The remaining discourses, on the attributes of God Viz. his Goodness. His mercy. His patience. His long-suffering. His power. His spirituality. His immensity. His eternity. His incomprehensibleness. God the first cause, and last end. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the seventh volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace.

The remaining discourses, on the attributes of God Viz. his Goodness. His mercy. His patience. His long-suffering. His power. His spirituality. His immensity. His eternity. His incomprehensibleness. God the first cause, and last end. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the seventh volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace.

Table of contents

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Title page

THE CONTENTS.

SERMON I. The Goodneſs of God.

SERMON II. The Goodneſs of God.

SERMON III. The Goodneſs of God.

SERMON IV. The Goodneſs of God.

SERMON V. The Mercy of God.

SERMON VI. The Patience of God.

SERMON VII. The Patience of God.

SERMON VIII. The Long-ſuffering of God.

SERMON IX. The Long-ſuffering of God.

SERMON X. The Power of God.

SERMON XI. The Spirituality of the Divine Nature.

SERMON XII. The Immenſity of the Divine Nature.

SERMON XIII. The Eternity of God.

SERMON XIV. The Incomprehenſibleneſs of God.

SERMON XV. God the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End.

ADVERTISEMENT.

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The most Reverend Dr. IOHN TILLOTSON late Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury.

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The Remaining DISCOURSES, ON THE Attributes of God. viz.

His Goodneſs.

His Mercy.

His Patience.

His Long-ſuffering.

His Power.

His Spirituality.

His Immenſity.

His Eternity.

His Incomprehenſibleneſs.

God the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End.

By the Moſt Reverend Dr. JOHN TILLOTSON, Late Lord Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury.

Being The SEVENTH VOLUME; Publiſhed from the Originals, By Ralph Barker, D. D. Chaplain to his Grace.

LONDON, Printed for Ri. Chiſwell, at the Roſe and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1700.

THE CONTENTS.

[Page]

[Page]

SERMON I, II, III, IV. The Goodneſs of God. ‘PSAL. CXLV.9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.’

Page 1, 25, 51, 81.

SERMON V. The Mercy of God. ‘NUMB. XIV.18. The Lord is long-ſuffering and of great Mercy.’ p. 145.

[Page] SERMON VI, VII. The Patience of God. ‘2 Pet. III.9. The Lord is not ſlack concerning his Promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs; but is long ſuffering, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance.’ p. 143, 179.

SERMON VIII, IX. The Long-ſuffering of God. ‘ECCLES. VIII.11.Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil.’ p. 193, 239.

SERMON X. The Power of God. ‘PSAL. LXII.11. God hath ſpoken once; twice have I heard [Page] this, that power belongeth unto God.’ p. 265.

SERMON XI. The Spirituality of the Divine Nature. ‘JOHN IV.2. God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in truth.’ p. 299.

SERMON XII. The Immenſity of the Divine Nature. ‘PSAL. CXXXIX.7, 8, 9, 10. 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, 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.’ p. 331

[Page] SERMON XIII. The Eternity of God. ‘PSALM XC.2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadſt formed the earth and the world, even from everlaſting, to everlaſting thou art God.’ p. 355

SERMON XIV. The Incomprehenſibleneſs of God. ‘JOB XI.7. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? Canſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?’ p. 377

SERMON XV. God the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End. ‘ROM. XI.36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be Glory for ever. Amen.’ p. 403

SERMON I.Vol. VII. The Goodneſs of God.

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PSAL. CXLV.9.

The Lord is Good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

THE Subject which I have now propoſed to treat of, is certainly one of the Greateſt and Nobleſt Arguments in the World, the Goodneſs of God, the Higheſt and moſt Glorious Perfection, of the beſt and moſt Excellent of Beings, than which nothing deſerves more to be conſidered by us, nor ought in Reaſon to affect us more. The Goodneſs of God is the cauſe, and the continuance of our Beings, the Foundation of our Hopes, and the Fountain of our Happineſs; our greateſt comfort, and our [Page] faireſt Example, the chief Object of our love and praiſe and admiration, the joy and rejoycing of our hearts; and therefore the Meditation and Diſcourſe of it muſt needs be pleaſant and delightful to us; the great difficulty will be, to confine our ſelves upon ſo copious an Argument, and to ſet bounds to that which is of ſo vaſt an extent, the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Which words are an Argument, which the divine Plalmiſt uſeth, to ſtir up himſelf and others to the praiſe of God: At the 3. v. he tells us, that the Lord is great, and greatly to be praiſed; and he gives the reaſon of this, v. 8. and 9. from thoſe Properties and Perfections of the Divine Nature, which declare his Goodneſs, the Lord is gracious, and full of compaſſion, ſlow to anger, and of great mercy; the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works; where you have the Goodneſs of God declared, together with the amplitude and extent of it, in reſpect of the Objects of it; the Lord is good to all.

In the handling of this Argument, I ſhall do theſe four things.

[Page] Firſt, Conſider what is the proper Notion of Goodneſs, as it is attributed to God.

Secondly, Shew that this Perfection belongs to God.

Thirdly, Conſider the Effects and the Extent of it.

Fourthly, Anſwer ſome Objections, which may ſeem to contradict and bring in queſtion the Goodneſs of God.

Firſt, What is the proper Notion of Goodneſs, as it is attributed to God.

There is a dry Metaphyſical Notion of Goodneſs, which only ſignifies the Being and eſſential properties of a thing; but this is a good word ill beſtowed; for in this ſenſe, every thing that hath Being, even the Devil himſelf, is good.

And there is a Moral Notion of Goodneſs; and that is twofold.

1. More general, in oppoſition to all Moral evil and imperfection, which we call ſin and vice; and ſo the Juſtice, and Truth, and Holineſs of God, are in this ſenſe his Goodneſs. But there is,

2. Another Notion of Moral Goodneſs, which is more particular and reſtrained; and then it denotes a particular Virtue in oppoſition to a particular Vice; and this is the proper and uſual [Page] acceptation of the word Goodneſs; and the beſt deſcription I can give of it is this; that it is a certain propenſion and diſpoſition of mind, whereby a perſon is enclined to deſire and procure the happineſs of others; and it is beſt underſtood by its contrary, which is an envious diſpoſition, a contracted and narrow Spirit, which would confine happineſs to it ſelf, and grudgeth that others ſhould partake of it, or ſhare in it; or a malicious and miſchievous temper, which delights in the harms of others, and to procure trouble and miſchief to them. To communicate and lay out our ſelves for the good of others, is Goodneſs; and and ſo the Apoſtle explains doing good, by communicating to others, who are in miſery, or want, Heb. 13.16. but to do good and to communicate forget not. The Jews made a diſtinction between a righteous and a good man; to which the Apoſtle alludes, Rom. 5.7. ſcarcely for a righteous man, will one die; yet peradventure for a good man, one would even dare to die. The righteous man was he, that did no wrong to others; and the good man he, who was not only not injurious to others, but kind and [Page] beneficial to them. So that Goodneſs is a readineſs and diſpoſition to communicate the good and happineſs which we enjoy, and to be willing others ſhould partake of it.

This is the Notion of Goodneſs among men; and 'tis the ſame in God, only with this difference, that God is originally and tranſcendently good; but the Creatures are, the beſt of them, but imperfectly good, and by derivation from God, who is the fountain and original of goodneſs; which is the meaning of our Saviour, Luke 18.19. when he ſays, there is none good ſave one, that is God. But tho' the degrees of Goodneſs in God, and the Creatures, be infinitely unequal, and that Goodneſs which is in us, be ſo ſmall and inconſiderable, that compared with the Goodneſs of God, it does not deſerve that name; yet the eſſential Notion of Goodneſs in both, muſt be the ſame; elſe when the Scripture ſpeaks of the Goodneſs of God, we could not know the meaning of it, and if we do not at all underſtand what it is for God to be good, it is all one to us (for ought we know) whether he be good or not; for he may be ſo, and [Page] we never the better for it, if we do not know what Goodneſs in God is, and conſequently when he is ſo, and when not.

Beſides that the Goodneſs of God is very frequently in Scripture propounded to our imitation; but it is impoſſible for us to imitate that, which we do not underſtand what it is; from whence it is certain, that the goodneſs which we are to endeavour after, is the ſame that is in God, becauſe in this we are commanded to imitate the Perfection of God, that is, to be good and merciful as he is, according to the rate and condition of Creatures, and ſo far as we, whoſe Natures are imperfect, are capable of reſembling the Divine Goodneſs.

Thus much for the Notion of goodneſs in God, it is a propenſion and diſpoſition in the Divine Nature, to communicate being and happineſs to his Creatures.

Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, in the next place, that this Perfection of Goodneſs belongs to God; and that from theſe three heads.

I. From the Acknowledgments of Natural Light.

[Page]II. From the Teſtimony of Scripture, and Divine Revelation. And,

III. From the Perfection of the Divine Nature.

I. From the Acknowledgments of Natural Light. The generality of the Heathen agree in it, and there is hardly any Perfection of God more univerſally acknowledged by them. I always except the Sect of the Epicureans, who attribute nothing but Eternity and Happineſs to the Divine Nature; and yet if they would have conſidered it, Happineſs without Goodneſs is impoſſible. I do not find that they do expreſly deny this Perfection to God, or that they aſcribe to him the contrary; but they clearly take away all the Evidence and Arguments of the Divine Goodneſs; for they ſuppoſed God to be an immortal and happy Being, that enjoyed himſelf, and had no regard to any thing without himſelf, that neither gave Being to other things, nor concerned himſelf in the happineſs or miſery of any of them; ſo that their Notion of a Deity, was in truth the proper Notion of an idle Being, that is called God, and neither does good nor evil.

[Page]But ſetting aſide this atheiſtical Sect, the reſt of the Heathen did unanimouſly affirm and believe the Goodneſs of God; and this was the great foundation of their Religion; and all their Prayers to God, and Praiſes of him, did neceſſarily ſuppoſe a perſwaſion of the Divine Goodneſs. Whoſoever prays to God, muſt have a perſwaſion, or good hopes of his readineſs to do him good; and to praiſe God, is to acknowledge that he hath received good from him. Seneca hath an excellent paſſage to this purpoſe, ‘He (ſays he) that denies the Goodneſs of God, does not ſurely conſider the infinite number of Prayers, that with hands lifted up to Heaven are put up to God, both in private and publick; which certainly would not be, nor is it credible, that all Mankind ſhould conſpire in this madneſs of putting up their Supplications to deaf and impotent Deities, if they did not believe, that the Gods were ſo good, as to confer benefits upon thoſe who prayed to them.’

But we need not to infer their belief of God's Goodneſs, from the acts of [Page] their devotion, nothing being more common among them, than expreſly to attribute this Perfection of Goodneſs to him, and among the Divine Titles, this always had the preeminence, both among the Greeks and Romans; [...], Deus optimus maximus, was their conſtant ſtile; and in our Language, the name of God ſeems to have been given him from his Goodneſs. I might produce innumerable paſſages out of the Heathen Authers to this purpoſe; but I ſhall only mention that remarkable one out of Seneca, primus deorum cultus eſt deos credere; deinde reddere illis majeſtatem ſuam, reddere bonitatem, ſine quâ nulla majeſtas, ‘The firſt act of Worſhip is to believe the Being of God; and the next, to aſcribe Majeſty or greatneſs to him; and to aſcribe Goodneſs, without which there can be no Greatneſs.’

II. From the teſtimony of Scripture and Divine Revelation. I ſhall mention but a few of thoſe many Texts of Scripture, which declare to us the Goodneſs of God, Exod. 34.6. where God makes his Name known to Moſes, the Lord, the Lord God gracious and merciful, long ſuffering, abundant in goodneſs[Page]and truth. Pſal. 86.5. Thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive. Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doſt good. And that which is ſo often repeated in the Book of Pſalms, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endureth for ever. Our bleſſed Saviour attributes this Perfection to God, in ſo peculiar and tranſcendent a manner, as if it were incommunicable, Luke 18.19. There is none good ſave one, that is God. The meaning is, that no Creature is capable of it, in that excellent and tranſcendent degree, in which the Divine Nature is poſſeſt of it.

To the ſame purpoſe are thoſe innumerable Teſtimonies of Scripture, which declare God to be gracious, and merciful, and long ſuffering; for theſe are but ſeveral Branches of his Goodneſs; his Grace is the freeneſs of his Goodneſs, to thoſe who have not deſerved it; his Mercy is his Goodneſs to thoſe who are in miſery; his Patience is his Goodneſs to thoſe who are guilty, in deferring the Puniſhment due to them.

III. The Goodneſs of God may likewiſe be argued from the Perfection [Page] of the Divine Nature, theſe two ways.

1. Goodneſs is the chief of all Perfections, and therefore it belongs to God.

2. There are ſome Footſteps of it in the Creatures, and therefore it is much more eminently in God.

1. Goodneſs is the higheſt Perfection, and therefore it muſt needs belong to God, who is the moſt perfect of Beings. Knowledge and Power are great Perfections, but ſeparated from Goodneſs, they would be great Imperfections, nothing but craft and violence. An Angel may have Knowledge and Power in a great degree, but yet for all that be a Devil. Goodneſs is ſo great and neceſſary a Perfection, that without it there can be no other, it gives Perfection to all other excellencies; take away this, and the greateſt excellencies in any other kind, would be but the greateſt imperfections. And therefore our Saviour ſpeaks of the goodneſs and mercy of God, as the ſum of his Perfections; what one Evangeliſt hath, be ye merciful, as your Father which is in Heaven is merciful, is rendred in another, be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in Heaven[Page]is perfect. Goodneſs is ſo eſſential to a perfect Being, that if we once ſtrip God of this property, we rob him of the Glory of all his other Perfections; and therefore when Moſes deſired to ſee God's Glory, he ſaid, he would make all his goodneſs to paſs before him. Exod. 33.19. This is the moſt amiable Perfection, and as it were the Beauty of the Divine Nature, Zach. 9.17. how great is thy goodneſs, how great is thy beauty? ſine bonitate nulla majeſtas, without goodneſs there can be no majeſty. Other excellencies may cauſe fear and amazement in us: but nothing but Goodneſs, can command ſincere love and veneration.

2. there are ſome footſteps of this Perfection in the Creatures, and therefore it muſt be much more eminently in God. There is in every Creature ſome repreſentation of ſome divine Perfection or other, but God doth not own any Creature to be after his image, that is deſtitute of Goodneſs. The Creatures, that want Reaſon and Underſtanding, are incapable of this Moral Goodneſs we are ſpeaking of; Man is the firſt in the rank of Creatures, that is endowed with it, and he is [Page] ſaid to be made after the image of God, and to have dominion given him over the Creatures below him, to ſignifie to us, that if man had not been made after God's image, in reſpect of Goodneſs, he had been unfit to rule over other Creatures; becauſe without Goodneſs, dominion would be Tyranny and Oppreſſion. And the more any Creature partakers of this Perfection of Goodneſs, the more it reſembles God; as the Bleſſed Angels, who behold the face of God continually, and are thereby tranſformed into his image from glory to glory, their whole buſineſs and imployment is, to do good; and the Devil, tho' he reſemble God in other Perfections of Knowledge and Power, yet becauſe he is evil, and envious, and miſchievous, and ſo contrary to God in this Perfection, he is the moſt oppoſite and and hateful to him of all Creatures whatſoever.

And if this Perfection be in ſome degree in the Creature, it is much more in God; if it be derived from him, he is much more eminently poſſeſt of it himſelf. All that Goodneſs which is in the beſt natured of the Sons of Men, or in the moſt glorious Angels of Heaven, [Page] is but an imperfect and weak repreſentation of the Divine Goodneſs.

The Third thing I propoſed to conſider, was the Effects of the Divine Goodneſs, together with the large extent of it, in reſpect of the Objects of it, the Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works; thou art good and doſt good, ſays David, Pſal. 119.68. The great evidence and demonſtration of God's Goodneſs, is from the Effects of it. To the ſame purpoſe St. Paul ſpeaks, Acts 14.17. He hath not left himſelf without Witneſs, in that he doth good, and ſends us Rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seaſons.

I ſhall conſider the Effects of the Divine Goodneſs, under theſe Two Heads.

I. The univerſal extent of God's Goodneſs to all his Creatures.

II. I ſhall conſider more particularly the Goodneſs of God to Men, which we are more eſpecially concern'd to take notice of.

I. The univerſal extent of his Goodneſs to the whole Creation, the Lord is Good to all. The whole Creation furniſheth us with clear evidences and demonſtrations of the Divine Goodneſs; [Page] which way ſoever we caſt our Eyes, we are encountered with undeniable Inſtances of the Goodneſs of God; and every thing that we behold, is a ſenſible demonſtration of it; the Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy work, ſays the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 19.1. And again, Pſal. 33.5. The Earth is full of the Goodneſs of the Lord. The whole Frame of this World, and every Creature in it, and all the ſeveral degrees of Being and Perfection, which are in the Creatures, and the Providence of God towards them all, in the preſervation of them, and providing for the happineſs of all of them, in ſuch degrees as they are capable of it, are a plentiful demonſtration of the Divine Goodneſs, which I ſhall endeavour to illuſtrate in theſe Four Particulars.

1. The univerſal Goodneſs of God appears in giving Being to ſo many Creatures.

2. In making them all ſo very good, conſidering the variety, and order, and end of them.

3. In his continual preſervation of them.

[Page]4. In providing ſo abundantly for the welfare and happineſs of all of them, ſo far as they are capable and ſenſible of it.

1. The extent of God's Goodneſs appears in giving Being to ſo many Creatures. And this is a pure effect of Goodneſs, to impart and communicate Being to any thing. Had not God been good, but of an envious, and narrow, and contracted nature, he would have confined all Being to himſelf, and been unwilling, that any thing beſides himſelf ſhould have been: but his Goodneſs prompted him to ſpread and diffuſe himſelf, and ſet his Power and Wiſdom on work, to give Being to all that variety of Creatures, which we ſee and know to be in the World, and probably to infinite more than we have the knowledge of. Now it is not imaginable, that God could have any other motive to do this, but purely the Goodneſs of his Nature. All the motives imaginable beſides this, muſt either be indigency and want, or conſtraint and neceſſity; but neither of theſe can have any place in God, and therefore it was meer Goodneſs, [Page] that moved him to give Being to other things; and therefore all Creatures have reaſon, with the four and twenty Elders in the Revelations, to caſt their crowns before the throne of God, ſaying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure (that is of thy meer goodneſs) they are and were created.

(1.) Indigency and Want can have no place in God; becauſe he that hath all poſſible Perfection, hath all plenty in himſelf; from whence reſults All-ſufficiency and compleat Happineſs. So that the Divine Nature need not look out of it ſelf for Happineſs, being incapable of any addition to the Happineſs and Perfection it is already poſſeſt of, ipſa ſuis pollens opibus nihil indiga noſtri. We make things for our uſe, Houſes to ſhelter us, and Cloaths to keep us warm; and we propagate our Kind, to perpetuate our ſelves in our poſterity: But all this ſuppoſeth imperfection, and want, and mortality, to none of which the Divine Nature is liable and obnoxious.

[Page]Nay it was not want of glory, which made God to make the World. 'Tis true indeed, the glory of God's Goodneſs doth herein appear, and Creatures endowed with underſtanding have reaſon to take notice of it, with thankfulneſs, praiſe, and admiration: but there is no happineſs redounds to God from it, nor does he feed himſelf with any imaginary content and ſatisfaction, ſuch as vainglorious perſons have, from the fluttering applauſe of their Creatures and Beneficiaries. God is really above all bleſſing and praiſe. It is great condeſcention and goodneſs in him, to accept of our acknowledgments of his benefits, of our imperfect praiſes, and ignorant admiration of him; and were he not as wonderfully good, as he is great and glorious, he would not ſuffer us to ſully his great and glorious Name, by taking it into our Mouths; and were it not for our advantage and happineſs, to own and acknowledge his benefits, for any real happineſs and glory that comes to him by it, he could well enough be without it, and diſpenſe with us for ever entertaining one thought of him; and [Page] were it not for his goodneſs, might deſpiſe the praiſes of his Creatures, with infinitely more reaſon than wiſe Men do the applauſe of Fools. There is indeed one Text of Scripture, which ſeems to intimate that God made all Creatures for himſelf, as if he had ſome need of them, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf; yea even the wicked for the day of evil. Now if by God's making all things for himſelf, be meant, that he aimed at and intended the manifeſtation of his Wiſdom, and Power, and Goodneſs in the Creation of the World, 'tis moſt true, that in this ſenſe, he made all things for himſelf: but if we underſtand it ſo, as if the Goodneſs of his Nature did not move him thereto, but he had ſome deſign to ſerve Ends and Neceſſities of his own upon his Creatures, this is far from him. But it is very probable, that neither of theſe are the meaning of this Text, which may be rendered with much better ſenſe, and nearer to the Hebrew, thus, God hath ordained every thing, to that which is fit for it, and he wicked hath he ordained for the day [Page]of evil; that is, the Wiſdom of God hath fitted one thing to another, puniſhment to ſin, the evil day to the evil doers.

(2.) Nor can Neceſſity and Conſtraint have any place in God. When there was no Creature yet made, nothing in Being but God himſelf, there could be nothing to compel him to make any thing, and to extort from him the effects of his bounty: Neither are the Creatures neceſſary effects and emanations from the Being of God, flowing from the Divine Eſſence, as water doth from a Spring and as light ſtreams from the Sun▪ If ſo, this indeed would have been an Argument of the fullneſs of the Divine Nature, but not of the bounty and goodneſs of it; and it would have been matter of Joy to us tha [...] we are, but not a true ground o [...] thankfulneſs from us to God; a [...] we rejoyce and are glad that th [...] Sunſhines, but we do not give it any thanks for ſhining, becauſe it ſhine [...] without any intention or deſign t [...] do us good; it doth not know tha [...] we are the better for its light, nor di [...] [Page] intend we ſhould be, and therefore we have no reaſon to acknowledge its goodneſs to us.

But God, who is a Spirit endowed with Knowledge and Underſtanding, does not act as natural and material Cauſes do, which act neceſſarily and ignorantly, whereas he acts knowingly and voluntarily, with particular intention and deſign, knowing that he does good, and intending to do ſo freely and out of choice, and when he hath no other conſtraint upon him but this, that his goodneſs enclines his will to communicate himſelf, and to do good: So that the Divine Nature is under no Neceſſity, but ſuch as is conſiſtent with the moſt perfect Liberty and freeſt Choice.

Not but that Goodneſs is eſſential to God, and a neceſſary Perfection of his Nature, and he cannot poſſibly be otherwiſe than good: but when he communicates his goodneſs, he knows what he does, and wills and chuſeth to do ſo.

And this kind of Neceſſity is ſo far from being any impeachment of [Page] the Divine Goodneſs, that it is the great Perfection and praiſe of it. The Stoick Philoſophers miſtaking this, do blaſphemouſly advance their wiſe and virtuous man above God himſelf; for they reaſon thus, ‘A wiſeman is good out of choice, when he may be otherwiſe; but God out of neceſſity of nature, and when he cannot poſſibly be otherwiſe than good.’ But if they had conſidered things aright, they might have known, that this is an imperfection in their wiſe man, that he can be otherwiſe than good; for a power to be evil is impotency and weakneſs. The higheſt Character that ever was given of a man, is that which Velleius Paterculus gives of Cato, that he was vir bonus, quia aliter eſſe non potuit, a good man, becauſe he could not be otherwiſe; this applyed to a mortal Man, is a very extravagant and undue commendation; but yet it ſignifies thus much, that it is the higheſt Perfection, not to be able to be otherwiſe than good: and this is the Perfection of the Divine Nature, that goodneſs is eſſential to it, but the expreſſions and communications of his goodneſs are ſpontaneous [Page] and free, deſigned and directed by infinite Knowledge and Wiſdom.

This is the firſt: the ſecond particular is, that God hath made all Creatures very good, conſidering the variety, and order, and end of them. But this I ſhall reſerve to another opportunity.

SERMON II.Vol VII. The Goodneſs of God.

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PSAL. CXLV.9.

The Lord is Good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

IN the handling of this Argument, I propoſed to do theſe four things.

Firſt, To conſider what is the proper Notion of Goodneſs, as it is attributed to God.

Secondly, To ſhew that this Perfection belongs to God.

Thirdly, To conſider the Effects of the Divine Goodneſs, together with the large extent of it, in reſpect of its objects. And,

Fourthly, To anſwer ſome Objections which may ſeem to contradict, and bring in queſtion the Goodneſs of God. [Page] I have conſidered the two firſt; and in ſpeaking to the third, I propoſed the conſidering theſe two things.

I. The univerſal extent of God's Goodneſs, to all his Creatures.

II. More eſpecially the Goodneſs of God to man, which we are more eſpecially concerned to take notice of, and be affected with.

The Firſt of theſe appears in theſe four particulars.

1. In his giving Being to ſo many Creatures.

2. In making them all ſo very good, conſidering the number and variety, the rank and order, the end and deſign of all of them.

3. In his continual preſervation of them.

4. In his providing ſo abundantly for the welfare and happineſs of all of them, ſo far as they are capable and ſenſible of it.

The Firſt of theſe I ſpoke largely to; I proceed to ſhew in the,

2. Place, that the univerſal Goodneſs of God appears, in making all theſe Creatures ſo very good, conſidering the number and variety, the rank and order, the end and deſign of all of [Page] them. His Goodneſs excited and ſet a work his Power to make this World, and all the Creatures in it; and that they might be made in the beſt manner that could be, his Wiſdom directed his Power, he hath made all things in number, weight, and meaſure; ſo that they are admirably fitted and proportioned to one another: And that there is an excellent Contrivance in all ſorts of Beings, and a wonderful beauty and harmony in the whole Frame of things, is I think ſufficiently viſible to every diſcerning and unprejudiced mind. The loweſt form of Creatures, I mean thoſe which are deſtitute of ſenſe, do all of them contribute ſome way or other, to the uſe, and conveniency, and comfort of the Creatures above them, which being endowed with ſenſe are capable of enjoying the benefit and delight of them, which being ſo palpable in the greateſt part of them, may reſonably be preſumed, tho'it be not ſo diſcernable concerning all the reſt; ſo that when we ſurvey the whole Creation of God, and the ſeveral parts, we may well cry out with David, Pſal. 104.24. O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wiſdom hath thou made them all!

[Page]'Tis true indeed, there are degrees of Perfection in the Creatures, and God is not equally good to all of them. Thoſe Creatures which are of more Noble and Excellent Natures, and to which he hath communicated more degrees of Perfection, they partake more of his Goodneſs, and are more glorious inſtances of it: But every Creature partakes of the Divine Goodneſs in a certain degree, and according to the Nature and Capacity of it. God, if he pleaſed, could have made nothing but immortal Spirits; and he could have made as many of theſe as there are individual Creatures of all ſorts in the World: but it ſeemed good to the wiſe Architect, to make ſeveral ranks and orders of Beings, and to diſplay his Power, and Goodneſs, and Wiſdom, in all imaginable variety of Creatures; all which ſhould be good in their kind, tho' far ſhort of the Perfection of Angels and immortal Spirits.

He that will build a Houſe for all the uſes and purpoſes of which a Houſe is capable, cannot make it all foundation, and great beams and pillars; muſt not ſo contrive it, as to make it [Page] all Rooms of ſtate and entertainment: but there muſt of neceſſity be in it meaner materials, rooms and offices for ſeveral uſes and purpoſes, which however inferiour to the reſt in dignity and degree, do yet contribute to the beauty and advantage of the whole. So in this great Frame of the World, it was fit there ſhould be variety and different degrees of Perfection in the ſeveral parts of it; and this is ſo far from being an impeachment of the Wiſdom or Goodneſs of him that made it, that it is an Evidence of both. For the meaneſt of all Gods Creatures is good, conſidering the nature and rank of it, and the end to which it was deſigned; and we cannot imagine how it could have been ordered and framed better, tho' we can eaſily tell how it might have been worſe, and that if this or that had been wanting, or had been otherwiſe, it had not been ſo good; and thoſe who have been moſt converſant in the contemplation of Nature, and of the Works of God, have been moſt ready to make this acknowledgment.

But then if we conſider the Creatures of God, with relation to one another, [Page] and with regard to the whole Frame of things, they will all appear to be very good; and notwithſtanding this or that kind of Creatures, be much leſs perfect than another, and there be a very great diſtance between the Perfection of a worm, and of an Angel; yet conſidering every thing in the rank and order which it hath in the Creation, it is as good as could be, conſidering its nature and uſe, and the place allotted to it among the Creatures.

And this difference in the Works of God, between the goodneſs of the ſeveral parts of the Creation, and the excellent and perfect goodneſs of the whole, the Scripture is very careful to expreſs to us in the Hiſtory of the Creation, where you find God repreſented, as firſt looking upon, and conſidering every days work by it ſelf, and approving it, and pronouncing it to be good, Gen. 1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 24. at the end of every days work, it is ſaid that God ſaw it, and it was good: but then when all was finiſht, and he ſurveyed the whole together, it is ſaid, v. 31. that God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it [Page]was very good; very good, that is the beſt, the Hebrews having no other Superlative. Every Creature of God by it ſelf is good: But take the whole together, and they are very good, the beſt that could be.

3. The univerſal goodneſs of God further appears, in the careful and continual preſervation of the things which he hath made; his upholding and maintaining the ſeveral Creatures in being, in their natural ſtate and order; thoſe which have life, in life, to the period which he hath determined and appointed for them; in his preſerving the whole World, his managing and governing this vaſt Frame of things, in ſuch ſort, as to keep it from running into confuſion and diſorder. This is a clear demonſtration, no leſs of the goodneſs than of the Wiſdom and Power of God, that for ſo many Ages all the parts of it have kept their places, and performed the offices and work for which Nature deſigned them; that the World is not, in the courſe of ſo many thouſand years, grown old and weak, and out of repair, and that the Frame of things [Page] doth not diſſolve and fall in pieces.

And the Goodneſs of God doth not only take care of the main, and ſupport the whole Frame of things, and preſerve the more noble and conſiderable Creatures; but even the leaſt and meaneſt of them. The Providence of God doth not overlook any thing that he hath made, nor deſpiſe any of the works of his hands, ſo as to let them relapſe, and fall back into nothing, through neglect and inadvertency; as many as there are, he takes care of them all, Pſal. 104.27, 28. where the Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of the innumerable multitude of Creatures upon the Earth, and in the Sea, Theſe all (ſaith he) wait upon thee, that thou mayſt give them their meat in due ſeaſon; that thou giveſt them they gather, thou openeſt thine hand, and they are filled with good. And to the ſame purpoſe, Pſal. 145.15 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon; thou openeſt thine hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. The inanimate Creatures, which are without ſenſe; and the brute Creatures, which tho' they have ſenſe, are without [Page] underſtanding, and ſo can have no End and Deſign of ſelf-preſervation, God preſerves them, no leſs than men who are endowed with reaſon, and foreſight to provide for themſelves; Pſal. 36.7. Thou preſerveſt man and beaſt. And Pſal. 147.9. He giveth to the beaſt his food, and to the young Ravens when they cry. And ſo our Saviour declares to us the particular Providence of God towards thoſe Creatures, Matth. 6.26. Behold the fowls of the air, for they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. V. 28.29. Conſider the lillies of the field, how they grow; they toyl not, neither do they ſpin: And yet I ſay unto you, that Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of theſe.

And tho' all the Creatures below man, being without underſtanding, can take no notice of this bounty of God to them, nor make any acknowledgments to him for it, yet man, who is the Prieſt of the viſible Creation, and placed here in this great Temple of the World, to offer up Sacrifices of praiſe and thankſgiving to God, for his univerſal goodneſs to all his Creatures, ought to bleſs God in [Page] their behalf, and to ſing praiſes to him, in the name of all the inferiour Creatures, which are ſubjected to his Dominion and Uſe; becauſe they are all as it were his Family, his Servants and Utenſils, and if God ſhould neglect any of them, and ſuffer them to periſh and miſcarry, 'tis we that ſhould find the inconvenience and want of them; and therefore we ſhould on their behalf celebrate the Praiſes of God; as we find David often does in the Pſalms, calling upon the inanimate and the brute Creatures to praiſe the Lord.

4. The univerſal Goodneſs of God doth yet further appear; in providing ſo abundantly for the Welfare and Happineſs of all his Creatures, ſo far as they are capable and ſenſible of it. He doth not only ſupport and preſerve his Creatures in Being, but takes care that they ſhould all enjoy that happineſs and pleaſure, which their natures are capable of. The Creatures endowed with Senſe and Reaſon, which only are capable of pleaſure and happineſs, God hath taken care to ſatisfie the ſeveral Appetites [Page] and Inclinations which he hath planted in them; and according as Nature hath enlarged their deſires and capacities, ſo he enlargeth his Bounty towards them; he openeth his hand, and ſatisfieth the deſire of every living thing. God doth not immediately bring Meat to the Creatures, when they are hungry; but it is near to them, commonly in the Elements wherein they are bred, or within their reach, and he hath planted Inclinations in them to hunt after it, and to lead and direct them to it; and to encourage ſelf-preſervation, and to oblige and inſtigate them to it, and that they might not be melancholy and weary of Life, he hath ſo ordered the nature of living Creatures, that Hunger and Thirſt are moſt implacable deſires, exceeding painful, and even intolerable; and likewiſe that the ſatisfaction of theſe Appetites, ſhould be a mighty pleaſure to them. And for thoſe Creatures that are young, and not able to provide for themſelves, God hath planted in all Creatures a [...], a natural Affection towards their young ones, which will effectually put them upon ſeeking Proviſions [Page] for them, and cheriſhing them, with that care and tenderneſs which their weak and helpleſs condition doth require; and reaſon is not more powerful and effectual in mankind to this purpoſe, than this natural inſtinct is in brute Creatures; which ſhews what care God hath taken, and what proviſion he hath made in the natural Frame of all his Creatures, for the ſatisfaction of the inclinations and appetites which he hath planted in them; the ſatisfaction whereof is their pleaſure and happineſs. And thus I have done with the Firſt head I propoſed, the univerſal extent of God's goodneſs to his Creatures, let us now proceed, in the

II. place, To conſider more particularly the goodneſs of God to men; which we are more eſpecially concerned to take notice of, and to be affected with it. And we need go no further than our own obſervation and experience, to prove the goodneſs of God; every day of our lives, we ſee and taſte that the Lord is good, all that we are, and all the good that we enjoy, and all that we expect and hope for, is from the divine goodneſs, every good and perfect gift deſcends from[Page]above, from the Father of lights, Jam. 1.17. And the beſt and moſt perfect of his gifts he beſtows on the Sons of men. What is ſaid of the wiſdom of God, Prov. 8. may be applyed to his goodneſs; the goodneſs of God ſhines forth in all the works of Creation, in the Heavens and Clouds above, and in the Fountains of the great deep, in the Earth and the Fields, but its delight is with the Sons of men. Such is the goodneſs of God to man, that it is repreſented to us in Scripture, under the Notion of love. God is good to all his Creatures, but he is only ſaid to love the ſons of men. More particularly the goodneſs of God to man appears,

1. That he hath given us ſuch noble and excellent Beings, and placed us in ſo high a rank and order of his Creatures. We owe to him that we are, and what we are; we do not only partake of that effect of his goodneſs, which is common to us with all other Creatures, that we have received our being from him; but we are peculiarly obliged to him, for his more eſpecial goodneſs, that he [Page] hath made us reaſonable Creatures, of that Kind which we ſhould have choſen to have been of, if we could ſuppoſe, that before we were, it had been referr'd to us, and put to our choice, what part we would be of this viſible World. But we did not contrive and chuſe this Condition for our ſelves, we are no ways acceſſary to the dignity and excellency of our Beings; but God choſe this condition for us, and made us what we are; So that we may ſay, with David, Pſal. 100.3, 4, 5. 'Tis he that hath made us, and not we our ſelves. O enter then into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praiſe; be thankful unto him, and ſpeak good of his name, for the Lord is good. The goodneſs of God is the Spring and Fountain of our Beings, but for that we had been nothing; and but for his farther goodneſs, we might have been any thing, of the loweſt and meaneſt rank of his Creatures. But the goodneſs of God hath been pleaſed to advance us to be the Top and Perfection of the viſible Creation, he hath been pleaſed to endow us with Mind and Underſtanding, and made us capable of happineſs, in the [Page] knowledge, and love, and enjoyment of himſelf. He hath curiouſly and wonderfully wrought the Frame of our Bodies, ſo as to make them fit Habitations for reaſonable Souls, and immortal Spirits; he hath made our very Bodies Veſſels of Honour, when of the very ſame Clay he hath made innumerable other Creatures, of a much lower rank and condition; ſo that tho' man in reſpect of his Body be a-kin to the Earth, yet in regard of his Soul, he is allied to Heaven, of a divine Original, and deſcended from above. Of all the Creatures in this viſible World, man is the chief; and what is ſaid of Behemoth, or the Elephant, Job 42. in reſpect of his great ſtrength, and the vaſt bigneſs of his Body, is only true abſolutely of man, that he is, divini opificii caput, the chief of the ways of God, and upon earth there is none like him.

The Pſalmiſt takes particular notice of the goodneſs of God to man, in this reſpect of the excellency and dignity of his being. Pſal. 8.5. Thou haſt made him little lower than the Angels, and haſt crowned him with glory and honour. And this advantage of our nature [Page] above other Creatures, we ought thankfully to acknowledge; tho' moſt men are ſo ſtupid, as to overlook it, as Elihu complains, Job 35.10, 11. None ſaith, where is God my maker? Who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowls of heaven.

2. The goodneſs of God to man appears, in that he hath made and ordained ſo many things chiefly for our uſe. The beauty and uſefulneſs of the Creatures below us, their plain ſubſerviency to our neceſſity, and benefit, and delight, are ſo many clear Evidences of the Divine Goodneſs to us, not only diſcernable to our Reaſon, but even palpable to our Senſes, ſo that we may ſee and taſte that the Lord is gracious.

This David particularly inſiſts upon as a ſpecial ground of praiſe and thankſgiving to God, that he hath ſubjected ſo great a part of the Creation to our dominion and uſe; Pſal. 8.6, 7, 8. ſpeaking of man, Thou haſt made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou haſt put all things under his feet; all ſheep and oxen, yea, and the beaſts of[Page]the field; the fowl of the air, and the fiſh of the ſea, and whatſoever paſſeth through the paths of the ſeas. What an ininnumerable variety of Creatures are there in this inferiour World, which were either ſolely or principally made for the uſe and ſervice, pleaſure and delight of man! How many things are there, which ſerve for the neceſſity and ſupport, for the contentment and comfort of our lives! How many things for the refreſhment and delight of our Senſes, and the excerciſe and employment of our Underſtandings! That God hath not made man for the ſervice of other Creatures, but other Creatures for the ſervice of man, Epictetus doth very ingeniouſly argue from this obſervation; that the Creatures below man, the brute beaſts, have all things in a readineſs, nature having provided for them meat, and drink, and lodging, ſo that they have no abſolute need that any ſhould build Houſes, or make Cloaths, or ſtore up Proviſions, or prepare and dreſs meat for them; for, ſays he, being made for the ſervice of another, they ought to be furniſht with theſe things, that they may be always in a readineſs, to ſerve [Page]their Lord and maſter; a plain evidence that they were made to ſerve man, and not man to ſerve them.

And to raiſe our thoughts of God's goodneſs to us the Sons of men yet higher, as he hath given us the Creatures below us for our uſe and convenience, ſo hath he appointed the Creatures above us for our Guard and Protection, not to ſay for our ſervice. Pſal. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and he delivereth them; and then it follows, O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good. And, Pſal. 91.11, 12. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They ſhall bear thee up in their hands. Nay the Apoſtle ſpeaks, as if their whole buſineſs and imployment were to attend upon and be ſerviceable to good men, Heb. 1.14. Are they not all miniſtring ſpirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of Salvation?

3. The goodneſs of God to men appears, in his tender Love and peculiar Care of us, above the reſt of the Creatures, being ready to impart and diſpenſe to us the good that is ſuitable to our capacity and condition; [Page] and concerned to exempt us from thoſe manifold Evils of Want and Pain, to which we are obnoxious. I do not mean an abſolute exemption from all ſorts and all degrees of Evil, and a perpetual tenor of temporal happineſs, and enjoyment of all good things; this is not ſuitable to our preſent ſtate, and the rank and order which we are in among the Creatures; nor would it be beſt for us, all things conſidered. But the Goodneſs of God to us above other Creatures, is proportionable to the dignity and excellency of our Natures above them; for as the Apoſtle reaſons in another caſe, doth God take care for Oxen, and ſhall he not much more extend his care to Man? To this purpoſe our Saviour reaſons, Mat. 6. Behold the Fowls of the Air, they ſow not, neither do they reap, and yet your heavenly Father takes care of them; are not ye much better than they? And, v. 30. Wherefore if God ſo cloath the graſs of the field, ſhall he not much more cloath you? And, Chap. 10.29. Are not two Sparrows ſold for a Farthing? and one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred. Fear ye not [Page]therefore, ye are of more value than many Sparrows. 'Tis true, God hath a ſpecial care of his People and Servants, above the reſt of Mankind; but our Saviour uſeth theſe Arguments to his Diſciples, to convince them of the Providence of God towards them, as Men, and of a more excellent Nature than other Creatures.

And indeed we are born into the World more deſtitute and helpleſs, than other Creatures; as if it were on purpoſe to ſhew, that God had reſerved us for his more peculiar Care and Providence; which is ſo great, that the Scripture, by way of condeſcention, expreſſeth it to us by the name of Love; ſo that what effects of Care the greateſt and tendereſt Affection in Men is apt to produce towards one another, that, and much more, is the effect of God's Goodneſs to us; and this Affection of God is common to all Men (tho' of all Creatures we have leaſt deſerved it) and is ready to diffuſe and ſhed abroad it ſelf, whereever Men are qualified for it by Duty and Obedience, and do not obſtruct and ſtop the emanations of it, by their Sins and Provocations.

[Page]And tho' the greateſt part of Mankind be evil, yet this doth not wholly put a ſtop to his goodneſs, tho' it cauſe many abatements of it, and hinder many good things from us; but ſuch is the Goodneſs of God, notwithſtanding the evil and undutifulneſs of Men, that he is pleaſed ſtill to concern himſelf in the Government of the World, and to preſerve the Societies of Men from running into utter confuſion and diſorder; notwithſtanding the violence and irregularities of Mens Wills and Paſſions, the Communities of Men ſubſiſt upon tolerable terms; and notwithſtanding the rage and craft of evil Men, poor and unarmed Innocence and Virtue is uſually protected, and ſometimes rewarded in this World; and domineering and outragious Wickedneſs is very often remarkably checkt and chaſtiſed. All which Inſtances of God's Providence, as they are greatly for the advantage and comfort of Mankind, ſo are they an effectual declaration of that Goodneſs which governs all things, and of God's kind care of the affairs and concernments of Men; ſo that if we look no farther than this World, we may [Page] ſay with David, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth.

I know this Argument hath been perverted to a quite contrary purpoſe; that if goodneſs govern'd the World, and adminiſtred the Affairs of it, good and evil would not be ſo careleſly and promiſcouſly diſpenſed; good Men would not be ſo great ſufferers, nor wicked Men ſo proſperous as many times they are.

But this alſo, if rightly conſidered, is an Effect of God's goodneſs, and infinite Patience to Mankind; That he cauſeth his Sun to riſe, and his Rain to fall upon the juſt and unjuſt. That upon the Provocations of Men, he does not give over his care of them, and throw all things into confuſion and ruin; this plainly ſhews, that he deſigns this Life for the tryal of Men's Virtue and Obedience, in order to the greater reward of it; and therefore he ſuffers Men to walk in their own ways, without any great check and controle, and reſerves the main bulk of Rewards and Puniſhments for another World: So that all this is ſo far from being any Objection againſt the goodneſs of [Page]God, that on the contrary, it is an Argument of God's immenſe Goodneſs, and infinite Patience, that the World ſubſiſts and continues, and that he permits Men to take their courſe, for the fuller tryal of them, and the clearer and moſt effectual declaration of his Juſtice, in the Rewards and Puniſhments of another life.

Fourthly, and Laſtly, The Goodneſs of God to Mankind moſt gloriouſly appears, in the proviſion he hath made for our Eternal Happineſs. What the happineſs of Man ſhould have been, had he continued in Innocency, is not particularly revealed to us; but this is certain, that by willful tranſgreſſion, we have forfeited all that happineſs which our Natures are capable of. In this lapſed and ruinous condition of Mankind, the Goodneſs and Mercy of God was pleaſed to employ his Wiſdom for our Recovery, and to reſtore us, not only to a new, but a greater capacity of Glory and Happineſs. And in order to this, the Son of God aſſumes our Nature, for the recovery and redemption of Man; and the pardon of Sin is purchaſed for us by his Blood; Eternal[Page]Life, and the Way to it, are clearly diſcover'd to us. God is pleaſed to enter into a New and better Covenant with us, and to afford us inward grace and aſſiſtance, to enable us to perform the Conditions of it; and graciouſly to accept of our Faith and Repentance, of our ſincere Reſolutions and Endeavours of Holineſs and Obedience, for Perfect and Compleat Righteouſneſs, for his ſake who fullfilled all righteouſneſs.

This is the great and amazing goodneſs of God to Mankind, that when we were in open Rebellion againſt him, he ſhould entertain thoughts of Peace and Reconciliation; and when he paſt by the fall'n Angels, he ſhould ſet his Affection and Love upon the ſinful and miſerable Sons of Men. And herein is the love of God to men perfected, that as he hath made all Creatures, both above us, and below us, ſubſervient and inſtrumental to our ſubſiſtence and preſervation, ſo, for the ranſom of our Souls from eternal Ruin and Miſery, he hath not ſpared his own Son, but hath given him up to death for us; him, whom he hath commanded all the [Page]Angels of God to worſhip, and to whom he hath made ſubject all Creatures in Heaven and Earth; Him, who made the World, and who upholds all things by the word of his power, who is the brightneſs of his Glory, and the expreſs Image of his Perſon.

And after ſuch a ſtupendious Inſtance as this, what may we not reaſonably hope for, and promiſe our ſelves from the Divine Goodneſs! So the Apoſtle hath taught us to reaſon, Rom. 8.32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things?

SERMON III.Vol. VII. The Goodneſs of God.

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PSAL. CXLV.9.

