# '^^ and to enable the Sinner foto^repent^that his Sins may be pardoned, - *■ p. 217, 218 5. By pardoning the greatefl Sinners upon their Re- pentance, p. 219, U S E, 1. We are, neither to prefume upon, nor to defpaii of, pardoning Mercy, p. 222—225 2. To be filled v^ith great Shame^ and Sorrow foi our Offences againft a God fo gracious, p. 228, 229 3. To imitate God's pardoning Mercy, p. 230, 23 1 Four Motives fo to do, p, 232,233, ,234 G. Wherein God's Goodnefs confifts. Vol 2. p. i <^o It is Original, Tranfcendent, General Goodnefs, p. 161--154: He is Good to the Wicked, 1. In the outward Bleffings he affords them, p. 165 2. In his Chaftifements to awaken them, p. j 66 3. In his Patience towards them, p. 167 They ftiould be led by this Goodnefs to Repentance, p. 1 58, 170 — 173 He is Good to them who truly defirc to be Good, 1. Incherilhing the beginnings of Vertue in them, p. 176 2. In his readinefs to anfwer the.ir Defires, and afillt all their fmcere Endeavours to obtain it, p. 178, 179 3. In giving thebeft Motives to perfeverance in well doing, p. 179, 180, 181 4. In rewarding their imperfeft Services with an E- ternal Recompencc, p. 182 a 3 An C VI ] An Anfwcr to the Enquiry why God doth not make all Men Good, p. 182— i8S We are to imitate this Goodnefs in the Generality and Reality of it, p. 194, '95 2. To be moved by it to love God above all things, ibid, 3. To live in an holy fear of God, p. 199, 200 4. To yield chearful Obedience to his Laws, p. 201 — io6 H. The Holinefs of God, as it refpedls Sin, fignifies, 1. His abfolute freedom from it, Vol. 2. p. m a. His hatred of it, p. 1 12 3. fiis Oppofition to it, p. 1 1 S, ' H> I^ S Hence it follows, T, That God can do no Evil, p. 116 2. That he cannot command what is intriniically Evil, p. II 7 3. Or infufe any evil Principle into our Hcarts,p. 118 4. Nor incline, excite, entice, or effeiflually tempt us to it, p. 1 19 5. That he cannot neceffitate a Man to Sin, p. 120,1 21 We imitate this Holinefs of God, 1. When Sin is fo far mortify'd inns that we do not obey it in the lufHngs of it, p. 123, 124 2. When we fhcw the ftrongeft AveiTation from it, p. 124 3. When we bear a pei feift hatred to it, and connive not at it in ourfclves, or others, p. 125 Vv^Ctkal Inferences from the Holinefs of God, I. That God cannot love us whilft we regard Ini- quity in our Hearts, p. 1 16 2, That C vii] 2. That we are as much concern'd to avoid all Iniqui- ty, as to avoid the Wiath of God, p. 1 30, 1 31 3, That by indidging to any way of Sin we become hacefol to the Eye of God, p. 128 God's Holincfs as it refpe^ls Pcrfoas refembling him in Holinefs, imports, I. His great Affeaion to them, his Concernment for them, and his readincfs to do them Good, and to reward their Holinefs, P- « 3 ^ 132,135 Becaufe, i. This renders them the fairelt Tranfcripts of his holy Nature, P- 1 3^ a. It is the Frtiit of his holy Spirit, p. 1 34 5. By this his Glory is bell promoted, ?• ^3^ Motives to this Holincfs, 1. From the excellency it refieds on us, p. t 39, 140 2. The neceffity of it, both to our prcfent, and our future, Happinefs, p, 1 41, 142 3. The Honour which it brings to God, p. 1 44 A lively Senfe of God's Holinefs fliould produce in us, 1. Reverence and Sincerity in our AddrefTes to him, p. 145, 147 2. Strong Convictions of our own Vilenef?, p. 14S 3. Watchfulncfs againft Sin, p. 1 49 4. Humble walking before God, p. 1 50 5. Patience and Contentment, p. '$1 6. It Srliaifters comfort to all thofe who are advan- ced to a true Conformity to God's Holincfs, p. 152, 153 The full import of this Exhortation, Be^e k/y, for J the Lord yQWf Cod am Holy^ p. 1 54, 1 5 5, 1 5<^ I. Juflice is either Commutative or Dlltributive^ Vol. 2. p. 5<^, 57 ^ 4 There C viii ] There is no place for Commutative Jullice bctwixfe God and Man, J. Bccau& be being AU-fufficicnt can need nothing that we tfave. 