CHAP. I. The Preface and meaning of the Text.

IT is certain, that our hap­piness in the other World will consist in part in our perfect knowledge of the blessed and boundlesse God: When we shall know him as we are known of him, we shall be blessed as he is blessed; and when we shall see him as he is, we shall be like him in purity and feli­city; we shall be fully satisfied with his likeness and his love. Rich must be the de­light [Page 2] which the most large and noble facul­ty of man his understanding shall receive, in its intimate acquaintance with, and clear & full apprehension of the highest Truth. And it is as certain, that our holiness in this World doth not a little depend upon our knowledge of him, whose Name alone is excellent. None wander from him, pre­fer the Flesh and World before him, and in their whole lives walk contrary to him; but from their ignorance of him. They are estranged from the life of God (i. e. a spiritual heavenly conversation) through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their Hearts. Eph. 4.18. Dark corners of an House are filled with Dust, dark Cellars with Vermine, and dark Hearts with cursed Lusts: None are enlarged in desires after God, or ravished with de­light in God, or can cast their Souls and all their Concerns on God; but those that are acquainted with him. They who know his beauty and bounty, cannot but love him, and they who know his power and faithfulness, cannot but trust him: They who know thy Name, will put their trust in thee, Psal. 9.10. Whence comes it to pass, that Believers can trample on the [Page 3] Riches and Treasures, and Wealth of this beggarly World, that they can lay their white and yellow Earth, their Silver and Gold at the Apostles Feet, that they can suffer the spoiling of their Goods (not onely patiently, but) joyfully; Heb. 10.34. but from the knowledge of him who is true riches, Luke 16.11. Substance, Prov. 8.21. an enduring Substance, Job 10.34. A bot­tomless Mine of unsearchable Riches, Eph. 3.8. Whence is it that they can refuse to be called the Sons of Kings Daughters, that they can contemn Honours and Prefer­ments, spurn Crowns and Scepters under their Feet, but from the knowledge of him who is their Crown of Glory, their Diadem of Renown, and the praise of all his Saints, Heb. 11.24, 25. That which to the sensual Worldling is so glorious, hath no glory in the Believers Eye, by reason of the Lord of Glory, who doth so infinitely excel. Whence is it, that they can hate Father, Mother, Wife, Child, Liberty; yea, Life it self, and leave all at the Call and Command of their Maker, but from the knowledge of him who is (as Elkanah said to Hannah) better to them then ten Sons, then all Relations, then the whole [Page 4] Creation. Those Stars vanish and disap­pear, when once this Sun of Righteousness ariseth: How quickly, how quietly, with­out any hesistancy or reluctancy, will Abraham leave his Country and Kindred, and Fathers House, when once the God of Glory appeareth to him, Acts 9.2, 3, 4. In a word, whence is it, that they escape the pollutions of the World (in which others are mired, drown'd and destroyed,) but through the knowledge of God. 2 Pet. 2.20. Well may our Lord Jesus say, It is life eter­nal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. To know God affectionately, as our chiefest good, so as to give him our superlative esteem, and inten­sest love, is spiritual life here, in the habit or principle, as also in the act and exercise of it; and it is the beginning seed, preparation & way of our eternal life hereafter. But who can know that being which infinitely passeth all knowledge: He that would know God fully, must be God himself; and he who would tell you what God is in any measure answerable to his excellency, had need to know him as he is known of him. And sup­posing I were able to speak of the perfecti­on of God, as one that, like the great Apo­stle, [Page 5] had been caught up into the third Hea­vens: I question whether, if I had a Tongue to speak of him after that manner, ye had Ears to hear of him, or Hearts to under­stand what I should speak. But though I am not able to speak, nor you to hear of God, according to his perfection, yet through the assistance of the Holy Ghost so much may be spoken and heard of him, as may tend to our present Sanctification and future Salvation. Though we cannot see him as he is, yet we may see him as he is not; though the height of his being be above the reach of our Understandings, we may get some-what nearer to him (and indeed we have no other way while we are here then) by climbing upon the shoulders of all created excellencies, and there pro­claiming, That none in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord, that none among the Sons of the Mighty is like unto the Lord.

In the words, the Psalmist compareth God with, and prefereth God before the highest, the greatest in Heaven and Earth.

In the words we have a Comparison and a Praelation.

1. A Comparison, and this is between God and those that are most excellent in [Page 6] Heaven, and the mightiest on Earth.

2. A Praelation, or preferring God be­fore whatsoever is excellent in Heaven or Earth: The Interrogation is a strong ne­gation, as is frequent in Scripture, Prov. 20.9. Who can say I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin; i. e. None can say I have made my Heart clean, or am pure from my Sin. So Exod. 15.11. Who is like to thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in Holiness, fearful in Praises, doing Wonders; that is, None is like Thee among the gods, none is so glorious in Holiness, so fearful in Praises, such a wonder-working God as thou art. Thus the Psalmist understandeth the Text, For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord? Who among the Sons of the Migh­ty can be likened to the Lord; i. e. None in the Heavens, none among the Sons of the Mighty on Earth is comparable to Jeho­vah.

The inter­pretation of the words.I shall first give you the meaning of the words, and then lay down the Doctrine, which will be the foundation of my Dis­course on the Subject.

For this causal Particle gives the reason why Saints and Angels should joyn toge­ther [Page 7] in the praise of God. The Heavens shall praise thy Wonders, O Lord, Verse 5. thy faith­fulness also in the Congregation of the Saints: For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord. By the Heavens Calvin under­standeth the holy Angels, who rejoyce in the Churches welfare, and bless God for preserving his People, and performing his Promises to them; and 'tis apparent by the Apostle, that Angels are present in the Congregation of the Saints, 1 Cor. 11.11. And so this Text addeth another Ground for their admiration of the great God, viz. his incomparable excellency. His high and matchless Perfections, call for high and matchless Praises. Others take the Text as a ground for the confirmation of the Psalmists Faith in the Covenant God had made with him, mentioned Verse 3, 4. namely, God's Superiority over Angels in Heaven, and Men on Earth; therefore they cannot hinder him in the accomplish­ment of his Word, being infinitely inferior to him.

Who in the Heavens? Who in the Skie? Ainsworth reads it. In the Clouds (in Nubi­bus aequabitur), is to be equal'd (saith Cal­vin) to Jehovah, Quis enim in superiore [Page 8] nube par aestimetur Jehova. Who in the higher Clouds is equal to Jehovah, so Tre­mell. reads it.

Who in the Heavens? i. e. say some, in the Starry-Heavens, among the Coelestial Bo­dies, Sun, Moon or Stars; which were ado­red as gods, not onely by the Persians, but also by some Idolatrous Jews, because of their brightness and beauty, their lustre and glory. Which of all those famous Lamps, and heavenly Luminaries, is to be compared to the Father of Lights, and Sun of Righteousness? They may glister like Glowormes in the Night of Paganisme, among them who are covered with the Mantle of Darkness; but when this Sun ariseth, and day appeareth, they all vanish and disappear.

Who in the Heavens? i. e. say others, in the Heaven of Heavens, the highest, the third Heavens, among the Coelestial Spi­rits, Cherubims and Seraphims, Angels and Arch-Angels, Principalities and Powers, Thrones and Dominions? Who among the innumerable company of Angels? who among those pure, those perfect Spirits (who are the ancientest, the honourablest House of the Creation) is to be compared to the Father of Spirits?

Though Angels are glorious Creatures considered simply, and in themselves, in respect of their Power, Wisdome, Purity and Beauty; yet if they be considered comparatively with the blessed God, I may say of them as the Apostle doth of the Jewish Worship (which was glorious, by reason of its Divine Institution,) in com­parison with the Christian Worship, 2 Cor. 3.10.) Even that which was glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reason of the Glory that excelleth.

Is to be compared to Jehovah? Is to be likened to Jehovah? Is to be equal'd to Jehovah? Is to be put in the Scales, and worthy to be weighed with Jehovah, that Being of Beings, that God of Gods.

To Jehovah? This name Jehovah is the chief and most proper name of God: It is derived from Haiah fuit, and signifieth that Being which was, is, and is to come; which is alwayes the same, and the cause of all other Beings, Rev. 1.4, 6. Psal. 102.28. Acts 17.28. and which gives a being to his Word and Promises. In Heaven there is among glorious Angels no such Being.

Who amongst the Sons of the Mighty? Inter filios fortium. Who among the Sons of the strong, Jun. reads it. Among the Sons of the Gods, saith Calvin, so the Seventy read it, and understand (with the Chaldee Paraphrase) Angels, who are called Sons of God, Job 1.6. and Job. 38.7. But we having understood Angels, the best and highest in Heaven, by the first interroga­tion, Who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord? It may be most convenient to understand in this place, by Sons of the Mighty, the best and highest on Earth, the greatest and most gracious Princes and Po­tentates, who are higher by head and shoulders then others. These are called Gods, and Sons of the most High, or Almigh­ty, Psal. 82.6. And hereby the Prophet challengeth both Worlds, Heaven and Earth, to bring forth any that may equal or compare with Jehovah.

Can be likened to the Lord? Is such a Being as he is, can speak or act as he doth, is in any respect worthy to be named with him.

CHAP. II. God is incomparable; 1. In his Being.

THe Doctrine which I shall raise out of the words, is this, That God is in­comparable; Or, there is none among the highest, the holiest, in Heaven or Earth like unto Jehovah. Take the greatest, the most excellent of Beings in this or the other World, yet they come infinitely short of this Being of Beings? Psal. 86.8. Among the gods, there is none like unto thee, O Lord; Mark, the Psalmist doth not choose a weak Adversary for God to con­tend with and conquer, but the strongest. He doth not compare God with the mean­est and lowest, but even with the highest, and prefers God before them. Among the gods, there is none like unto thee, O Lord.

1. Among those that are Gods by un­just usurpation, as evil Angels are, who are called The Princes of the Powers of the Air, Eph. 2.2. And the gods of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. Or, as Antichrist, who exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; So that he as God sitteth in the [Page 12] Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God, 2 Thess. 2.4. Among these, there is none like unto thee, O Lord. These un­clean Beasts are unworthy to be mentio­ned with the High, the holy God.

2. Among those that are gods by mens erroneous Perswasions and Opinions, as Idols, and those Deities which the Heathen worship; There is none like to thee, O Lord. Their Idols are Silver and Gold, the Work of mens hands: They have Mouths, but they speak not, Eyes have they, but they see not. They have Ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not: They have Hands, but they handle not; Feet have they, but they walk not, neither speak they through their Throat, Psal. 115.4, 5, 6, 7. Idols are the work of the Creatures, and their Makers are infinitely below the Crea­tor; therefore they themselves are much more. We know that an Idol is nothing in the World, and that there is none other God but one, 1 Cor. 8.4. Though an Idol be somewhat materially, yet it's nothing for­mally, as to the intent or purpose for which it is worshipped.

[Page 13]3.Minuisti illum pau­lulum à deo. Cal­vin. Among those that are gods by Divine Ordination, as Angels, Psal. 8.5. Magi­strates, Psal. 82.66. (who have the Image of a Deity stamped on them, in their Au­thority and Dominion over others,) none is to be compared to Jehovah. These are gods by derivation, by deputation; as sub­ordinate Magistrates are commissionated by the Supreme, and have a Beam of his Power communicated to them, but still remain weak Creatures, limited by his Precepts, and liable to his Judgment. So Angels and Kings have some impressions of a Deity on them; but their Power is derivative from God, and limited by his will; yea, their Essence is from him, their Subsistence is by him, and their Depen­dance is every moment upon him. Hence he is called the most high, Psal. 92.1. O thou most high. Kings and Princes are high, Angels and Arch-angels are higher; but Jehovah onely is the most high, Eccles. 5.8. He that is higher then the highest consi­dereth.

For the explication of this Doctrine, the truth of it will be evident, if we con­sider the true God, and compare him with the highest, and most excellent in Heaven and Earth.

• [Page 14]1. In his Being.
• 2. In his Attributes.
• 3. In his Works.
• 4. In his Word.

1. God is incomparable in his Being: God hath not onely a Being, but an ex­cellency in his Being; therefore he is cal­led, His Excellency: Should not his Excellency make you afraid, Job 13.11. And he is said alone to be Excellent, Thy Name alone is Excellent, Psal. 148.13.

By Name, is meant sometimes any thing whereby God makes himself known, Exod. 20.7. But here the Being of God, or God himself, as Prov. 18.10. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower; i. e. God himself is a strong Tower, Psal. 76.1. His Name is great in Israel; i. e. The Being of the great God is magnified in his Church, or among his Chosen. Now his Being alone is ex­cellent, because there is no such Being as his: There is no Being excellent besides his, because there is no Being excellent like his. He is excellent in all, above all, and beyond all.

His Being is such a Being, that he alone is, and all besides are non entities, and no Beings in comparison of him. His Name [Page 15] speaks the incomparable nature of his Be­ing. And God said unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I am hath sent thee. I am, I a Being that really is, beside whom there is none hath sent thee: What Prince, what Potentate can say I am? What Angel, what Arch-Angel can say I am? No, this is the proper name of Jehovah.

Therefore when he promiseth himself to be the Reward of his People, he doth promise himself under the Notion of Es­sence, Being, Substance, in opposition to all others which are but Shadows and No­things to him; Prov. 2.7. He layeth up sound Wisdom (Hebr. essentiam Essence) for the Righteous: Prov. 8.21. I will cause them that love me, to inherit Substance. Junius reads it, Ʋt posside aut id quod est, I will cause them that love me to possess that which is. God is, and all other Be­ings are not in comparison of him, Dan. 4.35. All the Inhabitants of the Earth are re­puted as Nothing. God is, and all others are Nothing; yea, if it were possible to apprehend it, less then Nothing. It's a no­table expression of the Holy Ghost, to set forth the excellency of Gods Being; and the pitifulness, meanness, and nothingness of [Page 16] all other Beings, Isa. 40.15, 16, 17. Be­hold! (a note of Attention and Admiration) the Nations (the Chaldeans that are our Lords and Masters, or all Nations of the World, be they never so high, great, strong, or glorious) are as the drop of a Bucket, (which falleth from the Bucket, or hangeth on it, when the water is powred out, yet diminisheth not the measure) and the small dust of the Ballance, (which cleaveth to the Scales, when the Spice is put out, yet alter­eth not the weight, it is so little). Behold! (wonder, be amazed at it,) he taketh up the Isles (the great, large, vast Islands of the World) as a very little thing, (as poor small inconsiderable things:) All Nations before him are as nothing. (Not onely the great Islands, but also the Continents, with the several innumerable Creatures in them, are not onely little to this God, but as nothing, as no Being to his Being,) and they are counted to him less then Nothing and Vanity; (Put them in the Scales with God, and they are not only leight, and without any weight, Nothing at all; but if Men were capable of concieving any thing less then nothing, such were all the World to God.) Though the World be absolutely some­what, [Page 17] yea very great; yet comparatively to God, it's nothing, less then Nothing and Vanity.

CHAP. III. The incomparableness of God in his Being. It is from its self, for its self, and wholly in­dependent.

THe incomparableness of the Divine Being, will appear in several particu­lars.

1. His Being is from himself; No Being in the World, beside his, is its own Cause or Original: Angels, Men, the highest, yea the lowest Creatures, are derivative Be­ings: They have what they are from ano­ther, even from God; They are drops that flow from the Ocean of all Beings; they are Rays, derived from the Sun, the Foun­tain of Light and Entity. The Apostle tells us, That Men are beholden to God for their Beings, Acts 17.28. In him we have our Beings. They were nothing till he spake them into something: He form­ed and fashioned their Bodies, Psal. 139. [Page 18] 13, 14, 15. He created and infused their Souls; He put that Heaven-born Inhabi­tant into the House of Clay, Gen. 2.7. Job 10.11, 12. The whole visible World is his Workmanship, Acts 17.24. God that made the World, and all things therein; The invisible World are also the effects of his powerful word: Angels as well as Men may thank him for what they are. The greatest Angel is as much bound to him for his Being, as the smallest Atome, Coloss. 1.16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible; whether they be Thrones or Do­minions, or Principalities, or Powers. But God is beholden to none for his Being: He was when none else was, even from eter­nity, Psal. 90.1. Therefore none could contribute the least to his Being: I am Je­hovah, and there is none else besides me, Isa. 45.5, 6. I am he that giveth a being to himself, that am what I am from my self, and of my self; and there is no such Being beside me.

2. God is Being, that is, for himself; as he is his own first Cause, so he is his own last end; as he is wholly from himself, so he is wholly for himself. All other Beings are not for themselves, but for another. [Page 19] All things were created by him and for him, Coloss. 1.16. Since all are from God, it is but reason that all should be for God: The Rivers that run from the Sea, return to the Sea again, owning and acknowledging their Original, Eccles. 1.7. Good Men are for God. None of us liveth to himself, or dyeth to himself; but whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord; and whether we live or dye, we are the Lords, Rom. 14.7. Good Angels are for God, for his glory, Isa. 6.3. Evil Men, evil Angels are for God, though not in their in­tentions and purposes, yet in his intention, and by his wise powerful Government of them, and their practices; Prov. 16.4. The Lord made all things for himself, even the Wicked for the day of Slaughter. Good Be­ings are for him intentionally, and evil Be­ings are for him eventually. Nay, all Be­ings are for him: Of him, and through him, and for him are all things, Rom. 11.36. But God is altogether for himself, as his highest end, and not for any others. He is his own end, as well as his own beginning; who never had a beginning, nor shall ever have an end, Revel. 1.8. As all God doth is for himself, Revel. 4.11. Thou hast crea­ted [Page 20] all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. So all God is is for him­self: He is infinite, wise, almighty, ever­lasting, unchangeable, holy, righteous, faithful Being, is for himself. It is the pro­phaneness of some Men to be somewhat for God; more for the World, and most of all for their carnal selves: But it is the per­fection of God, to be somewhat for the World in general; more for his Elect in special, and most of all for Himself; Nay, in all that he is for the World, or his Elect; he is still most for himself. It is the excel­lency and purity of Saints and Angels to be what they are, and to do what they do for God, to make him who is the efficient, the final Cause of their Beings and Actions. But 'tis the excellency and purity of God, to be what he is, and to do what he doth for himself: He who is his own happiness, must be his own end.

3. His Being is an independent Being: He is by himself, as well as from and for himself; None ever in Heaven or Earth contributed the least towards the maintenance or conti­nuance of his Being; Neither the Crea­tures goodness, nor their Goods do him the least good. Not their goodness; Men [Page 21] may be advantaged by the goodness of Men, but God cannot: My goodness extend­eth not to thee, but to the Saints that are on Earth, Psal. 16.3. Not their Goods, He is the Lord Proprietor of the whole world, and if he wanted any thing, he would not ask the leave of any; for all is his own, but he is above all want: If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the World is mine, and the fulness thereof, Psal. 50.12. i. e. I declare to the World, That I am uncapable of the least want; or if I needed a Meals-Meat, I would scorn to go to the Creatures Door to beg it: I could supply my self out of my own Store, if there were need, but there is no need at all. He challengeth all the World, to produce any Being that e­ver obliged or ingaged him in the least: Who hath prevented me, that I may repay him, Job 41.11. Where is the Man, where is the Angel, where is the Creature that can say, He ever did me the least kindness, that hath been before-hand with me in courte­sie, to whom I am the least in debt for my subsistance? I am here ready to make him amends: Who hath prevented me, that I may repay him?

But all other Beings are dependent, the highest, the strongest of them are not able to bear their own weight; but like the Hop or Ivy, must have somewhat to lean upon: By him all things subsist, Coloss. 1.17. He preserveth them in their Beings, and in their Motions; In him we live and move, and have our Beings, Acts 17.28. As the Beams depend on the Sun, and the Streams on the Fountain; so do the Crea­tures for their beings and actions depend on God. He upholdeth all things (as the Foundation the Building) by the word of his Power, Hebr. 1.3. He is the Atlas, that bears up the whole World, without whom it would fall to nothing. Thou preservest Man and Beast, Psal. 36.6. Dependentia est de essentia Creaturae.

God is to the World, as the Soul to the Body; He animates and actuates every thing in it, and enableth his several Crea­tures to all their motions. Men are apt to think that Fire can burn of it self, it being so natural to the Fire to burn; yet if God do but suspend his influence (actum secun­dum, as they speak) a Furnace heated se­ven times hotter then usual, burns no more then Water, Dan. 3.27. We are ready [Page 23] to conceive, that it's easie for a Man to see, when the Organ is rightly disposed; there is a fit medium, and a due distance of the Organ from the Object: But yet if God deny his concurrence, though there are these three Requisites to sight, a man can see no more then if he were stark blind, Gen. 19.11. 2 Kings 6.18.

Angels themselves must have their Ma­ker for their mover; or as active Spirits as they are, they must stand still.

CHAP. IV. God incomparable in his Being, as he is ab­solutely perfect, universal, unchange­able.

HE is an absolutely perfect Being: There is a two-fold perfection competible to Beings; Some are perfect in their kind, that is, have all things requisite to that Species of which they are. So we say the World is perfect, because it hath all things needful to a World. A man is a perfect man, that hath a body with all its parts and members, and a Soul with all its powers [Page 24] and faculties: But secondly, A Being is absolutely perfect, when nothing can be added to it, or taken from it, when it is uncapable of the least Accession or Dimi­nution. Now such a Being is God, and none but God. As the Sun gets nothing by the shining of the Moon and the Stars, neither loseth any thing by their Eclipses, or withdrawing. So the self sufficient God gains nothing by all the Suits and Services, Prayers and Praises of his Crea­tures; neither looseth any thing by their neglect of their Duties. He is above the influence of all our performances; our ho­liness addeth not the least to his Happiness. Can a Man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righ­teous? or is it gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect? Job 22.2, 3. He is be­yond the malice of Sin: As Holiness doth not help him, so the Sin of his Creatures doth not hurt him. All those Darts of Sin which the Wicked shoot up against Heaven, fall short, and fall down upon their own Heads. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him? or if thy Transgressions be multiplyed, what dost thou unto him? [Page 25] If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy Wicked­ness may hurt a Man, as thou art, and thy Righ­teousness may profit the Sons of Men, Job 35.6. 7, 8. Flesh and Blood may be injured and pierced by the Weapons of unrighteous­ness; but not the Rock of Ages, that is impe­netrable. They who are of the same make and mold with our selves, may be advanta­ged by our Blessings and Praises, but not he who is above all Blessing and Praises.

What doth the great Light of the World get by the Persians admiration and adoration of it. What is a Fountain the better, if Men drink of its water, and commend it; or the worse, if Men pass by, and despise it. What would God get, if he should make millions of Worlds to land and magnifie him; or what would God loose, if there were no World, no Crea­ture at all? Who hath given to him, and it shall be recompenced again? Rom. 11, 35. He hath given to all what-ever they are, or have; but none ever gave to him. They who give to him their Love, and Fear, and Trust, and Names, and Estates, give nothing to him. We can give no­thing to him, to whom we owe all: Be­sides, [Page 26] all we have, and are, and do, and suffer for him, addeth nothing to him. His declarative glory may, but his essential glory, or glorious essence admits not in the least of any increase or decrease. But no other Being is absolutely perfect; Men are exceeding imperfect, since their Falls: They are so far from being above all addi­tions, that they stand in continual need of Additions. They need the Air to breath in, the Earth to bear them, Food to strengthen them, Rayment to cover them, Fire to warm them, Sleep to refresh them; They want Righteousness to justifie them, the Holy Ghost to sanctifie them, Love to comfort them, and Mercy to save them. Man is an heap of Infirmities, an Hospital of Diseases, and a bundle of Imperfecti­ons: He is so far from being absolutely perfect, that (in a moral consideration) since his Apostacy, he is not perfect in his kind. And though Angels are more per­fect then Men, yet they are imperfect to God: Angels, 'tis true, are perfect in their kind, but not perfect in all kinds; some­thing may be added to them, something may be taken from them. The highest Angel may be higher, and the holiest An­gel [Page 27] may be holier, and the best of them may be better. Though the Stars differ from each other in brightness and glory, yet none of them is a Sun: Though Angels differ from Men, and each from others in honour and excellency; yet none of them is a god, none of them is absolutely per­fect.

5. God is an universal Being, he hath all good eminently and virtually in himself: Whatsoever excellencies are scattered and dispersed among the Creatures in Heaven or in Earth, they are all united in, and centered after an infinite manner in the Creator. It's a true Rule in Phylosophy, Quod efficit tale est magis tale; Whatsoever good is in the effect, is more abundantly in the cause: Now God being the princi­ple and cause of all the good and excellen­cy that is in every Creature, it must of ne­cessity be more abundantly in him. As some Potions have the quintessence of ma­ny Herbs, many Drugs in them; so God hath the quintessence of all Creatures, and infinitely more in him.

For this cause he is called by, and com­pared to whatsoever is good and answer­able, either to necessity, conveniency or [Page 28] delight. Sometimes to that good which is necessary, as to life, John 1.4. To the Fountain of life, Psal. 36.9. To Light, John 1.9. To the Father of Lights, James 1.17. To Food, as to Bread; yea, living Bread, John 6.51. To water, yea living water, John 4.10. To Rest, Return to thy Rest, O my Soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Psal. 116.7. He is the onely Ark, wherein alone the Dove wearied about the waters of this World, can find rest: Sometimes he is compared to that good which is convenient, as to an Habitation, Psal. 90.9, 10. O Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place from all Genera­tions. To Health, Psal. 42. ult. To Peace, 2 Cor. 13.11. To Protection or Defence, as a Shield, which defends the Body from the shot or thrusts of men, Gen. 15.1. To a Wall of Fire, which defends the Traveller from the fury of Beasts, Zechar. 2.5. To a Refuge, which secures the Army, when 'tis foy'ld by the Enemy, Psal. 57.1. To a Rock, a Fortress, an high Tower, Psal. 18.2. Sometimes he is compared to that good which is delightful. As to Riches, Job 22.24, 25. To unsearchable Riches, Eph. 3.8. Durable Riches, Prov. 8.18. To Honour [Page 29] and Glory, as a Royal Diadem: He is cal­led a glorious Lord, Isa. 33.21. Said to be the Glory in the midst of his People, Zach. 2.5. To joy and pleasure, Psal. 43.4. To Relations, he is a Father, 2 Cor. 6.18. An Husband, Hos. 2.19. To a Feast of fat things, of Marrow and Fatness, of Wine, of Wine on the Lees well refined, Isa. 25.6, Which are the delight of the Pal­lat. To Beauty, which is the delight of the Eyes, Cantic. 5.10. & ult. To sweet Smells, which are the delight of the No­strils, Cantic. 4.10. Cantic. 1.3. To the most harmonious Musick, which is the de­light of the Ears: His mouth is most sweet, or sweetnesses, Cantic. 5.16. My Soul failed when he spake, so ravishing was his Voyce, Cantic. 5.6. To Truth, which is the de­light of the Understanding, Psal. 31.5. John 14.6. To Good, which is the delight of the Will, Math. 19.17. Thus God is not one good, but all good: The truth is, all the good, all the excellencies that are in Men or Angels, are not worthy to be a shadow, or foyl to set off those excellencies that are in God. All good is in one God, Mark 10.29, 30. But Creatures are but par­ticular Beings: Man is but a particular Be­ing, [Page 30] a low limited Being. What is Man, that is a Worm; or the Son of Man that is a Worm, Job 25.6. There is some good in one man, and some good in another man; but not all good in any man, no, not in all men. Angels are but particular Beings, little Beings: One Angel is one drop, ano­ther Angel another drop, a third Angel a third drop; every one is but a drop: None of them is an Ocean, as God is, which con­taineth all those drops, and infinitely more.

6. God is an unchangeable Being, not on­ly without, but uncapable of the least al­teration. He is the same Yesterday, to Day, and for Ever, Heb. 13.8. He is what he was, and what he will be eternally. He is the same since the World was made, that he was before the World, and that he will be when this World shall be no more: With him is not the least variation, or shadow of turning, James 1.17. No [...], or variableness: It is an Astronomi­cal word, taken from the heavenly Bodies, which suffer many Declensions and Revo­lutions, which they call Parallaxes. Though those heavenly Lights are variable, have their increases and decreases; their times [Page 31] of rising and setting; yet our Father of Lights is not variable: He knoweth no rising or setting, no increasing or decrea­sing; but shineth alwayes with the same light and lustre, with the same beauty and brightnesse. Nor shadow of Turning, [...]. The lesser Luminaries, or Stars, according to their different Po­stures, have divers shadowings, or obum­brations, according to their nearness to, or distance from the Sun, their shadows are greater or lesser; but our Sun is still the same, knoweth no clouding, no shadow­ing, no eclipsing. When God hates those Angels as Apostates, whom first he loved, as created pure and holy, he is still the same; the change is not in God, but in them. Bring Clay to the Sun, it hardens it; bring Wax to the Sun, with the same influence, it softens it, without any altera­tion in the Sun: When God punisheth a Man that is wicked, and prospereth the same Man, becoming a Penitent, he is still the same. If a man walk on one side of a Church, the Pillars are on his left hand, if on the other side, on his right hand: The Pillars remain where they were, the motion or change is in the Man.

But Creatures are all mutable; the Hea­vens seem constant, but it is in incon­stancy; their perpetual motion speaks their perpetual alteration: Psal. 102.26, 27. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure, they shall wax old as a Garment, (that is, wearing out, and wasting every day); as a Vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, but thou Lord art the same for ever. The old Heavens will pass away, and new ones succeed in their room at the general Conflagration, but the God of Heaven will never pass away. Man is ever in motion, from one condition to ano­ther: His Body changeth in its age, con­stitution, temper, at last into rottennesse, dust and corruption: I have said to Corrup­tion, thou art my Father, and to the Wormes, ye are my Brother and Sister, Job 17.14. His Soul changeth in its passions, affections, love hatred, delights, desires: His whole man changeth in its place, company, car­riage, conversation: He hath no consisten­cy while he is, he continueth not what he was, Job 14.2, 3. Angels are changeable, even the good Angels, though not as Men, yet as Creatures; as perfect as they are, they have this imperfection, 1. They are [Page 33] who once were not, and (in regard of themselves) have a possibility not to be. 2. Angels may loose what they have, and attain what they have not. 3. An­gels are mutable in regard of place, sometimes in Heaven, sometimes on Earth. What little unchangableness is in Angels, is derivative, God is the origi­nal of it; their immutability at most is but from their Creation I suppose some time since; for the good Angels as well as bad were created mutable, but Gods immutability is from eternity. The whole World indeed is a Sea of Glass, Rev. 4.6. alwayes ebbing and flowing, never at a stay; but the Maker of the World may well say, I the Lord change not, Mal. 3.6.

CHAP. V. God incomparable in his Being, as it is eter­nal, and without composition.

GOd is an eternal Being, and none is eternal but he: Time which hath a beginning and end is competible [Page 34] to Men, and other visible Creatures in this World. Aeriternity which hath a beginning, and no end, is competible to good and evil Angels, and to the Souls of Men; but Eternity which hath no beginning, succession or end, belongs onely to God.

1. God hath no beginning: He who in the beginning created the Heavens and the Earth, could have no beginning him­self, Gen. 1.1. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World; from everlasting to everlasting thou art God, Psal. 90.2. God is eternal, a parte ante, and puzleth the most enlarged Understanding, to con­ceive his duration: Behold he is great, and we know him not, neither can the num­ber of his years be searched out, Job 36.26. Psal. 93.2.

2. God hath no succession in his Dura­tion: He dwelleth in one indivisible point of eternity; He is what he is in one infinite moment of being: His duration knoweth nothing of former or latter, past or to come: His Essence is not bounded by those Hedges, but he enjoy­eth his whole eternity every moment. [Page 35] Hence he is said to inhabit eternity, to be fixt alwayes in eternity, Isa. 57.15. Time is nunc fluens, but eternity is nunc stans: One day with him is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, 2 Pet. 3.8. He inhabits a million of years in a moment, and each moment to him is as a million of years: He hath not the least added to his duration since the World was, though it hath been near 6000 years: It's not proper to say of him, He was (for none of his duration is ever past with him) or he shall be (for none of his duration is ever to come) but he is, his full eternity is alwayes present; Hence his Name is I am, Exod. 3.14. Not I was, or shall be; and Christ tells the Jews, Be­fore Abraham was, I am, John 8.58. It seems false Grammar, but it's the most proper true Divinity. Indeed, had Adam been then alive, it had been proper for him to have said, Before Abraham was, I was; or if an Angel had spoken, it had been proper for him to have said, Before Abraham was, I was, because Men and Angels enjoy their Being by piece-meals, now a little and then a little, some­what of their duration is gone, and some­what [Page 36] to come; but it was most proper for him that was God to say, Before Abra­ham was, I am, because his duration is without all succession, the whole of it is ever present: The Psalmist further cleares this, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Psal. 2.7. Which words are interpreted of the eternal Ge­neration of the Son of God before all Worlds, and also of his Resurrection in time, which was to be some hundreds of years after, as the Apostle either ex­pounds it, or alludes to it, Acts 13.33. But it's all one, for both are to day; that which was from eternity, and that which was to be many hundred of years after, are both with him present this day.

Past or future is all present this day; that was not past to God, which never had beginning, his Sons eternal Genera­tion; nor was that to come to God, which was alwayes before him, his Sons Tem­poral Resurrection. 'Tis still, this day have I begotten thee, millions of years, yea of Ages, add not the least moment to his duration.

3. God hath no ending: As he is from, so he is to everlasting, Psal. 90.2. With­out [Page 37] beginning or end of days; Psal. 102.27. But thou art the same, and thy years never end. O what an excellent Being is this eternal Being? He onely hath im­mortality, 1 Tim. 6.16. And he is eter­nity it self, 1 Sam. 15.29. Aeternitas Israelis, Jun. The eternity of Israel cannot lye.

But are Men or Angels comparable to God in this? Surely no: As for Man, he is a Bird of Time, here to day, and gone to morrow, Job 14.1. Of few days: As for Man, his days are as Grass, Psal. 103.15. Now flourishing, but quickly perish­ing.

Man hath a beginning, succession and ending. There was a Time when Man was not, Man enjoyeth his time by parts and parcels, and Man ere long shall be no more. All men in this are alike, high or low, good or bad: There is a vast difference between God and all Men in their duration; Are thy dayes as the dayes of Man? are thy years as Mans years? Job 10.5. No, in no respect; Man's days begin, succeed and end; not so God's dayes. Well might David say (though he had lived as long as Methuselah), Mine [Page 38] age is nothing unto thee, Psal. 39.5. And truly as Men are far from being compara­ble to God, so are Angels: Angels had a beginning, Coloss. 1.16. Angels have a succession in their duration, they enjoy part to day, part to morrow, part the next day, every moment addeth to their duration; what is past they do not en­joy, nor what is to come, but onely what is present; and thus it is also with Souls of Saints in Heaven.

8. God is a simple Being: In this I take simplicity, not as opposed to Wisdom (for in him are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, Coloss. 2.9.) but as sim­plicity is opposed to mixture and compo­siton. Thus there is a simplicity in the Gospel, 2 Cor. 12.3. So any thing, the more simple it is, the more excellent it is. God is a most pure simple unmixed indi­visible Essence; he is uncapable of the least composition, and therefore of the least division. He is one most pure, one without all parts, members, accidents and qualities: Whatsoever is in him is himself, his very Being; therefore that which is a quality in a Man or Angel, is attributed to God in the abstract: Men [Page 39] and Angels are wise, but God is wisdom, Prov. 9.1. Men and Angels are holy, but God is Holiness, Isa. 63.15. God is all Essence, all Being, and nothing else.

But how unlike are Men or Angels to God in this: Man is a grosly compound­ed being, he is compounded of a Body and a Soul, Gen. 2.7. His body is com­pounded of members and parts, his mem­bers and parts are compounded of bones and bloud, and flesh, and skin, and sinews, Job 10.11. His Soul is com­pounded, and so are the highest Angels of substance and accidents, of essence and faculties; the substance of Man's Soul, and of Angels, and their qualities, are distinct things: Their Wisdome is one thing, their Power another thing, their Holiness a third thing, and all di­stinct from their Essence. An Angel may be an Angel, and a Man may be a true Man, and yet be foolish, weak and wicked. Their Understanding differeth from their Wills, their Wills differ from their Affections, their Affections differ from both, and all from their beings: But in God all these are one indivisible Essence, to will and to understand, and [Page 40] to love and to hate, and to be, are all the same and one in God.