The Lord is Good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

IN handling this Argument, I proceeded in this Method.

Firſt, To conſider what is the proper Notion of Goodneſs.

Secondly, To ſhew that this Perfection of Goodneſs belongs to God.

Thirdly, I conſidered the Effects of the Divine Goodneſs under theſe Heads.

I. The univerſal Extent of it, in the number, variety, order, end, and deſign of the things created by him, and his preſervation and providing for the welfare and happineſs of them.

[Page]II. I conſidered more particularly the Goodneſs of God to Mankind, of which I gave theſe four Inſtances.

1. That he hath given us ſuch noble Beings, and placed us in ſo high a rank and order of his Creatures.

2. In that he hath made and ordained ſo many things chiefly for us.

3. In that he exerciſeth ſo peculiar a Providence over us above the reſt, that tho he is ſaid to be good to all, he is only ſaid to love the Sons of Men.

4. In that he hath provided for us eternal Life and Happineſs. There only now remains the

Fourth and laſt particular to be ſpoken to, which was to anſwer ſome Objections which may ſeem to contradict and bring in queſtion the Goodneſs of God; and they are many, and have (ſome of them eſpecially) great difficulty in them, and therefore it will require great conſideration and care, to give a clear and ſatisfactory anſwer to them, which undoubtedly they are capable of; the Goodneſs of God being one of the moſt certain and unqueſtionable Truths in the World. I ſhall mention thoſe which are moſt [Page] conſiderable and obvious, and do almoſt of themſelves ſpring up in every Man's Mind, and they are theſe Four, the firſt of them more general, the other three more particular.

Firſt, If God be ſo exceeding good, whence comes it to paſs, that there is ſo much Evil in the World, of ſeveral kinds; Evil of Imperfection, Evil of Affliction or Suffering, and (which is the greateſt of all others, and indeed the cauſe of them) Evil of Sin?

Secondly, The Doctrine of abſolute Reprobation; by which is meant, the decreeing of the greateſt part of Mankind to eternal Miſery and Torment, without any conſideration or reſpect to their Sin or Fault; this ſeems notoriouſly to contradict, not only the Notion of infinite Goodneſs, but any competent meaſure and degree of Goodneſs.

Thirdly, The eternal Miſery and Puniſhment of Men for temporal Faults, ſeems hard to be reconciled with that exceſs of Goodneſs, which we ſuppoſe to be in God.

Fourthly, The Inſtances of God's great ſeverity to Mankind upon occaſion, in thoſe great Calamities, which [Page] by the Providence of God have in ſeveral Ages either befaln Mankind in general, or particular Nations; and here I ſhall confine my ſelf to Scripture Inſtances, as being the moſt certain and remarkable, or at leaſt equal to any that are to be met with in Hiſtory; as the early and univerſal degeneracy of Mankind, by the ſin and tranſgreſſion of our firſt Parents; the deſtruction of the World by a general Deluge; the ſudden and terrible deſtruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, by Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven; the cruel extirpation of the Canaanites, by the expreſs command of God; and laſtly, the great Calamities which befel the Jewiſh Nation, and the final ruin and perdition of them at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem.

Theſe are the Objections againſt the goodneſs of God, which I ſhall ſeverally conſider, and with all the brevity and clearneſs I can, endeavour to return a particular Anſwer to them.

The Firſt Objection, which I told you is more general, is this, If God be ſo exceeding Good, whence then comes it to paſs, that there is ſo much [Page] Evil in the World of ſeveral kinds? 'Tis evident beyond denyal, that Evil abounds in the World. The whole World lies in Evil, ſays St. John, [...], lies in wickedneſs, (ſo our Tranſlation renders it) is involved in Sin; but by the article and oppoſition St. John ſeems to intend the Devil. We know, ſays he, that we are of God, and the whole World, [...], is ſubject to the evil one, and under his power and dominion. Which way ſo ever we render it, it ſignifies, that Evil of one kind or other reigns in the World. Now can Evil come from a Good God? Out of the ſame Mouth proceedeth bleſſing and curſing. Doth a Fountain ſend forth at the ſame place ſweet water and bitter? This cannot be, as St. James ſpeaks in another caſe. But all Evils that are in the World, muſt either be directly procured by the Divine Providence, or permitted to happen; and next to the cauſing and procuring of Evil, it ſeems to be contrary to the Goodneſs of God, to permit that there ſhould be any ſuch thing, when it is in his power to help and hinder it.

[Page] Anſwer. To give an account of this, it was an ancient Doctrine of ſome of the moſt ancient Nations, that there were two firſt Cauſes or Principles of all things, the one of good things, the other of bad; which among the Perſians were called Oromaſdes and Arimanius; among the Egyptians Oſiris and Typhon; among the Chaldeans good or bad Planets; among the Greeks, [...] and [...]; and Plutarch expreſly ſays, That the good Principle was called God, and the bad, Demon, or the Devil; in conformity to which ancient Traditions, the Manichees (a ſad Sect of Chriſtians) ſet up two Principles, the one infinitely good, which they ſuppoſed to be the original cauſe of all good that is in the World; the other infinitely evil, to which they aſcribed all the evils that are in the World.

But beſides that the Notion of an infinite Evil is a contradiction, it would be to no purpoſe to ſuppoſe two oppoſite Principles of equal power and force. That the very Notion of an infinite Evil is a contradiction, will be very clear, if we conſider, that what is infinitely evil, muſt be infinitely [Page] imperfect, and conſequently infinitely weak; and for that reaſon, tho never ſo miſchievous and malicious, yet being infinitely weak, and ignorant, and fooliſh, would neither be in a capacity to contrive Miſchief, nor to execute it. But admit, that a Being infinitely miſchievous, were infinitely cunning, and infinitely powerful, yet it could do no evil; becauſe the oppoſite Principle of infinite Goodneſs, being alſo infinitely wiſe and powerful, they would tie up one anothers Hands; ſo that upon this ſuppoſition, the Notion of a Deity, would ſignifie juſt nothing, and by virtue of the eternal oppoſition and equality of theſe two Principles, they would keep one another at a perpetual Bay, and being an equal match for one another, inſtead of being two Deities, they would be two Idols, able to do neither good nor evil.

But to return a more diſtinct and ſatisfactory Anſwer to this Objection; there are three ſorts of Evil in the World; the Evil of Imperfection; the Evil of Affliction and Suffering; and the Evil of Sin.

And 1ſt, For the Evil of Imperfection, [Page] I mean natural Imperfections, theſe are not ſimply and abſolutely, but only comparatively evil; now comparative Evil is but a leſs degree of goodneſs; and it is not at all inconſiſtent with the goodneſs of God, that ſome Creatures ſhould be leſs good than others, that is, imperfect in compariſon of them; nay, it is very agreeable both to the Goodneſs and Wiſdom of God, that there ſhould be this variety in the Creatures, and that they ſhould be of ſeveral degrees of Perfection, being made for ſeveral Uſes and Purpoſes, and to be ſubſervient to one another, provided they all contribute to the Harmony and Beauty of the whole.

Some Imperfection is neceſſarily involved in the very nature and condition of a Creature, as that it derives its Being from another, and neceſſarily depends upon it, and is beholding to it, and is likewiſe of neceſſity finite and limited in its Nature and Perfections; and as for thoſe Creatures which are leſs perfect than others, this alſo, that there ſhould be degrees of Perfection, is neceſſary, upon ſuppoſition, that the Wiſdom of God thinks fit to [Page] diſplay it ſelf in variety of Creatures of ſeveral kinds and ranks. For tho comparing the Creatures with one another, the Angelical Nature is beſt, and moſt perfect; yet it is abſolutely beſt, that there ſhould be other Creatures beſides Angels. There are many parts of the Creation, which are raſhly and inconſiderately by us concluded to be evil and imperfect, as ſome noxious and hurtful Creatures; which yet in other reſpects, and to ſome purpoſes, may be very uſeful, and againſt the harm and miſchief whereof, we are ſufficiently armed, by ſuch means of defence, and ſuch antidotes as reaſon and experience are able to find and furniſh us withal; and thoſe parts of the World, which we think of little or no uſe, as Rocks and Deſerts, and that vaſt Wilderneſs of the Sea, if we conſider things well, are of great uſe to ſeveral very conſiderable purpoſes; or if we can diſcern no other uſe of them, they ſerve at leaſt to help our dulneſs, and to make us more attentively to conſider, and to admire the perfection and uſefulneſs of the reſt; at the worſt, they may ſerve for Foils to ſet off the wiſe [Page] order and contrivance of other things, and (as one expreſſeth it very well) they may be like a Blackmoor's Head in a Picture, which gives the greater Beauty to the whole Piece.

2dly, For the Evils of Affliction and Suffering; and theſe either befal brute Creatures, or Men endow'd with Reaſon and Conſideration.

1ſt, For thoſe which befal the brute Creatures; thoſe ſufferings which Nature inflicts upon them, are very few; the greateſt they meet withal are from Men, or upon their account, for whoſe ſake they were chiefly made, and to whoſe reaſonable uſe and gentle dominion they are conſigned.

It is neceſſary from the very nature of theſe Creatures, that they ſhould be paſſive and liable to pain: and yet it doth in no wiſe contradict either the Wiſdom or Goodneſs of God to make ſuch Creatures, becauſe all theſe pains are for the moſt part fully recompenſed, by the pleaſure theſe Creatures find in Life; and that they have ſuch a pleaſure and happineſs in Life, is evident, in that all Creatures, notwithſtanding the miſeries they endure, are ſtill fond of Life, and unwilling to part [Page] with it: no Creature but Man (who only hath perverted his Nature) ever ſeeks the deſtruction of it ſelf; and ſince all brute Creatures are ſo loth to go out of Being, we may probably conclude, that if they could deliberate, whether they would be or not, they would chuſe to come into Being, even upon theſe hard conditions.

But however that be, this we are ſure of, that they ſuffer chiefly from us, and upon our account; we who are their natural Lords, having depraved our ſelves firſt, are become cruel and tyrannical to them; nay, the Scripture tells us, that they ſuffer for our ſakes, and that the whole Creation groaneth, and is in bondage for the ſin of Man: And this is not unreaſonable, that being made principally for Man, they ſhould ſuffer upon his account, as a part of his Goods and Eſtate; not as a puniſhment to them (which under the notion of puniſhment, they are not capable of) but as a puniſhment to him, who is the Lord and Owner of them, they being by this means become more weak and frail, and leſs uſeful and ſerviceable to him for whom [Page] they were made; ſo that the ſufferings of the Creatures below us, are in a great meaſure to be charged up-us, under whoſe dominion God hath put them.

2dly, As for the Afflictions and Sufferings which befal Men, theſe are not natural and of God's making, but the reſult and fruit of our own doings, the effects and conſequences of the ill uſe of our own liberty and free choice; and God does not willingly ſend them upon us, but we wilfully pull them down upon our ſelves; For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, as the Prophet tells us, Lam. 3.33. Or as it is in the Wiſdom of Solomon, Chap. 1.12, 13. God made not death, neither hath he pleaſure in the deſtruction of the living; but men pull deſtruction upon themſelves, with the works of their own hands. All the Evils that are in the World, are either the Effects of our own Sin, as Poverty, and Diſgrace, Pains, Diſeaſes, and Death, which are ſometimes more immediately inflicted upon Men, by a viſible Providence and hand of God, but are uſually brought upon us by our ſelves, in the natural courſe and order [Page] of things; or they are the Effects of other Mens ſins, brought upon us by the ambition and covetouſneſs, by the malice and cruelty of others; and theſe Evils, tho they are procured and cauſed by others, yet they are deſerved by our ſelves; and tho they are immediately from the Hand of Men, yet we ought to look farther, and conſider them, as directed and diſpoſed by the Providence of God; as David did when Shimei curſed him; God (ſaith he) hath bid him curſe David, tho it immediately proceeded from Shimei's inſolence and ill nature.

Now upon the ſuppoſition of Sin, the Evils of Affliction and Suffering are good, becauſe they are of great uſe to us, and ſerve to very good ends and purpoſes.

I. As they are the proper Puniſhments of Sin. Evil is good to them that do Evil, that is, it is fit and proper, juſt and due. Pſal. 107.17. Fools, becauſe of their tranſgreſſion, and becauſe of their iniquities, are afflicted. And it is fit they ſhould be ſo, crooked to crooked is ſtreight and right. A rod for the back of Fools, ſaith Solomon; and elſewhere, God hath made every [Page]thing for that which is fit for it, and the evil day for the wicked man.

2dly, As they are the preventions and remedies of greater Evils. Evils of Affliction and Suffering are good for wicked Men, to bring them to a ſenſe of their ſin, and to reclaim them from it, and thereby to prevent greater temporal Evils, and preſerve them from eternal Miſery; and not only good to the Perſon that ſuffers, but likewiſe to others, to deter and affright them from the like ſins; to prevent the contagion of Sin, and to ſtop the progreſs of Iniquity, upon which greater guilt and worſe miſchiefs might enſue; and they are good to good Men, to awaken and rouſe them out of their ſecurity, to make them know God and themſelves better; they are almoſt a neceſſary Diſcipline for the beſt of Men, much more for evil and depraved diſpoſitions; and we might as reaſonably expect, that there ſhould be no Rod in a School, as that there ſhould be no ſuffering and afflictions in the World.

3dly, As they are the occaſions and matter of many Virtues. God teacheth Men temperance by want, and patience [Page] by reproach and ſufferings, charity by perſecution, and pity and compaſſion to others by grievous pains upon our ſelves. The benefit of Afflictions to them that make a wiſe uſe of them is unſpeakable; they are grievous in themſelves, nevertheleſs (ſaith the Apoſtle to the Hebrews) they bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs, to them that are exerciſed therewith. David gives a great teſtimony of the mighty benefit and advantage of them, from his own experience, Pſal. 119.76. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy word. And, v. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes.

4thly, The Evils of Suffering, patiently ſubmitted to, and decently born, do greatly contribute to the increaſe of our happineſs. All the perſecutions and ſufferings of good Men in this life, do work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And if they contribute to our greater good and happineſs at laſt, they are good. The glorious reward of the Sufferings which we have met with, in this life, will in the next clear up the goodneſs [Page] and juſtice of the Divine Providence, from all thoſe Miſts and Clouds which are now upon it, and fully acquit it from all thoſe Objections which are now raiſed againſt it, upon account of the afflictions and ſufferings of good Men in this life, which are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed in them.

III. As for the Evil of Sin, which is the great difficulty of all. How is it conſiſtent with the goodneſs of God, to permit ſo great an Evil as this to come into the World? For anſwer to this, I deſire theſe two things may be conſidered.

1. That it doth not at all contradict the wiſdom or goodneſs of God, to make a Creature of ſuch a frame, as to be capable of having its obedience tryed in order to the reward of it, which could not be, unleſs ſuch a Creature were made mutable, and by the good or bad uſe of its liberty, capable of obeying or diſobeying the Laws of his Creator; for where there is no poſſibility of ſinning, there can be no tryal of our Virtue and Obedience, and nothing but Virtue and Obedience are capable of reward. [Page] The goodneſs of God towards us is ſufficiently vindicated, in that he made us capable of happineſs, and gave us ſufficient direction and power for the attaining of that end; and it does in no wiſe contradict his goodneſs, that he does not by his Omnipotency interpoſe to prevent our ſin; for this had been to alter the nature of things, and not to let Man be the Creature he made him, capable of reward or puniſhment, according to the good or bad uſe of his own free choice. It is ſufficient that God made Man good at firſt, tho mutable, and that he had a power to have continued ſo, tho he wilfully determined himſelf to evil; this acquits the goodneſs of God, that he made Man upright, but he found out to himſelf many inventions.

2. If there had not been ſuch an order and rank of Creatures, as had been in their nature mutable, there had been no place for the manifeſtation of God's goodneſs in a way of mercy and patience; ſo that tho God be not the Author of the ſins of Men, yet in caſe of their willful tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, the goodneſs of God hath a fair opportunity of diſcovering [Page] it ſelf, in his patience and long-ſuffering to Sinners, and in his merciful care and proviſion for their recovery out of that miſerable ſtate. And this may ſuffice for anſwer to the firſt Objection, if God be ſo good, whence then comes evil?

The Second Objection againſt the Goodneſs of God, is from the Doctrine of abſolute reprobation; by which I mean the decreeing the greateſt part of Mankind to eternal miſery and torment, without any conſideration or reſpect to their ſin and fault. This ſeems not only notoriouſly to contradict the Notion of infinite Goodneſs, but to be utterly inconſiſtent with the leaſt meaſure and degree of Goodneſs. Indeed, if by reprobation were only meant, that God in his own infinite Knowledge foreſees the ſins and wickedneſs of Men, and hath from all eternity determined in himſelf, what in his Word he hath ſo plainly declared, that he will puniſh impenitent Sinners with everlaſting deſtruction; or if by reprobation be meant, that God hath not elected all Mankind, that is, abſolutely decreed to bring them infallibly to Salvation; neither of [Page] theſe Notions of reprobation, is any ways inconſiſtent with the goodneſs of God; for he may foreſee the wickedneſs of Men, and determine to puniſh it, without any impeachment of his goodneſs: He may be very good to all, and yet not equally and in the ſame degree; if God pleaſe to bring any infallibly to Salvation, this is tranſcendent goodneſs; but if he put all others into a capacity of it, and uſe all neceſſary and fitting means to make them happy, and after all this, any fall ſhort of happineſs, through their own wilful fault and obſtinacy, theſe Men are evil and cruel to themſelves, but God hath been very good and merciful to them.

But if by reprobation be meant, either that God hath decreed, without reſpect to the ſins of Men, their abſolute ruin and miſery; or that he hath decreed that they ſhall inevitably ſin and periſh; it cannot be denied, but that ſuch a reprobation as this doth clearly overthrow all poſſible Notion of goodneſs. I have told you, that the true and only Notion of goodneſs in God, is this, that it is a propenſion and diſpoſition of the Divine Nature, to communicate [Page]Being and Happineſs to his Creatures: But ſurely nothing can be more plainly contrary to a diſpoſition to make them happy, than an abſolute decree, and a peremptory reſolution to make them miſerable. God is infinitely better than the beſt of Men, and yet none can poſſibly think that Man a good Man, who ſhould abſolutely reſolve to diſinherit and deſtroy his Children, without the foreſight and conſideration of any fault to be committed by them. We may talk of the Goodneſs of God: But it is not an eaſie matter, to deviſe to ſay any thing worſe than this of the Devil.

But it is ſaid, reprobation is an act of ſoveraignty in God, and therefore not to be meaſured by the common rules of goodneſs. But it is contrary to goodneſs, and plainly inconſiſtent with it; and we muſt not attribute ſuch a ſoveraignty to God, as contradicts his goodneſs; for if the ſoveraignty of God may break in at pleaſure upon his other Attributes, then it ſignifies nothing to ſay that God is good, and wiſe, and juſt, if his ſoveraignty may at any time act contrary to theſe Perfections.

Now if the Doctrine of abſolute reprobation, and the goodneſs of God cannot [Page] poſſibly ſtand together, the Queſtion is, Which of them ought to give way to the other? What St. Paul determines in another caſe, concerning the truth and fidelity of God, will equally hold concerning his goodneſs; Let God be good, and every Man a lyar. The Doctrine of abſolute reprobation is no part of the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, that ever I could find; and there's the Rule of our Faith. If ſome great Divines have held this Doctrine, not in oppoſition to the goodneſs of God, but hoping they might be reconciled together, let them do it if they can; but if they cannot, rather let the Schools of the greateſt Divines be call'd in queſtion, than the goodneſs of God, which next to his Being, is the greateſt and cleareſt truth in the world.

Thirdly, It is farther objected, that the eternal puniſhment of Men for temporal Faults ſeems hard to be reconciled with that exceſs of Goodneſs, which we ſuppoſe to be in God.

This Objection I have fully anſwer'd, in a Diſcourſe upon S. Matth. 25.46. and therefore ſhall proceed to the

Fourth and laſt Objection, againſt the goodneſs of God, from ſundry Inſtances of God's ſeverity to Mankind, [Page] in thoſe great Calamities which by the Providence of God have in ſeveral Ages either befaln Mankind in general, or particular Nations.

And here I ſhall confine my ſelf to Scripture Inſtances, as being moſt known, and moſt certain and remarkable, or at leaſt equally remarkable with any that are to be met with in any other Hiſtory; ſuch are the early and univerſal degeneracy of all Mankind, by the ſin and tranſgreſſion of our firſt Parents; the deſtruction of the World by a general deluge; the ſudden and terrible deſtruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, by Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven; the cruel extirpation of the Canaanites by the expreſs command of God; and laſtly, the great Calamities which befel the Jewiſh Nation, eſpecially the final ruin and diſperſion of them at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem. Theſe and the like inſtances of God's ſeverity, ſeem to call in queſtion his goodneſs.

Againſt theſe ſevere and dreadful Inſtances of God's ſeverity, it might be a ſufficient vindication of his goodneſs, to ſay in general, that they were [Page] all upon great and high Provocations; moſt of them after long patience and forbearance, and with a great mixture of mercy, and a declared readineſs in in God to have prevented or removed them upon repentance; all which are great Inſtances of the goodneſs of God. But yet for the clearer manifeſtation of the Divine Goodneſs, I ſhall conſider them particularly, and as briefly as I can.

1. As for the tranſgreſſion of our firſt Parents, and the diſmal conſequences of it to all their Poſterity. This is a great depth, and tho the Scripture mentions it, yet it ſpeaks but little of it; and in matters of mere Revelation, we muſt not attempt to be wiſe above what is written. Thus much is plain, that it was an act of high and wilful Diſobedience, to a very plain and eaſie Command; and that in the puniſhment of it, God mitigated the extremity of the Sentence (which was preſent death) by granting our firſt Parents the Reprieve of almoſt a thouſand Years; and, as to the conſequences of it to their Poſterity, God did not, upon this provocation, abandon his care of Mankind; and tho he removed [Page] them out of that happy ſtate and place in which Man was created, yet he gave them a tolerable condition and accommodations upon Earth; and which is certainly the moſt glorious Inſtance of Divine Goodneſs that ever was, he was pleaſed to make the fall and miſery of Man the happy occaſion of ſending his Son in our Nature, for the recovery and advancement of it to a much happier and better condition, than that from which we fell. So the Apoſtle tells us at large, Rom. 5. That the Grace of God, by Jeſus Chriſt, hath redounded much more to our benefit and advantage, than the ſin and diſobedience of our firſt Parents did to our prejudice.

2. For the general Deluge, tho it look very ſevere, yet if we conſider it well, we may plainly diſcern much of goodneſs in it. It was upon great provocation, by the univerſal corruption and depravation of Mankind, The earth was filled with violence, and all fleſh had corrupted its ways; the wickedneſs of Man was great upon the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually; which is not [Page] a deſcription of original ſin, but of the actual and improved wickedneſs of Mankind; and yet when the wickedneſs of Men was come to this height, God gave them fair warning, before he brought this Calamity upon them, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, for the ſpace of an hundred and twenty Years; at laſt, when nothing would reclaim them, and almoſt the whole race of Mankind were become ſo very bad, that it is ſaid, it repented the Lord that he had made Man upon the earth, and it grieved him at his heart, when things were thus extremely bad, and like to continue ſo; God in pity to Mankind, and to put a ſtop to their growing wickedneſs and guilt, ſwept them away all at once, from the face of the Earth, except one Family, which he had preſerved from this Contagion, to be a new Seminary of Mankind, and, as the Heathen Poet expreſſeth it, Mundi melioris origo, the ſource and original of a better Race.

3. For that terrible deſtruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven, it was not brought upon them till the cry of their ſin was [Page]great, and gone up to Heaven, till by their unnatural Luſts they had provoked ſupernatural Vengeance. And it is very remarkable, to what low terms God was pleaſed to condeſcend to Abraham for the ſparing of them; if in thoſe five Cities there had been found but ten righteous perſons, he would not have deſtroyed them for thoſe ten's ſake. So that we may ſay with the Apoſtle, Behold the goodneſs and ſeverity of God! Here was wonderful goodneſs mixt with this great ſeverity.

4. For the extirpation of the Canaanites, by the expreſs command of God, which hath ſuch an appearance of ſeverity, it is to be conſider'd, that this Vengeance was not executed upon them, till they were grown ripe for it. God ſpared them for above four hundred Years, for ſo long their growing Impiety is taken notice of, Gen. 18.28. where it is ſaid, That the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full; God did not proceed to cut them off, till their caſe was deſperate, paſt all hopes of recovery, till the land was defiled with abominations, and ſurcharged with wickedneſs, to that degree, as to ſpue out its Inhabitants, as is expreſly [Page] ſaid, Levit. 18.28. When they were arrived to this pitch, it was no mercy to them to ſpare them any longer, to heap up more guilt and miſery to themſelves.

Fifthly, and Laſtly, As for the great Calamities which God brought upon the Jews, eſpecially in their final ruin and diſperſion, at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem; not to inſiſt upon the known Hiſtory of their multiplied Rebellions and Provocations, of their deſpiteful uſage of God's Prophets, whom he ſent to warn them of his Judgments, and to call them to Repentance, of their obſtinate refuſal to receive Correction, and to be brought to amendment, by any means that God could uſe; for all which Provocations, he at laſt delivered them into their Enemies hands, to carry them away Captive; not to inſiſt upon this, I ſhall only conſider their final deſtruction by the Romans, which tho' it be dreadfully ſevere, beyond any Example of Hiſtory, yet the Provocation was proportionable; for this Vengeance did not come upon them, till they had as it were extorted it, by the moſt obſtinate impenitency and unbelief, in rejecting the Counſel[Page]of God againſt themſelves, and reſiſting ſuch means as would have brought Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah to repentance; till they had deſpiſed the Doctrine of Life and Salvation, delivered to them by the Son of God, and confirmed from Heaven, by the cleareſt and greateſt Miracles; and by wicked hands had crucified and ſlain the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World. Nay, even after this greateſt of ſins that ever was committed, God waited for their Repentance forty Years, to ſee if in that time they would be brought to a ſenſe of their ſins, and to know the things which belonged to their peace. And no wonder if after ſuch provocations, and ſo much patience, and ſo obſtinate an impenitency, the goodneſs of God at laſt gave way to his juſtice, and wrath came upon them to the utmoſt.

So that all theſe Inſtances rightly conſidered, are rather commendations of the Divine Goodneſs, than juſt and reaſonable objections againſt it; and notwithſtanding the ſeverity of them, it is evident that God is good, from the primary inclinations of his nature; and ſevere only upon neceſſity, and in caſe of [Page]juſt provocation. And to be otherwiſe, not to puniſh inſolent Impiety and incorrigible Wickedneſs, in a ſevere and remarkable manner, would not be goodneſs, but a fond indulgence; not patience, but ſtupidity; not mercy to Mankind, but cruelty; becauſe it would be an encouragement to them to do more miſchief, and to bring greater miſery upon themſelves.

So that if we ſuppoſe God to be holy and juſt, as well as good, there is nothing in any of theſe Inſtances, but what is very conſiſtent with all that goodneſs which we can ſuppoſe to be in a holy, and wiſe, and juſt Governour, who is a declared Enemy to Sin, and is reſolved to give all fitting diſcountenance to the breach and violation of his Laws. It is neceſſary in kindneſs and compaſſion to the reſt of Mankind, that ſome ſhould be made remarkable Inſtances of God's ſeverity, that the puniſhment of a few may be a warning to all, that they may hear and fear, and by avoiding the like ſins, may prevent the like ſeverity upon themſelves.

And now I have, as briefly as I could, explained and vindicated the [Page] goodneſs of God; the conſideration whereof is fruitful of many excellent and uſeful Inferences, in relation both to our Comfort and our Duty, But theſe I ſhall refer to another opportunity.

SERMON IV.Vol. VII. The Goodneſs of God.

[Page]

PSAL. CXLV.9.

The Lord is Good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works.

I Have made ſeveral Diſcourſes upon this Argument of the goodneſs of God; ſhewing what it is; on what accounts we aſcribe it to God; what are the Effects and large extent of it to the whole Creation, and more particularly to Mankind; and, in the laſt place, conſidered the ſeveral Objections which ſeem to lie againſt it. I proceed now to the Application of this excellent Argument, the conſidederation whereof is ſo fruitful of uſeful Inferences, in relation both to our Comfort and Duty. And,

[Page]I. This ſhews us the prodigious folly and unreaſonableneſs of Atheiſm. Moſt of the Atheiſm that is in the World, doth not ſo much conſiſt in a firm perſwaſion that there is no God, as in vain wiſhes and deſires that there were none. Bad Men think it would be a happineſs to them, and that they ſhould be in a much better condition, if there were no God, than if there be one. Nemo deum non eſſe credit, niſi cui deum non eſſe expedit, no Man is apt to disbelieve a God, but he whoſe Intereſt it is that there ſhould be none. And if we could ſee into the Hearts of wicked Men, we ſhould find this lying at the bottom, that if there be a God, he is juſt and will puniſh ſin, that he is infinite in power and not to be reſiſted, and therefore kills them with his terror ſo often as they think of him; hence they apprehend it their intereſt, that there ſhould be no God, and wiſh there were none, and thence are apt to cheriſh in their Minds a vain hope that there is none, and at laſt endeavour to impoſe upon themſelves by vain reaſonings, and to ſuppreſs the belief of a God, and to ſtifle their natural [Page] apprehenſions and fears of him. So that it is not primus in orbe deos fecit timor, fear that firſt made Gods; but the fear which bad Men have of the Divine Power and Juſtice, that firſt tempted them to the disbelief of him.

But were not theſe Men as fooliſh as they are wicked, they would wiſh with all their Hearts there were a God, and be glad to believe ſo. And the Pſalmiſt gives them their true Character, who can entertain any ſuch thoughts or wiſhes; Pſal. 14.1. The Fool hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God; for they are Fools who do not underſtand nor conſult their true Intereſt: And if this be true which I have ſaid concerning the goodneſs of God, if this be his Nature, to deſire and procure the happineſs of his Creatures, whoever underſtands the true Nature of God and his own true Intereſt, cannot but wiſh there were a God, and be glad of any Argument to prove it, and rejoyce to find it true, as Children are glad of a kind and tender Father, and as Subjects rejoyce in a wiſe and good Prince.

The goodneſs of God gives us ſo lovely a Character of him, makes him ſo [Page] good a Father, ſo gracious a Governour of Men, that if there were no ſuch Being in the World, it were infinitely deſirable to Mankind that there ſhould be; he is ſuch an one, qualem omnes cuperent, ſi deeſſet, as if he were wanting, all Men ought to wiſh for. The Being of God is ſo comfortable, ſo convenient, ſo neceſſary to the felicity of Mankind, that (as Tully admirably ſays) Dij immortales ad uſum hominum fabricati penè videantur, if God were not a neceſſary Being of himſelf, he might almoſt ſeem to be made on purpoſe for the uſe and benefit of Men; ſo that Atheiſm is not only an Inſtance of the moſt horrible Impiety, but of the greateſt Stupidity; and for Men to glory in their disbelief of a God, is like the rejoycing and triumph of a furious and beſotted multitude, in the Murder of a wiſe and good Prince, the greateſt calamity and confuſion that could poſſibly have befaln them.

If the Evidence of God's being were not ſo clear as it is, yet the conſideration of his goodneſs ought to check all inclination to Atheiſm and Infidelity; for if he be as good as he is repreſented to us, both by natural Light [Page] and divine Revelation, (and he is ſo, as ſure as he is) if he tender our Welfare, and deſire our Happineſs, as much as we our ſelves can do, and uſe all wiſe ways and proper means to bring it about, then it is plainly every man's Intereſt, even thine, O ſinner! to whom after all thy Provocations he is willing to be reconciled, that there ſhould be ſuch a Being as God is, and when ever thou comeſt to thy ſelf, thou wilt be ſenſible of thy want of him, and thy ſoul will thirſt for God, even the living God, and pant after him, as the hart pants after the water brooks; in the day of thy Affliction and Calamity, when diſtreſs and anguiſh cometh upon thee, thou wilt flie to God for Refuge, and ſhelter thy ſelf under his Protection, and wouldeſt not for all the World, but there were ſuch a Being in it, to help and deliver thee. Deos nemo ſanus timet (ſays Seneca) furor eſt metuere ſalutaria, no man in his wits is afraid there is a God; it is a madneſs to fear that, which is ſo much for our benefit and advantage. Humane Nature is conſcious to it ſelf of its own weakneſs and inſufficiency, and of its neceſſary dependance upon ſomething [Page] without it ſelf for its Happineſs, and therefore in great Extremity and Diſtreſs, the Atheiſt himſelf hath naturally recourſe to him, and he who denyed and rejected him in his Proſperity, clings to him in adverſity, as his only ſupport and preſent help in time of trouble. And this is a ſure Indication, that theſe men, after all their endeavours to impoſe upon themſelves, have not been able wholly to extinguiſh in their Minds the belief of God and his Goodneſs; nay it is a ſign, that at the bottom of their Hearts they have a firm perſwaſion of his goodneſs, when after all their inſolent defiance of him, they have the Confidence to apply themſelves to him for mercy, and help in time of need; and therefore our Hearts ought to riſe with indignation againſt thoſe who go about to perſwade the belief of a thing ſo prejudicial to our Intereſt, to take away the Light of our eyes, and the Breath of our noſtrils, and to rob us of all the Comfort and Support, which the belief of an infinite Power, conducted by infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs, is apt to afford to Mankind.

[Page]II. We ſhould take great care of perverting and abuſing this great goodneſs by vain Confidence and Preſumption. This is a Provocation of an high Nature, which the Scripture calls, turning the grace of God into wantonneſs, making that an encouragement to Sin, which is one of the ſtrongeſt Arguments in the world againſt it. God is infinitely good and merciful; but we muſt not therefore think, that he is fond and indulgent to our faults; but on the contrary, becauſe he is good, he cannot but hate evil. So the Scripture every where tells us, that He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; that the face of the Lord is againſt them that do evil; he is not a God that hath pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with him; the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his fight, he hateth all the workers of iniquity. He is ready to ſhew Mercy to thoſe, who are qualified for it by Repentance, and reſolution of a better Courſe; but as long as we continue impenitent, God is implacable, and will deal with us according to the tenor of his Laws, and the deſert of our Doings. Deſpair is a great Sin, but Preſumption is a greater; Deſpair [Page] doubts of the goodneſs of God, but Preſumption abuſeth it; Deſpair disbelieves, but Preſumption perverts the beſt thing in the world to a quite contrary purpoſe from what it was intended.

III. The conſideration of God's goodneſs is a mighty comfort and relief to our Minds, under all our Fears and Troubles. Great are the Fears and Jealouſies of many devout Minds concerning God's Love to them, and their everlaſting Condition; which are commonly founded in one of theſe two cauſes, a melancholy Temper, or miſtaken Notions and Apprehenſions of God; and very often theſe two meet together, and hinder the cure and removal of one another.

Melancholy as it is an effect of bodily temper, is a Diſeaſe not to be cured by Reaſon and Argument, but by Phyſick and Time; but the miſtakes which men have entertained concerning God, if they be not ſet on and heightned by Melancholy (as many times they are) may be rectified by a true repreſentation of the goodneſs of God, confirmed by Reaſon and Scripture. Many good Men [Page] have had very hard and injurious Thoughts of God inſtill'd into them, from Doctrines too commonly taught and received; as if he did not ſincerely deſire the happineſs of his Creatures, but had from all Eternity decreed to make the greateſt part of Mankind, with a ſecret purpoſe and deſign to make them miſerable; and conſequently were not ſerious and in good earneſt in his Invitations and Exhortations of Sinners to Repentance; and it is no wonder if ſuch Jealouſies as theſe concerning God, make Men doubtful whether God love them, and very ſcrupulous and anxious about their everlaſting condition.

I have already told you, that theſe harſh Doctrines have no manner of Foundation, either in Reaſon or Scripture; that God earneſtly deſires our Happineſs, and affords us ſufficient Means to that End; that he bears a more hearty good will to us, than any Man does to his Friend, or any Father upon Earth ever did to his deareſt Child; in compariſon of which, the greateſt Affection of Men to thoſe whom they love beſt, is but as the [Page]drop of the Bucket, as the very ſmall duſt upon the Balance. If we have right apprehenſions of God's goodneſs, we can have no temptation to deſpair of his kind and merciful Intentions to us, provided we be but careful of our Duty to him, and do ſincerely repent and forſake our Sins. Plainer Declarations no words can make, than thoſe we meet with in the holy Scriptures, That God hath no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he ſhould turn from his wickedneſs and live; that he would have all Men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; that he is long ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance; that he that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin ſhall have mercy; that if the wicked forſake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto the Lord, he will have mercy, and will abundantly pardon.

As for outward Calamities and Afflictions, the conſideration of God's goodneſs is a firm ground of conſolation to us, giving us aſſurance, that God will either prevent them by his Providence, or ſupport us under them, or reſcue us out of them, or turn them [Page] to our greater good and happineſs in this World or the next. St. Paul ſpeaks of it as the firm belief and perſwaſion of all good Men, that in the iſſue all their Afflictions ſhould prove to their advantage. We know (ſays he) that all things ſhall work together for good to them that love God; and one of the greateſt Evidences of our love to God, is a firm belief and perſwaſion of his goodneſs; if we believe his goodneſs, we cannot but love him, and if we love him, all things ſhall work together for our good.

And this is a great Cordial to thoſe who are under grievous Perſecutions and Sufferings,This Sermon was preach'd before the late happy Revolution. which is the caſe of our Brethren in a neighbour Nation, and may come to be ours, God knows how ſoon. But tho' the malice of Men be great, and backt with a power not to be control'd by any viſible means, and therefore likely to continue; yet the goodneſs of God is greater than the malice of Men, and of a longer duration and continuance. And thus David comforted himſelf, when he was perſecuted by Saul, Pſal. 52.1. Why boaſteth thou thy ſelf in miſchief, O mighty man? the goodneſs [Page]of God endureth continually. The Perſecution which Saul raiſed againſt him was very powerful, and laſted a long time; but he comforts himſelf with this, that the goodneſs of God endures for ever.

IV. The conſideration of God's goodneſs, is a powerful motive and argument to ſeveral Duties.

1. To the love of God. And this is the moſt proper and natural effect and operation of the goodneſs of God upon our Minds. Several of the Divine Attributes are very awful, but goodneſs is amiable, and without this nothing elſe is ſo. Power and Wiſdom may command Dread and Admiration; but nothing but Goodneſs can challenge our Love and Affection. Goodneſs is amiable for it ſelf, tho' no benefit and advantage ſhould from thence redound to us; but when we find the comfortable Effects of it, when the riches of God's goodneſs, and long-ſuffering, and forbearance, are laid out upon us, when we live upon that goodneſs, and are indebted to it for all that we have and hope for, this is a much greater endearment to us of that excellency and perfection, which was [Page] amiable for it ſelf. We cannot but love him who is good, and does us good; whoſe goodneſs extends to all his Creatures, but is exerciſed in ſo peculiar a manner towards the Sons of Men, that it is called Love; and if God vouchſafe to love us, well may this be the firſt and great Commandment, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind.

2. The conſideration of God's goodneſs is likewiſe an argument to us to fear him; not as a Slave does his Maſter, but as a Child does his Father, who the more he loves him, the more afraid is he to offend him. There is forgiveneſs with thee (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) that thou mayeſt be feared; becauſe God is ready to forgive, we ſhould be afraid to offend. Men ſhall fear the Lord, and his goodneſs, (ſaith the Prophet) Hoſea 3.5. And indeed nothing is more to be dreaded, than deſpiſed Goodneſs and abuſed Patience, which turns into Fury and Vengeance; deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and long-ſuffering, and forbearance, (ſays the Apoſtle) and treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of[Page]wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God?

3. The conſideration of God's goodneſs, is a powerful motive to obedience to his Laws, and as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleaſing, being fruitful in every good work. This Argument Samuel uſeth to the People of Iſrael, to perſwade them to obedience, 1 Sam. 12.24. Only fear the Lord, and ſerve him in truth, with all your heart: for conſider what great things all he hath done for you.

And indeed the Laws which God hath given us, are one of the chief Inſtances of his goodneſs to us, ſince they all tend to our good, and are proper Cauſes and Means of our. Happineſs; ſo that in challenging our obedience to his Laws, as acknowledgments of our obligation to him for his. Benefits, he lays a new obligation, and confers a greater benefit upon us. All that his Laws require of us, is to do that which is beſt for our ſelves, and does moſt directly conduce to our own welfare and happineſs. Conſidering our infinite obligations to God, he might have challenged our obedience to the ſevereſt and harſheſt Laws he [Page] could have impoſed upon us; ſo that as the Servants ſaid to Naaman, Had the Prophet bid thee do ſome great thing, wouldſt thou not have done it? how much more when he hath only ſaid, waſh and be clean? If God had required of us things very grievous and burthenſome, in love and gratitude to him, we ought to have yielded a ready and chearful obedience to ſuch Commands; how much more, when he hath only ſaid, do this and be happy? In teſtimony of your love to me, do theſe things which are the greateſt kindneſs and benefit to your ſelves.

4. The goodneſs of God ſhould lead Men to Repentance. One of the greateſt aggravations of our Sins is, that we offend againſt ſo much goodneſs, and make ſo bad a requital for it; Do ye thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh People and unwiſe! The proper tendency of God's goodneſs and patience to Sinners, is to bring them to a ſenſe of their miſcarriage, and to a reſolution of a better courſe. When we reflect upon the bleſſings and favours of God, and his continual goodneſs to us, can we chuſe but be aſhamed of our terrible ingratitude and diſobedience? [Page] Nothing is more apt to make an ingenuous Nature to relent, than the ſenſe of undeſerved kindneſs; that God ſhould be ſo good to us, who are evil and unthankful to him; that tho' we be Enemies to him, yet when we hunger, he feeds us; when we thirſt, he gives us to drink; heaping as it were coals of fire on our heads, on purpoſe to melt us into Repentance, and to overcome our evil by his goodneſs.

5. The conſideration of God's goodneſs, is a firm ground of truſt and confidence. What may we not hope and aſſuredly expect from immenſe and boundleſs goodneſs? If we have right apprehenſions of the goodneſs of God, we cannot poſſibly diſtruſt him, or doubt of the performance of thoſe gracious promiſes which he hath made to us; the ſame goodneſs which inclined him to make ſuch promiſes, will effectually ingage him to make them good. If God be ſo good as he hath declared himſelf, why ſhould we think that he will not help us in our need, and relieve us in our diſtreſs, and comfort us in our afflictions and ſorrows? If we may with confidence rely upon any thing to confer good upon [Page] us, and to preſerve and deliver us from Evil, we may truſt infinite goodneſs.

6. The goodneſs of God is likewiſe an argument to us to patience and contentedneſs with every condition. If the Hand of God be ſevere and heavy upon us in any Affliction, we may be aſſured that it is not without great cauſe, that ſo much goodneſs is ſo highly offended and diſpleaſed with us; that he deſigns our good in all the Evils he ſends upon us, and does not chaſten us for his pleaſure, but for our profit; that we are the cauſe of our own Sufferings, and our Sins ſeparate between God and us, and with-hold good things from us; that in the final iſſue and reſult of things, all things ſhall work together for good to us; and therefore we ought not to be diſcontented at any thing which will certainly end in our Happineſs.

7. Let us imitate the goodneſs of God. The higheſt Perfection of the beſt and moſt perfect Being is worthy to be our Pattern. This the Scripture frequently propoſeth to us; Math. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. [Page] How is that? in being good, and kind, and merciful, as God is. But I ſay unto you (ſays our Lord) Love your enemies, bleſs them that curſe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which deſpightfully uſe you, and perſecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his Sun to riſe on the evil, and on the good, and ſendeth rain on the juſt, and on the unjuſt. And then it follows, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is heaven is perfect. The ſame Pattern St. Paul propoſeth to us, Eph. 4.32. and Ch. 5.1. Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted; forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children, and walk in love. We cannot in any thing reſemble God more, than in goodneſs, and kindneſs, and mercy, and in a readineſs to forgive thoſe who have been injurious to us, and to be reconciled to them.

Let us then often contemplate this Perfection of God, and repreſent it to our Minds, that by the frequent contemplation of it, we may be transformed into the Image of the Divine Goodneſs. [Page] Is God ſo good to his Creatures? with how much greater reaſon ſhould we be ſo to our fellow Creatures. Is God good to us? let us imitate his univerſal goodneſs, by endeavouring the good of Mankind; and, as much as in us lies, of the whole Creation of God. What God is to us, and what we would have him ſtill be to us, that let us be to others. We are infinitely beholding to this Perfection of God for all that we are, and for all that we enjoy, and for all that we expect; and therefore we have all the reaſon in the World to admire and imitate it. Let this pattern of the Divine Goodneſs be continually before us, that we may be ſtill faſhioning our ſelves in the temper of our Minds, and in the actions of our Lives, to a likeneſs and conformity to it.

Laſtly, The conſideration of the Divine goodneſs, ſhould excite our praiſe and thankfulneſs. This is a great Duty, to the performance whereof we ſhould ſummon all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls, as the holy Pſalmiſt does, Pſal. 103. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within [Page]me, bleſs his holy Name. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. And we ſhould invite all others to the ſame Work, as the ſame devout Pſalmiſt frequently does, Pſal. 106. O give thanks unto the Lord! for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. And Pſal. 107. O that men would therefore praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the children of Men!

And we had need to be often call'd upon to this Duty, to which we have a peculiar backwardneſs. Neceſſity drives us to Prayer, and ſends us to God for the ſupply of our wants; but Praiſe and Thankſgiving is a Duty which depends upon our gratitude and ingenuity; and nothing ſooner wears off, than the ſenſe of Kindneſs and Benefits. We are very apt to forget the bleſſings of God, not ſo much from a bad Memory, as from a bad Nature; to forget the greateſt bleſſings, the continuance whereof ſhould continually put us in mind of them; the bleſſings of our Beings; So God complains of his People, Deut. 32. Of the God that formed thee, thou haſt been unmindful; the dignity and excellency [Page] of our Beings above all the Creatures of this viſible World; Job 35.10, 11. None ſaith, Where is God my Maker? who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowls of heaven? the daily comforts and bleſſings of our Lives, which we can continually receive, without almoſt ever looking up to the Hand that gives them. So God complains by the Prophet, Hoſea 2.8, 9. She knew not that I gave her corn, and wine, and oyl, and multiplied her gold and ſilver. And is it not ſhameful to ſee how at the moſt plentiful Tables, the giving of God Thanks is almoſt grown out of faſhion; as if Men were aſhamed to own from whence theſe Bleſſings came. When thanks is all God expects from us, can we not afford to give him that? Do ye thus requite the Lord, fooliſh people and unwiſe! It is juſt with God to take away his Bleſſings from us, if we deny him this eaſie tribute of Praiſe and Thanksgiving.

