet ye have robbed me.' They rob God, who take the glory due to God to theml'elves : 1. If they have gotten an eilate, they afcribe all to their own wit and induilry, they let the erown upon their own head, not confidering that, Deut. viii. 18. * Thou (halt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.' 9. If they do any duty of re- ligion they look a fquintto their own glory, Mat. vi. 5. * That they may be feen of men,' That they may be let upon a theatre, that others may admire and canonize them. The oil of vain glory feeds then lamp. How many hath the wind of popular breath blown to hell ? Whom the devil could not deitroy by in- temperance, he hath by vain-glory.
3. It reproves them who fight againlt God's glory, Ads v. 29. ' Lett ye be found to fight againll God.'
Q. But who do fight againji God's glory?
Avf. Such as do oppole that, whereby God's glory is promo- ted : God's glory is much promoted m the preaching of the word, becaufe it is his engine whereby he converts fouls. Now, Inch as would hinder the preaching of the word, thefe fight
Vol. I. No. 1. D
9,6 man's chief end
againft God's glory, 1 ThefT. ii. 16. f Forbidding us to fpeak to the Gentiles, that they might be fayed.' Diocletian, who railed the 10th persecution againtt the Chriftians, did prohibit church meetings, and would have the temples of the Chriftians razed down ; Such as hinder preaching, do as the Philiitines that ftop the wells, they flop the well of the water of life ; they take away the phyficians that fhould heal fin-fick fouls ; minifters are lights, Matth. v. 14. and who but thieves hate the light ? thefe perfons do directly ftrike at God's glory ? and what an account will they have to give to God, when he (hall charge the blood of men's fouls upon them? Luke xi. 52. ' Ye have taken away the key of knowledge ; ye entered not in yourfelves and them that were entering in ye hindered.' If there be either jutlice in heaven, or fire in hell, they (hall not go unpunifhed. Ufe. 4. Exhortation, let us every one, in our place, make this our chief end and defign to glorify God : 1. Let me fpeak to magiftrates; God hath put much glory upon them, Pf. lxxxii. 6. ' I have laid ye are gods ; and will they not glorify him whom he hath put lb much glory upon ? Magiftrates fhould be zealous for God's worfhip and day ; they fhould not let the fword ruftin the fcabbard, butdraw it out for the cutting down of fin. 2. Minifters how fhould they ftudy to promote God's glory ; God hath entrufted them with two of the moft precious things, his truths, and the fouls of his people. Minifters are, by virtue of their office, to glorify God : 1. They muft glorify God by labouring in the word and doctrine ; 2 Tim. iv. 1. 'I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall judge the quick and the dead : preach the word, be inftant in feafon, out of feafon,' &c. It was Aguftine's wifh, " that Chrift at his coming, might find him either praying or preach* ing." 2. Minifters muft glorify God by ther Zealand fan&ity. The priefts under the law before they ferved at the altar, did wafh in the laver : filch as ferve in the Lord's houie, muft firlt be warned from grofs fin in the laver of repentance. It is mat- ter of grief and fhame, to think how many, who call themfelves minifters, do, inftead of apparently bringing glory to God, dis- honour God, c2 Chron. xi. 15. Their lives, as well as doclrines, are heterodox, they are not free from the fins which they re- prove in others. Plutarch's fervant upbraided him, " It is not as my matter Plutarch faith ; he hath written a book againft wrath,, anger, et ipji mihi irafcitur, yet he falls into a paflion of anger with me :" So this miniiter preacheth againft drunken- nefs, yet he will be drunk ; he preacheth againft fwearing, yet he will fwear ; this reproacheth God, and makes the offering of the Lord to be abhorred. 3. Mailers of families, do ye glorify God, feafon your children and fervants with the knowledge of the Lord ; your houfes fhould be little churches, Gen. xviii. 19.
IS TO GLORIFY GODi 27
* I know that Abraham will command his children that they may keep the way of the Lord.' Von that art- mailers, know you have a charge of fouls under von ; tor want of the bridle of family difcipline, youth runs wild ; well, let me lay down fo motives to glorify God.
1. Mot. It will be a great comfort in a dying hour, to think we have glorified God in our lives; it wasClmlt'.N comfort be- fore his death : John xvii. 3. ' I haveglorilied thee on earth.' At the hour of death, all your earthly comforts will vanilh : if you think how rich you have been, what pleafures you have had on earth ; this will be fo far from comforting you, that it will but torment you the more : what is one the better for an ettate that is fpent ? But now, to have confeience telling you, that you have glorified God on earth, what fweet comfort and peace will this let into your foul! how will this make you long for death ! The fervant that hath been all day working in the vineyard, longs till evening comes, when he lhall receive his pay. They who have lived, and brought no glory to God, how can they think of dying with comfort ? They cannot expect an harveft, that never lowed any feed : how can they expect glory from God, that never brought any glory to him ? O in what horror will they beat death! the worm of Confeience will knaw their fouls, before the worms are knawing their bodies.
2. Mot. If we glorify God, he will glorify our fouls for ever ; by railing God's glory, we increafe our own ; by glorifying God, we come at laft to the blelfed enjoying of him. And that brings me to the 2d, ' The enjoying of God.'
2d/y, Man's chief end is to enjoy God for ever, Pf. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? that is, what is there in hea- ven I defire 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.
lit, An enjoying of God here in this life : The enjoying of od's piefence ; it is a great matter to enjoy God's ordinances (a mercy that fome do envy us) but to enjoy God's prefence; in the ordinances, is that which a gracious heart afpires after, Pfal. lxiii. 2. ' To fee thy glory fo as I have feen thee in the fanctuary.' This fweet enjoying of God, is, when we feel his Spirit co-operating with the ordinance, and diftilling grace upon our hearts : 1. When in the word the Spirit doth quicken and raife the affections, Luke xxiv. 32. ' Did not our hearts burn within us?' 2. When the f pirit doth transform the heart, leav- ing an imprefs of holinefs upon it, 2. Cor. iii. 8. * We are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory.' When the Spirit doth revive the heart with comfort, it comes not only with its anointing, but its feal ; it iheds God's love abroad in the heart, Rom. v. o. This is to enjoy God in an ordinance,
D 2
58 man's chief end
1 John v. 3. * Our fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son JefusChrift.' In the word, we hear God's voice, and in thefacramentwe have his kifs ; this is enjoying of God : and what infinite content doth a gracious foul rind in this ! The heart being warmed and inflamed in a duty, this is God's anfwering by fire. When a Chriftian hath the fweet illapfes of God's Spi- rit, thefe are the firft fruits of glory, when God comes down to the foul in an ordinance : Now, Chrift hath pulled off his vail, and fhowed his lhiiling face ; now, he hath led a believer into the banqueting-houfe, and given him of the fpiced wine of his love to drink ; he hath put in his finger at the hole of the door ; he hath touched the heart, and made it leap for joy : O how fweet is it thus to enjoy God ! The godly have, in the ufe of the ordinances, had fuch divine raptures of joy, and foul transfi- gurations, that they have been carried above the world, and have defpifed all things here below.
Ufe 1. Is the enjoying of God in this life fo fweet? How prodigioufly wicked are they that prefer the enjoying of their lulls, before the enjoying of God! 2 Pet. iii. 3. ■ The lull of the flefh, the lull of the eye, the pride of life,' is the Trinity they worfhip. Lull is an inordinate defire or impulfe, provok- ing the foul to that which is evil ; there is the revengeful luft, and the wanton luft. Luft is like a feverim heat, it puts the foul into a flame. Ariltotle calls fenfual lufts brutiih, becaufe, when any luft is violent, reafon or confcience cannot be heard, the bead rides the man : thefe lufts, when they are enjoyed, do belbt and difpirit perfons, Hof. iv. 11. ' Whoredom and wine take away the heart ;' they have no heart for any thing that is good. How many make it their chief end, not to enjoy God, but to enjoy their lufts; as that Cardinal faid, M Let him but keep his cardinal-fhip of Paris, and he was content to lofe his part in Paradife." Luft firft bewitcheth with pleafure, and then comes the fatal dart, Prov. vii. 23. ■ Till a dart ftrike through his liver.' This fliould be as a flaming fword to flop men in the way of their carnal delights. Who woald for a drop of pleafure, drink a fea of wrath ?
Ufe 2. Let it be our great care to enjoy God's fweet prefence here, which is the beauty and comfort of the ordinances. En- joying fpiritual communion with God, is a riddle and myftery to moft people ; every one that hangs about the court doth not fpeak with the King. We may approach to God in ordinances, and, as it were, hang about the court of heaven, yet not enjoy communion with God : we may have the letter without the Spirit, the vifible fign without the invifible grace : it is the en- joying of God in a duty we fhould chiefly look at, Pfal. xlii, 2. ' My foul thirftethfor God, for the living God.' Alas! What are all our worldly enjoyments without the enjoying of
IS TO GLORIFY COD. CO
God ? What is it to enjoy a great deal of health, a brave cfinte, and not to enjoy God ? Job xxx. 3S. * I went mourning with- out the run.' So mayeft thou lay in the enjoyment of all crea- tures without God, ' I went mourning without the fun.' I have the liar- light of outward enjoyments, but I cannot enjoy God, I want the Sun of Righteoufnefs. * I went mourning without the fun.' This ihould be our great defign, not only to have the ordinances of God, but the God of the ordinances : the en- joying of God's fweet pretence with us here, is the moil con- tented life : he is an hive of fweetnefs, a magazine of riches, a fountain of delight, Pi'al. xxxvi. 8, <). The higher the lark flees, the tweeter it fings; and the higher we fly by the wing of faith, the more of God we enjoy, the tweeter delight we feel in our fouls. How is the heart inflamed in prayer and medita- tion ? What joy and peace in believing? Is it not comfortable being in heaven ? He that enjoys much of God in this life, carries heaven about him. O let this be the thing we are chiefly am- bitious of, the enjoying of God in his ordinances ; remember, the enjoying of God's fweet pretence here, is an earneit of our enjoying him in heaven.
And that brings us to the fecond thing, viz.
2d, The enjoying of God in the life to come: Man's chief end is to enjoy God for ever. Before this plenary fruition of God in heaven, there mult be fomething previous and antece- dent ; and that is, our being in a ftate of grace : We mud have conformity to him in grace, before we can have communion with him in glory, grace and glory are linked and chained to- gether; grace precedes glory, as the moming-ftar ufhers in the fun. God will have us qualified and fitted for a ftate of bleifed- nefs : drunkards and i wearers are not fit to enjoy God in glory ; the Lord will not lay fuch vipers in his bofom ; only the * pure in heart fhall fee God :' we muftflrft be, as the king's daughter, glorious within, before we are clothed with the robes of glory. As king Ahafuerus firlt caufed the virgins to be purified and anointed, and they had their fweet odours to perfume them, aud then they went to (land before the king, Ellh. ii. lc2. ib mult we, we mult have the anointing of God, and be perfumed with the graces of the Spirit, thofe fweet odours, and then we fhall Hand before the king of heaven : now, being thus divinely qualified by grace, welhall be taken up to the mount of vilion, and enjoy God for ever : this enjoying God tor ever, is nothing elie but to be put to a Hate of happinels. As the body cannot have life, but by having communion with the foul ; fo the foul cannot have bleflednefs, but by having immediate communion with God. God is the fummum bonum, the chief good ; there- fore the enjoying of him is the higheit felicity ; he is, I fay, the chief good.