CHAP. VI. God incomparable in his Being, as it is In­finite and Incomprehensible.

GOd is an infinite Being: He is a Being that knoweth no bounds, no limits. His Being is without all mea­sure, all degrees and determinations. His Ʋnderstanding (i. e. Himself, who is all Understanding) is infinite, Psal. 147.5. God is a Sphear, whose center is eve­ry where, and whose circumference is no where. Behold the Heavens, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this House which I have built, 1 Kings 8.27. The starry Hea­vens, or Firmament, is large, it compas­seth the whole Earth and Ocean; this terrestial World is but a point to it, but the Heaven of Heavens, or the emperial Heaven is larger; it containeth the lower Heaven, but cannot contain the God of Heaven. No ubi, no place can define or circumscribe him: He is neither [Page 41] shut up in any place, nor shut out of any place. He is above place, without place, yet in all places. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into Heaven, thou art there; If I make my Bed in Hell, (Heaven and Hell are most op­posite places) Behold thou art there: If I take the wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me, Psal. 139.7, 8, 9, 10. God is in Heaven, Earth, Sea, Hell, and infinitely more, where there is neither Heaven nor Earth, nor Sea, nor Hell.

O what a Being is the blessed God, who is boundless not onely in his durati­on, of which we have spoken before, and in all his Perfections and Attributes, of which we shall speak hereafter, but also in his Essence and Being. No place can circumscribe him, and no ubi can de­fine him. He is over all (Creatures by his Power and Dominion) in you all (by his Essence and Influence) and through all (by his Providence) Ephes. 4.6. He is every where, not onely virtually, as the Sun by his beams; nor authoritatively, [Page 42] as a King, by subordinate Officers; not at all by multiplication, as the Loaves filled that place, which they did not before the Miracle; or by extention, as the ra­tional Creature filleth that place, when a Man, which he did not, when an Infant; nor by local motion, from one place to another, as all bodily animate Creatures; or by division, as our Bodies are part in one place, and part in another; or by commixtion, as the Air mingleth it self with the terrestrial World; but essenti­ally, after an unspeakable manner. As Philosophers say of the Soul, It's whole in the whole body, and whole in every part of the body: So I may say of God, He is whole in the whole World, and whole in every part of the World; yea, if he should please to make 10000 Worlds, he would fill all, and his whole Essence be in every part of each World, and yet without the least exten­sion or multiplication, or motion.

Homo est in loco cir­cumscrip­tive, An­gelus defi­nitive, De­us Reple­tive.But are Men or Angels like to God in this? Alas, they are finite limited Be­ings, less then drops to this Ocean. Man is in a small place, so as to fill it up by commensuration of parts, and to exclude [Page 43] all other Bodies, but himself is circum­scribed in it. Angels though they are not in a place so as to exclude Bodies, yet they are in an ubi, or space, so as to conclude themselves therein; they are in a finite compass, beyond which their being extendeth not; they are so here, that they are not there; so in Heaven, that they are not on Earth at the same time. But God is every where in his whole Essence every moment; He filleth all in all, Eph. 1. ult.

God is an incomprehensible Being, such a Being as no Creature, whether Man or Angel can comprehend, or perfectly un­derstand. This floweth from the for­mer; if he be infinite, he must of neces­sity be incomprehensible, for a finite Be­ing (as all are beside himself) can never comprehend what is infinite. There is no proportion between a boundless Being and a bounded Understanding: But there must be a proportion between the mind of the Creature, and that object which is fully understood by it. The Sun may be contained in a small chink, and the Sea in a Nutshell, sooner then God can be contained in the limited [Page 44] understanding of Men or Angels; Job 26.14. Lo these are parts of his wayes, (viz. Hell is naked before him, ver. 6. He hangeth the Earth upon nothing, ver. 7. He bindeth up the Waters in his thick Clouds, and the Cloud is not rent under them, ver. 8. He hath compassed the Wa­ters with bounds, ver. 10. The Pillars of Heaven tremble at his Reproof, ver. 11. &c.) but how little a portion is heard of him. The Vulgar read it, How little a drop; Others, A whisper, or smallest part of a Voice; that which is known of God, to that which God is, and is in God, is but like a drop to the vast Ocean; and as a Whisper, to a loud terrible Thunder; How little a portion is heard of him. Surely much is heard of him, from the Voice of his Almighty Works of Creation and Providence, and especially from the Voice of his Word and his own Mouth in the holy Scriptures: But how little is heard of him, in comparison of that im­mense excellency which is in him, and which he is. Heathens hear somewhat of him, Rom. 1.20, 21. His Saints on Earth hear much more of him, Psal. 63.3, 4, 5, 6. Perfect Spirits in Heaven hear most [Page 45] of all of him, 2 Cor. 12.3, 4. 1 Cor. 13.12. Yet by all these, a very little portion is heard of him.

The Being of God is like the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, Philip. 4.7. And like the Love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge, Ephes. 3.19. This onely can be known of God, that he can never be known fully; and this onely can be comprehended of him, that he cannot be comprehended: Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? It's as high as Heaven, what canst thou do? Deeper then Hell, what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer then the Earth, and broader then the Sea, Job 11.8, 9. Canst thou by searching find out God: It's a strong Negation, i. e. 'Tis impossi­ble by all the help and advantage of Na­ture and Art, and Grace and Diligence; yea, and perfect Glory too, to find out God fully. Dost thou a poor mean vile man (saith Zophar) think to contain and comprehend him, whom the Heavens, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain or comprehend? Art thou so silly as to conceive, that the short line of thy un­derstanding [Page 46] should fadom his bottomless Being. It is not in vain for thee to seek him, but it is altogether in vain for thee to search him. Though he be not far from thee, yet he is far above thee, and far beyond thee; far above thy thoughts, and beyond thy conceptions: He dwell­eth in that Light that is inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, 1 Tim. 6.16. They who see him face to face, i. e. most clearly and fully see but little of him: Clouds and Darkness are in this sense ever about him. As in a dark day we see the beams, but not the body of the Sun; so even in Heaven the highest Angels ra­ther see his rays and beams, then his infi­nite Being.

Canst thou find out the Almighty to per­fection: Men who seek God, may find him, Prov. 8.17. Math. 7.7. but they cannot find him to perfection: The word for perfection signifieth the height or ut­most accomplishment of a thing. Some­what of God may be known, but not all; They who find out most, are far from finding out the utmost of him. The Sun and all the coelestial Lights may sooner be grasped in the hollow of mans [Page 47] hand, and the vast Hills and Mountains weighed in a pair of common Scales, then the Almighty found out to perfection. Natural questions soon pose the most learned men; the forms even of inanimate Creatures are Riddles to most. How frequently do the greatest Schollars be­take themselves to secret Sympathies and Antipathies, and occult qualities, as the Cloak and cover of their Ignorance: Eccles. 11.5. Canst thou know how the Bones grow of her that is with Child? O how much more must Divine questi­ons exceed humane understanding.

It is as high as Heaven, what canst thou do? It's as the highnesses of Heaven: Take all the Heights and Elevations, all the Spheres and Altitudes of Heaven, and try if thou canst reach them with thy short Arm; yea, climb up the highest Stories, the loftiest Pinnacles, touch, if thou canst, the several Orbes; yet the knowledge of this God, or this God the object of knowledge, is above and beyond all. What a Fool would he be thought, who should undertake to as­cend the starry Heavens; yet he who would find out God to perfection, must [Page 48] climb much higher. The Heavens are famous for their height; yea, the starry Heavens, that some wonder that the eyes of man are not tired before they reach them; Prov. 25.3. The Heavens for height, and the Earth for depth; Yet the third Heavens are much higher then they; but the most high God is far higher then the highest Heavens.

Deeper then Hell, what canst thou know? Heaven and Hell are at the greatest di­stance, and are most remote from our ap­prehensions. Who knoweth what is done in Heaven? what in Hell? what is enjoyed in the one, or suffered in the other? no more can any know what God is. Who knoweth the nature, number, order, motions, influence of the heavenly Bodies; something is con­jecturally delivered about them, nothing certain; much less doth any know the number, nature, order, wonder, wor­ship of the coelestial Courtiers in the third Heavens, of the thousand thou­sand that are before God, the ten thou­sand times ten thousand that minister to him; least of all can any know that Being that made all these, that preserveth [Page 49] all these, that ordereth and governeth, animateth and actuateth all these; that gives them all that they are, and enableth them to all that they do.

Deeper then Hell, what canst thou know? Who knoweth the Mines and Minerals which lie in the bosome, in the bowels of the Earth? Who knoweth the place of Saphires, the Coral, the Pearls, and the precious Onix: Job 28.5, 6, 7, 8. Out of the Earth cometh Bread, &c. The stones of it are the place of Saphires, and it hath dust of Gold: There is a path which no Fowl knoweth, and which the Vultures Eye hath not seen: The Lyons Whelps have not trod­den it, nor the fierce Lyon passed by it. Much less doth any know the Miseries of the Damned, the extremity, universali­ty, eternity of their Torments? Who ever returned from that place, to tell us what they suffered there; or if they had, whose Understanding is large enough to conceive them: Who knoweth the Power of thine Anger? according to thy Fear, so is thy Wrath, Psal. 90.11. Least of all can any know that God,Job 28.3. who setteth an end to Darkness, and searcheth out all Perfection; the stones of darkness and the [Page 50] shadow of Death: Before whom Hell and Destruction are naked and open; who formeth the costly Jewels, secret from the Eyes of covetous Mortals; who layeth the dark Vault of Hell, and storeth it with Fire and Brimstone, and gnawing Worms, and blackness of dark­ness, and all the Instruments of eternal Death.

The measure thereof is longer then the Earth: The Earth is long, from one end of it to another. Mathematicians tell us, from East to West, it's 22000 miles, but the knowledge of God is much longer; the measure thereof is beyond all measure.

And broader then the Sea: The Ocean is exceeding broad, it seems to them that Sail on it, to be without Banks or Bounds. Hence we read of the Arms of the Sea, Dan. 11.22. because of its breadth. And David calls it, Psal. 104.25. A great and wide Sea. So is this great and wide Sea, wherein are things innumerable, both small and great. But the knowledge of the great God is far greater and wider: How are the Dimensions of height, depth, length and breadth, in their greatest extent and [Page 51] dimensions obvious to humane Under­standings. The Heavens are high, yet their height is finite: Hell is deep, yet its depth is determined; the Earth is long, yet its length is limited; the Sea is broad, yet its breadth is bounded: But God is infinite, boundless, and be­yond all these.

CHAP. VII. God incomparable in his Attributes, in his Holiness and Wisdom.

II. GOd is incomparable (as in his Being, so) in his Attributes. The Attributes of God, are those perfections in the Divine Nature, which are ascribed to him, that we might the better under­stand him. They are so called (i. e. At­tributes) because they are attributed to him for our sakes; though they are not in him as they are in Men or Angels. Vocantur Attributa quia ea sibi attribuit Deus nostra causa, Zanch. de Attribut. lib. 2. cap. 12. Attributa Dei dicuntur quae Deo adscribuntur in Scripturis sacris, [Page 52] non tam ad essentiam naturam (que) Dei ex­plicandam, quam ad declarandum nobis aliquo modo pro nostro captu illud quod de ipso a nobis cognosci potest, Polan. Syntag. lib. 2. cap. 6. There are some Attri­butes of God, which the School-men call Incommunicable, (which I have spoken of under the former Head) because the Creature, as a Creature, is uncapable of them, and therefore they cannot be at­tributed to Man or Angels. It's impos­sible for a Creature to be independent, self-sufficient, eternal in a strict sense, in­finite, &c. so that all will acknowledge God incomparable in those excellencies. There are other Attributes of God which are called Communicable, viz. His Power, Holiness, Wisdome, Faithfulness, &c. because they are communicated by him to his rational Creatures, and there is some shew or shadow of them in Men and Angels. For though it was the horrible Pride, and monstrous pre­sumption of evil Angels, and Adam, at first to rival God in his Properties, that were incommunicable; to aspire to be like him in his Independency and Sove­raignty, (for their Sin was, that they [Page 53] would have cut off the Entail, and have held all of themselves, as their own Lords and Masters): And the Prince of Tyre, Ezek. 28.6. is indicted by God of inex­piable arrogancy, That he durst set his heart as the heart of God: Yet it is the on­ly godliness of the Creatures to be like God, in those Attributes of his which are communicable: The new man is af­ter God, Ephes. 1.24. The re-impression of his Image on the Creature. David is therefore called a man after Gods own heart, because he was a man after Gods own Holiness; yea, 'tis the perfection and felicity of the intellectual World, Psal. 17. ult. 1 John 3.3, 4. in Hea­ven.

But even in these Properties, wherein Man resembleth his Maker, he is exceed­ingly unlike him, and falls infinitely short of him. That God is incomparable in his communicable Attributes, I shall dis­cover.

1. More generally.

2. More specially.

1. More generally, and here I shall enumerate some of those Attributes, wherein Men and Angels are conforma­ble [Page 54] to God, and in each of them shew that in those in which they come nearest him, they come far behind him.

1. He is incomparable in his Holiness: Holiness in general, is the moral goodness of a thing, or its conveniency or agree­ment with its rule. Holiness in the Crea­tures, is their conformity to the will of their Creator, in the principle rule and end of their actions and motions: Holi­ness in God is that excellency of the Di­vine Nature, by which he acteth from himself for himself, and according to his own will.

God is the holy One, Hos. 11.9. by way of eminency and excellency, because he surpasseth all others in holiness. He is the holy One of Jacob, Isa. 49.23. The holy One of Israel, Isa. 43.14. because of their special interest and propriety in the excellent Being. He is holy, holy, holy, Isa. 6.3. Rev. 4.8. His Nature is the onely pattern of Holiness, therefore he commands us to look on him as our Ex­ample; Be ye holy as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Man was made holy, Eccles. 7.29. i. e. According to the Image of God, Gen. 1.26. Ephes. 4.24. His will is the [Page 55] onely rule of Holiness: Hence our holi­ness is called a proving his good and perfect and acceptable will, Rom. 12.2. and our fulfilling the will of God, Acts 13. And a walking according to his Word (which is his reveal'd will) as our Rule, Gal. 6.16. He is universally holy in his Name, Luke 1.49. In his Nature, Psal. 5.5, 6. Hab. 1.13. In his Works, Psal. 145.17. In his Word, Rom. 7.12. Psal. 119.140. He is the Original of all holiness in Men or Angels; they are beholden to him that they are not as unholy as the Dam­ned, as the Devils, James 1.17. Ezek. 37.28. Ezek. 38.26, 27. 1 Thess. 5.23. Now what Man or Angel is comparable to him in holiness. May I not, with Moses, make a Challenge, Who is a God like un­to thee, glorious in holiness? Exod. 15.11.

Are Men holy as he is holy? nay, are the spirits of just Men made perfect, and Angels equal to him in holiness? Behold, he putteth no trust in his Saints (the best on Earth) the Heavens (the holiest there) are unclean in his sight, Job 15.15, 16. As for man he is a Sink of Sin, a Stye of Filth, over-spread from Head to Foot [Page 56] with the Leprosie of Sin, Gen. 6.5. And therefore instead of comparing with God for holiness, is bound to abhor him­self for his unholiness; yea Angels, who have nothing amiss in their Natures, who never took one step awry in their lives, who have ever continued Gods Loyal Subjects, and faithful Servants, obser­vant of all his Calls, and obedient to all his Commands; whose obedience to him, and observance of him, is made the Copy for us to write after, Math. 6.10. are yet unholy in comparison of God: The Heavens are unclean in his sight. The Heavens, not onely the place which hath a relative holiness, in regard of Gods special presence; but even the persons in Heaven, perfect Spirits, who have no blemish in their Beings, or disorder in their motions, are unholy to him, and unclean in his sight. The holiness of An­gels, is but the holiness of obeying a Law, Psal. 103.20, 21. the holi­ness of God, is the holiness of being a Law, 1 Thess. 4.3. The holiness of Angels is but a conformity to the pattern set them, the holiness of God is the holi­ness of setting them a pattern, and of be­ing [Page 57] their pattern. The holiness of An­gels is but a derivative, Gods is an Origi­nal holiness.

God is so incomparable in holiness, that it's said, He onely, or solely, is holy, Revel. 15.4. Who will not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name, for thou only art holy. None is holy besides him, be­cause none is holy like him; 1 Sam. 2.2. There is none holy as the Lord, therefore none holy but the Lord: Saints are ho­ly, 1 Pet. 2.9. Angels are holy, Mark 8.38. But they are not holy as the Lord is holy. Without question, the heaven­ly Host who see him face to face, and are satisfied with his likeness, are glorious in holiness, shine brightly with those per­fect beams, and that pure light which they borrow from the Sun of Righte­ousness; but truly they are poor Glo­worms to the Father of Lights. Even that Grace, that Holiness, that Glory of Saints and Angels, which infinitely sur­passeth the natural Heavens in all their beauty and brightness, is no Grace, no Holiness, no Glory in this respect, by reason of that Grace and Holiness, and Glory in God, which doth so infinitely excel.

[Page 58]2. God is incomparable in his Wisdom (I shall not stand upon the critical di­stinctions which some give between Un­derstanding, Prudence and Wisdom): Wisdom in general is a right understand­ing of things, and the ordering our selves and actions sutable to that under­standing. It appears chiefly in these three acts: 1. In discerning the nature, causes, effects, contraries, and consequents of things, (of which we shall speak here­after); and this we call Science. 2. In propounding the best, and highest, and noblest end to our selves, in our actions and undertakings; and this is called Ʋn­derstanding. 3. In suiting and fitting, and ordering the most proper means, as may be best for the attaining our ends; and this is called Prudence, which, as the Rudder of the Ship, steers, and directs and governs all. In all these respects God is incomparable in Wisdom: He is wise in heart, Job 9.4. i. e. most wise, for the heart is the seat of Wisdom. And to be foolish, and without an heart, is all one: Ephraim is a silly Dove, without an heart, Hos. 7.11. There are in God all the Treasures of Wisdom, Coloss. 1.19.

A Treasure denotes, 1. Preciousness; an heap of Dust or Coals is not a Trea­sure, but of Silver and Gold. 2. Plenty; one or two pieces of things that are pre­cious will not make a Treasure, there must be an heap, or some quantity. In God there is the most precious Wisdom, therefore called Counsell, the effect of serious and mature deliberation; and he is called The mighty Counsellor, Eph. 1.11. Isa. 9.6. In God there is plenty of it, Treasures; a Treasure notes abundance, but Treasures speaks superabundance, a redundance. In God are all the Treasures, all kinds, all sorts of Wisdom, [...], manifold Wisdom; Eph. 3.10. embroydered Wisdom, wherein is all variety, of rich and curious Contrivances. These are all in God, He ingrosseth them all in himself; therefore you read, With him is Wisdom and Ʋnderstanding, Job 12.13. With him, as with its Master and Sove­raign Lord; with him, as with its sole Owner and Proprietor.

Some men are wise, Light and Ʋnder­standing, and excellent Wisdom was found in Daniel, Dan. 5.14. David was very wise, wiser then his Teachers, then his [Page 60] Enemies, then the Ancient, Psal. 119.97, 98, 99. Solomon was a wise man, he exceeded in Wisdom all that were before him, and all that came after him: And God gave Solomon Wisdom and Ʋnder­standing, exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the Sand on the Sea shore: And Solomons Wisdom excelled the Wis­dom of all the Children of the East-Country, and all the Wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser then all men, than Ethan and Heman, &c. 1 Kings 4.29, 30, 31. But was Solomon comparable to God in Wisdom? Truly, he that was wiser then all men, was a stark Fool to God; The Wisdom of man is foolishness with God, 1 Cor. 3.19. The subtilty of the Heathen (and, I may say, the greatest understanding of the Christian) is folly with God: The foolish­ness of God is wiser than Man, 1 Cor. 1.25. If it were possible that there should be any thing in God which might look like folly, or if it were lawful for us to conceive any action of Gods, which, compared with his deeper Contrivances, might have a shew of foolishness, yet even this were wiser than the greatest wisdom of man: Angels are wiser than [Page 61] Men. When the Woman would speak David to be very wise, above the rate of Mortals, she saith, My Lord is wise as an Angel of God, 2 Sam. 14.20. The ex­cellency of their Natures speaks the ex­cellency of their Wisdom, for it's the Understanding that is the chief distin­guishing faculty. But are Angels like God in Wisdom? No, they are Fools to him: Behold, he putteth no trust in his Servants, he chargeth his Angels with folly, Job 4.18. Though they never thwart­ed the Divine pleasure, nor in any acti­on manifested the least imprudence; yet before him they are indicted of folly, and to him will be proved guilty of it. Though they are not chargeable with actual, yet they are with potential folly; though God doth not indict them of absolute, yet he doth of comparative folly.

God doth so far exceed Angels and Men in Wisdom, That he is said onely to be wise: To the onely wise God, 1 Tim. 1.17. To God onely wise, Rom. 16.27. None are wise beside him, because none are wise to him, Dan. 5.20. Wisdom is his, his Peculiar, his Prerogative, his [Page 62] wholly, his onely; so his, that 'tis none's but his.

The wisest Men and Angels stand in need of a Master to teach them, and a Tutor to instruct them; and were it not for the onely wise God, they would be as unwise as the wild Asses Colt, as foolish as Idiots, Psal. 94.10. But God is above all Teachers, all Tutors: Job 21.22. Shall any teach God knowledge. Some persons are uncapable of teaching, be­cause of their extreme weakness; Ex quoris ligno non fit Mercurius, their parts are so very low and mean, that they can­not be taught. But God is uncapable of teaching, because of his immense Wis­dom: His abilities are so high, that they are above and beyond all instruction: Isa. 40.13, 14. Who hath directed the Spi­rit of the Lord, or being his Counsellor hath taught him? The wise Solomon had his Privy-Counsellors; the wisest Princes and States have their Council-Tables, and there is reason enough for it, because two Heads are better then one (as we say) and two Eyes see more then one: Two are better then one, Eccles. 4.9. And in many Counsellors there is safety. But God who [Page 63] is all Head, all Eye, all Understanding, needs none to advise or counsel him. Two Candles indeed are better then one, because the light of each is little and small, and capable of increase; but one Sun is better then a million of Can­dles, because its light is (after a sort) boundless, and uncapable of the least addition, or increase by millions of Can­dles: Verse 14. With whom took he Coun­sell? (with what Angel, with what Man, with what Politician did he ever con­sult,) who instructed him in the Paths of Judgment? (taught him what was just, what was unjust, what to do, what to forbear; how to govern and order the Affairs of the World, in what manner and measure to cut out and carve every ones portion.) Who taught him knowledge, and shewed him the way of un­derstanding? Where is the Creature that can say, He obliged God, by giving him directions in any case? Where is the Man, the Angel, that can speak it, that he ever taught God one Lesson, or told him one Letter? If any such be, God will pay him well for his Learning: Rom. 11.34, 35. Who hath known the mind of the [Page 64] Lord, or who hath been his Counsellor? Who hath given to him, and it shall be re­compenced to him again? We may know the mind of God for our instruction, but we can never know the mind of God for his instruction, 1 Cor. 2. ult.

3. God is incomparable in his Power: Power is that ability or force by which we act; Power in God is that Attribute by which he effecteth whatsoever he pleaseth. In this he hath no equal; Who is a strong God like unto thee? Psal. 89.8. Where is the Being that is like him in strength? God is not onely strong, but mighty in strength. Job 9.4. Not onely powerful, but excellent in Power, Job 37.23. Job hath a notable expression, Job 9.19. If I speak of strength, loe he is strong, i. e. As 'tis ordinary with us, when we would lift a man up to the height of praise for any quality in him, to say, If you speak of Wealth, there's a rich man. If you speak of Learning, there is a Schollar for you: So here saith Job, If I speak of Strength, loe he is strong. If I speak of strength and ability to contend and fight, loe, behold, wonder; here is one that is strong indeed, that never [Page 65] contendeth, but he prevaileth; who never Combats, but he Conquers: He is strong indeed, He is strong to purpose, with effect. He can offend, and there is no standing before him; Dan. 4.35. He doth whatsoever he will, and none can stay his Hand. He can stop the motion of the strongest Creature in its fullest swift­est career, but none can stop or stay him in his Actions. Many have presumption enough to oppose him, but none have Power enough to overcome him. He can defend, and there is no striving with him; Isa. 43.2. When thou passest through the Waters (be they never so boistrous, so tempestuous, so deep, so dangerous,) I will be with thee, and they shall not over­flow thee. The Floods of the ungodly may be very fierce and violent, but they shall never over-flow, or over-come, those whom God is pleased to protect. It must be a strange and strong Arrow that can pierce such a Sheild, Gen. 15.1. of defence.

David tells us, God hath spoken once, yea twice have I heard thee, Psal. 62.11. (It was some special extraordinary thing certainly that David ushers in, with such [Page 66] a Preface, that God spake so solemnly, and he heard so attentively. But what was it?) That Power belongeth to God, as his proper peculiar Excellency, as his Crown and Scepter.

God is not onely Mighty, but Almigh­ty; Not only the Mighty God, Isa. 9.6. but the Almighty God, 2 Cor. 6.18. He is a God that never met with a Difficulty, much less with an Impossibility: Nothing is too hard for God, Gen. 18.14. All things are hard to Men, and many things too hard for Men or Angels, but nothing is too hard for God: I know that thou canst do all things, Job 42.2.

Men are strong, they may have a na­tural strength as Men, a civil strength as Magistrates; they may be too strong in themselves for other persons, and too strong in their Armies and Militia's for other Kingdoms and Countries; but are they strong enough for God? surely No, 1 Cor. 1.25. The weakness of God is stronger then Man; Ʋbi Deus virtutem suam occultando infirmiter agere videtur, robustior tamen illa quae putatur imbecilli­tas, quares hominum virtute, Calv. in Corinth. Not that there is any weak­ness [Page 67] in God, (for should any think so, he ungods him,) but in those Actions wherein God is pleased to conceal his Power, and seemeth to act infirmly; even that seeming infirmity excells all Humane power and strength. Hence it is, that God throweth down the Gant­let to Job, Job 40.9. Hast thou an Arm like God. (By Arm, is meant Power and Strength, because the Arm is that member of Man by which he exerteth and exerciseth that power and strength which he hath, so Job 35.9.) i. e. Job, though thou hast had a strong natural Arm, and a strong civil Arm, as the greatest man in the East, and a King in the Army, Job 1.3. Job 29.25. Yet hast thou an Arm like God; Canst thou make and unmake, kill and make alive, cast down and lift up at thy pleasure, as I do? Is thine Arm as long to reach all thine Enemies, and as strong to break and bruise them in pieces with a blow; Hast thou an Arm like God? Canst thou bran­dish and wield a Sword with thine Arm to the terror and horror, to the confusi­on and destruction of all that oppose thee? God hath a mighty Arm, strong is [Page 68] his Hand, high is his right Hand, Psal. 89.13.

Angels are stronger then Men: The evil Angel is call'd The strong man, Luke 11.21. They are stiled Principalities and Powers, Ephes. 6.12. Roaring Lyons, 1 Pet. 5.8. Red Dragons, Rev. 12.9. which denote their Power to be far su­periour to Mans. The Devil is the Prince of the Powers of the Air, Ephes. 2.2. Can command Storms and Tempests, and with a puff of his mouth blow down Houses and Cities. Good Angels (pro­bably) are stronger, one of them in a night destroyeth 184000 men. They are so strong, that they are said to excel in strength, Psal. 103.20. And indeed, the spirituality and purity of their natures speaks their Power. Man's weakness is partly from his Flesh, which is a phrase whereby the Prophet describes the impotency of the Creature: They are Men, and their Horses are Flesh, and not Spirit, Isa. 31.3. (And when the Holy Ghost would describe the strength of a thing, he opposeth it to Flesh, 2 Cor. 10.4. Our Weapons are not fleshly or carnal, but mighty,) partly from his moral filthiness, [Page 69] his sin, which being a real Disease, doth debilitate and weaken the powers of man: Hence to be a Sinner, and to be without strength, is all one, Rom. 5.6, 8. and Holiness is called The strength of man, Rev. 3.8. But Angels are Spirits, not Flesh; He maketh his Angels Spirits, Psal. 104.4. And good Angels are free from sin, therefore called holy Angels, Mark 8.38. Yet notwithstanding all their Power as Spirits, as sinless Spirits, they are weak­ness to God. As 'tis said of Leviathan,Job 41.27. He esteemeth Iron as Straw, and Brass as rotten Wood. So I may say of God, He esteemeth the strength of evil Angels as Straw, and of good Angels as rotten Wood. Evil Angels are fettered, where­ever they go, in the Chains of his Anger and his Power, which they cannot break asunder, but must bear as intollerable as they are. And good Angels own and acknowledge his might and strength above all other, Revel. 4.8, 11. The Power of God hath no Fellow, no Para­lel. There is no Rock (i. e. no strength, Rocks being strong natural Fortificati­ons, Vide 1 Sam. 14.4. Judges 6.16.) like our God, 1 Sam. 2.2.

[Page 70]4. God is incomparable in his Justice: Justice in general, is the giving every one their due. In God it is that Attri­bute, whereby he disposeth all things ac­cording to the Rule of Equity, Deut. 32.4. Psal. 11.5. And rendereth to every man according to his works, without re­spect of persons, Psal. 62.12. Job 34.11, 19. Gal. 6.6, 7. God is positively or affirmatively just; Eph. 3.5. The just Lord is in the midst thereof, he will not do iniquity. He is eminently the just One, Acts 7.52. He is superlatively most just; Job 34.17. Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? altogether just; or as some read it, Justice, Justice, without the least mixture, tincture or shadow of in­justice, all over just and justice. He is most just, just in the highest degree, just beyond all degrees. He giveth to all their due, without fear of evil, (He standeth in awe of none for their power or greatness, His day of Vengeance is against the Cedars of Lebanon, and the Oakes of Bashan, and all the high Moun­tains, Isa. 2, 13, 14.) without hope of gain, (men are unjust for Bribes, Hos. 4.14. and love with shame give ye; but [Page 71] Riches prevail not in the day of his Wrath, Prov. 11.4. Ezek. 7, 19. He is no taker of Gifts, 2 Chron. 19.7.) and without re­spect to any, for their nearness or relation to him, or Honors, or outward Excel­lencies; Jer. 22.24. He will pluck the Signet from his right hand in the day of his Justice: Israel were a People near to him, Deut. 4.7. Psal. 148. ult. Yet he doth not spare them, when they rebel against him, Psal. 74.1, 2, 3. Psal. 44.10. to 15. Jer. 7.12. Read the Lamenta­tions of Jeremiah, and you will find his severity to them, notwithstanding their near relation to him. Adam and Angels were great & excellent Beings, yet when they sinned, he made them to suffer: He accepteth not the Persons of Princes, nor re­gardeth the Rich more then the Poor, Job 34.19. He acteth according to Law most exactly, and according to a Law published, and according to a most righ­teous and just Law, Rom. 2.12, 13, 15, 16. Rom. 7.12. therefore is most just: Surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment, Job 34.12. Surely the Almighty cannot do wickedly, neither can God pervert [Page 72] Judgment: Men may do justly, God must do justly, he cannot but do justly; and that because his Will is his Law, and the most exact Plat-form and Rule of all Justice and Righteousness. Whatsoe­ver he doth is just, because he doth it who is the great Soveraign and Supreme of the World, Job 34.12, 13.

The Actions of God are often myste­rious, but ever righteous; Psal. 145.17. The Lord is holy in all his Wayes, and righteous in all his Works; When his Pathes are in the Seas, and his goings in deep Waters, Psal. 77.19. That none can fathom them, or find out the reason of them, even then all his wayes are Judg­ment, Deut. 32.4. Not as Judgment is opposed to Mercy, but as Judgment is opposed to injustice. When Clouds and Darkness are before him, (i. e. when his Providences are such hard Texts, that none can expound them; and such dark Riddles, that none can unfold them, even then) Righteousness and Judgment are the habitation of his Throne, Psal. 99.2. His disposing and distributive Power moves alwayes within the Sphere of Righteousness.

Men may be just, Math. 1.19. Joseph was a just man; Noah, Gen. 6.9. John, Mark 6.20. Cornelius, Acts 10.22. But shall mortal man be more just then God? shall man be more pure then his Maker, Job 4.17. The Expression is a denial of all comparison between God and Man: It's the highest presumption for Man to pre­fer himself before God, Isa. 14.13, 14. Yea, it's monstrous impudency for Man to compare himself with God. We say amongst men, That comparisons are odi­ous, but this is the most odious com­parison of all, for Enosh, a weak frail Creature, to compare with Elchah, the Mighty, Almighty Creator; for crook­edness to compare with straitness, and Darkness to compare with Light: The most just man compared with God, is unjust; His Righteousness is as a filthy rag: In his sight can no Flesh be justified, Psal. 143.2. Though in the sight of men, a man may be just, yet in the sight of God he is unjust: Compare a Star with a Can­dle, and 'tis somewhat; but compare it with the Sun, and 'tis nothing; it must hide its head for shame. Compare a godly man with a wicked man, or one [Page 74] not so good as himself, and he is some­body; but compare him with an Angel, he is no body: what is he then, if he be compared with a God? Job 9.2, 3. How should man be just with God? (speak the way, declare the means, the manner, how man should be righteous before God,) If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand; Not to one Question of a thousand which God can put to him, not for one Action of a thousand which himself hath wrought. Alas, is he just, who is so far from ability to justifie all he doth, that he cannot justifie one act of a thousand that he doth.

Angels are just, they are righteous in their natures, have no spot; in their lives have no Error, Psal. 103.20. But are they righteous to God, or before God? No, Job 4.16, 17, 18. Angels are no­thing in justice to God; though they are just to Man, they are unjust to God: They are in a possibility (considered in themselves) of actual injustice, which God is not; he is incapable of being un­just. Again, the Law or Rule of An­gels Righteousness is without them, and [Page 75] dictinct from them, (and thereby they are the more capable of swerving from it) but the Law or Rule of Gods Justice is within him; yea, 'tis himself, he is his own Law, his own Rule, and there­fore 'tis impossible for him to recede, or err from it. When the Workman and his Rule are different, there may be fear of wandring from his Rule; for though the Rule be strait, yet the Man may, through the mistake of his Eye, or sha­king of his Hand, draw a crooked Line; but when the Workman and his Rule are the same, there is no fear: God's Will that acteth all things, is the Rule by which he acteth; and therefore every Line must be strait, and every Action just. He can never err in any thing he doth, whose Will is the Rule of all he doth; nay, whose Actions are their own Rule. Such is the Creatures weakness, that he may wander out of his way; but such is the Creators Power and Perfecti­on, that he cannot possibly wander, be­cause he is his own way; Dan. 4.35. I Nebuchadnezzar blessed the most High, who doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of [Page 76] the Earth. Observe, who doth accord­ing to his Will, that is his essential eter­nal Rule: God doth so much surpass Men and Angels in Justice, that he is said to be the Habitation of Justice; Jer. 50.7. They have sinned against the Lord, the Habitation of Justice; as if Justice dwelt no where, had no abode but in him and with him.

CHAP. VIII. God incomparable in his Attributes, in his Knowledge and Faithfulness.

5. GOd is incomparable in his Know­ledge: Knowledge is that At­tribute of God, whereby he understand­eth all things in and of himself. He is stiled in the Scriptures, 1 Sam. 2.3. A God of Knowledge: The Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him Actions are weigh­ed. As Christ is called a Man of Sor­rows, Isa. 53.3. To express the greatness of his Griefs, to denote him one made up of Sorrow; little else then Sorrow: So God is called a God of Knowledge, to [Page 77] express the greatness of his Knowledge; as if he were wholly, and onely Know­ledge. Hence he hath Eyes and Ears at­tributed to him, because he knoweth all that is done as an Eye-witness, and whatsoever is spoken as an Ear-witness, 2 Chron. 16.9. Psal. 11.7.