It is a ſign Men are unfit for Heaven, when they are backward to that which is the proper Work and Imployment of the bleſſed Spirits above. [Page] Therefore as ever we hope to come thither, let us begin this Work here, and inure our ſelves to that which will be the great buſineſs of all Eternity. Let us with the four and twenty Elders in the Revelation, fall down before him that ſits on the throne, and worſhip him that liveth for ever and ever, and caſt our crowns before the throne (that is, caſt our ſelves) and aſcribe all glory to God; Saying, thou art worthy O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power for thou haſt made all things, and for thy pleaſure they are, and were created.

To him therefore, the infinite and inexhauſtible fountain of goodneſs, the father of mercies, and the God of all conſolation, who gave us ſuch excellent Beings, having made made us little lower than the Angels, and crowned us with glory and honour; who hath been pleaſed to ſtamp upon us the image of his own goodneſs, and thereby made us partakers of a divine nature, communicating to us, not only of the effects of his goodneſs, but in ſome meaſure and degree of the perfection it ſelf; to him who gives us all things richly to enjoy, which pertain to life and godlineſs, and hath made ſuch abundant proviſion, not only for our comfort and convenience[Page]in this preſent life, but for our unſpeakable happineſs to all eternity; to him who deſigned this happineſs to us from all eternity, and whoſe mercy and goodneſs to us endures for ever; who when by willful tranſgreſſions and diſobedience, we had plunged our ſelves into a ſtate of ſin and miſery, and had forfeited that happineſs which we were deſigned to, was pleaſed to reſtore us to a new capacity of it, by ſending his only Son to take our nature with the miſeries and infirmities of it, to live among us, and to die for us; in a word, to him who is infinitely good to us, not only contrary to our deſerts, but beyond our hopes, who renews his mercy upon us every morning, and is patient tho' we provoke him every day, who preſerves and provides for us, and ſpares us continually, who is always willing, always watchful, and never weary to do us good; to him be all glory and honour, adoration and praiſe, love and obedience, now and for ever.

SERMON V.Vol. VII. The Mercy of God.

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NUMB. XIV.18.

The Lord is long ſuffering, and of great Mercy.

I Have conſidered God's Goodneſs in general. There are two eminent Branches of it, his Patience and Mercy. The Patience of God is his goodneſs to them that are guilty, in deferring or moderating their deſerved puniſhment; the Mercy of God is his goodneſs to them that are or may be miſerable. 'Tis the laſt of theſe two I deſign to diſcourſe of at this time; in doing which, I ſhall inquire,

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Mercy of God.

[Page] Secondly, Shew you, that this Perfection belongs to God.

Thirdly, Conſider the degree of it, that God is of great Mercy.

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Mercy of God.

I told you it is his goodneſs to them that are in miſery, or liable to it; that is, that are in danger of it, or have deſerved it. 'Tis mercy to prevent the miſery that we are liable to, and which may befal us, tho' it be not actually upon us. 'Tis mercy to defer the miſery that we deſerve, or mitigate it; and this is properly patience and forbearance. 'Tis mercy to relieve thoſe that are in miſery, to ſupport or comfort them. 'Tis mercy to remit the miſery we deſerve, and by pardon and forgiveneſs to remove and take away the obligation to puniſhment.

Thus the mercy of God is uſually in Scripture ſet forth to us by the affection of pity and compaſſion, which is an affection that cauſeth a ſenſible commotion and diſturbance in us, upon the apprehenſion of ſome great Evil that lies upon another, or hangs over him. Hence it is that God is [Page] ſaid in Scripture to be grieved and afflicted for the miſeries of Men; his bowels are ſaid to ſound, and his heart to turn within him. But tho' God is pleaſed in this manner to ſet forth his mercy and tenderneſs towards us, yet we muſt take heed how we cloath the Divine Nature with the Infirmities of human Paſſions. We muſt not meaſure the Perfection of God by the Expreſſions of his condeſcention; and becauſe he ſtoops to our weakneſs, level him to our Infirmities. When God is ſaid to pity us, we muſt take away the imperfection of this Paſſion, the commotion and diſturbance of it, and not imagine any ſuch thing in God; but we are to conceive, that the mercy and compaſſion of God, without producing the diſquiet, do produce the Effects of the moſt ſenſible pity.

Secondly, That this Perfection belongs to God.

All the Arguments that I uſed to prove the goodneſs of God, from the acknowledgment of natural Light, and from Scripture and Reaſon, ſerve to prove that he is merciful; becauſe the mercy of God is an eminent Branch of [Page] his goodneſs. I will only produce ſome of thoſe many Texts of Scripture which attribute this Perfection to God. Exod. 34.6. The Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful. Deut. 4.31 The Lord thy God is a merciful God. 2 Chron. 30.9. The Lord your God is gracious and merciful. Neh. 9.17. Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy. Pſal. 62.12. Ʋnto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy. Pſal. 103.8. Merciful and gracious. Pſal. 130.7. With the Lord there is mercy. And ſo Jer. 3.12. Joel 2.13. Jonah 4.2. Luke 6.36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father alſo is merciful. The Scripture ſpeaks of this as moſt natural to him, 2 Cor. 1.3. he is called the Father of mercies. But when he puniſheth, he doth as it were relinquiſh his Nature, and do a ſtrange work. The Lord will wait that he may be gracious, Iſa. 30.18. God paſſeth by opportunities of puniſhing, but his mercy takes opportunity to diſplay it ſelf; he waits to be gracious. To afflict or puniſh is a Work that God is unwilling to, that he takes no pleaſure in; Lam. 3.33. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. But mercy is a Work that he [Page] delights in, Mic. 7.18. He delighteth in mercy. When God ſhews mercy, he does it with pleaſure and delight; he is ſaid to rejoyce over his people to do them good. Thoſe Attributes that declare God's goodneſs, as when he is ſaid to be gracious, or merciful, and long-ſuffering, they ſhew what God is in himſelf, and delights to be: thoſe which declare his wrath and ſeverity, ſhew what he is upon provocation, and the occaſion of ſin; not what he chuſeth to be, but what we do as it were compel and neceſſitate him to be.

Thirdly, For the degree of it; that God is a God of great mercy.

The Scripture doth delight to advance the mercy of God, and does uſe great variety of Expreſſion to magnifie it. It ſpeaks of the greatneſs of his mercy, Numb. 14.19. According to the greatneſs of his mercy. 2 Sam. 24.14. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great. 'Tis call'd an abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. According to his abundant mercy. Pſal. 103.8. he is ſaid to be plenteous in mercy; and rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. Pſal. 5.7. he ſpeaks of the multitude of God's [Page]mercies; and of the variety of them, Neh. 9.18. In thy manifold mercies thou forſookeſt them not. So many are they, that we are ſaid to be ſurrounded and campaſſed about on every ſide with them; Pſal. 103.4. Who crowneth us with loving kindneſs and tender mercies.

And yet further to ſet forth the greatneſs of them, the Scripture uſeth all dimenſions. Heighth, Pſal. 57.10. Thy mercy is great unto the Heavens. Nay, higher yet; Pſal. 108.4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens. For the latitude and extent of it, 'tis as large as the Earth, and extends to all the Creatures in it; Pſal. 109.64. The earth is full of thy mercy. Pſal. 145.8. His tender mercies are over all his works. For the length, or duration and continuance of it; Exod. 34.7. Laying up mercy in ſtore for thouſands of generations, one after another. Nay, it is of a longer continuance; Pſal. 118. 'tis ſeveral times repeated, That his mercy endureth for ever.

And to ſhew the intenſe degree of this affection of mercy or pity, the Scripture uſeth ſeveral emphatical Expreſſions to ſet it forth to us. The [Page] Scripture ſpeaks of the tender mercies of God, Pſal. 25.6. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies. Yea, of the multitude of theſe, Pſal. 51.1. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſſions. Jam. 5.11. The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. They are called God's Bowels, which are the tendereſt parts, and apt to yern and ſtir in us when any affections of love and pity are excited, Iſ. 63.15. Where is the ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies, are they reſtrained? Luke 1.78. Through the tender mercy of our God. So it is in our Tranſlation; but if we render it from the Original, 'tis through the bowels of the mercies of our God. How doth God condeſcend in thoſe pathetical Expreſſions, which he uſeth concerning his People? Hoſ. 11.8. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? mine heart is turned within me, and my repentings are kindled together. Nay, to expreſs his tender ſenſe of our miſeries and ſufferings, he is repreſented as being afflicted with us, and bearing a part in our ſufferings; Iſa, 63.9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted.

[Page]The compaſſions of God are compared to the tendereſt affections among Men; to that of a Father towards his Children; Pſal. 103.13. As a father pitieth his Children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Nay, to the compaſſions of a Mother towards her Infant; Iſa. 49.15. Can a woman forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? Yea ſhe may, 'tis poſſible, tho' moſt unlikely: but tho' a Mother may turn unnatural; yet God cannot be unmerciful.

In ſhort, the Scripture doth every where magnifie the mercy of God, and ſpeak of it with all poſſible advantage; as if the Divine Nature, which doth in all Perfections excel all others, did in this excel it ſelf. The Scripture ſpeaks of it as if God was wholly taken up with it, as if it was his conſtant Exerciſe and Employment, ſo that in compariſon of it, he doth hardly diſplay any other excellency; Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy; as if in this World God had a deſign to advance his mercy above his other Attributes. The mercy of God is now in the Throne, this is the day [Page] of mercy, and God doth diſplay it many times with a ſeeming diſhonour to his other Attributes, his Juſtice, and Holineſs, and Truth. His Juſtice; This makes Job complain of the long life and proſperity of the wicked; Job 41.7. Wherefore do the wicked live, yea become old? &c. His Holineſs; This makes the Prophet expoſtulate with God, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity. Wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongue? &c. And the Truth of God; This makes Jonah complain, as if God's mercies were ſuch, as did make ſome reflection upon his truth, Jon. 4.2.

But that we may have more diſtinct apprehenſions of the greatneſs and number of God's mercies, I will diſtribute them into kinds, and rank them under ſeveral Heads. 'Tis mercy to prevent thoſe evils and miſeries that we are liable to. 'Tis mercy to defer thoſe evils that we have deſerved, or to mitigate them. 'Tis mercy to ſupport and comfort us when miſery is upon us. 'Tis mercy to deliver us from them. But the greateſt mercy [Page] of all is, to remit the evil and miſery we have deſerved, by pardon and forgiveneſs, to remove and take away the obligation to puniſhment; ſo that the mercy of God may be reduced to theſe five Heads.

I. Preventing Mercy. Many evils and miſeries which we are liable to, God prevents them at a great diſtance; and when they are coming towards us, he ſtops them or turns them another way. The merciful Providence of God, and thoſe inviſible guards which protect us, do divert many evils from us, which fall upon others. We ſeldom take notice of God's preventing mercy; we are not apt to be ſenſible how great a mercy it is to be freed from thoſe ſtraits and neceſſities, thoſe pains and diſeaſes of Body, thoſe inward racks and horrours, which others are preſſed withal and labour under. When any evil or miſery is upon us, would we not reckon it a mercy to be reſcued and delivered from it? And is it not a greater mercy that we never felt it? Does not that Man owe more to his Phyſician who prevents his ſickneſs and diſtemper, than he who after the weakneſs and languiſhing, the [Page] pains and tortures of ſeveral Months, is at length cured by him?

II. Forbearing mercy. And this is the patience of God, which conſiſts in the deferring or moderating of our deſerved puniſhment. Hence it is that ſlow to anger, and of great mercy, do ſo often go together. But this I ſhall ſpeak to hereafter in ſome particular Diſcourſes.

III. Comforting mercy. 2 Cor. 1.3. The father of mercies, and the God of all Comfort. The Scripture repreſents God as very merciful, in comforting and ſupporting thoſe that are afflicted and caſt down; hence are thoſe expreſſions of putting his arms under us, bearing us up, ſpeaking comfortably, viſiting us with his loving kindneſs, which ſignifie God's merciful regard to thoſe who are in miſery and diſtreſs.

IV. His relieving mercy, in ſupplying thoſe that are in want, and delivering thoſe that are in trouble. God doth many times exerciſe Men with troubles and afflictions, with a very gracious and merciful deſign, to prevent greater Evils, which Men would otherwiſe bring upon themſelves. Afflictions are a merciful invention of [Page] Heaven to do us that good, which nothing elſe can; they awaken us to a ſenſe of God, and of our ſelves, to a conſideration of the evil of our ways; they make us to take notice of God, to ſeek him, and enquire after him. God doth as it were by Afflictions throw Men upon their backs to make them look up to Heaven; Hoſ. 5.15. In their affliction they will ſeek me early. Pſal. 78.34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God. But God does not delight in this, he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. When afflictions have accompliſhed their work, and obtained their end upon us, God is very ready to remove them, and command deliverance for us; Iſa. 54.7, 8. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee; but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer.

V. Pardoning mercy. And here the greatneſs and fullneſs of God's mercy appears, becauſe our ſins are great; Pſal. 78.38. Being full of compaſſion,[Page]he forgave their iniquity. And the multitude of God's mercies, becauſe our ſins are many, Pſal. 51.1. Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranſgreſſions. Exod. 34.7. He is ſaid to pardon iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin. How many fold are his mercies, to forgive all our ſins, of what kind ſo ever! The mercy of God to us in pardoning our ſins, is matter of aſtoniſhment and admiration; Mic. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity! But eſpecially if we conſider by what means our pardon is procured; by transferring our guilt upon the moſt innocent perſon, the Son of God, and making him to bear our iniquities, and to ſuffer the wrath of God which was due to us. The admirable contrivance of God's mercy appears in this diſpenſation; this ſhews the riches of his grace, that he ſhould be at ſo much coſt to purchaſe our pardon, Not with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold; but with the precious blood of his own Son; Eph. 1.6, 7. To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved; in whom we have redemption through his [Page]blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins, according to the riches of his grace.

Having diſpatch'd the three particulars I propos'd to be ſpoken to, I ſhall ſhew what Uſe we ought to make of this Divine Attribute.

Ʋſe 1. We ought with thankfulneſs to acknowledge and admire the great mercy of God to us. Let us view it in all its dimenſions; the heighth, and length, and breadth of it: in all the variety and kinds of it; the preventing mercy of God to many of us. Thoſe miſeries that lye upon others, 'tis mercy to us that we eſcaped them. 'Tis mercy that ſpares us. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not conſumed, and becauſe his compaſſions fail not. 'Tis mercy that mitigates our puniſhment, and makes it fall below the deſert of our ſins. 'Tis mercy that comforts and ſupports us under any of thoſe Evils that lye upon us, and that reſcues and delivers us from them. Which way ſo ever we look, we are encompaſſed with the mercies of God; they compaſs us about on every ſide, we are crowned with loving kindneſs and tender mercies. 'Tis mercy that feeds us, and cloaths us, and that [Page] preſerves us. But above all we ſhould thankfully acknowledge and admire the pardoning mercy of God; Pſ. 103.1, 2, 3. where David does as it were muſter up the mercies of God, and make a Catalogue of them, he ſets the pardoning mercy in the front; Bleſs ye the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me praiſe his holy Name. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thy iniquities.

If we look into our ſelves, and conſider our own temper and diſpoſition, how void of pity and bowels we are, how cruel, and hard hearted, and inſolent, and revengeful; if we look abroad into the World, and ſee how full the earth is of the habitations of cruelty; we ſhall admire the mercy of God more, and think our ſelves more beholden to it. How many things muſt concur to make our hearts tender, and melt our ſpirits, and ſtir our bowels, to make us pitiful and compaſſionate? We ſeldom pity any unleſs they be actually in miſery; nor all ſuch neither, unleſs the miſery they lye under be very great; nor then neither, unleſs the perſon that [Page] ſuffers be nearly related, and we be ſomeways concerned in his ſufferings; yea, many times not then neither, upon a generous account, but as we are ſomeways obliged by intereſt and ſelf-love, and a dear regard to our ſelves, when we have ſuffered the like our ſelves, and have learnt to pity others by our own Sufferings, or when in danger and probability to be in the like condition our ſelves; ſo many motives and obligations are neceſſary to awaken and ſtir up this affection in us. But God is merciful and pitiful to us, out of the mere goodneſs of his Nature; for few of theſe motives and conſiderations can have any place in him. This affection of pity and tenderneſs is ſtirred up in God by the mere preſence of the Object, without any other inducement. The mercy of God many times doth not ſtay till we be actually miſerable; but looks forward a great way, and pities us at a great diſtance, and prevents our miſery. God doth not only pity us in great Calamities; but conſiders thoſe leſſer Evils that are upon us. God is merciful to us, when we have deſerved all the Evils that [Page] are upon us, and far greater, when we are leſs than the leaſt of all his mercies, when we deſerved all the miſery that is upon us, and have with violent hands pulled it upon our own heads, and have been the authors and procurers of it to our ſelves. Tho' God, in reſpect of his Nature, be at an infinite diſtance from us, yet his mercy is near to us, and he cannot poſſibly have any ſelf-intereſt in it. The Divine Nature is not liable to want, or injury, or ſuffering; he is ſecure of his own happineſs and fullneſs, and can neither wiſh the inlargement nor fear the impairment of his Eſtate; he can never ſtand in need of pity or relief from us or any other; and yet he pities us.

Now if we conſider the vaſt difference of this affection in God and us, how tender his mercies are, and how ſenſible his bowels; and yet we who have ſo many arguments to move us to pity, how hard our hearts are, and how unapt to relent, as if we were born of the rock, and were the off-ſpring of the nether milſtone; ſure when we duly conſider this, we cannot but admire the mercy of God.

[Page]How cruel are we to Creatures below us! with how little remorſe can we kill a Flea, or tread upon a Worm? partly becauſe we are ſecure that they cannot hurt us, nor revenge themſelves upon us; and partly becauſe they are ſo deſpicable in our Eyes, and ſo far below us, that they do not fall under the conſideration of our Pity. Look upward, proud Man! and take notice of him who is above thee, thou didſt not make the Creatures below thee as God did, there's but a finite diſtance between thee and the meaneſt Creatures; but there's an infinite diſtance between thee and God. Man is a Name of Dignity, when we compare our ſelves with other Creatures; but compared to God, we are Worms, and not Men; yea, we are nothing, yea, leſs than nothing and vanity. How great then is the Mercy of God, which regards us, who are ſo far below him, which takes into Conſideration ſuch inconſiderable nothings as we are! we may ſay with David, Pſ. 8.4. Lord! What is man, that thou art ſo mindful of him, or the Son of Man that thou viſiteſt him! And with Job 7.17. What [Page]is Man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, and that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine Heart upon him!

And then how hard do we find it to forgive thoſe who have injured us? if any one have offended, or provoked us; how hard are we to be reconciled? How mindful of an Injury? How do anger and revenge boyl within us? How do we upbraid Men with their faults? What vile and low Submiſſion do we require of them, before we will receive them into Favour, and grant them Peace? And if we forgive once, we think that is much; but if an offence and provocation be renewed often, we are inexorable. Even the Diſciples of our Saviour, after he had ſo emphatically taught them Forgiveneſs, in the Petition in the Lord's Prayer, yet they had very narrow Spirits as to this; Matth. 18.21. Peter comes to him, and asks him, How often ſhall my brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him? till ſeven times? He thought that was much: And yet we have great obligations to Pardoning and Forgiving others, becauſe we are obnoxious to God [Page] and one another, we ſhall many times ſtand in need of Pardon from God and Men; and it may be our own caſe, and when it is, we are too apt to be very indulgent to our ſelves, and conceive good hopes of the Mercy of others; we would have our ignorance, and inadvertencies, and miſtakes, and all occaſions and temptations and provocations conſidered; and when we have done amiſs, upon Submiſſion and Acknowledgment of our Fault, we would be received into Favour: but God who is not at all liable to us, how ready is he to Forgive! If we confeſs our Sins to him, he is merciful to Forgive; he Pardons freely; and ſuch are the condeſcentions of his Mercy, tho' he be the party offended, yet he offers Pardon to us, and beſeeches us to be reconcil'd; if we do but come towards him, he runs to meet us, as in the Parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15.20. What reaſon have we then thankfully to acknowledge and admire the Mercy of God to us?

Ʋſe 2. The great mercy of God to us, ſhould ſtir up in us ſhame and [Page] ſorrow for Sin. The Judgments of God may break us; but the conſideration of God's Mercy ſhould rather melt and diſſolve us into Tears, Luke 7.47. The Woman that waſhed Chriſt's Feet with her Tears, and wiped them with her Hair, the account that our Saviour gives of the great Affection that ſhe expreſſed to him, was, ſhe Loved much, becauſe much was forgiven her; and ſhe grieved much, becauſe much was forgiven her.

Eſpecially we ſhould ſorrow for thoſe Sins, which have been committed by us after God's Mercies received. Mercies after Sins ſhould touch our Hearts, and make us relent. It ſhould grieve us that we ſhould offend and provoke a God ſo Gracious and Merciful, ſo ſlow to anger, and ſo ready to forgive: But Sin againſt Mercies, and after we have received them, is attended with one of the greateſt Aggravations of Sin. And as Mercy raiſes the guilt of our Sins, ſo it ſhould raiſe our ſorrow for them. No Conſideration is more apt to work upon human Nature, than that of [Page] kindneſs, and the greater Mercy has been ſhewed to us, the greater our ſins, and the greater cauſe of ſorrow for them; contraries do illuſtrate, and ſet off one another; in the great Goodneſs and Mercy of God to us, we ſee the great Evil of our Sins againſt him.

Every Sin has the Nature of Rebellion and Diſobedience; but ſins againſt Mercy have Ingratitude in them. When ever we break the Laws of God, we rebel againſt our Soveraign; but as we ſin againſt the Mercies of God, we injure our Benefactor. This makes our ſin to be horrid, and aſtoniſhing, Iſa. 1.2. Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me. All the Mercies of God are aggravations of our ſins, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9. And Nathan ſaid to David, thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I anointed thee king over Iſrael, and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul, and I gave thee thy maſters houſe, and thy maſters wives into thy boſom, and gave thee the houſe of Iſreal, and of Judah, and if that had been too[Page]little, I would moreover have given thee ſuch and ſuch things. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his ſight? God reckons up all his Mercies, and from them aggravates David's ſin; 1 Kings 11.9. He takes notice of all the unkind returns that we make to his Mercy; and 'tis the worſt temper in the World not to be wrought upon by kindneſs, not to be melted by Mercy; no greater evidence of a wicked Heart, than that the Mercies of God have no effect upon it; Eſay 26.10. Let favour be ſhewn to the wicked; yet will he not learn righteouſneſs.

Ʋſe 3. Let us imitate the merciful Nature of God. This branch of God's goodneſs is very proper for our imitation. The general Exhortation of our Saviour, Matt. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, is more particularly expreſſed by St. Luke, Luke 6.30. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful. Men affect to make Images, and impoſſible Repreſentations of God; but as Seneca ſaith, Crede [Page]Deòs, cùm propitii eſſent, fictiles fuiſſe. We may draw this Image and likeneſs of God; we may be gracious and merciful as he is. Chriſt, who was the expreſs image of his Father, his whole life and undertaking was a continued work of mercy; he went about doing good to the Souls of Men, by Preaching the Goſpel to them; and to the Bodies of Men, in healing all manner of Diſeaſes. There is nothing that he recommends more to us in his Goſpel than this Spirit and Temper; Mat. 5.7. Bleſſed are the merciful: for they ſhall obtain mercy. How many Parables doth he uſe to ſet forth the mercy of God to us, with a deſign to draw us to the imitation of it? The Parable of the Prodigal; of the good Samaritan; of the Servant to whom he forgave 10000 Talents. We ſhould imitate God in this; in being tender and compaſſionate to thoſe that are in miſery.

This is a piece of natural, indiſpenſable Religion, to which poſitive and inſtituted Religion muſt give way; Amos 6.6. I deſired mercy, and not ſacrifice; which is twice cited and uſed by our Saviour. Micah. 6.8. He hath [Page]ſhewed thee, O Man, what it is that the Lord thy God requires of thee, to do juſtice, and love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

This is always one part of the deſcription of a good Man, that he is apt to pity the miſeries and neceſſities of others. Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful and lendeth. He is far from cruelty, not only to Men, but even to the brute Creatures; Prov. 12.10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beaſt. There is nothing more contrary to the nature of God, than a cruel and ſavage diſpoſition, not to be affected with the miſeries and ſufferings of others; how unlike is this to the father of mercies, and the God of conſolation! When we can ſee Cruelty exerciſed, and our Bowels not be ſtirred within us, nor our hearts be pricked; how unlike is this to God, who is very pitiful, and of tender mercies! But to rejoyce at the miſeries of others, this is inhumane and barbarous. Hear how God threatens Edom for rejoycing at the miſeries of his Brother Jacob; Obadiah 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. But to delight to make others miſerable, and to aggravate their ſufferings, this is [Page] deviliſh; this is the temper of Hell, and the very ſpirit of the Deſtroyer.

It becomes Man above all other Creatures to be merciful, who hath had ſuch ample and happy experience of God's mercy to him, and doth ſtill continually ſtand in need of mercy from God. God hath been very merciful to us. Had it not been for the tender Mercies of God to us, we had all of us long ſince been miſerable. Now as we have receiv'd mercy from God, we ſhould ſhew it to others. The Apoſtle uſeth this as an Argument why we ſhould relieve thoſe that are in miſery and want, becauſe we have had ſuch experience of the mercy and love of God to us; 1 John 3.16, 17. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his life for us. But whoſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother have need, &c. how dwelleth the love of God in him? That Man hath no ſenſe of the mercy of God abiding upon his Heart, that is not merciful to his Brother. And 'tis an Argument why we ſhould forgive one another; Eph. 4.32. Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God[Page]for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you. Chap. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children. Col. 3.12, 13. Put on therefore (as the elect of God holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any: even as Chriſt forgave you, ſo alſo do ye.

And we continually ſtand in need of mercy both from God and Man. We are lyable one to another, and in the change of human Affairs, we may be all ſubject to one another by turns, and ſtand in need of one anothers pity and compaſſion; and we muſt expect, that with what meaſure we mete to others, with the ſame it ſhall be meaſured to us again. To reſtrain the Cruelties, and check the Inſolencies of Men, God has ſo order'd in his Providence, that very often in this World Mens Cruelties return upon their own heads, and their violent dealings upon their own pates. Bajazet meets with a Tamerlane.

But if Men were not thus liable to one another, we all ſtand in need of mercy from God. If we be merciful [Page] to others in ſuffering, and forgiving them that have injured us, God will be ſo to us, he will pardon our ſins to us. Prov. 16.5. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. 2. Sam. 22.26. With the merciful thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful. Prov. 14.21. He that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Prov. 21.21. He that followeth after mercy findeth life. Matth. 6.14. If ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly father will alſo forgive you. But on the other hand, if we be malicious and revengeful, and implacable to thoſe that have offended us, and inexorable to thoſe who deſire to be received to favour, and cruel to thoſe who lye at our mercy, hard hearted to them that are in neceſſity; what can we expect, but that the mercy of God will leave us, that he will forget to be gracious, and ſhut up in anger his tender mercy. Mat. 6.15. If ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your treſpaſſes. That is a dreadful paſſage, S. James 2.13. He ſhall have judgment without mercy, that hath ſhewed no mercy. How angry is the Lord with the Servant who was ſo inexorable to his fellow [Page] Servant, after he had forgiven him ſo great a debt, as you find in the Parable, Mat. 18.24. He owed him ten thouſand Talents, and upon his ſubmiſſion and intreaty to have patience with him, he was moved with compaſſion and looſed him, and forgave him all: but no ſooner had this favour been done to him by his Lord, but going forth he meets his fellow Servant, who owed him a ſmall inconſiderable debt, an hundred Pence, he lays Hands on him, and takes him by the Throat, and roundly demands payment of him; he falls down at his Feet, and uſeth the ſame form of ſupplication that he had uſed to his Lord, but he rejects his requeſt, and puts him in Priſon. Now what ſaith the Lord to him? v. 32, 33, 34. O thou wicked Servant, I forgave thee all the debt, becauſe thou deſiredſt me. Shouldeſt not thou alſo have had compaſſion on thy fellow ſervant, even as I had pity on thee? And the Lord was wroth, and deliver'd him to the tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. Now what application doth our Saviour make of this? v. 35. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father do alſo unto you, if ye from your[Page]hearts forgive not every one his brother their treſpaſſes.

God's readineſs to forgive us ſhould be a powerful motive and argument to us to forgive others. The greateſt Injuries that we can ſuffer from Men, if we compare them to the ſins that we commit againſt God, they bear no proportion to them, neither in weight nor number; they are but as an hundred pence to ten thouſand talents. If we would be like God, we ſhould forgive the greateſt Injuries; he pardoneth our ſins tho' they be exceeding great: many Injuries, tho' offences be renewed, and provocations multiplied; for ſo God doth to us, He pardoneth iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin, Ex. 34.7. Iſ. 55.7. He will have mercy, he will abundantly pardon. We would not have God only to forgive us ſeven times, but ſeventy ſeven times, as often as we offend him: ſo ſhould we forgive our Brother.

And we ſhould not be backward to this Work; God is ready to forgive us; Neh. 9.17. And we ſhould do it heartily, not only in word, when we retain malice in our hearts, and while we ſay we forgive, carry on a ſecret [Page] deſign in our hearts of revenging our ſelves when we have opportunity; but we ſhould from our hearts forgive every one; for ſo God doth to us, who when he forgives us, caſts our iniquities behind his back, and throws them into the bottom of the ſea, and blots out our tranſgreſſion, ſo as to remember our iniquity no more.

If we do not do thus, every time we put up the Petition to God, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us, we do not pray for mercy, but for judgment; we invoke his wrath, and do not put up a Prayer, but a dreadful Imprecation againſt our ſelves; we pronounce the Sentence of our own Condemnation, and importune God not to forgive us.

Ʋſe 4. If the mercy of God be ſo great, this may comfort us againſt Deſpair. Sinners are apt to be dejected, when they conſider their unworthineſs, the nature and number of their Sins, and the many heavy aggravations of them; they are apt to ſay with Cain, That their ſin is greater than can be forgiven. But do not look only upon thy ſins; but upon the mercies of [Page] God. Thou canſt not be too ſenſible of the evil of ſin, and of the deſert of it; but whilſt we aggravate our ſins, we muſt not leſſen the mercies of God. When we conſider the multitude of our ſins, we muſt conſider alſo the multitude of God's tender mercies; we have been great ſinners, and God is of great mercy; we have multiplied our provocations, and he multiplies to pardon.

Do but thou put thy ſelf in a capacity of mercy, by repenting of thy ſins, and forſaking of them, and thou haſt no reaſon to doubt but the mercy of God will receive thee; If we confeſs our ſins, he is merciful and faithful to forgive them. If we had offended Man as we have done God, we might deſpair of pardon; but it is God and not Man that we have to deal with; and his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; but as the heavens are high above the earth, ſo are his ways above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts.

We cannot be more injurious to God, than by hard thoughts of him, as if fury were in him, and when we have provoked him, he were not to [Page] be appeaſed and reconciled to us. We diſparage the Goodneſs and Truth of God, when we diſtruſt thoſe gracious declarations which he has made of his mercy and goodneſs, if we do not think that he doth heartily pity and compaſſionate ſinners, and really dedeſire their happineſs. Doth not he condeſcend ſo low as to repreſent himſelf afflicted for the miſeries of Men, and to rejoyce in the converſion of a Sinner? and ſhall not we believe that he is in good earneſt? Doth Chriſt weep over impenitent Sinners, becauſe they will not know the things of their peace? and canſt thou think he will not pardon thee upon thy repentance? Is he grieved that Men will undo themſelves, and will not be ſaved? and canſt thou think that he is unwilling to forgive? We cannot honour and glorifie God more, than by entertaining great thoughts of his Mercy. As we are ſaid to glorifie God by our repentance, becauſe thereby we acknowledge God's holineſs and juſtice; ſo we glorifie him by believing his mercy, becauſe we conceive a right opinion of his goodneſs and truth; we ſet to our Seal that God is merciful [Page] and true; Pſal. 147.11. 'tis ſaid, That God taketh pleaſure in them that hope in his mercy. As he delights in mercy, ſo in our acknowledgments of it; that Sinners ſhould conceive great hopes of it, and believe him to be what he is. Provided thou doſt ſubmit to the terms of God's mercy, thou haſt no reaſon to deſpair of it; and he that thinks that his ſins are more or greater than the mercy of God can pardon, muſt think that there may be more evil in the Creature than there is goodneſs in God.

Ʋſe 5. By way of Caution againſt the preſumptuous Sinner. If there be any that treſpaſs upon the goodneſs of God, and preſume to encourage themſelves in ſin upon the hopes of his mercy, let ſuch know, that God is juſt as well as merciful. A God all of mercy is an Idol, ſuch a God as Men ſet up in their own imaginations; but not the true God, whom the Scriptures deſcribe. To ſuch perſons the Scripture deſcribes him after another manner; Nah. 1.2. God is jealous, the Lord revengeth and is furious, the Lord will take vengeance on his adverſaries, and reſerveth wrath for his enemies. If any Man abuſe [Page] the mercy of God to the ſtrengthning of himſelf in his own wickedneſs, and bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, tho' I walk in the imagination of my own heart, and add drunkeneſs to thirſt: The Lord will not ſpare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lye upon him, and he will blot out his name from under heaven, Deut. 29.19, 20.

Though it be the nature of God to be merciful, yet the exerciſe of his mercy is regulated by his Wiſdom; he will not be merciful to thoſe that deſpiſe his mercy, to thoſe that abuſe it, to thoſe that are reſolved to go on in their ſins to tempt his mercy, and make bold to ſay, Let us ſin that grace may abound. God deſigns his mercy for thoſe that are prepared to receive it; Iſ. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The mercy of God is an enemy to ſin, as well as his juſtice; and 'tis no where offer'd to countenance ſin, but to convert the ſinner; [Page] and is not intended to encourage our impenitency, but our repentance. God hath no where ſaid that he will be merciful to thoſe, who upon the ſcore of his mercy are bold with him, and preſume to offend him; but the mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and keep his covenant, and remember his commandments to do them. There is forgiveneſs with him, that he may be feared; but not that he may be deſpiſed and affronted. This is to contradict the very end of God's mercy, which is to lead us to repentance, to engage us to leave our ſins, not to encourage us to continue in them.

Take heed then of abuſing the mercy of God; we cannot provoke the juſtice of God more than by preſuming upon his mercy. This is the time of God's mercy, uſe this opportunity; if thou neglecteſt it, a day of juſtice and vengeance is coming; Rom. 2.4, 5. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leads to repentance? And treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God? Now is the manifeſtation of God's mercy; but there is a time a [Page] coming, when the righteous Judgment of God will be revealed againſt thoſe who abuſe his mercy, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth to repentance. To think that the goodneſs of God was intended for any other end than to take us off from ſin, is a groſs and affected ignorance that will ruin us; and they who draw any concluſion from the mercy of God, which may harden them in their ſins, they are ſuch as the Prophet ſpeaks of, Iſ. 27.11. A people of no underſtanding; therefore he that made them will not ſave them, and he that formed them will have no mercy on them. Mercy it ſelf will rejoyce in the ruin of thoſe that abuſe it, and it will aggravate their Condemnation. There is no perſon towards whom God will be more ſeverely juſt, than toward ſuch. The juſtice of God exaſperated, and ſet on by his injured and abuſed mercy, like a Razor ſet in Oyl, will have the keener edge, and be the ſharper for its ſmoothneſs. Thoſe that have made the mercy of God their Enemy, muſt expect the worſt his juſtice can do unto them.

SERMON VI.Vol VII. The Patience of God.

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2 PET. III.9.

The Lord is not ſlack concerning his Promiſe, as ſome Men count ſlackneſs; but is long-ſuffering, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance.

IN the beginning of this Chapter, the Apoſtle puts the Chriſtians, to whom he writes, in mind of the Predictions of the ancient Prophets, and of the Apoſtles of our Lord and Saviour, concerning the general Judgment of the World, which by many (and perhaps by the Apoſtles themſelves) had been thought to be very near, and that it would preſently follow the deſtruction of Jeruſalem; but [Page] he tells them, that before that, there would ariſe a certain Sect, or ſort of Men, that would deride the expectation of a future Judgment, deſigning probably the Carpocratians (a branch of that large Sect of the Gnoſticks) of whom St. Auſtin expreſsly ſays, ‘That they denied the Reſurrection, and conſequently a future Judgment.’ Theſe St. Peter calls Scoffers, v. 3, 4. Knowing this firſt, that there ſhall come in the laſt days ſcoffers, walking after their own luſts, and ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? The word is [...], which ſignifies a Declaration in general, whether it be by way of Promiſe or Threatning. What is become of that Declaration of Chriſt ſo frequently repeated in the Goſpel, concerning his coming to Judgment? For ſince the Fathers fell aſleep, or, ſaving that the Fathers are fallen aſleep, except only that Men die, and one Generation ſucceeds another, all things continue as they were from the creation of the world; that is, the World continues ſtill as it was from the beginning, and there is no ſign of any ſuch change and alteration as is foretold. To this he anſwers two things.

[Page]1. That theſe Scoffers, tho' they took themſelves to be Wits, did betray great Ignorance, both of the condition of the World, and of the nature of God. They talk'd very ignorantly concerning the World, when they ſaid, All things continued as they were from the Creation of it, when ſo remarkable a change had already hapned, as the deſtruction of it by Water; and therefore the Prediction concerning the deſtruction of it by Fire, before the great and terrible day of Judgment, was no ways incredible. And they ſhewed themſelves likewiſe very ignorant of the Perfection of the Divine Nature, to which, being eternally the ſame, a thouſand years and one day are all one; and if God make good his word ſome thouſand of Years hence, it will make no ſenſible difference, conſidering his eternal duration, it being no matter when a duration begins, which is never to have an end; v. 8. Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day. This, it ſeems, was a common ſaying among the Jews, to ſignifie, that to the Eternity of God, no finite duration bears any proportion; [Page] and therefore with regard to Eternity, it is all one whether it be a thouſand Years or one Day. The Pſalmiſt hath an Expreſſion much to the ſame purpoſe, Pſal. 90.4. For a thouſand years in thy ſight are but as yeſterday when it is paſt; and as a watch in the night. And the Son of Sirach likewiſe, Ecclus. 18.10. As a drop of water to the ſea, and as a grain of ſand to the ſea ſhore, ſo are a thouſand years to the days of eternity. The like Expreſſion we meet with in Heathen Writers; To the Gods no time is long, ſaith Pythagoras: And Plutarch, The whole ſpace of a Man's life to the Gods is as nothing. And in his excellent Diſcourſe of the ſlowneſs of the Divine Vengeance, (the very Argument St. Peter is here upon) he hath this Paſſage, That a thouſand, or ten thouſand years, are but as an indiviſible point to an infinite duration. And therefore when the Judgment is to be eternal, the delay of it, though it were for a thouſand Years, is an Objection of no force, againſt either the certainty, or the terror of it; for to Eternity, all time is equally ſhort; and it matters not when the puniſhment of Sinners begins, if it ſhall never have an end.

[Page]2. But becauſe the diſtance between the Declaration of a future Judgment, and the coming of it, tho' it be nothing to God, yet it ſeemed long to them; therefore he gives ſuch an account of it, as doth not in the leaſt impeach the truth and faithfulneſs of God, but is a clear argument and demonſtration of his goodneſs. Admitting what they ſaid to be true, that God delays Judgment for a great while, yet this gives no ground to conclude that Judgment will never be; but it ſhews the great goodneſs of God to ſinners, that he gives them ſo long a ſpace of repentace, that ſo they may prevent the terror of that day whenever it comes, and eſcape that dreadful ruin which will certainly overtake, ſooner or later, all impenitent ſinners; The Lord is not ſlack concerning his promiſe; that is, as to the Declaration which he hath made of a future Judgment, as ſome Men account ſlackneſs; That is, as if the delay of Judgment were an argument it would never come. This is a falſe inference from the delay of puniſhment, and an ill interpretation of the goodneſs of God to ſinners, who bears long with them, and delays Judgment, on purpoſe [Page] to give men time to repent, and by repentance to prevent their own eternal ruin; God is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs; but is long ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. In the handling of theſe words, I ſhall do theſe three things.

Firſt, I ſhall conſider the patience and long-ſuffering of God, as it is an Attribute and Perfection of the Divine Nature; God is long-ſuffering to us-ward.

Secondly, I ſhall ſhew, that the Patience of God, and the delay of Judgment, is no juſt ground why ſinners ſhould hope for Impunity, as the Scoffers, here foretold by the Apoſtle, argued, That becauſe our Lord delayeth his coming to Judgment ſo long, therefore he would never come; God is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs.

Thirdly, I will conſider the true Reaſon of God's Patience and long-ſuffering towards Mankind, which the Apoſtle here gives; He is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance.

[Page] Firſt, I will conſider the Patience and long-ſuffering of God towards Mankind, as it is an Attribute and Perfection of the Divine Nature; God is long-ſuffering to us-ward. In the handling of this, I ſhall do theſe three things.

I. I ſhall ſhew what is meant by the Patience and long-ſuffering of God.

II. That this is a Perfection of the Divine Nature.

III. I ſhall give ſome proof and demonſtration of the great Patience and long-ſuffering of God to Mankind.

I. What is meant by the Patience and long-ſuffering of God.

The Hebrew word ſignifies one that keeps his anger long, or that is long before he is angry. In the New Teſtament it is ſometimes expreſt by the word [...], which ſignifies God's forbearance and patient waiting for our repentance; ſome times by the word [...], which ſignifies God's holding in his wrath, and reſtraining himſelf from puniſhing; and ſometimes by [...], which ſignifies the extent of his patience, his long-ſuffering and forbearing [Page] for a long time the puniſhment due to ſinners.

So that the patience of God is his goodneſs to ſinners, in deferring or moderating the puniſhment due to them for their ſins; the deferring of deſerved puniſhment in whole or in part, which if it be extended to a long time, it is properly his long-ſuffering; and the moderating, as well as the deferring of the puniſhment due to ſin, is an inſtance likewiſe of God's patience; and not only the deferring and moderating of temporal puniſhment, but the adjourning of the eternal miſery of ſinners, is a principal inſtance of God's patience; ſo that the patience of God takes in all that ſpace of repentance which God affords to ſinners in this life; nay, all temporal judgments and afflictions which befal ſinners in this life, and are ſhort of cutting them off and turning them into Hell, are comprehended in the patience of God. Whenever God puniſheth, it is of his great mercy and patience that we are not conſumed, and becauſe his compaſſions fail not. I proceed to the

[Page]II. Thing I propoſed, which was to ſhew, that Patience is a Perfection of the Divine Nature.

It is not neceſſarily due to us, but it is due to the Perfection of the Divine Nature, and eſſentially belongs to it; it is a principal branch of God's goodneſs, which is the higheſt and moſt glorious Perfection of all other, and therefore we always find it in Scripture, in the company of God's milder and ſweeter Attributes. When God would give the moſt perfect deſcription of himſelf, and as he ſays to Moſes, make all his glory to paſs before us, he uſually does it by thoſe Attributes which declare his Goodneſs; and Patience is always one of them, Exod. 34.6. The Lord paſſed by before Moſes, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-ſuffering, abundant in goodneſs and truth. Pſal. 86.15. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compaſſion, and gracious, long ſuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Pſal. 103.8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, ſlow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. And the ſame you find, Pſal. 145.8 Jonah 4.2. Joel 2.13.

[Page]Sometimes indeed you find a ſeverer Attribute added to theſe, as that he will by no means clear the guilty, Exod. 34.7. But 'tis always put in the laſt place, to declare to us, that God's goodneſs, and mercy, and patience, are his firſt and primary Perfections; and it is only when theſe fail, and have no effect upon us, but are abuſed by us to the encouragement of our ſelves in an impenitent courſe, that his Juſtice takes place.

Nay, even among Men it is eſteemed a Perfection to be able to forbear and to reſtrain our anger; Paſſion is impotency and folly, but Patience is power and wiſdom; Prov. 14.29. He that is haſty of ſpirit exalteth folly; but he that is ſlow to wrath, is of great underſtanding. Prov. 16.32. He that is ſlow to wrath, is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his ſpirit, than he that conquereth a city. Rom. 12.21. Be not overcome of Evil: but overcome Evil with good. To be impatient is to be overcome, but to forbear anger and revenge is a victory. Patience is an argument of great power and command of our ſelves, and therefore God himſelf, who is the moſt powerful Being, is ſlow [Page] to anger, and of infinite patience; and nothing doth more declare the Power of God, than his Patience, that when he is provoked by ſuch vile and deſpicable Creatures as we are, he can withhold his hand from deſtroying us. This is the argument which Moſes uſeth Numb. 14.17, 18. that the Power of God, doth ſo eminently appear in his patience; And now, I pray thee, let the power of my Lord be great, as he hath ſpoken, ſaying, the Lord is gracious and long-ſuffering. And yet Power, where it is not reſtrained by wiſdom and goodneſs, is a great temptation to anger; becauſe where there is Power, there is ſomething to back it and make it good. And therefore the Pſalmiſt doth recommend and ſet off the Patience of God, from the conſideration of his Power; Pſal. 7.11. God is ſtrong and patient, God is provoked every day; God is ſtrong, and therefore patient; or he is infinitely patient, notwithſtanding his Almighty Power to revenge the daily provocations of his Creatures.

Among Men, anger and weakneſs commonly go together; but they are ill matched, as is excellently obſerved by the Son of Sirach, Ecclus. 10.18. [Page] Pride was not made for man, nor furious anger for him that is born of a woman. So that anger and impatience is every where unreaſonable. Where there is Power, impatience is below it, and a thing too mean for Omnipotency; and where there wants Power, anger is above it; it is too much for a weak and impotent Creature to be angry. Where there is Power, anger is needleſs and of no uſe; and where there is no Power, it is vain and to no purpoſe. So that Patience is every where a Perfection, both in God and Man. I proceed to the

III. Thing I propoſed, which was to give ſome proof and demonſtration of the great patience and long-ſuffering of God to Mankind. And this will evidently appear, if we conſider theſe two things.