30 man's chief end
1 . He is an univerfal good ; bonum in quo omnia bona, " A good, in which are all goods." The excellencies of the crea- ture are limited. A man- may have health, not beauty ; learn- ing, not parentage ; riches, not wifdom : but in God are emi- nently contained all excellencies : He is a good, commenfurate fully to the foul ; he is a fun, a portion, an horn of falvation ; in him dwells ■ all fulnefs,' Col. i. 1ft 2. God is an unmixed good : no condition in this life but hath its mixture ; for every drop of honey there is a drop of gall. Solomon, who gave him- felf to find out this philofopher's ftonc* to fearch out for an hap- pinefs here below, he found vanity and vexation, Eccl. i. 2. But God is a perfect, quintessential good. He is fweetnefs in the flower. 3. God is a fatisfying good. The foul cries out, I have enough, Pfal. xvii. 15. ■ I ihall be fatisfied with thy likenefs.' A man that is thirfty, bring him to the ocean, and he hath enough. If there be enough in God to fatisfy the an- gels, then fure, enough to fatisfy us. The foul is but finite, but God is an uncreated infinite good. And yet though God be inch a good as doth fatisfy, yetnotfurfeit. Frefhjoys fpring continually from God's face ; and God is as much to be defired after millions of years by glorified fouls, as at the firft moment. There is fo much fulnefs in God as fatisfies, yet fo much fweet- nefs, that the foul ftill defires ; it is fatisfaclion without furfeit. 4. God is a delicious good. That which is the chief good muft raviih the foul with pleafure ; there muft be in it fpirits of de- light and quinteffence of joy ; and this is to be enjoyed only in God. In Deo quadam du/cedine delectatur anima, immo rapitar : The love of God drops fuch infinite luavity into the foul as is unfpeakable and full of glory. If there be fo much delight in God, when we fee him only by faith, I Peter i. 8. what will the joy of vifion be, when we (hall fee him face to face ? If the faints have found fo much delight in God while they were fuf- fering, O then what joy and delight will they have when they are crowning! If flames are beds of rofes, O then what will it be to lean on the bofom of Jefus ! what a bed of rofes will that be ! 5. God is a fuperlative good. He is better than any thing you can put in competition with him ; he is better than health, riches, honour. Other things maintain life, he gives life. But who would go to put any thing in balance with the Deity ? who would weigh a feather with a mountain of gold ? God excels all other things more infinitely than the fun the light of a taper. 6. God is an eternal good : He is the ancient of Days, Dan. vii. 9. yet never decays, nor waxes old. The joy he gives is eternal, the crown fadeth not away, 1 Peter v. 4. The glorified foul Ihall ever be iblacing itfelf in God ; it (hall be fealting on his love, and funning itfelf in the light of his countenance. We read of the river of pleafure at God's right hand ; but will uot
18 TO GLORIFY GOD. 31
this in time be dried up ? Xo, there is a fountain at the bottom which feeds it : Pfal. xxxvi. u. ■ With the Lord b the fmm- tain of life.' Thus God is the chief good; and the enjoying God for ever is the fupreme felicity the lbul is capable of.
1. I < o J Exhortation. Let it be the chief end of our living to enjoy this chief good hereafter ; this is that which will crown us with happinefs, Aullin reckons up 288 opinions among the philofophers about happinefs, but all did (hoot fhortof the mark. The higheft elevation of a reaibnable foul is to enjoy God for ever. It is the enjoying God that makes heaven, 1 Theft iv. 17. ' Then fhall we ever be with the Lord.' The foul trembles, as the needle in the compafs, and is never at reft till it comes to God. To let out. this excellent irate of a glorified (bul's en- joying God : 1. This enjoying of God mud not be underllood in a fenl'ual manner; we muft not conceive any carnal pleafn in heaven. The Turks in their Alcoran lpeak of a paradife of pleafure, wdiere they have riches in abundance, and red wine i'erved in golden chalices. Here is an heaven confifting of plea- Cures for the body ; the epicures of this age would like fuch an heaven when they die. Though indeed the ftate of glory be compared to a feall, and is fet out by pearls and precious (lones, yet thefe metaphors are only to be helps to our faith, and to lhow us that there is iuper-abundant joy and felicity in the em- pyivan heaven ; but thofe are not carnal, but (acred delights : as our employment (hall be fpiritual, it will contiit in adoring and praifmg of God : So our enjoyment ihall be fpiritual, it (hall confiit in having the perfection of hollnefs, in feeing the pure face of Chrdt, in feeling the love of God, in converting with heavenly (pints: thefe delights will be more adequate and proper for the (oul, and infinitely exceed all carnal voluptuous delights. & We lhall have a lively teni'eof this glorious eliate. A man in a lethargy, though he be alive, yet lie i> as ^ood as dead, becaufe he is not fenfible, nor doth he take any pleafure in his life ; we (hall have a quick and lively fenie of the infinite pleafure which arifeth from enjoyment of God ; we fhall know ourfelves to be happy, we (hall reflect with joy upon our dig- nity and felicity ; we (hall jtafte every crumb of that t'weet- nel's, every drop of that pleafure which tlows from God. S. We ihall be made able to bear a [\^\\i of that glory : we could not now bear that glory, it would overwhelm us: as a weak eye cannot behold the fun; but God will capacitate us for glory ; our fouls fhall be lb heavenly, Mid pi netted with holiuels, that they may be able to enjoy the bieiled vifion of God. Moles in a cleft of the rock law the glory of God palling by, Exod. xxxiii. 21. Through that bleiied rock Chrift, we fhall behold the beatifical fight of God. 4. This enjoyment of God (hall be more than a bare contemplation of him. Some of the learned
32 man's chief end
move the queftion, Whetherthe enjoyment of God mall be only by way of contemplation ? Ani". That is fomething, but it is but one half of heaven ; there mall be a loviug of God, an acquief- cence in him, a tailing his l'weetnefs ; not only infpeclion but poffefiion, John xvii. 24. ■ That they may behold my glory ;' there is infpection : Ver. 22. ■ And the glory thou halt given I me, have given them ;' there is poil'eifion. * Glory fhall be re- vealed in us/ Rom. viii. 18. not only revealed to us, but in us. To behold God's glory, there is glory revealed to us ; but to par- take of his glory, there is glory revealed in us. As the l'punge fucks in the wine, fb (hall we fuck in glory. There is no inter- million in this itate of glory. We (hall not only have God's glo- rious prefence at certain fpecial feafons, but we ihall be conti- nually in his prefence, continually under divine raptures of joy. There mall not be one minute in heaven, wherein a glorified foul may fay, I do not enjoy happinefs. The itreams of glory are not like the water of a conduit, often flopped, that we can- not have one drop of water; but thole heavenly ftreams of joy are continually running. O how mould we defpiie this valley of tears, where we now are, for the mount of transfiguration I. how mould we long for the full enjoyment of God in paradife '. Had we a fight of that land of promile, we mould need patience to be content to live here any longer.
2. Let this be a fpur to duty. How diligent and zealous fhould we be in glorifying God, that we come at laft to enjoy him ? If Tully, Demofthenes, Plato, who had but the dim watch-light of reafbn to fee by, and did but fancy an elyfiura and happinefs after this life, did take fuch Herculean pains to enjoy it; O then how mould Chriftians, who have the light of Scripture to fee by, beftirthemfelves, that they mayattendat the eternal fruition of God and glory ! If any thing may make us rife off our bed of tloth, and feive God with all our might, it fhould be this; the hope of our near enjoyment of God forever, "What made Paul fo active in the fphere of religion ? 1 Cor. xv. 10. * I laboured more abundantly than they all.' His obedience did not move flow, as the fun on the dial ; but fwift, as the fun 4n the firmament. Why was he fo zealous in glorifying God, but that he might at laft centre and terminate in him ? 1 Theff, iv. 17. ' Then fhall we be ever with the Lord.'
3d, life of Conjbfation. Let this comfort the godly in all the prefent miferies they feel. Thou complainefl, Chriitian, thou doft not enjoy thyfelf, fears difquiet thee, wants perplex thee ; in the day thou canlt not enjoy eafe, in the night thou canit not enjoy fleep : thou doft not enjoy the comforts of thy liie. Let this revive thee, that fhortly thou (halt enjoy God, and then (halt have more than thou canit afk or think ; thou lhalt have
OF THE SCRIPTURES. S3
angels joy, glory without intermiffion and expiration. We ihall never enjoy ourlelves fully, till we enjuy God eternally.
OF THE SCRIPTURES.
Q. II. WHAT rule hath God given to direcl us how we may glorify and tnjoy him ?
Anf. The word of God (which is contained in the fcriptures ef the Old and New Teftament) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
2 Tim. iii. 16. ■ All fcripture is given by the infpiration of God,' &c. By fcripture is underftood the lacred book of God. — It is given by divine infpiration ; that is, the fcripture is not the contrivance of man's brain, but of a divine original. The image of Diana was had in veneration by the Ephefians, be- caufe they did fuppofe it fell from Jupiter, Actsxix. 35. This book then of the hojy fcripture is to be highly reverenced and efteemed, becaufe we are fure it came from heaven, 2 Pet. i. 21. The two Teftaments are the two lips by which God hath fpoken to us.
Q. How doth it appear that the fcriptures have a Jus Divinum, a divine authority Jiamped upon them?
Anf. Becaufe the Old and New Teftament are the foundation of all religion. If their divinity cannot be proved, the founda- tion is gone on which we build our faith. I fliall therefore en- deavour to evince this great truth, that the lcriptures are the very word of God. I wonder whence the lcriptures lhould come, if not from God. 1. And bad men could not be the authors of fcripture ; would their minds be employed in indict- ing fuch holy lines? would they declare lb fiercely againli fiu ? 2. Good men could not be the authors of fcripture. Could they write in fuch a drain ? or could it Hand with their grace to coun- terfeit God's name, and put, Thus faith the Lord, to a book of their own deviling ? 3. Nor could any angel in heaven be the author of fcripture, becaufe, 1. The angels pry and fearch into the abyfs of gofpel myfteries, 1 Pet. i. 12. which implies their nefcience of fome parts of fcripture ; and lure they cannot be authors of that book which themfelves do not fully underlfcmd. Befides, 2. What angel in heaven durft be fo arrogant as to perfonate God, and fay, ■ I create,' Ifa. Ixv. 17. and ■ I the Lord have faid it?' Numb. xiv. 35. So that it is evident, the pedigree of fcripture is lacred, and itcould come from none but God himfelf.
Not to fpeak of the harmonious confent of all the parts of
Vol. I. No. 1. E
34 OF THE SCRlPTUftES.
fcripture, there are feven cogent arguments which may evince it to be the word of God.
1. By its antiquity: It is of ancient ftanding. The grey hairs of fcripture make it venerable. No human hiftories ex- tant reach further than fince Noah's flood ; but the holy fcrip- ture relates matters of fa6l that have been from the beginning of the world ; it writes of things before time. Now, that is a fure rule of Tertullian, ■• That which is of the greateft antiquity, id verum quod primum, is to be received as moil facred and authentic.0
2. We may know the fcriptures to be the word of God, by the miraculous prefervation of it in all ages. The holy fcrip- tures are the richeft jewel that Chrift hath left ; and the church of God hath keptthefe public records of heaven, that they have not been loft. The word of God hath never wanted enemies to oppofe, and, if poffible, to extirpate it. They have given out a law concerning fcripture, as Pharaoh did the mid wives concerning the Hebrew women's children, to ftrangle it in the birth ; yet God hath preferved this bleifed book inviolable to this day. The devil and his agents have been blowing at fcrip- ture-light, but could never prevail to blow it out; a clear fign that it was lighted from heaven. Nor hath the church of God, in all revolutions and changes, only kept the fcripture that it fhould not be loft, but that it fhould not be depraved. The letter of fcripture hath been preferved, without any corruption, in the original tongue. The fcriptures were not corrupted be- fore Chrift's time, for then Chrift would never have fent the Jews to the fcriptures ; but he fends them to the fcriptures, John v. 39. ■' Search the fcriptures.' Chrift knew thefe facred fprings were not muddied with human fancies.