The Understanding of God is like himself, infinite, without bounds or li­mits; Psal. 147.5. His Ʋnderstanding is infinite. He is said, Job 37.16. To be perfect in Knowledge; not onely compa­ratively, (as one man may be in respect of another, or as an Angel may be in respect of Man) but absolutely to his Knowledge; nothing can be given or added from his Knowledge, nothing can be taken: His Knowledge is so perfect, that it admits not of an increase or de­crease. Men are knowing, Solomon was famous for Knowledge, 1 Chron. 1.12. He could speak of the nature of all Plants, from the Cedar to the Hysop, 1 Kings 4.33. The Romans are said to be filled with all Knowledge, Rom. 15.14. Angels are more knowing then Men: Flesh is dull-sighted, and of dim understanding; Spirits have sharper Wits, and quicker [Page 78] Apprehensions. The Devil, though a fallen Angel, hath one of his names Dae­mon, from his Knowledge: Elect Angels surely know much more then Devils, for they alwayes Behold the Face of their Father, and in that Face, as in a Glass, behold more then humane Eyes can dis­cern, or evil Angels conceive. The Spirits of just Men in Heaven see Face to Face, and know as they are known, understand very much more then they could here below; but Angels, as their Understandings are of larger capacity, and their Natures more excellent, must needs know more then Men: But do Men or Angels know as God; Can it be said of any Man, of any Angel, He is perfect in Knowledge: His Knowledge is uncapable of addition or diminution. Can it be said of any Man, any Angel, his Knowledge is infinite. Man's knowledge in this World is little, in comparison of what it shall be; yea, nothing: We are but of Yesterday, and know nothing, Job 8.3. He is but of small continuance here, and hath but little experience; and therefore must have but little know­ledge, yea so little, that it's call'd [Page 79] nothing: yea, the knowledge of Men and Angels in the other World will be so little (though enough for their per­fection and satisfaction) that it will be nothing, in comparison of the know­ledge of God; finite knowledge is no­thing, compared with that knowledge which is infinite.

Whether you consider the matter or object of God's Knowledge, or the man­ner or way of it, he is incomparable in it.

1. If you consider the matter or ob­ject of his Knowledge: God knoweth all things; John 21 17. Lord thou know­est all things: 1 John 3.20. God is greater then our Hearts, for he knoweth all things. He knoweth whatsoever hath been, whatsoever is, whatsoever shall be, whatsoever can be, whatsoever cannot be. He knoweth all substances, acci­dents, necessary contingent things: He makes all, upholds all, governs all, and discerneth all: The Eyes of the Lord are in every place, 2 Chron. 16.3.

He knoweth those things that are most hidden, most secret, the Hearts, the Thoughts, the most close retired mo­tions [Page 80] of the Spirit of Man; 1 Cor. 2.11. What man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? Yea, what Angel knoweth the things of a man? but God doth. Hell and Destruction are before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the Children of Men, Prov. 15.11. Hell seems to be far from his sight, and very remote from Heaven his Seat: The hearts of the Children of men seem to be un­searchable, so deep that none can fathom them; but he hath a Line that will sound these depths: He knoweth the spirit of man, better then man knoweth himself: The heart is deceitful, and desperately wicked, who knoweth it? (No Man, no Angel knoweth it,) I the Lord search the Heart, Jer. 17.9, 10. And none knoweth it but he, therefore he is in­comparable herein; For thou, thou only knowest the Hearts of the Children of Men, 1 Kings 8.39. It's his sole Prerogative: Men and Angels may see the Skins and Colours, and Lineaments and Proporti­ons, and Faces and Garments, or out-sides of things; but God seeth the in-sides, he pryeth into the very bowels of things, 1 Sam. 16.7. All things are naked and [Page 81] dissected and anatomized before him, Heb. 4.13. 1 Chron. 28.9. Psal. 7.10. Jer. 11.20.

He knoweth what is future, as well as what is past and present: Thou knowest my Thoughts afar off, Psal. 139.2. Long before I think them: They? are in thy Thoughts, before they are in my Heart. Man knoweth not what a day is big with, or may bring forth, Prov. 27.1. nor Angels neither; but God knoweth what is in the Womb of eternity, what all Ages and Generations shall produce: He declares the end from the beginning, and from ancient time the things that are not yet done, Isa. 46.10. And tells us this is pro­per to himself, Let them declare the things that shall come to pass, that we may know that they are gods, Isa. 41.23. Let them fore-tell what is future, and we will be­lieve their Deity. Predictions are Ar­cana Imperii, those secret things that be­long onely to God, Deut. 29.29. Isa. 41.22, 23, 26.

2. He is incomparable in the manner of his Knowledge: God knoweth all things fully and perfectly, Men and An­gels know (what they do know) but [Page 82] imperfectly, and by halves: They know but part of what is knowable, and they know this but in part. God beholds every thing throughly, as if (like a well-drawn Picture) he beheld that alone, and none but that, 2 Chron. 16.9. His Eye-lids try the Children of Men, Psal. 11.5. i. e. He hath a distinct cer­tain critical through knowledge of them.

God knoweth all things immediately, by immediate intuition, not by species: Men know things either by the Senses, the Eyes, Ears, or Tastes; or by species taken in by the Sense, and imprinted on the phantasie, which are thence offered to the Understanding; or else by Faith, and the report of others, or by discourse and ratiocination. He knoweth one thing by another, the Conclusion by Me­diums and Premises; the Causes by the Effects, and the Consequents by the An­tecedents. Saints and Angels in Heaven know things in God, not in themselves: God knoweth all things in themselves, and seeth all things in himself, as in a Glass, Man in this World must have a two-fold Light to see by; A light in his [Page 83] Eye, and a light in the Air: But the Father of Lights needs no light to see by, Darkness and Light are both alike to him, Psal. 139.12. His Eyes are as a Flame of Fire, He seeth in the Dark, Revel. 1.14.

God knoweth all things at once (uno actu & uno ictu, as they say): Creatures know one thing by another, and one thing after another; Their Understand­ings are unable to take in many Objects at once, much less able to take in all Ob­jects at once; but God seeth all things at one View: The Lord looketh down from Heaven, he beholdeth all the Children of Men's From the place of his Habitation he beholdeth all the Inhabitants of the Earth, Psal. 33.13, 14. The Eye of Man may see many things at once, as an Hive of Bees, but if it will see other things, it must remove the sight; though the Mind of Man can take in more then the Eye, as a whole Country or World at once, yet 'tis onely the lumpe of gross; if it would take the distinct knowledge of them, it must remove from thought to thought; but God takes all distinctly particularly at once.

God knoweth all things from ever­lasting, before ever the World had a Being: Men and Angels may know what is, when it is, but cannot know it as God doth, before it was; Acts 15.18. Known to God are all his Works, from the begin­ning of the World. Before he erected the curious frame of the World, he knew all the Rooms and Furniture in it, all the mo­tions and actions of all the Inhabitants of it. He doth by one pure, simple, undivi­ded, eternal act of his Understanding know all things perfectly, immediately, distinctly, every moment.

6. God is incomparable in his Truth and Faithfulness: Truth is that Attribute in God, whereby he is in himself, as he reveals himself to be, and in his sayings and doings, as he speaketh and acteth.

God is Truth in himself, and Truth towards his Creatures: He is Truth in himself, 1. As he truly is, and really ex­isteth: Hence he is stiled the true God, Jer 10.10. John 17.3. in opposition to Idols, or false gods, 1 Thess. 1.9. So he is truly infinite, truly all-sufficient, truly eternal, truly immutable, &c. 2. As he is the unchangeable Archetipe [Page 85] and Idaea of all true things without him­self, so all created things are true, as they answer their patterns in his mind. 3. In his immanent Actions, as his De­crees, and eternal Resolutions, are all certain, and attain a punctual accomplish­ment, Psal. 33.11. He is never deceived nor disappointed in his Purposes.

God is Truth towards his Creatures; 1. In his Works, as all his Actions of Creation, Preservation, Government, Redemption, are real, and not chime­ra's or appearances, Rev. 15.3. Psal. 111.7. Deut. 32.4. Psal. 25.10.

2. In his Words, all he saith is Truth: His Precepts are true, a perfect Rule of holiness, without any defect, Psal. 119.86. All thy Commandements are Faith­fulness, verse 142. Thy Law is the Truth. All his Promises are true, and shall be performed: Not one good thing faileth of all that the Lord our God hath promised, Josh. 23.14. Hence the Gospel, the com­pendium of all the Promises, is often cal­led The Word of Truth, James 1.18. And the Covenant of Grace is called Sure Mercies, Isa. 55.3. All his Praedictions are true, and come to pass in their Sea­son, [Page 86] Hab. 2.3. Rev. 22.6, 7. These are true and faithful Sayings, Gen. 49.10.

His Threatnings are true, and fail not, Rom. 2.2. of their accomplishment, 2 Kings 9.26, 36.

He is Truth it self, John 14.6. John 17.6. Abundant in Truth, Exod. 34.6. Truth, Truth: The Lord God of Truth, Psal. 34.5. A God that cannot lie, Titus 1.2. All lying ariseth either from forgetful­ness; Men break their word, because their Memories are slippery; but Oblivio non cadit in Deum; He is ever mindful of his Word, Luke 1.72. To remember his holy Covenant, Psal. 106.46. Psal. 111. 5. He will ever be mindful of his Covenant. Or from weakness, some would, but want power to make good their Promises; though they were able when they pro­mised, yet they are by some Providence or other disabled, before the day of per­formance comes, but the strength of Israel cannot lie, 1 Sam. 15.29. The Rock, the eternity of Israel cannot lie; Or from Wickedness, some can, but will not make good their words, but God can­not be charged with any wickedness: Psal. 92. ult. There is no unrighteousness in [Page 87] him, 1 Kings 22.23. Ezek. 14.9.

Men may be true, Psal. 15.4. Angels are true; but neither Men nor Angels are true as God is, let them be put in the Scales with God; And Men of high de­gree are Vanity, and Angels of the highest degree are a Lie: to be laid in the Ballance, they are altogether lighter then Vanity, Psal. 62.9. Read over God's Truth in him­self, and you will see how far Angels come short thereof: Are they the Exem­plar of all things? are all things true as they agree with the Idaea's in their minds? Consider his Truth towards his Creatures; Can it be said of an Angel, as of God, The Angel that cannot lie hath promised? Titus 1.2. Are they under an absolute impossibility of deceiving? Surely if they be considered in themselves, it was as possible for them to lie, as for the Father of Lies. It's said of God, It is impossible for him to lie, Heb. 6.18. But this cannot be spoken of Elect Angels considered in themselves. God is so true, that he onely is true, all to him are Lyars, Rom. 3.4. Revel. 3.7, 14.

CHAP. IX. God incomparable in his Mercy and Patience.

7. GOD is incomparable in his Mercy: Mercy is an Attribute of God, whereby he pittieth and re­lieveth his Creature in misery. It's an Attribute which relateth to the Creature onely; God knoweth himself, and loveth himself, and glorifieth himself; but he is not merciful to himself: It is an Attribute that relateth to the Creature in misery. Justice seeks a worthy Object, Grace is exercised towards an unworthy Object, but Mercy looks out for a needy, an in­digent Object. God is bountiful and gracious to Elect Angels, because they could not deserve that perfection and happiness which they enjoy; but he is not merciful to them, for they were ne­ver miserable. Fallen Man is the proper Object of Mercy, as being not only un­deserving of the least good, but as also having plunged himself into all evil. Mercy is an Attribute, whereby he pitti­eth [Page 89] his Creature in misery: Hence he is said in Scripture (after the manner of Men) to have tender Mercies, Psal. 25.6. And bowels of Mercy, Luke 1.58. And to be afflicted in the Afflictions of his Peo­ple, Isa. 63.9. And to have his Soul grieved for the miseries of Israel, Judges 10.15, 16. As tender Parents, are ex­tremely troubled for the Afflictions of their Children, Psal. 103.12, 13. So his Bowels are turned within him, his Repent­ings are kindled together, Hos. 11.8, 9. Mercy doth not onely pity, but also re­lieve the afflicted; it hath an Hand to supply, as well as an Heart to pity those that are in Distress, Isaiah 34.18. Gen. 19.16.

The Attribute of Mercy is that which God glorieth in, and boasteth of, Exod. 33.19. Psal. 103.8. Noble and Heroick Spirits are ever gentle and merciful: The basest Minds are most cruel, and farthest from Mercy. God saith, Fury is not in him, Isaiah 27.4. Judgment is his strange Work, Isaiah 28.21. He doth not afflict willingly, Lament. 3.33. But delighteth in the Prosperity of his Servants, Psalm 35.27. It's not his Nature to disturb and [Page 90] destroy Men, it's their Sin that forceth Thunderbolts into his Hands, Isaiah 44.22. His delight is in Mercy, Micah 7.18. The blessed God hath multitude of Mer­cies, Psal. 51.1. To answer the multi­tude of the Creatures Miseries, Abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. He is said to be rich in mercy, Ephes. 2.4. Exceeding abundant rich in mercy, Ephes. 2.7. His Mercy, as Oyl, swims on the top of all his Attri­butes, is his delight, Jer. 32.41. I will rejoyce over them, to do them good. His Mercy, as Gold, being most excellent, over-layeth all his Works, Psal. 145.7. His tender mercy is over all his Works. His Mercy is to all admiration: O how excellent is thy loving kindness, Psal. 36.7. O how great is thy goodness, Psal. 31.19. His Mercy is beyond all Apprehension; Thy Mercy reacheth to the Heavens, Psal. 108.4. 1 Cor. 2.9. He is stiled the Father of Mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. Not the Father of Justice or Fury.

Mercy is the Joy and Pleasure of God: Hence he is said to have a Mercy-Seat, and to have a Throne of Grace, Heb. 9.5. Sitting is a posture of Ease and Rest, but he riseth to execute Justice, Psal. 68.1. [Page 91] He doth rest in his Love, Ephes. 3.17. Mercy is the Glory and Honour of God. When Moses desired to see the Glory of God, Exod. 33.18. The Lord proclaims, The Lord God gracious, merciful, Exod. 34.6, 7. When God promiseth to do great things for his People, That he will give them Health, abundance of Peace, cleanse them from all their Filthiness, and par­don all their Iniquities, Jer. 33.7, 8, 9. He gives us the fruit of it, verse 9. And it shall be to me for a Name of Joy, a Praise and Glory before all Nations. His Mercy is his Riches, his Treasure; Hence he is said to be Rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4.

God is merciful in all he doth, univer­sally merciful: All his wayes are Mercy and Truth, Psal. 25.10. The whole World is a Volume written within and without with Characters of Mercy. He is mer­ciful to all Men; Psal. 145.9. Sheweth mercy to thousands, Exod. 20.6. Exod. 34.7. Math. 5.45, 46. He is merciful at all times. His mercy endureth for ever, Psal. 118.1. Psal. 136.1, 2, 3. He is merci­ful in all respects; He giveth all sorts of Mercies, 1 Tim. 6.13. Eph. 1.3. 2 Pet. 1.3, 4.

Men are merciful, Prov. 11.17. Psal. 37.26. So are Angels in a sense; but none of them comparable to God: The tender Mercies of the Wicked, yea of the righteous Men, yea of Angels, are Cruelties to the Mercies of God. Have they such Pity, such Bowels for misera­ble Creatures as God hath? Have they such Power, such Ability, to relieve af­flicted Ones as God hath? Can they afford preserving, protecting Mercy, as God, Job 10.12. Pardoning and for­giving Mercy, Micah 7.18. Purifying and renewing Mercy, Ephes. 2.4. Saving and eternal Mercy, Tit. 3.5, 6. O how infinitely short do they come of him. He is so incomparable in Mercy, that Mercy is said to belong onely to him: Ʋnto thee, O Lord, belongeth Mercy, Psal. 62.10. Unto thee, and none but thee. He is so merciful, that when his Bowels con­flict with justice on the behalf of Sinners, and get the upper hand, he rejoyceth in the Victory; Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment, James 2.14. He is so merciful, that he dispenseth with his own Instituti­ons, for the sake of it, Hos. 6.6. Math. 9.13. with Math. 12.7. Once more, he [Page 93] is so merciful, that he is upbraided with it, as if he were too fond of that Attri­bute, and loved it over-much, Jonah 4.2. Was not this my saying in my own Country? for I knew that thou wast merci­ful. Thou didst send me to Preach De­struction and Desolation to Nineveh, but when I received the Message, I knew all would be prevented by mercy, and that to Preach such a Threatning, was but to disgrace and dishonor my self, as a false Prophet, before the men of Nineveh; for I thought then, what is now come to pass, that notwithstanding the peremp­toriness of the Message, Mercy would interpose, and prove me false.

8. God is incomparable in his Pati­ence: Patience is that Attribute in God, whereby he beareth with Sinners, and forbears or defers their Punishment; or that, whereby he expecteth and waiteth long for their Conversion. He is a God slow to anger, Psal. 103.8. He waiteth on Men to do them good, Isa. 30.18. He is long-suffering, 2 Pet. 3.7, 9. Nay, He endureth with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath, Rom. 9.22. He is the God of Patience, Rom. 15.5.

The Patience of God is the more ad­mirable, if we consider,

1. How perfectly he hateth Sin, Psal. 5.4. Hab. 1.13. Prov. 6.16. And how offensive it is to him, it grieveth him, Eph. 4.30. It presseth him as Sheaves press a Cart, Amos 2.13. He is broken with their whorish Hearts, Ezek. 6.9. Though he be infinitely perfect, that no Sin can be hurtful to him; yet he is so infinitely pure, that all Sin is hateful to him.

2. What an affront Sin is to him; A contempt of his Authority, therefore call'd a despising him, 1 Sam. 2.30. An ecclipsing his Honour, therefore call'd a dishonouring him, Rom. 2.23. A con­tention with him for Mastery, therefore call'd a fighting against him, Acts 5.39. Job 15.25. A violation of his Com­mands, therefore call'd a transgression of the Law, 1 John 3.4. It affronts his Wis­dome, therefore call'd folly, 2 Sam. 24.10. His Justice, therefore call'd un­righteousness, 1 John 1.6, 7. His Pati­ence, therefore call'd a despising his long-suffering, Rom. 2.4. His Mercy, there­fore call'd a turning his Grace into wan­tonness, [Page 95] Jude ver. 4. His Truth, there­fore call'd a Lye, Isa. 44.20. It must be infinite Patience, to bear with that which is the Object of infinite hatred.

3. Who they are who thus dare and provoke him? They are his Creatures, Psal. 100.2. whom he hath infinitely ob­liged, Lament. 3.22, 23. And laden with innumerable Blessings, Psal. 116.12. And loved unconceiveably, John 3.16. And seeks daily to over-come with his kindness, Psal. 130.5. Hos. 11.1. Yet these turn Rebels and Traytors, devise and endeavour his Ruine, and ioyn with Satan, his Arch-enemy, in or­der thereunto, Eph. 2.2, 3. Job 15.25, 26.

4. That he knoweth all Mens Sins, the number of them, the nature of them, all the aggravations they admit of: He knoweth their Thoughts, Words, Acti­ons, Psal. 139. I know all their Wick­edness, and all their Sins, Amos 5.12. Ezek. 11.5.

5. That he hath Power in his Hands to avenge himself, when he pleaseth; He can look, speak, think, his Creature into Hell-fire: Here is the Miracle, He that [Page 96] is great in Power, is slow to Anger, Nah. 1.3.

6. That he is the more provoked, be­cause of his Patience: The Revenues of Heaven are at present impaired by it; Good Men hereby question and quarrel with his Providence, Psal. 73.2, 3, 4. Jer. 12.1, 2, 3. Bad Men hereby are encou­raged to continue in Sin, and to judge Him an Abettor of their Prophaneness, Eccles. 8.11. Psal. 50.21.

7. That he beareth notwithstanding all this, Year after Year, many Years, forty Years with the Jews, Psal. 95.10. With the old World 120 Years, Gen. 6.3. With the Amorites 400 Years, Gen. 15.13, 14.

8. That he doth not onely forbear them, but also do them good: He conti­nueth Life, and Health, and Food, and Rayment, and Friends and Relations; nay, the Gospel and Salvation, and sea­sons of Grace, and tenders of his Love and Favor, and of everlasting Life, Acts 17.17, 18, 27, 28. Luke 19.41. Job 21.14, 15, 16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20.

Men are Patient: Moses was the meek­est man on Earth, Numb. 12.12. But [Page 97] could he bear as God? No. When the Israelites provoked him, he was impati­ent, Psal. 106.33. They provoked his Spirit, that he spake unadvisedly with his Lips. The Apostles were good men, yet upon a little affront, they call for Fire from Heaven, Luke 9.54. If God should be as impatient towards the most patient Men, as they are towards others, woe would be to them that ever they were born.

But though Men come short; yet, are not Angels as patient as God? Surely No, Angels cannot bear like God with such a froward peevish piece as man is: The Lord told Moses, That he would not go up in the midst of them, least he should consume them for their Sins; but he would send an Angel before them, to drive out the Canaanites, Exod. 33.2. Yet verse 4. When the People heard these evil Tydings, they mourned; and no Man did put on his Ornaments. What evil Tydings? 1. They should have an Angel for their Guide and Guard, that was both stronger and wiser then any Men. 2. An Angel that should drive out their Enemies, (God under­taketh for that) and bring them into [Page 98] the best Country under Heaven. 3. God gives them the reason why he declines their immediate Conduct, least their stubbornness should provoke him to de­stroy them; yet they weep and mourn at these tydings. Alas, they knew if God could not bear with their Provocations, much less could Angels; and therefore if Angels be their Guides, they must perish. If they could tire out infinite forbear­ance, and drain an Ocean; they must needs quickly tire out finite Patience, and drain a little Stream: How soon would limited forbearance, and a drop of patience be spent. God is so incom­parable in his patience, that he is called The God of all Patience; not onely be­cause he hath all manner of patience in him, but because he hath ingrost it all to himself.

CHAP. X. God incomparable in his Attributes, as they are from him, as they are his Essence, as they are all one in him, as they are in him in an infinite manner.

2. I Shall shew more specially the diffe­rence between God and his Crea­tures, in reference to these communica­ble Attributes.

1. These Attributes are all essential to God: They are from God, as well as in God. He is their Author, as well as their Subject: But in Men and Angels they are all derivative; though Truth, and Ju­stice, and Holiness, may be in them, yet they are not from them, but from God. God is not obliged to any but himself for them; He can thank onely himself that he hath them, but Angels and Men are not obliged to themselves, but to him for them. When the high God would lay Job low, by manifesting the vast difference between himself and Job; He bids Job be obliged to himself for his Excellency,Job 40.10. Deck thy self with Majesty [Page 100] and Excellency, array thy self with Glory and Beauty. To be deckt and array'd with Majesty and Excellency, notes, 1. The extent and abundance of it, the whole man is cover'd with Rayment. To be cloath'd with shame, is to be ex­tremely reproached, Psal. 35.26. To be arrayed with humility, is to be very hum­ble, lowly in an extraordinary degree, 1 Pet. 5.5.2. The publikeness of it; our Deckings and Rayments are visible, we cannot go abroad, but all see our Clothes. God speaks to Job to this pur­pose, Job, thou hast talk'd very presump­tuously, and carried thy self as if there were no great distance or difference between Me and thy self, as if thou wert like me, and and equal to me: If thou art, let me see it; Deck thy self with Majesty and Excel­lency, array thy self with Glory and Beau­ty. I can deck my self, and array my self with all these in the highest degree, and will not be beholden to any others for their help: I am clothed with Majesty, but no Creature lent an hand for the making up, or puting on those Clothes. Psal. 104.1. I have cover'd my self with light as with a Garment, Psal. 104.2. But neither Man [Page 101] nor Angel assorded me the least assistance therein. Do thou as much for thy self as I have done for my self, and then indeed thou mayst compare with me. God might make the same offer to Angels which he doth to Job, and none of them would or could accept it. Dependance is of their essence, as they are Creatures; and they can no more be separated from it, then from themselves.

2. These Attributes are the very essence of God; not Qualities or Properties, as in Men and Angels. The holiness of God is the holy God: Once have I sworn by my Holiness, Psal. 89.36. (i. e. by my self,) that I will not lye unto David. For Heb. 6.13. God having no greater to swear by, swore by himself. The Power of God is the powerful God, the Truth of God is the true God, the Wisdom of God is the wise God. All his Attributes are himself, his Essence: In Men and Angels, their Wisdom, and Power, and Justice, and Truth, are Accidents, and differ from their Substances; and this is appa­rent, because Angels and Men may be, and are, without these Attributes, as Devils and wicked Men. In them these [Page 102] Properties are one thing, and their Es­sence is another thing, so that they may be separated. An Angel may be an An­gel, and not holy, nor wise, nor just, &c. A Man may be a Man, and not powerful, nor patient, nor merciful; and the rea­son is, because these Properties are really distinct from the Essences of Men or An­gels; but in God they are his very Be­ing and Essence; they are himself, and can no way be separated from him, no more then he can be separated from him­self: God could not be God, if he were not most wise, most holy, most just, most patient, &c. God's Attributes are one most pure Essence diversly apprehended of us, as it is diversly manifested to us. God's punishing the Wicked, is his Ju­stice; God's performing his Promises, is his Faithfulness: His relieving the Mise­rable, is his Mercy: His bearing with the Guilty, is his Patience; so all are his Essence, himself.

3. Those Attributes are all one in God: His Justice, is his Mercy; and his Wis­dome, is his Patience, and his Know­ledge, is his Faithfulness; and his Mercy, is his Justice, &c. Though they are [Page 103] distinguished, in regard of their Objects, and in regard of our Apprehensions of them, and in regard of their Effects: yet they are all one in themselves, and this floweth from the former head, because they are the Essence of God, and his Es­sence is a pure undivided Being. In Men and Angels, these Attributes or Per­fections are different and several, for they may have one without the other: Their Righteousness is one thing, and their Power another thing, and their Truth a third thing: For we see in Angels some that are strong and powerful, that are not righteous or faithful; and among Men, some have one of these Perfections who have not another; yea, though in good men all these perfections are in some degree, yet all are not in any one in the same degree; there is scarce any Saint who is not more eminent for some spiritual excellency then for others. But in God they are all one and the same. As when the Sun-beams shine through a yellow Glass, they are yellow; a green Glass, they are green; a red Glass, they are red; and yet all the while the beames are the same: Or as when the [Page 104] Sun shines on Clay, it hardens it; on Wax, it softness it; on sweet Flowers, it draw­eth out their fragrancy; on Dunghills and Ditches, it draweth out their ill sa­vours: yet still it's the same Sun, and the same Influences; the difference lyeth in the Objects and the Effects. So the great God, who is alwayes working in the World, when he worketh towards the Wicked in punishing, he is righte­ous; towards the Godly in saving them, he is merciful; yet still the same immuta­ble God.

4. All these Attributes are in God in the highest degree; yea, beyond all degrees: These communicable Attributes which are in Angels and Men in degrees, and limited, (for a finite Substance will not admit of an infinite Property) are in God infinitely. Immensity, like a golden Thread runs through all his communica­ble Properties: His Ʋnderstanding is infinite, Psal. 147.5. So his justice is infinite, his Mercy is infinite, and all the rest: They have no bounds, no limits, but his own will and pleasure. He never acted to the utmost in any of them; he never put forth so much Power, but he [Page 105] could put forth more if he pleased: He never exercised so much Patience, but he could exercise more if he would.

Hence it is, That in Scripture that they are affirmed of God not onely in the con­crete, but also in the abstract. He is not onely loving, but Love, God is love, 1 John 4.7. He is not onely wise, but Wisdom, Prov. 9.1. Wisdom hath built her House: He is not onely good, but goodness; I will make all my goodness (i. e. my self,) pass before thee, Exod. 33.19. He is not onely holy, but holiness: Look down from Heaven, the Habitation where thy holiness dwelleth, Isa. 63.15. There­fore these Attributes of God must be boundless, because they are his Being himself.

CHAP. XI. God incomparable in his Works, Creation and Providence.

Thirdly, GOD is incomparable in his Works, as well as in his Being and Attributes: None hath such a strong Hand, such a stretched out Arm, or can do like him. O Lord (saith Moses) thou hast begun to shew to thy Servant thy Greatness, and thy mighty Hand: For what God is there in Heaven or on Earth, that can do according to thy Works? Deut. 3.24. He is a God doing Wonders, Exod. 15.11. His Doings are like his Being: He works like a God, Isa. 28.29. He is wonderful in Counsel, and excellent in working: His Works are all wonderful, Psal. 86.10. Thou dost marvellous things, thou art God alone. He doth miranda stupenda; so that it is said of him, Numb. 23.23. What hath God wrought? His Works are great, Joel 2.21. Honourable and glorious, Psal. 111.3. Perfect, Deut. 32.4. God thundereth marvellously with his Voice, great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend, Job [Page 107] 37.5. The Works of Men and Angels are little, small; some mean things they do by Divine concurrence; but his Works are great and unsearchable, which we cannot comprehend. If Crea­tures do great things, (in a sense, or com­paratively,) yet they may be found out; their Fellow-Creatures have a Clue which will lead them into all their La­byrinths, and a Line which will sound the bottome of all their Actions; but God's Works cannot be comprehended by the understandings of any Creature: O the depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his Wayes, and Doings past finding out, Rom. 11.33. His Foot-steps are not known, Psal. 77.19. Yea, He doth great things, and unsearchable and marvellous things without number, Job 5.9. till there be no number. If Crea­tures could do great things, and mar­vellous and unsearchable; yet you might soon reckon up all such works of theirs, one great marvellous unsearch­able thing were enough for the whole Creation; But God doth great things and unsearchable, yea marvellous things with­out number. His wayes are not as Mans [Page 108] wayes, as far as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, so far are his wayes above the wayes of man, Isa. 55.8, 9. No wayes like his; Among all the Gods, there is none like unto him; neither are there any Works like unto his Works, Psal. 86.8. Whether you consider the matter of his Works, and the Works themselves, or his manner of Working.

1. His Works themselves, and therein I shall (pass by his internal Works, both personal and effectual, and) mention on­ly his external Works.

1. He is incomparable in what Works he is pleased to do, or hath done.

1. Creation, Herein he is incompara­ble: Creatura non potest creare, The Crea­ture cannot create; Ex nihilo nihil fit with them: Man may do something to­wards the emendation of the form, but he cannot produce matter, no nor mend it when 'tis before him. A Goldsmith may make a sparkling Jewel, but then you must give him Gold and pretious Stones to make it of; he can put the mat­ter into a better form, but he is so far from making matter where there is none, that he cannot mend the matter which [Page 109] you give him: He cannot make Gold of Silver, nor Diamonds of common Stones. Man's work may exceed the matter, but man's work cannot make the matter, ex­ceed it self. But God can not onely make the matter to exceed it self, (as in man, who is formed of the Dust of the Earth, he hath such curious Parts, Veins, Sinews, Arteries, &c. such Members, Eyes, Cheeks, Ears, &c. Such Characters of Beauty in the whole, that he looks no­thing like his Parent Earth, the matter of which he was made,) but also make matter: He hath brought something, nay all things out of nothing. All the Angels and Men cannot create one grain of Corn, one pile of Grass, one mote of Dust; but the great God hath erected the stately Fabrick of Heaven and the Earth, with the curious steps and stories thereof, and the various Creatures and Furniture therein, of nothing. Here­by he proves himself the true God, The living God that made Heaven and Earth, & all things therein, Act. 14.15. He proves his Deity hereby, Jer. 10.10, 11, 12. The gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth, shall perish from the Earth, and [Page 110] from under the Heavens: He hath made the Earth by his Power, He hath established the World by his Wisdom, and stretched out the Heavens by his discretion; i. e. Can you be so foolish and sottish, as to imagine that blind, dumb, deaf, dead Idols can compare with him, who created you, and all things beside. When God would proclaim his Soveraignty, and incomparable Excellency, he challengeth Job, Where wast thou, when I laid the Foundations of the Earth? declare, if thou hast understanding: Who hath laid the measures thereof, or stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the Foundations there­of set? or who laid the corner-stone there­of? Job 38.4, 5. God would here de­note the exactness and acurateness of his Works, and so he alludes to men, who when they would set up a strong, stately, neat, compact Dwelling, lay the Foun­dations and corner Stones, and all the rest by line and measure: But that which God would principally intimate here, is his own Omnipotency, and mans Impo­tency: Where wast thou, when I laid the Foundations of the Earth? &c. Didst thou then lend me an helping-Head how [Page 111] to do it, or an helping-Hand in the do­ing of it? Surely No, I did all my self. Those innumerable Beings which are on Earth, and in the Ocean; yea, that are included within the vast Circumference of the highest Heavens, are all made by him out of nothing: Through Faith we believe that the Worlds were made by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear, Heb. 11.3. The great God had no ma­terials to make the great House with, he did not frame it of his own Essence, or any pre-existent matter, Isa. 45.12. Yet such admirable qualities are every where intermixt, matter and form, subject and and accidents, power and goodness, wis­dom and order; a rare symmetry, exact proportion, and beauty in the whole; a dependent subordination, and useful subserviency, in every part so equally poiz'd, that it's hard to determine which bears the greatest weight in the mighty work, and gives abundant cause to cry out with the Psalmist, O Lord, how mar­vellous are thy Works! in Wisdom hast thou made them all, Psal. 104.24.

[Page 112]2. He is incomparable in regard of Pro­vidence: 1. For Preservation none is like him, nay, none beside him doth this; O thou Preserver of Men, Job 7.20. Thy Visitation preserveth my Spirit, Job 10.12. God is unlike to Men; The Carpenters or Masons build Houses, and then leave them to the care and charge of others; but God keeps up what he sets up. His Providence succeedeth Creation, and is indeed a continual Creation: Thou pre­servest Man and Beast, Psal. 36.6. Not Food, or Air, or Sleep, but Thou preservest Man and Beast: And not onely Men and Beasts, but all things subsist by him, Colos. 1.17. That Hand alone which made all, can maintain all; and that Power onely which produced out of nothing, must preserve from nothing; Acts 17.28. In him we live, and move, and have our beings. That Being which gave us our Beings, must uphold us in our Beings; Heb. 1.3. He upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power, 1. Sustinendo, As a Pillar, or sure Foundation, upon which they stand. The Air which surrounds the Earth and Ocean, cannot bear a Fea­ther, yet in it hangeth the massy weight [Page 113] of Earth and Sea: Job 26.7. He hangeth the Earth (i. e. Earth and Sea, the ter­restrial Globe,) upon nothing: His Power is the only Pillar that bears them up. 2. Influendo, As a Fountain from which they derive all their virtue and operati­ons: The beings and motions of all his Creatures depend wholly upon his con­currence. If he suspend his Influence Coctum secundum, according to the School-men, the Fire will not burn, Dan. 3.27. Neither can the best Eyes see, though the faculty be well disposed, and the object be coloured, and at a good distance, Gen. 19.7. as hath been hinted before. It's natural to the Sun to run his Race strongly and swiftly; yet if he doth not concur as swift as the Sun is, he cannot creep a Snails pace; he standeth still in Giboah, Joshua 10.13. Job. 9.7.3. Constringendo, As a Soveraign Bond and Ligature, by which the parts of all things hold together, and are kept as wa­ter in a Vessel, from flowing abroad to their dissolution. No Man, no Angel, can bear its own weight, much less the weight of another Creature: Every Creature is like a Glass without a bot­tom, [Page 114] which cannot stand alone, but must alwayes be in hand.

It's impossible for the Creation, or any part of it, to bear up a moment, if God should forget it, and deny his actual concurrence to it. It doth constantly depend on God, as the Figure of the Seal imprinted on the Water, which be­ing with-drawn, the impression is instant­ly defaced. God is to the World, as the Soul to the Body, which alone can actuate and move it, without which it cannot stir at all, but is as a dead Corps.