1. How Men deal with God.

2. How, notwithſtanding this, God deals with them.

1. How Men deal with God. Every day we highly offend and provoke him, we grieve and weary him with our Iniquities, as the Expreſſion is in the Prophet, Iſa. 43.24. Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, thou [Page]haſt wearied me with thine iniquities. Every ſin that we commit, is an affront to the Divine Majeſty, and a contempt of his Authority. By denying ſubmiſſion to his Laws, we queſtion his Omnipreſence, and ſay, Doth God ſee? and is there knowledge in the moſt high? Or if we acknowledge his Omnipreſence, and that he regards what we do, the provocation is ſtill the greater, becauſe then we affront him to his face; we dare his Juſtice, and challenge his Omnipotency, and provoke the Lord to jealouſie, as if we were ſtronger than he.

Is not God patient, when the whole world lies in wickedneſs, and the earth is overſpread with violence, and is full of the habitations of cruelty? when he who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and is ſo highly offended at the ſins of Men, hath yet the patience to look upon them that deal treacherouſly, and to hold his peace? when the wicked perſecutes and devours the man that is more righteous than he? when even that part of the World which profeſſeth the Name of God and Chriſt, do by their vile and obominable lives, blaſpheme that holy and glorious name whereby they are called?

[Page]Every moment God hath greater injuries done to him, and more affronts put upon him, than were ever offered to all the Sons of Men; and ſurely provocations are tryals of patience, eſpecially when they are ſo numerous and ſo heinous; for if offences riſe according to the dignity of the perſon injured, and the meanneſs of him that doth the injury, then no offences are ſo great as thoſe that are committed by Men againſt God, no affronts like to thoſe which are offered to the Divine Majeſty by the continual provocations of his Creatures. And is not this an argument of God's patience, that the glorious Majeſty of Heaven ſhould bear ſuch multiplied indignities from ſuch vile Worms? that he who is the Former of all things, ſhould endure his own Creatures to rebel againſt him, and the work of his hands to ſtrike at him? that he who is our great Benefactor ſhould put up ſuch affronts from thoſe who depend upon his bounty, and are maintained at his charge? that he, in whoſe hands our breath is, ſhould ſuffer Men to breath out Oaths, and Curſes, and Blaſphemies againſt him? Surely theſe prove the patience [Page] of God to purpoſe, and are equally tryals and arguments of it.

2. The Patience of God will further appear, if we conſider how, notwithſtanding all this, God deals with us. He is patient to the whole World, in that he doth not turn us out of Being, and turn the wicked together into hell, with all the nations that forget God. He is patient to the greateſt part of Mankind, in that he makes but a few terrible Examples of his Juſtice, that others may hear and fear, and take warning by them. He is patient to particular perſons, in that, notwithſtanding our daily provocations, he prevents us daily with the bleſſings of his goodneſs, prolonging our lives, and vouchſafing ſo many favours to us, that by this great goodneſs we may be led to repentance.

But the Patience of God will more illuſtriouſly appear, if we conſider theſe following particulars, which are ſo many Evidences and Inſtances of it.

1. That God is not obliged to ſpare and forbear us at all. It is patience that he doth not ſurpriſe us in the very act of ſin, and let flye at us with a [Page] Thunder-bolt ſo ſoon as ever we have offended; that the wrath of God doth not fall upon the intemperate perſon, as it did upon the Iſraelites, whilſt the meat and drink is yet in their mouths; that a Man is not ſtruck dead or mad whilſt he is telling a Lye; that the Soul of the prophane and falſe Swearer does not expire with his Oaths and Perjuries.

2. That God ſpares us when it is in his power ſo eaſily to ruin us; when he can with one word command us out of Being, and by cutting aſunder one little thread, let us drop into Hell. If God were diſpoſed to ſeverity, he could deal with us after another manner; and as the expreſſion is in the Prophet, eaſe himſelf of his Adverſaries, and be avenged of his Enemies.

3. That God exerciſeth this patience to Sinners, flagrante bello, while they are up in Arms againſt him, and committing Hoſtilities upon him; he bears with us, even when we are challenging his Juſtice to puniſh us, and provoking his Power to deſtroy us.

[Page]4. That he is ſo very ſlow and unwilling to puniſh, and to inflict his Judgments upon us. As for eternal Puniſhments, God defers them a long while; and by all proper ways and means endeavours to prevent them, and to bring us to repentance. And as for thoſe temporal Judgments which God inflicts upon Sinners, he carries himſelf ſo, that we may plainly ſee all the ſigns of unwillingneſs that can be; he trys to prevent them, he is loth to ſet about this work; and when he does, it is with much reluctance; and then he is eaſily perſwaded and prevail'd withal not to do it; and when he does, he does it not rigorouſly, and to extremity; and he is ſoon taken off after he is engaged in it. All which are great inſtances and evidences of his wonderful patience to Sinners.

(1.) God's unwillingneſs to puniſh appears, in that he labours to prevent puniſhment; and that he may effectually do this, he endeavours to prevent ſin, the meritorious Cauſe of God's Judgments. To this end he hath threatened it with ſevere puniſhments, that the dread of them may make [Page] us afraid to offend; and if this will not do, he does not yet give us over, but gives us a ſpace of repentance, and invites us earneſtly to turn to him, and thereby to prevent his Judgments; he expoſtulates with Sinners, and reaſons the caſe with them, as if he were more concerned not to puniſh, than they are not to be puniſhed; and thus by his earneſt deſire of our repentance, he ſhews how little he deſires our ruine.

(2.) He is long before he goes about this work. Judgment is in Scripture call'd his ſtrange work; as if he were not acquainted with it, and hardly knew how to go about it on the ſudden. He is repreſented as not prepared for ſuch a work, Deut. 32.41. If I whet my glittering Sword; as if the Inſtruments of Puniſhment were not ready for us. Nay, by a ſtrange kind of condeſcention to our Capacities, and to ſet forth to us the patience of God, and his ſlowneſs to wrath, after the manner of Men, he is repreſented as keeping out of the way, that he may not be tempted to deſtroy us; Exod. 33.2, 3. where he tells Moſes, that he would ſend an Angel before them, but [Page]I will not go up in the midſt of thee, leſt I conſume thee in the way.

At works of Mercy he is very ready and forward. When Daniel prayed for the deliverance of the People of Iſrael out of Captivity, the Angel tells him, that at the beginning of his ſupplication, the commandment came forth, to bring him a promiſe of their deliverance. The mercy of God many times prevents our Prayers, and outruns our Wiſhes and Deſires: but when he comes to affliction, he takes time to do it; he paſſeth by many provocations, and waits long in expectation, that by our repentance we will prevent his Judgments; he hearkned and heard (ſaith God in the Prophet Jeremiah) but they ſpake not aright, no man repented him of his wickedneſs, ſaying, What have I done? He is repreſented as waiting and liſtning, to hear if any penitent word would drop from them; he gives the Sinner time to repent and reflect upon his actions, and to conſider what he hath done, and ſpace to reaſon himſelf into repentance. For this reaſon the Judgments of God do often follow the ſins of Men at a great diſtance, otherwiſe he could eaſily [Page] make them mend their pace, and conſume us in a moment.

(3.) When he goes about this work, he does it with much reluctance, Amos 11.8, 9. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? mine heart is turned within me, and my repentings are kindled together. He is repreſented as making many eſſays and offers before he came to it. Pſal. 106.26. Many a time lifted he up his hand in the wilderneſs to deſtroy them. He made as if he would do it, and let fall his hand again, as if he could not find in his heart to be ſo ſevere. God witholds his Judgments till he is weary of holding in, as the Expreſſion is, Jer. 6.11. till he can forbear no longer. Jer. 44.22. So that the Lord could no longer bear, becauſe of the evil of your doings, and becauſe of the abominations, which ye have committed.

(4.) God is eaſily prevailed upon not to puniſh. When he ſeemed reſolved upon it, to deſtroy the murmuring Iſraelites, yet how often, at the interceſſion of Moſes, did he turn away his wrath? That he will accept of very low terms to ſpare a very wicked People, appears by the inſtance of Sodom, where if there had been but ten righteous[Page]perſons, he would not have deſtroyed them for the ten's ſake. Yea, when his truth ſeemed to have been pawn'd, (at leaſt in the apprehenſion of his Prophet) yet even then repentance took him off, as in the caſe of Nineveh. Nay, how glad is he to be thus prevented! with what joy does he tell the Prophet the news of Ahab's humiliation! Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf? Becauſe he humbleth himſelf, I will not bring the evil in his days.

(5.) When he puniſheth, he does it very ſeldom rigorouſly, and to extremity, not ſo much as we deſerve; Pſal. 103.10. He hath not dealt with us after our ſins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Nor ſo much as he can; he doth not let looſe the fierceneſs of his anger, nor pour forth all his wrath; Pſal. 78.38. Being full of compaſſion, he forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not; yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not ſtir up all his wrath.

(6.) After he hath begun to puniſh, and is ingaged in the work, he is not hard to be taken off. There is a famous inſtance of this, 2. Sam. 24. when God had ſent three days Peſtilence upon [Page] Iſrael for David's ſin in numbring the People, and at the end of the third day, the Angel of the Lord had ſtretched forth his hand over Jeruſalem to deſtroy it, upon the Prayer of David, it is ſaid, that the Lord repented of the evil, and ſaid to the Angel that deſtroyed, It is enough, ſtay now thine hand. Nay, ſo ready is God to be taken off from this work, that he ſets a high value upon thoſe who ſtand in the gap to turn away his wrath; Numb. 25.11, 12, 13. Phinehas, the ſon of Eleazar, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Iſrael, that I conſumed them not in my jealouſie; wherefore behold I give unto him my covenant of peace, and to his ſeed after him, becauſe he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Iſrael. That which God values in this action of Phinehas, next to his zeal for him, is, that he turned away his wrath, and made an atonement for the Children of Iſrael.

5. and Laſtly, The patience of God will yet appear with further advantage, if we conſider ſome eminent and remarkable Inſtances of it; which are ſo much the more conſiderable, becauſe they are inſtances, not only of [Page] God's patience extended to a long time, but to a great many perſons. The long-ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah upon the whole World, as is probably conjectured, for the ſpace of an hundred and twenty years. God bore with the People of Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, after they had tempted him ten times, for the ſpace of forty Years; Acts 13.18. And about the ſpace of forty years ſuffered he their manners in the Wilderneſs. And this inſtance of God's patience will be the more remarkable, if we compare it with the great impatience of that People; if they did but want Fleſh or Water, they were out of patience with God; when Moſes was in the Mount with God but forty days, they preſently fall to make new Gods; they had not the patience of forty days, and yet God bore their manners forty years. God had ſpared Niniveh for ſome Ages, and when his patience was even expired, and he ſeems to have paſt a final Sentence upon it, yet he grants a Reprieve for forty days, that they might ſue out their Pardon in that time, and they did ſo; they turned from their evil ways, and God turned [Page]from the evil he ſaid he would do to them, and he did it not.

But the moſt remarkable inſtance of God's long-ſuffering is to the Jews, if we conſider it with all the circumſtances of it; after they had rejected the Son of God, notwithſtanding the purity of his Doctrine, and the power of his Miracles; after they had unjuſtly condemned, and cruelly murdered the Lord of life, yet the patience of God reſpited the ruin of that People forty Years.

Beſides all theſe, there are many inſtances of God's patience to particular Perſons; but it were endleſs to enumerate theſe; every one of us may be an inſtance to our ſelves of God's long-ſuffering.

I ſhall only add, as a further advantage to ſet off the patience of God to Sinners, that his forbearance is ſo great, that he hath been complained of for it by his own Servants. Job, who was ſo patient a Man himſelf, thought much at it; Job 21.7, 8. Wherefore doth the wicked live, yea, become old? Their ſeed is eſtabliſht in their ſight, and their poſterity before their eyes. Jonah challengeth God for it, Ch. 4.2. [Page] Was not this that which I ſaid when I was yet in my own country? and therefore I fled before unto Tarſhiſh, becauſe I knew thou art a gracious God, and merciful, ſlow to anger, &c. Jonah had obſerved God to be ſo prone to this, that he was loth to be ſent upon his Meſſage, leaſt God ſhould diſcredit his Prophet, in not being ſo good (ſhall I ſay) ſo ſevere as his word.

I have done with the firſt thing I propoſed to ſpeak to, viz. The great patience and long-ſuffering of God to Mankind.

SERMON VII.Vol. VII. The Patience of God.

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2 PET. III.9.

The Lord is not ſlack concerning his Promiſe, as ſome Men count ſlackneſs; but is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance.

I Have made entrance into theſe words, in the handling of which, I propos'd to do theſe three things.

Firſt, To conſider the patience and long-ſuffering of God, as it is an Attribute and Perfection of the Divine Nature; God is long ſuffering to us-ward.

Secondly, To ſhew that the Patience of God, and the delay of his Judgment, is no juſt ground why Sinners [Page] ſhould hope for impunity; God is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs.

Thirdly, To conſider the true reaſon of God's patience and long-ſuffering towards Mankind; He is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. I have already ſpoken to the

Firſt of theſe, namely, The patience and long-ſuffering of God, as it is an Attribute and Perfection of the Divine Nature. I proceed now to the

Second thing I propoſed, namely, To ſhew that the Patience of God, and the delay of Judgment, is no juſt ground why Sinners ſhould hope for impunity; God is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs; that is, as the Scoffers here mentioned by the Apoſtle, did ignorantly and maliciouſly reaſon, that becauſe our Lord delayed his coming to Judgment ſo long, therefore he would never come.

There was indeed ſome pretence for this Objection, becauſe the Chriſtians did generally apprehend, that the day of Judgment was very near, and that it would immediately follow [Page] the deſtruction of Jeruſalem; and it ſeems the Diſciples themſelves were of that perſwaſion before our Saviour's death, when our Saviour diſcourſing to them of the deſtruction of the Temple, they put theſe two queſtions to him, Mat. 24.3. And as he ſat upon the mount of Olives, the diſciples came unto him privately, ſaying, When ſhall theſe things be? and what ſhall be the ſign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? When ſhall theſe things be? That is, the things he had been ſpeaking of immediately before, viz. the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and the diſſolution of the Temple; that is plainly the meaning of the firſt queſtion, to which they ſubjoined another, And what ſhall be the ſign of thy coming? that is to Judgment; and of the end of the world? which in all probability, was added to the former; becauſe they ſuppoſed that the one was preſently to follow the other, and therefore the ſame anſwer would ſerve them both; and it appears by our Saviour's anſwer, that he was not concerned to rectifie them in this miſtake, which might be of good uſe to them, both to make them more zealous to propagate the Goſpel, ſince [Page] there was like to be ſo little time for it; and likewiſe to wean their affections from this World, which they thought to be ſo near an end.

One thing indeed our Saviour ſays, which (had they not been prepoſſeſt with another Opinion) does ſufficiently intimate that there might be a conſiderable ſpace of time, betwixt the deſtruction of Jeruſalem and the day of Judgment; and this we find only in St. Luke, Ch. 21.24. where ſpeaking of the Miſeries and Calamities that ſhould come upon the Jews, he ſays, They ſhall fall by the edge of the ſword, and be carried into captivity into all nations; and Jeruſalem ſhall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. So that here were a great many Events foretold, betwixt the deſtruction of Jeruſalem and the end of the World, the accompliſhment whereof might take up a great deal of time, as appears by the Event of things, Jeruſalem being at this day ſtill trodden down by the Gentiles, and the Jews ſtill continuing diſperſt over the world: but the Diſciples it ſeems did not much mind this, being carryed away with a prejudicate conceit that [Page] the end of the World would happen before the end of that Age; in which they were much confirmed, by what our Saviour, after his Reſurrection, ſaid of St. John, upon occaſion of Peter's queſtion concerning him; John 21.21, 22. Lord, what ſhall this man do? Jeſus ſaith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Upon which words of our Saviour concerning him, St. John himſelf adds, v. 23. Then went this ſaying abroad among the brethren, that that diſciple ſhould not die, that is, that he ſhould live till the coming of our Lord, and then be taken up with him into Heaven; from all which they probably (as they thought) concluded, that the day of Judgment would happen before the end of that Age, whilſt St. John was alive; but St. John, who writ laſt of all the Evangeliſts (as Euſebius tells us) and lived till after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, as he acquaints us with this miſtake, which was currant among the Chriſtians, ſo he takes care to rectifie it, telling us, That Jeſus ſaid not, he ſhould not die; but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? He tells us, that our [Page] Saviour did not affirm that he ſhould not die; but to repreſs St Peter's Curioſity, he ſays, If it were my pleaſure that he ſhould not die at all, but live till I come to Judgment, what is that to thee? And St. Peter likewiſe (or whoever was the Author of this ſecond Epiſtle, or at leaſt of this third Chapter, which ſeems to be a new Epiſtle by it ſelf) takes notice of this miſtake, about the nearneſs of the day of Judgment, as that which gave occaſion to theſe Scoffers to deride the expectation of a future Judgment among the Chriſtians, becauſe they had been already deceived about the time of it; and this the Scoffers twitted them with in that Queſtion, Where is the promiſe of his coming? And therefore the learned Grotius conjectures very probably, that this laſt Epiſtle (contained in the third Chapter) was written after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, which was the time fixt for Chriſt's coming to Judgment, and therefore there could be no ground for this Scoff till after that time. St. Peter indeed did not live ſo long, and therefore Grotius thinks, that this Epiſtle was writ by Simeon, or Simon, [Page] who was Succeſſor of St. James, in the Biſhoprick of Jeruſalem, and lived to the time of Trajan.

I have been the longer in giving an account of this, that we might underſtand where the ground and force of this Scoff lay; namely in this, That becauſe the Chriſtians had generally been very confident, that the coming of Chriſt to Judgment would be preſently after the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and were now found to be deceived in that, therefore there was no regard to be had at all to their expectation of a future Judgment; becauſe they might be deceiv'd in that, as well as in the other.

But herein they argued very falſly, becauſe our Saviour had poſitively and peremptorily foretold his coming to Judgment, but had never fixt and determined the time of it; nay, ſo far was he from that, that he had plainly told his Diſciples, that the preciſe time of the day of Judgment God had reſerved as a Secret to himſelf, which he had not imparted to any, no, not to the Angels in Heaven, nor to the Son himſelf; Mark 13.32, 33. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, [Page]no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. So that if they preſumed to make any conjectures about the time when the day of Judgment would be, they did it without any Warrant from our Lord; it was great preſumption in them to determine the time of it, when our Saviour had ſo expreſly told them, that the Father had reſerved this as a Secret, which he had never communicated to any, and therefore if they were miſtaken about it, it was no wonder. But their miſtake in this, was no prejudice to the truth of our Saviour's clear Prediction of a future Judgment, without any determination of the time of it, for that might be at ſome thouſands of Years diſtance, and yet be certain for all that; and the delay of it was no ſign of the uncertainty of our Saviour's Prediction concerning it, but only of God's great Patience and long-ſuffering to Sinners, in expectation of their Repentance; God is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs, but is long-ſuffering to us-ward. And this brings me to the

[Page] Third, and laſt Particular in the Text, namely, The true Reaſon of God's Patience and long-ſuffering to Mankind; He is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. And for this St. Peter cites St. Paul, v. 15th of this Chapter; And account that the long-ſuffering of the Lord is ſalvation, that is, that the great End and Deſign of God's goodneſs and long-ſuffering to Sinners, is that they may repent and be ſaved; Account that the long-ſuffering of our Lord is ſalvation, even as our beloved brother Paul alſo, according to the wiſdom given unto him, hath written unto you. Now theſe words are not expreſly found in St. Paul's Writings; but the Senſe and Effect of them is, viz. in Rom. 2.4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? God hath a very gracious and merciful deſign in his Patience to Sinners; he is good, that he may make us ſo, and that his goodneſs may lead us to repentance; he defers Puniſhment on purpoſe, that he may give Men time to bethink themſelves, [Page] and to return to a better Mind; He winks at the ſins of men, that they may repent, ſays the Son of Sirach. The Patience of God aims at the cure and recovery of thoſe, who are not deſperately and reſolutely wicked.

This is the primary End and Intention of God's Patience to Sinners; and if he fail of this End through our hardneſs and impenitency, he hath other Ends which he will infallibly attain. He will hereby glorifie the riches of his Mercy, and vindicate the righteouſneſs of his Juſtice; the damned in Hell ſhall acknowledge, that the Patience of God was great Mercy and Goodneſs to them, tho' they abuſed it; for God does not loſe the glory of his Patience, tho' we loſe the benefit of it, and he will make it ſubvervient to his Juſtice one way or other. Thoſe great Offenders whom he ſpares, after there are no hopes of their amendment, he many times makes uſe of, as Inſtruments for the puniſhing of others, as rods of his wrath for the diſcipline of the world; and he often reſerves thoſe who are incorrigibly bad for a more remarkable ruin. But however, they are reſerved to [Page] the Judgment of the great Day; and if after God hath exerciſed much Patience towards Sinners in this World, he inflict Puniſhment on them in the next, it muſt be acknowledg'd to be moſt juſt; for what can he do leſs, than to condemn thoſe who would not be ſaved, and to make them miſerable, who ſo obſtinately refuſed to be happy?

Before I come to apply this Diſcourſe concerning the Patience and long-ſuffering of God to Sinners, I muſt remove an Objection or two.

I. The Severity of God to ſome Sinners in this Life, and to all impenitent Sinners in the next, ſeems to contradict what hath been ſaid concerning God's Patience and long-ſuffering.

As for the ſeverity of God towards impenitent Sinners in the next Life, this doth not at all contradict the Patience of God, becauſe the very nature of Patience, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, does ſuppoſe a determinate time, and that they will not laſt always; this Life is the day of God's Patience, and in the next World his Juſtice and Severity will take place. [Page] And therefore the puniſhment of Sinners in another World, after God hath tryed them in this, and expected their Repentance, is no ways contrary to his Patience and Goodneſs, and very agreeable to his Wiſdom and Juſtice; for it is no part of Goodneſs, to ſee it ſelf perpetually abuſed; it is not Patience, but ſtupidity and inſenſibleneſs, to endure to be always trampled upon, and to bear to have his holy and juſt Laws for ever deſpiſed and contemned.

And as for his Severity to ſome Sinners in this Life; as to Lot's Wife, to the Iſraelites that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath-day, to Nadab and Abihu, to Ʋzza, to Ananias and Sapphira, and to Herod Agrippa; in all which Inſtances God ſeems to have made quick work, and to have executed Judgment ſpeedily; to theſe I anſwer, That this Severity of God to ſome few, doth rather magnify his Patience to the reſt of Mankind; he may be ſevere to ſome few, for Example and warning to many, that they may learn to make better uſe of his Patience, and not to treſpaſs ſo boldly upon it; and perhaps he hath exerciſed much Patience already [Page] towards thoſe, to whom at laſt he is ſo ſevere; as is plain in the caſe of Herod, and it may well be ſuppoſed in moſt of the other Inſtances; or elſe the Sin ſo ſuddenly and ſeverely puniſht, was very heinous and preſumptuous, of a contagious and ſpreading nature, and of dangerous Example. Lot's Wife ſinned very preſumptuouſly againſt an expreſs and an eaſie Command, and whilſt God was taking care of her deliverance in a very extraordinary manner. That of Nadab and Abihu, and of the Man that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath-day, were preſently after the giving of the Law; in which caſe great ſeverity is neceſſary; and that of Ananias and Sapphira, at the firſt publiſhing of the Goſpel, that the Majeſty of the Divine Spirit, and the Authority of the firſt publiſhers of it might not be contemned. That of Ʋzza was upon the return of the Ark of God from among the Philiſtines, that the People might not loſe their reverence for it after it had been taken Captive; ſo that theſe neceſſary Severities to a few, in compariſon of thoſe many that are warned by them, are rather Arguments of [Page] God's Patience, than Objections againſt it.

II. It is objected, That if God do not deſire the ruin of Sinners, but their repentance, whence comes it to paſs, that all are not brought to repentance? for who hath reſiſted his Will? To this I anſwer.

1. That there is no doubt but God is able to do this. He can, if he pleaſeth, conquer and reclaim the moſt obſtinate Spirits; he is able out of ſtones to raiſe up children unto Abraham. And ſometimes he exerts his Omnipotence herein, as in the Converſion of St. Paul, in a kind of violent and irreſiſtible manner: but he hath no where declared, that he will do this to all; and we ſee plainly in experience, that he does not do it.

2. God may very well be ſaid, not to be willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, when he does on his part what is ſufficient to that end; and upon this ground, the Scripture every where repreſents God as deſiring the repentance of Sinners, and their obedience to his Laws; Deut. 5.29. O that there were ſuch a heart in them, that they would fear me, [Page]and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them! So Jer. 13.27. O Jeruſalem, wilt thou not be made clean? when ſhall it once be? Iſ. 5.3, 4. we find God there ſolemnly appealing to the People of Iſrael, whether there had been any thing wanting on his part that was fit to be done; And now, O inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? wherefore when I looked it ſhould bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? God may juſtly look for the Fruits of Repentance and Obedience from thoſe, to whom he affords a ſufficiency of Means to that End. And if ſo, then

3. The true Reaſon why Men do not repent, but periſh, is becauſe they are obſtinate, and will not repent; and this account the Scripture every where gives of the impenitency of Men, and the ruin conſequent upon it. Pſal. 81.13. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my ſtatutes! But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me. Ezek. 33.11. Why will [Page]ye dye, O houſe of Iſrael? Prov. 1.29, 30, 31. They hated knowledge, and did not chuſe the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counſels, they deſpiſed all my reproof. Therefore ſhall they eat the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices. The ruin of Sinners does not proceed from the counſel of God; but from their own choice. And ſo likewiſe our Saviour every where chargeth the ruin and deſtruction of the Jews upon their own wilful obſtinacy.

The Inferences from this Diſcourſe concerning the Patience and long-ſuffering of God towards Mankind, ſhall be theſe three.

I. To ſtir us up to a thankful acknowledgment of the great Patience of God towards us, notwithſtanding our manifold and heinous provocations. We may every one of us take to our ſelves thoſe words, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions fail not. They are renewed every morning. When ever we ſin (and we provoke God every day) it is of his Patience that we are not deſtroyed; and when we ſin again, this is a new and greater Inſtance [Page] of God's Patience. The mercies of God's Patience are no more to be numbred than our ſins; we may ſay with David, How great is the ſum of them? The goodneſs of God in ſparing us, is in ſome reſpect greater than his goodneſs in creating us; becauſe he had no provocation not to make us, but we provoke him daily to deſtroy us.

II. Let us propound the Patience of God for a pattern to our ſelves. Plutarch ſays, ‘That God ſets forth himſelf in the midſt of the World for our Imitation, and propounds to us the Example of his Patience, to teach us not to revenge Injuries haſtily upon one another.’

III. Let us comply with the deſign of God's Patience and long-ſuffering towards us, which is to bring us to repentance. Men are very apt to abuſe it to a quite contrary purpoſe, to the encouraging themſelves in their evil ways. So Solomon obſerves, Eccl. 8.11. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil: But this is very falſe reaſoning; for the Patience of God is an enemy [Page] to ſin, as well as his Juſtice, and the deſign of it is not to countenance ſin, but to convert the Sinner; Rom. 2.4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? Patience in God ſhould produce Repentance in us; and we ſhould look upon it as an opportunity given us by God to repent and be ſaved; 2 Pet. 3.15. Account that the long-ſuffering of God is ſalvation. They that do not improve the Patience of God to their own Salvation, miſtake the true meaning and intent of it. But many are ſo far from making this uſe of it, that they preſume upon it, and ſin with more courage and confidence becauſe of it; but that we may be ſenſible of the danger of this, I will offer theſe two or three Conſiderations.

1. That nothing is more provoking to God, than the abuſe of his Patience. God's Patience waits for our Repentance, and all long attendance, even of Inferiors upon their Superiors, hath ſomething in it that is grievous; how much more grievous and provoking muſt it be to the great God, after he [Page] hath laid out upon us all the riches of his Goodneſs and long-ſuffering, to have that deſpiſed! after his Patience hath waited a long time upon us, not only to be thruſt away with contempt, but to have that which ſhould be an argument to us to leave our ſins, abuſed into an encouragement to continue in them! God takes an account of all the days of his Patience and forbearance; Luke 13.7. Behold, theſe three years I come ſeeking fruit, and find none; cut it down; why cumbreth it the ground?

2. Conſider that the Patience of God will have an end. Tho' God ſuffers long, he will not ſuffer always; we may provoke God ſo long, till he can forbear no longer without injury and diſhonour to his Wiſdom, and Juſtice, and Holineſs; and God will not ſuffer one Attribute to wrong the reſt; his Wiſdom will determine the length of his Patience; when his Patience is to no purpoſe, when there is no hopes of our amendment, his Wiſdom will then put a period to it; then the Patience of his Mercy will determine. How often would I have gathered you, and you would not? therefore your houſe is left [Page]unto you deſolate. And the Patience of God's Judgments will then determine. Why ſhould they be ſmitten any more? they will revolt more and more. Yea, Patience it ſelf, after a long and fruitleſs expectation, will expire. A Sinner may continue ſo long impenitent, till the Patience of God, as I may ſay, grows impatient, and then our ruin will make haſte, and deſtruction will come upon us in a moment. If Men will not come to repentance, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, as it follows in the next Verſe after the Text; the Judgment of God will ſuddenly ſurprize thoſe who will not be gained by his Patience.

3. Conſider that nothing will more haſten and aggravate our ruin, than the abuſe of God's Patience. All this time of God's Patience, his Wrath is coming towards us, and the more we preſume upon it, the ſooner it will overtake us; Luke 12.45, 46. The wicked ſervant, who ſaid his Lord delayed his coming, and fell to rioting and drunkenneſs, our Saviour tells us, That the Lord of that ſervant will come in a day when he looks not for him.

[Page]And it will aggravate our ruin; the longer puniſhment is a coming the heavier it will be; thoſe things which are long in preparation, are terrible in execution; the weight of God's wrath will make amends for the ſlowneſs of it, and the delay of Judgment will be fully recompenſed in the dreadfulneſs of it when it comes.

Let all thoſe conſider this who go on in their ſin, and are deaf to the voice of God's Patience, which calls upon them every moment of their lives. There is a day of Vengeance a coming upon thoſe who trifle away this day of God's Patience; nothing will ſooner and more inflame the wrath and diſpleaſure of God againſt us, than his abuſed Patience, and the deſpiſed riches of his Goodneſs. As Oyl, tho' it be ſoft and ſmooth, yet when it is once inflamed, burns moſt fiercely; ſo the Patience of God, when it is abuſed, turns into Fury, and his mildeſt Attributes into the greateſt Severities.

And if the Patience of God do not bring us to Repentance, it will but prepare us for a more intolerable ruin. After God hath kept a long indignation [Page] in his Breaſt, it will at length break forth with the greater violence. The Patience of God increaſeth his Judgments by an incredible kind of proportion; Levit 26.18. And if you will ſtill (ſays God to the People of Iſrael) walk contrary to me, and if ye will not be reformed by all theſe things, I will puniſh you yet ſeven times more. And v. 27. I will bring ſeven times more plagues upon you, according to your ſins. At firſt God's Juſtice accuſeth Sinners; but after a long time of Patience, his Mercy comes in againſt us, and inſtead of ſtaying his hand, adds weight to his blows; Rom. 9.22. What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction. They, upon whom the Patience of God hath no good effect, are veſſels of wrath, preapred and fitted for deſtruction. If ever God diſplay his wrath, and make his anger known, he will do it in the moſt ſevere manner upon thoſe who have deſpiſed and abuſed his Patience; for theſe, in a more peculiar manner, do treaſure up for themſelves wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

[Page]To conclude, Let us all take a review of our lives, and conſider how long the Patience of God hath waited upon us, and born with us; with ſome twenty, forty, perhaps ſixty Years, and longer. Do we not remember how God ſpared us in ſuch a danger, when we gave our ſelves for loſt? and how he recovered us in ſuch a ſickneſs, when the Phyſician gave us up for gone? and what uſe we made of this Patience and long-ſuffering of God towards us? It is the worſt temper in the World, not to be melted by kindneſs, not to be obliged by benefits, not to be tamed by gentle uſage. He that is not wrought upon, neither by the patience of his Mercy, nor by the patience of his Judgments, his caſe is deſperate and paſt remedy. Conſider this all ye that forget God, left his Patience turn into Fury; for God is not ſlack, as ſome men count ſlackneſs; but long-ſuffering to ſinners, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance.

SERMON VIII.Vol. VII. The Long-ſuffering of God.

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ECCLES. VIII.11.

Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil.

NOthing is more evident, than that the world lies in wickedneſs, and that iniquity every where abounds; and yet nothing is more certain, than that God will not acquit the guilty, and let ſin go unpuniſhed. All Men, excepting thoſe who have offer'd notorious violence to the light of their own Minds, and have put the candle of the Lord, which is in them, under a buſhel, do believe, that there is a God in the World, to [Page] whoſe holy Nature and Will ſin is perfectly contrary, who loves righteouſneſs and hates iniquity, that his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he ſeeth all his goings, that there is no darkneſs nor ſhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelves. All Men, except thoſe whoſe Conſciences are ſeared, as it were with a hot Iron, are convinc'd of the difference of good and evil, and that it is not all one whether men ſerve God or ſerve him not, do well, or live wickedly. Every Man from his inward Senſe and Experience is ſatisfied of his own Liberty, and that God lays upon Men no neceſſity of ſinning, but that when ever we do amiſs, it is our own act, and we chuſe to do ſo; and ſo far is he from giving the leaſt countenance to ſin, that he hath given all imaginable diſcouragement to it, by the moſt ſevere and terrible threatnings, ſuch as one would think ſufficient to deter Men for ever from it, and to drive it out of the World; and to make his Threatnings the more awful and effectual, his Providence hath not been wanting to give remarkable Inſtances of his Juſtice and Severity upon notorious Offenders, even [Page] in this life: and yet for all this, Men do and will ſin; nay, they are zealouſly ſet and bent upon it.

Now here is the wonder; what it is that gives ſinners ſuch heart, and makes them ſo reſolute and undaunted in ſo dangerous a courſe. Solomon gives us this account of it, becauſe the Puniſhments and Judgments of God follow the ſins of Men ſo ſlowly, and are long before they overtake the ſinner, Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the hearts of the ſons of men are fully ſet in them to do evil.

The ſcope of the wiſe Man's diſcourſe is this, That by reaſon of God's forbearance and long-ſuffering toward ſinners in this life, 'tis not ſo eaſie to diſcern the difference between them and other Men; this life is the day of God's Patience, but the next will be a day of retribution and recompence. Now becauſe God doth defer and moderate the puniſhment of ſinners in this World, and reſerve the weight of his Judgments to the next, becauſe through the long-ſuffering of God many great ſinners live and dye without any remarkable teſtimony [Page] of God's wrath and diſpleaſure againſt them, therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully ſet in them to do evil.

If we render the Text word for word from the Original, it runs thus, Becauſe nothing is done as a recompence to an evil work, therefore the hearts of the ſons of men are full in them to do evil; that is, becauſe Men are not oppoſed and contradicted in their evil ways, becauſe Divine Juſtice doth not preſently check and controul ſinners, becauſe ſentence is not immediately paſt upon them, and judgment executed, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is full in them to do evil, that is, therefore Men grow bold and preſumptuous in ſin; for the Hebrew word which we render, is fully ſet in them, we find Eſth. 7.5. where Ahaſhuerus ſays concerning Haman, Who is he? and where is he, that durſt preſume in his heart to do ſo? Whoſe heart was full to do ſo, Fervet in iis cor filiorum hominum; ſo ſome render it, the hearts of men boil with wickedneſs, are ſo full of it, that it works over. Men are reſolute in an evil courſe, their hearts are ſtrengthened and hardened in them to do evil, ſo others [Page] tranſlate the words. The Tranſlation of the LXX is very emphatical, [...], the heart of the ſons of men is fully perſwaded and aſſured to do evil. All theſe Tranſlations agree in the main ſcope and ſenſe, viz. That ſinners are very apt to preſume upon the long-ſuffering of God, and to abuſe it, to the hardning and encouraging of themſelves in their evil ways. In the handling of this, I ſhall

Firſt, Briefly ſhew that it is ſo.

Secondly, Whence this comes to paſs, and upon what pretences and colours of reaſon, Men encourage themſelves in ſin, from the Patience of God.

Thirdly, I ſhall endeavour to anſwer an Objection about this matter.

Firſt, That Men are very apt to abuſe the long-ſuffering of God, to the encouraging and hardning of themſelves in an evil courſe, the experience of the World in all Ages does give abundant teſtimony. Thus it was with the old World, when the long-ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while he was preparing an Ark, for the ſpace of a hundred and twenty years, 1 Pet. 3.20. For the wickedneſs of Man, which [Page] was great upon the Earth, a general deluge was threatned, but God was patient, and delayed his Judgment a great while; hereupon they grew ſecure in their impenitency, and went on in their courſe, as if they had no apprehenſion of danger, no fear of the Judgment threatned. So our Saviour tells us, Matth. 24.38, 39. As in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entred into the Ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. And ſo it was with Sodom, Luke 17.28. And likewiſe alſo as it was in the days of Lot, they eat, they drank, they bought, they ſold, they planted, they built. And ſo our Saviour tells us it will be in the end of the World; Even thus ſhall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. So likewiſe the Apoſtle St. Paul, Rom. 2.4, 5. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. The goodneſs [Page] and long-ſuffering of God, which ought in all reaſon to lead Men to repentance, is to many an occaſion of greater hardneſs and impenitency. So alſo St. Peter foretels, 2 Pet. 3.3. that in the laſt days there ſhould come ſcoffers, who ſhould walk after their own hearts luſts, ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? And we ſee in daily experience, that the greateſt part of ſinners grow more obſtinate and confirmed in their wicked ways, upon account of God's Patience, and becauſe he delays the puniſhment due to them for their ſins. Let us conſider in the

Second place, whence this comes to paſs, and upon what pretence and colour of Reaſon, Men encourage themſelves in ſin, from the long-ſuffering of God. And there is no doubt but this proceeds from our ignorance and inconſiderateneſs, and from an evil heart of unbelief, from the temptation and ſuggeſtion of the Devil, one of whoſe great arts it is, to make Men queſtion the threatnings of God, and to inſinuate, as he did to our firſt Parents, either that he hath not denounced ſuch threatnings, or that he will [Page] not execute them ſo ſeverely. All theſe Cauſes do concur to the producing this monſtrous Effect; but that which I deſign to enquire into, is, from what pretence of Reaſon, grounded upon the long-ſuffering of God, ſinners argue themſelves into this confidence and preſumption. For when the wiſe Man ſaith, that becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil, he does not intend to inſinuate, that God's long-ſuffering fills the hearts of Men with wicked deſigns and reſolutions, and does by a proper and direct efficacy, harden ſinners in their courſe; but that wicked Men upon ſome account or other, do take occaſion from the long-ſuffering of God, to harden themſelves in ſin; they draw falſe concluſions from it to impoſe upon themſelves, as if it were really a ground of encouragement; they think they ſee ſomething in the forbearance of God and his delay of puniſhment, which makes them hope for impunity in an evil courſe, notwithſtanding the threatnings of God.

[Page]And therefore I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, what thoſe falſe concluſions are, which wicked Men draw from the delay of puniſhment, and to diſcover the ſophiſtry and fallacy of them; and I ſhall rank them under two Heads; thoſe which are more groſs and atheiſtical, and thoſe which are not ſo groſs, but yet more common and frequent.

I. Thoſe concluſions which are more groſs and atheiſtical, which bad Men draw to the hardening and encourageing of themſelves in ſin, from the delay of puniſhment (which we who believe a God, call the patience or long-ſuffering of God) are theſe three; either that there is no God; or if there be, that there is no Providence; or that there is no difference between Good and Evil.

I ſhall ſpeak more briefly of theſe, becauſe I hope there are but few in the World of ſuch irregular and beſotted underſtandings, as to make ſuch Inferences as theſe from the delay of puniſhment.

1ſt. From hence ſome would fain conclude, that there is no God. That ſome are ſo abſurd as to reaſon in this [Page] manner, the Scripture tells us, Pſal. 14.1. The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God: they are corrupt, and have done abominable works. Now the Argument that theſe Men frame to themſelves, is this; God doth not take a ſpeedy courſe with ſinners, and revenge himſelf immediately upon the workers of Iniquity, therefore there is no God; for if there were, he would ſhew himſelf, and not bear the affronts of ſinners, when it is ſo eaſie for him to vindicate himſelf by a ſwift and ſpeedy Vengeance. Thus the Poet repreſents the Atheiſt arguing, Nullos eſſe deos, inane coelum, affirmat Selius, probatque, quod ſe factum, dum negat hoc, videt beatum. ‘Selius affirms there are no Gods, and that Heaven is an empty place, and proves it, becauſe whilſt he denys God, he ſees himſelf in a very happy and proſperous condition.’

And here it is worthy our notice, at what a contradictious rate theſe Men reaſon. Firſt they would have no God, leſt he ſhould be juſt and puniſh them as they deſerve; and then in another mood, they would have him to be nothing but Juſtice and [Page] Severity, leſt there ſhould be a God; as if no other Notion could be framed of the Divine Nature, but of a [...]a [...]h Fury, and impetuous Revenge, and an impotent Paſſion, which when it is offended and provoked, cannot contain it ſelf, and forbear puniſhment for a moment. Juſtice is not ſuch a Perfection as doth neceſſarily exclude Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Patience; it doth in no wiſe contradict the Perfection of the Divine Nature, to bear with ſinners in expectation of their repentance and amendment; or if God foreſees their final impenitency, to reſpit their puniſhment to the moſt fit and convenient ſeaſon. God may ſuffer long, and yet be reſolved, if ſinners perſiſt in the abuſe of his Goodneſs and Patience, to execute Vengeance upon them in due time. It is a pitiful ground of Atheiſm, that becauſe God is ſo much better than wicked Men deſerve, they will not allow him to be at all.

2dly, Others infer from the delay of puniſhment, that there is no Providence that adminiſters the Affairs of the World, and regards the good and bad Actions of Men. For tho' the Being [Page] of God be acknowledged, yet if he do not regard what is done here below, nor concern himſelf in humane Affairs, ſinners are as ſafe and free to do what they pleaſe, as if there were no God; and upon this ground, the Scripture tells us, many encourage themſelves in their wickedneſs; Pſal. 64.5. They encourage themſelves in an evil matter, they commune of laying ſnares privately; for they ſay, Who ſhall ſee them? And more expreſly, Pſal. 94.4, 5, 6, 7. How long ſhall the workers of iniquity boaſt themſelves? They break in pieces thy People, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage, and ſlay the widow and the ſtranger, and murder the fatherleſs; and yet they ſay, The Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it. And if this were ſo, well might they encourage themſelves. If it were true which Epicurus ſaith, ‘That God takes no knowledge of the Actions of Men, that he is far removed from us, and contented with himſelf, and not at all concerned in what we do;’ If this were true, the Inference which Lucretius makes, were very juſt; Quare relligio pedibus ſubjecta viciſſim Obteritur; ‘Men might trample [Page] Religion under their Feet, and live without any regard to the Laws of it.’

But let us ſee how they infer this from the long-ſuffering of God, that he neglects the Affairs of the World, and hath no conſideration of the Actions of Men, becauſe they ſee the ungodly to proſper in the World, equally with others that are ſtrictly devout and virtuous, yea, many times to be in a more proſperous and flouriſhing condition; they are not in trouble like other men, neither are they plagued like other men. So that if there be a God, it ſeems (ſay they) that he connives at the Crimes of Men, and looks on upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holds his peace, whilſt the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than himſelf; as the Prophet expreſſeth it, Hab. 1.13.

For anſwer to this, I ſhall only give this reaſonable and credible Account of the long-ſuffering of God, and the impunity of wicked Men in this Life, which not only the Scripture gives us, but the Heathen were able to give from the light of Nature, and is agreeable to the common Senſe of Mankind; namely, That this Life is a ſtate of probation [Page] and tryal, wherein God ſuffers men to walk in their own ways without any viſible check and reſtraint, and does not uſually inflict preſent and remarkable puniſhments upon them for their evil deeds; becauſe this being a ſtate of tryal of the diſpoſitions and manners of Men, is rather the proper ſeaſon of Patience, than of puniſhments and rewards; and therefore it is very reaſonable to ſuppoſe, that God reſerves ſinners for a ſolemn and publick Tryal, at the great Aſſiſes of the World, when he will openly vindicate the honour of his Juſtice, upon the deſpiſers of his Patience and long-ſuffering, when he will make his judgment to break forth as the light, and his righteouſneſs as the noon day. In the mean time the providence of God, when he ſees it fit, gives ſome remarkable Inſtances of his Juſtice upon great and notorious Offenders in this life, as a pledge and earneſt of a future Judgment; and theſe ſometimes more general, as in the deſtruction of the old World, by an univerſal Deluge, when he ſaw the wickedneſs of men to be great upon the earth. And ſuch was that terrible Vengeance [Page] which was poured down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them; which, as St. Jude tells us, are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire, that is, of a perpetual deſtruction by Fire.

3dly, Another groſs and Atheiſtical Inference, which Men are apt to make from the delay of puniſhment, is, that there is no ſuch difference of good and evil as is pretended; becauſe they do not ſee the good and bad Actions of Men differenced in their rewards, becauſe Divine Juſtice doth not preſently manifeſt it ſelf, and every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience doth not immediately receive a juſt recompence of reward, therefore they cannot believe, that the difference between good and evil is ſo great and evident.

For anſwer to this. Not to inſiſt upon the difference which the Providence of God ſometimes makes between them in this life, I appeal to the Conſciences of Men, whether they do not ſecretly and inwardly acknowledge a clear difference between good and evil. Are not the worſt of Men apt to conceive better hopes of ſucceſs, when they are about a juſt and honeſt [Page] undertaking, than when they are ingaged in a wicked deſign? Do not bad Men feel a ſecret ſhame and horror, when no Eye ſees them, and the wickedneſs they are about to commit doth not fall under the cogniſance and cenſure of any human Court or Tribunal? Have they not many checks and rebukes in their own Spirits, much diſturbance and confuſion of Mind, when they are enterpriſing a wicked thing? And does not this plainly argue, that they are guilty to themſelves, that they are about ſomething which they ought not to do?