4. The fcripture appears to be the word of God, by the matter contained in it. (I.) By its profundity. The myftery of fcripture is fo abftrufe and profound, that no manor angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity fhould be born ; that he who thunders in the heavens Jhould cry in the cradle ; that he who rules the ftars, fhoHld fuck the breafts ; that the Prince of life fhould die ; that the Lord of glory fhould be put to fhame ; that fin fhould be punifhed to the full, yet pardoned to the full ; who could ever have con- ceived of fuch a myftery, had not the fcripture been the oracle to reveal it to us? So, for the doctrine of the refurre&ion, that the fame body which is crumbled into a thoufand pieces, fhould rife idem numero, the fame individual body, (for elfe it were a creation, not a refurrection.) How could fuch a facred riddle, above all human difquifition, be known, had not the fcripture made adifcovery of it? (2.) By its purity. It is, for the mat- ter of it, fo full of goodnefs, jultice and fan&ity, that it could be
OF THE SCRIPTVBE8. 35
breathed from none but from God ; the holinefs of it fliews it
to be of God, it bears his very in 1 he fcripture is com-
pared to filver refined leven times, Pial. xii. 0. This book of
God hath no errata in it : it is a beam of the Sun of Kighteoul-
nels, a crythl (tream flowing from the fountain of life. All
Jaws and edicts of nun have had their corruptions, but the word
of God hath not the lead tincture, it is of a meridian fplendor,
Pial. cxix. 140. ' Thy word is very pure,' like wine that comes
from the grape, which is not mixed nor adulterated. It ii i'o
pure, that it purifies everything elle, John xvii. 17. * Sanctify
them through thy truth.' The ienpture prell'eth holinefs, lb
as never any book did : it bids us ' live lbberly, righteoufly,
godly,' Tit. ii. 12. Soberly, in a£ts of temperance; righteoufly,
in acts of jultice ; godly, in the a6ts of zeal aud devotion. It
commends to us, * whatever is juft, lovely, and of good report,'
rhil. iv. 8. This (word of the Spirit, Eph. vi. 17. cuts down
vice. Out of this tower of fcripture is thrown down a milftone
upon the head of fin. The lcripture is the royal law, which
commands not only the actions, but attentions ; it binds the
heart to its good behaviour. Where is there fuch holinefs to be
found, as is digged out of this facred mine ? who could be the
author of fuch a book but God himfelf ?
4. That the fcripture is the word of God, is evident by its predictions ; it propheheth of things to come. This (hows the voice of God fpeaking in it ; it was foretold by the prophet, * A virgin mall conceive,' Ilk. vii. 14. and, the ' Mefliah (hall be cut off,' Dan. ix. 20*. The fcripture foretels things that mould fall out many ages and centuries after ; as how long Ifrael fhould ferve in the iron furnace, and the very day of their de- liverauce, Exod. xii. 41. * At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the felf-fkme day, it came to pafs, that the holt of the Lord went out of Egypt.' This prediction of future things, merely contingent, and not depending upon natural caufes, is a clear demonftration of its divine original.
5. The impartiality of thofe men of God, who wrote the fcriptures; they do not fpare to let down their own failings. Wiiat man that writes an hiliory, would black bis own lace, viz. record thofe things of himielf, that might (lain his reputa- tion ; Moles records his own impatience when he (truck the rock, and tells us, therefore he could not enter into the land of promiie. David writes of his own adulLery and bloodfhed, which ftands as a blot in his fcutcheon to fucceeding ages, Peter relates his own pufillanimity in denying Chriit. Jonah fets down his own pafiions, * I do well to be angry to the death.' Surely, had uot their pen been guided by God's own hand, they would never have written that which did reflect di (honour upon theuifelvcs. Men do uiuallv rather hide their Uleuiilh.es, than
ES
36 OF THE SCRIPTURES.
publifh them to the world : but thefe penmen of holy fcripture ecliple their own name ; they take away all the glory from them- felves, and give the glory to God.
6. The mighty power and efficacy the word hath had upon the fouls and confciences of men. (1.) It hath changed their hearts. (2.) Some by reading of fcripture 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. iii. 3. ■ Ye are manifeftly declared to be the epiftle of Chrift, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.' The word was copied out into their hearts, and they were become ChriiVs epiltle, fo that others might read Chrilt, in them. If you fhould let afeal upon marble, and it fhould make an impreilion upon the marble, and leave a print behind, there were a itrange virtue in that feal : fo, when the feal of the word leaves a heavenly print of grace upon the heart, there mull; needs be a power going along with that word no lefs than divine. (<2.) It hath comforted their hearts. When Chriftians have fitten by the rivers weeping, the word hath dropped as honey, and fweetly revived them. A Chriftian's chief comfort is drawn out of thefe wells of falvation ; Rom. xv. 4. ' That we thro* comfort of the fcriptures might have hope.' When a poor foul hath been ready to faint, he hath had nothing to comfort him but a fcripture cordial. When he hath been fick, the word hath revived him ; 2 Cor. iv. 17. ' Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' When he hath been deferted, the word hath dropped in the golden oil of joy into his heart, Lam. iii. 31. ■ The Lord will not caft off for ever.' He may change his providence, not his purpofe ; he may have the look of an enemy, but the heart of a father. Thus the word hath a power in it to comfort the heart; Pfal. cxix. 50. ■ This is my comfort in mine affliction ; for thy word hath quickened me.' As the fpirits are conveyed through the arteries of the body ; fo divine comforts are conveyed through the promifes of the word. Now the fcriptures having fuch an exhilarating heart- comforting power in them, it fhows clearly, that they are of God, and it is he that hath put this milk of con- ization into thefe breafts.
7. The great miracles wherewith the Lord hath confirmed fcripture. Miracles were ufed by Moles, Elijah, Chrift, and continued many years after by theapoftles, to confirm the verity of the holy fcripture?. As props are let under weak vines, fo thefe miracles were fet under the weak faith of men, that if they would not believe the writings of the word, yet they might be- lieve the miracles. We read of God's dividing the waters, making a caufeway in the fea for his people to go over, the iron
OF THE SCRIPTURES. 37
fwimming, the oil increafing by pouring out, Chritt's making wine of water, his curing the Mind, and railing the dead : thus God hath let a leal to the truth and divinity oi the Icripture by miracles.
Object. The Papijis indeed cannot demj but that the fcripture is divine and j acred ; but they affirm, that quoad noe, with re* fpe6l to us, it receives its divine authority from the church , and they bring that fcripture, I Tim. iii. 15. where the church is J aid to be the ground and pillar of truth.
Anf. It is true, the church is the pillar of truth ; but it doth not therefore follow, that the icripture hath its authority from the church. The king's proclamation is fixed on a pillar, the pillar holds it out, that all may read, but the proclamation doth not receive its authority from the pillar, but from the king ; (6 the church holds forth the fcripture* , but they do not receive their authority from the church, but from God. If the word of God fhould be divine becaule 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 that, Kph. ik SO. * Built upon the foundation (that is the doctrine) of the apofiles and prophet- .
Qu. Are all the books in the Bible of the fame divine crw- thoritij ?
Anf Thofe which we call canonical.
Qu. Why are the fcriptures called canonical?
Anf. Becaute the word is a rule of faith, a canon to direct our lives. The word is the judge of controverfies, the rock of in- fallibility ; that only is to be received for truth, which is con- fonant to, and agrees with fcripture, as the tranfeript with the original. All maxims in divinity are to be brought to the touch- itone of fcripture, as all meafures are brought to the (tandard.
Qu. Are the fcriptures a complete rule 9
Anf The Icripture is a full and perfect canon, containing in it all things necellary to i'alvation, c2 Tim. iii. to. 'From a child thou halt known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation.' It Ihews the Credenda, what we are to believe; and Agenda, what we are to praciife. It gives us an exact model ot religion, and perfectly internets us in the deep things of God. The Papifts therefore make them- ielves guilty, who go to feek out fcripture with their traditions, to which they equallize it. The council of Trent faith, That the traditions ot the church of Rome are to be received pari pielatus affeftn, with the tame devotion that fcripture is to be received with ; fo bring themfelves under that curie, Rev. xxii. 18. ■ If any man mall add unto thele things, God ihall add unto him the plagues that are written m this book.'
Q. What is the main fcope and end ofjeriptun -
33 OF THE SGRIPTUBES*
Anf. To chalk out a way to falvation. It makes a clear dis- covery of Chi ill, John xx, ol. ■ Thefe things are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, and that believing ye might have life through his uame.' The defign of the word is to be an examine, whereby our grace is to be tried ; a fea-mark to (how us what rocks we are to avoid. The word is to iublw mate and quicken our affections : it is to be our directory and coniblatory ; it is to waft us over to the land of promife.
Q. Who (hall have the power of interpreting fcriptnres ?
The Papilts do aflVrt, that it is in the power of the church. If you afk who they mean by the church, they lay, the Pope who is head of it, and he is infallible ; fo Bellarmine. But that aifertion is falfe, becaufe many of the Popes have been ignorant and vicious, as Platina affirms, who writes of the lives of Popes : Pope Liberius was an Aiian, and Pope John XII. denied the immortality of the foul ; therefore Popes are not fit interpreters of fcripture : who then ?
Anf. The fcripture is to be its own interpreter, or rather the Spirit fpeaking in it ; nothing can cut the diamond but the diamond; nothing can interpret fcripture, but fcripture; the fun beft difcovers itfelf by its own beams ; the fcripture inter- prets itfelf in eafy places to the underftanding. But the ques- tion is concerning hard places of fcripture, where the weak Chriftian is ready to wade beyond his depth, who mall interpret here?
Anf In the church, God hath appointed fome to expound and interpret fcripture ; therefore he hath given gifts to men ; the feveral pallors of churches, like bright conftellations, give light to dark fcriptures, Mai. ii. 7. ' The prieits lips (hould keep knowledge, and they fhould feek the law at his mouth.*
Q. But this is to pin our faith upon men ?
Anf We are to receive nothing for current but what is agree- able to the word ; as God hath given to his minillers gifts for the interpreting obfcure places, fo be hath given to his people fo much of the fpirit of decerning, that they can tell (at lealt in things neceffary to falvation) what is conionant to fcripture, and what is not ; 1 Cor. xii. 10. • To one is given a fpirit of prophecy, to another difcerning of fpirits :* God hath endued his people with fuch a meaiure of wifdom and difcretion, that they can difcern between truth and error, and judge what is found, and what is fpurious, Ads xvii. 11. * The Bereans fearched the fcriptures daily, whether thole things were {o :' They weighed the doctrine they heard, whether it was agreeable to fcripture, though Paul and Silas were their teachers, c2 Tim. iii. 16.
Ul'e I. See the wonderful goodivefs of God, who, befides the light of nature, hath committed to us the facred fcriptures.
of rm icmirYtrmflB. 30
The heathens arc inveloped with ignorance, Pfal. clxvii. 20. 4 V> f<»r hit judgment* they havr not known them.' They have the oracles of the Sybils, but not the writing ot" Mofesand the apoltles. How many live in tlie region of death, wheiv this bright Ibir of fcripture never appeared ! We have this b book of God to relblve all our (ales, to chalk out a way of lite to us. John xiv. iJ,\ * Lord, how is it thou wilt inanifeft thy- felf unto us, and not unto the world ?'
(l2.) Seeing God hath given us his written word to he our di- rectory, this takes away all excufes from men. No man can fay, 1 went wrong tor want of a lighl ; no, God hath i^ivrn thee his word as a lamp to thy feet; therefore now, it thou goetl wrong, thou doll it wilfully. No man can fay, If I had known the will of God, I would have obeyed ; no, thou art inexcufable,
0 man, God hath given thee a rule to go by, he hath written his law with his own tinker; therefore now, if thou obeyeft not, thou hall no apology left, if a mailer leaves his mind in writ- ing with his fervant, and tells him what work he will have done, yet the fervant negledts the work, that fervant is left without excufe, John xv. *>2. * Now you have no cloke for your fins.'