2. For Gubernation, He governeth all, and neither Men nor Angels can govern themselves. The great Family of the World would soon lose its beauty; yea its being, if he did not maintain its har­mony and concord, by guiding them in their motions, keeping them in their se­veral stations, and directing them to their ends: The Lord hath established his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth over all, Psal. 103.19. One Crea­ture would most cruelly devour ano­ther; Beasts would prey on Men: All Creatures would become their own Ene­mies and Executioners; The whole [Page 115] Earth would be turn'd into an Achelda­ma, and a Golgatha, a Field of Bloud, and Place of Skulls; yea, into an Hell, if he did not order, and guide, and govern all. Treasons, Incest, Slaughters, Parri­cides, would over-whelm the whole World, pervert the order of Nature, turn all into Confusion and Destruction; if he did not keep the Reins in his own Hands, and govern all things, in every of their actions, every moment.

He governeth the highest, even the Governors themselves on Earth, that seem to be above all Government: Kings and Princes seem to be absolute, and wholly at their own disposal; Who may say to a King, What dost thou? Many will tell us, That their Hands are their own, to do what they please; but more will acknowledge, that their Hearts are their own, to think as they please. But alas, they cannot command their Hands to do what they will, their Hands are ruled & over­ruled by him, Act. 4.28. Herod and Ponti­us Pilate were gathered together, to do what thy Hand determined to be done. In like manner, their Hearts are not in their own Hands, to think as they will, but in God's [Page 116] Hand, to think what he will: The Heart of the King is in the Hand of the Lord, and he turneth it as the Rivers of Water, which way he pleaseth, Prov. 21.1. As the Husbandman turneth the Sluces into his Ground, this way, or that way, into this Channel or that Channel, as he thinks best for his own advantage; so God turneth the Hearts of Kings this way or that way, which way he seeth most for his Glory: Prov. 16.9. A mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lord di­recteth his steps. No man is Master of himself, so much as of his Thoughts; that Heart that deviseth its way, is di­rected in those devices by God. The Sun is higher then an earthly Prince, and seems to be his own guide; he acteth naturally, and so necessarily: But if he speak to the Sun, it riseth not; and he seal­eth up the Stars, Job 9.9. He hath a Negative Voice upon the motions of all Beings.

He governeth the lowest as well as the highest: As none are so high, as to be above his Precepts; so none are so low, as to be below his Providence: The highest must remember him, and he doth [Page 117] not forget the lowest; Are not two Spar­rows sold for a Farthing, yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Fathers pro­vidence, Math. 10.29. Sparrows seem to fly at liberty, and to fall casually; but even their flight is directed by God, and their fall ordered by him: They neither fly nor fall accidentally, but providenti­ally.

He governeth the most stubborn Crea­tures, those which seem wholly ungo­vernable: The Winds, the high Winds, Whirle-Winds seem to cast off and scorn all Rule and Government; but these Winds are at his will: Stormy-Winds ful­fil his Word, Psal. 148.8. When they rush forth with such irresistable force, that neither Men, nor Trees, nor Horses can stand before them; He rideth on their Wings, and hath them more at command then a skilful Rider hath an Horse, to turn this way, or that way, at his plea­sure, Psal. 104.3. Psal. 18.10. They are all at his beck: He causeth them to blow, Psal. 147.18. And ceaseth them, Matth. 8.26. The wise man tells us, He hath them in his fist, Prov. 30.4. He can hold [Page 118] them fast, or let them loose, as a man, what he hath in his fist.

The Waves seem rougher then the Winds: The Waters are moist Bodies, that are with much difficulty contained in their own bounds, especially when the Winds cross them, & contend with them; but he sitteth on the Floods, Psal. 29.11. As a Prince on his Throne, enjoyning and forcing Obedience and Submission: He bindeth the Waters in a Garment, Prov. 30.4. As Women their sucking Infants in Mantles, with swadling-Bands, which they cannot get out of; though the Sea be such a Giant, such a Monster, that it swal­loweth up thousands, and burieth them in its Belly, that it maketh all to shake and tremble, when it roareth and rageth; yet to God, it's but a little Infant, which he ordereth as he pleaseth, and can lay to sleep, or make quiet in an instant, when it's never so tempestuous: When I made the Cloud the Garment thereof, and thick Darkness its Swadling-Band, Job 38.9. Some earthly Princes heated with Passi­on, and drunk with Pride, have cast Shackles into the Sea, threatning it with bondage, if he did not obey them. [Page 119] Xerxes commanded so many strokes to be given the Sea, as a Punishment of its Rebellion against his will; but such actions are the highest folly and mad­ness. Many have had great Command at Sea, but none ever had the Com­mand of the Sea, save God. As tem­pestuous and outragious as it is, it's his quiet Prisoner, and stirs not without his leave, nor otherwise then he lengthens its Chain: I set Bars and Doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther, and here shall thy proud Waves be stay'd, Job 38.10, 11.

It may easily be proved, that the Sea is higher then the Earth, and why then doth it not over-flow it, and drown its Inhabitants? surely no reason can be gi­ven, but the Command the great God hath over it; Psal. 104.6, 7, 8, 9. The Waters stood above the Mountains; At thy rebuke they fled, at the Voice of thy Thunder they hasted away: They go up by the Moun­tains, they go down by the Vallies, unto the place which thou hast founded for them: Thou hast set a bound, that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the Earth. The Waters did once cover [Page 120] the Earth, till God broke up for them his decreed place, Job 38.10. And com­manded them into their appointed Channels. They have a propensity and inclination still to cover the Earth again: What doth their constant beating upon their Banks with rage and fury, and now and then encroaching upon the Earth, and getting ground of it signifie? but their desire and longing to beat down all before them, and turn the dry Land into a Sea. The onely reason why they do not accomplish their ends, is, because the great Governor of the World hath set them their bounds, which they cannot pass.

Some men are extream stubborn and refractory, as immoveable as Rocks, re­solved and fixt for their own Wills and Wayes; but even these God ordereth at his pleasure. The King of Babylon seem'd an untameable Beast, he had forraged ma­ny Countries and Kingdoms, and tram­pled on many Idols and false gods; and he cometh in a full career against the People of God, like a Lion greedy of his prey, no way doubting but to tear them in pieces, and devour them, as you may [Page 121] read in 37. and 38. Chapters of Isaiah. But mark how God governs this wild Ass, and hath this Monster at command, Isa. 38.29. I will put my Hook into thy Nose, and my Bridle in thy Lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. I will put my Hook into thy Nose, an allusi­on either to a Fisher, when he hath the Fish fast on his Hook, draweth it which way he will, Job 41.1. Or to such Rings as men put into the Noses of Bears to keep them in, and govern them with: My Bridle into thy Lips, Ezek. 19.4, 9. my Bit in thy Mouth, and my Curb about thy Jaws, an allusion to them that ride Horses, who with Bridle and Bit, rein and restrain them, and keep them within compass, Psal. 32.9. James 3.3. As if God had said, because thou ravest and ragest like some huge unruly Fish, or some fierce wild Beast, I will take thee with my Hook, and I will ring thee, and curb thee, and lead thee, and draw thee whi­ther I list.

The Devils are more untractable then Winds, and Waves, and Men: They have great Power; hence called The strong man, Luke 11.21. And Powers, [Page 122] Eph. 6.12. Their union doth much in­crease their strength, Vis unita fortior: They are so much one in their Confedera­cies, and all their Conspiracies, that they are called The evil One, The wicked One, Matth. 13.28. The Devil, 1 Peter 5.8. Because though they are many thou­sands, yet they agree and unite against God, as if they were all but one. They have much knowledge, subtilty, and po­licy, to direct their Power, Vis consilii expers, &c. Their excellent Natures, their great Observation of Persons and Actions; their long experience of some thousands of years in the World, must needs speak their Wisdom, or rather Craftiness, to be great.

Add to these, their innate impla­cable hatred of God, which makes them imploy all their Power, and improve all their Policy to offend and displease him, to break from under his Yoke and Sub­jection; yet in spight of all their Might, their Craft, their Malice, he governeth them as a man doth his Prisoners, whom he hath in Fetters: He hath reserved them in Chains of Darkness, Jude verse 6. He hath them ever in the Chains, 1. Of [Page 123] their own terrifying affrighting Consci­ences, which allow them no rest Day or Night: Indeed, all time is a dark dread­ful time to them, and all places are dark dismal places to them; they are where­ever they go as Prisoners with Fetters upon them, yea such Shackels as enter into and pierce their Spirits in Chains of Darkness. 2. In Chains of Divine Providence: God governeth their Per­sons, and all their motions; they go no whither but as he pleaseth, though they go up and down in the Earth. As subtile a Spirit as the Devil is, he cannot touch Job, Job 1.12. No, nor the Swine with­out God's leave, Matth. 8.31. He that would read more of the incomparable­ness of God in his Providence, may see it incomparably set forth by God's own Mouth, in the 37, 38, 39, 40, 41. Chap­ters of Job.

CHAP. XII. God incomparable in the Work of Redemp­tion; He can do all things.

3. HE is incomparable in the Work of Redemption: And truly, this Work is his Master-piece, pure Workmanship; and indeed all his Works of Creation and Providence are subor­dinate to this: All his Attributes sparkle most gloriously in this, Psal. 102.16. All his Angels in Heaven admire and adore him for this, Revel. 4.10, 11. This is the Work of all his Works, which he is so mightily pleased with, and reap­eth so much Glory and Praise from, Isa. 42.1. Isa. 43.21. No Angels, no Men, no not all together, could with all their united Worthiness redeem one Soul: None of them can redeem his Brother, or give to God a Ransome for him: For the Re­demption of the Soul is precious, it ceaseth for ever, Psal. 49.9, 10.

None beside God had pitty enough for mans misery, or Wisdom enough to find out a Remedy, or Power enough for his Recovery.

None had pity enough for mans Mise­ry; Boundless Misery call'd for bound­less Mercy; One deep for another: But where is such Mercy to be found among the Creatures? Man was a Child of Wrath, had plunged himself into an Ocean of Evils and Fury, and this required an Oce­an of Love and Pity, but Creatures at most had but drops; but the Creator had infinite Grace for infinite Guilt, and infinite Mercy for infinite Misery, Ezek. 16.5, 6, 7, 8. In the day of thy Nativity, thou wast cast out, to the loathing of thy Person; thy Navel was not cut, neither wast thou salted with Salt, nor washed with Wa­ter. Here is misery indeed, but what help or compassion from Creatures? tru­ly none: No Eye pitied thee, to do any of these things unto thee; (who then had pity enough?) Then I passed by thee, and saw thee in thy Blood; Then was my time of Love, and I bid thee live; yea, when thou wast in thy Bloud, I said unto thee live. God hath great Mercy for great Misery, Eph. 2.4, 5. Abundant Mercy for abun­dant Misery, 1 Peter 1.3. A Plaister al­together as broad and as large as the Sore, John 3.16. 1 John 4.9. Eph. 3.19. [Page 126] Therefore the Holy Ghost observeth, Luke 1.7, 8. In the Work of Redemption, the tender Mercy of our God from on high hath visited us.

None had Wisdom enough to find out a Remedy: Had the Creatures had pity enough, and kindness enough, they had not wisdom enough to make Justice and Mercy meet together, and Righteousness and Grace kiss each other. If God should have offered Man his Pardon and Life, upon Condition, that he with Angels should consult, and find out some way to satisfie his infinite Justice, that was of­fended by Sin; Alas, poor man must of necessity have perished; what Creature was able to undertake the satisfaction of infinite Justice? It would have Bankrupt them all to satisfie for one of the smallest Sins. And who could have thought of God, the Creator to undertake it? who durst have presumed to entertain such a motion in his Heart? Could it have en­tered into the mind of Men or Angels, that the Law might be fulfilled in its Commands and Curse, the Glory of Di­vine Justice and Holiness salved, and mi­serable man eternally saved.

No Creature would have thought of a way to reconcile the Justice and Mer­cy of God, no Creature could have thought of any way for it, nay, no Creature durst have thought of such a way as God hath found out. No, He that made the World by his Wis­dom, Psal. 104.24. when it had un­made it self; new made it by his Wis­dom: Hence the Redemption of man is called [...], the manifold, the curious, the embroydered Wisdom of God; such Wisdom as passed the Knowledge of Angels, Ephes. 3.10. And the Redeemer is called The Wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. In this Work is in­finite Wisdom, because in this Work in­finite Justice and infinite Mercy do meet, Rom. 3.24, 25. Ephes. 2.5, 7. 1 John 4.9, 10.

Again, None had Power to have gone through with the Work, if they had had Wisdom to have found out a way: There was so much to be done in order to mans Recovery, that it would have undone all the World, if they had un­dertaken it. The Powers of Hell must be over-come, the Curse of the Law, [Page 128] and Wrath of the Law-Giver, must be born; Sin that was so strong and fast in the Heart of Man, must be subdued, Grace and Holiness, against which Man had an emnity, must be infused; and what Power less then Omnipotent could effect either of these? God who disco­ver'd great Power in creating the World of nothing, discover'd much greater in redeeming the World when it was worse then nothing. In the former he had no opposition, in the latter, his Law, Justice, the Devils of Hell; nay, Man himself did resist and oppose him: It had been impossible for the Mediator to have born up, and held out under all those contests with the Powers of Darkness, the Malediction of the Law, the Fury of his Father, if the Almighty everlasting Arms had not been under him, Isa. 42.1, 2. Behold my Servant, whom I upheld, Isa. 49.8, 9. Therefore you read of Power, great Power, mighty Power, greatness of Power, exceeding greatness of Power, put forth in the Work of Redemption; Eph. 1.19, 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward? who believe according [Page 129] to the working of the mighty Power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead. And the Redeemer is called The Power of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. The Arm of the Lord, Isa. 53.1. His Strength, Isa. 27.5. Once more we read, Thy Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of Hosts is his Name, Jer. 50.34.

2. He is incomparable (not onely in what he hath done, but also) in what he can do. He can do what he will, nay he can do much more then he will do.

He can do what he will; His Arm is as large as his Mind, and his Hand equal to his Heart. His will and pleasure is the onely boundary of his Strength and Power: Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in Heaven and Earth, and the Seas, and in all deep Places, Psal. 135.6. Psal. 115.3. Can this be said of Men or An­gels? Can they do what they please? surely No. But the Lord doth what he hath a mind to do: He is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what his Soul desireth, that he doth, Job 23.13. His Heart onely can limit his Hands, and his Strength is determined by nothing but his will. It was the saying of a Prince, [Page 130] that he could bear a Circle about his Head (meaning his Crown) but he could not bear a Circle about his Feet, he would go and come at his own pleasure, and do what he thought fit; but all the Prin­ces in the World have Fetters about their Feet, and Chains about their Hands. They cannot go whither they please, Isa. 37.33, 34. Zenacherib would needs go up to Jerusalem, and bringeth an Army against it for that end, but his Feet were fettered: Thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria, He shall not come into this City; by the way that he came, by the same shall he return. Neither can they do what they please: As they go (not whither they will, but) whither God pleaseth; so they do (not what they will, but) what God pleaseth, Acts 4.27, 28.

It's Gods incomparable Prerogative to go whither, and do what he will: God doth not do many things that he can, but he doth all things that he will: He can do more then he will. He cannot do what is sinful, he cannot lie, Titus 1.2. He cannot deny himself, 1 Tim. 2.13. He cannot do that which implyeth a [Page 131] contradiction: He cannot make himself a Creature, or make a Creature a God, because the doing of these things speak weakness and imperfection, but whatso­ever speaketh power or perfection, that he can do: He is able to do exceeding abun­dantly above all that we can ask or think, Eph. 3.20. A man may ask much, this World, the other World, a thousand Worlds after them, millions of Worlds after those, better Worlds, greater Worlds; the Soveraignty and Domini­on over them; the Command and Rule of them for Ages, for Generations, for ever: A man may conceive more then he can ask, the Mind of Man is much larger then his Tongue: His apprehensi­on doth far exceed his expressions, espe­cially of such a man whose mind is en­lightned and enlarged, (for of such the Apostle speaks) and not contracted and narrowed to sublunary sensual Objects: But God can do more then we are able to ask or think, yea abundantly more; so much more, that we cannot think how much more; nay, exceeding abundantly more [...], valde abundanter, above abundance.

Is any thing impossible to God, Luke 1.37. With God all things are possible, Math. 19.26. He is good at every thing that is good: Men are good, some at one thing, some at another thing, so are An­gels; but no Man, no Angel, is good at all things; God only can do every thing, as God only can be every thing: He on­ly that is universal in his Being, is univer­sal in his doings. He can make millions of Worlds in a moment, and unmake them again as soon: He can kill and make alive in the twinkling of an Eye; He can build up, and pluck down, take Nature off its Hinges, and set it on again; make the Waters when they run never so violently, to stand still; stop the Sun in its full career; keep the hottest Fire from burning, or so much as singing an Hair. Shall the Sun go backward (saith he) ten degrees or forward, 2 Kings 20.9, 10. Take either, it's all one to me; chuse which thou likest best: To me both are equally easie.

CHAP. XII. God incomparable in the manner of his Working: He worketh irresistibly, ar­bitrarily.

2. IF you consider the manner of his Working, He is incomparable therein also.

1. He worketh irresistibly: He work­eth so, as none can hinder him: All the united Wisdom, Power of Men, of An­gels, cannot stop him at his Work. The mighty King Nebuchadnezzar was taught this Truth, when he was grazing among the Beasts, Dan. 4.35. He doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can stay his Hand. Mark, He doth what he will, and none can stay his Hand; the Prayers of his People have sometimes stay'd his Hand, when he was going to slay and destroy, but it was be­cause out of his Grace he stay'd it himself. Alas, what Creature can see, or know, or reach his Hand, that is invisible and om­nipresent, Isa. 48.10. My Counsel shall [Page 134] stand, and I will do all my Pleasure. The Counsels of Men do not alwayes stand, he makes them to fail and fall: He bring­eth the Counsels of the Heathen to naught, and maketh the Devices of the People of none effect, Psal. 33.10 But none can make his Counsel void, or his Devices invalid.

What he will do he doth, and there is no withstanding him: If he will bring an Enemy against a Nation, none can prevent their coming: Calling the Ra­venous Bird from the East, the Man that executeth my Counsel from a far Country, (Cyrus that should seise on Babylon, as a Ravenous Bird on his Prey) yea, I have spoken it, and I will bring it to pass; (Let me see who shall hinder it,) I have pur­posed it, and I will do it. I would see who dares undertake to oppose it, Isa. 40.11, 12.

If he will deprive Men of their Ho­nours and Grandeur, of their Estates and Treasures, of their Might and Power; there is no contending with him, it must be done; Job 9.4, 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? If he will take away, nothing shall stand in his [Page 135] way. The four great strong Monarchies of the World, that successively were the dread and terrour of the Earth, were taken away by him, and who hindered him? All their Policy and Power could not prevent him, or hinder their Ruine, Dan. 2.44.

God hath a Negative Voice upon the motions of all the Creatures: Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, if the Lord commandeth it not? Lament. 3.27. They who reckon without him, must reckon again: They must ask his leave; as well as have his assistance, or sit still and do nothing. Their Wheels, though never so well oyl'd, stand still, or go backward, if he say Nay, to their motion forward; He speaketh to the Sun, and it riseth not, and sealeth up the Stars, Job 9.7. No day, not the least light in the Heavens at night without his leave; but no Creature hath a Negative Voice upon the least of his Actions: What he will do he doth, and never asketh Men or Angels leave. Nay, challengeth them to hinder him if they can, Isa. 43.13. I will Work, who shall let it? Observe his Resolution, I will Work; He speaks like [Page 136] one in Authority, that is above all Checks and Controls, that can make good what he purposeth in spight of all opposition; I will Work; Observe also his Challenge, who shall let it? Would I could see the Man, the Angel, that durst stand in the way of my motions. The Jews might think Babylon will let: I (saith God) have sent to Babylon, and de­stroyed all their Princes, I have broken in pieces those Iron Bars; There is no fear that they should hinder my entrance into their City.

He can give a Supersedeas to the high­est Attempts, and strongest Designs of Creatures: He can blow on them, and they are soon blasted, all their politick Conceptions prove abortive: Take Coun­sel together, and it shall come to nought, Isa. 8.10. Their most powerful Engins prove ineffectual, Verse 9. Gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Some of them talked at a great, at a high rate; We will go up against Judas and destroy it, and set a King in the midst thereof, even the Son of Tabeal; But they speak beyond their strength, and reckon (as we say) without their Host; Thus saith [Page 137] the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass, Isa. 7.6, 7. But none can give a Supersedeas to the least of his Attempts: Behold he breaketh down, and it cannot be built up again; he shutteth up a Man, and there can be no opening, Job 12.14.

2. He worketh arbitrarily, according to his own will: He doth what he will, and he alone may do what he will. It is argued by many, that some Princes are not accountable for what they do to any Men, but all hold they are accountable to God. They are his Stewards and Deputies, and must give an account to him of their Stewardships. They are his Creatures, and are, or ought to be, limited by his Laws, and so must be re­sponsible to him for their Carriages and Government. No King is absolute or arbitrary in his Governments, because all Kings are his Subjects, and owe Allegi­ance to His Majesty, and Obedience to his Commands: But God is absolute and arbitrary, and may do what he will do; every thing that he doth is just, because he doth it: He doth what he will in Hea­ven and Earth, and none can say unto him, [Page 138] what dost thou? Dan. 4.35. He is respon­sible to none for any of his Actions; none may question him, much less quarrel with him for what he doth: Angels are far from being arbitrary, His will, not their own, is their Rule, Psal. 103.20. Ye Ministers of his, that do his Pleasure. He onely that is above all Law, is above all Transgression, 1 John 4.3. And he whose will is the onely Rule of Recti­tude and Righteousness, may well do what he will, Rom. 12.2.

He hath an absolute illimited Propriety in all the Works of his Hands: He is the great Proprietor of all the World, and therefore may dispose of all at his plea­sure, Psal. 24.1. Matth. 20.13, 15. May I not do what I will with mine own? Friend, I do thee no wrong; Though men may have a civil Right to their Estates, and a na­tural Right to themselves and their Chil­dren; yet the Original in all is still God's. He divests himself of nothing, by lending any thing to us, or trusting us with it; and therefore he may use what is his own, at his own liberty and pleasure, and none may question or quarrel With him for it.

Again, He is Supreme, and so above all [Page 139] answering, or accounting for any thing he doth: He is the most high, Psal. 92.1. It's no disparagement to Men or Angels to be under a Law; nay, 'tis essential to them as they are Creatures: But he that is Supreme, and giveth all Laws to others, is under no Law himself: Indeed, if he had a Superior, he might be called to account by him: But why strivest thou against him? he giveth no account of any of his matters, Job 33.13. Why strivest thou against him? Not by open force, but secret murmurings, and logical arguings, against his providential Dispensations; It's vain, for he giveth no account of any of his matters. He is not bound to tell thee what he doth, or why he doth it: He hath received nothing from thee, and so not bound to account to thee, Rom. 11.35. Thou hast no Authority to call him to ac­count; what Man or Angel hath Power to call him to account? In the next Chapter the Holy Ghost doth fully speak for our purpose, Job 34.10, 12, 13. Far be it from God, that he should do wickedly; and from the Almighty, that he should pervert Judg­ment: Who hath given him a Charge of the Earth? Whose Deputy is he in the Go­vernment [Page 140] of the World? If he be a Deputy or Vice-Roy to any Superior Power, then he must keep close to the Instructions, and act according to the Commission he receiveth from them, or be accountable for his wandrings and de­viations; But who hath given him a Charge over the Earth? What Man? what An­gel? where is he? what or who is he that hath given him a charge? If there were one higher then God to give him a Rule, then if he swerved from it, he was faulty; but because he is higher then the higest of Beings, and his own Law, therefore he may do what he will with­out blame: Who hath enjoyned him his way? or can say unto God, Thou hast wrought Iniquity? Job 36.23. God's way is his method of Working, his man­ner of governing the World: Now saith the Holy Ghost, Who hath any autho­rity over him, to injoyn him his way of working, the Path in which he should walk, that in case he stept aside, he might say unto him, Thou hast wrought Iniquity? No, not any; and therefore its desperate presumption for any to complain of him what ever he doth: Who art thou that [Page 141] replyest against God? Rom. 9.20. He is a bold Man indeed that will contend with his Maker; Who art thou? what manner of Man? what monster of Men? Who art thou, a clod of Clay, a lump of Earth, a sink of Sin, a fire-brand of Hell, that thou darest chop Logick with God? For shame set still, lay thy Hand on thy Mouth, and be silent.

CHAP. XIII. God incomparable in his Working: He doth the greatest things with ease, and with­out any Help.

3. HE worketh at all times without weariness, and doth the great­est things with ease: As there is nothing too hard for God, so there is nothing hard to God: He doth the hardest things that are with the greatest ease. Indeed, the great God doth the greatest and hard­est things with the same ease that he doth the least things: It's all one to him, whe­ther his Work be small or great, easie or hard to others; all is easie alike to him.

In the Creation, though the building be large and vast, yet with what ease did he set it up? He did not blow or sweat, no nor so much as stir at his Work. The whole World consisteth of the caelestial and terrestial Globe, and both were the product of his Word: For the Heavens, Psal. 33.6. By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made, and all the Host thereof by the breath of his Mouth. It was but a word, a breath, that produ­ced that vast circumference of the Hea­vens, and all those great Luminaries there: So for the Earth, He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast, verse 9. He onely spake the word, and even non-entities obey'd, and be­came Beings. Therefore in the story of the Creation, Gen. 1. we find in every Days-work, God only commanding, and and immediately all things concurring, verse 3, 9, 12.

In his Works of Providence, he doth all things with unconceiveable ease.

If he destroy and pull down, it is done with ease; They are crushed as a Moth, Job 4.19. How easily doth a Man crush a Moth between his Fingers? with more [Page 143] ease doth God crush his stoutest Ene­mies. He destroyeth the highest, the greatest, the strongest, the Lions, young Lions, with a breath, with a blast: By the blast of God they perish, by the breath of his Nostrils they are consumed, Job 4.9, 10. By a blast, a breath; it's easie to breath, to send forth a blast for a Man; but much easier for God, who breathed into Man the breath of Life: This can put him to no pain, no toil, no trouble at all. Zenacherib comes against Jerusa­lem with a great Army of Warriers, and had, as he saith, Counsel and Strength for War: God undertakes to deal with him on the behalf of his own People, and to destroy him; but see with what ease God doth it, 2 Kings 19.17. I will send a blast upon him: I will never trouble my self to use my Artillery, or draw out my great Ord­nance of Heaven, my Thunders and Lightnings against so many thousand Soul­diers; I will onely blow upon them, that shall be all.

He destroyeth with a word; If he do but speak, it's done: His saying, is doing: At what time I speak concerning a Nation, to pull down, and to destroy, Jer. 18.7, 8. [Page 144] When the Prophet would speak the cer­tain ruine of the Philistins, he doth it in this manner, Woe to the Inhabitants of the Sea-coasts, the Word of the Lord is against you, Zeph. 2.5. i. e. The case is woeful, your condition is desperate, the whole World cannot save you; for the Word of the Lord is against you. Men may talk, and boast, and threaten what they will do, when all the while their Words are but Wind, and their threat­ned Folk live long; but the Word of God, like Lightning or Mildew, blasteth where-ever it goes, and burns up to the very root. Julius Caesar told Metellus, (when he would have prevented his rob­bing the Roman Treasury,) Young Man be quiet, or I'le lay thee dead at my Feet: And then to magnifie his own Power; addeth, It is harder for me to speak it, then to do it. But this is certain, it's as easie for God to do any thing, as to speak of it; yea, he doth what he will with a Word. Now how easie is it to speak? He destroyeth with a Look, with a glance of his Eye; and surely that is easie to him that is all Eye, that made the Eye: In the Morning-Watch the Lord [Page 145] looked through the Pillar of Fire on the Host of the Egyptians, and troubled them, Exod. 14.24. He darts out beams of Death from his Eyes: One look from God will take away the life of the greatest of his Adversaries. He destroyeth with an hiss, O how little! how easie a thing is hissing! Isa. 7.18. I will hiss for the Flies of Egypt, and the Bees of Assyria, and they shall come, &c.

He destroyeth with a turn of his Hand, Psal. 81.13, 14. I would soon have subdu­ed their Enemies, and turned my Hand against them that hated them. A turn of his Hand would have subdued the proudest Enemies of Israel, and have stab'd them to the Heart.

He delivereth his People with the greatest ease: Whatsoever their Straights be, though various and difficult, yet he helpeth them out with ease. When they were in Captivity, scatter'd up and down as Exiles out of their own Country, he bringeth them Home; but how? truly, He saith to the North, Give up; and to the South, Keep not back, &c. Isa. 43.6. And both hearken to his Word, That his Sons come from far, and his Daughters from the [Page 146] ends of the Earth. When the Prophet would beg of him to help his afflicted People, he only desires him to Command Deliverance for Jacob, Psal. 44.4. If he will it, and command it, the Work is done.

He succeedeth his Ordinances, and maketh them effectual, for enlightning the Blind, and enlivening the Dead (great Works) with ease: He saith, Live, and the dead Sinner liveth, John 5.24. He commandeth success, and Ordinan­ces are effectual: There the Lord com­mandeth his Blessing, even life for ever­more, Psal. 133.3.

Yea, the Ocean, that is such a fright­ful Monster, which makes such an horri­ble Noise, and openeth its Mouth, roar­ing and raging, as if it would certainly devour us, is quell'd and quieted with ease by him, Job 38.8, 9, 10, 11. When the Sea was tempestuous, and frighted the Disciples, that they awake the Lord Jesus; with what ease doth he cause a Calm, Peace, be still, Matth. 8.27. (As a Mother would still a crying-Child, Hush, be quiet, peace, no more, be still,) and immediately there was a Calm.

[Page 147]4. He worketh wholly by his own Power, without the least help from any other: Creatures are all Instruments, and act in the vertue of the principal Effici­ent. Angels and Men act not in their own, but in the strength of God; they have not some help from God, but all the Power by which they work, from God: But God acteth wholly in his own strength, he never had, nor desired an helping-hand from any of his Crea­tures.

In the Work of Creation, he erected this curious large Fabrick without any Tool or Instrument, Isa. 44.24. I am the Lord that made all things, that stretcheth forth the Heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the Earth by my self. Mark, he made the Heavens alone, had none with him to assist him; and he made the Earth by himself, call'd none from Heaven to his Aid. As he said to Job, Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth? declare, if thou hast understand­ing, Job 38.4. Thou wast far enough off from giving any help; so he may say to Angels, Where were ye when I stretched out the Heavens? declare, if ye have un­derstanding. [Page 148] Some give that reason why they are not mentioned in the Crea­tion of the World, in the first of Genesis, to assure us, that God did not use their help in his Work. The Heavens are compared to a Curtain, Psal. 104. and [...]o a Tent, Isa. 40.22. Now we know that when Curtains or Tents that are ve­ry large, are to be stretcht out, as the phrase is in that, Isa. 44.24. there needs many Hands to it, one hand will not do it, many pair of hands must be put to it; but God spreadeth out those wide large Curtains of Heaven alone, Job 9.8. He borrowed not one hand to it: Hast thou with him spread out the Skie, which is strong as a molten Looking-Glass, Job 37.18. Was God beholden to thee for affording him thine Arms in the un­folding and spreading that broad vast piece.

In works of Providence, He doth some great things alone by himself; Job 26.7. He hangeth the Earth on nothing, without an Atlas to bear it up, and he preserves Moses forty days without Food, Exod. [...]2. And he doth all things without the help of his Creatures, even there, and [Page 149] then when he makes the most use of his Creatures. He useth Angels and Men in the Government of the World; he useth many means, as Food and Ray­ment, and Physick and Sleep, for the preservation of our Health and Lives; but he doth all, as much and as surely as if he made not use of any means at all. He is the Soul of the World, that actu­ates every thing in it: Hence we read, That Instruments are called his Sword, Psal. 17.14. His Rod, Isa. 10.5. What can the Sword or the Rod do, without an Hand to cut or scourge with them; therefore when his Rod boasteth as if it could scourge of it self, Isa. 10.12, 13. and as if it were the Hand too; By the strength of my hand have I done it; I have removed the Bounds of the People, and rob­bed their Treasure. God quickly contra­dicts such vain babling, and confutes such vain glorious boasting, verse 15. Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith, or the Saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it? Thou poor proud vain-glorious Wretch, Thou art a meer Axe, a Saw, and canst no more move or cut of thy self, then a Saw or an [Page 150] Axe that lyeth on the ground, which no man medleth with: Thou talketh arro­gantly and saucily, as if thou didst all, when thou didst nothing: I did all, thou wast all the while but the Axe and Saw in my Hand, which I made use of.

1. Whether God have little or great means, means or no means, it's all one to him; there is not a pinn to choose, as we say, for he doth as much when he hath means, as when he hath none, 2 Chron. 14.7. It's all one with thee to help with many, or with them that have no Power. It's not the least difference to him, 'tis not so much as the smallest dust in the Ballance to turn the Scale of Victory, whether God have many or few, any or none of his side.

God never made use of any Creatures, because he had the least need of them, or the least help by them, but partly because it is his pleasure; he useth them because he will use them: It's his pleasure by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that believe, 1 Cor. 1, 21. Not that he hath the least aid from Preachers; so it's his pleasure by Food and Sleep to preserve mans life; not that he hath any help from [Page 151] them: Thy Visitation preserveth my Spirit, Job 10.12. Partly from his own Honour. Hereby he magnifieth his Sovereignty, and sheweth his Dominion over all his Creatures, that they are all at his beck, and he can with a stamp of his Foot, or a glance of his Eye, or an hiss of his Mouth, call them from the uttermost parts of the World, to execute his Com­mand. My Hand hath laid the Foundati­ons of the Earth, my right Hand hath span'd the Heavens; when I call, they stand up to­gether, Isa. 48.13. The Flies, Caterpil­lars, Locusts, Stars in their courses, &c. all come at his call. Hereby he magnifieth his Power, that can do such great things by weak means: He got himself glory on Pharaoh, when he made pitiful contemp­tible Creatures, as Lice and Flies, such Plagues to him.

And by opening the Eyes of the blind, and quickening the Dead, by such weak poor Instruments as Men are, his strength is exceedingly exalted; We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels, that the excel­lency of the Power might be of God, 2 Cor. 4.7. Hereby he magnifieth his Wisdom viz. in discovering the fitness and apti­tude [Page 152] of his Creature to those ends and purposes for which they were created. The use of a Tool discovers its worth, by discovering its serviceableness to that for which it was made. Partly to endear Creatures one to another; their mutual serviceableness each to other, causeth the greater amity and unity between them, 1 Cor. 12.21, 22, 23.

In spiritual things also God worketh alone, even when he hath many Ordi­nances and Ministers to serve him: Thou workest all our Works in us, and for us, Isa. 26.12. Not any Visions, or Pro­phets, or industry of our own; but thou workest all. What is Paul? what is Apol­los? Paul planteth, Apollo watereth; but God giveth the increase. So then (Ob­serve) He that planteth is (a great Apo­stle? No,) nothing, and he that watereth is (an eloquent excellent person? No,) nothing; but God that giveth the increase, 1 Cor. 3.5, 6, 7. God doth not use Preachers, because they help him in the conversion of Souls, but (as I said be­fore) because it is his pleasure, 1 Cor. 1.21. And he turneth it to his honour, 2 Cor. 4.7. Therefore it is often seen, [Page 153] that Ministers of the largest Gifts, of the greatest Grace, are not often the most successful in their Labours; because God would have us know, that it's not the Parts or Piety of the Preacher, but his Grace and Spirit that doth the Work: They are nothing, he is all in all. He made light the first day of the Creation, and not the Sun or Stars till the Fourth, to tell the World, that he can enlighten it without the Sun. It is a great Honour to God that he hath so many millions of Creatures at his will and pleasure, that he hath so many Eyes to see for him, and so many Ears to hear for him, and so many Hands to work for him; but it is a great­er Honour to him that he needeth none of them, He can do all without them; that though they are serviceable to him, yet they are not necessary to him. For God and all his Creatures do no more, can do no more then God without any of his Creatures.

CHAP. XIV. God is incomparable in his Word: He speaketh with incomparable Authority, Condescension and Efficacy.