'Tis very true that moſt Men are more ſenſible of the Evil of an Action, when they feel the ill effects and conſequences of it, and ſuffer the puniſhment that is due to it: but yet the ſenſe of good and evil is ſo deeply impreſt upon humane Nature, that I think no Man, remaining a Man, can quite deface and blot out the difference of good and evil. So that if Men will but attend to the natural dictates and ſuggeſtions of their own Minds, they cannot poſſibly infer from the delay of puniſhment, that there is no difference of good and evil.

[Page]But becauſe thoſe who argue thus are but few in compariſon, there being not many in the World arrived to that degree of blindneſs and height of impiety, as to disbelieve a God and a Providence, and I think none have attained to that perfect conqueſt of Conſcience, as to have loſt all ſenſe of good and evil; therefore I ſhall rather inſiſt

II. Upon thoſe kind of Reaſonings which are more ordinary and common among bad Men, and whereby they cheat themſelves into everlaſting Perdition; and they are ſuch as theſe.

1. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not ſpeedily executed, therefore Sin is not ſo great an Evil.

2. Therefore God is not ſo highly offended and provoked by it. Or,

3. God is not ſo ſevere in his own Nature, as he is commonly repreſented.

4. Therefore the puniſhment of ſin is not ſo certain.

5. Or however it is at a diſtance, and may be prevented time enough, by a future Repentance, in our old Age, or at the hour of Death; by ſome ſuch falſe reaſonings as theſe, [Page] which Men think may probably be collected from the Patience and long-ſuffering of God, they harden and encourage themſelves in an evil courſe.

1. Becauſe the puniſhment of ſin is deferr'd, therefore they conclude it is not ſo great an Evil; they do not feel the ill Effects of it at preſent, all things go well and proſperouſly with them, no leſs than with thoſe who are ſo ſtrict and conſcientious; and therefore they hope there is no ſuch great Evil in Sin, as melancholy People are apt to fancy to themſelves. For anſwer to this,

(1.) Conſider ſeriouſly what Sin is; and then thou wilt ſee reaſon enough to call it a great Evil. To ſin againſt God, is to contemn the greateſt Authority in the World, to contradict the greateſt Holineſs and Purity, to abuſe the greateſt Goodneſs, and to provoke Almighty Juſtice to take Vengeance upon thee, and to make thee as miſerable as thou art capable of being. To ſin againſt God, is to be diſobedient to thy Soveraign, and unthankful to thy beſt Benefactor, and to act contrary to the greateſt Obligations, againſt thy beſt Reaſon [Page] and trueſt Intereſt; to diſoblige thy kindeſt Friend, and to gratifie thy worſt and bittereſt Enemy; it is to diſorder thy ſelf, to create perpetual diſquiet to thy own Mind, and to do the greateſt miſchief poſſible to thy ſelf; to deprive thy ſelf of the greateſt Happineſs, and to draw down upon thy ſelf extream and eternal Miſery. And what do we call a great Evil, if this be not, which contains in it all the kinds, and all the aggravations of Evil that can be, and hath all the circumſtances of uglineſs and deformity in it that can be imagined?

(2.) What ever Sin be in it ſelf, yet from hence we can in no wiſe conclude, that it is not a great Evil, becauſe the puniſhment of it is deferr'd for a while; from hence indeed it follows, that God is very good in deferring the puniſhment which is due to thee for thy ſins, but by no means that Sin is not very Evil. The Reprieve of a Traytor does indeed argue the goodneſs and clemency of the Prince, but doth not at all abate of the heinouſneſs of the Crime for which he is ſentenced. The great Evil of Sin is evident, becauſe the holy and juſt God hath forbidden [Page] it, and declared his hatred and deteſtation of it, and threatned it with moſt ſevere and direful puniſhments; but that God reſpites the puniſhment which is due to ſin, and does not immediately take Vengeance upon Sinners, but affords them a ſpace, and means, and opportunity of repentance, this doth not at all leſſen the Evil of Sin, but is rather an aggravation of it; that we ſhould offend and provoke that God, who is ſo patient and long-ſuffering towards us, ſo very loth to bring thoſe Evils upon us, which we are ſo raſh and forward to pull down upon our ſelves.

2. If God doth not immediately puniſh ſin upon the commiſſion of it, and inſtantly let flye at the Sinner, this they would conſtrue to be a ſign that he is not ſo highly offended and provok'd by it; if he were, he would manifeſt his diſpleaſure againſt it, by the ſudden and violent effuſions of his Wrath. For anſwer to this, I deſire theſe two things may be conſidered.

(1.) That God himſelf in his word every where plainly declares to us his great diſpleaſure againſt ſin; Pſal. 5.4, 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleaſure[Page]in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with thee. The fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight; thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity. Thou art not a God that haſt pleaſure in wickedneſs. The words are a [...], and leſs is ſpoken than is meant and intended, viz. That God is ſo far from taking pleaſure in the ſins of Men, that he is highly diſpleaſed at them, and bears an implacable hatred againſt them.

And do not the terrible threatnings of God againſt ſin declare him to be highly offended at it? when he ſays, That he will come in flaming fire, to render vengeance to all them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of his Son, and that they ſhall be puniſht with everlaſting deſtruction, from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Can we think that all the threatnings of God's Word, and all thoſe direful curſes which are written in his book, ſhall return empty, without doing any execution? Thou that now flattereſt thy ſelf with vain and groundleſs hopes, that none of theſe Evils ſhall come upon thee, when thou comeſt to ſtand before the great Judge of the World, and to behold the killing frowns of his Countenance, and [Page] to hear thoſe bitter words of eternal diſpleaſure from the Mouth of God himſelf, Depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, thou wilt then believe, that God is heartily angry and offended with thee for thy ſins. We ſhall find in that day, that the threatnings of God's Word, which we now hear ſo ſecurely, and without terror, had a full ſignification, or rather, that no words could convey to us the terror of them. What the Scripture ſays of the happineſs and glory of the next life, is true alſo of the miſery and puniſhments of the other World, that eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, thoſe terrible things, which God hath reſerved for the workers of iniquity.

But above all, the direful Sufferings of the Son of God, when ſin was but imputed to him, are a demonſtration of God's implacable hatred of ſin; for that rather than ſin ſhould go unpuniſh'd, God was pleaſed to ſubject his own Son to the ſufferings due to it; this plainly ſhews, that he hated ſin as much as he loved his own Son.

[Page]But (2dly) God may conceive a very great diſpleaſure againſt ſin, and be highly incenſed and provoked by it, and yet ſuſpend the Effects of his diſpleaſure, and defer the puniſhment of it for a great while; and to imagine otherwiſe, argues a groſs miſtake of the Nature of God, ariſing from our not conſidering the Attributes and Perfections of God in conjunction and conſiſtency with one another. When we conſider one Attribute of God ſingly, and ſeparate it from the reſt, and frame ſuch wide and large apprehenſions of it, as to exclude his other Perfections, we have a falſe Notion of God; and the reaſon of this miſtake is, becauſe among Men, an eminent degree of any one Excellency, doth commonly ſhut out others; becauſe in our narrow and finite Nature, many Perfections cannot ſtand together; but 'tis quite otherwiſe in the Divine Nature. In Infinite Perfection, all Perfections do meet and conſiſt together, one Perfection doth not hinder and exclude another, and therefore in our conceptions of God, we are to take great heed, that we do not raiſe any one Attribute or Perfection of God upon the ruine of the reſt.

[Page]So that it is a falſe imagination of God, when we ſo attribute Juſtice or Anger to him, as to exclude his Patience and long-ſuffering; for God is not impotent in his Anger, as we are; every thing that provokes him, doth not preſently put him out of patience, ſo that he cannot contain his Wrath, and forbear immediately to revenge himſelf upon Sinners. In this ſenſe God ſays of himſelf, Iſa. 27.4. Fury is not in me. There is nothing of a raſh and ungoverned Paſſion in the wiſe and juſt God. Every ſin indeed kindles his anger, and provokes his diſpleaſure againſt us, and by our repeated and continued Offences, we ſtill add Fuel to his Wrath; but it doth not of neceſſity inſtantly break forth like a conſuming fire, and a devouring flame. The holy and righteous Nature of God makes him neceſſarily offended and diſpleaſed with the ſins of Men; but as to the manifeſtation of his Wrath, and the effects of his Anger, his Wiſdom and Goodneſs do regulate and determine the proper time and circumſtances of Puniſhment.

[Page]3. From the Patience of God and the delay of puniſhment, Men are apt to conclude, that God is not ſo ſevere in his Nature as he is commonly repreſented. 'Tis true he hath declared his diſpleaſure againſt ſin, and threaten'd it with dreadful puniſhments, which he may do, in great wiſdom, to keep the World in awe and order; but great things are likewiſe ſpoken of his Mercy, and of the wonderful delight he takes in the exerciſe of his Mercy; ſo that notwithſtanding all the threatnings which are denounced againſt ſin, it is to be hoped, that when Sentence comes to be paſt, and Judgment to be executed, God will remember mercy in the midſt of judgment, and that mercy will triumph over judgment; and that as now his Patience ſtays his hand, and turns away his wrath, ſo at the laſt, the milder Attributes of his Goodneſs and Mercy will interpoſe and moderate the rigor and ſeverity of his Juſtice; and of this, his great Patience and long-ſuffering towards Sinners for the preſent, ſeems to be ſome kind of pledge and earneſt; he that is ſo ſlow to anger, and ſo loth to execute puniſhment, [Page] may probably be prevail'd upon by his own Pity and Goodneſs to remit it at the laſt, and this is the more credible, becauſe it is granted on all hands, that no perſon is obliged to execute his threatnings, as he is to make good his promiſes; he that promiſeth paſſeth a right to another, but he that threatneth keeps the right and power of doing what he pleaſeth in his own hands.

I ſhall ſpeak a little more fully to this, becauſe it is almoſt incredible, how much Men bear up themſelves upon vain and groundleſs hopes of the boundleſs Mercy of God, and bleſs themſelves in their hearts, ſaying, They ſhall have peace, tho' they walk in the imagination of their hearts, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt, that is, tho' they ſtill perſiſt in their Vices, and add one degree of ſin to another.

Now for anſwer to this;

(1.) Let it be granted, that a bare threatning does not neceſſarily infer the certainty of the event, and that the thing threatned ſhall infallibly come to paſs; no perſon is obliged to perform his threatnings, as he is his promiſes; the threatnings of God declare [Page] what ſin deſerves, and what the ſinner may juſtly expect if he continue impenitent and incorrigible. But then we are to take notice, that repentance is the only condition that is implyed in the threatnings of God, and will effectually hinder the execution of them, Jer. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. At what inſtant I ſpeak (ſays God) concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdome, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to deſtroy it; If that nation againſt whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my ſight, and obey not my voice, then will I repent of the good, wherewith I ſaid I would benefit them. Now if when God hath promiſed to do good to a People, ſin will hinder the bleſſing promiſed, and bring down Judgments upon them, much more when it is particularly threatned.

But as to the caſe of final impenitency and unbelief, God, that he might ſtrengthen his threatnings, hath added a ſign of immutability to them, having confirmed them with an Oath, [Page] I have ſworn (ſaith the Lord) that they ſhall not enter into my reſt; which tho' it was ſpoken to the unbelieving Jews, the Apoſtle to the Hebrews applys it to final unbelief and impenitency under the Goſpel, of which the infidelity of the Iſraelites was a Type and Figure. Now tho' God may remit of his threatnings; yet his Oath is a plain declaration that he will not; becauſe it ſignifies the firm and immutable determination of his Will, and thereby puts an end to all doubts and controverſies concerning the fulfilling of his threatnings.

(2.) It is certainly much the wiſeſt and ſafeſt way, to believe the threatnings of God in the ſtrictneſs and rigour of them, unleſs there be ſome tacite condition evidently implyed in them; becauſe if we do not believe them, and the thing prove otherwiſe, the conſequence of our miſtake is fatal and dreadful. 'Tis true indeed, that God by his threatnings did intend to keep ſinners in awe, and to deter them from ſin; but if he had any where revealed, that he would not be rigorous in the execution of theſe threatnings, ſuch a revelation would quite [Page] take off the edge and terror of them, and contradict the end and deſign of them; for threatnings ſignifie very little, but upon this ſuppoſition, that in all probability they will be executed; and if this be true, it is the greateſt madneſs and folly in the World to run the hazard of it.

(3.) As for thoſe large declarations which the Scripture makes of the boundleſs Mercy of God to Sinners, we are to limit them, as the Scripture hath done, to the time and ſeaſon of mercy, which is this life, and while we are in the way. This is the day of mercy and ſalvation, and when this life is ended, the opportunities of Grace and Mercy are paſt, and the day of recompence and vengeance will begin. Now God tries us, and offers Mercy to us; but if we obſtinately refuſe it, Judgment will take hold of us.

And then we muſt limit the Mercy of God to the conditions upon which he offers it, which are repentance for ſins paſt, and ſincere obedience for the future: but if Men continue obſtinate and impenitent, and encourage themſelves in ſin from the Mercy and Patience of God, this is not a caſe [Page] that admits of Mercy; but, on the contrary, his Juſtice will triumph in the ruin and deſtruction of thoſe, who inſtead of embracing the offers of his Mercy, do deſpiſe and abuſe them. He will laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear comes; when their fear comes as deſolation, and their deſtruction as a whirl-wind; when diſtreſs and anguiſh cometh upon them; then they may call upon him, but he will not anſwer; they may ſeek him early, but they ſhall not find him. If we deſpiſe the riches of God's goodneſs, and long-ſuffering, and forbearance, he knows how to handle us, and will do it to purpoſe; with the froward he will ſhew himſelf froward, and will be in a more eſpecial manner ſevere towards thoſe, who take encouragement from his Mercy, to disbelieve and deſpiſe his threatnings. And this God hath as plainly told us, as words can expreſs any thing, Deut. 29.19, 20. And if it come to paſs, that when he heareth the words of this curſe, he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, tho' I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt: The Lord will not ſpare him, but then the anger of [Page]the Lord, and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book, ſhall lie upon him, and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven. What ever right and power God hath reſerved to himſelf about the execution of his threatnings, he hath plainly declared, that of all others, thoſe who encourage themſelves in a ſinful courſe from the hopes of God's Mercy, notwithſtanding his threatnings, ſhall find no favour and mercy at his hand; whatever he may remit of his threatnings to others, he will certainly not ſpare thoſe, who believe ſo largely concerning the Mercy of God, not with a mind to ſubmit to the terms of it, but to preſume ſo much the more upon it.

(4.) God hath not been wanting to ſhew ſome remarkable Inſtances of his ſeverity towards Sinners in this World. As he is pleaſed ſometimes to give good Men ſome fore-taſtes of Heaven, and earneſts of their future happineſs; ſo likewiſe by ſome preſent ſtroke to let Sinners feel what they are to expect hereafter; ſome ſparks of Hell do now and then fall upon the Conſciences of Sinners. [Page] That fear which is ſometimes kindled in Men's Conſciences in this life, that horrible anguiſh and thoſe unſpeakable terrors which ſome Sinners have had experience of in this World, may ſerve to forewarn us of the wrath which is to come, and to convince us of the reality of thoſe expreſſions of the Torments of Hell, by the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched. That miraculous Deluge which ſwallowed up the old World, that Hell which was rained down from Heaven, in thoſe terrible ſhowers of Fire and Brimſtone, to conſume Sodom and Gomorrah; the Earth opening her mouth upon Corah and his ſeditious company; to let them down, as it were, quick into Hell; theſe and many other remarkable Judgments of God in ſeveral Ages upon particular Perſons, and upon Cities and Nations, may ſatisfie us in ſome meaſure of the ſeverity of God againſt ſin, and be as it were Pledges to aſſure Sinners of the inſupportable Miſery and Torments of the next Life.

(5.) The Argument is much ſtronger the other way, that becauſe the puniſhment of Sinners is delayed ſo [Page] long, therefore it will be much heavier and ſeverer when it comes; that the wrath of God is growing all this while, and as we fill up the meaſure of our ſins, he fills the vials of his wrath; Rom. 2.5. And according to thy hard and impenitent heart, treaſurest up to thy ſelf wrath, against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. God now keeps in his diſ-pleaſure; but all the while we go on in an impenitent courſe, the wrath of God is continually increaſing, and will at laſt be manifeſted by the righteous Judgment of God upon Sinners. God now exerciſeth and diſplayeth his milder Attributes, his Goodneſs, and Mercy, and Patience; but theſe will not always hold out, there is a dreadful day a coming, wherein (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) God will ſhew his wrath, and make his power known, after he hath endured with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction. All this long time of God's patience and forbearance his wrath is kindling, and he is whetting his glittering ſword, and making ſharp his arrows; and this long preparation doth portend a much more dreadful Execution; [Page] ſo that we ſhould reaſon thus from the long-ſuffering of God; God bears with us, and ſpares us at preſent, and keeps in his anger; therefore if we go on to provoke him, time will come when he will not ſpare, but his anger will flame forth, and his jealouſie ſmoak againſt us. This is but reaſonable to expect, that they who in this World forſake their own mercies, the mercy of God in the next ſhould forſake them.

4. Another falſe concluſion which Men draw from the delay of puniſhment is, that becauſe it is delayed, therefore it is not ſo certain; the Sinner eſcapes for the preſent, and tho' he have ſome miſgivings and fearful apprehenſions of the future, yet he hopes his fears may be greater than his danger.

'Tis true indeed, we are not ſo certain of the miſery of wicked Men in another World, as if it were preſent, and we lay groaning under the weight of it; ſuch a certainty as this, would not only leave no place for doubting, but even for that which we properly and ſtrictly call Faith; for faith is the evidence of things not ſeen. But ſure [Page] we have other Faculties beſides Senſe to judge of things by; we may be ſufficiently certain of many things which are neither preſent nor ſenſible, of many things paſt and future, upon good ground and teſtimony; we are ſure that we were born, and yet we have no remembrance of it; we are certain that we ſhall dye, tho' we never had the experience of it. Things may be certain in their cauſes, as well as in their preſent exiſtence; if the cauſes be certain. The truth of God, who hath declared theſe things to us, is an abundant ground of aſſurance to us, tho' they be at a great diſtance. The certainty of things is not ſhaken by our wavering belief concerning them.

Beſides, the very light of Nature, and the common Reaſon of Mankind, hath always made a contrary inference from the long-ſuffering of God and the delay of preſent puniſhment. Tho' Men are apt to think, that becauſe Judgment is deferr'd, therefore it is not certain; yet the very light of Nature hath taught Men to reaſon otherwiſe; that becauſe God is ſo patient to Sinners in this [Page] life, therefore there will a time come when they ſhall be puniſht; that becauſe this life is a time of tryal and forbearance, therefore there ſhall be another ſtate after this life, which ſhall be a ſeaſon of recompences. And by this argument chiefly it was that the wiſeſt of the Heathen ſatisfied themſelves concerning another ſtate after this life, and anſwer'd the troubleſome Objection againſt the Providence of God, from the unequal adminiſtration of things in this World, ſo viſible in the afflictions and ſufferings of good Men, and the proſperity of the wicked; viz. That there would be another ſtate that would adjuſt all theſe matters, and ſet them ſtreight, when good and bad Men ſhould receive the full recompence of their deeds.

The 5th and laſt falſe concluſion, which Men draw from the long-ſuffering of God and the delay of Puniſhment is this, that it is however probably at ſome diſtance, and therefore they may ſin yet a while longer, and all this danger may be prevented time enough, by a future repentance in our old Age, or at the [Page] hour of death; and they are confirmed very much in this hope, becauſe they ſee Men much worſe than themſelves, great Criminals and Malefactors, upon two or three days warning, to perform this work of repentance very ſubſtantially, and to dye with great comfort and aſſurance of their Salvation. This is the moſt common deluſion of all the reſt, and hath been, I am afraid, the ruin of more Souls than all the other which I have mentioned; they may have ſlain their thouſands; but this its ten thouſands.

For anſwer to this, be pleaſed ſeriouſly to lay to heart theſe following conſiderations, moſt of which I ſhall ſpeak but briefly to, becauſe I have, upon other occaſions, ſpoken largely to them.

(1.) If there be a future Judgment, then it is certain, at how great a diſtance ſoever it may be. That which ſhall be a thouſand Years hence will certainly be; and 'tis but very ſmall comfort and encouragement, conſidering the vaſt diſproportion between Time and Eternity, to think, that after twenty or forty Years ſhall be paſt and gone, then muſt I enter upon eternal [Page] Miſery; then will thoſe intolerable Torments begin which ſhall never have an end.

(2.) But it is not certain that it is at ſuch a diſtance; when we put from us the evil day, it is many times nearer to us than we are aware, and when we think the Judgment of God is at a great diſtance, the Judge may be near even at the door. Our times are not in our own hands, but we are perfectly at the diſpoſal of another, who when he pleaſeth can put a period to them, and cauſe our Breath to ceaſe from our Noſtrils, and we ſhall not be; There is no man hath power over the Spirit, to retain the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, ſaith the wiſe Man a little before the Text. Thou dreameſt perhaps of many Years continuance in this World, and perhaps in the height of this vain imagination, the decree is ſealed, and the commandment come forth to ſummon thee out of this World, and thou art juſt dropping into that miſery which thou fancieſt to be at ſuch a diſtance; whilſt thou art vainly promiſing thy ſelf the eaſe of many years, God may ſay to thee, Thou fool, this night ſhall [Page]thy ſoul be required of thee, and then where are all thy hopes?

(3.) Suppoſing the evil Day were at a conſiderable diſtance, yet Men run an infinite hazard in venturing all the hopes of their Salvation upon a future repentance; for what knoweſt thou, O Man! but thou mayſt be ſurprized by a ſudden ſtroke which may give thee no warning, leave thee no ſpace of repentance? a violent Diſeaſe may ſeize upon thee, which may diſorder thy Underſtanding, and ſo weaken all thy Faculties, as to render thee unfit for all reaſonable operations. At the beſt, how unfit are we for the moſt ſerious work of our lives, when we are hardly fit to do any thing? Old Age is a very unſeaſonable time for repentance, when we are full of weakneſs and infirmity, and our Minds are crooked and bowed down by Vice, as our Bodies are by Age, and as hard to be recovered to their firſt ſtreightneſs; much more is it an improper time for this work, when Sickneſs and old Age meet together. There are two things in which Men, in other things wiſe enough, do uſually miſcarry; in putting off the making of their Wills, and [Page] their Repentance, till it be too late. Men had need then be of ſound Underſtanding and perfect Memory, when they ſet about matters of ſo great conſequence in reſpect of their temporal and eternal concernments; eſpecially when Men have the happineſs of all Eternity to take care of and provide for, they had need have their underſtandings about them, and all the advantages of leiſure and conſideration, to make a ſober reflection upon their paſt lives, and make up their Accounts with God, and to ſet all things right between him and them; and 'tis well if after all a repentance wilfully deferr'd ſo long, ſo ſhort and imperfect, ſo confuſed and hudled up, will at laſt be accepted as a tolerable atonement for the crimes and miſcarriages of a long life.

(4.) Suppoſe thou wert ſure to repent before thou leaveſt the World, and to do this work throughly, which no Man can promiſe to himſelf that deliberately delays it, yet this can be no reaſonable encouragement to go on in an evil courſe, becauſe we do but hereby aggravate our own trouble, and treaſure up ſo much more [Page] ſorrow and affliction to our ſelves againſt the day of repentance, and conſequently ſin on, in hopes of being hereafter ſo much the more troubled and grieved for what we have done; as if a Man ſhould go on to break the Laws, in hopes of a more ſevere and exemplary Puniſhment; ſure this can be no encouragement or ground of hope to any reaſonable and conſiderate Man.

Laſtly, As to the encouragement which Men take from the ſudden repentance of great Criminals and Malefactors, and their dying with ſo much comfort and aſſurance; if this be well conſidered, there is little comfort to be fetched from ſuch Examples. For,

1ſt, Tho' a ſincere repentance in ſuch circumſtances be poſſible, yet it is almoſt impoſſible for the Party himſelf concerned, much more for others, upon any good ground, to judge when it is ſincere. God who knows the hearts of Men, and whether, if they had lived longer, they would in the future courſe of their lives have juſtified and made good their repentance and good reſolutions, [Page] only knows the ſincerity of it.

But, 2dly, no certain judgment is to be made from the comfort and confidence of the Party concerned; for the buſineſs is not what comfort and confidence Men have, but what ground they have for it; and whereas Men are apt piouſly to ſuppoſe, that ſo extraordinary a comfort and aſſurance is wrought in them by the Spirit of God, nothing is more uncertain; becauſe we ſometimes ſee thoſe who give no ſuch teſtimony of their repentance, to dye with every whit as much courage, and comfort, and confident perſwaſion of their Salvation, as thoſe that do. But this certainly is not from the Spirit of God; a natural Obſtinacy and Courage may carry Men a great way; and falſe and miſtaken Principles may fill Men for the preſent with as much comfort and confidence, as well grounded hopes. In the Church of Rome, great numbers of thoſe who have led very wicked lives, after a formal Confeſſion and Abſolution, and ſome good words of encouragement from the Prieſt, dye as full of peace and comfort, [Page] to all appearance, as the beſt of Men.

Indeed it is very natural to Men, who find themſelves in a deſperate condition, to be ſtrangely elevated and raiſed, upon any hopes given of eſcaping ſo great a danger as they apprehend themſelves to be in; eſpecially if theſe hopes be given them by a grave Man, of whoſe Piety and Judgment they have a venerable opinion. When Men have the Sentence of death in themſelves, as all wicked livers muſt have, they are naturally apt to be overjoy'd at the unexpected news of a Pardon.

To ſpeak my mind freely in this matter, I have no great opinion of that extraordinary comfort and confidence which ſome have, upon a ſudden repentance for great and flagrant crimes, becauſe I cannot diſcern any ſufficient ground for it. I think great humility and dejection of mind, and a doubtful apprehenſion of their condition, next almoſt to deſpair of it, would much better become them; becauſe their caſe is really ſo very doubtful in it ſelf. There is great reaſon for the repentance of ſuch perſons, [Page] and it becomes them well; but I ſee very little reaſon for their great comfort and confidence, nor does it become their circumſtances and condition. Let them excerciſe as deep a repentance as is poſſible, and bring forth all the fruits meet for it that are poſſible in ſo ſhort a time; let them humble themſelves before God, and pray inceſſantly to him day and night for mercy; make all the reparation they can for the injuries they have done, by confeſſion and acknowledgment, and by making ſatisfaction to the parties injured, if it be in their power, by giving Alms to the Poor, by warning others, and endeavouring to reclaim them to a better mind and courſe of life; and for the reſt humbly commit themſelves to the mercy of God in Jeſus Chriſt; let them imitate, as near as they can, the behaviour of the penitent Thief, the only Example the Scripture hath left us of a late repentance that proved effectual, who gave the greateſt teſtimony that could be of a penitent ſorrow for his ſins, and of his Faith in the Saviour of the World, by a generous and couragious owning of him in [Page] the midſt of his diſgrace and ſuffering, when even his own Diſciples had denyed and forſaken him; but we do not find in him any ſigns of extraordinary comfort, much leſs of confidence; but he humbly commended himſelf to the mercy and goodneſs of his Saviour, ſaying, Lord remember me, when thou comeſt into thy Kingdom.

SERMON IX.Vol. VII. The Long-ſuffering of God.

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ECCLES. VIII.11.

Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil.

I Have conſidered how apt Men are to abuſe the long-ſuffering of God, to the hardening and encouraging of themſelves in ſin, and whence this comes to paſs; where I conſidered the ſeveral falſe concluſions which Sinners draw from the delay of Puniſhment, as if there were no God, or Providence, or difference of good and evil; or elſe, as is more commonly pretended, that Sin is not ſo great an Evil, and that God is [Page] not ſo highly offended at it, or that God is not ſo ſevere as he is repreſented, that the puniſhment of ſin is not ſo certain, or however, it is at a diſtance, and may be prevented by a future repentance; all which I have ſpoken fully to, and endeavoured to ſhew the fallacy and unreaſonableneſs of them. I ſhall now proceed to the

Third and laſt thing I propounded, which was to anſwer an Objection to which this Diſcourſe may ſeem liable; and that is this. If the long-ſuffering of God be the occaſion of Men's hardneſs and impenitency, then why is God ſo patient to Sinners, when they are ſo prone to abuſe his Goodneſs and Patience? And how is it goodneſs in God to forbear Sinners ſo long, when this forbearance of his is ſo apt to miniſter to them an occaſion of their further miſchief and greater ruine? It ſhould ſeem according to this, that it would be much greater Mercy to the greateſt part of Sinners, not to be patient toward them at all; but inſtantly upon the firſt occaſion and provocation, to cut them off, and ſo to put a ſtop to their [Page] wickedneſs, and to hinder them from making themſelves more miſerable, by increaſing their guilt, and treaſuring up wrath to themſelves againſt the day of wrath.

This is the Objection, and becauſe it ſeems to be of ſome weight, I ſhall endeavour to return a ſatisfactory anſwer to it in theſe following particulars. And

I. I ask the Sinner if he will ſtand to this? Art thou ſerious, and wouldeſt thou in good earneſt have God to deal thus with thee, to take the very firſt advantage to deſtroy thee or turn thee into Hell, and to make thee miſerable beyond all hopes of recovery? Conſider of it again. Doſt thou think it deſirable, that God ſhould deal thus with thee, and let fly his Judgments upon thee ſo ſoon as ever thou haſt ſinned? If not, why do Men trifle, and make an Objection againſt the long-ſuffering of God, which they would be very loth ſhould be made good upon them?

II. It is likewiſe to be conſidered, that the long-ſuffering of God toward Sinners is not a total forbearance; it is uſually ſo mixt with Afflictions and [Page] Judgments of one kind or other, upon our ſelves or others, as to be a ſufficient warning to us, if we would conſider and lay it to heart, to ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing come upon us; leſt that Judgment which we ſaw inflicted upon others come home to us. And is not this great goodneſs, to warn us when he might deſtroy us, to leave room for a retreat, when he might put our caſe paſt remedy?

All this time of God's Patience, he threatens Sinners, to awaken them out of their ſecurity; he puniſheth them gently, that we may have no ground to hope for impunity; he makes Examples of ſome in a more ſevere and remarkable manner, that others may hear, and fear, and be afraid to commit the like ſins, leſt the like puniſhment overtake them; he whips ſome Offenders before our Eyes, to ſhew us what ſin deſerves, and what we alſo may juſtly expect, if we do the ſame things; and will nothing be a warning to us but our own ſufferings?

Nay, God doth uſually ſend ſome Judgment or other upon every Sinner in this life; he lets him feel the Rod, that he may know that it is an evil [Page]and bitter thing to ſin againſt him. He exerciſeth Men with many afflictions, and croſſes, and diſappointments, which their own conſciences tell them are the juſt recompences of their deeds; and by theſe lighter ſtrokes, he gives us a merciful warning to avoid his heavier blows; when Mercy alone will not work upon us and win us, but being fed to the full, we grow wanton and fooliſh, he adminiſters Phyſick to us, by affliction and by adverſity endeavours to bring us to conſideration and a ſober mind; and many have been cured this way, and the Judgments of God have done them that good, which his Mercies and Bleſſings could not; for God would ſave us any way, by his Mercy or by his Judgment, by Sickneſs or by Health, by Plenty or by Want, by what we deſire or by what we dread; ſo deſirous is he of our, repentance and happineſs, that he leaves no method unattempted that may probably do us good; he ſtrikes upon every Paſſion in the Heart of Man; he works upon our Love by his Goodneſs, upon our Hopes by his Promiſes, and upon our Fears, firſt by his Threatnings, [Page] and if they be not effectual, then by his Judgments; he tries every Affection and takes hold of it, if by any means he may draw us to himſelf; and will nothing warn us, but what will ruine us, and render our caſe deſperate and paſt hope?

And if any Sinner be free from outward Afflictions and Sufferings, yet ſin never fails to carry its own Puniſhment along with it; there is a ſecret Sting and Worm, a divine Nemeſis and Revenge that is bred in the Bowels of every Sin, and makes it a heavy Puniſhment to it ſelf; the Conſcience of a Sinner doth frequently torment him, and his Guilt haunts and dogs him where-ever he goes; for when ever a Man commits a known and willful ſin, he drinks down Poiſon, which tho' it may work ſlowly, yet it will give him many a Gripe, and if no means be uſed to expel it, will deſtroy him at laſt.

So that the long-ſuffering of God is wiſely ordered, and there is ſuch a mixture of Judgment in it, as is ſufficient to awaken Sinners, and much more apt to deter them from ſin, than to encourage them to go on and continue in it.

[Page]III. Nothing is farther from the intention of God, than to harden Men by his long-ſuffering. This the Scripture moſt expreſly declares, 2 Pet. 3.9. He is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. He hath a very gracious and merciful deſign in his Patience towards Sinners, and is therefore good, that he may make us ſo, and that we may ceaſe to do evil. The event of God's long-ſuffering may, by our own fault and abuſe of it, prove our ruin; but the deſign and intention of it, is our repentance. He winks at the ſins of men (ſaith the Son of Syrach) that they may repent. He paſſeth them by, and does not take ſpeedy Vengeance upon Sinners for them, that they may have time to repent of them, and to make their peace with him, while they are yet in the way.

Nay, his long-ſuffering doth not only give ſpace for Repentance, but is a great argument and encouragement to it. That he is ſo loth to ſurprize Sinners, that he gives them the liberty of ſecond thoughts, time to reflect upon themſelves, to conſider [Page] what they have done, and to retract it by repentance, is a ſufficient intimation that he hath no mind to ruin us, that he deſires not the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn from his wickedneſs and live. And ſhould not this goodneſs of his make us ſorry that we have offended him? Doth it not naturally lead and invite us to repentance? What other interpretation can we make of his Patience, what other uſe in reaſon ſhould we make of it, but to repent and return, that we may be ſaved?

IV. There is nothing in the long-ſuffering of God, that is in truth any ground of encouragement to Men in any evil courſe; the proper and natural tendency of God's goodneſs is to lead men to repentance, and by repentance to bring them to happineſs; Rom. 2.4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and patience, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? This St. Peter, with relation to theſe very words of St. Paul, interprets, leading to ſalvation; 2 Pet. 3.15. And account that the long-ſuffering of our Lord is ſalvation, as our beloved brother Paul[Page]alſo hath written unto you. Now where did St. Paul write ſo, unleſs in this Text; Not knowing that the goodneſs of God leads to repentance? 'Tis not only great ignorance, and a very groſs miſtake, to think that it is the deſign and intention of God's Patience and long-ſuffering to encourage Men in ſin; but likewiſe to think, that in the nature of the thing, goodneſs can have any tendency to make Men evil; not knowing that the goodneſs of God leads to repentance.

V. That through the long-ſuffering of God Sinners are hardned in their evil ways, is wholly to be aſcribed to their abuſe of God's goodneſs; 'tis neither the End and Intention, nor the proper and natural Effect of the thing, but the accidental Event of it, through our own fault. And is this any real Objection againſt the long-ſuffering of God? May not God be patient, tho' Sinners be impenitent? May not he be good, tho' we be ſo fooliſh as to make an ill uſe of his goodneſs? Becauſe Men are apt to abuſe the Mercies and Favours of God, is it therefore a fault in him to beſtow them upon us? Is it not enough for us to [Page] abuſe them, but will we challenge God alſo of unkindneſs in giving them? May not God uſe wiſe and fitting means for our recovery, becauſe we are ſo fooliſh as not to make a wiſe uſe of them? And muſt he be charged with our ruin, becauſe he ſeeks by all means to prevent it? Is it not enough to be injurious to our ſelves, but will we be unthankful to God alſo? When God hath laid out the riches of his goodneſs and patience upon Sinners, will they challenge him as acceſſory to their ruin? As if a fooliſh Heir that hath prodigally waſted the fair Eſtate that was left him, ſhould be ſo far from blaming himſelf, as to charge his Father with undoing him. Are theſe the beſt returns which the infinite Mercy and Patience of God hath deſerved from us? Do we thus requite the Lord, fooliſh people and unwiſe?

God's Patience would ſave Sinners, but they ruin themſelves by their abuſe of it; let the blame then lie where it is due, and let God have the glory of his Goodneſs, tho' Men refuſe the benefit and advantage of it.

[Page]VI. And Laſtly, But becauſe this Objection pincheth hardeſt in one point; viz. That God certainly fore-ſees that a great many will abuſe his long-ſuffering, to the increaſing of their Guilt, and the aggravating of their Condemnation; and how is his long-ſuffering any Mercy and Goodneſs to thoſe, who he certainly fore-knows will in the event be ſo much the more miſerable, for having had ſo much Patience extended to them? Therefore for a full anſwer, I deſire theſe ſix things may be conſidered.

1. That God deſigns this life for the tryal of our Obedience, that according as we behave our ſelves he might reward or puniſh us in another World.

2. That there could be no tryal of our Obedience, nor any capacity of Rewards and Puniſhments, but upon the ſuppoſition of freedom and liberty; that is, that we do not do what we do upon force and neceſſity, but upon free choice.

3. That God, by virtue of the infinite Perfection of his Knowledge, does clearly and certainly foreſee all future Events, even thoſe which are [Page] moſt contingent, ſuch as are the arbitrary actions of free and voluntary Agents. This I know hath been deny'd, but without reaſon; ſince it is not only contrary to the common apprehenſions of Mankind from the very light of Nature, that God ſhould not fore-know future Events, but to clear and expreſs Scripture; and that in ſuch Inſtances, for the ſake of which they deny God's fore-knowledge in general of the future actions of free and voluntary Agents, I mean, that the Scripture expreſly declares God's determinate fore-knowledge of the moſt wicked actions; as the Crucifying of Chriſt, who is ſaid, according to the determinate counſel and fore-knowledge of God, to have been by wicked hands crucified and ſlain.

4. That the bare fore-knowledge of things future hath no more influence upon them to make them to be, than the ſight and knowledge of things preſent hath upon them to make them to be preſent. I may ſee or know that the Sun is riſen, without being the cauſe of its riſing; and no more is bare knowledge of future Events the cauſe that they are, [Page] when they are. And if any Man ask how God can certainly fore-know things, which depend upon free and arbitrary cauſes, unleſs he do ſome way decree and determine them? I anſwer, that this is not a fair and reaſonable demand, to ask of Men, who have but finite Underſtandings, to make out and declare all the ways that infinite Knowledge hath of knowing and of fore-ſeeing the actions of free Creatures, without prejudice to their liberty and freedom of acting. However, it is of the two much more credible to reaſon, that infinite Knowledge ſhould certainly fore-know things, which our Underſtandings cannot imagine how they ſhould be fore-known, than that God ſhould any ways be the Author of Sin, by determining and decreeing the wicked actions of Men. The firſt only argues the imperfection of our Underſtandings; but the other lays the greateſt blemiſh and imperfection that can be upon the Divine Nature.

So that this difficult Controverſie about the fore-knowledge of God is brought to this point, Whether a Man had better believe, that infinite Knowledge [Page] may be able to fore-know things in a way which our finite underſtanding cannot comprehend: or to aſcribe ſomething to God, from whence it would unavoidably follow that he is the author of Sin. The [...] is only a modeſt and juſt acknowledgment of our own ignorance; the loſt is the utmoſt and greateſt abſurdity that a Man can be brought to; and to ſay that we cannot believe the fore-knowledge of God, unleſs we can make out the particular manner of it, is more unreaſonable, than if an ignorant Man ſhould deny a difficult propoſition in Euclid or Archimedes to be demonſtrated, becauſe he knows not how to demonſtrate it.

5. And conſequently fore-knowledge and liberty may very well conſiſt; and notwithſtanding God's fore-knowledge of what Men will do, they may be as free as if he did not fore-know it. And,

Laſtly, That God doth not deal with Men according to his fore-knowledge of the good or bad uſe of their liberty, but according to the nature and reaſon of things; and therefore if he be long-ſuffering toward Sinners, [Page] and do not cut them off upon the firſt Provocation, but give them a ſpace and opportunity of repentance, and uſe all proper means and arguments to bring them to repentance, and be ready to afford his Grace to excite good reſolutions in them, and to ſecond and aſſiſt them, and they refuſe and reſiſt all this; their wilful Obſtinacy and Impenitency is as culpable, and God's Goodneſs and Patience as much to be acknowledged, as if God did not foreſee the abuſe of it; becauſe his fore-ſight and knowledge of what they would do, laid no neceſſity upon them to do what they did.

If a Prince had the priviledge of fore-knowledge as God hath, and did certainly foreſee, that a great many of his Subjects would certainly incur the penalty of his Laws, and that others would abuſe his goodneſs and clemency to them; yet if he would govern them like free and reaſonable Creatures, he ought to make the ſame wiſe Laws to reſtrain their exorbitancy, and to uſe the ſame clemency in all caſes that did fairly admit of it, as if he did not at all foreſee what they [Page] would do, nor how they would abuſe his clemency; for it is nevertheleſs fit to make wiſe and reaſonable Laws, and to govern with equity and clemency, tho' it were certainly foreſeen, that they that are governed would act very fooliſhly and unreaſonably in the uſe of their liberty. It is great goodneſs in God to give Men the means and opportunity of being ſaved, tho' they abuſe this goodneſs to their farther ruin; and he may be heartily grieved for that folly and obſtinacy in Men, which he certainly fore-ſees will end in their ruin; and may with great ſeriouſneſs and ſincerity wiſh they would do otherwiſe, and were as wiſe to do good, as they are wilful to do evil. And thus he is repreſented in Scripture, as regretting the miſchief which Men wilfully bring upon themſelves; O that they were wiſe, O that they would underſtand, and conſider their latter end!

And this is ſufficient to vindicate the goodneſs of God in his Patience and long-ſuffering to Sinners, and to make them wholly guilty of all that befalls them for their wilful contempt and abuſe of it.

[Page]I ſhall draw ſome Inferences from this whole Diſcourſe upon this Argument.

I. This ſhews the unreaſonableneſs and perverſe diſingenuity of Men, who take occaſion to harden and encourage themſelves in ſin from the long-ſuffering of God, which above all things in the World ſhould melt and ſoften them. Thou haſt ſinned and art liable to the Juſtice of God, Sentence is gone forth, but God reſpites the execution of it, and hath granted thee a Reprieve, and time and opportunity to ſue out thy Pardon. Now what uſe ought we in reaſon to make of this Patience of God towards us? We ought certainly to break off our ſins by a ſpeedy repentance, leſt iniquity be our ruin; immediately to ſue out our Pardon, and to make our peace with God, while we are yet in the way, and to reſolve, never any more willingly to offend that God who is ſo gracious and merciful, ſo long-ſuffering and full of compaſſion. But what uſe do Men commonly make of it? They take occaſion to confirm and ſtrengthen themſelves in their wickedneſs, and [Page] to reaſon themſelves into vain and groundleſs hopes of impunity. Now what a folly is this, becauſe puniſhment doth not come, therefore to haſten it, and to draw it down upon our ſelves? Becauſe it hath not yet overtaken us, therefore to go forth and meet it? Becauſe there is yet a poſſibility of eſcaping it, therefore to take a certain courſe to make it unavoidable? Becauſe there is yet hope concerning us, therefore to make our caſe deſperate and paſt remedy? See how unreaſonably Men bring ruin upon themſelves; ſo that well might the Pſalmiſt ask that Queſtion, Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?

But their folly and unreaſonableneſs is not ſo great, but their perverſeneſs and diſingenuity is greater. To ſin, becauſe God is long-ſuffering, is to be evil, becauſe he is good, and to provoke him, becauſe he ſpares us; it is to ſtrive with God, and to contend with his goodneſs, as if we were reſolved to try the utmoſt length of his Patience; and becauſe God is loth to puniſh, therefore to urge and importune him to that which is ſo contrary to his Inclination.

[Page]II. This may ſerve to convince Men of the great evil and danger of thus abuſing the long-ſuffering of God. It is a provocation of the higheſt nature, becauſe it is to trample upon his deareſt Attributes, thoſe which he moſt delights and glories in, his Goodneſs and Mercy; for the long-ſuffering of God is his Goodneſs to the guilty, and his Mercy to thoſe who deſerve to be miſerable.

Nothing makes our ruin more certain, more ſpeedy, and more intollerable, than the abuſe of God's Goodneſs and Patience. After God had born long with that rebellious People, the Children of Iſrael, and notwithſtanding all their murmurings, all their infidelity and impenitency, had ſpared them ten times, at laſt he ſets his Seal to their ruin, Heb. 3.8, 9. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderneſs: When your Fathers proved me, and ſaw my works forty years. This was a high provocation indeed, to harden their hearts under the Patience and long-ſuffering of God, after forty Years tryal and experience of it; v. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with [Page]that generation, and ſaid, They are a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways. And what was the iſſue of all this? Upon this God takes up a fixt reſolution to bear no longer with them, but to cut them off from the Bleſſings he had promiſed to beſtow upon them; He ſware in his wrath, that they ſhould not enter into his reſt. To whom ſware he, that they ſhould not enter into his reſt, but to them that believed not? or as the word may be rendred, to them that were diſobedient? that is, to them who went on in their rebellion againſt him, after he had ſuffered their manners forty years.

And as the abuſe of God's Patience renders our deſtruction more certain, ſo more ſpeedy and more intollerable. We think that becauſe God ſuffers long, he will ſuffer always; and becauſe puniſhment is delayed, therefore it will never come; but it will come the ſooner for this: So our Lord tells us, Luke 12. When the ſervant ſaid, His Lord delayed his coming, the Lord of that ſervant ſhall come in a day that he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and ſhall cut him in ſunder, and appoint him his portion with [Page]the hypocrites. None ſo like to be ſurpriſed by the Judgment of God, as thoſe who treſpaſs ſo boldly upon his Patience.

III. To perſwade us to make a right uſe of the Patience and long-ſuffering of God, and to comply with the merciful end and deſign of God therein.

1. It is the deſign of God's long-ſuffering, to give us a ſpace of repentance. Were it not that God had this deſign and reaſonable expectation from us, he would not reprieve a ſinner for one moment, but would execute Judgment upon him ſo ſoon as ever he had offended: This our Saviour declares to us by the Parable of the Figtree, Luke 13.6. Were it not that God expects from us the fruit of repentance, he would cut us down, and not ſuffer us to cumber the ground; after he had waited three years, ſeeking fruit and finding none, he ſpares it one year more, to ſee if it would bear fruit.