(J/e *£. Is all fcripture ofdivine infpiration ? is it a book made by God him ft If? Then this reproves, I. The Papifts, who take away part of lcripture, and fo clip the King of heaven's coin ; they expunge the fecond commandment, out of their catechifms, becaufe it makes againlt images : it is ulual with them, If they meet with any thing in fcripture which they diflike, either they put a falfe glofs upon it, or, if that will not do, pretend it is corrupted ; tliefe are like Ananias, who kept back part of (he money, Acts v. 2. fo they keep back part of the fcripture from the people. This is an high affront to God, to deface and ob- literate any part of his word: by this they bring themfelves under that premunire, Rev. xxii. y. ■ It any man fhall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God fhall take away his part out of the book of iife.' Is all fcripture of divine inlpiration ? 2. It condemns the Antinomians, that lay afide the Old Tetlament as ufelels, and out of date; they call them Old-Teftament Chriilians: God hath Ham peri a divine majt fty upon both Teftaments ; and till they can fhew me where
1 hath given a repeal to the Old, it ftands in force. The two Teftaments are the two wells offalvation; the Antino- mians would lh>p up one ot thefe wells, they would dry up one of the breafts of fcripture. 'Flu-re is much golpel in the Old
i w nt ; the comforts of the gofpel in the New Teftamtnt
have their i a the Old. The irreat promile of the MelTiah
is in the Ok! i cftament, • A virgin (hall conceive and bear a fon :' — Nay, I lay more, the moral law, in tome parts of it, fpeaks gofpel, * l am the Lord thy God ;* here is the pure wine
40 OF THE SCRIPTURES.
of the gofpel. The faint's great charter, where God promifeth to * fprinkle clean water upon them, and put his Spirit within them,' is to be found primarily in the Old Teftament, Ezek. xxxvi.25, 2b\ So that they who take away the Old Telta- ment, do, as Samfon, pull down the pillars, they would take away the pillars of a Chritlian's comfort. 3. It condemns the En thu flails, who, pretending the Spirit, lay afide the whole Bible ; they fay the fcripture is a dead letter and they live above it. What imprudence is this ? Till we are above fin, we fhall not be above fcripture. Let not men talk of a revelation from the Spirit, fufpeci it to be an impoilure ; the Spirit of God a6ts 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, abuleth both himfelf and the Spirit : his light is borrowed from him who transforms himfelf into an angel of light. 4. It con- demns the flighters of fcripture: fuch are they, who can go whole weeks and months and never read the word. They lay it afide as rufty armour ; they prefer a play or romance before fcripture, the magnalia legis are to them minutula. O how many can be looking their faces in a glafs all the morning, but their eyes begin to be fore, when they look upon a Bible! hea- thens die in the want of fcripture, and thefein the contempt of it. They furely mud needs go wrong who flight their guide ; fuch as lay the reins upon the neck of their lulls, and never ufe the curbing bit of fcripture to check them, are carried to hell, and never flop. 5. It condemns the abulers of fcripture : (1.) Who do mud and poifon this pure cryftal fountain with their corrupt gloffes ; who wreft fcripture, 2 Pet. iii. 16. The Greek word is, they let it upon the rack ; they give wrong interpreta- tions of it, not comparing fcripture with lcripture : as the An- tinomians pervert that fcripture, Numb, xxiii. 21. • He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob;' hence they infer, God's people may take liberty in fin, becaufe God fees no fin in them. It is true, God fees no fin in his people with an eye of revenge, but he fees it with an oblervation. He fees not fin in them, fo as to damn them ; but he fees it, fo as to be angry, and feverely to punifh them. Did not David find it fo2 when he cried out of his broken bones ? In like manner the A rminians wreft fcripture, John v. 40. ■ Ye will not come to me ;' here they bring in free will. This text fhows 1. How willing God is that we fhould have life ; 2. That finners may do no more than they do ; they may improve the talents God hath given them : but it doth not prove the power of free-will, for it is contrary to that lcripture, John vi. 44. ■ No man can come to me, except the Father which hath lent me draw him.' Thefe therefore writing the text fo hard, as they make the blood come ; they do not com- pare lcripture with lcripture. (2.) Who do jell with fcripture ?
OF THE SCRIPTURES. 41
When they are fad, tin \ \\w fcripture as tlieir lute or
minltrel to play with, and fo drive away the lad fpirit ; as that drunkard I have read of, who, bating drunk oH'hi>cups, called to tome of his fellows, G.ve ns of your oil. lor our lamps are gone out. In the fear of God, tnlct hr«d of this. h.ut< bius tells us of one, who took a piece of lenplure to make a jell of, who tH prefently ft ruck with a frenzy and ran mad. And, it is a faying of Luther, Quos Dens vult perdere, &c. M Whom God intends to dellroy, he gives them leave to play with fcrip- ture."
I I. Of exhortation. If the fcripture be of divine in- fpiration, then be exhorted, 1. To lludy the fcripture; it is a copy of God's will : be fcripture-men, Bible-ehriliians. M I adore the fulnefs of Icripture," faith rrertullian. In the book of God are Icattered many truths as to many pearls, John v. .So. ' Search the fcriptures i Search as for a vein of lilver : this blelfed book will fill your head with knowledge, and your heart with grace. God wrote the two tables with his own fingers; and if God took pains to write, well may we take pains to read. Appollos was mighty in the fcriptures, Acts xviii. 24. The word is our magna chart* for heaven; fliall we be ignorant of our charter ; Col. iii. If). c Let the word of God dwell in you rich- ly.' The memory mull be a table-book where the word is writ- ten. To make us read the word, con fider, I. There is majefty fparkling in every line of fcripture : take but one inltance, Ifa. Ixiii. I. ' Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed gar- ments from Bozrah ? This that is glorious in his apparel, tra- velling in the greatnefs of his ftrength ? I that fpeak in righte- oulhefs, mighty to lave.' Behold here a lofty magnificent if vie ? What angel could fpeak after this manner? Junius was con- verted by reading one verfe of John : he beheld a maj< itv in it beyond all human rhetoric. £. There is a melody in fcripture. This is that bleifed harp which drives away fadnels of fpirit : hear the ibunding of this harp a little, 1 Tim. i. 15. ' This is a faithful laving, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chi ill Jefus came into the world to lave tinners ;' he took not only our flefh U|x>n him but our fins. And Mat. xi. 28. * Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you reft.' How fweetly doth this harp of fcripture found, what heavenly mu- (ic doth it make in the ears ofa diilreifed linner, efpecially when the linger of God's Spirit toucheth upon this inltrument? 3. There in divinity in fcripture. It contains the marrow and quintelfence of religion : The fcripture is a rock of diamonds, a myftery of piety ; the lips of icripture have grace poured into them. The Icripture fpeaks of faith, felf-denul, and all the graces, which, asachaiu of pearl adorn a Chriftian. The fcrip- ture excites to holiness, it treats of another world, it gives a Vol. I. No. 1. F
43 OF THE SCRIPTURES.
profpect of eternity : Oh then fearch the fcripture! make rM word familiar to yon. Had I the tongue of angels, I could not futhViently fet forth I he excellency of fcripture : it is a f pi ritual optic- glafs, in which we behold God's glory : it is the tree of life, the oracle of wifdom, the rule of manners, the heavenly feed of which the new creature is formed, James i. 18. " The two Teltaments (faith Auttin) are the two breafts which every Chriitian mutt fuck, that he may get fpirilual nourifhment.*' The leaves of the tree of life were for healing, Rev. xxii. 2. So thefe holy leaves of fcripture, like thofe leaves, are for the heal- ing of our fouls. The fcripture is profitable for all things: if we are deferred, here is fpiced wine that chears the heavy heart ; if we are purfued by Satan, here is the fword of the Spirit to re- fill him : if we are difeafed with fin's leprofy, here are the wa- ters of the fanctuary, both to cleanfe and cine. Oh then, fearch the iicriptures! there is no danger in tatting this tree of know- Jedge : there was a penalty laid at firft, that we might not tafte of the tree of knowledge, Gen. iii. 17- * In the day that thou eatefl thereof, thou (halt furely die :' but there is no danger of plucking this tree of holy fcripture ; if we do not eat of this tree of knowledge, we (hall furely die : oh, then, read the fcrip- tures! — Time may corns, when the fcriptures may be kept from us.
Q. How fh on Id ice fo fearch the fcriptures, as to find life ?
Anf I. Read the Bible with reverence ; think every line you Tead God is (peaking 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. xxv. 14. And why was this, but to breed in the people reverence to the law ? 2. Read with ferioufnefs. It is matter of life and death : by this word you mult be tried ; conicience and fcripture are the jury God wiJl proceed by, in judging of you. 3. Read the word with affection. Get your hearts quickened with the word ; go to it to fetch fire, Luke xxiv. 3L2. • 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 fcripture, not t»nly as an hiftory, but as a love-letter fent to you from God, which may afteci your hearts, 4. Pray that the fame Spirit that wrote the word, may affift you in the reading of it; that God's Spirit would (hew you the wonderful things of his law. Go near, faith God to Philip, 'join thyielfto this chariot,' A6ts viii. 19. So, when God's Spirit joins himfelf with this chariotof theword, then it becomes effectual.
c2. Be exhorted to prize the word written, Job xxiii. 12. Da- vid valued the word more precious than gold. What would the martyrs have given for a leaf of the Bible ! The word is the field where Chrift the pearl of price is hid. In this facred
OF THE SCRIPTURES. 43
mhie we dig, not for a wedge of gold, but a weight of glory. 1. The fcriptureii a tacred colly hum, or ey&»(alveto illuminate us. Prov. vi. c2:i. * The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light.' The fcripture is the chart and compata by which we Jail to the new Jemfalem. The fcripture is a fov« reign cordial in all dillreifes. What are the promiiesbut the water ofljfi to renew fainting fpirits? Is it fin troubles? There is a fcriptuuce cordial, Plal. Ixv. &. ■ Iniquities prevail againft me : ;»s for our tranfgrellions thou (halt purge them away ;' or as it is in the Hebrew, * thou fhaltcover them.* Is it outward afflictions difquiet thee? There is a lcriptural-cordial, Pi', xci. lo. * I will be with him in trouble ;' not only to behold, but to uphold. Thus, as in the ark was laid up manna, promifes are laid up as manna in the ark of lcripture. 3. The fcripture will make us wife : wifdom is above rubies ; Plal. cxix. 104. ■ By thy pre- cepts I get underitanding.' What made Eve fodefire the tree of knowledge? Gen. iii. 6. ' It was a tree to make one wife.' The fcriptures teach a man to know himfelf : they difcover Sa- tan's fnares and ftratagems, 2 Cor. ii. II. They make one wife to falvation,' 2 Tim. iii. 15. O then highly prize the fcrip- tures 1 I read of Queen Elizabeth, at her coronation, (he receiv- ed the Bible prefented to her, with both her hands, and killing it, laid it to her breaft, laying, that that book had ever been her chiefeft delight.
3. If the fcripture is of divine infpiration, believe the word. The Romans, that they might gain credit to their laws, report- ed that they were infpired by the gods at Rome. O give cre- dence to the word I it is breathed from God's own mouth. Hence arifeth all the profanenefs of men, they do not believe the fcripture, If. liii. 1. ' Who hath believed our report?* Did you believe the glorious rewards the lcripture fpeaks of, would you not give diligence to make your election lure? Did youbelieve the infernal torments the lcripture fpeaks of, would not this put you into a cold fweat, and caufe a trembling at heart for fin ? But people are in part Atheilts, they give but little credit to the word, therefore they are lb impious, and draw luch dark lhadows in their lives. Learn to realize lcripture, get your hearts wrought to a firm belief of it. Some think, if God Ihould fend an angel from heaven, and declare hi> mind, then they (hould rather believe him, or if he Ihould lend one Irom the damned, and preach the torments of hell all in flames, then they would believe. But Luke xvi. 31. * If they believe not Aides and the prophets, neither will they be perl'uaded though one arole from the dead.' God is wife, and he thinks this way iitteit to make his mind known to us by writing; and will not be convinced by the word, (hall be judged by the \ord. The belief of the fcripture is of high importance : it is the be-
F 2
44 OF THE SCRIPTURES.
lief of fcripture, that will enable us to refi ft temptation ; 1 John ii. 1 1. ■ 7'he word of God abideth in you, and ye have over- come the wicked one.' It is the belief of fcripture conduceth much to our fancti fixation ; therefore thefe two are put toge- ther, fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, SThcff. ii. 13. If the word written be not believed, it is like writing on the water, which takes no im predion.
4. Love the word written : Pf. cxix. P7. ' O how love I thy law !' «* Lord (faith Auguftine) let the holy llriptures be my chade delight." Chryfoftom compares the fcripture to a garden ; every truth is a flagrant flower, which we fhould wear, not on our bofom, but our heart. David tatted the word
• fweeterthan honey and the honey-comb,' Pfal. xix. 10. There is that in fcripture may breed delight : it (hows us the way to riches, Deut. xxviii. 5. Prov. iii. 10. To long life, Pf. xxxiv. 12. To a kingdom, Heb. xii. 28. Well then, may we count thofe the fweeteft hours which are fpent in reading the holy fcriptures : well may we lay with the prophet, Jer. xv. l(j. ' Thy words were found, and' I did eat them; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.'