Fourthly, GOD is incomparable in his Word; He speak­eth after an unspeakable manner, Never man spake like him, (no, nor Angel,) his Enemies themselves being Judges, John 7.46. Men may speak high, and speak holily; Angels may speak higher and ho­lier, but neither speak like God: Behold he exalteth by his Power, who teacheth like him? Job 36.22. Behold I wonder at it, he exalteth by his Power, is good at acting; who teacheth like him? Is good at instructing, and best at both, and be­yond all that ever were. Who teacheth like him? The words are a Challenge to the whole World: Bring forth the Man, let me see the Angel, that can speak or teach like God. He doth not not say, Who teacheth beside God? There are many Teachers beside God, the inanimate Creatures are Teachers, the Heavens [Page 155] by their constant regular motion, the Earth by its fecundity and fruitfulness, according to the law of their Creation, teach Man Obedience and Proficiency, Isa. 48.13. The irrational Creatures are Teachers: Man is sent to School to the Ant and Swallow, and Oxe and Ass, to the Beasts of the Field, and the Fowles of the Air, to learn Providence and Pru­dence; to learn Wisdom, to discern and improve his Opportunities, and grati­tude to his Father and Benefactor, Prov. 6.6. Jer. 7.7, & 8. Isa. 1.5. Job 12.8, 9. Men are Teachers one to another; Parents and Ministers do, or should, teach those that are committed to their Charge or Trust, Prov. 22.6. Ephes. 4.6. An­gels are Teachers: The Angel taught Daniel, and helpt him to understand, Dan. 10.14. And surely of all finite, they are the most learned and able Ma­sters: But he saith, Who teacheth like him? Though many teach beside God, yet none teacheth like God; none speaketh like him, whether you consider the manner, the matter, or the effect of his Speech.

[Page 156]1. He is incomparable in the manner of his speaking.

1. He speaketh authoritatively, and in his own Name: Good Men and good Angels may command, but it must be (as subor­dinate Magistrates) in the Name and Au­thority of their Prince and Soveraign; but God commandeth in his own Name and Authority: God gives Authentity to what-ever he speaks, and he speaks with Authority when he speaks. God speaks as one that hath Right and Power to Command, and as one that, upon his own account, expecteth to be obeyed: I am the Lord, is enough to warrant Obe­dience to the whole Decalogue, Thou shalt have no other God; Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, &c. For I am the Lord thy God.

His Authority is the highest, the great­est reason of any Precept, and the strong­est warrant for Obedience; Therefore Thou shalt not swear by my Name falsly, (why?) I am the Lord: Thou shalt not curse the Deaf, nor lay a stumbling block before the Blind, (why not? the Deaf cannot hear if I do curse them, nor the Blind see if I do lay a stumbling-block before [Page 157] them,) I am the Lord, &c. Levit. 19.12. &c. It's said of Christ, He taught as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes, Matth. 7. ult. He did not beg attention, but enjoyn it; nor beseech Obedience, but command it. As when Princes Enact Laws, they do not intreat, but require Obedience at the peril of their Subjects. This is the Word of the Lord, and Thus saith the Lord, and the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, is sufficient to awe and require Subjection from all that hear it. God is his own Authority, not so Men or An­gels: They speak from God, but he from none but himself. His Word is a Light, Psal. 119.104, 105. that discovers it self; And therefore it is called The Testi­mony of the Lord, Psal. 19.7. Because it beareth witness to it self, and needeth not testimony from Men or Angels. What the essential Word speaketh, may be spoken of the declarative Word: It receiveth not Testimony from Man, John 5.34. Men need Grounds and Reasons, and Witnesses too, to prove and vouch what they say to be true, and to be so as they speak; but the Word of God is a sufficient authentick Testimony to it [Page 158] self; It's his own Proof, because what Truth it self speaks, must of necessity be true.

2. He speaketh condescendingly, to the condition and understanding of those to whom he speaketh: He considereth the Natures and Tempers, and Capacities of his Hearers, and accordingly speaks to them: He doth not (as some Ministers) speak in an unknown Tongue, or soar into the Clouds, exceed the Capacities of his Hearers, that he might be wondred at, not understood; but he observeth their Weakness and Infirmities, yea their dul­ness and incapacity, and teacheth them as they are able to hear him. There are Depths in his Word for Elephants to swim in, (to tell the World what and how he could speak, to exercise our industry, and prevent our contempt of it for its plainness,) and there are Shal­lows for Lambs to wade through, that none might be discouraged. Christ is our Priest, and the Priests Lips teach knowledge, and he is a merciful Priest, Heb. 2.16. Condescending in what he teacheth, and in the way of his teaching, to the capacities of his Hearers.

In what he teacheth: How chary was Christ of charging his Disciples with any thing that they could not brook, John 16.12. I have many things to say unto unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. I have some harder Lessons to teach you, but ye are young Schollars, and not able yet to learn them, till ye have been long­er in my School, and have attained more ripeness of understanding; therefore I will not trouble you now with them, but leave them to my Spirit, who shall pre­pare you for them, and enable you to learn them: Your Stomachs are weak, and yet must have that onely which is of light Digestion, Milk, not strong meat, 1 Cor. 3.2. Your Backs are not strong, and therefore I will lay on you none but light burdens, But ye cannot bear them now; and therefore ye shall not hear them now, least ye should be offended and discouraged at them. When the Jews enquired of Christ, why his Disci­ples did not fast often, as well as the Dis­ciples of John, and the Pharisees: Ob­serve the reason our tender-hearted Lord gives, Math. 9.15, 16, 17. No man (saith he) puts new Wine into old Bottles, least the [Page 160] Wine burst the Bottles; or soweth an old Garment to new Cloth, least the rent be worse. Alas, saith he, my Disciples are young Beginners, Babes in me, at best but little Children, not strong Men, or Fathers, and therefore they must not be called presently to the Austerities or Severities of Religion, least they, poor Souls, should be discouraged in their Work, and faint under it: I must proportion their Burden to their Backs, and lead them their own pace, as they are able to go at present. Hereafter indeed they shall be called to suffer great things for my Names sake; they shall be hated and persecuted of all men, but then they shall be fitted for those Severities, and undergoe them with courage; but yet such deep Points, and obscure Notions, must not be offered to Novices.

In the way of his teaching, he is very tender and condescending; He accom­modates his Discourse to their Appre­hension, Mark 4.33. He spake as they were able to bear it; Not as he was able to speak, (he was able to read Lectures above the capacities of Angels) but as they were able to bear it. Therefore he [Page 161] spake so much to them in Parables, be­cause they might the better understand him: For though a Parable would make Truth more obscure, (and so Parables and Dark-Sayings are conjoyn'd, Psal. 7.78. and to speak in Parables, is oppos'd to speaking plainly, John 16.26. John 16.29.) yet a Parable reveal'd, unvail'd, (as Christ did usually to his Disciples, Matth. 13.17, 37.) makes Truth more clear. It gives us the advantage of viewing heavenly Truth in earthly Glasses, the Species and Reflections of which we are most able to conceive; Therefore our Saviour saith, If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, (or cannot understand) how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly, John 3.12.

The Instructions of Christ were like Water, Deut. 32.2. which he powred into those narrow-mouth'd Vessels by little and little, as they were able to re­ceive it; or as Rain, which he distil'd on his Hearers (as Rain on the mown Grass) by drops, and drop after drop, to re­fresh them; not by Floods to drown them. Jacob consider'd the Children were young, and the Cattel were with young, [Page 162] therefore drove gently, least by over­driving he should wrong them, Gen. 33.13. So our Lord Jesus considereth what Men are, how impotent and infirm, and will not over-drive, over-do, least he should undo them, Isa. 28.9, 10. He gives Precept upon Precept, Line upon Line, Here a little, there a little.

Will Men or Angels teach with such compassion, with such condescension? It is a Rule of one of the Ancients, That he who will teach Children, must him­self be a Child: He must frame and fashi­on himself to them, and be as one of them, or else he will never teach them. How soon would the dulness and un­towardness of Man tire out the patience of Men and Angels, and provoke them to give over teaching them: God's in­comparableness herein is fully proved in the incomparableness of God in his Pa­tience, in Chap. 10.

3. He speakes effectually: As he hath Power to command us, so he hath Power to enable us to obey his Commands. Men and Angels may tell Men their Du­ty, but they cannot teach Men their Du­ty; they cannot strengthen them, or [Page 163] impower them to obey: He speaketh so as Men hear, and believe and live; He that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me, John 6.45. We have a saying, Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius, Every man will not make a Mercury: Some so dull and blockish, that none can improve them, or do good upon them, i. e. no Creature can;Isa. 32.4. but God can make the dull, the blind, the most igno­rant, to conceive and consider, and ap­prehend and understand the darkest and most difficult Points by speaking to them, Isa. 48.17. He teacheth to profit; There is a Power that accompanieth his teaching, that doth the Work. When he saith, Let there be Light in a dark Mind, there is Light; it is so: He is a God that commandeth Light to shine out of Darkness, 2 Cor. 4.6. When he saith, Let there be life in that dead Soul, there is life, it is so, John 5.24. Men and Angels may call long enough to the Blind to see, and the Dead to live, and all in vain. But if a God say to a Sinner that lyeth rotting in the Grave, almost eaten up of the Vermine of Lusts, unsa­vory, and stinking in the eyes of all men, [Page 164] Lazarus, Sinner, come forth of thy cursed carnal condition; The man that was bound Hand and Foot, manacled and fetter'd by the Devil, his Jaylor, comes forth, is loosed of his Bonds, and lives for ever.

As the Mariners said of Christ, He speaketh with Authority, and command­eth the Winds and Seas, and they obey him; What manner of Man is this? Math. 8.27. So I may say, O what manner of God is this, for he speaks with Autho­rity, and the high winds of violent Passi­ons, and the fierce Waters of boisterous Corruptions, and they obey him; they fly, they fall before him? Can Men or Angels speak at this rate? will Sin die at their word? will the Soul live at their command? How long may they call to Sinners to arise from the Dead, before they will, before they can answer their call?

But if God speaks, the most obstinate, hardened Sinner obeyeth his Voice, sub­mitteth to his Will, and yieldeth himself up to his Word; nay, the very Devils are forced to leave their beloved Man­sions, the Souls of Men, and to seek and [Page 165] setttle their Habitations elsewhere. He commandeth, and the unclean Spirits come out of Men, Matth. 8.32. If he please but to say, Get thee behind me Sa­tan, that Prince of the Powers of the Air, that god of the World, who crows so much on his own Dunghill, the Hearts of the Unregenerate, sneakes away like a Coward, and must in spight of his Teeth obey his Command, Math. 4.10, 11. Yea, God ejecteth him with a word speaking, out of his strongest Holds, the Souls of old, sensless, seared Sinners, and leads Captivity captive, and makes this Jaylor, who laid so many in Irons, his Prisoner and Captive.

CHAP. XV. God is incomparable in his Word: In its Purity, Mysteries, Prophesies.

2. GOd is incomparable in the matter of his speech, as well as in his manner of speaking: If you consider the Purity, Mysteries or Predictions thereof.

1. The Purity of its Precepts: His [Page 166] Word is the most pure, perfect, exact Rule of Righteousness that is imagina­ble: It commandeth good, nothing but good, and all good, at all times; It forbiddeth evil, all evil, and nothing but evil, and alwayes: The Command­ment is holy, and the Law is holy, just, and good, Rom. 7.12. Holy, as it is a Copy of the Divine Will; Just, as it is corre­spondent to the highest reason; Good, as it is most beneficial to the rational Crea­ture. It is holy, as it relates our Duty to God; Just, as it respects our Duty to our Neighbours; Good, as it concerns our Duty towards our Selves. It is Holy, as consecrated to the Service of God; Just, as a transcript of the pure Law of Nature; Good, as it is the measure and standard of all goodness in the Creatures. It is Holy, in what it enjoyns us to do; Just, in what it forbids us to do, and good in both. What Laws in the World are in any degree comparable to the Laws of God? The Mahometan Laws which have gained so much credit in the greatest part almost of the known World, are impure Laws, allowing Revenge, Po­ligamy, and commanding Slaughters, [Page 167] Oppressions, &c. for the Propagation of their Religion.

The Laws of the severest Heathen Ly­curgus, &c. contained but the Carcass and Body of Purity, had nothing of the Soul and Life thereof. How many Sins against the very Law of Nature did that Lacedemonian Law-Giver allow of? and where he or any of the rest did forbid Sin, it was in the outward actions, not in the inward affections: Their Laws did rather Command the covering of Sin, that it might not appear abroad, then the killing of Sin, that it might not be at all: Their Laws were defective as to persons, some Men were usually priviledged, and not bound to them; as to the parts of men, they gave the inward man liberty, though they restrained the outward, as to Punishments; the greatest Penalty they could think of, or impose, was a Temporal Death; They never dreamed of an Hell in another World. But O how pure! how perfect is the Law of God! Thy Word is very pure, saith Da­vid, Psal. 119. So pure, that there is not the least mixture, falshood or error in it: It commands all, and nothing but, [Page 168] conformity to the mind of the great Soveraign, and Lord of all things: The Law of the Lord is perfect, Psal. 19.7. So per­fect, that it is not deficient in any thing; It commandeth purity in the whole man, in every faculty of the Soul, in every member of the Body: It commandeth purity in this whole man, at all times, in all companies, in all conditions, in all relations, in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Psal. 119.1, 2.

It's apparent to common sense, that fallen man could never dream of such strict exact Precepts, no, he is so far from it, that he is wholly contrary thereunto, Rom. 8.7. And Angels could not ima­gine them, unless God had signified his mind to them. For all holiness being a conformity to the Will of the most high God, they could not discern what was holy, what was unholy, any farther then they could discover the Will of this in­comparable God.

2. The mystery of its Doctrines: It containeth such Depths, such bottomless Profundities, that could not possibly have been imagin'd by Men or Angels, had not God reveal'd them. It acquaint­eth [Page 169] us with things far above the reach of created Reason, (though not contrary) yet being told us are so correspondent, that there is no ground left for the que­stioning them. What the great Apo­stle saith upon occasion of one mystery, we may say upon the whole: O the Depth! O the Depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33. O the Depth of the holy Scriptures! There is a Depth in them, that none can fathome, because a Depth in them that hath no bottom; Great is the mystery of the Bible: Who could think of a Womans coming into the World without a Woman, as Eve; of a mans coming into the World without a man, as the Son of man; nay, without man or woman, as Adam? who could think that the same Woman should be a Mother & a Virgin? But these are small mysteries; who could think that many thousands, millions, living many Miles and Ages di­stant, should be fellow members, and be truly one Body, sympathising with, ser­viceable to, rejoycing in the welfare of each other; & all be united unto, receive influence from, and live wholly by one Head, as far from them as Heaven is from [Page 170] the Earth? Eph. 5.27, 28, 29, 30. Coloss. 2.19. Who could have thought that three really and personally distinct, should be equal, and one in nature and essence? 1 John 5.7.

Who could have imagin'd, that God should become Man, infinite become fi­nite, the Creator a Creature; the Fa­ther of Spirits become Flesh, and the Lord of Life be put to Death? Who could conceive, that he who made all things of nothing, should be made him­self of a Woman, made by him: That he whom the Heavens, and Heaven of Hea­vens cannot contain, should be contained in the narrow Womb of a Woman: That the onely Bread of Life should be hun­gry, the onely Water of Life be thirsty; the onely Rest be weary, the onely Ease be pained, and the onely Joy and Con­solation be sorrowful, exceeding sorrow­ful unto Death?

Who could have imagin'd, that one, yea millions should be rich by anothers poverty, filled by anothers emptiness, be exalted by anothers disgrace, healed by anothers wounds, eased by anothers Pains, be absolved by anothers Condem­nation, [Page 171] and live eternally by anothers temporal Death? Who could have im­agin'd, that infinite Justice and infinite Mercy should be made fast Friends, and fully satisfied by one and the same acti­on; that the greatest fury and the great­est favor, the greatest hatred and the greatest love should concur in, and be manifested by one and the same thing? Could Men or Angels speak such Myste­rles? surely No. Several Mysteries in the Scriptures were hid from whole Ages and Generations of Men; Which in for­mer Ages was not made known to the Chil­dren of Men, Eph. 3.5. No nor to An­gels neither, Verse 10. To the intent that now unto Principalities and Powers, might be made by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God.

3. The Prophesies and Predictions of the Word: Neither Men nor Angels can fore-tell those things which depend not on natural Causes, or which may not be deduced from moral or political Grounds, and even in such things as these are, they may be, and have been decei­ved. Therefore it was the subtilty of the old Serpent to deliver his Oracles of­ten [Page 172] in ambiguous words, and in deceitful Speeches, that whatsoever happened, his Credit might be salved, as his Aio te Ae­acida Romanos vincere posse, & Ibis redi­bis nunquam per bellae peribis, &c. But God fore-tels what hath no print of any footing in Nature, what neither moral nor political Principles can direct unto, and never fails in his Predictions. He fore-tells the Birth of Cyrus, 100 years before he was born, Isa. 48.28. The Birth of Josiah, 200 years, 1 Kings 13.2. The Conversion of the Gentiles and fal­ling off of the Jews, above 2000 years before it came to pass, Gen. 9.27. Isa. 49.6. Isa. 54.9, 10. He fore-tells the Birth of Chirst, near 4000 years before he came into the World, Gen. 3.15. And it is very observable, how punctual and parti­cular he is herein, (as knowing how much the well-fare of the World did depend upon the Knowledge of the true Messiah,) he tells you long before-hand, of what Tribe he should come, of Judah; of what Family, Davids; of what Per­son, a Virgin; where he should be born, in Bethlehem; whence he must be called, out of Egypt; what his condition should [Page 173] be; in general, full of Sorrows and Griefs; in particular, that he should be disgraced and reviled, tempted, betrayed, appre­hended, deserted by his Father and Bre­thren; that he should die, be pierced, not have a Bone broken; be buried, make his Grave with the Rich and the Wicked, and rise again from the Dead, and reap the fruit of all his Passion, to his full satisfaction.

He hath fore-told the state of the World, and the Church, in the Revelati­ons; from the Primitive times, to the dissolution of the World, though it's written in short-hand and in dark Cha­racters.

And can any Men or Angels fore-tell such things? God challengeth all the gods to do this; Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods, Isa. 41.21, 22, 23. The cer­tain Prediction of future Contingents, is such an inseparable Prerogative of the Deity, and such a special Priviledge of the Original of all things, that he in­gageth to own their Supremacy, and ac­knowledge their Sovereignty, who can do it. It's such a Jewel in his Crown, [Page 174] that none ever shared in it: I have de­clared the former things from the begin­ning: I did them suddenly, and they came to pass: I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass, I shewed it to thee, Isa. 48.3, & 5. It's pecu­liar to him, who worketh all in all, to fore-know and fore-tell whatsoever shall come to pass, Acts 15.18. Known to God are all his Works, from the beginning of the World; yea, from all eternity. For he stood on the high Mountain of eternity, and thence had a full view of all that his will would produce, and whatsoever should come to pass.

CHAP. XVI. God incomparable in his Word, as it is con­verting, affrighting and comforting.

3. GOD is incomparable in the ef­fects of his Word: His Words are Works, they are operative, as well as declarative of his Pleasure. What he speaketh hath Power and Vertue in it, as well as Weight and Value.

[Page 175]1. It is efficacious in converting the Soul: The word of God can stop the tide of nature, when it runneth with the greatest violence; yea, it can turn it the quite contrary way: Let a man be in the height of his Strength, in the heat of his Youth, ruffling and bussling among the Sparks of the times, taking a large draught of carnal Pleasures, and having a full gust of sensual Delights, making his whole life but a diversion from one Pleasure to another, (as if he were sent into the Earth, as Leviathan into the wa­ters, only to play and sport there,) when this man is in his best estate, in the Ze­nith of Health and Strength, in the Me­ridian of his Age, promising himself a long day of life, and putting the day of death far from him, and thereby giving himself the more liberty to the service of his Lusts; yet if the word of God come to this man, who sucketh in Wind as the wild Asses Colt, it makes him pluck in his Plumes, bid adieu to his foolish Plea­sures, leave his most beloved Lusts, loath himself for ever loving them; it alters the man's Palat, that is bitter now which was sweet before; and he cannot savour [Page 176] what formerly was his heaven and hap­piness; it changeth the bent and frame of his heart, that now he forsaketh with detestation what formerly he followed after, as his onely felicity and chiefest good; The wild man is tame, the obsti­nate man is pliable, and the distracted man is recover'd to his wits, Psal. 119.9. Men and Angels may perswade, but God only can prevail. The words of Creatures may work for an outward reformation, but the word of God alone for an inward renovation: He only that made the Heart can mend it. Humane Counsels may do somewhat towards the hiding of the corruptions of Nature, but Divine in­structions are only effectual for the heal­ing of corrupted Nature: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul, Psal. 19.7. Converting the Soul; The Law of man may bind the Body to its good behaviour, but the Law of God alone can bring the Soul to its good behaviour. To turn a Lion into a Lamb, Darkness into Light, a Stone into Flesh, Death into Life, (all which is done in conversion) can be effected by the Word of none but a God, Isa. 11.8, 9, 10. Eph. 5.8. Ezek. 26. [Page 177] Eph. 2.1, & 5. No word but his can take a Cions off from its own natural stock, and ingraft it into a new stock, Rom. 11.17. James 1.21. 2 Cor. 10.4. Acts 2.41. Acts 4.4.

2. It is efficacious in affrighting the Sin­ner: He speaks (not as Men or Angels, to the Ears only, but) to the hidden-man of the Heart, and shatters it in pieces; he plants, his Batteries of Threatnings, and Terrors, and Curses, against the inward man of the Conscience, and puts it into an Ague of trembling and shaking Fits, (as we see in Herod, Acts 24.27.) and levels it to the ground. This word in the mouth of a poor Prisoner at the Bar, frights the proud sturdy Judge on the Bench. When God speaks, he makes the best people afraid, and cry out, Let not God speak to us, least we die, and the best of that people exceedingly to quake and fear, Exod. 19.19. Heb. 12.21. The Voice of the Lord is terrible, it shaketh the Cedars of Lebanon, it shattereth the Oakes of Bashan, Psal. 29. Those that were Monsters of Mankind for Cruelty and Barbarousness, for Stupidity and Searedness, by his Word have been ter­rified in their Spirits, wounded in their Consciences, cut to the Heart, and forced [Page 178] to call out, Sirs, What shall we do to be saved? Acts 2.37.

The most stubborn sensless Sinner, whom neither Mercies nor Miseries could move or melt, who mocked at the Curses of the Law, and the Wrath of the Lord; and as Leviathan laughed at the shaking of those Spears, whom (as the man possessed with the Devil) no Cords could hold, no Chains could fasten, but he burst all asunder; when the Word of the Lord hath been spoken to him, instead of flying in his face (as former­ly when men have spoken to him) he hath fallen down at his feet, been filled with fears and frights, felt the very Fire of Hell flaming in his conscience, and become a ve­ry Magor Missabib, fear or terror to himself round about: The Word of God hath stuck in his Heart, as the Arrow in the side of the Buck, allowing no ease; whitherso­ever he hath gone in the night, scaring him with Dreams, and terrifying him with Visi­ons; in the day admitting no rest in his Flesh, nor quietness in his Bones, forcing him in all Places, and in all Companies, still to carry his Jaylour, his Tormentor, his Ex­ecutioner, along with him; and at last, that he might escape a partial and temporal, to [Page 179] leap into a total, an eternal Hell: Ah, who knoweth the Power of his Anger? of his an­gry word; or is able to fear him accord­ing to his wrath, Psal. 90.11. I may challenge every Man, every Angel, as God himself doth Job, Hast thou an Arm like God? Canst thou thunder with thy Voice like him, Job 40.9. If he utter his word of fury, the Rocks are rent in pieces, the most stony hearts are melted; the Mountains are moved, the highest and firmliest seated Sinners are shaken out of their places and senses, the foundations of the World tremble and quake, the strongest Pillars are troubled, the whole frame and body of Nature is affected with a Palsie; Psal. 18.13. The Lord thundred in the Heavens, the highest gave forth his Voice, (what followeth?) Hail-stones and coals of fire.

3. It is efficacious in healing the wounded Spirit: When God takes the Sword of the Spirit into his own Hand, and wields it with his own Arm, it makes work, it makes wounds to purpose in the consciences of men; the sleepy Soul is now awakened, the secure Soul is now affrighted, the sensless Soul is now affected with his sins and mise­ry, (Acts 2.37.) the man tasteth the bitter­ness [Page 180] of his original and actual corruptions, feeleth the weight of Divine fury and in­dignation, findeth the Poyson to work in his Bowels, and wracking him with extre­mity of pain;Psal. 38.4. Job 6.10 There is no rest in his Flesh, because of God's anger; nor quiet in his Bones, because of his sins: The arrows of the Almighty are within him, and his terrors set themselves in array against him. The unquenchable fire flasheth in his face, and destruction (in his thoughts) is ready to lay hold of him; in this condition he knoweth not what to do,Prov. 18.14. for a wounded Spirit who can bear? He tryeth Creatures, but they can afford him no ease; Miserable Comforters are they all to him, and Pyhsicians of no value: It's the same hand that wounded, that alone can cure him; it's the same word that bruised him, that must bind him up; let God but speak to this Soul that is thus sunk down into Hell, and it will be lifted up to Heaven: Fools, because of their Iniquities and Transgressions, are afflicted, their Soul abhoreth all manner of meat (they are so sick, that they can relish, take down nothing,) and they draw near to the gates of Death, (they are almost in, they are on the brink of Hell;) what course must be used for their cure? truly this, He sent his word [Page 181] and healed them, and delivered them from their Destruction, Psal. 107.17, 18, 19, 20. No Herb in the Garden of the whole World can do these distress'd Creatures the least good. Friends may speak, & Ministers may speak; yea, Angels may speak, and yet all in vain; the wounds are incurable for all their words: But if God please to speak, the dying Soul reviveth. His word is the onely Balm that can cure the wound­ed conscience; he sendeth his Word and healeth them. Conscience is God's Prisoner, he claps it in hold, he layeth it in fetters, that the iron enters the very Soul; this he doth by his word, and truly he onely who shuts up, can let out; all the World cannot open the iron Gate, knock off the shackles, and set the poor Prisoner at liberty, till God speak the word.

David professed, he had quite fainted, had it not been for this Aqua vitae, this Cor­dial water; I had perished in my affliction, but thy word comforted me, Psal. 119.92. The boistrous Billows went over my Soul, and I had sunk in those deep Waters, had not thy Word bore me up.

CHAP. XVII. If God be incomparable: 1. How great is the malignity of Sin, which contemneth, dishonoureth and opposeth this God.

I Come now to make some application of this great and weighty Truth: It may be useful by way of Information, Counsel and Comfort.

First, By way of Information: If God be so incomparable, that there is none on Earth, none in Heaven comparable to him; It may inform us,

1. Of the great venome and malignity of Sin, because it is an injury to so great, so glorious, so incomparable a Being. The higher and better any Object is, the baser and the worse is that action which is injuri­ous to it: To throw dirt on Sack-cloth is not so bad as to throw dirt on Scarlet or fine Linnen. To make a flaw in a pebble or common stone, is nothing to the making a flaw in a Diamond or precious stone. Those opprobrious Speeches, or injurious Actions, against an ordinary person, which are but a breach of the good behaviour, and bear but a common Action at Law; if against a [Page 183] Prince may be high Treason, because of the execellency of his Place, and Majesty of his Person: The worth and dignity of the Object, doth exceedingly heighten and ag­gravate the Offence. How horrid then is Sin, and of how hainous a nature, when it offendeth and opposeth not Kings, the highest of men; not Angels, the highest of Creatures: But God, the highest of Beings, the incomparable God, to whom Kings and Angels; yea, the whole Creation is less then nothing. We take the size of Sin too low, and short, and wrong, when we measure it by the wrong it doth to our selves, or our Families, or our Neighbours, or the Nation wherein we live; indeed herein somewhat of its evil and mischief doth appear, but to take its full length and proportion, we must consider the wrong it doth to this great, this glorious, this incomparable God: Sin is incomparably malignant, because the God principally injur'd by it, is incompa­rably excellent. It's one thing to displease and offend man, a poor slimy worm, a mean shallow Creature, of the same make and mold with our selves, and another thing to displease and offend God, that unconceiva­ble immense Being: If one man sin against [Page 184] another, the Judge shall judge him, (an hu­mane Judge may undertake to determine and comprise Offences between them that stand upon the same level) but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? 1 Sam. 2.25. Here the case is alter'd, here is a pitiful finite Creature offending an infi­nite Creator; what man dares arbitrate this difference, nay who can intercede and in­terpose between these too?

Hence, hence it is that there is no less then an infinite demerit in sin, because its an injury to an infinite Majesty. Nothing discovers sin to be so great an evil, as its opposition to so vast, so matchless, so great a good, so incomparable a God.

The evil of sin appeareth somewhat in the injury it doth to our Estates, (Prov. 23.21. The Drunkard and Glutton shall come to poverty, and idleness shall cloath a man with rags.) To our Names (The name of the Wicked shall rot, Prov. 11.7.) To our Fami­lies (A wicked man troubleth his own House, Prov. 15.27. & Prov. 3.33.) To our Neigh­bours (One sinner destroyeth much good, Eccl. 3.18.) To our Nation (Jer. 18.7, 8. Psal. 107.34. He turneth a fruitful Land into barren­ness, for the wickedness of them that dwell [Page 185] therein.) To our Bodies (Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath wound? without cause? They that tarry long at the Wine, Prov. 23.29, 30. Prov. 5.11.) To our Souls, He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul, Prov. 8. ult. But all this discovers nothing of sins evil, to that which is discover'd by the injury it doth to the incomparable God, because our Estates, our Names, our Families, our Neighbours, our Nations, our Bodies, our Souls, are all nothing, infinitely less then Nothing to the great God, the in­comparable. This, this is the only Glass that discovers the horrid ugly features, the monstrous frightful deformities of sins face, that it is a wrong to the blessed God, to him who is the high & lofty one, Isa. 57.15.

1. In that sin is a breach of this incompa­rable God's Law, a violation of his Com­mand, a contradiction of his Will: Whoso­ever sinneth, transgresseth the Law, for sin is a transgression of the Law, 1 John 3.4. Nei­ther the greatness nor smallness of our obe­dience or disobedience is to be valued, ac­cording to the greatness or smallness of the thing commanded or forbidden, nor ac­cording to the greatness or smallness of the good or hurt done to man by it, but ac­cording [Page 186] to the greatness of the Person, who commandeth or forbiddeth.

2. In that it is a contempt of this incom­parable God's Authority, a slighting his Do­minion, a denying his Sovereignty; Who is the Lord, that I should obey his Voice? (Exod. 5.2.) is the Voice of every Sinner: We are our own (say they) Who is Lord over us, Psal. 12.4. They know no Maker, and there­fore own no Master: For this cause the Sin­ner is said to cast the incomparable God be­hind his back, as not worth minding or re­garding, 1 Kings 14.9. And to despise him as some mean inconsiderable Being, 1 Sam. 2.30. 2 Sam. 12.9. & 10.

3. In that it is a dishonouring this incom­parable God, whose name alone is excellent; It layeth him low, who is the most high, Psal. 92.1. Through breaking the Law, dishonourest thou God, Rom. 2.23, 24. It is ill to reproach a common man, worse to reproach a Noble man, or a Prince; but O how bad is it to re­proach the great God! to blaspheme that worthy Name: Sin layeth the honour of this incomparable God (which is more worth then millions of Worlds) in the dust, and trampleth on it. The Romans when they would mark one with ignominy, and [Page 187] brand him with reproach, would put him out of their Senate, or any place of Credit in which he was, and pull down his Statue or Monument, if any were erected to his Honour. Sin degrades and dethrones God, it will not allow him to be the Lord and Supreme of the World, and it defaceth his Image where-ever it finds it, as one contra­ry expels another: It disgraceth his Justice, thence is called Ʋnrighteousness, 1 John 1.6. His Wisdom, thence is called Folly, Prov. 5.23. His Patience, thence is called Murmur­ing, Jude 16. His Power, thence is called Weakness, Rom. 5.8. His Mercy, thence is cal­led Ʋnthankfulness, Luke 6.35. His Know­ledge, thence is called Ignorance, and a work of Darkness, 1 Pet. 1.14. Eph. 5.8. His Truth, thence is called a Lye, and lying Vanity, Psal. 58.2. Jonah 2.8. In all these, and every way, it disgraceth his Holiness, which is his Glory, and the glory of all his Attributes, Exod. 15.11. thence is called Filthiness, 2 Cor. 7.1. Ʋncleanness, Rom. 1.24.

4. In that it is a fighting with, and (to its power) a destroying this incomparable God: The murther of any man is hainous, it is horrid, 'tis against nature, and 'tis the extremest mischief that one Creature can [Page 188] do to another, Gen. 4.10. Math. 10.28. The murther of a Father or a Sovereign is far more hainous, as being more against Na­ture, and against more ingagements to the contrary. He is cursed that mocketh his Father; and his Heart smote him who did but cut off the skirt of his Kings Garment, thought his Enemy; what a Monster then is he that kills either? but O what a Mon­ster! what a Devil is that which destroyeth (as far as it is able) the good, the gracious, the great, the glorious, the incomparable God? Truly, sin is such a Monster, such a De­vil, that were its power equal to its spite, and its strength answerable to its malice, the living God should not live a moment.

Omne peccatum est Dei-cidium, All sin is God-murder: The Sinner hates God, Rom. 1.30. and hatred ever wisheth, and, as 'tis able, worketh the destruction of its object: The Fool hath said in his heart, There is no God, Psal. 14.1. i. e. It is a pleasing thought to him, to suppose there were no God; as to guilty Prisoners, to imagine there were no Judge to arraign and condemn them; whom we fear as hurtful to us, we hate, and wish he were taken out of the way: In or­der hereunto the Sinner strives with God, [Page 189] and contendeth with him, Job 34.7. fight­eth against him, Acts 5.39. He stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth him­self against the Almighty: (He puts forth all his force, and venteth all his strength,) He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers; Runs upon him as one Enemy upon another, furiously, without fear, and, as he is able, gets him down, sets his Feet on his Neck, trampleth on him, and crusheth him, Job. 15.25, 26.

O how odious! how loathsome, how abominable is sin, that breaks the Law, slights the Authority, dishonors the Name, and to its utmost dethrones and destroys the Being of this incomparable God, this self-sufficient, independent, absolutely per­fect, eternal, incomprehensible, infinite Be­ing, which alone deserves the name of Be­ing, and to which all other. Beings are no Beings. Reader, should this God of Glory appear to thee, as once to Abraham, and shew thee a glimpse of his excellent glory, that is above the Heavens; should he dis­cover to thee but a little of that greatness which the Heavens, and Heaven of Hea­vens cannot contain, of that duration which had no beginning, hath no successi­on, [Page 190] knoweth no ending; of those perfecti­ons that admit of no bounds, no limits, that are uncapable of the least addition or ac­cession to them, and then should say unto thee (as when he appeared to Saul) Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Man, man, why despisest thou my Commands? why despisest thou my Authority? Sinner, how darest thou dishonour my Name, and seek my destruction? What wouldst thou then think of Sin? O what wouldst thou then think of thy self for thy sins! Shouldst thou not have other thoughts of sin, and of thy self for sin, then ever yet thou hast had? Wouldst thou not even loath thy self, for being so base, so vile, so unworthy; yea, so mad, as to offend & af­front, and fight against such a God? wouldst thou not cry out as Job, I have sinned against thee, and what shall I do unto thee, O thou Pre­server of men, Job 7.20. I have sinned against thee, an incomparable, infinite, unconceivable Being: I have wronged thee, the most high, most holy, most blessed God, and what shall I do unto thee? what amends shall I make thee? what reparation shall I give thee? It is impos­sible for me, should I weep & wail, and lament and grieve millions of Ages, to make the least satisfaction for the injury I have done to such [Page 191] a Majesty. Or wouldst thou not say as he in another place, Lord, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eyes see thee; wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, Job 42.5, 6. Lord, I have heard of thee somewhat by thy word, and by thy works, they have told me somewhat of thy beauty and glory, and excellency; howbeit I believed them not, but now mine Eyes have seen thy Majesty and Royalty, and Sovereign­ty, wherefore I abhor my self, that ever I should transgress thy godly Will, that ever I should blaspheme thy great Name, that ever I should despise thy Supremacy, and fight against thy Majesty. Ah I Reprobate, turn away mine eyes from my self, cannot endure to behold my self; my stomach is turn'd against my self, I loath my self, that ever I should presume, and dare to contest and contend with, to wrong and injure thine Excellency; I recant all that I have been, all that I have done against thee, and repent, am unfeignedly grieved for it, heartily wish I had never been so, never done so, but since what is past cannot be recalled, I will as far as I can be revenged on my self, for my impudency and distraction, I will lie in the dust, lick the dust, own my self to be much baser and viler then the dust, I will abhor my self in dust and ashes.