2. The long-ſuffering of God is a great encouragement to repentance. We ſee by his Patience that he is not ready to take advantage againſt us; that he ſpares us when we offend, is a [Page] very good ſign that he will forgive us if we repent. Thus natural Light would reaſon, and ſo the King of Nineveh, a Heathen, reaſons, Who can tell if God will turn and repent? But we are fully aſſured of this by the gracious declarations of the Goſpel, and the way of pardon and forgiveneſs which is therein eſtabliſht through faith in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, who was made a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world.

Therefore the long-ſuffering of God ſhould be a powerful argument to us to break off our ſins by repentance: For this is the End of God's Patience; He is long-ſuffering to us ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. He hath no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked ſhould turn from his way and live. God every where expreſſeth a vehement deſire and earneſt expectation of our repentance and converſion; Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem! waſh thy heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved. And Chap. 13.27. Woe unto thee Jeruſalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when ſhall it once be? He who is ſo patient as to the puniſhment of our ſins, is almoſt impatient of our repentance [Page] for them; Wilt thou not be made clean? when ſhall it once be? And can we ſtand out againſt his earneſt deſire of our happineſs, whom we have ſo often and ſo long provoked to make us miſerable?

Let us then return into our ſelves, and think ſeriouſly what our caſe and condition is; how we have lived, and how long the Patience of God hath ſuffered our manners, and waited for our repentance, and how inevitable and intollerable the miſery of thoſe muſt be who live and dye in the contempt and abuſe of it; let us heartily repent of our wicked lives, and ſay, What have we done? How careleſs have we been of our own happineſs, and what pains have we taken to undo our ſelves?

Let us ſpeedily ſet about this Work, becauſe we do not know how long the Patience of God may laſt, and the opportunities of our Salvation be continued to us. This day of God's Grace and Patience will have an end, therefore, as the Prophet exhorts, Iſa. 55.6. Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Now God graciouſly invites Sinners to [Page] come to him, and is ready to receive them; nay, if they do but move towards him, he is ready to go forth and meet them half way; but the time will come, when he will bid them depart from him, when they ſhall cry, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and the door of mercy ſhall be ſhut againſt them.

All the while thou delayeſt this neceſſary work, thou ventureſt thy immortal Soul, and putteſt thy eternal Salvation upon a deſperate hazard, and ſhould God ſnatch thee ſuddenly away in an impenitent ſtate, what would become of thee? Thou art yet in the way, and God is yet reconcileable, but Death is not far off, and perhaps much nearer to thee than thou art aware; at the beſt thy Life is uncertain, and Death will infallibly put a period to this day of God's Grace and Patience.

Repentance is a work ſo neceſſary, that methinks no Man ſhould loſe ſo much time as to deliberate, whether he ſhould ſet about it or not; de neceſſariis nulla eſt deliberatio; no man deliberates about what he muſt do, or be undone if he do it not. 'Tis a work of ſo great conſequence and concernment, [Page] and the delay of it ſo infinitely dangerous, that one would think no wiſe Man could entertain a thought of deferring it. What greater folly and ſtupidity can there be, than for Men to venture their immortal Souls, and to run an apparent hazard in matters of everlaſting conſequence?

This day of God's Patience is the great opportunity of our Salvation, and if we let it ſlip, it is never to be recovered: If we miſ-improve this time of our life, we ſhall not be permitted to live it over again to improve it better. Our ſtate of tryal ends with this life, after that God will prove us no more; then we ſhall wiſh, O that I had known in that my day, the things which belonged to my peace, but now they are hid from mine eyes; therefore to day, whilſt it is called to day, harden not your hearts, make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day, for ſuddenly ſhall the wrath of the Lord break forth, and in thy ſecurity thou ſhalt be deſtroyed; exerciſe repentance in the time of health, and defer not till death to be juſtified.

SERMON X.Vol. VII· The Power of God.

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PSAL. LXII.11.

God hath ſpoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God.

IN treating of the Attributes of God, I have conſider'd thoſe which relate to the Divine Ʋnderſtanding, to which I referr'd his Knowledge and Wiſdom; thoſe alſo which relate to the Divine Will; viz. God's Juſtice, Truth, Holineſs, and Goodneſs; I come now to conſider his Power of acting, which is his Omnipotency; this I ſhall ſpeak to from theſe words.

In the beginning of this Pſalm, David declares that God was the great Object of his truſt and confidence, [Page] and that all his hopes and expectation of ſafety and deliverance were from him, v. 1, 2. And this makes him challenge his Enemies for all their miſchievous qualities and devices againſt him, as vain attempts, v. 3, 4. Hereupon he chargeth himſelf to continue his truſt and confidence in God, from whom was all his expectation, and who was able to ſave and deliver him; v. 5, 6, 7. And from his Example and Experience, he encourageth and exhorts all others to truſt in God, v. 8. and that from two Arguments.

1. Becauſe all other Objects of our truſt and confidence are vain and inſufficient, and will fail thoſe that rely upon them. If we will rely upon any thing in this World, it muſt either be Perſons or Things; but we cannot ſafely repoſe our truſt in either of theſe. Not in Perſons: They may be reduced to one of theſe two Heads, either high or low: Thoſe that are of a mean condition, it would be in vain to truſt them; they that cannot ſecure themſelves from meanneſs, cannot ſecure others from miſchief, Men of low degree are vanity: But great ones of the World, they [Page] ſeem to promiſe ſomething of aſſiſtance and ſecurity to us; but if we depend upon them, they will fruſtrate us, Men of high degree are a lie. As for the Things of the World; that which Men uſually place their confidence in, is Riches; theſe are either got by unlawful, or lawful means; if they be ill gotten, by Oppreſſion or Robbery, they will be ſo far from ſecuring us from Evil, that they will bring it upon us; if they be well gotten, they are of an uncertain nature, that we have little reaſon to place our hopes in them; If riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them, that is, your hope; for heart in Scripture ſignifies any of the Affections.

2. Becauſe God is the proper Object of our truſt and confidence. We may ſafely rely upon any one, in whom theſe two things concur, a Power to help us, and Goodneſs to incline him ſo to do. Now David tells us, that both theſe are eminently in God, and do in a peculiar manner belong to him; Power, v. 11. and Goodneſs, v. 12.

[Page]I ſhall ſpeak to that which David makes the firſt ground of our confidence, the Power of God; Power belongs to God: For which he brings the teſtimony of God himſelf, once hath God ſpoken, yea twice have I heard this. Some Interpreters trouble themſelves about the meaning of this Expreſſion, as if it did refer to ſome particular Revelation of God; and then again they are troubled how to reconcile God's ſpeaking this but once, with David's hearing it twice; but I do not love to ſpie Myſteries in theſe Expreſſions which are capable of a plain Senſe; for I underſtand no more by it but this, that God hath ſeveral times revealed this; he frequently declared himſelf by this Attribute, once, yea twice, that is, he hath ſpoken it often, and David had heard it often. This is anſwerable to that Phraſe of the Latins, Semel atque iterum; and it is uſual in all Writers, to uſe a certain number for an uncertain, and particularly among Poets, Felices ter & amplius, Hor. And ſo in the Poetical Writers of Scripture, Job 5.19. He hath delivered thee in ſix troubles, yea, in ſeven there ſhall no evil [...]ouch thee; that is, in ſeveral [Page] and various troubles. Eccleſ. 11.2. Give a portion to ſeven and alſo to eight, that is, diſtribute thy Charity to many; and which is neareſt to this, Job 40.5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further; that is, I have had ſeveral Diſcourſes with my Friends; and 33.14. God ſpeaketh once, yea twice, in a dream, in a viſion of the night; that is, God reveals himſelf in ſeveral ways and manners to Men; ſo here, God hath ſpoken once, yea twice, that is, God hath often declared this. And if I would be ſo curious to refer to a particular declaration of God, I ſhould think, that it related either to the Preface to the Law, I am the Lord thy God, that is, the great and powerful God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt; or rather to the declaration which God made of himſelf to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, by the name of the Almighty God, Gen. 17.1. Concerning which revelation of God, it is ſaid expreſly, Ex. 6.3. I appeared unto Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob, by the Name of God Almighty, but by my Name Jehovah, was I not known to them.

[Page]But that which I deſign to ſpeak to, is the Propoſition it ſelf, that Power belongs to God; that is, that the excellency of Power, Power in its higheſt degree and perfection; all Power belongs to God, that is, that Omnipotence is a Property or Perfection of the Divine Nature.

In the handling of this, I ſhall ſhew,

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Omnipotence of God.

Secondly, That this Perfection belongs to God.

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Omnipotence of God. And this I ſhall conſider,

I. As to the Principle. And,

II. As to the Exerciſe of it.

I. As to the Principle, it is an ability to do all things; the doing of which ſpeaks Power and Perfection; that is, whatever is not repugnant either to the nature of things, or of God; whatever does not imply a contradiction in the Thing, or an imperfection in the Doer; an ability to do all things which are conſiſtent with it ſelf, and with the divine Nature and Perfection; by which we muſt mean [Page] an executive Power, the Effect whereof is without himſelf; for what he is ſaid to do within himſelf, the acts of his Underſtanding and Will, as we conceive his Will to be diſtinct from his Power, are not to be referr'd to his Omnipotence. To have a right conception of Omnipotence, we muſt imagine the moſt perfect active Principle that we can, and 'tis ſtill ſomething more perfect than that, or any thing we can imagine. To help our conception,

1. Let us imagine a Principle from which all other power is derived, and upon which it depends, and to which it is perfectly ſubject and ſubordinate.

2. A perfect active Principle, which can do, not only what any finite Being or Creature can do, but what all Beings joyned together can do; nay more and greater things than they all can do.

3. A perfect active Principle, to which nothing can make any conſiderable, much leſs effectual reſiſtance, which can check and countermand at pleaſure, and carry down before it, and annihilate all other Powers that [Page] we can imagine beſides this; becauſe we cannot imagine any other Power, that is not derived from this, and does not depend upon it.

4. A perfect active Principle, which can do all things in a moſt perfect manner, and can do all things at once and in an inſtant, and that with eaſe. We can but do one thing at once, and the greater and more conſiderable it is, the more time it will ask us to do it, and we find it the harder and more difficult to be done; but God, to whoſe knowledge all things are preſent at once, and together; and the acts of whoſe Will are as quick and perfect as of his Underſtanding, hath a Power anſwerable to the Perfection of both, and therefore 'tis as eaſie to him to do all things, as one thing, at once, as ſucceſſively, and in time; for this is the priviledge of an Infinite Spirit, that it does not only act without Hands and material Engines or Inſtruments, as every Spirit doth, but without motion from one place to another, becauſe he is every where and fills all places; he acts per modum voluntatis, as if his actings were nothing elſe but a willing that ſuch a [Page] thing be done, and ipſo facto every thing is ſo, as he wills it ſhould be, and when he wills it ſhould be; as if things did ſtart up into Being, or vaniſh out of Being, as if they did break forth into Being, and ſculk again into nothing, and undergo ſuch and ſuch changes, ad nutum voluntatis, at the beck of his will. And this is the moſt perfect way of acting that can be imagined, which the Scripture ſeems to expreſs to us, when it repreſents God as making things by his word, upholding all things by the word of his power; as if he did but ſpeak the word, and ſay, Let ſuch a thing be, and it was ſo; as if there were nothing more required to the doing of any thing, but an expreſs act of the Divine Will, which is all we can underſtand by God's ſpeaking, by his word, and voice, and ſaying, Let things be; but the leaſt that it can ſignifie, is the quick and ſpeedy manner of working, whereby God is able to do things in an inſtant, as ſoon as a word can be ſpoken.

And as he can do all things at once, and in an inſtant; ſo with eaſe, without any pain or laborious endeavour; [Page] for what is it can object any difficulty to him? At the firſt Creation of things there was nothing to reſiſt him; and ſince the Creation, there is nothing but what was made by him, and conſequently all whoſe power is derived from him, and depends upon him, and is ſubject to him, and being finite and limited, is infinitely unequal to the infinite Power of God; ſo that we may imagine, the Divine Power would paſs through all the reſiſtance that all created Power can make, and all the difficulties it can object to it, with more eaſe than a Bullet paſſeth through the thin Air, or a Man would paſs through a Net of Cobweb.

5. The moſt perfect active Principle we can imagine, the utmoſt bounds and limits of whoſe Perfection we cannot imagine, that is, when we have imagined it to be as perfect, and to act in as perfect a manner as we can imagine, yet we have not reached the Perfection of it; but after all this, that it can do many things more than we can imagine, and in a manner much more perfect than we can imagine. This is the Omnipotence [Page] of God, as to the Principle, which hath no bounds and limits. And,

II. As to the Exerciſe of it, it is only limitted by the Divine Will and Wiſdom. The Divine Will determins it to its exerciſe, the Divine Wiſdom directs and regulates the exerciſe of it; that is, God exerciſeth his Power willingly, and not by neceſſity, and in ſuch manner, for the producing ſuch Effects, and in order to ſuch Ends and Purpoſes, as ſeem beſt to his Wiſdom. Hence He is ſaid to act all things according to his good pleaſure, and according to the counſel of his will; that is, freely and wiſely.

As to the Extent of this Power, I ſaid it was an ability to do all things that are conſiſtent with it ſelf, and with the Nature and Perfection of God.

Firſt, That are conſiſtent with it ſelf, that is, with a Power to do all things. It is a contradiction to imagine, that Omnipotence can do that, which if it could be done, would render all Power inſignificant. Upon this account, the Divine Power is not ſaid to extend to the working of any thing which implies a contradiction, and [Page] the terms whereof ſpeak a repugnancy to one another, and mutually deſtroy one another, and the doing whereof is contrary to the nature of the thing which is ſuppoſed to be done, that is, is nonſenſe, and cannot be imagined to be. For Example, That a thing ſhould be, and not be at the ſame time. For a Power to make a thing to be, ſo as it ſhould not be while it is, ſignifies nothing; becauſe ſuch a Being as is not, is nothing; and to make ſuch a Being, would be to do nothing, and conſequently ſuch a Power would ſignifie nothing. So likewiſe we cannot ſay, that the Divine Power can cauſe that the ſame thing ſhould be made and not be made, that that which hath been, ſhould not have been; for the Power which makes a thing ſo as that it was not made, and cauſeth a thing to have been, ſo as that it hath not been, does nothing; and conſequently is no Power. Nor can we ſay, that the Divine Power can effect that any thing ſhould be made by it ſelf, that is, be the cauſe of its own Being; for that would be to cauſe that a thing ſhould be before it is, that is, [Page] be, when it is not, which ſignifies nothing. We cannot ſay that the Divine Power can effect, that twice two ſhould not make four; for that would be to cauſe that things ſhould not be what they are, if they be at all, which is to cauſe that things ſhould be and not be at all, when they are, which amounts to nothing.

We cannot ſay, that the Divine Power can make a ſound to be ſeen, and colour to be heard; for that would be to make colour and ſound all one, that is, things that differ, to be the ſame while they differ, which is to make colour and ſound not to be colour and ſound while they are ſo, which is to do nothing, and conſequently argues no Power.

We cannot ſay the Divine Power can make that which is intrinſecally and eſſentially good, to be evil; and on the contrary: Or that which is neceſſarily true to be falſe; and on the contrary. For to make that which is intrinſecally and eſſentially good to be evil, is to make that which is always good to be ſometimes evil, that is, to be evil whilſt it is good, that is to make good and evil all one; which [Page] is to bring two things together, which ſo ſoon as they do exiſt, deſtroy one another, which is to no purpoſe, becauſe it is to do juſt nothing; and there is the ſame reaſon of true and falſe.

We cannot ſay, that the Power of God can cauſe that the ſame thing ſhould be hot and cold, dead and alive at the ſame time; becauſe theſe deſtroy one another, and if they were both, neither of them would be, and ſo the effect we attribute to this Power would be nothing.

We cannot ſay, that the Divine Power can effect, that the ſame impreſſion ſhould give a thing two contrary motions, upward and downward at the ſame time; that the ſame Body ſhould be in two contrary poſtures, in motion and at reſt, and in ſeveral places, which are the contradictions of Tranſubſtantiation; for, for the ſame Body to be at the ſame time in two ſeveral places, is to be limited and circumſcribed by each of theſe, that is, ſo to be in each of them, as not to be in the other, or in any other, ſo that if it be in this place, it is not in that, nor any other beſides this; if it be in that place, it is not in this, [Page] nor any other beſides that; but if it be in two, it is both in this and in that, and therefore in neither of them, nor any where elſe; ſo that a Power to make a Body to be in two places at once, is a Power to make it to be no where, that is, not to be at all, which is no Power; and there's the ſame reaſon of the ſame Body's being in contrary motion, or in motion and at reſt, or in two contrary poſtures at the ſame time.

So that by all theſe Inſtances it appears, that a Power to do any thing which implies a contradiction, and is repugnant to the nature of things, ſignifies nothing, and the ſuppoſed Effect of it is only to bring terms together, which if they could be brought together, ſo ſoon as they meet, will mutually take away and deſtroy one another, which would be vain and to no purpoſe.

I have the more explicitly laid open theſe contradictions, with relation to the groſs Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, in which all, or moſt of the contradictions which I have mentioned are involved. I know they ſtifly deny, that theſe contradictions follow [Page] from that Doctrine, and uſe pitiful ſhifts to avoid them; but being not able to ſatisfie themſelves that way, if the worſt ſhould come to the worſt, they can grant theſe contradictions, but then they flye to the Power of God, which can do things which we call contradictions; or elſe they ſay, there are as many contradictions in the Doctrine of the Trinity, which all Chriſtians believe. And thus they reproach Chriſtianity, to defend Popery; and if they cannot perſwade Men to be Papiſts, do what they can to make them Atheiſts, or at leaſt, to hinder them from being Chriſtians: but there is not ſo much malice in this Objection, but there is as little ſtrength. Is it any contradiction, that the ſame thing ſhould be three and one in ſeveral reſpects? which is all that the Scripture teacheth concerning the Trinity: but if Men will undertake to explain this more particularly than God thought fit to do, and do it in ſuch a manner, as that they cannot free themſelves from contradiction, let them look to it, the Chriſtian Religion is not at all concerned in this, further than to cenſure ſuch Mens boldneſs and curioſity.

[Page]But againſt this exemption of things that imply a contradiction from the compaſs and extent of the Divine Power, there are two Objections which are more conſiderable, and deſerve to be taken notice of.

I. We grant God's fore-knowledge of future Events, which ſeem to us to be impoſſible to be foreknown; now why may we not as well grant, that God can do things which ſeem to us impoſſible to be done by any Power, as foreknow things which it is impoſſible for any Underſtanding to know? For why ſhould we pretend to know the utmoſt of what infinite Power can do, any more than the utmoſt of what infinite Underſtanding can know?

Anſ. I know no reaſon but that the Argument ſhould be granted, if there were an equal neceſſity of granting the poſſibility of thoſe things, which ſeem to us impoſſible to be done, that there is of granting the poſſibility of fore-knowing future contingencies, tho' they ſeem to us impoſſible to be known. We muſt grant the poſſibility of fore-knowing future contingencies, becauſe the Scripture, [Page] which we believe to be a Divine Revelation, expreſly tells us, that God doth foreknow them, and gives us Inſtances of it in ſeveral Prophecies and Predictions. Now if any Man can ſhew me as expreſs Texts, which ſay, that God can make a Body to be in two places at once, I would believe it, tho' I do not ſee how it is poſſible; becauſe it is reaſonable I ſhould believe, that infinite Power can do many things, the poſſibility of which my finite Underſtanding cannot reach. Now whereas the Papiſts ſay, the Scripture hath ſaid that from which this neceſſarily follows, viz. This is my Body; this is not enough, unleſs they could either prove, that it is neceſſary to underſtand all Texts of Scripture in a rigorous and ſtrict propriety of the Letter, without admitting any trope or figure in the words; which they do not pretend: or elſe ſhew a clear reaſon, why this ſhould be underſtood ſo, more than a thouſand others; which they have not done, and I think never can do.

But if it be further argued; If we grant in one caſe, that thoſe things which ſeem to be contradictions to us [Page] may be poſſible, why not in all caſes? Unleſs we had ſome certain way of diſtinguiſhing between ſeeming contradictions and real ones. And if we grant all contradictions poſſible, then there is no reaſon to exempt theſe from the extent of the Divine Power; but we may ſafely ſay, that the Divine Power can make a thing to be and not to be at the ſame time. To this I anſwer,

1. I do not grant, that any thing that ſeems to me to be a contradiction, ought to be granted by me to be poſſible, unleſs I have higher aſſurance and greater reaſon to believe it to be poſſible, than I have to believe it to be a contradiction; for Example, Suppoſe it were clearly revealed in Scripture, that two Bodies may be in the ſame place at the ſame time (which is not, nor any thing like it) then having a revelation for this, and no revelation that it is not a contradiction, I have higher aſſurance and greater reaſon to believe it is poſſible, than that it is a contradiction; and conſequently I have reaſon to believe it is no contradiction, and that from thence it would not follow, that the [Page] ſame thing may be, and not be at the ſame time: but tho' in caſe of Divine Revelation, I may believe that to be no contradiction, which ſeems to me to be a contradiction; yet I am not, without great neceſſity and clear evidence, to offer violence to reaſon, and affront the faculty of Underſtading which God hath endowed me withal, by entertaining any thing which ſeems to me to be a contradiction; which the Papiſts do in the buſineſs of Tranſubſtantiation, without any evidence of Revelation, and conſequently without neceſſity.

2. But if this were revealed in Scripture, that the ſame thing may be and not be at the ſame time, I could have no reaſon to believe that, becauſe I could have no aſſurance, if that were true, that the Scriptures were a Divine Revelation, or that it were to be believed if it were; for if it were true, that the ſame thing may be and not be, then a Divine Revelation may be no Divine Revelation, and when I am bound to believe a thing, I may be bound at the ſame time not to believe it, and ſo all things would fall into uncertainty, and the foundation [Page] of all aſſurance, and of all duty and obedience, both of Faith and Practice, would be taken away.

The II. Objection is from the power of Creation, which is generally acknowledged to be a making of ſomething out of nothing; now ſay the Objectors, this ſeems as palpable a Contradiction as any thing elſe.

Anſ. To us indeed, who converſe with material things, and never ſaw any thing made, but out of pre-exiſtent matter, it is very hard to conceive how any thing ſhould be created, that is, produced out of nothing: but every thing that is ſtrange is not a contradiction. It is ſtrange to us, and hard to conceive, that there ſhould be ſuch a thing as a Spirit, who never ſaw, nor can ſee any thing but matter; and yet we grant there are Spirits. It is hard to us to conceive how any thing ſhould be made, but out of matter; and yet Spirit, if it were made of any thing pre-exiſtent, cannot be made of matter: but if we will attend to thoſe common dictates of Reaſon, which every Man, whether he will or no, muſt aſſent to, we may [Page] eaſily underſtand Creation to be poſſible, and free from contradiction. For the clearing of this, I will proceed by theſe ſteps.

1. The true Notion of Creation, is the bringing of ſomething into Being, which before had no Being at all; for the Phraſe of making ſomething out of nothing, or out of no pre-exiſtent matter, does miſlead our Underſtandings into odd Conceits, as if nothing could be the material cauſe of ſomething, or as if nothing could be what is material.

2. Every one muſt grant, that ſomething is; for we ſee that things are, however they came to be.

3. Every one muſt grant, that ſomething is of it ſelf, whether matter, or that Being which we call God.

4. Every one muſt grant, that that which was of it ſelf was always; for nothing can begin to be of it ſelf.

5. It is much more eaſie to conceive how a thing that once was not, might ſometime be brought into Being by another, than how a thing ſhould be always of it ſelf; for that which once was not, is ſuppoſed to have ſomething before it, by which it [Page] might be made, though not out of which it was made; but that which was always, neither had, nor could have any thing by which, or out of which it could be made. And why cannot a thing come into a Being, when there was nothing before it, out of which it was made, as well as a thing be always, when there could not be any thing before it, out of which it ſhould be?

Secondly, I exempt thoſe things from the Extent of Omnipotence, which imply Imperfection, which are contrary to the Nature and Perfection of God, both natural and moral imperfections; for theſe alſo deſtroy Power, becauſe they are not arguments of Power, but of Impotence. Natural Imperfections; as to dye, to be ſick, to be in want, to eat, to ſleep, to forget, &c. Moral Imperfections, thoſe which contradict the holineſs of God, as ſin and vice, or to compel any to ſin; which contradict his Goodneſs, as to be cruel; which contradict his Truth, as to lie, to deceive, to break his promiſe, to deny himſelf; Tit. 1.2. 2 Tim. 2.13. Jam. 1.13. He is ſaid to be [...]. Contrary to the [Page] conſtancy and immutability of his Nature, as to change his decree, to repent; Contrary to Juſtice and Equity, as for ever to ſpare and to pardon obſtinate ſinners, eternally to puniſh innocent and good Men; for theſe are Moral Imperfections, and contradict the Holineſs, and Truth, and Goodneſs, and Juſtice, and Immutability of the Divine Nature; and that diſtinction between God's abſolute and ordinate Power, that is, that God hath an abſolute Power of doing ſome things, which yet upon ſuppoſition of his decree, or promiſe, or goodneſs, or juſtice, he cannot do, is vain and frivolous, unleſs Men mean by it only this, that ſome things which argue an imperfection, do not imply a contradiction, which is moſt true; but both theſe are abſolutely and equally impoſſible to God. I proceed to the

Second Thing I propoſed, That this Perfection belongs to God; and this I ſhall ſhew,

I. From the dictates of Natural Light.

II. From the Scripture, or Divine Revelation.

[Page]I. From the dictates of Natural Light. This was one of the moſt uſual Titles which the Heathens gave to their Supreme Deity, Optimus Maximus; next to his Goodneſs they placed his Greatneſs, which does chiefly appear in his Power; and they did not only attribute a great Power to him, but an Omnipotence. Nihil eſt quod Deus efficere non poteſt, ſaith Tully de Div. Now their Natural Reaſon did convince them, that this Perfection did belong to God by theſe three Arguments.

1. From thoſe two great Inſtances and Expreſſions of his Power, Creation and Providence; for the Heathens did generally acknowledge the making of the World, and the Preſervation and Government of it, to be the effects of Power, determined by Goodneſs, and regulated by Wiſdom. Hence they gave thoſe Titles to God of Opifex rerum, and Rector mundi. I ſay generally, I except Ariſtotle, who ſuppoſed the World not to have been made, but to have been from Eternity; and Epicurus with his followers, who aſcribed the regular and orderly Frame of Nature to a [Page] happy caſualty and fortunate concourſe of Atoms: but generally the wiſer did look upon the vaſt Frame of Nature, this ſtately Fabrick of the World, and the upholding and preſerving of it, as an argument of a divine and inviſible Power. And ſo the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 1.20. that by the Light of Nature, the inviſible things of God were clearly ſeen by the things that were made, even his eternal power and godhead.

2. Becauſe all other Perfections without this would be inſignificant and ineffectual, or elſe could not be at all. Without this Goodneſs would be an empty piece of good meaning, and not able to give any demonſtration of it ſelf; Knowledge would be an idle ſpeculation; and Wiſdom to contrive things, without Power to effect them, would be an uſeleſs thing. There would be no ſuch thing as Juſtice, if the Divine Nature were without a Power to reward and puniſh; no ſuch thing as Faithfulneſs, if he had not a power to perform what he promiſes; no Providence, for it would be in vain for him that hath no power, to take upon him to govern and to [Page] intermeddle in the Affairs of the World.

3. Without this there could be no Religion. Take away the Power of God, and there can be no foundation of Faith and Truſt, no reaſon for fear; all arguments from hope and fear would be taken away; we could not expect any good, nor fear any harm from an impotent Being that could do nothing. The ſanction of God's Laws would be taken away. To give authority to Laws, there muſt not only be a right to command, but power to back thoſe commands; the grand ſecurity and laſt reſort of all Government and Authority is Power; James 4.12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to ſave, and to deſtroy. None can be a Law-giver, but he that hath this power, to reward and puniſh, to make Men happy or miſerable, to ſave, or to deſtroy. Men would not pray to God, nor make any addreſs to him, if they did not believe he were able to ſupply their wants, and relieve them in their ſtraits; Nec in hunc furorem omnes mortales conſenſiſſent alloquendi ſurda numina & inefficaces deos, Sen. There would be no encouragement [Page] for Men to ſerve God, if they did not believe that he were able to reward them, and bring them to happineſs, and to defend them againſt all the Enemies of their welfare, ſo that it ſhould not be in the power of the moſt malicious Spirits to hinder them of their happineſs.

II. From Scripture or Divine Revelation. In producing Texts to this purpoſe, I will proceed by theſe ſteps.

1. Take notice of thoſe which in general aſcribe Power, and Might, and Strength to God. Pſal. 24.8. The Lord ſtrong and mighty. So girt with power; the mighty God; thine is the greatneſs and the power; thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. Of the ſame nature are thoſe places which call upon all Creatures to aſcribe this to God; Give unto the Lord ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and ſtrength.

2. Thoſe which aſcribe this to God in an eminent degree. Job 9.4. He is mighty in ſtrength; excellent in power; who is like unto him? The Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength.

[Page]3. Thoſe Texts which aſcribe ſuch a Power as tranſcends any human or created Power. Such as thoſe which expreſs all the power which Men have to be derived from God; John 19.11. Thou couldeſt have no power at all, except it were given thee from above. And thoſe which advance the Power of God above the Power of Men; Luke 18.27. The things which are impoſſible with men, are poſſible with God; He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. Eph. 3.20. 2 Chron. 20.6. Job 9.4. According to his mighty power, whereby he is able to ſubdue all things to himſelf, Phil. 3.21. Dan. 4.35. Thoſe which declare all things to be equally eaſie to him, and nothing difficult; There is nothing too hard for thee, Jer. 32.17. 2 Chron. 14.11. 1 Sam. 14.6.

4. Thoſe which aſcribe all Power to him, by the Titles of Almighty, Alſufficient, Gen. 17.1. Rev. 4.8, 11.15.3.16.7.19.26. Job. 42.2. Thou canſt do all things. Matth. 19.6. Mark. 10.27. Luke 1.37.

I have diſpatch'd what I propos'd upon this Argument, give me leave to apply all in the following particulars.

[Page]Uſe. Firſt, The conſideration of God's Omnipotence may cauſe terror to wicked Men. All this Power which I have deſcribed, or rather, which is ſo great that I cannot deſcribe it, is engaged againſt Sinners; His power and his wrath is againſt all that forſake him, Ezra 8.22. And who knows what thoſe words ſignifie, Pſal. 99.11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? as is thy fear, ſo is thy wrath. There is no Paſſion in the Heart of Man more infinite than our Fear, it troubles us with jealouſie and ſuſpicion of the utmoſt that may happen; but when we have extended our Fears to the utmoſt, the power of God's wrath reacheth further. Whenever we ſin, we challenge the Almighty, and dare infinite Power to do its worſt to us; Job 15.25. ſpeaking of the wicked Man, He ſtretcheth out his hand againſt God, and ſtrengtheneth himſelf againſt the Almighty. Whom wilt thou fear, if not him who can make thee extremely happy or miſerable for ever? Will ye provoke the Lord to jealouſie? are ye ſtronger than he? Becauſe he doth nothing againſt thee for the preſent, thinkeſt thou he can do nothing? [Page] Nah. 1.3. He is ſlow to anger, and great in power, and will not acquit the wicked. There is a day a coming, when the Son of man ſhall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

Secondly, The conſideration of God's Omnipotence ſhould check the Pride and vain Confidence of Men. What have we to be proud of? What have we that we have not received? Where then is cauſe of boaſting? Who may glory in his ſight? Thoſe that have the greateſt Power ſhould remember whence it is derived, and render back the Glory of it to the Fountain of it. Pſal. 29.1. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and ſtrength. So likewiſe it ſhould take Men off from relying upon their own ſtrength, which at the beſt is but an arm of fleſh, as the Scripture calls it, for the weakneſs of it. Do we not ſee, that many times the battel is not to the ſtrong? That things are not done by might and by power, but by the ſpirit of the Lord. When he appears againſt the moſt potent, their hearts melt within them, and there is no more ſpirit left in them, as 'tis ſaid of the mighty Inhabitants of Canaan, Joſh. 5.1.

[Page] Thirdly, We ſhould make this Omnipotence of God the Object of our truſt and confidence. This is the moſt proper uſe we can make of this Doctrine, as David does in this Pſalm; and this was uſed for a form of bleſſing the People in the Name of God; Pſal. 136.3. The Lord that made heaven and earth, bleſs thee. And David, when he magnifies God's deliverance of his People from the multitude of their Enemies, reſolves it into this, Our help ſtandeth in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Thus did the great Pattern and Example of Faith incourage and ſupport his confidence in God in a very difficult tryal; he ſtaggered not at it, becauſe he believed God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth thoſe things that be not as tho' they were; therefore againſt hope he believed in hope, &c. Rom. 4.17. &c. This gives life to all our Devotion, to be perſwaded, that God is able to do for us exceedingly above what we can ask or think, and that his is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory.

I ſhall only caution two things as to our relyance on the Power of God.

[Page]I. Labour to be ſuch Perſons to whom God hath promiſed that he will engage and imploy his Omnipotence for their good. If we hope for any good from the Almighty, we muſt walk before him and be perfect, as he ſaid to Abraham. Good Men have a peculiar intereſt in God's Power; hence he is called the ſtrength of Iſrael, and the mighty one of Iſrael. If we do what God requires of us, we may expect that he will put forth his Power, and exert his Arm for us; but if we diſobey, we muſt expect he will manifeſt his Power againſt us, Ez. 8.22. When we do well, we may commit the keeping of our ſouls to him, 1 Pet. 4.19.

II. Our expectations from the Omnipotence of God muſt be with ſubmiſſion to his Pleaſure, and Goodneſs, and Wiſdom; we muſt not expect that God will manifeſt his Power, when we think there is occaſion for it, but when it ſeems beſt to him; he will ſo imploy his Omnipotence, as to manifeſt his Goodneſs and Wiſdom.

And with theſe two Cautions, we may rely upon him in all our Wants, both Spiritual and Temporal; for his [Page] Divine Power can give us all things that pertain to life and godlineſs; 2 Pet. 1.3. We may truſt him at all times, for the Omnipotent God neither ſlumbereth nor ſleepeth, the Almighty fainteth not, neither is he weary; truſt ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength.

SERMON XI.Vol. VII· The Spirituality of the Divine Nature.

[Page]

JOHN. IV.24.

God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in truth.

THeſe are the words of our Saviour to the Woman of Samaria, who was ſpeaking to him of the difference between the Samaritans and the Jews concerning Religion; v. 20. Our Fathers worſhipped in this mountain, but ye ſay, that in Jeruſalem is the place where men ought to worſhip. Chriſt tells her, The time was coming, when the worſhippers of God ſhould neither be confined to that mountain, [Page]nor to Jeruſalem; but men ſhould worſhip the Father in ſpirit and in truth, when this carnal, and ceremonial, and typical Worſhip of God ſhould be exalted into a more ſpiritual, a more real, and true, and ſubſtantial Religion, which ſhould not be confined to one Temple, but ſhould be univerſally diffuſed through the World. Now ſuch a Worſhip as this, is moſt agreeable to the Nature of God; for he is a ſpirit, and thoſe who worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth. In the words we have,

Firſt, A Propoſition laid down, God is a ſpirit.

Secondly, A Corollary or Inference deduced from it, they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in truth. I ſhall ſpeak of the Propoſition, as that which concerns my preſent Deſign; and afterward ſpeak ſomething to the Corollary or Inference deduced from it, together with ſome other Inferences drawn from this truth, by way of Application.

[Page] Firſt, That God is a ſpirit. This expreſſion is ſingular, and not to be parallell'd again in the Scripture; indeed we have often mention made in Scripture of the ſpirit of God, and the ſpirit of the Lord, which ſignifies a Divine Power and Energy; and of the holy Spirit, ſignifying the third Perſon in the Trinity; God is call'd the God of the Spirits of all fleſh; Numb. 16.22.27.16. much in the ſame Senſe, as he is call'd the Father of Spirits, Heb. 12.9. that is, the Creator of the Souls of Men; but we no where meet with this expreſſion, or any other equivalent to it, that God is a ſpirit, but only in this place; nor had it been uſed here, but to prove that the beſt Worſhip of God, that which is moſt proper to him, is ſpiritual; ſo that the thing which our Saviour here intends, is not to prove the Spiritual Nature of God, but that his Worſhip ought to be ſpiritual; nor indeed is there any neceſſity that it ſhould have been any where ſaid in Scripture, that God is a ſpirit, it being the natural Notion of a God; no more than it is neceſſary [Page] that it ſhould be told us, that God is good, or that he is infinite, and eternal, and the like; or that the Scripture ſhould prove to us the Being of a God. All theſe are manifeſt by the Light of Nature, and if the Scripture mention them, it is ex abundanti, and it is uſually in order to ſome further purpoſe.

For we are to know, that the Scripture ſuppoſeth us to be Men, and to partake of the common Notions of Human Nature, and therefore doth not teach us Philoſophy, nor ſolicitouſly inſtruct us in thoſe things which are born with us, but ſuppoſeth the knowledge of theſe, and makes uſe of theſe common Principles and Notions which are in us concerning God, and the immortality of our Souls, and the Life to come, to excite us to our Duty, and quicken our Endeavours after Happineſs. For I do not find that the Doctrine of the immortality of the Soul, is any where expreſly delivered in Scripture, but taken for granted; in like manner that the Scripture doth not ſolicitouſly inſtruct [Page] us in the natural Notions which we have of God, but ſuppoſeth them known to us; and if it mention them, it is not ſo much in order to knowledge as to practice; and therefore we need not wonder that this expreſſion, which doth ſet forth to us the Nature of God, is but once uſed in Scripture, and that brought in upon occaſion, and for another purpoſe; becauſe it is a thing naturally known. Plato ſays, that God is [...], without Body. In like manner Tully, Nec enim deus ipſe qui intelligitur a nobis alio modo intelligi poteſt, niſi mens quaedam ſoluta & libera, ſegregata ab omni concretione mortali; we cannot conceive of God, but as of a pure Mind, intirely free from all mortal compoſition or mixture. And Plutarch after him, [...], God is a Mind, an abſtract being, pure from all matter, and diſintangled from whatever is paſſible or capable of ſuffering. So that Natural Light informing us that God is a Spirit, there was no need why the Scripture ſhould inculcate this; it is an excellent medium or [Page] argument to prove that the Worſhip of God ſhould chiefly be ſpiritual; and altho it was not neceſſary that it ſhould have been mention'd for it ſelf, that is, to inform us of a thing which we could not otherwiſe know, yet the Wiſdom of God, by the expreſs mention of this, ſeems to have provided againſt an Error which ſome weaker and groſſer Spirits might be ſubject to. You know God is pleaſed, by way of condeſcention and accommodation of himſelf to our capacity, to repreſent himſelf to us in Scripture by human Imperfections, and gives ſuch deſcriptions of himſelf, as if he had a Body, and bodily Members; now to prevent any error or miſtake that might be occaſion'd hereby, it ſeems very becoming the Wiſdom of God, ſomewhere in Scripture expreſly to declare the ſpiritual Nature of God, that none through weakneſs or wilfulneſs might entertain groſs apprehenſions of him. In ſpeaking to this Propoſition, I ſhall,

I. Explain what is meant by a Spirit.

[Page]II. Endeavour to prove to you, that God is a ſpirit.

III. Anſwer an Objection or two.

IV. Draw ſome Inferences or Corollaries from the whole.

I. For the explication of the Notion of a Spirit. I ſhall not trouble you with the ſtrict Philoſophical Notion of it, as that it is ſuch a ſubſtance as is penetrable, that is, may be in the ſame place with a Body, and neither keep out the Body nor be kept out by it; and that the parts which we imagine in it cannot be divided, that is really ſeperated and torn from one another, as the parts of a Body: but I will give you a negative deſcription of it. A Spirit is not Matter, it doth not fall under any of our Senſes, it is that which we cannot ſee nor touch; it is not a Body, not Fleſh, and Blood, and Bones; for ſo we find Spirit in Scripture oppoſed to Fleſh and Body; Iſa. 31.3. Their horſes are fleſh, and not ſpirit. So Luke 24. [Page] when Chriſt appeared to his Diſciples after his Reſurrection, they were terrified, and ſuppoſed it had been a ſpirit, v. 39. But he ſaid, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my ſelf; handle me, and ſee, for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones, as ye ſee me have. The moſt uſual deſcription of a Spirit is by theſe Negatives, it is not a Body, hath not Fleſh and Bones, doth not conſiſt of Matter, or of any thing that falls under our Senſes, that we can ſee or touch.

II. For the proof of this Propoſition, that God is a ſpirit. This is not to be proved by way of demonſtration, for there is nothing before God, or which can be a cauſe of him; but by way of conviction, by ſhewing the abſurdity of the contrary. The firſt and moſt natural Notion that we have of God, is, that he is a Being every way perfect, and from this Notion we muſt argue concerning the properties which are attributed to God, and govern all our Reaſonings concerning God by this; ſo that when any thing is ſaid of God, the beſt [Page] way to know whether it be to be attributed to him, is to enquire whether it be a Perfection or not; if it be, it belongs to him; if it be not, it is to be removed from him; and if any Man ask, why I ſay God is ſo, or ſo, a Spirit, or Good, or Juſt; the beſt reaſon that can be given, is, becauſe theſe are Perfections, and the contrary to theſe are Imperfections. So that if I ſhew that it would be an Imperfection for God to be imagined to be a Body, or Matter, I prove that he is a Spirit, becauſe it is an imperfection, that is, an abſurdity to imagine him any thing elſe. To imagine God to be a Body, or Matter, doth evidently codtradict four great Perfections of God.

1. His Infiniteneſs, or the immenſity of his Being. Grant me but theſe two things, that there is ſomething in the World beſides God, ſome other matter, as the Heavens, the Air, the Earth, and all thoſe things which we ſee; and grant me that two Bodies cannot be in the ſame place at once, and then it will evidently follow, [Page] that where-ever theſe are, God is ſhut out; and conſequently God ſhould not be infinite, nor in all places; and ſo much as there is of another matter in the World beſides God, ſo many breaches there would be in the Divine Nature, ſo many Hiatus.

2. The Knowledge and Wiſdom of God. It cannot be imagined how mere Matter can underſtand, how it can diſtinctly comprehend ſuch variety of Objects, and at one view take in paſt, preſent, and to come. Tully ſpeaking of Spirits, ſaith, Animorum nulla in terris origo inveniri poteſt; their original cannot be found upon Earth; for, ſaith he, there is no material or bodily thing, Quod vim memoriae, mentis, cogitationis habeat, quod & praeterita teneat, & futura provideat, & complecti poſſit praeſentia; quae ſola divina ſunt; which hath the power of Memory, of Ʋnderſtanding, of Thought; which can retain things paſt, forſee things future, and comprehend things preſent; all which Powers are purely Divine.

[Page]3. Freedom and Liberty. For the Laws of matter are neceſſary, nor can we imagine any [...], any arbitrary Principle in it. This puzled the Epicureans, as we ſee in Lucretius, For if (ſaith he) all things move by certain and neceſſary Laws, and there be a connexion of the parts of matter unto each other, ſo that if you move this, that muſt neceſſarily be moved; whence, ſaith he, is Liberty? Ʋnde eſt hec inquam fatis avulſa voluntas; Whence is this Principle of Will, whoſe motions are not under any law of neceſſity.

4. Goodneſs. This follows from the former; for he is not good who does not know what he does, nor does it freely; ſo that take away Underſtanding and Liberty, and you take away Goodneſs; now take away from God Infiniteneſs, and Knowledge, and Liberty, and Goodneſs, and you diveſt him of his Glory; you take away his moſt eſſential Perfections. So that theſe great abſurdities following from the ſuppoſing of God to be mere Matter or Body, [Page] we are to conceive of him as another kind of ſubſtance, that is, a Spirit. So that I wonder that the Author of the Leviathan, who doth more than once expreſly affirm, that there can be nothing in the World, but what is material and corporeal, did not ſee that the neceſſary conſequence of this Poſition, is to baniſh God out of the World. I would not be uncharitable, but I doubt he did ſee it, and was content with the conſequence, and willing the World ſhould entertain it; for it is ſo evident, that by ſuppoſing the Divine Eſſence to conſiſt of Matter, the immenſity of the Divine Nature is taken away; and it is alſo ſo utterly unimaginable how mere Matter ſhould underſtand, and be endowed with liberty, and conſequently with goodneſs, that I cannot but vehemently ſuſpect the Man who denies God to be a Spirit, either to have a groſs and faulty underſtanding, or a very ill will againſt God, and an evil deſign to root out of the Minds of Men the belief of a God. I come in the

[Page]III. Place, to conſider the Objections.

1 Obj. Why then is God repreſented to us ſo often in Scripture by the Parts and Members of Mens Bodies? Anſ. I ſhall only ſay at preſent, that all theſe deſcriptions and repreſentations of God, are plainly made to comply with our weakneſs, by way of condeſcention and accomodation to our capacities.

2 Obj. How is it ſaid that Man was made after the the Image of God, If God be a Spirit, of which there can be no likeneſs nor reſemblance. Anſ. Man is not ſaid to be made after the image of God, in reſpect of the outward Shape and Features of his Body; but in reſpect of the Qualities of his Mind, as Holineſs and Righteouſneſs; or of his Faculties, as Underſtanding and Will; or which the Text ſeems moſt to favour, in reſpect of his Dominion and Soveraignty over the Creatures; for in the two former reſpects the Angels are made after the Image of God. Now this ſeems to be ſpoken peculiarly [Page] of Men; Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeneſs, and let them have dominion over the fiſh of the ſea, and the fowls of the air, &c.

IV. I come now to draw ſome Inferences or Corollaries from hence, and they ſhall be partly ſpeculative, partly practical.

Firſt, Speculative Inferences.