5. Conform to fcripture, let us lead fcripture- lives. O that the Bible might be feen printed in our lives ! do what the word commands. Obedience is an excellent way of commenting upon the Bible, Pfal. Ixxxvi. 11. 'I will walk in thy truth.' Let the word be the fun-dial by which you let your life. What are we the better for having the fcripture, if we do not direct all our fpeeches and actions according to it ? What is a carpen- ter the better to have his rule about him, if he fticks it at his back, and never makes ufe of it for the meafuring and fquaring his work ? So, what are we the better for the rule of the word, if we do not make ufe of it, and regulate our lives by it ? How many fvverve and deviate from the rule ? The word teacheth to be fober and temperate, but they are drunk; to be chade and holy, but they are profane ; they go quite from the rule. What a dishonour is this to religion, for men to live in contradiction to fcripture ! The word is called a * light to our feet.' Pf. cxix. 105. It is not only a light to our eyes to mend our fight, but to our feet to mend our walk. O let us lead Bible conventions.
6. Contend for fcripture. Though we fhould not be of con- tentious fpirits, yet we ought to contend for the word of God ; this jewel is too precious to be parted with ; Prov. iv. 13.
• Keep her, for fhe is thy life.' The fcripture is befet with enemies; heretics fight againft it, we mult therefore ■ contend for the faith once delivered to the faints,' Jude 3. The fcrip- ture is our book of evidences for heaven ; (hall we part with our evidences! The faints of old were both advocates and martyrs
THAT THERE IS A COO. 45
for truth; they would hold fad fcripture, though it were with the lot's of their li\
7. Be thankful to God for the fcriptures. What a mer<
it that God hath not only acquainted us what Ins will Ls, but that he hath made it known by writing! In the Old tii, God did reveal his mind by revelations, but the word written is a furer trey of knowing God's mind than by revelation, '2 Pet. i. 17. ' This voice which came from heaven we heard, we have alio a more fure word of prophecy.' The devil is God's ape, and he can transform himfelf into an angel of light ; he can de- ceive with falfe revelations : as I have heard of one who had, as he thought, a revelation from God to facrifice his child, as Abraham had : whereupon he following this impuife of the devil, did kill his child. Thus Satan oft deceives people with delufion, inftead of divine revelations; therefore we are to be thankful to God for revealing his mind to us by writing : we have a more fure word of prophecy. We are not left under a doubtful fufpence that we Ihould not know what to believe, but we have an infallible rule to go by. The fcripture is our pole- Oar to direct us to heaven, it thews us every ttep we are to take ; when we go wrong, it inftrucls us ; when we go right it comforts us ; and it is matter of thankfulnelV, that the fcriptures are made intelligible, by being tranflated.
8. Adore God's diftinguithing grace, if you have felt the power and authority of the word upon your confcience ; if you can fay as David, Pfal. cxix. 50. * Thy word hath quickened me.* Chrilhan, blefs God that he hath not only given thee his word to be a rule of holiuefs, but his grace to be a principle of hoiinefs: blefs God that he hath not only written his word, but fealed it upon thy heart, and made it effectual. Can ft thou lay it is of divine infpiration, becaufe thou halt felt it to he of lively operation ? O free grace ! that God ihould fend out his word, and heal thee ; that he fhouki heal thee, and not others? that the fame fcripture, which is to them a dead letter, ihould be to thee a lavour of life.
THAT THERE IS A GOD.
Q. III. WHAT do the fcriptures principally teach ?
An/. The icriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
Q. What is God*
Anj\ God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in
46 THAT THERE IS A GOD.
his being, wifdom, power, holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, and truth.
Here is, I. Something implied, That there is a God. 2. Ex- preiied, That he is a Spirit. 3. What kind of Spirit.
1. Implied, That there is a God: The queilion, What is God? takes it for granted that there is a God; the belief of God's effence is the foundation of all religious worfhip, Heb. xi. 6\ ' He that comes to God, muft believe that he is.' There muft be a firft caufe, which gives a being and exitience to all things befides. We come to 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 demonltrable by the light of nature. I think it hard for a man to be a natural Atheift: he may wifh there were no God, he may difpute againli a Deity, but he cannot in his judg- ment believe there is no God, unlets by accumulated fin hiscon- fcience be feared, and he hath fuch a lethargy upon him, that he hath finned away his very fenfe and reaibn. 2. We come to know that there is a God by his works, and this isfo evident a demonftration of a Godhead, that the moil atheiftical fpirits, when they have confidered thefe works of God, have been forced to acknowledge fome wife and iupreme power the maker of thefe things ; as it is reported of Galen and others. ( 1 . ) We will begin with the greater world, (1.) The creation of the glorious fabric of heaven and earth ; fure there mult be fome architect or firft caufe, the world could not make itfelf ; who could hang the earth on nothing, but the great God ? Who could provide fuch rich furniture for the heavens, the glorious conflellations, the firmament befpangled with fuch glittering lights ? All this fpeaks a Deity : we may fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twinkling in the ftars. Who could give the earth its clothing, cover it with grafs and corn, adorn it with flowers, enrich it with gold ? Only God, Jobxxviii. 4. Who but God could make the fweet mufic in the heavens, caufe the angels to join in concert, and found forth the praiies of their Maker ? Job xxxviii. 7. ' When the morning ftars fang together, and all the ions of God (houted for joy.' If a man mould go into a far country, and fee ftately edifices there, he would never imagine that thefe could build themfeives, but that iome greater power built them: to imagine that the work of the creation was not framed by God, is as if we fhould conceive a curious landfcape to be drawn by a pencil without the hand of a limner ; Acts xvii. 24. ' God that made the world, and all things therein.' To create, is proper to the Deity. 2. The wife government of all things, evinces there is a God : God is the great Super- intendent of the world, he holds the golden reins or government in his hand, guiding all things moft regularly and harmonioufly to their proper end ; who that eyes providence, but mull be
THAT THERE 19 A GOD. 47
forced to acknowledge there is a God ? Providence is the queen and governeis of the world ; it is the hand that turns the wh of the whole creation : providence lets the fun its race, the Pea its bounds. If God fhould not guide the* world, things would run into diforder and confufion : when one looks on a clock, and lees the motion of the wheels, the linking of the hammer, the hanging of the plummets, he would lav, there wen- fome artificer did make it, and put it into that order: fo, when we fee the excellent order and harmony in the univerfe, the fun, that great luminary, difpenfim,' its light and heat to the world, without which, the world were but a grave or a prifon ; the rivers lending forth their filver ftreams to refrefh trie bodies of men, and prevent a drought; and every creature acting within its fphere, and keeping its due bounds ; we mutt needs acknow- ledge there is a God, who wifely orders and governs all thefe things. Who could fet this great army of the creatures in their feveral ranks and fquadrons, and keep them in their conltant march, but He, whole name is The Loud of hosts? And as God doth wifely difpofe all things in the whole regiment of the creatures, fo, by his power, lie doth fupport them : did God fufpend and withdraw his influence never fo little, the wheels of the creation would unpin, and the axle-tree break afunder. (3.) The motion of the creatues : all motion, as the philofo- phers fay, is from fomething that is uumoveable. As for ex- ample, the elements are moved by the influence and motion of the heavenly bodies ; the tun and moon, and thefe planets, are moved by the higheft orb, called Pritnum Mobile: now, if one fhould aik, Who moves that highelt. orb, or the firit mover of the planets? fure it can be no other hand but God himfelf.
(2. ) Let us (peak of Man, who is a microcofm or lelfer world : the excellent contexture and frame of his body, which is wrought curiouily as with needle-work, Plal. exxxix. 15. ■ I was curi- oufly wrought in the loweft parts of the earth :' and the endow- ment of this body with a noble lbul ; who but God could make fucli an union of different fubftances, flefh and fpirit ; in him we live, and move, and have our being. The quick acute motion of every part of the body, (hews that there is a God : we may fee tbrnething of him in the fparkling of the eye : and if the cabinet of the body be fo curioufly wrought, what is the jewel ? The foul hath a celeltial brightnefs in it; as Damafcene faith, M It is a diamond let in a rin^ of clay." What noble faculties is the foul endowed with? Underltandincr, Will, AffecYions, which are a glafs of the Trinity, as Plato fpeaks. The matter of the foul is fpiritual, it is a divine fparlde lighted from heaven: and being fpiritual, is immortal, as Scaliger notes; auhna nun Jenefcit, the foul doth not wax old, it lives for ever: and who could create a foul ennobled with iuch rare angelical properties.
48 THAT THERE IS A GOD,
but God ? We mufl needs fay as the Pfalmifl, ■ It is he that hath made us, and not we ourfelves,' Pfal. c. 3.
£. We may prove a Deity by our confcience. Confcience is God's deputy or vicegerent. Confcience is a witnefs of a Deity: if there were no Bible to tell us there is a God, yet confcience might. Confcience, as the apoftle faith, ' either accufeth,' or * excufeth,' Rom. ii. 15. Confcience a6ts in order to an higher judicatory. 1. Natural confcience, being kept free from grofs fin excufeth. When a man doth virtuous actions, lives foberly and righteoufly, obferves the golden maxim, doing to others as he would have them to do to him ; then con- fcience approves, and faith, Well done : confcience, like a bee, gives honey. 2. Natural confcience in the wicked doth accufe : when men go againft the light of confcience, then they feel the worm of confcience. Eheu quisinlusfcorpio ? Sen. Confcience, being finned againft, fpits fire in men's faces, fills them with fhame and horror : when the finnerfeesan hand- writing on the wall of confcience, his countenance is changed. Many have hanged themfelves to quiet their confcience. Tiberius the em- peror, a bloody man, felt the lafhes of his confcience ; he was ib haunted with that fury, that he told the Senate, he frittered death daily. And what is it fhould put a man's confcience into fuch an agony, but the impreflion of a Deity, and the thoughts of coming before God's tribunal? Thofe who are above all hu- man laws, yet are fubject to the checks of their own confcience. And it is obfervable, the uearer the wicked approach to death, the more they are terrified, and confcience gives a louder alarm to them ; and whence is this, but from the apprehenfion of judgment approaching? The foul, being fenfible of its immortal nature, trembles at him, who never ceafeth to live, and there- fore will never ceafe to punifh.
3. That their is a God, appears by the confent of nations, by the univerfal vote and futfrage of all. Nulla gens tarn barbara cuinon injideat ha?c perfiutfio Deum effe. Tully : No nation fo barbarous, faith Tully, as not to believe there is a God. Though the heathen did mi flake in their devotion, thev did not worfhip the true God, yet they worfhipped a god. They fet up an al- tar, * To the unknown God.' Acts xvii. 22. They knew a God fhould be worfhipped, though thpy knew not the God whom they worfhipped. Some did worfhip Jupiter, fome Nep- tune, fome Mars ; rather than not to worth ip fomething, they would worfhip any thing.
4. That there is a God, appears by his prediction of future things. He who can foretel things which fhal! furely come to pafs, is the true God : God foretold, that a virgin fhould con- ceive ; he prefixed thetinie when the Mefiias fhould be cut off, Dan. ix. 66. He foretold the captivity of the Jews in Baby-
THAT THERE 13 A HOD. 49
Ion, and whoihould be their deliverer, Ha. xlv. 1. Thisisfuch a firoiiL< argument to prove a Deity, as God himfelf ufeth it to prove he is the true God, and that all the godi of tlie heathens were ('unions and nullities, Ha. xli. lJ-2. 'Icjiimonium divinita- tis eft Veritas divinationis, Tertull. To foretel things contin- gent, and which depend upon no natural caufes, is proper to a Deity.
5. That there is a God, appears by God's unlimited power and favereignty. He who can work, and none hinder him, is the true God : but God can do fo, Iia. xliii. 13. ■ I will work, and who fhall let it.' Nothing can hinder action but fome lu- perior power; but there is no power above God: all power that is, is by him, therefore all power is under him : he hath a 1 mighty arm,' Pfal. lxxxix. 13. He fees the defigns men drive on a^ainil him, and plucks off their chariot-wheels; he niaketh diviners mad, Iia. xliv. 25. He cutteth off the fpirit of princes : he bridleth the fea, gives check to the leviathan, binds the devil in chains ; he a6ts according to his pleafure, he doth what he will ; I will work, and who fhall let it.