This, this is the venome, the malignity of sin, that it is opposite and contrary, offensive and injurious to the incomparable God. This is the consideration which should humble us most for our sins: This was the weight that pressed David down most, and laid him so low in the day of his Repentance; Against thee, Psal. 51.4. thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight: Though he had sinned against the Enemies of God, in occasioning their blasphemies; against the friends of God, in grieving their Spirits; against his whole Kingdom, in provoking God to plague them; though he had sinned against Bathsheba, in defiling her Body and Soul; against Ʋriah, both in the matter of his Wife and Life, and against his own Body and Soul; yet he looks upon these, though great in themselves, yet little, nothing comparatively; the Head of the Arrow that pierced his heart, was this, I have sinned against the Lord, 2 Sam. 12.13. Against thee, thee only have I sinned. The injury which he did to himself and others, was so inconsiderable, in comparison of the injury he did to God, that he passeth it quite by, in his penitential Psalm, & sticks wholly upon this, Against thee, thee only have I sinned. This is the strong­est the weightiest Argument to drive and disswade from sin; none is like it. When Moses would couch all Arguments in one, he useth this instead of all, Num. 32.23. But if ye will not do so, (i.e. perform your promise to assist your Brethren, till they have con­quer'd their Enemies, and are setled in their Posses­sions; what then? what great harm if they do not? Is it not that they sin against their Brethren, & wrong their own Souls? No, but) Behold (mark it, it is wor­thy your attention, and most serious consideration,) ye have sinned against the Lord, the great, the mighty, the almighty, the incomparable God.

CHAP. XIX. If God be incomparable, how great is the madness and misery of impenitent Sin­ners?

SEcondly, if God be such an incompara­rable God, it informeth us of the mad­ness and misery of Sinners.

1. Of their madness in daring to offend him, and to contend with him. 2. In wilfully losing this incomparable God.

1. How great is their madness in daring to offend him? yea, in daring him to his face? Reader, if thou shouldst see a man without any cause striving with an whole Army, hacking and hewing, and provoking them to kill him, you would think surely the man is mad, otherwise he would never thus wilfully run himself into a certain ruine. I tell thee every time thou wilfully breakest his Laws, thou actest more like a distracted man; for thou fightest against that God who is stronger than millions of Armies, who is Almighty; and thou provokest him to de­stroy thee who can wink thee into the other world, and look thee into the eter­nal [Page 194] Lake, and hiss thee into Hell flames. Man, art thou Gods match, that thou offerest to enter the List with him? Do ye (saith the Apostle) provoke the Lord to anger? Are ye stronger than he? 1 Cor. 10.22. It's one thing to provoke men to anger, and another thing to provoke the Lord to an­ger. Man hath but a little heart, and a small hand; his anger and power cannot at utmost exceed finite; but Gods heart and hand, his anger and power are both infi­nite. If the wrath of a King be a Messenger of Death, what thinkest thou is the wrath of immensity, and the stroak of Omnipoten­cy? What then is the wrath of a God? Sinner dost thou know what thou dost when thou breakest his Laws, slightest his Love, dishonourest his Name, grievest his Spirit? I tell thee thou provokest a God who is incomparable in holiness, and hath threatned thy destruction; who is incom­parable in power, and can accomplish what he hath threatned; and who is in­comparable in truth, and cannot but make good with his arm, what he hath spoken with his mouth: Wo be to him that striveth with his Maker: let the Potsherds strive with the Potsherds of the earth, Isa. 45.1. God is [Page 195] a God of Peace, he hates strife; but if men will be striving, he wisheth them rather to meddle with those that are their matches, poor silly worms like themselves, and not to strive with their Maker, who is infinitely their Superiour in authority and power, and every perfection. Here is sawciness indeed, for a pitiful nothing to challenge Almightiness to Battel. Who (in his wits, in his senses, that were not quite distracted) would set Briars and Thorns against me in Battel? I would go through them, I would burn them up all together, Isa. 27.4. Briars and Thorns are not match to a fire; how easily, how speedily, how certainly doth the fire consume them as soon as it layeth hold of them? how much less is weak man a match for God, who is a consuming fire? When the Roman Poet was desired to make Verses against his Emperour, he answered, Nolo in eum scribere qui potest proscribere, I'le not jeer and jest with him that can kill me in earnest. Our Saviour tells us, What King going to war against another, sitteth not down first, and consulteth, whether he be able with 10000 to meet him that cometh against him with 20000? or else while the other is a great way off sendeth to his Ambas­sadours, [Page 196] and desireth conditions of Peace, Luk. 14.31, 32. O that when the Devil and flesh entice the Sinner to sport with and make a mock of Sin, Prov. 10.23. he would but consider, it's ill jesting with edged tools, it's ill jesting with unquenchable Burnings; for how can his heart endure, or his hands be strong in the day that the great God shall deal with him? Ezek. 22.14.

2. Again, How great is their madness, who will venture the eternal loss of this God, this incomparable God, for every base lust? what a mad man is he, who will stake a Million against a Mite, a Crown against a Crum, Substance against Shadows, all things against nothing, the blessed bound­less God against a moments sensual delight. Was not Shimei bereft of his wits, to ha­zard his life for a little uncertain worldly profit by his Servant? The Lord Jesus doth most fitly call him a fool, who would ha­zard and lose the incomparable God for a little corruptible Gold, Luke 12.20. The Spirit of God speaks the Prodigal to be beside himself, when he left bread, bread enough, bread enough in his Fathers house, for husks, and not a Belly full nei­ther, and among Swine, Luke 15.18, 19, 20. [Page 197] and when he came to himself, he considered what a mad man he was, to wallow among Swine, and feed on such bruitish fare, which could never fill his belly, when he might have been feasting among the Children of God in his Fathers house, with plenty of what is bread indeed, able to satisfie a capacious Heaven-born Soul. Friend, think of it seriously, the next time thou art temp­ted to Sin, will this Oath, or this Cup, or this Theft, or this Wantonness, or this neglect of Duty ballance the everlasting loss of the incomparable God? will this lust, this moments pleasure make amends for the loss of him who is eternal life, and a River of unconceivable and unchangeable plea­sures? shall I be so besotted, bewitched, distracted, as to lose real mercies for lying vanities, the fountain of living waters for Broken Cisterns, the food of Angels for the worlds scraps; a precious Soul, an inesti­mable Saviour, an incomparable God, for a toy, a trifle, a poor empty guilded no­thing? Did ever any in Bedlam buy so dear, or sell so cheap, or manifest the like madness?

2. Of the misery of Sinners. They shall lose this incomparable God for ever; nay, [Page 198] they must have him for their everlasting enemy.

1. Their misery consisteth partly in this, that they must depart for ever from this in­comparable God, Math. 7.23. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. Math. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed. O how dreadful a sound will the word Depart make in the Sinners ears? yea, what a deep wound will it make in his heart? Depart from me; Ah! whether do they go, that go from God? To depart from riches and honours, and carnal comforts for ever, will affect and afflict him to purpose who placeth his happiness in them; to lose health, and liberty, and friends, and relations for ever, is no inconsiderable loss to him that knoweth not where to have them made up. To lose the Ordinan­ces of God, seasons of Grace, the tenders, intreaties, invitations of the Gospel for ever, is such a loss that a sensuallist is unca­pable of conceiving the greatness of. To lose the Communion of perfect Spirits, the company of glorious Angels, the blessed exercises of the Heavenly Host for ever, will not a little affright and amaze, and vex and terrifie the wicked, when they once come to have their eyes opened, and their [Page 199] Consciences awakened in the other world: But to depart from the incomparable God for ever, to lose the only Paradice of pleasures, the only fountain of living Waters, the only author of true felicity; to lose the unsearchable Mine of Riches, the inexhaustable well of Salvation, the inestimable Sun of Righteousness; to lose the dearest Father, the wisest Guide, the strongest Shield, the sweetest Love, the closest Friend, the tenderest Mercy, the richest Grace, the highest Honour, the only happiness; to lose the Lord of Life, the Lord of Glory, the Lord of Lords; to lose the God of Hope, the God of all Grace, the God of all Consolation, the God of Peace, the God of Gods, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the in­comparable God; and to lose him totally and for ever, is the loss of all losses, is such a loss as no tongue can declare, no mind can conceive, is such a loss as never was the like before it, nor shall, nor can be the like after it. He that hath lost God, hath nothing left that is good, he hath lost all that was worth having or saving. Lord whe­ther shall we go, if we go from thee? thou hast the words of eternal life, Joh. 6.68.

Reader, how great is the Sinners loss in the other world, how great soever his gain is in this? Ah where is his hope though he hath gained, when God shall take away his Soul? Job 27.8. Can the greatest gain Counter-ballance the loss of him to whom the whole world, yea, millions of worlds are trash and trifles?

The greatness of any loss is to be mea­sured by the excellency and value of that which we lose; therefore if God be so in­comparable in all perfections, the loss of Sinners, who lose this God totally and eternally, must be an incomparable loss. As there is no gain equal to the gain of a God, all other gains are but painted Ba­bies or Butterflies to this; so there is no loss equal to the loss of a God, all other losses are but Bug-bears to fright Children with to this; this is a loss with a witness, a loss which nothing can countervail, sup­ply, or make up, in which all that is good is gone for ever. As Micah said to the Israelites, when they asked him what he ayled to cry out so, Ye have taken away my God, and what have I more? Judg. 18.22. So will the Sinner in the other world, screech horribly, and complain heavily of [Page 201] his deceitful Flesh (which now he makes such provision for) Thou hast taken away my God, and what have I more? I am poor, a beggar, nothing worth, worse than naught, wholly ruined, utterly undone by thee, I have lost my God, and with him all that is good.

Reader, if thou livest without God, ponder, O ponder in the midst of all thy gettings what thou art loosing; yea, what thou shalt loose (if thou dost not return) for ever and ever. Did the Disciples weep and wail, that they should see the face of a good man no more on earth, Sorrowing most of all, for the words that he spake unto them, that they should see his face no more, Acts 20.38. And dost thou think it will not fill thy heart with sorrow, and cut it with anguish, to hear the blessed God, the incomparable God say to thee, Sinner, fare­wel, farewel for ever, thou shalt see my face no more for ever? Believe it, those words will sound more dolefully in thine ears, than thou art now aware of; they will be a Passing Bell to all thy hopes, and joyes, and comforts, and delights; they will be a knell to Toll the Death and Burial of what­soever may be refreshing and reviving to thee, of all thine ease, and rest, and liberty, [Page 202] and peace, and health, and strength, and friends, and relations, and all that may in the least conduce to thy comfort or happi­ness. Now possibly thou canst be merry enough without God, thou hadst rather have his room than his company, preferrest a life without him, before a life with him; and sayest unto him, Depart from me, I desire not the knowledge of thy wayes, Job 21.14. And the reason of this Atheism and Prophaneness, is thine ignorance; thou knowest not what a fountain of life, what bowels of love, what an hive of sweetness, what an ocean of happiness the blessed in­comparable God is, neither believest what Scripture speaks hereof: but when once thou enterest into the other world, and hast lost this God irrecoverably, thou shalt know what thou hast lost; but then, if ever, that saying of the wise man will be verified, He that encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth sorrow, Eccles. 1.18. And then thou shalt believe the truth of the glass of Scripture in its representations of the beautiful face of God, though thy faith will be the faith of a Devil, to thy terror, and torment. Ah Sinner, when thou shalt know and believe what a vast treasure, what a River of plea­sure, [Page 203] what a perfect good, what fulness of joy, what solid comfort, what real satis­faction, what a weight of glory thou hast lost for ever, without the least hopes and possibility of regaining, and lost for base, vile, sordid lusts, for a little foolish brutish momentany pleasure; what thoughts (think­est thou) will then seize thee? what an­guish and remorse surprize thee? Ah how wilt thou loath, and hate, and curse thy self for thy folly and madness? thou wilt gnash thy teeth for envy at them that sit at Heavens Table, feasting with the fruit of the tree of life, and drinking of the pure Rivers of water which flow from the throne of God, and the Lamb; and thou wilt weep and wail for thy own distraction, that thou shouldst refuse the offers of all those dain­ties, and delicates, and delights, when they were made to thee in the day of thy life; that thou shouldst shut thy own mouth, and wilfully refuse all those rich and costly Cor­dials, and shut the door of heaven and hap­piness against thee with thine own hands. Ah Sinner, little, little dost thou know at the present what it is to lose this God. Other losses may be corrective, but this is destru­ctive; God whips in others, but he Exe­cutes [Page 204] in this; Other losses may be the part of his Children, but this is the Portion of Devils. All joy, all comfort is stab'd to the heart, pierced through, the heart blood of it is let out with this one word (sharper than any two-edged Sword) Depart. Write this man comfortless (as it was said of one Jer. 22.) ult. a man that shall not prosper all his dayes. Write this poor Soul comfortless, a Soul that shall not have a bit of bread, a drop of water, a glimpse of light, a mo­ments ease, or crum of comfort, all the long day of eternity. Ah Friend, think of it betimes, Woe be to thee if God depart from thee, Hos. 9.12.

2. Their misery consisteth in this also, that they shall have this incomparable God for their enemy. As there is no friend like God, and therefore their privative misery must be great, exceeding great, uncon­ceivably great; so there is no enemy like God, and therefore the positive misery of Sinners must be matchless and beyond all comparisons. The greater any ones power and anger are, the greater their misery is who fall under the stroak of that power, and the force of that anger. God is incom­parable in power, he worketh arbitrarily, [Page 205] irresistably, omnipotently; he hath a mighty and an almighty arm: God is in­comparable in anger, his anger roots up, pulls down, kills, makes horrid slaughters, removeth the mountains, shaketh the foun­dations of the earth, is a consuming fire, burning and wasting all that comes near it. Thou, even thou art to be feared, Psal. 90. for none may stand when thou art angry. Woe there­fore to them that have this God for their Enemy; it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 12.23. Da­vid chose rather to fall into the hands of God than men, 2 Sam. 24.14. because he was a child of God (though afflicted sharply by him; for love can consist with anger, though not with hatred) and there­fore desired, since he must be scourged, to be whipt by a loving Father (who would consider his strength (what he could bear) as well as his fault and offence, and ac­cordingly use his rod) rather than by a cruel enemy, who hated him, and had not the least mercy or pity for him. Beside, this world is the Stage whereon the mercy of God acteth its part (Justice must have its course and solemn triumph in the other world.) He is here good to all, his Sun [Page 206] shineth, and Rain falleth upon the just and unjust, Ps. 145.9. Math. 5.45. Therefore it's better for any man upon earth to fall into the hands of God, than the best Friend or nearest Relation in the world. But the Sinner is the object only of Gods wrath, of his hatred, of his abhorrency, after death; God then puts off all pity, all tenderness, all bowels towards him; and the other world is the place wherein his Justice (that is now clouded and eclipsed) shall shine forth in its full force and strength, and appear in all its beauty and brightness. And therefore it must of necessity be a fearful thing for a poor creature to fall into the hands of the living God; to have nothing but his naked flesh, his own weak Soul, to bear the stroak of infinite power, set on and urged to strike home, by infinite anger, and that for ever.

All the wrackings and torturings, the extream pains and aches, the violent Con­vulsions and consternations, the dreadful horror and anguish, the everlasting chains of darkness, the never dying worm, and the fire that never goeth out of the Devils and damned, are but the expressions and [Page 207] fruits of the matchless power and anger of this incomparable God. Therefore they are called Wrath, Rom. 2.4. the wrath of God, John 3. ult. and wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. ult. Reader, think of it; if the wrath of a King, (a man like thy self, though cloathed with more civil power and strength) be as the roaring of a Lyon (which makes all the Beasts of the Forrest to quake and tremble, Amos 3.6.Prov. 10.12.) what then is the wrath of an Almighty infinite God? If he wound his friends, the objects of his eter­nal choice, the travail of his Beloved Sons Soul, those on whom he intendeth to glo­rifie the riches of his love and grace for ever (in the day of his anger, for their disobedience) with the wound of an enemy, yea, with the wounds of a cruel one, Jer. 30.14. if he break their bones, and cause the Arrow of his Quiver to enter into their Reins; if he fill their Souls with bitterness, and make them drunk with wormwood; if he makes them water their Couches with Tears, and go mourning all the day long; if his anger causeth them to roar uncessantly, and his terrors make them distracted; if he be to them as a Bear lying in wait, and as a Lyon [Page 208] in secret places; How will he wound thee his enemy? how will he deal with thee whom he infinitely hateth? what a Bear, what a Lyon, what a Fire will he be to thee? how unable wilt thou be to stand under, and yet how impossible to avoid the weight of his Omnipotent arm and infi­nite anger? Lay it to heart timely, and make thy peace with him through his Son, that thou mayest prevent it. Sure I am thou wouldst not fry in flames, or boyl alive in a Furnace of scalding Lead a thou­sand years, for this whole worlds command 10000 years: Ah why then shouldst thou for a little profit, a little pleasure, a little honour for a few dayes, (for thy life is but a vapour) bring thy self under a neces­sity of frying in the flames, and boyling in the Furnace of the Almighty Gods anger for ever and ever? O friend be wise on this side the other world.

CHAP. XXI. If God be incomparable, how monstrous is their Pride who compare themselves to the incomparable God.

THirdly, If God be such an incompara­ble God, it informeth us, what abo­minable Pride and desperate presumption they are guilty of, who compare with, and prefer themselves before this God. If he be so transcendently excellent in his Being, At­tributes, Word, and Works; how despe­rately saucy and impudent are they who put themselves in the ballance with God? Behold all Nations to me are as nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity: To whom then will ye liken me? or to what will ye compare me? Isa. 40.17, 18. To liken God to any is the grossest Idolatry, and to liken any to God is the highest arrogancy. Babylon that sets her self in the Throne of God, and exalteth her self above all that is called God, is the mysterie of iniquity, the man of Sin, in truth the dregs of the very De­vil, 2 Thess. 2.9. It's a debasing God, not to adore him, and admire him according to [Page 210] his excellent Majesty, and vast immensity; what a debasing then is it of God to com­pare him to poor pitiful nothings, as all Men and Angels are to him? He debaseth himself to open his eyes upon men, upon Angels, to behold things that are done in Heaven and Earth, Ps. 113.5. But he will not debase himself to compare with Men and Angels, he scorneth to put himself into the Scales with them, he is infinitely above and beyond all Comparatives, all Superlatives. Comparisons (we say) are odious; but no comparison that ever was, hath in the least degree that odiousness which this hath, for a Man or an Angel to compare with their Maker. The slime, and clay, and earth, may very much better compare with the Potter; both are narrow limited beings, both are earth and clay; yet the Potter would think it a great disho­nour to him, (who hath a body curiously wrought, and an Heaven-born spiritual immortal soul) and desperate arrogancy in the clay and dirt which he trampleth on, to compare with him. And is it not greater pride in man to compare with God, when there is an infinite distance between them in all things? yet so ambitious and arro­gant [Page 211] is man, that he dares to do this. An­gels and Adam both aspired to equal their Maker, they would needs be independent and self-sufficient, they endeavoured to cut off the entail, and to hold wholly and only of themselves; but they ruin'd themselves, and made themselves baser than beasts, by aspiring thus to raise themselves to that im­possible pitch of a Partnership with God.

It's a favour, that Men and Angels may be like God in some rayes and beams of his holiness and purity; but it's impossible for Men or Angels to be like God in the rich Jewels of his Crown, his independency, absolute perfection, self-sufficiency, infinite­ness and supremacy. He stampt some im­pressions of himself upon his creatures, but he took no impressions of his creatures up­on himself; if they were made in his like­ness, he was not made in their likeness; it is devilish impudency and blasphemy, for the highest Creature to weigh with the Creator. This was Lucifer's pride, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars, I will be like the most High, Isa. 14.13, 14. But his pride got a fall, and a shrewd one too. God cannot brook a Rival, he cannot bear an equal, there must [Page 212] be but one Sun in the Heavens. A Prince may take it kindly from his Subjects, if they endeavour to imitate him, in his mer­cy, justice, temperance, chastity, and in those things that are general and common to him and them; because hereby his Sub­jects honour him, (for by their imitation of him, they acknowledge excellency in him) but if his Subjects shall undertake to imitate him in his regalia, those things that are proper to him as a King, should they aspire to make Laws, to make Peace and War, to wear the Crown, sway the Scepter, and ascend the Throne, he could not bear it, but would judge them Rebels guilty of High Treason, and worthy of death; be­cause hereby they extreamly dishonour him, viz. in making themselves equal to him, and robbing him of that Superiority which God hath given him: So God is pleased and delighted that Men and An­gels should resemble him in those perfe­ctions of his, that are common and com­municable; as to be patient, and meek, and loving, and righteous, and heavenly, and holy; because hereby they glorifie him, Math. 5.16. But if the creatures should go about to be like him in the peculiar Cog­nisances [Page 213] of the Deity, his Self-sufficiency, Independency, Governing others at their will, Enacting Laws to oblige the Con­sciences of others, exacting Worship from their fellow Creatures; so God cannot, God will not suffer it, for hereby they go about to rob him of his Supremacy, to de­throne and ungod him. How often doth God tell us in Scripture, to quel such pre­sumptuous thoughts, that he is not mans fellow, mans familiar? God is not a man, Numb. 23.29. I am God, and not man, Hos. 11.9. He is not a man as I am, saith Job 9.32 v. Though God was pleased out of his infinite grace to become man, that man might once more be like God in those communicable properties foremen­tioned; yet he will not permit it, nay, it is altogether impossible, for man to become God, and be like him in the special prero­gatives of the Deity: There is still an in­finite distance between the divine and the humane nature. They who prate of being Godded, and turned into the essence of the Deity (as some have impudently and blas­phemously written) are either intollerably weak, or devilishly wicked, or both. Now because many are guilty of the strange pre­sumption [Page 214] to compare with God, who little think it, I shall very briefly name two or three sorts of men.

1. Such as quarrel with the Precepts of God, as if they were too strict, too precise, too pure, and that God commanded more than was needful, Psal. 2.2. Rom. 8.7. This is a comparing with God, yea, a preferring our selves before God; and such speak as if they would be in Gods Throne to make Laws, and as if they would enact better Laws, more conducing to, and convenient for the welfare of mankind. Because man hath vitiated his nature, and distempered all his faculties, he is angry at God for en­joyning him a strict diet, and forbidding him what would feed his Disease. A foul Stomach loatheth the wholsomest food.

2. When men question the Providences of God, as if they were not good, and wise, and righteous, these compare, yea, prefer themselves before God; their voice is like Absolom's, O that I were Judge, things should not go thus at six and sevens; See here is none to do justice to you; O that I governed the world, there should be no such disorders as are now, no such inequality amongst men, The righteous should not perish, nor the wicked [Page 215] flourish as they do: These wayes are not equal, Ezek. 33.13, 17. These men con­tend with God for Soveraignty: Why stri­vest thou with him? Job 3.13. These men accuse God of folly, and think themselves wiser; but shall he that contendeth with God instruct him? Job 40.2. He that complains of Gods dealings, undertakes to teach God in what manner and by what means the world should be better governed: These men compare with God for justice; nay, condemn him of injustice, Job 40.8. Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be Righ­teous?

Gods wayes are often secret, his pathes are in the Seas, and his goings in deep waters, Psal. 73.19. and because men can­not fathom them, therefore they find fault with them. He writes his mind often in short-hand, in dark Characters; and be­cause poor blind man cannot read them, therefore he wrangleth with them, Thy Judgments are a great deep, Psa. 36.9.

3. When men tax the Decrees of God, as if they were unrighteous, partial, and or­dered with respect of persons, they then compare with God, as if, in case they had been at Heavens Council-Table when all [Page 216] things were debated and concluded, there should have been more mild and moderate, more just and righteous resolves and con­clusions. These men think and speak evil of the things they understand not; and it would become them better to mind Faith and Repentance, and ensure their effectual Calling, than pry into or meddle with those secrets of Heaven. No man hath a line long enough to measure God by; his eternal works and wayes are beyond all our understandings and apprehensions, and so much fitter for our admiration than cu­rious disquisition, Rom. 9.17, to 24.

4. Once more, Those Princes, or Masters, or Parents, which command what God forbids, or forbid what God commands, compare with God, and usurp his authority; for their power to command, & right to be obey'd, must (in their conceits) be equal to Gods, or else why do they give Laws in opposition to his? or how can they expect to be obey'd? They who command divine worship to Bread and Wine, and places, or any creature, compare with and prefer themselves before God: which is desperate pride and presumption, 1 Kings 21.9, 10, 11. 2 Sam. 13.28.

CHAP. XXII. If God be incomparable, then incomparable Service and Worship is due to him.

FOurthly, If God be an incomparable God, then incomparable Service and Worship is due to him. All service must be sutable to its object. The higher the Prince, the higher honour he doth and may expect. The Heathen were sensible of this, that such worship must be given to their Deities as was suitable to them; therefore the Per­sians who worshipped the Sun, offered to him a flying horse, noting strength and swift­ness; because the Sun was strong to run his race. God is a great God, and therefore must have great worship. Solomon gives this reason why the Temple, the place of Gods worship, must be great, 2 Chron. 2.3. The House which I build is great (why?) for great is our God above all Gods. A great Palace is most suitable and becoming a great Prince. It reflects upon God, it's a slighting him, to give him any thing that is ordinary; as it is to a King to be put off with common entertainment at the houses of his Subjects. As he is the best, so [Page 218] he will be served with the best. Cursed be the deceiver; who hath in his stock a Male, and offereth to the Lord a corrupt thing. Why, what is the matter, that there must be such care about, and choice of his Sacri­fices? God himself gives you the reason, and a good reason for it, For I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my name is dreadful among the Heathen, Mal. 1.10. Petty Princes may be owned and served with petty Presents; but a great King, a great Soveraign, must have great Sacri­fices.

When the Prophet had described the in­comparable excellency of God, how all Nations were to him as the least drop in a Bucket to the Ocean, and the small dust in the ballance to the whole earth, as nothing and less than nothing, he presently infers, Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor all the Beasts thereof for a burnt offering, Isaiah 40.15, 16, 17. Lebanon abounded in all Spices for incense and perfumes, and in Cattle for Sacrifices and Burnt Offerings; but all the Spices and perfumes there, all the Beasts and Cattle there, were below, and insufficient for so incomparable a Being: he is so great that no service can be great enough for him.

[Page 219]1. This incomparable God calls for in­comparable awe and reverence. Excellency commandeth awe. Should not his excel­lency make you afraid, and his dread fall upon you? Job 13.11. should not the vast­ness of his perfections provoke you to awe­fulness in your conversations? His name alone is excellent, Psal. 148.13. The greater distance between any persons, the greater reverence is expected. The Husband is the head of the Wife, therefore she is com­manded to reverence her Husband, 1 Cor. 7. Eph. 5. ult. There is a great civil distance between Masters and Servants, therefore the command runs, Servants be obedient to your Masters with fear and trembling, Eph. 6.5. But now between God and us there is an infinite distance, and therefore there ought to be (if it were possible) infi­nite reverence, (he is so vastly above and beyond all others in excellency, that he alone deserves the name of excellency) therefore his name is holy and reverend, Psal. 111.10. and he is to be greatly feared. The greatest excellency calleth for the greatest reverence. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, he is to be feared above all Gods, Psal. 96.4. This use David [Page 220] makes of Gods incomparableness, Who in the Heavens can be compared to the Lord? who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? What then? what fol­loweth on this? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him, Psal. 89.6, 7. Because in our whole conversations we must walk with God, therefore we are commanded to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. But because in Ordinances we have more immediately and specially to do with him (then we are said to appear before him, Psal. 42.2.) therefore we are bound there­in to be most aweful and reverential. Sub­jects shew most reverence in the presence Chamber of their Soveraign. O with what awe and dread should mortals appear in the presence of him who inhabiteth eternity! should dust and ashes draw nigh to the mighty Possessor of heaven and earth? Eccl. 5.1, 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the Sacrifice of Fools; be not rash with thy mouth, let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God (but why all this care and caution?) for God is in [Page 221] Heaven, and thou art on Earth. His in­comparable Majesty calleth for incompa­rable reverence: Majesty is dreadful. He is cloathed with Majesty, Ps. 39.1. (All over Majesty) therefore let all the earth stand in awe of him. He is adorned, surrounded with Majesty, therefore we must be filled with the awe of him. Isa. 2.10, 19, 20. Fear and Majesty are three times conjoyned. His incomparable power calls for incompa­rable reverence. Power is aweful; and the greater the power is, the greater awe is required, Math. 10.28. Fear not them that can kill the Body, and can do no more; but fear him who is able to cast Soul and Body into Hell. As if Christ had said, I know you are of timerous spirits, and men of fearful tempers, ye are apt to tremble, and to be frighted at every thing; well I will direct you, how you may make this passion advantagious to you, viz. by tur­ning the stream into its proper channel, by placing your fear on its proper object; I will tell you of one worthy of your fear, who deserveth to be feared, So Luke 12.4, 5. I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear, (I will offer you an object meet for your fear) Fear him, who after he hath killed, [Page 222] hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him. You are apt like Children to be frighted with Bug-bears, and to dread them that can onely raze the Skin, and pinch the Flesh, and at the most can but take from you a life that will fall of it self within a few dayes: well I'le advise you whom to stand in awe of, fear him that can kill you and damn you, that can send your bodies to the grave, and your souls to unquencha­ble flames; yea, I say unto you, fear him.

2. This incomparable God, calls for in­comparable humility, and lowliness of Spirit from us. The height of God must lay man low, and the matchless excellency of God make him base in his own eyes. When we behold our selves in the Glass of those that have little or nothing that is good or praise-worthy, or that have less than our selves, then we spread out our plumes, and are puft up with pride, and judge our selves comely creatures; but if we would behold our selves in the glass of the Incomparable God, in whose sight the Heavens are unclean, in whose presence Angels vail their faces, to whom ten thousand Suns are perfect dark­ness, and all the world less than nothing; how should we pluck in our plumes, and ab­hor [Page 223] our selves for our pride. Man never comes to a right knowledge of himself, what a pitiful abominable wretch he is, till he comes to a right knowledge of God, what an excellent incomparable Majesty he is. As when men stand high, and look downward on those below them, that are meaner and viler than themselves, their heads are giddy, and swim with conceited­ness, they then are some body in their own opinions; but when they look upwards to the Great God, the Sun, the Soul, the sub­stance of all worth and excellency, that Meagrum or high-mindedness is prevented. The best men upon a sight of God, the in­comparable God (though the more ex­cellent he is, the more cause they have of joy, in having so rich a portion, yet) instead of loving, have loathed themselves, and in­stead of admiring, have abhor'd them­selves. When Isaiah saw the God of glory sitting on his Throne, in his brightness and beauty, encircled with Millions of coele­stial Courtiers, covering their faces, (as ashamed of their drops in the presence of the Ocean) and crying Holy, Holy, Holy, (as apprehending his purity beyond all their expressions, and his perfections ex­ceeding [Page 224] all their apprehensions) what thoughts had he of himself! O what a poor pitiful contemptible creature did he think himself? yea, what an uncomely, loath­some, abominable creature was he in his own eye? Woe to me, saith he, I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts, Isa. 6.4, 5.

3. This incomparable God calls for in­comparable love, the top, the cream of our affections. Good is the object of Love. Amor est complacentia boni, according to the Moralists; the greater therefore the good is, the greater love it requireth; and God being the greatest good, must have the greatest love. This is the great and first command, Math. 22.37. this is (as I may say) the only command, Deut. 10.12. this is all the commands in one, Rom. 13.10. Love is the Decalogue contracted; and the Decalogue is love opened, and explained. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, Math. 22.37. God being the greatest perfection, must have the grea­test affection. The greatest love (for God is Love, 1 Joh. 4.8.). calls for the greatest love. He deserves the greatest extensively, [Page 225] the heart, soul, mind, strength; the grea­test intensively, all the heart, all the soul, all the mind, all the strength. Reader, thy love to him must be so great, that thy love to thy father, mother, wife, child, house, land, and life, must be hatred in comparison of it, and in competition with it, Luk. 14.26. The truth is, there is no­thing worthy of our love like God; nay, there is nothing worthy of our love beside God. All our Friends, and Relations, and Estates, and worldly Blessings, are nothing lovely, but as they are his creatures, his comforts, instruments for his glory, and as they have relation to him: Nay, Sabbaths, Sacraments, seasons of grace, are no more lovely than as they are his institutes, and means of communion with his Majesty. I love the habitation of thy house (why? be­cause) it is the place where thine honour dwelleth, Psal. 28.8. Once more; grace it self is not lovely, but as it's the image and conformity unto, the pleasure and delight of, that which fitteth and maketh meet for the love, embraces, and fruition of this incomparable God. Desire and Delight are the two acts of love, distinguished only by the absence or presence of the object. [Page 226] When the object beloved is absent, the soul acts towards it in desire: When the object is present, the soul acteth towards it in delight. The former is the motion, the latter the rest and repose of the soul. Now the In­comparable God must have incomparable desires, panting, Psal. 42.2. longing, yea fainting, out of vehemency of desire, Psal. 119.20, 40, 80. God must be desired above all, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. The Incomparable God must have incomparable delight. I will go to the Altar of God my joy, of God my exceeding joy, Psal. 43.4. The soul must be ravished, extasied in the presence and enjoyment of God, Cantic. 2.4.

4. The Incomparable God must have incomparable trust. The more able and faith­ful any person is, the more firmly we trust him. Now God is incomparable in pow­er, he hath an Almighty arm; incomparable in faithfulness, he cannot lie, Tit. 1.2. It's impossible for him to lie, Heb. 6.18. There­fore God must have our surest love, and firmest faith, Heb. 6.18. Rom. 4.20. We must esteem his words as good as deeds; and rely on all he promiseth, as if it were [Page 227] already performed. We must not stagger or waver, but draw nigh to him with full assurance of faith, Heb. 10.22. His bonds must be lookt upon (for they are as good) as ready money; and we must rejoyce in hope of the good things promised, as if we had them in hand, Rom. 5.2, 3.

5. This incomparable God must have incomparable obedience in the whole course of our lives. The more vertuous, or gra­cious, or honourable, or excellent, the per­son is with whom we walk, the more we weigh our words, and ponder the paths of our feet, and watch over our selves. God is incomparable in purity, in jealou­sie, in Majesty, in excellency; therefore they who are ever under his eye, and in his presence, and who walk with him, must walk (not as they do when with ordinary persons, carelesly and negligently, but) circumspectly, accurately, exactly, to an hairs breadth, as on a ridge, [...], Eph. 5.15. His law must be kept (to a tittle, in every punctilio) as the apple of the eye, Prov. 7.2. which is offended with the least mote of dust. And this obedience must be not only at some seasons, and in some acti­ons, but always, and in all things. As he [Page 228] who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15.

All our service to this incomparable God must be incomparable. Little service is un­suitable to a great God, 1 Chron. 29.1, 2. Da­vid the King said unto all the Congregation, Solomon my Son, whom alone God hath cho­sen, is yet young and tender, and the work (i. e. of building the temple) is great; for the Palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God, &c.