1. That God is inviſible. The proper Object of ſight is Colour, and that ariſeth from the various diſpoſitions of the parts of Matter which cauſe ſeveral reflections of Light; now a Spirit hath no Parts nor Matter, and therefore is inviſible; 1 Tim. 1.17. Ʋnto the eternal, immortal, inviſible, the only wiſe God. Heb. 11.27. He endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible; as ſeeing him by an Eye of Faith, who is inviſible by an Eye of Senſe. 1 Tim. 6.16. Whom no Man hath ſeen, nor can ſee.

[Page]When Moſes and the Elders of Iſrael are ſaid to have ſeen God, and Jacob to have ſeen him face to face, Exod. 2.9. Gen. 32.30. it is meant of an Angel covered with divine Glory and Majeſty, as we ſhall ſee if we compare theſe with other Texts. When Moſes is ſaid to have ſpoken to him face to face, that is familiarly; and ſo Micaiah, 1 Kings 22.19. is ſaid to have ſeen God upon his throne, and all Iſrael ſcattered up and down; this was in a Viſion. And it is promiſed, that in Heaven we ſhall ſee God, that is, have a more perfect knowledge of him and full enjoyment; as to ſee good days, is to enjoy them. Thoſe Texts where it is ſaid, No man can ſee God and live, Exod. 33.20. and John 1.18. No man hath ſeen God at any time, do not intimate that God is viſible, tho' we cannot ſee him; but ſeeing is metaphorically uſed for knowing, and the meaning is, that in this Life we are not capable of a perfect knowledge of God. A clear diſcovery of God to our Underſtanding would let in joys into our Souls, and create deſires in [Page] us too great for frail Mortality to bear.

2. That he is the living God. Spirit and Life are often put together in Scripture.

3. That God is immortal. This the Scripture attributes to him, 1 Tim. 1.17. To the King immortal, inviſible. 1 Tim. 6.16. Who only hath immortality. This alſo flows from God's Spirituality; a Spiritual Nature hath no principles of Corruption in it, nothing that is liable to periſh, or decay, or dye. Now this doth ſo eminently agree to God, either becauſe he is purely ſpiritual, and immaterial, as poſſibly no Creature is; or elſe becauſe he is not only immortal in his own Nature, but is not liable to be reduced to nothing by any other, becauſe he hath an original and independent Immortality, and therefore the Apoſtle doth attribute it to him in ſuch a ſingular and peculiar manner; Who only hath Immortality.

[Page] Secondly, Practical Inferences.

1. We are not to conceive of God as having a Body, or any corporeal Shape or Members. This was the groſs conceit of the Anthropomorphites of old, and of ſome Socinians of late, which they ground upon the groſs and literal Interpretation of many figurative Speeches in Scripture concerning God, as where it ſpeaks of his Face, and Hand, and Arm, &c. But we are very unthankful to God, who condeſcends to repreſent himſelf to us according to our Capacities, if we abuſe this condeſcention to the blemiſh and reproach of the Divine Nature. If God be pleaſed to ſtoop to our weakneſs, we muſt not therefore level him to our Infirmities.

2. If God be a Spirit, we are not to worſhip God by any Image or ſenſible repreſentation. Becauſe God is a Spirit, we are not to liken him to any thing that is corporeal; we are not to repreſent him by the likeneſs of any thing that is in Heaven above, [Page] that is, of any Birds; or in the earth beneath, that is, of any Beaſt; or in the waters under the earth, that is, of any Fiſh; as it is in the ſecond Commandment. For, as the Prophet tells us, there is nothing that we can liken God to; Iſa. 40:18. To whom will ye liken God? or what likeneſs will ye compare to him? We debaſe his Spiritual and Incorruptible Nature, when we compare him to corruptible Creatures; Rom. 1.22, 23. Speaking of the Heathen Idolatry, Who profeſſing themſelves wiſe, became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to fourfooted Beaſts, and creeping things. They became Fools; this is the folly of Idolatry, to liken a Spirit, which hath no bodily ſhape, to things that are corporeal and corruptible. So that however ſome are pleaſed to mince the matter, I cannot ſee how the Church of Rome, which worſhips God by or toward ſome Image or ſenſible repreſentation, can be excuſed from Idolatry; and the Church of England doth not without very juſt cauſe challenge the [Page] Romiſh Church with it, and make it a ground of ſeparation from her.

3. If God be a Spirit, then we ſhould worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth. This is the Inference of the Text, and therefore I ſhall ſpeak a little more largely of it; only I muſt explain what is meant by worſhiping in ſpirit and in truth, and ſhew you the force of this Conſequence, how it follows, that becauſe God is a Spirit, therefore he muſt be worſhip'd in ſpirit and in truth.

1ſt. For the explication of it. This word Spirit is ſometimes apply'd to the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and ſo it is oppoſed to Letter, by which Name the Doctrine of Moſes is called; 2 Cor. 3.6. Who hath made us able Miniſters of the new Teſtament, not of the letter, but of the ſpirit; not of the Law which was written in Tables of Stone, but which Chriſt by his Spirit writes in the Hearts of Believers. Sometimes to the worſhip of the Goſpel; and ſo it is oppoſed to the Fleſh, Gal. 3.3. Having begun [Page]in the ſpirit, are ye now made perfect by the fleſh? that is by the works of the ceremonial Law, which is therefore call'd Fleſh, becauſe the principal ceremony of it, Circumciſion, was made in the Fleſh, and becauſe their Sacrifices, a chief part of their Worſhip, were of the Fleſh of Beaſts; and becauſe the greateſt part of their Ordinances, as waſhing, and the like, related to the Body. Hence it is the Apoſtle calls the worſhip of the Jews, the law of a carnal commandment, Heb. 7.16. and Heb. 9.10. Carnal Ordinances, ſpeaking of the Service of the Law, which, ſaith he, ſtood in meats, and drinks, and divers waſhings, and carnal ordinances. Now in oppoſition to this carnal and ceremonial Worſhip, we are to worſhip God in the Spirit. The Worſhip of the Jews was moſt a bodily ſervice; but we are to give God a reaſonable ſervice, to ſerve him with the ſpirit of our minds, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; inſtead of offering the fleſh of bulls and goats, we are to conſecrate our ſelves to the ſervice of God; this is a holy and acceptable ſacrifice, or reaſonable ſervice.

[Page]And in truth. Either in oppoſition to the falſe Worſhip of the Samaritans (as in ſpirit is oppoſed to the Worſhip of the Jews) as our Saviour tells the Woman, that they worſhip'd they knew not what; or (which I rather think) in oppoſition to the ſhadows of the Law; and ſo it is oppoſed, John 1.17. The Law was given by Moſes: but grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt.

Not that the external Service of God is here excluded, not that we are to ſhow no outward reverence to him: but that as under the Law, the Service of God was chiefly external and corporeal, ſo now it ſhould chiefly be inward and ſpiritual; the Worſhip of God under the Goſpel ſhould chiefly be ſpiritual and ſubſtantial, not a carnal, and bodily, and ceremonious Devotion.

2dly. For the force of the Conſequence, it doth not lie in this, that juſt ſuch as God is, ſuch muſt our Worſhip of him be; for this would exclude all bodily and outward worſhip; [Page] our Worſhip of God muſt therefore be inviſible, eternal, &c. for ſo is he; and beſides the Will of God ſeems rather to be the rule of his Worſhip, than his Nature: but the force of it is this, God is of a ſpiritual Nature, and this is to be ſuppoſed to be his Will, that our Worſhip ſhould be as agreable to the Object of it, as the nature of the Creature who is to give it will bear; now ſaith Chriſt to the Woman, the Jews and the Samaritans they limit their Worſhip to a certain place, and it conſiſts chiefly in certain carnal Rites and Ordinances; but, ſaith he, tho' God have permitted this for a time, becauſe of the carnality and hardneſs of their hearts, yet the time is coming, when a more ſpiritual, and ſolid, and ſubſtantial Worſhip of God is to be introduced, which will be free from all particular Places and Rites, not tyed to the Temple, or to ſuch external Ceremonies, but conſiſting in the devotion of our Spirits, even the inward frame and temper of our Hearts; all outward Circumſtances (excepting thoſe of the two [Page] Sacraments which are poſitive) being left by the Goſpel to as great a liberty, as natural neceſſity and decency will permit.

We muſt worſhip God, and therefore it is naturally neceſſary that we ſhould do it ſomewhere, in ſome place; now ſeeing ſome body muſt determine this, it is moſt convenient that Authority ſhould determine it, according to the conveniency of cohabitation. We muſt not be rude, nor do any thing that is naturally undecent in the Worſhip of God; this Authority ſhould reſtrain; but further than this, I doubt not but the Goſpel hath left us free; and to this end, that the leſs we are tied to external Obſervances, the more intent we ſhould be upon the ſpiritual and ſubſtantial parts of Religion, the conforming of our ſelves to the Mind and Will of God, endeavouring to be like God, and to have our Souls and Spirits ingaged in thoſe Duties we perform to him. So that our Saviour's argument is this; God is a Spirit, that is, the moſt excellent Nature and [Page]Being, and therefore muſt be ſerved with the beſt. We conſiſt of Body and Soul, 'tis true, and we muſt ſerve him with our whole Man; but principally with our Souls, which are the moſt excellent Part of our ſelves; the Service of our Mind and Spirit is the beſt we can perform, and therefore moſt agreeable to God who is a Spirit, and the beſt and moſt perfect Being.

So that the Inference is this, that if God be a Spirit, we muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth; our Religion muſt be real, and inward, and ſincere, and ſubſtantial; we muſt not think to put off God with external obſervances, and with bodily reverence and attendance; this we muſt give him, but we muſt principally regard that our Service of him be reaſonable, that is, directed by our Underſtandings, and accompanied with our Affections. Our Religion muſt conſiſt principally in a ſincere love and affection to God, which expreſſeth it ſelf in a real conformity of our lives and actions to his Will; and when [Page] we make our ſolemn approaches to him, in the Duties of his Worſhip and Service, we muſt perform all acts of outward Worſhip to God with a pure and ſincere Mind; whatever we do in the Service of God, we muſt do it heartily as to the Lord. God is a pure Spirit, preſent to our Spirits, intimate to our Souls, and conſcious to the moſt ſecret and retired motions of our Hearts; now becauſe we ſerve the Searcher of Hearts, we muſt ſerve him with our Hearts.

Indeed if we did worſhip God only to be ſeen of Men, a pompous and external Worſhip would be very ſuitable to ſuch an end; but Religion is not intended to pleaſe Men, but God, and therefore it muſt be ſpiritual, and inward, and real.

And where-ever the external part of Religion is principally regarded, and Men are more careful to worſhip God with outward pomp and ceremony, than in ſpirit and in truth, Religion degenerates into Superſtition, and Men embrace the ſhadow of Religion, and let go the ſubſtance. [Page] And this the Church of Rome hath done almoſt to the utter ruin of Chriſtianity; ſhe hath clogged Religion, and the Worſhip of God, with ſo many Rites and Ceremonies, under one Pretence or other, that the Yoke of Chriſt is become heavier than that of Moſes; and they have made the Goſpel a more carnal Commandment than the Law; and whatever Chriſtians or Churches are intent upon external Rites and Obſervances, to the neglect of the weightier Parts of Religion, regarding meats and drinks, &c. to the prejudice of righteouſneſs and peace, wherein the kingdom of God conſiſts, they advance a Religion as contrary to the Nature of God, and as unſuitable to the genius and temper of the Goſpel, as can be imagined.

It is an Obſervation of Sir Edwin Sands, that as Children are pleas'd with Toys, ſo, ſaith he, it is a pitiful and childiſh Spirit that is predominant in the contrivers and zealots of a ceremonious Religion. I deny not but that very honeſt and devout [Page] Men may be this way addicted; but the wiſer any Man is, the better he underſtands the Nature of God and of Religion, the further he will be from this temper.

A Religion that conſiſts in external and little things, doth moſt eaſily gain upon and poſſeſs the weakeſt Minds, and whoever entertain it, it will enfeeble their Spirits, and unfit them for the more generous and excellent Duties of Chriſtianity. We have but a finite heat, and zeal, and activity, and if we let out much of it upon ſmall things, there will be too little left for thoſe parts of Religion which are of greateſt moment and concernment; if our heat evaporate in externals, the heart and vitals of Religion will inſenſibly cool and decline.

How ſhould we bluſh who are Chriſtians, that we have not learnt this eaſie truth from the Goſpel, which even the Light of Nature taught the Heathen; Cultus autem deorum eſt optimus itemque ſanctiſſimus atque caſtiſſimus,[Page]pleniſſimuſque pietatis, ut eos ſemper purâ integrâ & incorruptâ mente & voce veneremur, Tully. The beſt, the ſureſt, the moſt chaſt, and moſt devout worſhip of the Gods, is that which is pay'd them with a pure, ſincere, and uncorrupt Mind, and words truly repreſenting the thoughts of the Heart. Compoſitum jus faſque animi, &c. Serve God with a pure, honeſt, holy frame of Spirit, bring him a heart that is but generouſly honeſt, and he will accept of the plaineſt Sacrifice.

And let me tell you, that the ceremonious Worſhip of the Jews was never a thing in it ſelf acceptable to God, or which he did delight in; and tho' God was pleaſed with their obedience to the ceremonial Law after it was commanded, yet antecedently he did not deſire it; but that which our Saviour ſaith concerning the Law of Divorce, is true likewiſe of the ceremonial, that it was permitted to the Jews for the hardneſs of their hearts, and for their proneneſs to Idolatry. God did not command it ſo much by way of approbation, [Page] as by way of condeſcenſion to their weakneſs; it was becauſe of the hardneſs of their carnal hearts that God brought them under the Law of a carnal Commandment, as the Apoſtle calls it. See Pſal. 51.16, 17. Jer. 7.21.

The reaſon why I have inſiſted ſo long upon this, is to let you underſtand, what is the true nature of Chriſt's Religion, and to abate the intemperate heat and zeal which Men are apt to have for external and indifferent things in Religion. The Sacrifices and Rites of the Jews were very unagreeable and unſuitable to the Nature of God; Pſal. 50.13. Will I eat the fleſh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Spirits neither eat nor drink; it was a very unſuitable way of ſervice to kill Oxen and Sheep for God; and there's the ſame reaſon of all other Rites which either natural neceſſity or decency doth not require. Can any Man in earneſt think, that God who is a Spirit is pleaſed with the pompous bravery and pageantry which affects our Senſes? So [Page] little doth God value indifferent Rites, that even the neceſſary external Service of God, and outward Reverence, where they are ſeparated from ſpirit and truth, from real holineſs and obedience to the indiſpenſable Laws of Chriſt, are ſo far from being acceptable to God, that they are abominable; nay, if they be uſed for a Cloak of Sin, or in oppoſition to real Religion, and with a deſign to undermine it, God accounts ſuch Service in the number of the moſt heinous Sins.

You who ſpend the ſtrength and vigour of your Spirits about external things, whoſe zeal for or againſt Ceremonies is ready to eat you up, you who hate and perſecute one another becauſe of theſe things, and break the neceſſary and indiſpenſable Commands of Love, as an indifferent and unneceſſary Ceremony, go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not ſacrifice, which our Saviour doth ſo often inculcate, and that Rom. 14.17. The kingdom of God is not meat and [Page]drink, &c. And ſtudy the meaning of this, God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in truth.

SERMON XII.Vol. VII. The Immenſity of the Divine Nature.

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PSAL. CXXXIX.7, 8, 9, 10.

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, 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.

THAT Attribute of God which I laſt diſcours'd of is moſt Abſolute, and declares his Eſſence moſt immediately; the ſpirituality of the Divine Nature. I ſhall in the next place ſpeak of [Page] thoſe which relate to the manner of his Being, Immenſity and Eternity, that is, the infiniteneſs of his Eſſence, both in reſpect of ſpace and duration; that the Divine Nature hath no limits of its Being, nor bounds of its duration. I ſhall at the preſent ſpeak to the firſt of theſe, his Immenſity, and that from theſe words which I here read to you, Whither ſhall I go from thy ſpirit, &c. The meaning of which is this, That God is a Spirit, infinitely diffuſing himſelf, preſent in all places, ſo that wherever I go, God is there; we cannot flee from his preſence. If I aſcend into heaven, he is there; if I go down into the grave, the place of ſilence and obſcurity, he is there; (for that is the meaning of the Expreſſion, If I make my bed in hell.) 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; that is, if my motion ſhould be as ſwift as that of the light, which when the Sun riſeth darts it ſelf in an inſtant from one part of the World to another, over the Earth and the Sea, the remoteſt [Page] parts of the World which are unknown to us, yet would God be preſent to me in the motion, and all along as I go muſt I be led and upholden by him; ſo that all theſe Expreſſions do but ſignifie to us the Immenſity of God's Eſſence, that his Being is infinitely diffuſed and preſent in all Places.

In ſpeaking to this Attribute of God's Immenſity, I ſhall Firſt explain it to you a little.

Secondly, Prove that it doth belong to him.

Thirdly, Anſwer an Objection or two that may be made againſt it.

Fourthly, Draw ſome doctrinal Inferences from it.

Fifthly, Make ſome uſe and improvement of it.

Firſt, For the explication of it. By the Immenſity of God, I mean that his Being hath no bounds or limits, [Page] but doth every way ſpread and diffuſe it ſelf beyond what we can imagine; ſo that you cannot define the preſence of God by any certain place, ſo as to ſay here he is, but not there; nor by any limits, ſo as to ſay, thus far his Being reacheth, and no further; but he is every where preſent after a moſt infinite manner, in the darkeſt corners and moſt private receſſes; the moſt ſecret Cloſet that is in the whole World, the Heart of Man, darkneſs and privacy cannot keep him out; the preſence of another Being, even of a Body, which is the groſſeſt ſubſtance, doth not exclude him; the whole World doth not confine him; but he fills all the ſpace which we can imagine beyond this viſible World, and infinitely more than we can imagine.

Secondly, For the proof of it. I ſhall attempt it,

I. From the natural Notions and Dictates of our Minds.

[Page]II. From Scripture and Divine Revelation.

III. From the inconvenience of the contrary.

I. From the natural Notions and Dictates of our Minds. We find that the Heathen, by the Light of Nature, did attribute this Perfection to God. Tully tells us, De Nat. deor. That Pythagoras thought, Deum eſſe animam per naturam rerum omnem intentum & commeantem, That God is as it were a Soul paſſing through and inſpiring all Nature. And in l. 2. de leg. that this was Thales his Opinion which he commends, Homines exiſtimare oportere deos omnia cernere, deorum omnia eſſe plena, That Men ought to believe, that the Gods ſee all things, that all things are full of them. So Sen. Epiſt. 95. Ʋbique & omnibus praeſto eſt; He is every where preſent and at hand. & de Benef. L. 4. Quocunque te flexeris, ibi illum videbis occurrentem tibi, nihil ab illo vacat, opus ſuum ipſe implet; Which way ſoever thou turneſt thy ſelf, thou ſhalt find him meeting thee, nothing [Page]is without him, he fills his own work. Not much differing from the Expreſſion of the Pſalmiſt here.

II. From Scripture and Divine Revelation. I ſhall inſtance in ſome remarkable places; 1 Kings 8.27. Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. Job. 11.7, 8, 9. Can'ſt thou by ſearching find out God? canſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Iſa. 66.1. Thus ſaith the Lord, behold, heaven is my throne, and the earth is my foot-ſtool: where is the houſe that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my reſt? Jer. 23.23, 24. Am I a God at hand, ſaith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth, ſaith the Lord? Amos 9.2, 3. Tho' they dig into hell, thence ſhall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down. And though they hide themſelves in the top of Carmel, I will ſearch and take them out thence: and tho' they be hid from my ſight in the bottom of the ſea, thence will I command [Page]he ſerpent and he ſhall bite them. Acts 17.27, 28. Tho he be not far from every one of us. For in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain alſo of your own Poets have ſaid, For we are alſo his off-ſpring.

III. From the inconveniences of the contrary. And this is the moſt proper way of proving any of God's Perfections; for as I have told you formerly, there being nothing before God, nor any cauſe of his being, his Perfections cannot be proved by way of demonſtration, but of conviction, by ſhewing the abſurdity of the contrary. The firſt and moſt eaſie Notion that we have of God, is, that he is a Being which hath all Perfection, and is free from all Imperfection; now if I prove that the Immenſity of God's Eſſence is a Perfection, or which is the ſame, that the contrary is an Imperfection, I do ſufficiently prove the thing intended.

Now to ſuppoſe the Divine Eſſence to be limited, or confined, and his preſence to be any where excluded, [Page] doth contradict both this neceſſary Perfection of God, his univerſal Providence; and this neceſſary Duty of Creatures, to worſhip and truſt in him; and the voluntary manifeſtation and appearance of God, in the Incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt.

1. It contradicts the univerſal Providence of God. The univerſal Providence of God ſuppoſeth many Perfections, viz. infinite Knowledge, and infinite Power, his Omniſcience and Omnipotence, neither of which can be imagined without Omnipreſence. We find that all finite Beings, have a finite Knowledge, and a finite Power; and it cannot be conceived how infinite Underſtanding and Power can be founded any where elſe than in an infinite Eſſence. To have an infinite Knowledge of all things, even thoſe things which are moſt ſecret and hidden, to be able to do all things, to ſteer and govern the Actions of all Creatures, and to have a perfect care of them, ſeems to all the Reaſon of Mankind to require immediate Preſence.

[Page]2. It contradicts the neceſſary Duty of the Creature, which is to worſhip God, to depend upon him for every thing, and in every thing to acknowledge him. Now all Worſhip of God is rendred vain, or at leaſt uncertain, if God be not preſent to us to hear our Prayers, to take notice of our Wants, and receive our Acknowledgments; it will much abate our Confidence in God, and our Fear to offend him, if we be uncertain whether he be preſent to us or not, whether he ſees our Actions or not.

3. It contradicts a voluntary Manifeſtation and Appearance of God in the Incarnation of Chriſt. He that ſuppoſeth God not to be every where preſent by his Eſſence, muſt in all reaſon confine his Preſence to Heaven, and ſuppoſe him to be preſent elſewhere only by his Virtue and Power: but if this were ſo, how could the Divinity be eſſentially united to the Humane Nature of Chriſt, which was here upon Earth? [Page] How is God with us; How does he pitch his Tabernacle among Men; if his eſſential Preſence be confin'd to Heaven?

Thirdly, I come to anſwer Objections againſt this Doctrine.

There are two Objections againſt this.

1. From Reaſon.

2. From Scripture.

1. Obj. Reaſon will be ready to ſuggeſt, that this is a diſparagement to the Divine Nature, to tye his Preſence to this vile Dunghil of the Earth, and fordid Sink of Hell. This is a groſs Apprehenſion of God, and a meaſuring of him by our ſelves. Indeed if we look upon God as capable of Injury, and Suffering, and Offence from the Contagion of any thing here below, as we are, then indeed there were ſome ſtrength in this Objection: but he is a bleſſed and pure Being, Mens ſegregata ab omni concretione[Page]mortali, A Mind free from all mortal Compoſition or Mixture. Tully; [...], diſentangled from every thing paſſible; as Plut. Thoſe things that are nauſeous to our Senſes, do not affect him: Darkneſs is uncomfortable to us, but the Darkneſs and the Light are all one to him. Wickedneſs may hurt a man, or the ſon of man; but if we multiply our tranſgreſſions, we do nothing to God, as Elihu ſpeaks, Job 35.6. Nothing can diſquiet or diſcompoſe his happy and bleſſed Nature, but he converſeth here in this dark and troubled World with leſs danger of Diſturbance, or any impure Contagion, than the Sunbeams.

2. Obj. Does not the Scripture tell us, that God ſits in the Heavens, and dwells on high, that Heaven is his throne, and that it is the City of the great God? Doth not the Lord's Prayer teach us to ſay, Our Father which art in heaven? Is he not ſaid to look down from heaven, and to hear in heaven his dwelling-place? [Page] Is it not ſaid that he doth not dwell in temples made with hands? And does not Solomon, 1 Kings 8.27. put it as a ſtrange queſtion, will God indeed dwell on the earth? Is he not ſaid to come down and draw near to us, and to be afar off from us? Now how does this agree with his Immenſity and Omnipreſence?

For anſwer to this, I muſt diſtinguiſh the Preſence of God. There is, 1ſt, his glorious Preſence, that is, ſuch a Preſence of God as is accompanied with an extraordinary manifeſtation of his Glory, and that is eſpecially and chiefly confined to Heaven, in reſpect of which it is called his Seat, and Throne, and the Habitation of his Glory. Some degree of this was in the Temple, which is the reaſon of Solomon's Admiration, will God indeed dwell on Earth?

2dly, There is his gracious Preſence, which diſcovers it ſelf by miraculous effects of his Favour, and Goodneſs, and Aſſiſtance, and thereby [Page] he is ſaid to dwell in the hearts of good Men, and with them that are of an humble and contrite Spirit, Iſa. 57.15. and in reſpect of this he is ſaid to draw near to us, to look down upon us; and in reſpect of the abſence of this to be far from us.

3dly, There is his eſſential Preſence, which is equally and alike in all Places; and this is not excluded by thoſe former Expreſſions which the Scripture uſeth to denote to us the glorious and gracious Preſence of God.

Fourthly, To make ſome Inferences. I will mention only ſuch as the Scripture here takes notice of, ſpeaking of God's Immenſity.

I. Inf. That God is a Spirit. This neceſſarily flows from his Immenſity; for if the Eſſence of God be every where diffuſed, the Divine Nature muſt be ſpiritual, otherwiſe it could not be in the ſame place were Body and Matter is, but muſt be ſhut out of the World. But this I ſpoke [Page] more largely to, in my Diſcourſe of God's being a Spirit. This the Pſalmiſt obſerves here, Where ſhall I go from thy Spirit? If he were not a Spirit, we might go from him, and hide our ſelves from his Preſence.

II. Inf. That God is Incomprehenſible. That which is infinite cannot be meaſured and comprehended by that which is finite; and this alſo the Pſalmiſt takes notice of, in the Verſe before my Text, Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain it.

III. Inf. That God is Omniſcient. If God be every where, then he knows all things, yea even the hidden things of Darkneſs, the Secrets of our Hearts; nothing can be hid from an infinite Eye; he is preſent to our Thoughts, intimate to our Hearts and Reins; this the Pſalmiſt takes notice of, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12 Verſes.

[Page]IV. Inf. That God is Omnipotent. He can do all things. Diſtance limits the Power of Creatures, and makes their hands ſhort; but God is every where, nothing is out of his reach; and this alſo the Pſalmiſt intimates in the Text, v. 10. Even there ſhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand hold me.

Fifthly, The Uſe and Improvement I ſhall make of this, ſhall be,

1. To awaken our Fear of him.

2. To encourage our Faith and Confidence in him.

1. To awaken our Fear of him. The Conſideration of God's Preſence ſhould awaken in us a Fear of Reverence. The Preſence of an earthly Majeſty will awe our Spirits, and compoſe us to Reverence; yea the Preſence of a wiſe and good Man; how much more ſhould the Preſence of the great and glorious, the wiſe and the holy, and the juſt [Page] God ſtrike an awe upon our Spirits? Wherever we are God is with us, we always converſe with him, and live continually in his Preſence; now a Heathen could ſay, cum Diis verecunaè agendum, We muſt behave our ſelves modeſtly becauſe we are in the preſence of God.

And it ſhould awaken in us a Fear to offend God, and a Fear of the divine diſpleaſure for having offended him. Fear is the moſt wakeful Paſſion in the Soul of man, and is the firſt Principle that is wrought upon in us from the Apprehenſions of a Deity, it flows immediately from the principle of Self-preſervation which God hath planted in every Man's Nature; we have a natural Dread and Horror for every thing that can hurt us, and endanger our Being or Happineſs: now the greateſt Danger is from the greateſt Power, for where we are clearly over-match'd, we cannot hope to make Oppoſition nor Reſiſtance with ſecurity and ſucceſs, to r [...]bel with Safety: now [Page] he that apprehends God to be near him, and preſent to him, believes ſuch a Being to ſtand by him as is poſſeſt of an infinite and irreſiſtible Power, and will vindicate all Contempt of the Divine Majeſty, and Violation of his Laws. If we believe God to be always preſent with us, Fear will continually take hold of us, and we ſhall ſay of every place, as Jacob did of Bethel, ſurely God is in this place, how dreadful is this place? When we have at any time provoked God, if we believe the juſt God is at hand to revenge himſelf, and if we believe the power of his anger, we ſhall ſay with David, Pſa. 76.7. Thou even thou art to be feared, and who may ſtand before thee when thou art angry? Pſa. 119.120. My fleſh trembleth becauſe of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments.

Sinners conſider this, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and every time you ſin, you are within his reach. Let then the conſideration of God's Preſence [Page] deter us from Sin, and quicken us to our Duty. The Eye and Preſence of a Superior will lay a great reſtraint upon Men; the Eye of our Prince, or our Maſter, or our Father, will make us afraid or aſham'd to do any thing that is fooliſh or unſeemly: And will we do that under the Eye of God, which we ſhould bluſh to do before a grave or wiſe Perſon, yea before a Child or a Fool? Did but Men live under this apprehenſion, that God is preſent to them, that an holy and all-ſeeing Eye beholds them, they would be afraid to do any thing that is vile and wicked, to profane and pollute God's glorious name, by a trifling uſe of it in cuſtomary ſwearing and curſing. Whenever you ſin, you affront God to his Face; and provoke the omnipotent juſtice which is at the door, and ready to break in upon you.

And the conſideration of this ſhould eſpecially deter us from ſecret Sins. This is the uſe the Pſalmiſt here makes of it. If we believe that [Page] God ſearcheth us and knows us, that he knows our down-ſitting, and our up-riſing, and underſtands our thoughts afar off, that he compaſſeth our path, and our lying down, and is acquainted with all our ways, that there is not a word in our tongue, but he knows it altogether, that he hath beſet us behind and before, that the darkneſs hideth not from him, but the night ſhineth as the day, and the darkneſs and light are both alike; I ſay, if we believe this, how ſhould we live in an awful ſenſe of the Majeſty which is always above us, and before us, and about us, and within us, and is as inſeparable from us, as we are from our ſelves, whoſe Eye is upon us from the beginning of our Lives to the end of our Days? Did Men believe that God is always with them, that his Eye pierceth the Darkneſs, and ſees through all thoſe Clouds with which they hide and muffle themſelves, and pries into the moſt ſecret Receſſes of their Hearts, how would this check and reſtrain them from deviſing miſchief in their hearts, or in their Bed chamber? [Page] The holy Preſence, and the pure Eye of God would be to us a thouſand times more than to have our Father, or our Maſter, or our Prince, or him whom we moſt revere, to ſtand by us. Did but Men repreſentare ſibi Deum, make God preſent to them, by living under a continual ſenſe of his Preſence, they would, as the Expreſſion of the wiſe Man is, be in the fear of the Lord all day. Magna ſpes peccatorum tollitur, ſi peccaturis teſtis adſiſtat: aliquem habeat animus quem vereatur, cujus authoritate etiam ſecretum ſuum ſanctius facit; The main hope of Sinners is to remain undiſcover'd, let but ſome body be privy to their deſigns, and they are utterly diſappointed: 'Tis fit for the Mind of a Man to have an awe of ſome Being, whoſe Authority may render even its privacy more ſolemn. This is the Character of wicked Men, Pſa. 86.14. that they have not God before their Eyes. One great cauſe of all the Wickedneſs, and Violence, and Looſeneſs that is upon the Earth is, they do not believe [Page] that God is near them, and ſtands by them.

And as the conſideration of God's Preſence ſhould deter us from Sin, ſo it ſhould quicken and animate us to our Duty. It is ordinarily a great Encouragement to Men to acquit themſelves handſomely, to have the Eyes of Men upon them, eſpecially of thoſe whoſe Applauſe and Approbation they value. God alone is amplum Theatrum, he's a greater Theater than the World, and it ſhould be more to us that he ſtands by us, than if the Eyes of all the World were fix'd upon us. Sen. adviſeth it as an excellent means to promote Virtue, to propound to our ſelves, and ſet before our Eyes ſome eminently virtuous Perſon, as Cato or Laelius, ut ſic tanquam illo ſpectante vivamus, & omnia tanquam illo vidente faciamus: That we may live juſt as if he were locking upon us, and do all things juſt as if he beheld us. How much greater incitement will it be to us, to think that God looks upon us, and ſees us, and really [Page] ſtands by us, than faintly to imagine the Preſence of Laelius or Cato?

This ſhould have an Influence upon all the Duties we perform, and the manner of performing them, that we do it to him who ſtands by us, and is familiarly acquainted with us, and is more intimate to us than we are to our ſelves. This Cic. in l. 2. de leg. looks upon as a great principle of Religion, ſit igitur hoc perſuaſum civibus, & qualis quiſque ſit, quid agat, quid in ſe admittat, quâ mente, quâ pietate religiones colat, deos intueri, & piorum impiorumque rationem habere: Let Men be throughly perſwaded of this, that the Gods obſerve, both the diſpoſition and the actions of every particular Man, what he conſents to, what he allows himſelf in, particularly with what meaning, with what degree of inward Devotion he performs his religious worſhip; and that they diſtinguiſh between the pious and the impious.

[Page]2. To encourage our Faith and Confidence in him. When we are in Straits, and Difficulties, and Dangers, God is with us; when Trouble is near to us, God is not far from us; where ever we are, how remote ſoever from Friends and Companions, we cannot be baniſht from God's Preſence; if we dwell beyond the utmoſt parts of the Sea, there his hand leads us, and his right hand holds us. Pſa. 16.8. I have ſet the Lord always before me; becauſe he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved. The conſideration of God's Preſence is the great ſtay and ſupport of our Faith, Pſa. 46.1, 2. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in trouble; therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midſt of the Sea. In the greateſt Commotions, and the moſt imminent and threatning Dangers, this ſhould charm and allay our Fears, that God is a preſent help.

[Page]This was the ſupport of Moſes his Faith in his Sufferings, as the Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 11.27. he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible.

To conclude all, when ever we are under any Preſſure or Trouble, we ſhould rebuke our own Fears, and challenge our anxious Thoughts, with David, Pſa. 42.11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou ſo diſquieted within me? truſt ſtill in God; believe that God is with thee, and that Omnipotent Goodneſs ſtands by thee, who can and will ſupport thee, and relieve thee, and deliver thee when it ſeems beſt to his Wiſdom.

SERMON XIII.Vol. VII. The Eternity of God.

[Page]

PSALM XC.2.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou had'ſt formed the earth and the world, even from everlaſting to everlaſting thou art God.

THE Immenſity, and Eternity of God are thoſe Attributes which relate to his Nature, or manner of Being. Having ſpoken of the former, I proceed to conſider the latter, from theſe words.

[Page]The Title of this Pſalm is the Prayer of Moſes, the man of God. He begins his Prayer with the acknowledgment of God's Providence to his people from the beginning of the World; Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling place from all generations; in generation and generation; ſo the Hebrew. He was well acquainted with the Hiſtory of the World, and the Providence of God from the beginning of it, and as if he had ſpoken too little of God, in ſaying, that his Providence had been exerciſed in all the Ages of the World, he tells us here in the Text, that he was before the World, and he made it, he was from all Eternity, and ſhould continue to all Eternity the ſame. Before the mountains were brought forth; the moſt firm and durable parts of the World, the moſt eminent and conſpicuous; Or ever thou had'ſt formed the earth and the world; before any thing was created; from everlaſting to everlaſting thou [Page]art God. In ſpeaking of this Attribute, I ſhall,

Firſt, Give you the Explication of it.

Secondly, Endeavour to prove that it doth belong to God, and ought to be attributed to the Divine Nature.

Thirdly, Draw ſome Corollaries from the whole.

Firſt, For the Explication of it. Eternity is a duration without bounds or limits: Now there are two limits of duration, beginning and ending; that which hath always been is without beginning; that which always ſhall be is without ending. Now we may conceive of a thing always to have been, and the continuance of its being now to ceaſe, tho' there be no ſuch thing in the World: and there are ſome things which have had a beginning of their Being, but ſhall have no [Page] end, ſhall always continue, as the Angels, and Spirits of Men. The firſt of theſe the Schoolmen call Eternity, â parte ante, that is duration without beginning; the latter Eternity â parte poſt, a duration without ending: but Eternity abſolutely taken comprehends both theſe, and ſignifies an infinite duration which had no beginning, nor ſhall have any end; ſo that when we ſay God is Eternal, we mean that he always was, and ſhall be for ever; that he had no beginning of Life, nor ſhall have any end of Days; but that he is from everlaſting to everlaſting, as it is here in the Text.

'Tis true indeed, that as to God's Eternity, â parte ante, as to his having always been, the Scripture doth not give us any ſolicitous account of it; it only tells us in general, that God was before the world was, and that he created it; it doth not deſcend to gratifie our curioſity, in giving us any account of what God did before [Page] he made the World, or how he entertaind himſelf from all Eterninity; it doth not give us any diſtinct account of his infinite duration; for that had been impoſſible for our finite underſtandings to comprehend; if we ſhould have aſcended upward millions of Ages, yet we ſhould never have aſcended to the top, never have arrived at the beginning of infinity; therefore the Scripture, which was wrote to inſtruct us in what was neceſſary, and not to ſatisfie our curioſity, tells us this, that God was from everlaſting, before the world was made, and that he laid the foundations of it.

So that by the Eternity of God, you are to underſtand the perpetual continuance of his Being, without beginning or ending.

I ſhall not trouble you with the inconſiſtent and unintelligible notions of the Schoolmen; that it is duratio tota ſimul, in which we are not to conceive any ſucceſſion, but to [Page] imagine it an inſtant. We may as well conceive the Immenſity of God to be a point, as his Eternity to be an inſtant; and as according to our manner of conceiving, we muſt neceſſarily ſuppoſe the Immenſity of God, to be an infinite Expanſion of his Eſſence, a preſence of it to all places, and imaginable ſpace; ſo muſt we ſuppoſe the Eternity of God to be a perpetual continuance, coexiſtent to all imaginable ſucceſſion of Ages. Now how that can be together, which muſt neceſſarily be imagined to be coexiſtent to ſucceſſions, let them that can conceive.

Secondly, For the proof of this, I ſhall attempt it two ways.

I. From the Dictates of Natural Light and Reaſon.

II. From Scripture and Divine Revelation.

[Page]I. From the Dictates of Natural Reaſon. This attribute of God is of all other leaſt diſputed among the Philoſophers; indeed all agree that God is a perfect and happy Being, but wherein that happineſs and perfection conſiſts, they differ exceedingly; but all agree that God is Eternal, and are agreed what Eternity is, viz. a boundleſs duration: and however they did attribute a beginning to their Heroes and Demons, whence come the Genealogies of their Gods; yet the Supreme God, they look'd upon as without beginning; and it is a good evidence, that this perfection doth clearly belong to God, that Epicurus, who had the loweſt and meaneſt conceptions of God, and robbed him of as many Perfections, as his imperfect Reaſon would let him, yet is forced to attribute this to him. Tully de Nat Deor. l. 1. ſaith to the Epicureans, ubi igitur veſtrum beatum & aeternum quibus duobus [Page]verbis ſignificatis deum? Where then is your happy and eternal Being, by which two Epithets you expreſs God? And Lucretius, who hath undertaken to repreſent to the World the Doctrine of Epicurus, gives this account of the Divine Nature,

Omnis enim per ſe divûm naturae neceſſe eſt

Immortali aevo ſumma cum pace fruatur.

'Tis abſolutely neceſſary to the nature of the Gods, to paſs an Eternity in profound peace and quiet.

The Poets who had the wildeſt Notions of God, yet they conſtantly give them the title of [...]: the heathen never mention the name of God without this Attribute. Dii immortales! Immortal Gods! was their ordinary exclamation; and they ſwear conſtantly by this Attribute, deos teſtor immortales; and to mention no more, Tully ſaith expreſly, Nos deum niſi ſempiternum intelligere quî poſſumus? How can we conceive of God, but as of an Eternal Being?

[Page]Now the Reaſon of this is evident, becauſe it would be the greateſt imperfection we could attribute to his Being; and the more perfect his Being were otherwiſe, the greater imperfection would it be for ſuch a Being, to die; ſo excellent a Nature to ceaſe to be; it would be an infinite abaſement to all his other perfections, his Power, and Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, that theſe ſhould all be periſhing. Nay, it would hinder ſeveral of his perfections, and contradict their very Being; his ſelf-exiſtence; had he not always been, he had not been of himſelf; his neceſſary exiſtence; for that is not neceſſarily, which may at any time not be, or ceaſe to be what it is; and it would much abate the duty of the Creature; we could not have that aſſurance of his promiſe, and that ſecurity of the recompence of the next life, if the continuance of his Being, who ſhould be the diſpenſer of them, were uncertain.

[Page]Now theſe Abſurdities and inconveniences following from the denyal of this Perfection to God, is ſufficient evidence that it belongs to him; for I told you the Perfections of God cannot be proved by way of demonſtration, but only by way of conviction, by ſhewing the Abſurdity of the contrary.

II. From Scripture and Divine Revelation. There are innumerable places to this purpoſe which ſpeak of the Eternity of God Directly, and by Conſequence: By Conſequence, thoſe words, 2 Peter 3.8. One day with the Lord is as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day, which words, however Interpreters have troubled themſelves about them, being afraid of a contradiction in them, yet the plain meaning of them is this, that ſuch is the infinite duration of God, that all meaſures of time bear no proportion to it; for that this is the plain meaning, appears by this [Page] 90 Pſalm, out of which they are cited, for a thouſand years in thy ſight are but as yeſterday, when it is paſt, and as a watch in the night; that is, as the time paſt, as a few hours ſlept away, for that is the meaning of a watch in the night, that is as nothing; now St. Peter's converſion of the words, one day is as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day, only ſignifies this, that the longeſt duration of time is ſo inconſiderable to God, that it is as the ſhorteſt, that is, bears no proportion to the Eternity of God.

But Directly, the Scripture frequently mentions this attribute, He's called the everlaſting God, Gen. 21.33. The Eternal God, Deut. 33.27. and which is to the ſame purpoſe, he that inhabiteth Eternity, Iſa. 57.15. And this as it is attributed to him in reſpect of his Being, ſo in reſpect of all his other Perfections, Pſal. 103.17. the mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting, to everlaſting. Rom. 1. [Page] 20. his eternal power. 1 Tim. 1.17. the King eternal. Thoſe Doxologies which the Scripture uſeth, are but acknowledgments of this Attribute, Bleſſed be the Lord for ever and ever. Neh. 9.5. To whom be glory, and honour, and dominion, for ever and ever. Gal. 1.5. and in many other places.

Hither we may refer all thoſe places which ſpeak of him as without beginning; Pſal. 93.2. Thou art from everlaſting. Mich. 5.2. Whoſe goings forth have been from everlaſting. Hab. 1.12. Art not thou from everlaſting? O Lord! And thoſe which ſpeak of the perpetual continuance of his duration; Pſal. 102.24, 25, 26, 27. Thy years are throughout all generations; of old thou haſt laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; yea all of them ſhall wax old like a garment, and as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed;[Page]but thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end.

And thoſe which ſpeak of him as the firſt and the laſt; Iſa. 43.10 Before me there was no God formed, neither ſhall there be any after me. I am the firſt, and I am the laſt, and beſides me there is no God. And to mention no more, thoſe which ſpeak of his Being, as coexiſtent to all difference of time, paſt, preſent, and to come, Rev. 1.8. I am Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, and the ending, ſaith the Lord which is, and which was, and which is to come.

Thirdly, I ſhall from hence draw,

I. Some Doctrinal Corollaries.

II. Some Practical Inferences.

I. Doctrinal Corollaries, that you may ſee how the Perfections of God depend one upon another, [Page] and may be deduced one from another.

1. Corol. From the Eternity of God we may infer that he is of himſelf. That which always is, can have nothing before it to be a cauſe of its Being.

2. Corol. We may hence infer the neceſſity of his Being. 'Tis neceſſary every thing ſhould be, when it is; now that which is always, is abſolutely neceſſary, becauſe always ſo.

3. Corol. The Immutability of the Divine Nature; for being always, he is neceſſarily, and being neceſſarily, he cannot but be what he is; a change of his Being is as impoſſible as a ceſſation. Therefore the Pſalmiſt puts his Immutability and Eternity together. Pſal. 102.27. But thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end.

II. By way of Practical Inference or Application.

[Page]1. The conſideration of God's Eternity may ſerve for the ſupport of our Faith. This Moſes here uſeth as a ground of his Faith; Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling place, in all generations, before the mountains were brought forth, &c. Pſal. 62.8. Truſt in him at all times, ye people. His Immenſity is an Argument why all ſhould truſt in him, he is a preſent help to all; and why they ſhould truſt in him at all times, his Eternity is an Argument, Deut. 33.27. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlaſting arms. There are two Attributes which are the proper Objects of our Faith and Confidence, God's Goodneſs, and his Power, both theſe are Eternal; the goodneſs of the Lord endureth for ever, as it is frequently in the Pſalms: And his Power is Eternal; the Apoſtle ſpeaks of his Eternal Power, as well as Godhead; Rom. 1.20. Iſa. 26.4. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting[Page]ſtrength. Iſa. 40.28. The everlaſting God, the Lord, the creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary.

We cannot truſt in men, becauſe there is nothing in man to be a Foundation of our Confidence; his good will towards us may change, his Power may faint, and he may grow weary; or if theſe continue, yet they that have a mind and a power to help us, themſelves may fail; therefore the Pſalmiſt uſeth this conſideration of mens mortality, to take us off from confidence in man, Pſal. 146.3, 4. Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in the ſon of man, in whom there is no help; his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts periſh. Iſa. 2.22. Ceaſe ye from man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? The greateſt of the Sons of Men are but lying refuges to the everlaſting God; they are but broken reeds to the rock of Ages.

[Page]And this may ſupport our Faith, not only in reference to our own condition for the future, but in reference to our poſterity, and the condition of God's Church to the end of the World. When we die we may leave ours and the Church in his hands, who lives for ever, and reigns for ever. The enemies of God's Church, and thoſe who have the moſt malicious deſigns againſt it, what ever ſhare they may have in the affairs of the World, they can but domineer for a while, they muſt die, and that very day their thoughts periſh: But thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.