6. There are devils, therefore there is a God. Atheifts can- not deny but there are devils, and then they mult grant there is a God. We read of divers poffeffed with the devil. The de- vils are called in (cripture, Hairy Ones, becaufe they often ap- peared in the form of goats or fatyrs. Gerfon, in his book de probcit'wne fpirituum, tells us how Satan on a time appeared to an holy man in a moft glorious manner, profeffmg himielf to be Chriit : the old man anfwered, " I defire not to tee my Saviour here in this defart, it (hall futfice me to fee him in heaven." Now, if there be a devil, then there is a God. Socrates an hea- then, when he was accufed at his death, confeffed, that, as he thought, there was a malus genius, an evil fpirit, fo he thought there was a good.
Ufe I. Seeing there is a God, this reproves fuch atheiflical foolsas deny it. Epicurus denied there was a providence, fay- ing; that all things fell out by chance, Diagoras. He that laith there is no God, is the wickedelt creature that is ; he is worfe than a thief, who doth but take away our goods from us, but the Atheiit would take away our God from us, John. xx. ' They have taken away my Lord.' So we may fay of Atheifts , they would take away our God from us, in whom all our hope and comfort is laid up, Pfal. xiv. 1. ■ The fool hath faid in his heart, their is no God.' He durlt not fpeak it with his tongue, but faid it in his heart ; he wifhed it. Sure none can be fpecu- lative Atheifts, * The devils believe and tremble.' Jamesii. lfj. I have read of one Arthur, a profeffed Atheift, who when he came to die, cried out, he was damned : but though there are. jew found who fav, There is no God ; vet many denv him in
Vol. I, No. 9. G
50 , THAT THERE IS A GOD.
their practices, Tit. i. 1(5. ' In works they deny him.' Cicero faid of Epicurus, verbis reliquil Deos refijiulit : The world is full of practical atheifm ; molt people live as if they did not be- lieve their was a God. Durlt they lie, defraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God who would call them to an ac- count? If an Indian, who never heard of a God, (hould come among us, and have no other means to convince him of a Deity, but the lives of men in our age, furely he would be of Protago- ra's mind, who did hang in a doubtful fu (pence, and did quef- tion whether there were a God ; utmm Diijint non aiifim ajfir- mare.
Ufe 2. Seeing there is a God, he will deal righteoufly, and givejuft rewards to men. Things feem to be carried in the world very unequally ; the wicked flourifh, PI*. Ixxiii. They who tempt God are delivered, Mai. iii. 15. the ripe clutters of grapes are iqueezed into their cup, and, in the mean while, the godly, who weep for (in, and ferved God, are afflicted ; PC. cii. 9. * I have eaten a(hes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.' Evil men enjoy all the good, and good men endure all the evil. But feeing there is a God, he will deal righteoufly with men, Gen. xviii. 25. ' Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?' Offenders muftcome to punifhment. The finger's death-day and dooms day is a-coming ; Pfal. xxxvii. 13. * The Lord feeth that his day is coming.' While there is an hell, the wicked fhall be ficourged enough ; and while there is eternity, they (hall lie there long enough ; and God will abun- dantly compenfate the faithful fervice of his people. They lhall have their white robes and crowns : Pfal.lviii.il. Verily there is a reward for the righteous ; verily he is a God that judg- etli in the earth.' Becauie God is God, therefore he will give forth glorious rewards to his people.
Ufe 3. Seeing there is a God, woe to all fuch as engage this God againft them ; he lives for ever to be avenged upon them, Ezek. xxii. 14. ■ Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands he ftrong in the day that I (hall deal with thee ?' Such as pol- lute God's fabbath, oppoie his faints, trampling the jewels in the duft ; fuch as live in a contradiction to God's word : thefe do engage the infinite majefty of heaven againft them ; and how difrnal will their cafe be ! Deut. xxxii. 1. ■ If £1 whet my glittering (word, and mine hand take hold of judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies : I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,' &c. If it be fo terrible. to hear the lion roar, what is it when he begins to tear his prey ?■ Pfal. lv. 22. f Con- fider this, ye that forget God, left 1 tear you in pieces.' O that men would think or this, who go on* in (in ! Shall we engage the great God againft us? God (trikes flow but heavy ; Job xl. 9. ■ Haft thou an arm like God ? Canft thou ftrike fuch a
THAT THERE 19 A COD. 5l
Wow ? God is the hell friend, hut the worlt enemy. I The can look men into their grave, bow far can he throw then ? ' Who
knows the power of his wrath I1 MM. xc. 1 1. What tools are they, who, for a drop of pteafure, drink a fea of wrath ! Para-
cell'us fpeaks of a phrenzv tome have, which will make them die dancing : tinners go dancing to hell.
Ufe 4. Seeing there is a God, let CM firmly helieve this article of our creed. What religion can their he in men, if they do not helieve a Deity ? * He that cometh to God, mult helieve that he is.' To worlhip God, and pray to him, and not be- lieve there is a God, is to put a high fcorn and contempt upon God. Believe that God is the only true God ; f'uch a God as he hath revealed himlelf in his word, * A lover of righteoufneis, and hater of wickednefs,' Pfal. xlv. 7- The real belief of a Deity gives life to all religious worfhip: the more we believe the truth and in finite nefs of God, the more holy and angelical We are in our lives. Whether we are alone, or in company, God fees us : he is the heart-fearcher : the belief of this would make us live always under God's eye, Pfal. xvi. 8. ■ I have let the Lord always before me.' The belief of a Deity would be a bridle to (in, a fpur to duty ; it would add wings to prayer, and oil to the lamp of our devotion. Tlie belief of a Deity would caufe dependance upon God in all our itraits and exigencies ; Gen. xvii. 1. * I am God all fufticient;' a God thatcan iupply all your wants, (batter all your fears, refolve all your doubts, conquer all your temptations; the arm of God's power can never be fhrunk; 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 ihould fo depend on his providence as not to ufe any indirect means : we would not run ourfelves into fin to rid ourfelves out of trouble : c2 Kings i. 3. ' Is it not becaufe there is not a God in Ifrael that ye go to inquire of Beelzebub the God of Ekron?' When men run to finful fhifts, is it not becaufe they do not believe there is a God, or that he is all- fuihcient ?
2. Seeing there is a God, let us labour to get an inttreilin him, Pf. xlviii. 14. * This God is our God.' Two things will com- fort us, Deity and propriety ; lince the hill we have loll like- nets to God and communion with God ; let us labour to reaver this loft intereft, and pronounce this Shibboleth, ' My God,' Pf. xliii. 5. It is little comfort to know there is a God, unlets he be ours; God oilers himlelf to be our God, Jer. xxxi ,'io. * I will be their God.' And faith catcheih hold of the i-ller, it ap- propriates God, and makes ail that is in him over to us to be ours; his wifdom to be ours, to i his holineis ours to
iandify us, nis fpirit ouis, to comfort u» ; his mere) outs, to
G *
ht GOD IS A SPIRIT.
fave us. To be able to fay, God is mine, is more than to have all the mines of gold and (ilver.
3. Seeing there is a God, let us ferve and worfhip him as God : it was an indictment brought in againft them, Rom. i. 21. ' They glorified him not as a God.' 1. Let us pray to him as to a God. ■ Pray with fervency/ Jam. v. 16. An * effec- tual fervent prayer prevails much.' This is both the fire and the incenfe ; without fervency it is no prayer. 2. Love him as a God, Deut. vi. 5. ' Thoufhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.' To love him with all the heart, is to give him a precedency in our love, defire to let him have the cream of our affections ; to love him not only appretiatively, but inten- fively, as much as we can. As the fun-beams united, in a burn- ing-glafs, burn the hotter, fo all our affections fhould be united, that our love to God may be more ardent. 3. Obey him as a God. All creatures obey him, the ftars fight his battles, the wind and fea obey him, Mark iv. 41. much more fhould man, whom God hath endued with a principle ofreafon : he is a God, and hath a fovereignty over us ; therefore as we received life from him, fo we mult receive a law from him, and fubmit to his will in all things : this is to kifs him with a kifs of loyalty, and it js to glorify him as God.
GOD IS A SPIRIT.
Q. IV. WHAT is GOD?
Anf God is a fpirit.
2. The thing expreffed, John iv. 24. ' God is a fpirit,1 God is effentia fpiritualijfima, Zanchy.
Q. What do you mean xchen you fay, God is a fpirit?
Anf By Spirit I mean, God is an immaterial fubflance, of a pure, fubtil, unmixed eifence, not compounded of body and foul, without all extenfion of parts. The body is a dreggifli thing .- the more fpiritual God's effence is, the more noble and excellent. The fpirits are the more refined part of the wine.
Q. Wherein doth God differ from other fpirits ?
1. The angels are fpirits.
Anf We muft diftinguifh of fpirits. 1. The angels are cre- ated, God is a fpirit uncreated. 2. The angels are fpirits, but they are finite, and capable of being annihilated ; the fame power which made them, is able to reduce them to their firft nothing ; but God is an infinite fpirit. 3. The angels are con- fined fpirits, they cannot be duobos locis Jimul , they are confined to a place: but God is an immenfe fpirit, and cannot be con- fined, being in all places at once. 4. The angels, though they
COD IS A SPIRIT. 53
are fpirits, yet they arc but miniftring fpirits, ITeb. i. 11. Though they are fpirits, yet are they (enraots, God is a fuper- excellent fpirit, the ' Father of fpiriti/ II* -b. xii. <).
8. The tbul is a fpirit, Fcclef. xii. 7. * The 1'pirit fliall return unto God that gave it.'
Q. How doth Cod, hems; uJ)pifUt differ from the foul f
St-rvetus and Ofumder thought, that the foul being infufed, did convey into man the very fpirit and fubftance ot God ; an ablurd opinion, for the elfence of God is incommunicable.
Anf. Therefore, when it is laid, the foul is a fpirit, it is meant, God hath made it intelligible, and hath ftamped upon it his likenefs, not his elfenee.
Q. But is it not f aid i That ice are made partakers of the di~ vine not} ire ?
Anf. By divine nature, there is meant divine qualities, 2 Pet. i. 4. We are made partakers of the divine nature, not by identity or union with the divine efTence, but by a transforma- tion into the divine likenefs. Thus you fee how God dillers from other fpirits, angels and fouls of men. He is a fpirit of tranfeendent excellency, the ■ Father of fpirits.'
Obj. Againft this Vorjihts and the Anthropomorthites ohjeel, that, inferipture, an human fh ape and figure is given to Cod; he is f aid to have eyes and hands?
Anf. It is contrary to the nature of a fpirit to have a corpo- real fubftance ; Luke xxiv. 3<). ■ Handle me, and fee me ; for a fpirit hath not flefh and bones, as ye fee me have.' Bodily members are alcribed to God, not properly, but metaphorically, and in a borrowed fenfe; he is only let out to our capacity : by the right-hand of the Lord is meant his power ; by the eyes of the Lord is meant his wifdom. Now that God is a fpirit, and is not capable of bodily ftiape or fubftance, is clear. I. A body is vifible, but God is invilible ; therefore he is a fpirit, I Tim. vi. 16. whom ' no man hath feen, ior can fee,' not by an eye of fenfe. 2. A body is terminated, can be but in one place at once ; but God is every where, in all places at once ; therefore he is a fpirit, PC. exxxix. 7, S. God's centre is every where, and his circumference is no where. 3. A body being compound- ed of integral parts may be ditfulved ; quicquid divjfibile eft cor- Tuptihile : but the Godhead is not capable of d involution ; he can have no end, from whom all things have their beginning. So that it clearly appears that God is a fpirit, which adds to the perfection of his nature.
life I. If God be a fpirit, then he is impaflible; be is not capable of being hurt. Wicked men fet up their banners, and bend their forces againft God ; they are laid to light againft God , Acts v. 39. But what will this lighting avail ? What hurt ran they do to the Deity? God is a fpirit, and therefore cannot re-
54 GOD IS A SPIRIT.
ceive any hurtful imprefiion : wicked men may imagine evil againft the Lord ; Nahum i. 9. ' What do ye imagine againft the Lord?' But God, being a fpirit, is impenetrable. The wicked may eclipfe his glory, but cannot touch his effence. God can hurt his enemies, but they cannot hurt him. Julian might throw up his dagger into the air againft Heaven, but could not touch the Deity. God is a fpirit, invifible. How can the wicked with all their forces hurt him, when they cannot fee him ? Hence all the attempts of the wicked againft God are foolifh, and prove abortive ; Pfal. ii. 3, 4. ' The kings of the earth fet themfelves againlt the Lord, and againft his anointed. He that fits in heaven (hall laugh.* He is a fpirit, he can wound them, but they cannot touch him.