Fifthly, If God be an incomparable God, it informeth us of his infinite grace and condescention, to take so much notice of, and do so much for man. The height of the Person that bestoweth a favour, and the meanness and unworthiness of the object on whom it is bestowed, doth exceeding­ly advance and heighten the grace and goodness of him that doth it. O what grace is it then for the most high, the God of heaven, the God whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, to manifest such respect to vile sinful dust and ashes, yea, to them that are rebels and Traytors a­gainst his Majesty, and thereby worthy of Hell. David admireth it, and is amazed at it, Psal. 8.1. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent [Page 229] is thy name in all the earth! and thy glory is above the heavens. What followeth? What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him? That God, the excellent God, the God famous in all the earth, the God glorious above the hea­vens, should mind man, poor silly simple man, weak frail dying man, sinful filthy polluted man, lost wretched miserable man, could not but affect the heart of Da­vid with admiration and astonishment. What is man that thou art mindful of him? He is altogether below thy thoughts, and unworthy to be a moment in thy mind: Or the Son of man that thou visitest him? he doth not deserve to be visited by the beasts of the earth, much less to be visited by the Angels of Heaven, and least of all by the God of heaven; He may well say as the Centurion, Lord I am unworthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, nei­ther thought I my self worthy to come unto thee, Mat. 8.8. David wonders that God should mind man so much as to make the heavens, and those glorious Lamps there, for his use and comfort: When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast made; what is [Page 230] man that thou art mindful of him? But how much more cause had he to wonder, that the heaven of heavens, the God of heaven, the Sun of righteousness, the light of lights, should do so much, and be so much him­self for the good and comfort of man?

God doth manifest much grace and con­descention in taking such care of mens bo­dies and outward concerns. You would think it a great grace and condescention in a King, to take care night and day of a poor beggar, to see to it himself (and not to leave it to servants or any others) that he have food, and raiment, and liberty, and peace, and safety every day, that his bed be made well and easie for him every night, that when he is sick he have physick, & cor­dials, and tendance, and should constantly visit him himself in person, that in all his wants he be supplyed, in all his weaknes­ses supported, in all his dangers defended, and in all his distresses delivered; If this King should never stir from this beggar, but do all this in his own person; if he himself should spread his table, and provide his food, and be at the sole charge of his gar­ments, and put them on, and make his bed, and stand by him all night while he slept, [Page 231] to prevent any evil that might befall him, and go up and down with him all day to protect him, and counsel him, and relieve him, as occasion required, you would be a­mazed at the favour and kindness and con­descention of this Prince. Believe it Rea­der (surely seeing is believing) the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he whose name is I am, he to whom all the Kings and Prin­ces and Potentates of the world, are dross and dirt and dung, the Incompara­ble God doth more than all this, very much more for thee every day and every night, and that in his own person: He sendeth thee all thy bread, and drink, and cloaths, and makes them refreshing to thee; he provides thy habitation, and lodging, and commandeth sleep for thee; He is with thee continually in all thy out-goings, incomings, to preserve thee alive, to ena­ble thee to thy motions, to succeed thy lawful undertakings, to relieve thee in thy necessities, and to defend thee from all thine Adversaries. And is not this con­descention worthy of all admiration? O what grace is it, that the incomparable God, who hath millions of glorious An­gels waiting on him, and ten thousand [Page 232] times ten thousand, always ministring to him should thus wait on, and watch over poor crawling worms, night and day for good, Act. 7.2. Job. 7.20. Psal. 4. ult. Hosea 2.8. Gen. 32.9, 10, 11. Psal. 34.3, 4, 5. Heb. 1.3. Psal. 145.5, 7. Job won­ders that God should condescend to cor­rect man for his faults. What is man that thou dost magnifie him, that thou settest thine heart upon him, that thou visitest him every morning? &c. Job. 7.17, 18. How much then doth God condescend to be his con­stant guide and guard, to keep him night and day least any hurt him? O the grace of this God! This incomparable God doth much more magnifie his grace and condescention in the care he is pleas'd to take of mens precious souls: Herein he sheweth the riches of his mercy, the excee­ding abundant riches of his grace, Eph. 2.5. and 7. Reader, is it not condescending grace in the highest degree, nay beyond all degrees, for this self-sufficient, abso­lutely perfect, incomparable God, when the soul of man lay naked, starving, rest­less, encompass'd with enemies, unpittied of all creatures, weltring in its blood, gas­ping for breath, ready every moment to [Page 233] fetch its last, and to be siezed on by Divels drag'd to their Dungeon of darkness, there to fry in untollerable flames for ever; for him to look on man in this loathsom con­dition with an eye of favour and love, to cloath it with the righteousness of a God, to feed it with that flesh which is meat indeed, and with that blood which is drink indeed, to give it rest in his own bowels and bo­some, to bind up its wounds, and raise it from the dead, and make it free from the slavery of Satan, and his bondage to sin, and death, and hell, and to adopt it for his own child, accept it as perfectly righ­teous, marry it to his onely begotten, the heir of all things, dwell in it by his own blessed Spirit, and carry it on eagles wings, and conduct it safe through the wilderness of the world, and in spight of all the Lyons and wolves and serpents and adders and Giants and Anachims and Canaanites that opposed it, to bring it to an heavenly Ca­naan, to fulness of joy, and rivers of plea­sures, and crowns of life, and weights of glory, there to reign in and with his own incomparable Majesty for ages, generati­ons, millions of ages, yea unto all eterni­ty? Friend, friend, what is condescending [Page 234] grace, if this be not? Alas the incompa­rable God had no obligation to man, he stood in no way need of man, he is unca­pable of the least good by man; he would have been as happy as he is at present, if the Race of mankind had been ruin'd and had perished: Besides, he was infinitely disobliged by man, and had all the reason in the world to destroy him; and yet he is pleased to be as studious of mans welfare, and as solicitous about it, as if it had been his own. Abigail wondred that David a­noynted to a Kingdom should take her to be his wife, she scarce judged her self wor­thy to wash the feet of his servants, 1 Sam. 25.41. Mayst not thou wonder more that the incomparable God should marry thee to himself, who art unworthy to be his servant? David admired that God should do so much for him: hast thou not cause to say as he did, Lord, what am I, and what is my Fathers house, that thou hast brought me up hitherto, pardoned, instru­cted, renewed me, taken me into thy own Family! and yet, as if this were a small thing in thy sight, thou speakest of thy ser­vants house for a great while to come, thou art pleased to speak of thy servant for [Page 235] an everlasting kingdom of honour and pleasure, 2 Sam. 7.18. And this conde­scending grace, or gracious condescention, is much the more admirable, if we consider the means by which this great work of mans recovery was effected. The incom­parable God that is so great, so high, with­out all bounds, beyond all understan­ding, becomes a weak weary hungry con­temptible man. Reader, here is amazing condescension: The Lord of all becomes a servant, the Lord of glory becomes of no reputation, the bread of Life is hungry, and the only rest is weary, and the Prince of life is put to death. This is that which Angels pry into with such astonishing plea­sure, that God should become man, the Lawgiver be made under the Law, he that tempteth no man to evil, neither can be tempted to evil, should be violently tempted many days together by all the powers of darkness, the only blessing should be made a curse, that Liberty should be in bonds, and truth itself belied, and justice condemned, and heaven be layd in the belly of the earth. This is marvelous grace indeed, such as passeth all knowledge, Eph. 3.18, 19. If all the glorious Che­rubims [Page 236] and Seraphims, Angels and Arch-angels, had condescended to have been turned into Toads and Serpents, it had not been by the thousandth part so great a condescention, as for the incomparable God to become man: for, those Heavenly Spirits, and Toads and Serpents, do convenire in ali­quo tertio, meet in the Genus of Creatures; there is but a finite difference between the former and the latter. But God and Man meet in no Third, in no Genus, between them there is an infinite distance. There never was, there never shall be, there never can be the like condescension.

CHAP. XXIII. Labour for acquaintance with the Incom­parable God: Motives to it. The knowledge of God is sanctifying, satisfying, saving.

SEcondly, This Doctrine may be useful by way of Counsel.

1. Study the knowledge of this God, who is so incomparable. We are all ambitious to be acquainted with persons that are emi­nent and excellent in place, or power, or parts, or piety, and judge it our interest, and an honour to us so to be. If we could hear of one as strong as Sampson, whom no cords could hold, who could slay hundreds with a Jaw-bone; or of one as old as Me­thuselah, who could tell us what was done in many Centuries of years; or of one as wise as Solomon, who could speak to the nature of all creatures, and answer the hardest Questions we could put to him; or of one as Holy as Adam in innocency, or the elect Angels, who never broke the law of their Maker, but were as pure and perfect as when they came immediately out of his hands: How should we throng, and thrust, [Page 238] and crowd to such men? what pains should we take? what cost should we be at to obtain the favour and honour of their ac­quaintance? Surely (we should think) we could never view them enough, or value them enough, or know enough of them, or discourse enough with them: But alas, what are such men (if we could find them in the world) to the blessed God? what motes, what drops, what poor pitiful No­things? what is a strong Sampson to the Almighty God, but as straw, as chaff, as rotten wood, as all weakness? what is the Age of Methuselah to the duration of the eternal God (to whose Age Millions of years add not a moment) but as a minute, as nothing? Psal. 39.5. What is the wis­dom of Solomon to all the treasures of wis­dom and knowledge, which are in the only wise God, but a curious web of folly? Coloss. 2.9. What is the holiness of an Angel to the holiness of God, but as a can­dle to the Sun, yea, as perfect night and darkness to the Noon-day? O therefore, how shouldst thou labour to know this God? how industrious shouldst thou be to be acquainted with him? When the Queen of Sheba had heard of the extraordinary [Page 239] knowledge and abilities of Solomon, she came from the utmost parts of the earth to see his person, and to hear his wisdome. But behold, Reader, a greater than Solomon is here. Solomon was an Ideot, an Innocent, to this object, which I request thee to know. The understanding of God is infinite, Psal. 147.5. There is no searching of his understanding, Isa. 40.28. Indeed it is bottomless, and therefore can never be found out. His knowledge can never be known fully, no not by Angels themselves. Do men beat their brains, and consume their bodies, and waste their estates, and deny themselves the pleasures of the flesh (as many Heathen have done) for the knowledge of nature, of the heavenly bo­dies, and their motions, of the Sea and its ebbing and flowing, of the earth and the creatures thereon; when after all their search, they were still at a loss; and for all the knowledge they attained, they proved but learned Dunces? what wouldst thou then do for the knowledge of the God of nature, of the mighty possessor of Heaven and Earth, of him to whom all things are less than nothing, of him, the knowledge of whom will make thee wise to Salvation. [Page 240] O Friend, this is the only knowledge worth seeking, worth getting, worth prizing, worth glorying in, Jer. 9.23, 24. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wis­dom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, nor the rich man glory in his riches. Worldly knowledge, strength, wealth, are not worth glorying in; what then is? The next verse tells you, But let him that glori­eth, glory in this (in what?) that he under­standeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, &c. This is a jewel that a man may boast of, and glory in, that he knoweth me, that I am the Lord.

There is an excellency in all knowledge. Knowledge is the eye of the Soul, to direct it in its motions; it is the lamp, the light of the Soul set up by God himself to guide it in its actions. The understanding of man is the candle of the Lord, Prov. 20.27. Without knowledge the Soul is but a Dun­geon of darkness, and blackness, full of confusion and terror: But there is an in­comparable excellency in the knowledge of this incomparable God. The object doth elevate and heighten the act. There is a vast difference between the knowledg of earth­ly things, and heavenly things; between the [Page 241] knowledge of wise, strong, faithful, mer­ciful, just, holy men, and the only wise, omnipotent, unchangeable, righteous, most holy God. Only before I proceed to the urging this Use, I would desire thee Rea­der to take notice, what knowledge of God it is which I am pressing thee to labour for; it is not a meer notional speculative knowledge (though a knowledge of ap­prehension is a duty, & necessary, Eph. 5.17. Psal. 143.8. Heb. 8.9, 10. but an experi­mental knowledge: Thou hast made me to know wisdom in my secret parts, Psal. 51.6. (The heart is called the secret part, because known only to God, 1 Kings 8.39.) such a knowledge as affecteth the heart (with love to him, and fear of him, and hatred of what is contrary to him; true knowledge takes the heart as well as takes the head, Psal. 1.6. 1 Kings 8.38. Phil. 3.10.) and influenceth the life, 1 Joh. 2.4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Coloss. 1.9, 10. John 10.4, 5. Right knowledge, though it begin at the head, doth not end there, but falls down upon the heart to affect that, and floweth out in the life to order and regulate that, [Page 142] Coloss. 1.10. We pray for you, that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding (for what end, and to what purpose) that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all plea­sing, being fruitful in every good work.

To enforce this Use, I shall give thee two or three Motives, and as many means.

To encourage thee to study the know­ledge of this God, consider these three properties of it.

1. The true knowledge of this God will be a sanctifying knowledge. If thou hast any thing of a man, I mean of Reason in thee, holiness (which was thy primitive perfection, which is the Image of the in­comparable God, and will fit thee for his special love and eternal embraces) will be a strong and cogent argument with thee. Now this knowledge of God will conform thee to God, render thee like unto him, who is the pattern and standard of all ex­cellency. As I said before, knowledge is the eye by which we see God, and the vision of God causeth an assimulation to him. But we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even [Page 143] as by the Spirit of our God, 2 Cor. 3.18. The Blackamore that often look'd on beautiful pictures, brought forth a beauti­ful Son. We are often changed into the po­stures and fashions, yea and dispositions of those whom we much converse with on earth: surely then acquaintance with the gracious and Holy God, will make us in some measure to resemble him.

Other knowledge pollutes and defiles the soul: Oftentimes, the more men pick the lock of Natures Cabinet, and look into her riches, and treasury, her secrets and mysteries; the more Atheistical they are, and forgetful of the God of Nature. Hence Religio Medici is irreligion; they see so much of the operations of nature, that they ascribe the principal efficiency to the in­strument. And hence the wisdom of the Philosophers (counted the wisest men in the world) is folly, 1 Cor. 3.19. And though they professed themselves to be wise, yet they became fools, and were guilty of all manner of wickedness, Rom. 1.22. to the end. And what was the reason, but this, they knew not God, with all their knowledge, 1 Cor. 1.21. Ignorant heads are ever ac­companied with irreligious hearts, and both [Page 244] are attended with Atheistical lives, Eph. 4.18. The Apostle tells us of the Heathen, that they were estranged from the life of God (an holy life) through the ignorance that was in them, because of the blindness of their hearts. So Hos. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. But the knowledg of God purifieth the soul. As the Sun conveyeth heat along with its light, so grace is multiplied through the knowledge of God, 2 Pet. 1.2. When Moses had convers'd with God in the Mount, his feet shone, that the Jews could not behold him. When a Soul hath once acquainted himself with the blessed God, his life will shine with holiness; therefore David coun­selleth his Son Solomon, to know the God of his Fathers, and to serve him with a perfect heart, and willing mind; first, to know him; then to serve him, 1 Chron. 28.9.

This knowledge must needs be a sancti­fying knowledge, because it renders sin abominable, the world contemptible, God honourable, and the soul the more hum­ble.

The knowledge of God will render sin most abominable to the Soul, it renders sin to be exceeding sinful. The miseries that befall us in our estates, names, bodies, [Page 245] souls, nay, all the curses of the Law, and torments of the damned, do not discover the ugly loathsome features, and monstrous deformed nature of sin, like the knowledge of this incomparable God. Job confesseth his sin, Job 42.2. I uttered things that I understood not; nay, he abhorreth him­self for his sin, v. 5. But whence came he who sometime justifyed himself too much, now to abhor himself? He gives us the reason or cause of it, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, (I had some know­ledge of thee before) but now mine eyes see thee (I now have a clearer and fuller know­ledge of thee) wherefore I abhor my self, and repent in dust and ashes. The more we know the greatest good, the more we shall hate the greatest evil.

The knowledge of God will render the world contemptible to a Christian. None undervalue the Creature, but those who have had a sight of the Creator; neither can any trample on the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world, but those who know him who is the riches, and honours, and pleasures of the other world. They who never saw the Sun, wonder at a Can­dle: and they who never knew the blessed [Page 146] God, wonder at, and are fond of poor low things, mean, small, pitiful things on earth: But the whole world, with all its Crowns, and Scepters, and Diadems, and Delights, is but a dunghill to him that hath seen the incomparable God. Moses could refuse the honour of being the adopted Child of a Kings Heir, reject the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court, and prefer the reproaches of Christ before all the Treasures of Egypt, when he had once got a sight of the Incomparable God, Heb. 11.25, 26, 27. For he saw him that was invisible.

The knowledge of God will render God more honourable in our esteems. The more we know of many things and persons, the more we sleight and despise them. The more we know sin, the more we loath it; the more we know our selves, the more we abhor our selves; but the more we know God, the more we love him, and the more we admire him. The reason of all the contempt and affronts which we offer to God, is our ignorance of him. The whole world lyeth in wickedness, as a beast in its dung, or vermine in their slime, 1 Joh. 5.19. but the reason is what Christ speaks, Joh. 17.25. Father the world hath not known [Page 147] thee; for the Apostle saith, had they known, they would never have Crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. They who know God, cannot but see infinite reason why they should love, and fear, and honour, and please him all their dayes. Why do you think is God so much wondred at, and worshipped in his Church, more than in other parts of the world? Why doth he inhabit their highest praises, Psal. 22.3. and greatest blessings and thanksgivings, but because he is known more there than in other parts of the world. In Judah is God known (therefore) his name is great (his name alone is excellent) in Israel, Psal. 76.1.

The knowledge of God makes us humble. We never are so low in our own eyes, as when we see the most high God. The more we know of men that are more vain, and foolish, and wicked than our selves, the more we are exalted and puffed up; but the more we know of God, of the great God, the incomparable God, the most holy God, to whom we are as no­thing, less than nothing, worse than no­thing; the more we abase our selves.

When David is acquainted with the ex­cellency of God, O Lord, my Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, and thy glory is above the Heavens! Psal. 8.1. What low, little, diminutive thoughts, hath he of himself and others? v. 4. What is man? or, what is the Son of man? What a poor, pitiful, contemptible thing is man? What a vain, empty, insignificant nothing is the Son of man? We are ashamed of our rush Candles, or Glow-worms, & hide our heads in the presence of the Sun. The holiest man abhors himself for his unholiness be­fore the most Holy God. So Job 25.2. Dominion and fear are with him, v. 3. There is no number of his Armies, v. 5. Behold even to the Moon, and it shineth not, and the Stars are not pure in his sight: How much less man that is a worm, and the Son of man that is a worm? v. 6. A worm is the most despica­ble contemptible creature, every beast trampleth on it; such a creature is man in his own apprehensions, when he once un­derstandeth the incomparable God.

When Isaiah had seen the Lord of Hosts, though he were an Holy man, he cryeth out, I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts, [Page 249] Isa. 6.3, 4. He never saw so much of his own uncleanness, as when he saw him in whose presence the Heavens are unclean. Other knowledge, like wind in a bladder, puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8.2. but the knowledge of God, as fire nigh the bladder, shrinks and shrivels it up to nothing.

2. The knowledge of God is a satisfying knowledge. A man may know much of Crea­tures; and the more he knoweth, the more unquiet and restless he is; his knowledge, as wind to the stomack, may fill, and pain, and trouble him, but cannot sa­tisfie him: for, Creatures are not that savo­ry meat which the heaven-born spiritual immortal Soul of man would have, and must have, if ever it be contented. The greatest Students, who have wearied and tired out their brains, and bodies, in the search of Natures secrets, have found by experience, that they spent their strength for what is not bread, and their labour for what will not satisfie; and they have known the truth of the Wise mans saying, He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow, Eccles. 1.18.

That knowledge which satisfieth, must be of an object that is suitable, in its spiri­tuality, [Page 150] to the nature of the Soul; in its all-sufficiency, to the manifold necessities of the Soul; and in its immortality, to the duration of the Soul; if either of these be wanting in it, the Soul cannot receive satisfaction by it, because without all these the Soul cannot be perfectly happy; and till it find that which can make it perfectly happy, it will be restless. If it meet with an object that is suitable to its nature, yet if it be not answerable to all its wants, it will still be complaining (wherein it is unsupplyed) and so unquiet? If it meet with an object that is suitable to its nature, and answerable to all its wants, yet if it be not eternal, it must needs be full of fears and troubles in the fore-thoughts of its amission of so great a good, which would imbitter the present possession of it; For the soul being incor­ruptible and immortal it self, cannot but desire that good which will run parallel with its own life; and if it desire it, nothing will fully satisfie it, till it obtain such a good. Now nothing in this world is suitable to the Souls nature (the Soul is spiritual, the things of this world are carnal) nor answerable to the various indigencies of the Soul (the Souls wants are many, and in a manner in­finite; [Page 151] besides, they are spiritual, as, par­don of Sin, peace with God, peace of Conscience, &c. when the good things of this life are particular, finite, and bodily) nor equal to the Souls duration (the Soul will abide and continue after millions of ages and generations, for ever and ever; but this world passeth away, and all the good things thereof.) But this God, whom I am perswading thee, Reader, to know and acquaint thy self with, is in all these respects perfect, and so will satisfie thy soul. God is a spiritual good, a Spirit, Joh. 4.23. the Father of Spirits, and so suitable to the nature of thy soul. He is an universal good, all good, and so answerable to the many wants of thy Soul. He is an eternal good, a good that never dieth, never fadeth, a good that only hath immortality, and so is equal to thy souls duration; therefore the Disciple cryeth out to Christ, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth, Joh. 10.8. and David tells us, that he is fully pleased in having God for his portion, Psal. 14.5, 6.

Give any man both that which he would have, and that which he should have, and he is contented. If indeed you give a man what he would have, supposing it [Page 252] be that which he should not have, his de­sires being depraved and vitiated, he can­not be contented when he hath what he desired, because lusts are unsatiable, and sinful desires never satisfied: (thence the Heathen Emperours had their Inventors of new pleasures; and possibly that may be the meaning of that place, Rom. 1.28. The Heathen wearied with common, inven­ted, unnatural delights) But give a man what he would have, suppose it be what he should have (his desires being rectified) and he is then at ease and rest.

He who knoweth God aright, is fully satisfied in him; when he once drinketh of the Fountain of living waters, he thirsteth no more after other objects, Joh. 4.14. Though the Soul stil desireth to know more of God, till it come to that place where it shall know as it is known, as David, though satisfied with his portion, Psal. 16.4, 5. yet thirsted after more of it, Psal. 63.1, 2. yet it is quiet and contented in God. And in­deed the sweetness which it tasteth in ac­quaintance with the incomparable God, makes it long after nearer and fuller ac­quaintance with him. When Moses was once acquainted with God, he begs that he [Page 253] might see and know more of his glory; and the reason is, because while God is the object, there can be no satiety, he being the God of all joy and consolation; neither can there be such a full acquaintance as to cease desires after farther acquaintance, he being an object still too great for the facul­ties to comprehend. The desires of the glo­rified are without anxiety, because they are satisfied in the object of their desires; and their satisfaction or enjoyment is without satiety or loathing, because they see still in­finite cause to desire him.

When the Soul once comes to know God (as the needle touch'd with the Load­stone, when it turns to the North) it is then quiet, though before, like the Dove, it hover'd up and down over the waters of this world, and could find no rest. This knowledge, if right, diffuseth into the Soul a sweet tranquillity, silent peace, secret setled calmness, besides a ravishing prae­vision, and blessed fore-fruition of its fuller acquaintance in the other life.

3. The knowledge of God is a saving knowledge. Many perish for all their great knowledge of Creatures; their knowledge may light them to the more dismal Cham­bers [Page 154] of death, of blackness of darkness for ever, Joh. 15.24. And indeed their know­ledge (like many Pigs of Silver in a Vessel sinking) presseth them the deeper into Hell: but the knowledge of God is saving; God will know him in the other world, who knows him in this; He will be so far from knowing them hereafter who are ig­norant of him here, that he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God, 2 Thess. 1.7, 8. But he will own them, and take acquaintance with them then, that own him and are acquaint­ed with him now, Psal. 91.14. I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. God will set him as high as Heaven, who knoweth his name on earth. Reader, it's as much worth as Heaven to thee to know this incomparable God. This is life eternal, to know thee the onely true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, Joh. 17.3. It is the morning, though not the Meridian of Heaven; it is the Bud, though not the ripe fruit of glory; it is the seed, though not the harvest of the Inheritance above; to know the true God, and Jesus Christ. This knowledge is of the same nature, though not of the same measure, with that [Page 155] in the other world, Eph. 4.13. Now the Christian knoweth as a Child, then he shall know as a man; now he seeth God as it were at a distance through the prospective glass of faith, but then he shall see God face to face; Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know as we are known, 1 Cor. 13.12.

CHAP. XXIV. The Means of acquaintance with God. A sense of our Ignorance. Attendance on the word. Fervent Prayer.

THe means which I shall offer, as helpful to the attainment of his knowledge of God, are these.

1. Be sensible of thine ignorance of him. A conceited Scholar is no good learner. He that thinks he knoweth enough alrea­dy, will never be beholden to a Master to teach him more. Seest thou a man wife in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him, Prov. 26.12. This was that which lock'd up the Pharisees in the dark [Page 256] dungeon of Ignorance: they were blind; Truth it self called them blind, Mat. 23.16, 17. But they conceited their eyes were good, and so neglected the means of curing them. Ye say ye see (I do not say ye see, but ye conceit so) therefore your sin remaineth, Joh. 9.40, 41. therefore your ignorance continueth. When Ignorance and Confidence (which are often Twins) go together, the condition of a man is helpless; partly, because such a person will not take that pains in reading, and pray­ing, and conference, and meditation, with­out which the knowledge of God cannot be had, Dan. 12.4. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be encreased. It's an allusion to Merchants that run to this and that Port, to sell out and take in commo­dities; or to a Tradesman, that runs to this and that Mart or place to buy and sell, whereby their stocks are increased. But a conceited man will never labour thus for that which he thinks he hath already. If thou diggest as for silver, and searchest as for hid treasure, then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord, and attain the knowledg of God, Prov. 2.4, 5. Men count dig­ging hard work, and will sweat at it when [Page 257] they dig for silver: such diligence must they use who will get the knowledge of God. But though poor men, who are sen­sible of their want of the knowledge of God, and of their woful condition there­by, will work to preserve themselves from perishing; yet rich men, who think they can do well enough without it, will spare their pains, partly, because all knowledge must be obtained from God by fervent prayer; and a conceited man will neither be instant with God for it, nor will God give it to him. God is the God of know­ledg, 1 Sam. 2.2. And from him all true saving knowledg cometh, Prov. 2.6. The Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth com­eth knowledge and understanding. As none can see the Sun (by candle light) but by its own light; so none can know God savingly (by the light of nature) but by light derived from himself. Now a conceited person will not go to God for knowledge: What need I (thinks he) I have enough already. Poverty is a friend to prayer, the poor useth intreaties, Prov. 18.23. But pride or conceitedness is an enemy to prayer, The wicked through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after [Page 258] God, Psal. 10.4. Who will beg that of his neighbour, which he is confident he hath at home? Neither will God undertake the instruction of proud Scholars: The humble he will teach, the meek he will guide in judg­ment, Psal. 25.9. Such as are willing to be taught, will be thankful for their lear­ning, and are fitted for guidance and di­rection; but conceited persons are quite contrary. Therefore Reader beware of this mist in which many miscarry. He that thin­keth he knoweth any thing, knoweth nothing as he ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.2. But la­bour to get thine heart affected with thine ignorance, and the woful consequents of it, Psal. 95.10, 11. This will be a good step to knowledg. The Apostle gives thee the same direction, 1 Cor. 3.18. If any man seem to be wise, let him become a fool that he may be wise. If thou seemest to be knowing, be ignorant (in thy own sense and feeling and apprehension) that thou mayst be knowing. Our Lord Jesus gives the same counsel to the sick and dying Lac­diceans, Rev. 3.17, 18. and acquaints her that her ignorance of her ignorance, and conceitedness of her knowledge, was the great hinderance of her recovery.

[Page 259]2. Study much the works, and especially the word of God. The works of God are a Book wherein you may read of him, and by which you may hear of him. The heavens declare his glory, Psal. 19.1. The earth is full of his goodness, Psal. 33.5. As the sha­dow hath some proportion to the body to which it relates, so the works of God are some representation of the wise powerful gracious God, to whom they belong, Rom. 1.19, 21. The invisible things of God are seen by the things that are made, even his e­ternal power and Godhead. Therefore consi­der the works of the Lord, and the opera­tions of his hands.

The word of God is a glass, wherein thou mayest see his beauty and grace and glory, and so see him as to be transformed into his likeness, 2 Cor. 3.18. In the works of God you may see his steps, the prints of his feet, they are therefore cal­led his paths and his goings, Psal. 77.19. But in his word we may see his face, the comliness of his countenance, how lovely and amiable he is; therefore it is called a glass, 2 Cor. 3.18. So that as the sight of a mans face helpeth and conduceth more to our knowledge of him, than the sight of [Page 260] his steps; so the word of God is a far grea­ter means of our acquaintance with him, than the Works of Creation and Provi­dence. Therefore I say, study especially the word of God. The Scripture is the key of knowledg, Luk. 11.52. and unlocks the mysteries which were kept hid from Ages and Generations, and opens the se­crets of heaven to thy soul. It's therefore called light, Psal. 119.105. and a Lamp, Prov. 6.23. Because it discovers hidden things, helps thee to see what thou canst not without it, and directs thee in thy motions and actions. David had more knowledge than his enemies, (and they were subtil) than his Teachers (and they were no dwarfes in knowledge, such as Gad and Nathan) than the Ancient (and with the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days is understanding, Job 12.12, 13.) and what was the means of it, For thy testimo­nies are my meditation, Psal. 119.97, 98, 99. The Gospel is the eye-salve by which the blind come to see, Psal. 19.7. The fra­grancy and attractiveness of the incom­parable God, increaseth up and down in the world as the Gospel is propagated. Thanks be to God who maketh manifest the [Page 261] Savour of his knowledge, (The knowledge of God, like a rich perfume, causeth and lea­veth a fragrant odoriferous scent where­ever it comes) by us (the ministers of the Gospel as the instruments hereof) in every place, 2 Cor. 2.14. The ministry of the word is the Chariot of the Sun of Righ­teousness, whereby he conveyeth the light of the knowledge of God to the world. Therefore attend on Preaching, and give diligence to reading. Search the Scrip­tures, for they are they that testifie of me, Joh. 5.39.

3. Be frequent and fervent with God to give thee the knowledge of himself. There is a twofold light requisite to bodily vision; a light in the eye, (A blind man cannot see at noon day) and a light in the air, (the best eye cannot see in the dark) So there is a twofold light requisite to the ef­fectual sight of God, viz. The light of the word, and the light of the Spirit; the word cannot do it without the Spirit; and the Spirit will not do it without the word, where the word is afforded: both are need­ful. There is a spirit in man (a passive re­ceptiveness, as a capable subject) But the in­spiration of the Almighty giveth understan­ding, Job 32.8.

All natural abilities, all acquired endow­ments, all the reading and learning, all the Teachers and Tutors in the world, can­not help one poor soul to the saving know­ledge of God. It is God that teacheth man knowledge, Psal. 94.10. He who made light in the first Creation, only can cause light in the new Creation, 2 Cor. 4.6. But God who caused light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. He that at first said, Let there be light (when darkness cover'd the face of the world) and there was light, a corporeal light, can command spiritual light, and the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ, who is the express Image of his person. Therefore the Apostle be­takes himself to God for the gift, Praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ would give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and reve­lation, in the knowledge of him, &c. 1 Eph. 17, 18. So David often, Psal. 119.18, 34, 35, 125, 143, 144. Rev. 3.18. Reader, art thou blind? take the Counsel of thy Sa­viour; Go to him for eye salve that thou mayest see; and be confident he that bids thee come to him for that, will bid [Page 263] thee welcome when thou comest, Rev. 3.18. None knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, Math. 11.27. Therefore, whoever thou art that sittest in darkness, and in the shadow of death, go to the Sun for light, go to the Sun of Righteousness, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. 2.9. for the light of the knowledge of God. Dost thou not know the sinfulness and mi­sery of a blind dark state, that vengeance is the fruit of this ignorance, Psal. 79.6. that God will pour out his wrath upon them that know him not. Go therefore, as the blind man to the Lord Jesus Christ. Cry, sigh, mourn, pray, Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me; though he hear not presently, hold on, continue instant in Prayer; though the Devil and flesh rebuke thee (as the multitude him) yet hold on, call louder, Jesus thou Son of David,Mat. 32. to 37. Have mercy on me, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And doubt not but he will have pity on thee, as he had on him, and touch thine eye, and give thee to see the things of thy peace; for thine encouragement thou hast his promise, Jer. 24.7. I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, [Page 264] Jer. 31.34. They shall all know me from the least to the greatest: So James 1.6. Hoseah 2.20. Heb. 8.8, 9. O with what hope may'st thou sue these Bonds, and plead these promises, when he that made them is a God that cannot lye (1 Tit. 2.) and there­fore cannot but perform them. Again, observe how kindly he took it of Solomon, (when he bid Solomon ask what he would) that he asked wisdom, 2 Chron. 1.10. Give me wisdom and knowledge, saith Solomon: And the thing which Solomon asked pleased the Lord, 1 Kings 3.10. And the Lord said unto Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, because thou hast not asked riches, nor honour, nor the life of thine enemies, nor long life; Wisdom, and knowledge is granted to thee, and I will give thee wealth and honour, v. 11. When a poor creature, sensible of its blindness and darkness, lyeth at the feet of God, begging spiritual light and sight, the heart of the Redeemer is taken with such a request, and subscribes the petition with, Wisdom and Knowledge is granted to thee. Be but diligent Reader in the use of these means, and thou mayest be confident of success: If thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou [Page 265] seekest her as Silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasure; then shalt thou under­stand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: For the Lord giveth wisdome, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding, Prov. 2.3, 4, 5, 6.

CHAP. XXV. 2. Ex. To choose this incomparable God for our portion; with some Motives thereunto.

2. IF this God be such an incomparable God, then choose this God for thy por­tion, and take him for thy happiness. Is it possible for thee to read so much of the incomparableness of God in his Being, At­tributes, Works, and Word, and not desire him? Thou canst hardly see an excellent person, but thou art wishing him for thy Friend, thy Companion; nor an excellent Estate, but thou art wishing it were thine Inheritance, thy portion; and canst thou hear of him who is excellency it self origi­nally, Job 13.11. the spring and standard of all excellency in others, whose name alone is excellent, Psal. 14.13. and not wish, [Page 266] O that this incomparable God were my Friend, my Father, my Head, my Husband, my Lot, my Portion? Who will give me to drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem? O who will help me to drink of the well of Salvation, of the fountain of living waters, of the pure River that floweth from the throne of God, and the Lamb? Canst thou hear so much of his worth (though infinitely short) and not desire him? Is it possible for a ra­tional creature to read of such a bottomless treasure, of such boundless pleasure, of such an infinite unconceivable good, and not covet the enjoyment of it? O man, where are thy wits? whither art thou fallen? art thou a man or a beast? Ah didst thou know the gift of God, and what it is that is offered thee, thou wouldst scorn the highest ho­nours, sweetest carnal delights, greatest riches, yea, trample upon all the Crowns and Kingdoms of this world for it. It's an ineffable priviledge that thou art a crea­ture capable of so vast an happiness, it's a special favour that thou hast leave to aspire after such an immense inheritance; and when its tender'd to thee, wilt thou refuse it? wilt thou neglect it? O wilt thou not give it all acceptation?

Having spoken in another Treatise to this particular, I shall here only offer two or three things to thy serious thoughts, and proceed to a third exhortation.