2. For the encouragement of our obedience. We ſerve the God who can give us an everlaſting reward. The reward of the next Life is called Eternal Life, an Eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5.9.. an Eternal Inheritance, Heb. 9.15. That place where good Men ſhall be rewarded is called, everlaſting [Page]habitations, Luke 16.9. a houſe Eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1. As the promiſe of our future reward is founded in the Goodneſs of God, and the greatneſs of it in his Power, ſo the duration of it in his Eternity. Now what an encouragement is this to us, that we ſerve him and ſuffer for him who lives for ever, and will make us happy for ever? When we ſerve the great men of this World, tho' we be ſecure of their affection, yet we are uncertain of their lives; and this diſcourageth many, and makes men worſhip the riſing Sun, and many times takes off mens eyes from the King to his Succeſſor: but he that ſerves God, ſerves the King everlaſting, as the Apoſtle calls him, who will live to diſpence rewards to all thoſe who are faithful to him.

3. For the terrour of wicked men. The Sentence which ſhall be paſt upon men at the day of judgment, is call'd Eternal Judgment, Heb. 6.2. becauſe it decides mens [Page] Eternal ſtate; the Puniſhment that ſhall follow this Sentence which ſhall paſs upon the wicked, is called, Everlaſting puniſhment, Matt. 25.46. Everlaſting fire. Matt. 25.41. Everlaſting deſtruction, 2 Theſ. 2.9. The vengeance of Eternal fire, Jude 7. The ſmoke of the bottomleſs pit, is ſaid to aſcend for ever and ever, Rev. 14.11. and the wicked to be tormented day and night, for ever and ever. Rev. 20.10. Now as the puniſhment of wicked men is founded in the Juſtice of God; and the greatneſs of it in his Power; ſo the perpetuity and continuance of it in his Eternity. The Apoſtle ſaith Heb. 10.31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; becauſe he that lives for ever, can puniſh for ever; as the Eternal Demerit of ſin feeds, and animates, and keeps alive the never dying worm, ſo the wrath of the Eternal God blows up the Eternal Flame.

How ſhould this awaken in us a fear of the Eternal God! Sinners, [Page] what a folly is it, for the pleaſures of ſin, which are but for a ſeaſon, to incenſe that Juſtice which will Puniſh and torment you for ever! As good men ſhall have the everlaſting God for their Reward, and their Happineſs; ſo wicked men ſhall have him for their Judge and Avenger.

We fear the wrath of men, whoſe power is ſhort, and whoſe breath is in their noſtrils, who can afflict but a little, and for a little while. Doſt thou fear man that ſhall die, and the ſon of man that ſhall be made as graſs? and is not the wrath of the Eternal God much more terrible? Luke 12.4, 5. And I ſay unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: but I will forewarn you whom ye ſhall fear; fear him, who after he hath kill'd, hath power to caſt into hell, yea I ſay unto you, fear him. The wrath of man is deſpicable, becauſe it hath bounds and limits; the fury of man can but reach to the body, it can go no [Page] further; it expires with this life, it cannot follow us beyond the Grave: But the wrath of the Eternal God doth not only reach the Body, but the Soul; it is not confin'd to this Life, but purſues us to the other World, and extends it ſelf to all Eternity.

Fear him, who after he hath kill'd, hath power to caſt into hell, that is, to inflict Eternal Torments; Yea, I ſay unto you, fear him.

SERMON XIV.Vol. VII. The Incomprehenſibleneſs of God.

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JOB XI.7.

Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? Canſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

IN treating of the Properties and Perfections of God, I ſhall at preſent conſider that which reſults from the infinite exellency of his Nature and Perfection, compared with the Imperfection of our underſtandings, which is commonly call'd the Incomprehenſibleneſs of God. This you have expreſſed here [Page] in the words of Zophar, Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? &c.

There is no great difficulty in the words; Canſt thou by ſearching find out God, poteſne perveſtigare intima dei, ſo Caſtalio Tranſlates it, Doſt thou know God intimately, and throughly, within and without? Canſt thou pierce into the center of his Perfections, and dive into the bottom of them? and, Canſt thou find out the Almighty to perfection? Canſt thou find out the Almighty, uſque ad ultima, to the very laſt and utmoſt of him? ſo as thou canſt ſay after a thorough ſearch and enquiry, ‘There is no Perfection in God beyond this, There is nothing of him now that remains to be known; this he is, and no other; that he is, and no otherwiſe; this he can do, and no more; hither doth his Knowledge, and Power, and Wiſdom reach, and no further.’

[Page] Canſt thou do this? Theſe interrogations have the force of a vehement negation; as if he had ſaid, no, thou canſt not; God is unſearchable, he is Incomprehenſible.

The two Queſtions in the Text ſeem to be only two ſeveral expreſſions of the ſame thing. The firſt Queſtion is undoubtedly general, concerning the Nature and Perfections of God in general; Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? Canſt thou by the moſt diligent ſearch and enquiry come to a perfect Knowledge and Undreſtanding of him?

The ſecond Queſtion may ſeem to be a particular inſtance to the general truth implied in the firſt queſtion; he ſeems to inſtance in his Power; as if he had ſaid, God is unſearchable, and then had inſtanced in a particular Perfection, the power of God. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? Thou [Page] canſt not comprehend the Divine Nature and Perfections in general; Canſt thou find out the Almighty to Perfection? Conſider particularly his Power, and ſee if thou canſt know the utmoſt of that. But I rather think that the latter Queſtion is altogether the ſame in ſenſe with the former; and that the Attribute of Almighty, which is here given to God, is uſed by way of deſcription, and not intended by way of inſtance. Canſt thou find out the Almighty, that is God, to Perfection? Which way ſoever we take the Words, it is not much material; we may ground this Obſervation upon them.

That God is Incomprehenſible.

This term or Attribute is a relative term, and ſpeaks a relation between an Object and a Faculty, between God and a Created Underſtanding; ſo that the meaning of it is plainly this, That no Created underſtanding [Page] can comprehend God, that is, have a perfect and exact knowledge of him, ſuch a knowledge as is adequate to the Perfection of the Object: Or thus, the Nature and Perfections of God are above the underſtanding of any of his Creatures; it is only his own infinite underſtanding that can frame a perfect Idea of his own Perfection. God knows himſelf, his own underſtanding commprehends his own Perfections: But he is Incomprehenſible to his Creatures.

Indeed there is nothing more obvious than God; for he is not far from every one of us, in him we live, and move, and have our Being; there need no great ſearch to find out that there is a God; An eternal power and Deity are clearly ſeen in the things which are made, as the Apoſtle tells us; but the manner of the Being, and Proproperties, and Perfections of this God, theſe cannot be comprehended by a finite underſtanding. I [Page] ſhall prove the Doctrine, and then apply it.

Firſt, For the proof of it. I will attempt it theſe three ways.

I. By way of inſtance, or induction of particulars.

II. By way of conviction.

III. By giving the clear reaſon of it.

I. By way of inſtance. And I ſhall give you inſtances both on the part of the Object; and of the Subject, or the perſons who are capable of knowing God in any degree.

1. On the part of the Object. The Nature of God, the Excellency and Perfection of God, the Works and Ways of God are above our thoughts and apprehenſions. The Nature of God; it is vaſt and infinite, Job 36.26. God is great, and we know him not. Job 37. [Page] 23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out. Pſal. 145.3. His greatneſs is unſearchable.

The Excellencies and Perfections of God; his Immenſity, 2 Chron. 2.6. The heaven of heavens cannot contain him: The Eternity of his duration, from everlaſting to everlaſting he is God. We cannot imagine any limits of his preſence, nor bounds of his duration: The infiniteneſs of his knowledge, Pſal. 147.5. his underſtanding is infinite. When we think of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God, our beſt way is to fall into admiration, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God!

Where the Scripture ſpeaks of thoſe Perfections of God, which the Creatures do in ſome meaſure and degree partake of, as his Goodneſs, and Power, and Wiſdom, and Holineſs, and Immortality, it attributes them in ſuch a peculiar and Divine manner to God, as doth exclude and ſhut [Page] out the Creature from any claim or ſhare or title to them, Matt. 19.16, 17. Why Call'ſt thou me good; there's none good but one, that is God. 1 Tim. 6.15, 16. Who is the bleſſed and only potentate, who only hath immortality. 1 Tim. 1.17. The only wiſe God. Rev. 15.4. For thou only art holy. In ſo inconceivable a manner doth God poſſeſs theſe Perfections which he Communicates, and we can only underſtand them as he Communicates them, and not as he poſſeſſes them; ſo that when we conſider any of theſe Divine Perfections, we muſt not frame Notions of them contrary to what they are in the Creature, nor muſt we limit them by what they are in the Creature, but ſay, the Goodneſs and the Wiſdom of God are all this which is in the Creature, and much more which I am not able to comprehend; the tranſcendent degree, and the ſingularity of theſe Divine Perfections, which are communicable, is beyond what we are able to conceive.

[Page]The Works of God, they are likewiſe unſearchable; the Works of Creation and of Redemption. Job 5.9. Which doth great things, and unſearchable, marvelous, things paſt finding out: And then he inſtanceth in the Works of God, Job 26.14. Lo theſe are part of his ways: But how little a portion is heard of him? and the thunder of his voice who can underſtand? So that he tells us expreſly, we cannot find out the Works of God, we do but know part of them. The queſtion which he puts, Job 37.16. Doſt thou know the wondrous works of him that is perfect in knowledge? can only be anſwered by the words of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 104.24. O Lord how wonderful are thy works! in wiſdom haſt thou made them all. The work of Redemption: In this there ſhines forth ſuch Wiſdom, Mercy, and Love, as our underſtandings cannot reach; this work is called the Wiſdom of God in a myſtery, hidden Wiſdom, [...], [Page] 1 Cor. 2.7. The Mercy, and Grace, and Love of it is called, the riches of Gods mercy, the exceeding riches of his grace, Eph. 2.4, 7. Now Riches is when you cannot tell the utmoſt of them, pauperis eſt numerare, Eph. 3.18, 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth, and to know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge. When we have the largeſt apprehenſions of this love, ſo that we think we comprehend it and know it, it paſſeth knowledge; yea the Effects of God's Power and Love which he manifeſts in believers are unſpeakable; for he is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think, according to the power which worketh in us, Eph. 3.20. The Peace which guards their ſouls paſſeth all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7. Thoſe Joys which fill their hearts are not to be expreſſed. 1 Pet. 1.8. We read of Joy unſpeakable and full of glory. The Happineſs which [Page] they hope for is inconceivable, 'tis that which eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man, which God hath laid up for us.

The Ways of God's Providence, they are not to be traced, Pſal. 77.19. Thy way is in the ſea, and thy paths in the great waters, and thy footſteps are not known. Eccleſ. 3.11. No man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. We are but of yeſterday, and know nothing. When we look upon Gods Providence, we take a part from the whole, and conſider it by it ſelf, without relation to the whole ſeries of his Diſpenſation; we cannot ſee the whole of God's Providence at one view, and never ſee from the beginning of the Works of God to the end; therefore our knowledge of them muſt needs be very imperfect, and full of miſtakes, and falſe judgments of things; we cannot by our petty and ſhort-ſighted [Page] deſigns, judge of the Works of God, and the Deſigns of Providence; for our ways are not as his ways, nor our thoughts as his thoughts. but as the heavens are high above the earth, ſo are his ways above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts, Iſa. 55.8, 9. The ways of God's Mercy, Pſal. 103. As the heavens are high above the earth, ſo great is God's mercy. Pſal. 139.17, 18. How precious are thy thoughts unto me? how great is the ſum of them? If I ſhould count them, they are more in number than the ſand. And the ways of God's Judgments; the ſeverity and greatneſs of his Judgment is not known, Pſal. 90. Who knoweth the power of thy anger? And who may ſtand before thee when thou art angry? And the Reaſons of his Judgments are unſearchable, Pſal. 36.6. Thy Judgments are a great deep. Rom. 11.35. How unſearchable are his Judgments, and his ways paſt finding out! Theſe are the Inſtances on the part of the Object.

[Page]2. On the part of the Subject, or the perſons capable of knowing God in any meaſure. The perfect knowledge of God is above a finite Creature's underſtanding. Wicked men they are ignorant of God, and full of falſe apprehenſions of him; the Scripture gives this deſcription of them; they are thoſe that know not God, 2 Theſſ. 1. Wicked men are ſo far from knowing God to Perfection, that they have hardly any true knowledge of him; for as the man himſelf is, ſo will God ſeem to be to him; the Idea and Notion which men have of God, is but the picture of their own complexion. To a true knowledge there is required likeneſs; a Man's mind muſt be like the thing he would underſtand; therefore the Apoſtle tells us, the natural, or animal man, doth not receive the things of God, he is not capable of them, becauſe his mind is unſuitable to them, he is [...], full of body, and he cannot reliſh ſpiritual things ▪ [Page] even thoſe Natural notions which wicked men have of God, they are ſtrangely tinctur'd and obſcured by the temper of the man; they are lux ſepulta in opacâ materiâ, light buried and hid in matter and darkneſs, in the blackneſs of a ſoul and impure heart; ſo that there is no queſtion of them, whither they comprehend God or not.

But good men they cannot find out God, they have ſome falſe apprehenſions of him; all their apprehenſions are dark, have much of obſcurity in them; they know God to Salvation, but not to Perfection; in this life we do but know God in part, that is, in compariſon of the knowledge which our natures are capable of.

But I will inſtance yet higher; the Angels and the Spirits of juſt men made perfect; tho' they have true apprehenſions of God, yet they do not arrive to perfect knowledge of him, they cannot perveſtigare ultima, know the utmoſt of God; the Cherubims themſelves [Page] are continually looking at the Mercy Seat. To which the Apoſtle alludes, 1 Pet. 1.12. when he tells us, the Myſtery of God's mercy in the Goſpel was a thing which the Angels deſired to pry into. In Heaven that which is in part ſhall be done away, that is, our knowledge ſhall be perfect as our Natures are capable; but it ſhall be finite. When we ſhall ſee God face to face, that is, have an immediate viſion of him, and ſee him as he is, that is, not having our underſtandings tinctur'd by any luſt or paſſion that may darken our mind, or miſrepreſent the Object; for the Apoſtle tells us, we ſhall ſee him, becauſe we ſhall be like him; yet then we ſhall have ſhort and unadequate apprehenſions of him, we ſhall ſtill retain our limited Natures and finite underſtandings.

II. By way of Conviction. Doſt thou know perfectly the nature of a finite Spirit, the Perfection and the Power of an Angel, how being immaterial they can act upon matter, and move that which can make no reſiſtance to a Spirit? [Page] Doſt thou know how they can move themſelves to a great diſtance in a moment, and dart themſelves from one part of the World to another? Doſt thou know how man is formed in the loweſt parts of the earth, as the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth it; and the curious Frame of our Bodies is wrought from ſuch rude Principles in ſo dark a Shop? Canſt thou give an account how the Soul is united to the Body, by what bands or holds a Spirit is ſo cloſely and intimately conjoyned to Matter? Doſt thou know how thy ſelf underſtandeſt any thing, and canſt retain the diſtinct Ideas and Notions of ſo many Objects without confuſion? Doſt thou know the leaſt parts of Matter, how they are knit together, and by what Cement they cleave ſo faſt to one another, that they can hardly be ſeparated?

Now if the Creatures be ſo unſearchable, and the knowledge of theſe be too hard for thee; is not the [Page] Creator of them much more Incomprehenſible, who poſſeſſeth all theſe Perfections which he communicates, and many which cannot be communicated to a Creature? If in Natural and Senſible Things, maxima pars eorum quae ſcimus, eſt minima pars eorum quae neſcimus, how much more is it true of God, that our ignorance is more than our knowledge; when the whole Earth and all the Creatures bear no proportion to him? Iſa. 40.15, 17. Behold all the Nations of the earth are as the drop of the bucket, and as the ſmall duſt of the ballance; all nations before him are nothing, and are accounted to him leſs than nothing.

III. By ſhewing you the clear Reaſon of it, which is this, the diſproportion between the Faculty and the Object, the finiteneſs of our underſtandings, and the Infiniteneſs of the Divine Nature and Perfections. God is greater than our hearts, and therefore as he [Page] knows more than we do, as the Apoſtle reaſons, 1 John 3.20. ſo he is more than can be known by us; he is too vaſt an Object for our underſtanding to entertain, for our minds to receive Thou may'ſt as well mete out the Heaven with a ſpan, and meaſure the Waters in the hollow of thy hand, and comprehend the duſt of the earth in a little Urn, and weigh the Mountains in ſome Scales, and the hills in a little Ballance; as think to circumſcribe God in the narrow limits of thy thoughts, or to bring that which is infinite within the compaſs of that which is finite.

And there is not only the vaſtneſs and greatneſs of the Object; but the Glory and Reſplendency of it does ſo dazle our ſight, that we cannot perfectly ſee it, 1 Tim. 6.16. He dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee. As God is too big, ſo he is too bright an Object for our underſtandings; the [Page] preſence of his Glory overpowers our minds, and bears down our Faculties, and conquers our underſtandings.

I come now to apply this Doctrine of the Incomprehenſibleneſs of the Divine Nature. If the Nature, and Perfections, and Ways, and Works of God be Incomprehenſible, and paſt finding out,

I. It calls for our Admiration, and Veneration, and Reverence. Theſe are the beſt apprehenſions of him, that is Incomprehenſible; a ſilent Veneration of his Excellencies, is the beſt acknowledgment of them. We muſt admire what we cannot apprehend or expreſs, Zach. 9.17. How great is his goodneſs, and how great is his beauty? The beſt way to celebrate the praiſes of God, is that which Nehemiah uſeth Nehem. 9.5. And bleſſed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all bleſſing and praiſe. [Page] When ever we ſpeak or think of God, we neceſſarily detract from his Perfections; but even this neceſſity is glorious to him, and this ſpeaks his Perfection, that the higheſt finite underſtanding muſt have imperfect thoughts of him.

We ſhould make up in Reverence and Veneration what we fall ſhort of in knowledge. Reverence is an acknowledgment of diſtance; by our reverence of the Divine Majeſty, we ſhould beſt awe our hearts, in a ſenſe of the diſtance which is between his infinite Nature and Perfection, and our finite apprehenſions. Worldly greatneſs will cauſe wonder, the thoughts of Earthly Majeſty will compoſe us to Reverence; how much more ſhould thoſe excellencies which are beyond what we can imagine! Iſa. 6. you have there God repreſented ſitting upon his throne, and the Seraphims about him, which are deſcribed to us as having each ſix wings, and with twain they cover [Page]their faces. Creatures of the brighteſt underſtanding, and the moſt exalted purity and Holineſs, cover their faces in the preſence of God's glory, they chooſe rather to venerate God than look upon him

II. This calls for humility and modeſty. The conſideration of God's unſearchable Perfections ſhould make the haughtineſs of man to ſtoop, and bring down his proud looks, and God alone ſhould be exalted. The thought of God's Excellency ſhould abaſe us, and make us vile in our own eyes, it ſhould make all thoſe petty Excellencies that we pride our ſelves in to vaniſh and diſappear. Thoſe treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge which are in God, ſhould hide pride from man. It ſhould hide thoſe little parts and gifts which we are ſo apt to glory in, as the Sun hides the Stars. When we conſider God, we ſhould be ſo far from admiring our ſelves, that we ſhould with an humble thankfulneſs wonder [Page] that God ſhould regard ſuch inconſiderable nothings as we are. Pſal. 8.1, 3, 4. O Lord our God, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who haſt ſet thy glory above the heavens. When I conſider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou haſt ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the Son of man, that thou viſiteſt him? He that conſiders the Glory of God, and the greatneſs of his Works, will think ſo meanly of himſelf, that he will be aſtoniſht that God ſhould mind him or viſit him. This is a noble ſtrain of humility in David, by which he acknowledgeth that the greateſt King of the Earth, how conſiderable ſoever he may be in reſpect of men, is yet but a pitiful thing to God.

When we ſpeak to God, we ſhould do it with great humility, Eccleſ. 5.2, 3. Let thy words be few, for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. We ſhould ſay [Page] to God, Job 37.19. Teach us what we ſhall ſay unto thee, for we cannot order our ſpeech by reaſon of darkneſs. And when we think or ſpeak of him, we ſhould do it with great modeſty; we ſhould not raſhly pronounce or determine any thing concerning God. Simonides being ask'd what God was, deſired one days time to conſider, then he deſired two, and then four. The more we think of God, the leſs peremptory ſhall we be in defining him. He that conſiders that God is Incomprehenſible, will not pretend to know all the ways of infinite knowledge, and the utmoſt of infinite Power, and all the Reaſons of God's Ways and Providences. He that rightly values his own ſhort underſtanding, and the unlimited Perfections of God, will not be apt to ſay, this God cannot do, this he cannot know, ſuch ways are not agreeable to his wiſdom. He that knows God and himſelf, will be modeſt in theſe caſes, he will [...], abſtain from all [Page] peremptory pronouncing in theſe matters; he conſiders that one man many times differs ſo much from another in knowledge and skill of working, that he can do thoſe things which another believes impoſſible: but we have pitiful thoughts of God, if we think the differerce between one man and another, is any thing to the vaſt diſtance that is between the Divine Underſtanding and our ignorance, the Divine Power and our weakneſs, the Wiſdom of God and the folly of men.

III. The Incomprehenſibleneſs of God's Perfections calls for the higheſt degree of our affection. How ſhould we fear this great and glorious God! Pſal. 90.11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath. Fear is the moſt infinite of all our paſſions, and fills us with the moſt endleſs jealouſie and ſuſpicions; God's wrath is greater than our fear, according to thy fear ſo is thy wrath.

[Page]How ſhould we love him, when we are aſtoniſht with admiration of God's goodneſs, and ſay, how great is thy goodneſs, and how great is thy beauty! Behold, what manner of love the father hath beſtowed upon us! How great ſhould our love be to him! What manner of love ſhould we return to him!

This calls for the higheſt degree of our Faith. With what confidence ſhould we rely upon him, who is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think!

To conclude, This requires the higheſt degree of our ſervice: How ſhould our hearts be enlarged to run the ways of his commandments, who hath laid up for us ſuch things, that eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor have entred into the heart of man!

SERMON XV.Vol. VII. God the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End.

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ROM XI.36.

For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be Glory for ever. Amen.

HAving conſider'd the more Eminent and Abſolute Perfections of the Divine Nature, as alſo that which reſults from the infinite Excellency and Perfection of God, compar'd with the Imperfection of our Underſtandings, I come in the laſt place to treat of ſuch as are merely [Page] and purely Relative; as that He is the firſt Cauſe, and the laſt End of all things; to which purpoſe I have choſen theſe words of the Apoſtle, for the Subject of my preſent Diſcourſe; For of him, and through him &c,

The dependence of theſe Words upon the former is briefly this. The Apoſtle had been ſpeaking before in this Chapter, ſeveral things that might tend to raiſe us to an Admiration of the Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Mercy of God, in the diſpenſation of his Grace, for the Salvation of men, both Jews and Gentiles, and therefore would have us aſcribe this work wholly to God; the contrivance of it to his Wiſdom, and not to our own counſel, v. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? and who hath been his counſellour? and the beſtowing this grace, to his free Goodneſs and Mercy, and not to any deſert of ours, v. 35. Or who hath firſt given to him, and it ſhall be recompenſed to him [Page]again? Yea, and not only in the diſpenſation of Grace, but of all good things; not only in this work of Redemption, but alſo of Creation, God is the Fountain, and Original, and firſt Cauſe, from whence every thing proceeds; and the laſt End, to which every thing is to be referr'd. For of him, &c. [...], from him, the efficient Cauſe producing all things; [...], by, or through him, as the efficient conſerving Cauſe of all things; [...], and to him, as the final Cauſe of all things, and the End for which they were made.

The Propoſition I ſhall ſpeak to is, that God is the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End.

Firſt, I ſhall a little Explain the Terms.

Secondly, Confirm the Propoſition.

[Page] Thirdly, Apply it.

Firſt, For the Explication of the Terms.

I. That God is the firſt Cauſe ſignifies,

1. Negatively, that he had no Cauſe, did not derive his Being from any other, or does depend upon any other Being; but that he was always, and eternally of himſelf.

2. Poſitively, that he is the Cauſe of all things beſides himſelf, the Fountain and Original of all Created Beings, from whom all things proceed, and upon whom all things depend; or, that I may uſe the expreſſion of Saint John, Joh. 1.3. which I know is appropriated to the Second Perſon in the Trinity, By him all things were made, and without him was nothing made that was made. So that when we attribute to God, that [Page] he is the firſt, we mean, that there was nothing before him, and that he was before all things, and that all things are by him.

II. The laſt End, that is, that all things refer to him; that is, the deſign and aim of all things that are made, is the Illuſtration of God's Glory ſome way or other, and the manifeſtation of his Perfections.

Secondly, For the Confirmation, I ſhall briefly, according to my uſual Method, attempt it theſe two ways.

I. By Natural light. The Notion of a God contains in it all poſſible Perfection. Now the utmoſt Perfection we can imagine is, for a Being to be always of it ſelf, before all other Beings, and not only ſo, but to be the Cauſe of all other Beings; that is, that there ſhould be nothing, but what derives its Being from him, and continually depends upon him; [Page] from whence follows, that all things muſt refer to him, as their laſt End. For every wiſe Agent acts with deſign, and in order to an End. Now the End is that which is beſt, which is moſt worthy the attaining, and that is God himſelf. Now his Being and Perfections are already, and the beſt next to the exiſtence of his Being and Perfections, is the manifeſtation of them, which is called God's Glory; and this is the higheſt End that we can imagine, to which all the Effects of the Divine Power and Goodneſs, and Wiſdom do refer.

And that theſe Titles are to be attributed to God, is not only reaſonable, when it is revealed and diſcovered, but was diſcovered by the Natural light of the heathens. Hence it was that Ariſtotle gives to God thoſe Titles of the firſt Being, the firſt Cauſe, and the firſt Mover; and his Maſter Plato calls God the Author, and Parent of all things, the Maker and Architect of the World, [Page]and of all Creatures; the Fountain and Original of all things. Porphyry calls him [...], the firſt, from whence he Reaſons to this ſenſe, that he is the ultimate end, and that all things move towards God, that all motions center in him; becauſe, ſaith he, it is moſt proper and natural for things to refer to their Original, and to refer all to him, from whom they receive all. Antoninus, the Emperour and Philoſopher, ſpeaking of Nature (which with the Stoicks ſignified God) hath theſe words, which are ſo very like theſe of the Apoſtle, that they may ſeem to be taken from him; [...], Of thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee are all things.

II. From Scripture. Hither belong all thoſe places where he declares himſelf to be the firſt, and the laſt, Iſa. 41.4. Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the firſt, and with the laſt.[Page]I am he. Iſa. 43.10. Before me there was no God formed, (or as it is in the margin) there was nothing formed of God, neither ſhall there be after me. Iſa. 44.6. I am the firſt, and I am the laſt, and beſides me there is no God. Iſa. 48.12, 13. I am the firſt, I alſo am the laſt, my hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, my right hand hath ſpread the heavens; which is as much as to ſay, he made the World, and was the firſt Cauſe of all things. Rev. 1.8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, ſaith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come.

But more expreſly, 1 Cor. 8.6. But to us there is but one God, the father, of whom are all things, and we by him, [...], and we to him, and for him. Acts 17.24. God that made the world, and all things therein. v. 25. He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. v. 28. In him we live, and move, and have our Being. v. 29. [Page] For as much then as we are the offſpring of God.

Hither we may refer thoſe Texts which attribute the ſame to the Second Perſon in the Trinity, as the Eternal Wiſdom and Word of God, whereby all things were made, Joh. 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made, that was made, v. 10. And the World was made by him. 1 Cor. 8.6. And one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, and we by him. Eph. 3.9. God, who Created all things by Jeſus Chriſt. Col. 1.16. 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, all things were Created by him, and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things conſiſt. Heb. 1.2. By whom alſo he made the Worlds. And, v. 3. Ʋpholding all things by the word of his power.

[Page] Thirdly, and laſtly, to apply this Doctrine.

Ʋſe. Firſt, If God be the firſt Cauſe of all things, who did at firſt produce all Creatures, and does ſince Preſerve them and Govern them, and diſpoſeth of all their concernments, and orders all things that befal them, from hence let us learn,

1. With Humility and Thankfullneſs to own and acknowledge, and admire and bleſs God as the Author and Original of our Being, as the Spring and Fountain of all the Bleſſings and good things that we enjoy. If we do but conſider what theſe words ſignifie, that God is the firſt Cauſe of all things, we ſhall ſee great Reaſon to own and acknowledge, to adore and praiſe him, and that with the greateſt humility; becauſe we have not given him any thing, but have received all [Page] from him; he is the Cauſe of all things, who did freely and of his own good will and pleaſure communicate Beings to us, without any conſtraint or neceſſity, but what his own goodneſs laid upon him, Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou haſt Created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were Created. We could not, before we were, deſerve any thing from him, or move him by any Arguments, or importune him by intreaties to make us; but he freely gave us Being; and ever ſince we depend upon him, and have been preſerved by him, and cannot ſubſiſt one moment without the continued influence of the Power and Goodneſs which firſt called us out of nothing. He is the Author of all the good, and the Fountain of all thoſe Bleſſing, which for the preſent we enjoy, and for the future hope for.

[Page]When he made us at firſt, he deſigned us for Happineſs; and when we by our ſin and wilful maſcarriage fell ſhort of the Happineſs which he deſign'd us for, he ſent his Son into the World for our recovery, and gave his life for the Ranſom of our Souls. He hath not only admitted us into a new Covenant, wherein he hath promiſed pardon, and eternal life to us; but he hath alſo purchaſed theſe Bleſſings for us, by the moſt endearing price, the blood of his own Son, and hath ſaved us in ſuch a manner as may juſtly aſtoniſh us. Upon theſe Conſiderations we ſhould awaken our ſelves to the praiſe of God, and with the holy Pſalmiſt, call up our Spirits, and ſummon all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls, to aſſiſt us in this Work, Pſal. 103.1, 2, 3, 4. &c. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy name; bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who [Page]healeth all thy diſeaſes, who redeemeth thy life from deſtruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindneſs, and tender mercies; 'tis he that ſatisfies our Souls with good things, and crowneth us with tender mercies, and loving hindneſs; that hath promiſed Eternal Life and Happineſs to us, and muſt confer and beſtow this upon us; Therefore our Souls and all that is within us ſhould bleſs his holy name.

2. If God be the firſt Cauſe, that is, orders all things that befall us, and by his Providence diſpoſeth of all our concernments, this ſhould teach us with patience, and quietneſs, to ſubmit to all Events, to all evils and afflictions, that come upon us, as being diſpoſed by his wiſe Providence, and coming from him. We are apt to attribute all things to the next and immediate Agent, and to look no higher than Second Cauſes; not conſidering that all the motions of Natural Cauſes are directly ſubordinate to the firſt Cauſe, and [Page] all the actions of free Creatures are under the Government of God's wiſe Providence, ſo that nothing happens to us beſides the deſign and intention of God.

And methinks this is one particular Excellency of the ſtyle of the Scripture above all other Books, that the conſtant Phraſe of the Sacred Dialect is to attribute all Events (excepting ſins only) to God, ſo that every one that reads it cannot but take notice, that it is wrote with a more attentive conſideration of God than any other Book, as appears by thoſe frequent and expreſs acknowledgments of God as the Cauſe of all Events; ſo that what in other Writers would be ſaid to be done by this or that Perſon, is aſcribed to God. Therefore it is ſo often ſaid, that the Lord did this, and that, ſtirr'd up ſuch an Enemy, brought ſuch a Judgment. And we ſhall find that holy men in Scripture make excellent uſe of this conſideration, to argue themſelves into patience and contentedneſs [Page] in every condition. So Eli, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. So Job, he did not ſo conſider the Sabeans and Chaldeans who had carried away his Oxen and his Camels, and ſlain his Servants; nor the Wind which had thrown down his Houſe, and kill'd his Sons, and his Daughters; but he looks up to God, the great Governour and Diſpoſer of all theſe Events; The Lord giveth, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord. So David, Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb and ſpake not a word, becauſe thou Lord didſt it. So our Bleſſed Saviour, when he was ready to ſuffer, he did not conſider the malice of the Jews, which was the cauſe of his death; but looks to a higher hand; the cup which my father gives me to drink, ſhall not I drink it?

He that looks upon all things as coming from ſecond Cauſes, and does not eye the firſt Cauſe, the good and wiſe Governour, will be apt to take offence at every croſs and unwelcome accident. Men are [Page] apt to be angry, when one flings Water upon them as they paſs in the Streets; but no man is offended, if he is wet by Rain from Heaven. When we look upon Evils as coming only from men, we are apt to be impatient, and know not how to bear them; but we ſhould look upon all things as under the Government and diſpoſal of the firſt Cauſe, and the Circumſtances of every condition as allotted to us by the wiſe Providence of God; this Conſideration, that it is the hand of God, and that he hath done it, would ſtill all the murmurings of our Spirits. As when a Seditious Multitude is in an uproar, the preſence of a grave and venerable perſon will huſh the noiſe, and quell the tumult; ſo if we would but repreſent God as preſent to all actions, and governing and diſpoſing all Events, this would ſtill and appeaſe our Spirits, when they are ready to riot and mutiny againſt any of his Diſpenſations.

[Page] Ʋſe the Second. If God be the laſt End of all, let us make him our laſt End, and refer all our Actions to his glory. This is that which is due to him, as he is the firſt Cauſe, and therefore he does moſt reaſonably require it of us.

And herein likewiſe the Scripture doth excel all other Books, that is, doth more frequently and expreſly mind us of this End, and calls upon us to propoſe it to our ſelves as our ultimate aim and deſign. We ſhould love him as our chief End, Mat. 22.37. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind. Thus to love God is that which, in the language of the Schools, is loving God as our Chief End. So likewiſe the Apoſtle requires, that we ſhould refer all the Actions of our lives to this End, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God; that we ſhould glorifie [Page]him in our ſouls, and in our bodies, which are his. He is the Author of all the powers that we have, and therefore we ſhould uſe them for him; we do all by him, and therefore we ſhould do all to him.

And that we may the better underſtand our ſelves as to this duty, I ſhall endeavour to give ſatisfaction to a Queſtion or two which may ariſe about it.

Firſt, Whether an actual intention of God's Glory be neceſſary to make every Action that we do, good and acceptable to God?

Anſw. 1. It is neceſſary that the glory of God either Formally or Virtually ſhould be the ultimate end and ſcope of our lives, and all our Actions; otherwiſe they will be defective in that which in moral Actions is moſt conſiderable, and that is the End. If a man ſhould keep all the Commandments of the Goſpel, this excepted of making God's glory his Supreme End, only [Page] with a deſign to gain reputation, or ſome other advantage in the World, this very thing would vitiate all, and render him unacceptable to God.

2. It is very requiſite and convenient, as a good ſign, that we ſhould very frequently, actually think upon, and intend this End; for if it be very much out of our thoughts, we have ſome reaſon to be jealous of our ſelves, that we do not intend it at all.

3. It is ſo far from being neceſſary, that we ſhould in every Action have this intention of God's glory, that it is not morally poſſible that we ſhould; no more than it is poſſible, that a man that goes a Journey of a thouſand miles, ſhould every ſtep he takes have actual thoughts of his Journey's end: nor is it more neceſſary; for conſideration of the end is only ſo far neceſſary, as it is neceſſary to guide and quicken us in the uſe of means; as it is not neceſſary for a man to think of [Page] his journey's end, further than to direct and excite him to go thither. And this appears further by the contrary; it is not neceſſary to make a ſinful Action, that a man ſhould Formally, much leſs Actually intend God's diſhonour; it is enough to conſtitute a man a wicked man, if he willingly tranſgreſs God's Law, the doing whereof does by conſequence reflect a diſhonour upon him: ſo on the other hand, it is ſufficient to make an Action good and acceptable, if it be conformable to God's Law, and ſuch as by conſequence redounds to God's glory.

Second Queſtion. Whether the Glory of God may, or ought to be conſidered, as an End ſeparate and diſtinct from our own Happineſs?

Anſw. I ſhall ſpeak but briefly to this, becauſe I have elſewhere ſpoken to it; but in that little which I have to ſay for ſatisfaction to this Queſtion, I will proceed by theſe ſteps.

[Page]I. By the glory of God, we mean the Demonſtration, or Illuſtration, or Manifeſtation of ſome or all of his Perfections, more eſpecially his Goodneſs, and Mercy, and Juſtice, and Wiſdom, and Power, and Holineſs.

II. It is plain that the manifeſtation of ſome of theſe Perfections is a thing that may be ſeparated from the Happineſs of a Creature; for his Holineſs, and Juſtice, and Power, may and ſhall be manifeſted in the final and eternal ruin of impenitent ſinners.

III. The Manifeſtation of any of God's Perfections, ought many times to be propounded by us as an end diſtinct and ſeparate from our reſpective Happineſs; ſuch a Happineſs, as reſpects only ſome particulars, and ſome particular duration, in oppoſition to abſolute and Eternal Happineſs. In this ſenſe our Saviour ſays, that he ſought not his own Glory, but the Glory of him that ſent him; by which he [Page] does not mean, that he quitted everlaſting Glory and Happineſs; but that in order to the glory of God, he did for a time lay aſide his own glory, and diveſt himſelf of it while he was in this World; for the Apoſtle tells us, that he was encouraged to do this out of a reſpect to a greater glory, Heb. 12.2. Who for the Joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſs, deſpiſing the ſhame, and is ſet down at the right hand of the throne of God. And in this ſenſe, we are to underſtand the command of ſelf-denial in the Goſpel, with reference to our particular or temporal, not our eternal intereſt; and that it is no more, is plain from the Argument our Saviour uſes to encourage this ſelf-denial, the promiſe of a far greater Happineſs than that we deny; no man that forſakes father and mother for my ſake, but ſhall have eternal life; And proportionably we are to underſtand thoſe Commands of loving Chriſt more than our ſelves, that is, more than any temporal intereſt▪

[Page]IV. The manifeſtation of any of God's Perfections, neither ought nor can reaſonably be propounded by us, as an End ſeparated from, or oppoſite to our Eternal Bleſſedneſs; that is, we cannot naturally or reaſonably deſire the glory of God ſhould be advanced, tho' it were to our final ruin, either by annihilation, or eternal miſery.

1. We cannot either naturally, or reaſonably deſire God ſhould be glorified by our annihilation.

(1.) Not naturally. Becauſe ſuch a deſire would be directly contrary to the natural deſire of ſelf-preſervation, which God himſelf hath planted in us, and is moſt intimate and eſſential to our Natures.

(2.) Not reaſonably. Becauſe it is utterly unimaginable, how God can be glorified by the annihilation of a Creature. All the Attributes that we can imagine can be manifeſted herein, are Power and Soveraignty; his Power hath already been as much manifeſted in creating [Page] and making the Creature out of nothing, as it can be by reducing it into nothing; for to Create is the very ſame demonſtration of Power, as to annihilate. And as for his Soveraignty, God will never manifeſt that in contradiction to his Goodneſs, or Wiſdom, or any other Perfection of the Divine Nature. To unmake a Creature, and take away the Being which he had given, would argue either a failure of his Goodneſs toward the Creature, or that he did repent he had made it, which would reflect upon his Wiſdom and Conſtancy. I do not ſay, that in Juſtice God cannot annihilate a Creature; far be it from me; for what he gave was his own, and he may without any wrong to the Creature take it again.

2. Much leſs can we naturally deſire that God ſhould be glorified in our Eternal Miſery. The Reaſons which I gave about annihilation are ſtronger here; therefore we cannot naturally deſire it; nor reaſonably, for the demonſtration of his [Page] Power, or Soveraignty, or Juſtice, or Holineſs, which I think are all the Attributes which we can imagine to be glorified hereby. Not as the Manifeſtation of his Power; for that would be as much manifeſted in the Happineſs, as Miſery of the Creature: Not of his Soveraignty; for God will not manifeſt that in contradiction to his Goodneſs, upon which nothing can reflect more, than merely, pro arbitrio, for his pleaſure, to make an innocent Creature for ever miſerable: Not his Juſtice, and Holineſs; for theſe preſuppoſe ſin and demerit in the Creature, out of hatred to which he makes it miſerable; but God hath declared that he eſteems himſelf more glorified by the Obedience and Happineſs of his Creatures, than by their ſin and deſtruction; and if it were reaſonable to deſire the Juſtice and Holineſs of God might be glorified in my eternal ruin, which I have deſerved by ſin, this would plainly follow from it, that it were reaſonable to ſin, that Juſtice might abound, which of the two is a greater Abſurdity, than that which the Apoſtle [Page] condemns, of ſinning that grace may abound.

V. There is a ſtrict and inviolable connexion between the greateſt glory of God; and our Obedience and Happineſs: I ſay, between his greateſt glory; becauſe he eſteems himſelf more glorified by the Obedience and Happineſs of his Creatures, than by their ruin and miſery; and that we may believe it, we have his Oath for it, As I live, ſaith the Lord, I delight not in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn, and live. And it is obſervable, that the Apoſtle, in 1 Cor. 10.31, 32, 33. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, giving none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God; even as I pleaſe all men, in all things, not ſeeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be ſaved; explains the glorifying of God, by edifying, and promoting the Salvation of others.

VI. We may conſider the glory of God, as ſome ways diſtinct from [Page] our Happineſs; that is, we may conſider the manifeſtation of his Goodneſs, and Mercy, and Wiſdom, in our Happineſs, as that which reſults from it: but this is not enough to make it a diſtinct End, but the ſame diverſly conſider'd; as the publick good is that which reſults from the general good of particular Perſons, but cannot reaſonably be propounded by any man, as an End diſtinct from the general Happineſs of particular Perſons, without ruining and deſtroying the Notion of publick good.

VII. Tho' conſidered as we are particular Beings, we can have no greater End than our own Happineſs, in which God is eminently glorified, yet as we are part of the whole Creation and Workmanſhip of God, which is the nobleſt conſideration of our ſelves, the glory of God which reſults from the manifeſtation of all his Perfections in and about his Creatures, is preciſely our ultimate End, and yet not an End really diſtinct from our own Happineſs; and therefore [Page] it is moſt proper, and becoming, and agreeable to the wiſe ſtyle of Scripture, to give our End its denomination, not from the more particular and narrow, but the more noble conſideration of our ſelves, as we are parts of the whole Creation and Workmanſhip of God; as it is more generous and becoming for the Members of a Civil Society to mention the publick good as their End, than their private Happineſs and Advantage, tho' that be ſo really and effectually promoted by the publick good.

Thus I have finiſh'd what I propos'd on this Argument, and concerning the Attributes of God in general; Of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things. To Him be Glory for ever. Amen.

FINIS.

ADVERTISEMENT.

[Page]

THE Sermons concerning the Divine Attributes, contained in this, and the former Volume, having not been tranſcrib'd, and conſequently not printed, in the Order in which they were preach'd, and there being alſo two other Sermons publiſh'd by the moſt Reverend Author himſelf, relating to the Divine Being; It may not be unacceptable to the Reader, to preſent him with a Scheme of the Order in which they ſeem to have been deſign'd; viz.

1 Serm. Concerning the Exiſtence of God, or the Unreaſonableneſs of Atheiſm. Job 28.28.

1 Serm. Concerning the Unity of the Divine Nature, and the B. Trinity. 1 Tim. 2.15.

Theſe following from the Originals, by Dr. Barker.

| Vol. | pag.
The Perfection of God. 2 Serm. Matth. 5.48. | 6 | [...]
The Happineſs of God. 1 Serm. 1 Tim. 1.11. | 6 | 67
The Unchangeableneſs of God. 1 Serm. Jam. 1.17. | 6 | 97
The Spirituality of the Divine Nature. 1 Serm. John 4.24. | 7 | 299
The Immenſity of the Divine Nature. 1 Serm. Pſ. 139.7, 8, 9, 10. | 7 | 331
The Eternity of God. 1 Serm. Pſ. 90.2. | 7 | 355
[Page]The Knowledge of God. 2 Serm. 1 Sam. 2.3. | 6 | 121
The Wiſdom of God. 1 Serm.*[In which alſo the Majeſty and Glory, the Dominion and Soveraingty of God, are treated of.] Jude 25. | 6 | 187
The Wiſdom of God in the Creation. 1 Serm. Pſ. 104.24. | 6 | 219
The Wiſdom of God in his Providence. 1 Serm. 1 Pet. 5.7. | 6 | 243
The Wiſdom of God in the Redemption of Mankind. 1 Serm. 1 Cor. 1.24. | 6 | 275
The Juſtice of God, in the diſtribution of Rewards and Puniſhments. 1 Serm. Gen. 18.25. | 6 | 305
The Truth of God. 1 Serm. Deut. 32.4. | 6 | 337
The Holineſs of God. 1 Serm. 1 Pet. [...].16. | 6 | 369
The Goodneſs of God. 4 Serm. Pſ. 145.9. | 7 | 1
The Mercy of God. 1 Serm. Numb. 14.18. | 7 | 105
The Patience of God. 2 Serm. 2 Pet. 3.9. | 7 | 143
The Long-Suffering of God. 2 Serm. Eccl. 8.11. | 7 | 193
The Power of God. 1 Serm. Pſal. 62.11. | 7 | 265
The Incomprehenſibleneſs of God. 1 Serm. Job 11.7. | 7 | 377
God the firſt Cauſe, and laſt End. 1 Serm. Rom. 11.36. | 7 | 403

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The remaining discourses, on the attributes of God Viz. his Goodness. His mercy. His patience. His long-suffering. His power. His spirituality. His immensity. His eternity. His incomprehensibleness. God the first cause, and last end. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the seventh volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace.

Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.

Edition statement

1700

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A62579

ID [STC]

Wing T1216

ID [STC]

ESTC R222200

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99833415

ID [PROQUEST]

99833415

ID [VID]

37891

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A62579)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 37891)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2200:04)

Source

— The remaining discourses, on the attributes of God Viz. his Goodness. His mercy. His patience. His long-suffering. His power. His spirituality. His immensity. His eternity. His incomprehensibleness. God the first cause, and last end. By the most reverend Dr. John Tillotson, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Being the seventh volume; published from the originals, by Ralph Barker, D.D. chaplain to his Grace., Tillotson, John, 1630-1694., Barker, Ralph, 1648-1708, publisher..

Extent

[8], 430, [2] p. : port.

printed for Ri. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard,. London :: 1700.. (With portrait of Tillotson on A1v.) (Copy stained.) (With a final advertisement leaf.) (Reproduction of the original in the Harvard University Library.)

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