Ufe 2. If God be a fpirit, then- it (hews the folly of the Pa- pifts, who worfhip him by pictures and images. Being afpirit, we cannot make any image to reprefent him by ; Deut. iv. 12. * The Lord fpake to you out of the midft of the fire, ye heard the voice of the words, but law no fimilitude.,
1. God being a fpirit is imperceptible, cannot be difcerned ; how then can there be any refemblance made of him ; Ifaiah xl. IS. ' To whom then will ye liken God, or what likenefs will ye compare unto him V How can you paint the Deity ? Can we make an image of that which we never faw ? Ye faw no fimili- tude. God is a fpirit. It were a folly to go to make the picture of the foul, becaufe it is a fpiritual thing ; or to paint the angels, becaufe they are fpirits.
Obj. Are not the angels in fcripture reprefented by the che- rubims ?
Anf. There is Imago per/once et officii ; there is the image of the perfon, and the image thatreprefents the office. The che- rubims did not reprefent the perfons of the angels, but their of- fice. Thecherubims were made with wings, to Ihew the ivvift- nefs of the angels in difcharge of their office : and if we cannot picture the foul, nor the perfons of angels, becaufe they -are fpirits, much lefs can we make an image or picture of God, who is infinite and the Father of fpirits.
2. God, being a fpirit, is omniprefent ; he is prefent in all places, Jer. xxiii. 24. ■ Do not 1 fill heaven and earth? faith the Lord.' Therefore, being every where prefent, it is abfurd to worfhip him by an image : were it not a foolifh thing to bow down to the king's picture, when the king is prefent ? So to go to worfhip God's image, when God himfelf is prefent.
Q. But how then fliall we conceive of God, being a fpirit, if we may make no image or refemblance of him ?
Anf. We muft conceive of him fpiritually, viz. (1.) In his attributes : his holinels, juftice, goodnel's, which are the beams by which his divine nature (nines forth. (2.) We mult con-
GOD IS A SPIRIT. 53
re of him as he is in Chrift ; Chrift ■ is tlic image of the in- vifibleGod:' Col. i. 15. Set the eyes of your faith on Chrilt, God-man. In Chrift we fee tome fporklmgsof the divine glory ; in him there is the exact refemblance ol all his Father's eie< 1-
leucies. The wifdom, love and holinefs of God the Father fhine forth in Chrilt ; John xiv. p. ■ He that hath feeo me hath feen the Father.'
Infer, If God be a fpirit, it (hews us, that the more fpiri- tual we grow, the more we grow like to God. How do earth and fpirit agree? Phil. hi. <). Earthly ones may give for their crett, the mole or tortoife that live in ihe earth. What refem- blance is there between an earthly heart, and him who is a fpirit? The more fpiritual any one is, the more like God.
Q. What is it to be fpiritual ?
Anf, To be refined and fublimated, to have the heart (till in heaven, to be thinking of God and glory, and to be carried up in a fiery chariot of love to God ; this is to be fpiritual : Pfal. Ixxiii. 'Jj. * Whom have I in heaven but thee?' On which Beza paraphrafeth thus, J page terra , ntinam tecum in cwlo effem ! " O that I were in heaven with thee I" a Chriltian, who is taken off thefe earthly things, as the ipirits are taken off from the lees, hath a noble fpiritual foul, and doth moll retemble him who is a fpirit.
4. Infer. It (hews us what that worfhip is God requires of us, and is molt acceptable to him, viz. fuch a worfhip as is fuit- able to his nature, ' fpiritual worfhip,' John iv. 24. ■ They which worfliip him, mult worfhip him in fpirit and in truth.' Spiritual worfhip is the virgin-worthip. Though God will have the fervice of our bodies, our eyes and hands lifted up, to teliify toothers that reverence we have of God's glory and majefty, yet chiefly he will have the worfhip of the foul, 1 Cor. vi. 20. 4 Glorify God in your body and in our fpirit.* Spirit-worfhip God prizeth, becaufe it comes fb near to his own nature, who is a fpirit.
Q. What is it to worfliip God in the fpirit ?
Anf. 1. To worfhip him without ceremonies. The ceremo- nies of the law, which God himfelf ordained, arenowr abrogated, and out of date ; Chrift the fubltance being come, the fhadows fly away ; and therefore the apoftle calls the legal ceremonies carnal rites, Heb. ix. 10. and if we may not ufe thofe Jewifh ceremonies which God did once appoint, then not thofe which he did never appoint.
Anf. L. To worfhip God in fpirit, is to worfhip him, (1.) With faith in the blood of tiie Mefliah, Hebi xi. 9. And (c2.) To worfhip him with the utmoft zeal and intenfenefs of foul, Acts xxvi. 7. * Our twelve tribes iniiantlv fervingGod day and nighty' with intenfenefs of fpirit ; not only tonltuntly, but in-
56 COD IS A SPIRIT.
flantly. This is to worfhip God in the fpirit. The more fpr- ritual any fervice is, the nearer it comes to God, who is a fpirit, and the more excellent it is; the fpiritual part of the duty b the fat of the facrifice, it is the foul and quinteflence of religion. The richeft cordials are made of fpirits, and the bed duties are fuch as are of a fpiritual nature. God is a fpirit, and will be worfliipped in fpirit: it is not pomp of worfliip, but purity, which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward feve- rities ufed to the body, penance, fading, and chaftifing the body, but it confifts in the facrifice of a broken heart : thankfgiving doth not itand in church-mufic, the melody of an organ, but rather in making melody in the heart to the Lord, Eph. v. 19. Prayer is not the tuning the voice into a heartlefs confeflion, or telling over a few beads, but it confifts in fighs and groans, Rom. viii. 26. When the fire of fervency is put to the incenfe of prayer, then it afcends as a fweet odour ; that is the true holy water, not that which the Pope fprinkles, but what is dif- tilled from the limbec of a penitent eye. Spirit- worfhip beft pleafeth that God who is a fpirit, John iv. 23. ' The Father ieeketh fuch to worfhip him ;' to fhew the great acceptance of fuch, and how God is delighted with fpiritual worfliip. This is the favoury meat God loves. How few mind this ! Wor- fhipping him who is a Spirit, in the fpirit; they give him more dregs than fpirits ; they think it enough to bring their duties, but not their hearts, which hath made God difclaim thefe very fervices he himfelf appointed, Ifa. i. 12. Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Let us then give God fpirit- worfhip, this beftfuits with his nature ; a fovereign elixir full of virtue may be given in a few drops ; a little prayer, if it be with the heart and fpirit, may have much virtue and efficacy in it. The publican made but a fhort pray- er, * God be merciful to me a finner,' Luke xviii. 13. but it was full of life and fpirit ; it came from the heart, therefore it was accepted.
Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Pray to God, that as he is a fpirit, fo he will give us of his fpirit. The eifence of God is incom- municable ; but the motions, the prefence and influences of his Spirit. When the fun fhines in a room, not the body of the fun is there, but the light, heat, and influence of the fun. God hath made a promife of his Spirit, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. * I will
£ut my Spirit within you.' Turn promifes into prayers. •• O ord, thou who art a fpirit, give me of thy fpirit ; I flelh, beg thy fpirit, thy enlightning, fau6tifying, quickning fpirit. " Me- lanchon's prayer, ** Lord, inflame my foul 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 tails, then we move fvviftly towards heaven. Pray therefore,
GOD IS INFINITE. &7
that God would give us of the rclidue of his Spirit, Mai. ii. 15. that we may move more Figorouflv In the fphere of religion.
life 3. Of comfort. As God ii ■ fpirit, fo the reward that bfl Liivis is fpiritual ; that is the excellency ot it. A- thechief blelliugs lie gives us in this life are fpiritual blellings, Kph. i. not <;oid and Giver ; he gives Chrift his love ; he tills us wi;U grace : (b the main rewards he gives us after this life are fpiri- tual, * a crown of glory that fad eth not away,' 1 Pet. v. L Earthly crowns fade, hut the believer's crown, being fpiritual, is immortal, a never-fading crown. M It is impollibie (faith Julius Scaliger) for that which is fpiritural to be fubjeet to change or corruption." This may comfort a Chriftian in all his labours and (otferinga ; lie lays out himfelf for God, and hath little or oo reward here; but remember, God, who is a fpirit, will give fpiritual rewards, a fight of his face in heaven, white robes, a weight of glory. Be not then weary of God's fervice ; think of the fpiritual reward, a crown of glory which fadeth not away.
GOD IS INFINITE.
Q. WUA T kind of fpirit is God ?
Anf. He is infinite ; fo he differs from all created beings which are finite. Tho* infinite maybe applied to all God's attributes, he is infinitely merciful, infinitely wife, infinitely holy ; yet, if we take infmitenefs properly fo, it implies,
I. God's omniprefence ; the Greek word for inlinite, figni- fies ■ without bounds or limits:' God is not confined to any place, he is infinite, and fo is prefent in all places at once. His centre is every where, Divina effentia nujquam mclufa ant exclnfa, Aug. 1 Kings viii. 27. ' Behold, the heaven, and hea- ven of heavens cannot contain thee.' This the Turks have a notion of, they build their temples open on the top, to Ihew that God cannot be confined to their temples, or circumfcribed, but is in all places by his prefence. God's eifence is not limit- ed either to the regions above, or to the terreftrial globe, but his whole eilence is every where ; this is to be infinite. As philofophers fay of the foul, it is, Totain tola, ettota in qaulibet parte : the foul is in every part of the body, in the eye, heart, foot : lb we may lay of God, he is ubujne, his eflence is every Where, bis circuit is in heaven and in earth, and fea, and he is in all places of his circuit at once : ' This is to be infinite.' God, who bounds every thing elle, is himfelf without bounds ; he fe£ bounds tothefea, Hue uj'que, ■ Hitherto fhalt thou come, and no further.' He lets bounds to the angels ; they, like the
Vol. I. No. 2. H
58 GOD IS INFINITE.
cherubims, move and (land at his appointment, Ezek. x\ 16, but he is infinite, without bounds. He who can fpan the hea- vens, and weigh the earth in a pair of leaks, muft needs be in- finite, Iia. xl. 22.
Ohj. Vorjiius, That God is in all places at once , but not in regard of his effence, but, Virtute et potentia, by Jus virtue and influence ; as the body of the fun is in heaven, it only fends forth its beams and influences to the earth ; or as a king, icho is in all places of his kingdom authoritative, by his power and authority, but he is perfonally in his throne.
Anf But to anfwer ; God, who is infinite, is in all places at once, not only by his influence, but by his effence ; for, if hi& eifence fills all places, then he muft needs be there in perfon. But, Ergo, minor in, Jer. xxiii. 24. « Do not I fill heaven and earth.'
Object. But doth not Gad fay, heaven is his throne? Ifaiah lxvi. 1.
Anf. It is alfo faid, that an humble heart is his throne, Iftu lvii. 15. The humble heart is his throne, in regard of his graci- ous prefence; and yet neither of thefe thrones will hold hira, for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him.
Object. But if God be infinite in all places, then he is in places impure, and mingles icith that impurity f
Anf. Though God be in all places, in the heart of a finner by his infpection, and in hell by his juftice, yet he doth not mingle with that impurity, or receive the leaft tincture of evil. Divina natura non eft immifia rebus aut fordibus inquinota, Aug. No more than the fun fhining on a dunghill is defiled, or its beauty fpotted, or than Chrift going among finners was defiled, his Godhead was a fufficient antidote againft infection.