1. Consider, what is offer'd thee, when the incomparable God is offered thee for thy portion. And truly, to explain this head fully, would require the Pen, yea, exceed the skil of an Angel. None can tell what God is, but God himself. All the sheets in the explication of the Doctrine speak somwhat of him, but not the thou­sand thousandth part of that excellency that is in him. Reader, I may tell thee, when God is offered thee, the greatest good that ever was, that ever will be, that ever can be, is offered thee; there never was, or can be, the like offer'd thee; more than Heaven and Earth, than both Worlds, than Millions of Worlds, is offered thee. This God who is offered thee, is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the God of Gods, the blessed and glorious Potentate, the first Cause, the original Being, Self-sufficient, All-sufficient, absolutely perfect, uncapable of any addition or diminution. This God who is offer'd thee, is the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity eve­ry moment, to whom a thousand years, [Page 268] yea millions of Ages are but as one day, as one moment, whose duration is uncapable of the least accession, who is boundless in his being, omnipotent in his power, un­searchable in his wisdom, unconceivable in his grace, and infinite in all his perfe­ctions. He dwelleth in that light that is in­accessible; before him Angels, the highest of creatures, vail their faces; to him the whole Creation is less than nothing and vanity. This God who is offered thee made all things of nothing, supports all things, influenceth all things, and is all things, and infinitely more than all things. He is so needful a good, that thou art undone without him. This was the misery of the Heathen on earth, Eph. 2.12. and of the damned in Hell, Math. 25.41. the very Hell of Hell. He is so plentiful a good that thou art perfectly happy in him, Psal. 144. ult. thou needest no more. He is the Heaven of Heavens, Psal. 16. ult. the safest refuge. O Friend, what dost thou think of having this God for thy portion? Is it not worth the while to have this God for thy God? wilt thou not say, Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great: Who would [Page 269] not fear thee, O King of Nations? Jer. 10.6, 7. Again, the God who is offered thee, is the Well of Salvation, the Lord of life, the God of all consolation, an Hive of sweetness, a Paradice of pleasure, an Heaven of joy. He is the richest grace, the dearest love, the surest friend, the highest honour, the vastest treasure, the exactest beauty, the chiefest good, and the fullest felicity. He is one that can enlarge and sute all thy faculties, relieve and answer all thy necessities, fill up and satisfie all the capacities of thine Heaven-born soul. God is a good which Christ died to purchase for thee, Eph. 2.13. 1 Pet. 3.18. And surely if Christ thought him worth his blood, he is worthy thine ac­ceptance. God is a comprehensive uni­versal good, not one, but all good, Riches, Honours, Pleasures, Friends, Relations, Health, Life, Earth, Heaven, this World, the other World, all the good of both Worlds, and infinitely more; and art thou not covetous of such wealth that is better worth than both worlds? Philip. 4.19. Psal. 23.1. Gen. 17.1. God is an ever­lasting good, a good that will stand by thee, and abide with thee when all other good things shall fail thee, 1 Tim. 6.7. [Page 270] Psal. 73.25. He is that good which thou wouldst have if thou art well in thy wits: he is that good which thou shouldst have if thou answerest the end of thy Creation; he is that good which thou must have, if thou art not eternally miserable; He is the only suitable satisfying good, which hits the nature, and fits the desire of the rational creature. O Reader, I say again, what dost thou think of having this incom­parable God for thy God? Surely by this time thy heart may well melt into astonish­ment, that he will allow thee to seek so matchless a portion. Well, what sayest thou to him? Is it not worth the while to have him for thine, to whom thou wilt call in the day of distress, to whom thou wilt cry in a dying hour, when thy Soul stands quivering on thy lips, ready to take its flight into the unknown Regions of the other world, when Devils will be waiting to seize it, as soon as ever it leaves the body, to hale it to the unquenchable flames of hell, when thy Friends and Relations shall be weeping and wailing by thee, but unable to afford thy dying body the least Cordial, or thy departing soul the least Comfort. Ah friend, what wilt thou do in such an [Page 271] hour, which is hastening on thee, without the incomparable God? Believe it, though thou mayest live without him, thou canst not dye (without an infinite horror) with­out him. Is it not worth the while to have him for thine, to whom thou must stand or fall for ever, from whose mouth thy sen­tence of eternal absolution or condemna­tion must come, and who shall judge thee to thine unchangeable state of life or death? though thou mayest think thou canst do well enough at this day with the world for thy portion; yet what wilt thou do at that day, when the world shall be in a flame, if God be not thy portion? Art thou willing or not, to have this God for thine? What sayest thou? Canst thou find in thine heart to deprive thy precious soul of such an in­estimable treasure, and to leave it naked in the other world to the cruelty of Devils, and the dreadful curses of the Law? Me­thinks, though I have spoken little, yet I have said enough (to one that will but let his reason judge) to draw out thy most earnest desires after this incomparable God.

2. Consider upon what terms thou mayst have this God for thy God. You may pos­sibly [Page 272] think that so boundless a good must cost you very dear, and the price must be vast of a pearl that is so matchless: but lo, to thy comfort, all the condition which God requireth of thee, is only to accept him heartily and thankfully in his Son. Canst thou have any thing cheaper? wouldst thou desire him in his terms to fall lower? nay is it possible so to do, and make thee happy? Nor can he be thine unless thou receivest him for thine. It's a poor favour that is not worth acceptance. Do but take him for your happiness, and you shall have him for your happiness.

Thou givest more for thy bread, thy cloaths, thy house, for the needful com­forts that are for the support of thy frail body, than thou needest give for the great glorious incomprehensible incompa­rable God. Thou payest money for them, but thou mayst have him without money and without price. One would think that the equity of the condition should both amaze thee and allure thee. Consi­der, I say, God doth not require of thee things impossible to thee; he doth not say, if thou wilt remove Mountains, dry up Oce­ans, stop the course of Nature, create [Page 273] worlds, I will then be thine, as great as I am; He doth not say, if thou wilt satisfie my justice, answer the demands of my law, merit my love and favour, then I will be thy God; No, he himself hath done all this for thee by the death of his Son: All he desireth is, that thou wouldst accept him in his Son for thy God. Nay, he doth not require of thee any thing that is bar­barous or cruel, as the heathen Deities did (by the Devil) of their worshipers. He doth not say, if you will lance and mangle your bodies, as Baals Priests did; if ye will go bare-foot in Sackcloth long and tedious pilgrimages, as the Papists do; if ye will of­fer your children in the fire, and give the fruit of your bodies for the sins of your souls, as some did, then I will be your God. Again, he doth not require of thee things that are chargeable, to offer the best and chief of thy flock daily in sacrifice to him; nor as he once did of the young man, to sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor; nor as Idolaters, to lay down such a part of thy estate for thy pardon: but he only requires that thou wouldest take the Lord for thy God; and wilt thou not do it? Canst thou deny him and thy poor soul so [Page 274] reasonable, so equitable a request? As the servant said to Naaman, If the Prophet had commanded thee some great thing, wouldest not thou have done it? how much more then when he only saith, wash, and be clean? So say I to thee; If God had commanded the greatest things imaginable, wouldest thou not to thy power have done them, that thou mightst enjoy the blessed God for thy eternal portion? how much more then when he only saith, Thou shalt have no other God before me? O Reader, do but observe that first Command, which contains the sum both of thy duty and felicity, and thou art made, thou art a blessed man for ever. Take the true God in Jesus Christ for thy God, prize him as thy God, love him as thy God, Honour him as thy God, and obey him as thy God, and he will be thy God for ever. Do but as much for the true God, as the covetous man doth for his wealth, which is his God; as the in­temperate man for his belly, which is his God; they give their highest esteem, their choicest affections, and their greatest ser­vice to that which they take for their God. And surely, the true God is more worthy hereof, and will requite thee best for them.

[Page 275]3. Consider, For what end God offe­reth himself to thee. I would not have thee mistake, because God out of his infi­nite pity to his miserable creatures, is in­stant and urgent with them to accept of him, to think therefore that God hath any need of thee, or seeketh his own hap­piness therein; I tell thee, if thou hadst no more need of God than he hath of thee, thou mayst let him alone: No, it's purely for thy good, for thy real and eternal good that he offereth himself to thee: he nee­deth thy service no more than he doth the service of the damned, of the devils, and he knoweth how to make use of thee for his own glory, as he doth of them, if thou foolishly rejectest his offer of himself. Thy righteousness will not help him, Job 22.2, 3. nor thy wickedness hurt him, Job 35.2. He offereth himself to thee, not that he may be blessed by thee, but that he may be bountiful to thee. It's thy good, not his own, that he looks at; the felicity of accepting him is thine own, and the misery of neglecting him is thine own, Prov. 9.12. Men call customers to them, press them with many arguments and in­treaties to buy, that they may inrich them­selves [Page 276] by their customers; but God calls men to buy of him, not to inrich himself, (He is as rich and perfect and happy as he can be) but to inrich themselves, I coun­sel thee (saith Christ to his luke-warm Church) to buy of me gold, (why, that he may get somewhat by her, and enrich himself? No) that thou mayst be rich; that thou (not I) mayst be rich. Now Rea­der, ponder it seriously, it is wholly for thy own good, that thou mayst escape wrath and death, and attain heaven and life, that God is pleased once more to offer himself to thee. What is thy mind about his offer? Wilt thou have him for thy portion, or no? Is there any thing unreaso­nable in his desire or demands? Doth not thy eternal felicity depend on thine accep­tance of him? What sayst thou? Wilt thou have God for thy portion, or wilt thou have the Devil for thy portion? Thou shalt have an eternal portion, good or bad. The worldlings portion of good things is but for this world, and the godly mans portion of evil things is but for this world: Both have immortal souls, which will a­bide in the other world for ever; and their souls must have immortal portions to abide [Page 277] with them there for ever. Therefore, Reader, consider what thou doest, either thou must take God in and through Christ for thy portion for ever, or hell and death and wrath and Devils for thy portion for ever: One of the two is the portion of all the sons and daughters of Adam. If thou wilt still prefer the world before God and love the creature above God, and please thy flesh more than God; when once thou appearest in the other world, God will rain on thee fire and brimstone, and an hor­rible tempest, this will be the portion of thy cup, Psal. 11.6. But if now thou acceptest him in his Son (for there is no making God thy friend, but by Christ) for thy chiefest good and happiness, when all thy friends shall leave thee, and dearest relations for­sake thee, yea when thy flesh and thy heart shall fail thee, God will be the strength of thine heart, and thy portion for ever. O friend, consider what I have said in this Use, and the Lord give thee understan­ding, that thou mayst know when thou art well offered, and be wise on this side the other world.

CHAP. XXVI. 3. Ex. Give God the glory of his incompa­rable excellency: with some considerations to enforce it.

IF God be such an incomparable God, give him the glory and honour of his in­comparable excellencies: His incompara­ble perfections must have incomparable praises. Praise him, saith the Psalmist, ac­cording to his excellent greatness, Psal. 159.2. But alas! what tongue, what understan­ding of men or Angels can do it, can praise him according to his excellent greatness? But though we cannot praise him according to the utmost of his excel­lencies, we must praise him according to the utmost of our abilities. The highest God, Psal. 92.1. must have the highest praises. Psal. 149.8. The high praises of God are in their mouths. The greatest God, Psal. 145.3. must have our greatest praises. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Low or little praises are a dispraise to one so eminently, so infinitely high and great.

Ordinary commendations of an extra­ordinary [Page 279] person are a discommendation to him. According to thy name, so, O Lord, is thy praise to the end of the earth, Psal. 48.10. Therefore his name alone being excellent, Psal. 148.13. his praise alone must be excellent. David tells God, I will praise thee yet more and more, Psal. 71.14. He had already praised him much, but he would endeavour to praise him more; and when he had done so, he would praise him more, and still more. We read of songs of degrees, Psal. 120, 121. We should ascend in our praises of God by an holy climax, till we come to the highest degree that is possible, and screw up our faculties herein to the utmost pitch that they are ca­pable of.

Praise him for the incomparableness of his being. That he is an independent, all-sufficient, absolutely perfect, incomprehen­sible, omnipresent, eternal, infinite being, should much affect our hearts. Praise ye the Lord, Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord; Blessed from this time forth, and for ever: From the rising of the Sun, to the going down of the same, the Lords name is to be praised: (why) the Lord is high above all Nations, and his glory [Page 280] above the Heavens; who is like to the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high? Psal. 113.1, to 6.

Praise him for his incomparableness in his attributes, for the incomparableness of his power. O Lord God of Host, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? Psal. 89.8. For the incomparableness of his holiness, Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness? Exod. 15.11. For the incomparableness of his mercy, Who is a God like unto thee, par­doning iniquity, and passing by the trans­gressions of the remnant of his heritage, because he delighteth in mercy?

Praise him for the incomparableness of his Words; O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonder­ful works to the children of men, Psal. 107.8.15, 21, 31. Psal. 72.18. Psal. 136.4. Praise him for the work of Creation, Psal. 114.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Job 38.4, 5, 6. Praise him for his works of Providence, Psal. 97.8, 9. Psal. 136. throughout, Psal. 107. Praise him especially for the work of Redemp­tion, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited and redeemed his people. Luk. 1.68. Psal. 9.1. Rev. 15.3.

Praise him for the incomparableness of his Word, Wonderful are thy Testimonies, Psal. 119.129. How often doth the sweet Singer of Israel praise God for them, as a singular kindness? Psal. 147. two last verses, He gave his Statutes to Moses, his Laws and Commandments to Jacob: He hath not dealt so with every Nation. Praise ye the Lord.

Praise him by admiring him. Wonder at his being, As they of Christ, What manner of man is this, that the winds and seas obey him? Math. 8.27. What manner of God is this, who knoweth no bounds, no beginning, no succession, no addition? An amazing admiration of him, is an high commenda­tion of him. And indeed our silent won­dering at his perfections, is almost all the worship we can give him, Psal. 65.1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion, Heb. Praise is silent for thee, O God, in Sion: not that praise was dumb or tongue-tyed in Sion; for praise in no part of the world speaks higher or louder than in Sion: but to shew that when the people of God set them­selves to praise him, they are struck with amazement and wonder, at his matchless being and beauty, at his infinite excellen­cies and perfections; and wanting words [Page 282] to express them, they sit down in a silent admiration of them. Thou wouldst won­der at Adam, if he were now alive, for his age; O wonder at him that is from ever­lasting to everlasting, that is the cause and original of all things, that is what he is, that is, and nothing else is; that is all he is in one indivisible point of eternity.

Wonder at his attributes, admire his ho­liness. Behold he putteth no trust in his Ser­vants, he chargeth the Angels with folly, Job 4.18. Behold, wonder at it. Again, Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints, the Heavens are not clean in his sight, Job 15.15. Admire his wisdom, cry out with the Apo­stle, O the depth of the wisdom and knowledg of God, Rom. 11.33. Admire his love, Behold what manner of love hath the Father loved us with, 1 Joh. 3.1. Admire his power, that he can do what he will do: Who is a strong Lord like unto thee? Psal. 89.8.

Wonder at his Works. Thou art ready to wonder at the rare works of some curious Artist; alass, all their works are toyes to the works of the mighty Creator and Pos­sessor of Heaven and Earth. O Lord, how marvellous are thy works! Psal. 104.24. His work is honourable and glorious, [Page 283] Psal. 111.3. and worthy thy greatest wonder.

What a piece is the Creation! how marveilous! how mysterious! Psal. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The Heavens declare his glo­ry, Psal. 19.1. and the earth is full of his goodness, Psal. 104.24. What a work is Providence? read Psal. 104. and 107. How many rarities, curiosities, mysteries, are wrapt up in it, which are only seen in the other world? Psal. 77.19.

What man is this, say they, for he com­mandeth with authority, and the unclean Spirits come out of men? Mark 1.27.

What a Master-piece, what rare work­manship indeed is Redemption? a work that the Angels are alwayes prying into, and wondering at, Eph. 3.8. 1 Pet. 1.10.

Wonder at his Word. When thou hearest it, dost thou not perceive a Majesty and Authority awing thy Conscience accom­panying it? And they were all amazed and astonished at his Doctrine, Luk. 4.32. The very Officers who were sent to ap­prehend Christ, could not but wonder at his words, and returned to them who set them a work, Never man spake as he spake, Joh. 7.47. There are great things in the [Page 284] Law of God, Hosea 8.12. things that are wonderful, Psal. 119.18. which may well be wondered at; And all, saith the Evan­gelist, bare him witness, and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, Luk. 4.22.

Praise him by speaking alwayes highly and honourably of him. If his name alone be excellent, take heed that thou dost not take his excellent name in vain. Thy ap­prehensions of him must be ever high, and thy expressions of him honourable. Thy Tongue is therefore call'd thy glory, be­cause therewith thou mayest glorifie thy God, Psal. 57.8.

Never speak of God rashly, or at ran­dom, without a serious consideration of whom thou speakest; and let thy expres­sions of him, and to him, be becoming his vast perfections, Ascribe greatness to our God, Deut. 32.3.

Speak honourably of his being, So Moses Exod. 15.11. Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises? So Solomon, 1 Kings 8.23. Lord God of Israel, there is no God like unto thee in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath. So David, 1 Chron. 29.11.

Speak honourably of his attributes, Psal. 68.34. of his power, mercy, truth, justice, wisdom, and holiness, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Isa. 6.3.

Speak honourably of his words, Psal. 86.8. Among all the Gods, there is none like unto thee; neither are there any works like unto thy works, Psal. 145.10.

Speak honourably of his Word. The Commandments of the Lord are pure, Psal. 19.7. Thy word is very pure: The Statutes of the Lord are right, Psal. 19.10. The Law is holy, just, and good, Rom. 7.12. Though Paul's corruption took occasion by the Laws prohibitions, to become the more unruly (as the water at a Bridge roars the more for the stop) yet he dares not lay the least fault upon the Law, but layeth all upon himself: was the Law Sin? God forbid, v. 7. Far be it from me to have the least such thought: No, the Law is holy, but I am carnal, sold under sin, v. 14. So when he speaketh of the Gospel, how honourably doth he speak of it? somtimes he calls it the glorious Gospel, 2 Cor. 4.4. the mysteries of the Gospel, Eph. 6.19. the word of Truth, 1 Coloss. 5.

Praise him by walking circumspectly and closely with him. Live alwayes as one that believeth, he hath at all times to do with this incomparable God; and is created and preserved, and redeemed, to shew forth the praise of this God. When the Psalmist had admired the incomparableness of this God in his being and doings, Psal. 86.8. he presently subjoyns, v. 9. All Nations whom thou hast made, shall come and glorifie thy name, and worship before thee: For thou art great, and dost wondrous things, thou art God alone. O Friend, this incompa­rable God, must have incomparable obe­dience, Be still, and know that I am God, Psal. 46.10. Be still, be quiet, O sinner, cease, forbear any farther to offend me, and know that I am God, incomparable in knowledge, acquainted with all thy wayes and works, inward, outward, secret, pri­vate, publick; incomparable in holiness, and perfectly hate all thy wickedness; in­comparable in power, able to revenge my self on thee every moment, to turn thee body and soul into hell; incomparable in justice, and will by no means clear the guilty; yet incomparable in mercy, and will accept and receive Prodigals, that, [Page 287] sensible of their folly and filthiness, return home to me their Father, in the Son of my love. Be still, sinner, Know this, that I am God, and obey my Laws. But I have spoken more fully of this in the informa­tions; only remember, that the praise of thy life, is the life of thy praise; because hereby thou dost in some measure repre­sent the excellencies of this incomparable God visible to the world, 1 Pet. 2.9. Math. 5.18. Offering praise, and ordering the conversation aright, are joyned toge­ther by God himself, and let not us part them asunder, Psal. 50. last verse but one.

To help thee a little, that thou mayst give God the praise of his incomparable perfections, Consider,

1. This God is excellency it self: he is not only excellent, Psal. 8.1. and alone ex­cellent, Psal. 148.13. but excellency, Job. 13.11. Should not his excellency make thee affraid? nay, he is greatness of excellency, Exod. 15.7. nothing but excellency, 1 Joh. 1.6. Now think with thy self what honour is due to one that is excellent, a­lone excellent, excellency it self, and no­thing but excellency. Can thy highest ho­nour be high enough, or thy most excel­lent [Page 288] praises be excellent enough, for such an excellency.

2. This God is the standard of all ex­cellency. Nothing is excellent but be­cause of its relation or likeness to him. Eve­ry thing is more or less excellent as it is more or less related or conformable to him. Saints are the excellent of the earth, Psal. 16.3. more excellent than their neighbours, Prov. 12.26. but it is because of his affection to them. Since thou art precious in my sight thou art honourable, The excel­lency of Jacob whom he loved. Isa. 43.4. and because of their relation and likeness to him, Deut. 33.29. 1 Pet. 2.9. Psal. 48.2, 3. The Scrip­tures are the most excellent of books, none like them. I have written unto thee excellent things, Prov. 22.20. But what's the reason? Surely because they are the word of God, Eph. 3.16. his mind, 2 Cor. 2. ult. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Tim. 3.18. The Sabbath is the most ex­cellent of days, the queen of days, the golden spot of the week, because it is his day, set apart by him, and devoted to him: My holy day, the holy of the Lord, honoura­ble, Isa. 58.13. Grace is excellent, the beauty and glory of the creature, Prov. 4.7. 2 Cor. 3.18. more excellent than gold [Page 289] or fine gold, than rubies or pearls, Prov. 3.14, 15. but why? because it's his Image, it's a conformity to his nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. 2 Cor. 3.18. When the Holy Ghost would render any thing excellent, he mentions it with relation to God: The Cedars of God, the City of God, the Trees of God, the Mountains of God, &c. that is, the most excellent Cedars, Cities, Trees, and Mountains.

3. He is so excellent, that even Angels vail their faces in his presence. The excel­lent Cherubims & Seraphims, who are spot­less in their natures, and faultless in their lives, who are the highest and honoura­blest, and ancientest House of the Creation, who, as his special friends and favourites are allowed to wait on him continually, to behold him face to face, and to enjoy him fully and perfectly; yet these Angels vail their faces before him (as it were) ashamed of their Star-light in the Presence of the Sun, and their drops in the presence of the Ocean, Isa. 6.1, 2, 3. I saw the Lord sitting on a Throne high and lifted up; about it stood the Seraphims, each had six wings, with twain he did fly, with twain he cover'd his feet▪ with twain he cover'd his face. To [Page 290] cover the face is a sign or fruit of bashful­ness, as in Rebekah, Gen. 24.65. The face of an Angel is void of all spots and wrinkles, it is full of beauty and brightness, a most excellent face. And all the Councel looking stedfastly on him, beheld his face as if it had been the face of an Angel, Acts 6. ult. yet this face, as excellent as it is, they cover (as it were) ashamed of it before that God who alone is excellent.

4. He is so incomparably excellent, that he humbleth himself to take notice of his per­fect Spirits, his heavenly host, and their perfect Service in Heaven. It is not only great and infinite condescention with him to observe the highest persons on earth, as Kings, and Princes; and the holiest persons on earth, as the most eminent Saints, and the highest and holiest performances of these Saints; but it is boundless humiliation in him to look upon (with the least respect) the perfect Spirits of just men, the Principa­lities and Powers that are in Heaven, and their pure perfect Worship and Service, Psal. 113.5, 6. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who hum­bleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven?

[Page 291]5. He is so incomparably excellent, that he is above the highest adoration and worship of his Creatures. Worship is the most high and honourable of all our works. Blessing and Praising God is the most high and ho­nourable act of worship; therefore this is that part of worship which suits the highest and honourablest state of the Creature in Heaven, and must continue for ever. As all our graces, of faith, and hope, and pa­tience, &c. shall e're long be melted into love, and joy, and delight; so all our du­ties of Confession, Petition, Hearing and Reading the Word, receiving the Sacra­ments, shall all be melted into Praise and Thanksgiving, Rev. 7.11, 12. And the Angels and Elders that stood about the throne fell on their faces before the throne, and worshipped, saying, Amen, Blessing, and honour, and thanksgiving, be unto our God for ever; and therefore David calls upon Angels, and the Heavenly Host, to praise God, Psal. 148.2, 3. But this incompa­rably excellent God is above all this wor­ship, this highest worship; though he be not above it, so as to despise it, Psal. 50.15. and ult. yet he is above it, so as to exceed it; that his Saints and Angels, though their [Page 292] powers are enlarged to the uttermost, though the strings of their faculties are wound and screwed up to the highest pitch and peg, to sound forth his praise, even then they will fall infinitely short of prai­sing and blessing him, according to his deserts, Nehem. 9.5. Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. He doth not say, the name of God is exalted above the blessing and praise of men, of Saints on earth, in their imperfect state; nor above the blessing and praise of Spirits of just men, in heaven made perfect; but above all blessing and praise, above the blessing and praise of Men, of Angels, of the holiest Men, of the highest Angels, above all blessing and praise whatsoever, and of whomsoever.

6. He is so incomparably excellent, that his excellencies are beyond the understand­ing and apprehension of Men and Angels. The excellency of God is not only beyond all our expressions, verbal in our words, vital or real in our lives; but also beyond all our apprehensions. A fluent tongue may speak much of the excellency of God; an enlarged rational understanding can apprehend much more, (The mind of man [Page 293] is much wider than his mouth) but the ex­cellency of God is infinitely beyond all our apprehensions of him; His works are unsearchable, Rom. 11.33. Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not; he passeth on, and I perceive him not, Job 9.11. He goeth by me in his works, he passeth by me in the operations of his hands, and I perceive him not. There are such motions of God in the heavenly bodies, earthly plants, or­dinary providences, the growth of a Child in the womb, &c. that men are nonplust at them, they are at a loss about the nature, reason, and mode, or gradual progressions of them. How much more is his being un­searchable, and his essence past finding out? If his footsteps are unconceivable and invi­sible, much more is his face; if his works cannot be apprehended, much less can his nature; because his works are in some re­spect finite, as they are terminated on li­mited beings, and they are also many of them visible, and so obvious to our senses; but his essence is wholly, and altogether, and in all respects infinite, and is no way visible or liable to apprehension by our senses, 1 Tim. 6.16. Who dwelleth in that light that is inaccessible. As no mortal eye [Page 294] can behold the Sun in its full strength (the attempt of which, according to some, hath struck the adventurers blind) so no creature whatsoever can apprehend the incomparable God in his full beauty and brightness, in his boundless excellency and perfection. It's the voice of God to Moses, Thou canst not see my face, for no man can see me, and live, Exod. 33.20. No man cloathed with a mortal body, or in this estate of imperfection, can behold an ex­traordinary created appearance of God; but he is thereat filled with fears and frights, Job 4.12, 13, 14, 15. Job 21.22. Dan. 10.8.16, 17. Habbak. 3.16. No man, no, nor Angel, can behold God in his infinite essence, to the utmost of his per­fections, but would be thereat crumbled into nothing.

Reader, if God be thus incomparably excellent, that he is excellency it self, the standard of all excellency, that Angels hide their heads as ashamed of themselves before him, that he condescendeth to shew the least respect to his high and perfect Host in Heaven, that he is infinitely above all their blessings and praises, all their conceptions, and apprehensions; what praise, what [Page 295] honour, what glory shouldst thou give to this God? Though thou art unable to give him all the glory that is due to his name, (yea, the thousand thousandth part thereof) yet do thou give him all the glory, thy mind, will, heart, affections, all thy facul­ties united together, and enlarged to the utmost, can possibly give him. Say to thy Soul, Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all within me praise his holy name, Psal. 103.1.

CHAP. XXVII. Comfort to them that have the incomparable God for their portion.

THirdly, This Doctrine may be useful by way of comfort to all the people of God: If God be an incomparable God, then they are incomparably blessed who take him for their God, who have him for their happiness. Every person or peo­ple is happy, or miserable, as the God is whom they serve, as that is in which they place their felicity; for nothing can give out more happiness to another, than it hath in it self. That good must of necessity be [Page 296] first in the cause, either eminently or for­mally, which is conveyed from it to the effect. Those who serve the flesh as their God and chiefgood, must needs be mise­rable, Philip. 3.18. Rom. 16.18. Because the flesh is a base and vile, Psal. 49. ult. a weak and impotent, Isa. 31.3. a fraudulent and deceitful, Jer. 17.9. a fading and transitory God, Psal. 73.25. 1 Cor. 6.23. So they who own, and prize, and love the world as their God and chief good (of such we read, the covetous man is call'd an Idolater, and covetousness Idolatry, Eph. 5.5.) are miserable, because their God is vain and empty, Eccles. 1.2, 3. piercing and vexatious, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. uncertain and unsatisfying, Eccles. 5.10. 1 Tim. 6.17. frail, and not lasting, 1 Cor. 7.29, 30. Prov. 23.5. Thus they who have Idols for their Gods are miserable, because their Gods are poor pitiful, blind, deaf, and impotent Deities; They have eyes, and see not the wants of their worshippers; They have ears, and hear not the supplications of their suppliants; They have hands, and work not for the relief of their Servants necessi­ties, or their deliverance out of their di­stresses: and thence the Prophet infers, the [Page 297] misery of their makers and adorers; All that make them are like unto them, blind and deaf and impotent as they are, (falshood, & a lie, and vanity, and nothing, as they are, 1 Cor. 8.4. 1 Sam. 12.24.) and so is e­very one that trusteth in them, Psal. 115.5. to 9. But the person who through Christ hath an interest in this great God the Al­mighty, all-wise all-sufficient God, is hap­py. Happy is the people whose God is the Lord. Psal. 144. ult. And incomparably happy, because that God who is his portion and happiness is an incomparable God. There­fore as the Scripture mentions God to be incomparable in excellency, it also menti­ons his people to be incomparable in feli­city, and infers their incomparableness from his incomparableness who is their God.

The holy Ghost tells us, None is like God, he hath no equal in worth and perfection. Who is a God like unto thee? Exod. 15.11. Among all the Gods there is none like to thee, Psal. 86.6. And the holy Ghost tells us also, that no people is like the people of God, and that because God is theirs. Happy art thou O Israel, who is like unto thee? (why whence comes their incomparable happi­ness? truly from the incomparable God,) [Page 298] saved by the Lord, who is the shield of thine help, and the sword of thine excellency. Again, What Nation is so great which hath God so nigh unto them, Deut. 4.7. Israel at this time, to flesh and sense, seemed a most unhappy people, they were in a barren and howling wilderness, without an house to hide their heads in; without food, but what a miracle sent them in; without raiment, but what was on their backs; without any dea­lings or converse with other people, nay, in the midst of cruel and potent enemies, they must fight their way to Canaan a­gainst walled Towns, and sturdy Giants; and yet even in this plight they are the happiest people under the cope of heaven; Because the God of heaven, the incompa­rable God, was nigh to them. David as­serts Gods incomparable Majesty, and thence Israels incomparable felicity, 2 Sam. 7.22, 23. Wherefore thou art great, O Lord, there is none like thee, (what followeth thence?) And what Nation at this day is like unto thy people, even like Israel? Reader, if thou art once effectually called, if thou art a regenerated sanctified person, know to thy comfort, and rejoyce therein, that this incomparable God is thine. 2. That all his [Page 299] incomparable excellencies are thine. 3. That this incomparable God, with all his incomparable perfections, will be thine for ever.

1. This incomparable God is thine. That God who hath no superiour, no equal, no fellow, is thine. He that is, and there is none else, Isa. 46.9. is thine. He that is that he is, Exod. 3.14. is thine: Thou hast a propriety in him, and a title to him. This is the great priviledge of heavens favourites. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he will be their God, Revel. 21.3. This is the great promise, the sum, the substance of all the promises, I will be their God, and they shall be my people, Jer. 31.33. This is the great prayer of all that know how to pray, or what to pray for, Psal. 80.12. Psal. 4.6. Exod. 33.15. Jer. 14.8. This is the great purchase of the Son of God, 1 Pet. 3.18. His name is therefore Imma­nuel, God with us.

This is heaven it self, the very heaven of heavens; for it is not the place, but his pre­sence which makes heaven to be heaven. In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore, [Page 300] Psal. 16. ult. Once more; this is the highest, the chiefest, the greatest gift, which the infi­nite God can give to thee. When he gi­veth thee riches and honours and friends and relations, he can give thee greater things; when he giveth thee Sacraments and Sabbaths and seasons of grace, he can give thee greater things; when he giveth thee pardon of sin, peace of conscience, the graces of his Spirit, he giveth thee great things, but yet he can give thee greater: but when he giveth thee himself, he giveth thee the greatest gift that himself (though infinite in bounty) can give. O how sweet is that term of propriety, My God, My God. The Redeemer himself rowl'd in his mouth over and over, as if he could never suck out the sweetness in it, Him that overco­meth will I make a pillar in the house of my God, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which cometh down from my God, Rev. 3.12. David dwels on it as one unwilling to leave it, Psal. 18.1, 2.

Reader, O what cause hast thou to tri­umph in thy happiness, that the infinite God is thine. Fear not, I am thine, Isa. 41. [Page 301] Scepters, and kingdoms, and honours, and possessions, and friends, and relations, and liberty, and peace, and health, and strength, are not thine possibly, but God is thine; He that is all these, and more than these, is thine; He is thine own God: even (mark) our own God shall bless us, Psal. 67.6. Thou canst not call any thing outward thy own; thy estate is not thine own, I will take a­way my corn, and my wine, and my oyl, Hos. 2.9. Hag. 2.8. Thy relations are not thine own, Ezek. 16.20, 21. My children which thou hast born to me. Thy credit is not thine own, no, thy very graces are not thine own, Cantic. 4.16. Nay thou thy self art not thy own, 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are not your own. Thy body is not thine own, 1 Cor. 6.16. nor your souls, Ezek. 18.3, 4. All souls are mine. But God is thy own God, thy own glory, thy own exceeding joy, Psal. 43.4.

2. All the incomparable excellencies of this God, his incomparable word and works are thine. As all he is, is thine; so all he hath is thine, all he can be is thine, all he hath done is thine, all he can do is thine, 1 Cor. 3.22. All is thine: All his incomparable attributes are thine: His incomparable pow­er is thine to protect thee, Gen. 15.1, 2. [Page 302] Exod. 15.9, 10, 11, 12. His incompara­ble wisdom is thine to direct thee, Psal. 73.23. His incomparable mercy is thine to pity and relieve thee in thy miseries, Judg. 10.16. His incomparable grace is thine to par­don all thine iniquities, Micah 7.18. Exod. 34.6, 7. His incomparable love is thine to refresh and delight thy soul, Psal. 21.5, 6. His incomparable justice is thine to accept thee as righteous for the sake of his Son, Rom. 3.24. His incomparable faithfulness is thine to fulfill all the gracious promises which he hath made to thee, Psal. 89.33, 34. His incomparable Majesty and beauty and glory are thine, to make thee great, and render thee comely and glorious for ever. Ezek. 16.14. Isa. 43.4. His incompara­ble joys and pleasures are thine to feed on, and be filled with, Psal. 36.8. Mat. 25.21. His incomparable works are thine. His works of Creation, Psal. 37.11. Mat. 5.4. His works of Providence, Rom. 8.28. For your sakes I have sent to Babylon, Isa. 43.14. and Isa. 43.4. His work of Redempti­on is yours, Joh. 10.15. Gal. 2.20. Rev. 1.5, 6. His incomparable word is thine, indited for thee, sanctified to thee, making thee wise to salvation. It's therefore called [Page 303] their word, the word of their testimony, Rev. 12.11. Whatsoever things were writ­ten were written for our instruction, that we through patience and comfort of the Scrip­tures might have hope, Rom. 15.4.

3. This incomparable God, and all his incomparable excellencies, will be thine for ever. His incomparable eternity will be thine; and so long as he is God, he will be thy God. When the sensualists God is gone, thy God will remain: when the worldlings God fails him, thy God will not forsake thee: when all thine honours, riches, friends, relations leave thee, thy God will abide with thee. This God is our God for ever and ever, Psal. 48.14. Not for a day, or week, or month, or year, or Age, but for ever and ever; Not for a thousand years, or a thou­sand generations, or millions of millions of generations, but for ever and ever; Not for as many millions of ages, as there are stars in heaven, drops in the Sea, creatures great and small in both worlds, but for ever. O happy Conjunction of Propriety with e­ternity, this God is our God for ever and e­ver. Thine immortal soul hath an immor­tal God, an immortal good; Thou shalt ever be with this incomparable Lord. Comfort [Page 304] thy soul in the midst of all the persecutions and afflictions that befall thee in this world, with these words, 1 Thess. 4.16, 17, 18. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-angel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore com­fort one another with these words.