Reafon why God muft needs be infinite in all places at once, not only in regard of the fimplicity and purity of his nature, but in regard of his power, which being fo glorious who can fethim bounds, or prefcribe him a circuit to walk in ? It is as if the drop fhouid go to limit the ocean, or the ftar to fet the fun its bounds. Ufe 1. It condemns the Papifts, who would make more things infinite than the Godhead : They hold that Chrift' s body is in many places at once, that it is in heaven, and in the bread and wine in the facrament. Though Chrift as he is God is infinite, and in all places at once, yet as man he is not: Chrift, 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. x. 5. it is fpoken of Chrift, ■ A body thou haft prepared me.' This body cannot be in all places at once ; for then it is no more a body, but a fpirit; Chrilt's body in heaven, though it be glorified, it is not deified ;
GOD IS INFINITE. 50
it is not infinite, for lb it mult be, if it bo both in heaven, and in the bread and wine by traufubiiautiation.
If God be infinite, prelent in all places at once, tben it is cer- tain he governs all thing! in his own perlon ; h<- Heeds no proxies or deputies to help him to carry on his government. He if in all places at an inllant, and manageth all atlair.s both in the earth and heaven. A king cannot be in all places of hi> king- dom in his own perlon, therefore he i* fain to govern by deputies and vicegerents, and they often pervert juliice ; butGod, being infinite, needs no deputies, he is prelent in all places, he fees all with his own eyes, and hears all with his own ears ; he is every where in his own perlon, therefore is lit to be the judge of the world, he will do every one right.
If God be infinite by hisomniprefence, then fee the greatnefs and immentenefs of the divine Majelly ! What a great God do we ferve? I Chron. xxix. 1L. * Thine, O Lord, is the great- nefs, and the glory, and the majefty, and thou art exalted as head above all.' Well may the Icripture difplay the greatnefs of his glory, who is infinite in all places. He tranlcends our weak conceptions ; how can our finite underftanding compre- hend him who is infinite? He is infinitely above all our praifes, Neh. ix. b. * Bleifed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above ail blefling and praife.' O what a poor nothing is man, when we think of God's inlinitenefs! As the (tars difappear at the riling of the fun, O how doth man (hrink into nothing, when infinite Majefty Ihines forth in his glory ! Ifa. xl. 13. * The nations are as a drop of the bucket, or the imall dull of the balance V O what a little of that drop are we ! The heathens thought they had fulficiently praifed Jupiter, when they called him Great Jupiter. Of what immenfe majefty is God, who fills all places at once ! His excellent greatnels, Plal. cl. 2. If God be infinite, filling heaven and earth, fee what a full portion the faints have ; they have him for their portion, who is infinite. His tulnefs is an infinite fulnefs ; and he is infinitely fweet, as well as infinitely full : if a conduit be filled with wine, here is a fweet fulnefs, but ilill it is finite ; but God is a fweet fulnefs, and it is an infinite. He is infinitely full of beauty, of love; his riches are called uniearchable, Eph. iii. S. becaufe they are infinite. Stretch your thoughts as much as you can, there is that in God exceeds; it is an infinite fulnefs. He is laid to do abundantly for us, above all that we can all:, Eph. iii. ^0. What can an ambitious* fpiritaik ? He can a<k crowns and king- doms, millions of worlds ; but God can give more than we can afk, becaufe he is infinite, nay, or think : we can think, what if all the duft were turned to iiiver, if every flower were a ruby, every land in the lea a diamond : yet God can give more than we can think, becaufe he is infinite! O how rich are they who
H2
00 «0D IS INFINITE.
have the infinite God for their portion ! Well might David fay, • The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallen unto me in pleafant places, and I have a goodly heritage,' Pfal. xvi. 5, 6. We may go with the bee from flower to flower, but we (hall never have full fatisfacYion till we come to the in- finite God. Jacob (aid, ' I have enough ;' in the Hebrew, " I have all," Gen. xxxiii. II. becaule he had the infinite God for his portion. God being an infinite fulnefs, there is no fear of want for any of the heirs of heaven ; though there be millions of faints and angels, which have a (hare in God's riches, yet he hath enough for them all, becaufe he is infinite. Though a thoufand men behold the fun, there is light enough in the fun for them all : put never (b many buckets into the fea, ihere is water enough in the fea to fill them. Though an innumerable company of faints and angels are to be filled out of God's ful- nefs, yet God, being infinite, he hath abundantly enough to fatisfy them. God hath land enough to give to all his heirs, there can be no want in that which is infinite.
If God be infinite, he fills all places, is every where prefent ; this is fad to the wicked, God is their enemy, and they cannot efcape him, nor flee from him, for he is every where prefent : they are never out of his eye, nor out of his reach, Pfal. xxi. 8. ' Thy hand (hall find out all thy enemies.' What caves or thickets can men hide in, that God cannot find them : go where they will, he is prefent, Pfal. cxxxix. 7- ' Whither (hall I flee from thy prefence?' If a man owes a debt to another, he may make (bme efcape, and flee into another land, where the creditor cannot Find him. ' But whither (hall I flee from thy prefence ?' God is infinite, he is in all places ; fo that he will find out his enemies and punifh them.
Object. But is it not faid, Cain went out from the prefence of the Lord? Gen. iv. 16.
Anf. The meaning is, he went out from the church of God, where were the vifible figns of God's prefence, and where God did in a fpecial manner, manifeft his fweet prefence to his peo- ple : but Cain could not go out of God's fight ; for God being infinite, is every where prefent. Sinners can neither go from an accufingconfcience, nor a revenging God.
If God be every where prefent, then for a Chriflian to walk with God is not impofiible. God is not only in heaven, but he is in earth too, Ifa. lvi. 1. Heaven is his throne, there he fits ; the earth is his footftool, there he ftands. He is every where prefent, therefore we may come to walk with God : ' Enoch walked with God,' Gen. v. 21. If God was confined to hea- v<n, a trembling foul might think, How can I converle wi h God, how can L walk with him who lives in exceljts, above the upper region ? but God is not confined to heaven, he is omni-
GOD Is INFINITE. 61
prefent ; he fa above us, yet he M about us, le is near to us, Acts xvii. 27. ' Though lie be not for From the alfeinbly of the faints. He frauds ill the i utien ol the mighty,' Pt*k
Iwii. I. He is prefent with us, God is in every one ot' n that here on earth we may walk with God. In heaven the faints rell with him, on earth they walk with him. To with God, is to walk by faith ; we are laid to draw wkw/k to God, Heb. x. W. ami to lee bun, lie!), xi. 27. * A.I u bun who is invilible ;' and to have feilowlhip with him, I Inf. i. 3. * Our feilowlhip is with the Father*' Thus we may take a turn with him every day by taith : (It is a flighting ot God not to walk with him : if a king be in pretence, it is a flighting1 him, to negled him, and walk with the page) there is no walk in the world lb tweet as to walk with God : Plahii Ixxxix. \b. * They tball walk in the light of thy countenance,' PdJ. cxwviii. 5. * Yea, they tball ting in the ways of the Lord;* it is like walking among beds of fpices, which lend forth a fragrant perfume.
Lie 2. If God be infinite in his glorious etfence, learn toad- mire, where you cannot fathom. The angels wear a vuil, they cover their faces, if adoring this intinite majeliy, I fa. vi. 3. Eli is wrapped bimtelf in a mantle when God's glory patfed by. Admire where you cannot fathom, Job xi. 7. ' Canft thou by leurching find out God ? Here we fee fome beams of his glory, we fee him in the glafs of the creation ; we fee him in his picture, his image thines in the taints; who can but fearch out all his elfential glory? What angel can meafure thele pyramidb? 1 Cantt thou by fearching tiud out God ?' he is infiuite. We can no more fearch out his intinite perfections, than a man upon the top of the higheft mountain can reach the firmament, or take a liar in his hand. O have God-admiring thoughts! Adore where you cannot fathom : there are many myfteries in nature which we cannot fathom ; why the fea (liould be higher than the earth, yet not drown it ; why Nilus (houid overflow in fummer, when, by the courte of nature, the waters are loweft ; how the bones grow in the womb ; Bock. xi. 5. If thele things oppole us, how may the infinite myfteryof the Deity tranfeend our molt railed intellectuals: Aik the geometrician, if he can, with a pair of ccmpalfes, meafure the breadth of the earth. So unable are we to meafure the infinite perfections of God. In heaven we fhall lee God clearly, but not fully, for he is intinite: he will communicate himfelf to us, according to the biguels of our vellel, but not the immenfenefs of his nature. Adore then where you cannot fathom.
If God be infinite in all places, then let us not go to limit God, Plkl. lxxxviii. 41. ' They limited the holy One of Ifrael.' It is a limiting God to confine him within the narrow com pals
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62 OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
of our reafon. Reafon thinks God muft go fuch a way to work, or the bufinefs will never be effected. This is to limit God to our reafon : whereas he is infinite, and his ways are pati finding out, Rom. xi. 33. In the deliverance of the church, it is a limiting God, either to fet him a time, or prefcribehima method for deliverance. God will deliver Zion, but he will be left to his own liberty ; he will not be tied to a place, to a time, to an inftrument : this were to limit him, and then he fhould not be infinite. God will go his own way, he will pole and nonplus reafon, he will work by improbabilities, he will lave in fuch a way, as we think he will defiroy ; now he acts like himfelf, like an infinite wonder-working God.
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
* For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed,' 1 Sam. ii. 3. Glorious things are fpoken of God ; he tranlcends our thoughts, and the angels praites. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the ieveral beams by which the divine nature fhines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the haft, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, • A God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own elience, he hath a full idea and cognifance of all things ; the world is to him a tranfparent body. He makes an heart-anatomy ; Rev. ii. 25. ' I am he which fearcheth the reins and the heart.' The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to draw be- tween usand his fight, Pfal. cxxxix. 12. ' The darkneis hideth not from thee.' There is not a word we whifper, but God hears it, Pfal. cxxxix. 4. ' There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knoweft it altogether.' There is not the moft fubtil thought comes into our mind, but God perceives it, lfa. Ixv. 8. * I know their thoughts.' Thoughts fpeak as loud in God's ears, as words do in ours. All our actions, though never lb fubtilly contrived, and fecretly conveyed, are vifible to the eye of omnifciency, lfa. lxvi. 18. ' I know their works.' Achan hid the Babylonifh garment in the earth, but God brought it to light, Jo(h. vii. 21. Minerva was drawn in fuch curious colours, and fo lively penciled, that which way foever one turn- ed, Minerva's eyes were upon him ; fo, which way foever we turn ourfelves, ftill God's eye is upon us, Jobxxvii. 16'. ■ Dolt 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 III ael's coming out of Babylon, and the virgin's conceiving. By this
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 63
the Lord proves the truth of his Godhead sgaaofl idol-gods, I fa. xli. iJJ. 4 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods.' The perfection of God's knowled is primary. He is the original, the pattern and prototype I all knowledge; others borrow their knowledge of him; the angels light their lamps at this glorious fun. (9. ) God's know- ledge is pure. It is not contaminated with the object Dnmia natura man cji immij'ta rebus ant Jbrdibui mqumata, Auguit. Though God knowns fin, yet it is to hate and pumlli it. No evil can mix or incorporate with his knowledge, no more than the fun can he defiled with the vapours which arife from ihe earth. (3.) God's knowledge is facile; it is without any dif- ficulty. We ftudy and fearch for knowledge, Prov. ii. 4. * If thou feekelt for her as for diver.' But the lamp of God's knowledge is fo infinitely bright, that all things are intelligible to him.
(4.) God's knowledge is infallible ; there is no miftake in his knowledge. Human knowledge is fubject to error and mifpri- fion. A phyfician may miftake the caufe of a difeafe : but God's knowledge is unerring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived ; he cannot deceive, becaufe he is truth ; nor be de- ceived, becaufe he is wifdom. (&•) God's knowledge isinltan- taneous. Our knowledge is fuccefiive, one thing after another. We argue from the effect to the caufe. God knows things pall, prefent, and to come, una untuitu, at once, they are all before him in one entire profpect.
(I.) God's knowledge is retentive ; he never lofeth any of his knowledge ; he hath remintjbentia, as well as intelligentia ; he remembers as well as underftands. Many things elapfe out