2. Becaufc he hath an unalienable Right to all we have, p S7, 58 An Anfvvcr to the Objedlions arifing, i.FromtheProfperity of the Wicked, and the Af- flictions of Good Men, p 77, 7^ 2» From the difpioportion betwixtTemporal Crimes, and the eternity of Torments inflided.on Men for them, p. 88—95 God is immutable, InhisNature, his Attributes, his Purpofes, Coua- fels, Promifes and Threats, Vol i . p. 72,73, 74 The Objedion that God fometimes varies from his Promifes, and repents of the Evil threatned, is fully anfwered by fhewing, that all his Promifes and Threats in this Cafe arc Conditional ^ and when he varies fro A them, the change is not in God, but Man, p. 74 — 7S USE, 1. This creates great terrof to all Wicked Perfons, whilft they continue in their Sins, p. 79, 80 2. Men nauft in vain exped God's favour till a thorough Change be wrought in them, p. 81 3. That God mull be unchangeable in the Punilh- ments he threatneth to them who die in their Sins, p. 82, 83 4. This is a ilrong Encouragement to continue firm in our Obedience to God, p. 84 5. This Minillers ftrong Confolation to us in afl the changes of cius World, p. 85 K. qod hath a perfect Knowledge 6f our Words, Thoughts, and Anions, Vq1»i. p. i SS M^ ^ He [ix] He obfervps tbcm in order to our future Recom- pence, p. ^53^ MS- The proof of this from the Acknowledgment of all Nations, and from the Didaies of oui Con- fciences, p. 1 56, 1 $7 God knoweth all things that are pafl:, p. 165 The neceflity of believing this, p. 166 He fo knoweth things paft that they are always prefent to his View, p, 167 USE, 1. This (hikes (hamc, horror and confufioa into Sin- ners, 1^ p. 168 — 170 2. Is a ftroDg Motive to fpeedy and fincere Repen- tance on feveral Accounts, p. 171 — 173 3. To engage us to return no more to folly, p. 1 74-.. 1 75 God's Knowledge and Power may convince us of the poffibilicy of The Refurreftion of the Body, p. T78, 179 And a future Judgment, p. 1 80, 1 8 1 The Confideration of God's Oranifcience will en- gage and enable us, I . To walk humbly with God, p. 1 82— i S6 2.T0 bear up our Spirits under all the Calumnies and Reproaches of wicked Men, p. 187 3. To preferve us againft Temptations to Sin, p. 1 88 4. To perform our Duty with fmcerity and vigour, p. 189, 190 God alone knows the thoughts of our Hearts, p. 191,192 COROLLARIES, 1 . The Church of ^©we is guilty of Idolatry, by a- fcribing this Knowledge to Saints departed, and to Angels, p. 193, I9<^ 2, That Chrift is God^ p. 197 I. The USE- This fhews, J. The Sin of cenfuring Mens Hearts, and Tecret In- tentions, p. 198-200 2. The folly of Hypocrifie, p. 201, loz 3. Our concern to keep our Hearts with all diligence, p. 202 — 20$ God*s knowledge of things future and contingent Droved ^ ^^^^ Scripture, p. 204, 207 ^ ifroinPrcdi6:ions, p. 210,211 Objections anfwered, 1. Jhisfeems to render it unreafonable^ln God to exhort and move them to repent, who he fore- fees will not repent, p. 211—214 2. It takes away the freedom of Man's will, p. 215--222 This (hews the folly of Aftrology, and of our late pretended Prophets, p. 223, 224 L. Divine Revelation cannot contradid the Lighfe o€ Reafon, Vol. i. p. 41 M. The Doftrine of the Soul's nat«ral Mortality is con- trary to the Tellimonies of Primitive Anti- quity, Vol. 2. from p. p8 — 107 God's Mercies are ranked under nine Heads, p. 208, 20^. N. Thofe Notions of a Deity v^hich include not his Providence are ufelefs as to all Religious Con- cerns, Vol. I. p. 3. We muft have juft Notions of God's iraitable Per- fcdions, tho' they be imperfedi Notions, p. 37,38 Natural Men lie not under an utter incapacity to ehufe what is morally, or fpiritually Good, p. 43 The o. of God's Omniprcfeuce. The Scripture meptlonsGod*s Majeftatick prefence, Vol. i . p. 87, 88 Hisextraordinary prcfencein way of j jl'/gj[^^^^^^ His gracious prefence in the Affembly of his People* p.92 God's prefence ^cry where by his Power and Eflcnce , Cfrora Sripture, p. 94 P^^^'^^ lirotn Reafon, p. 9% Obi I. 'Mf Scripture faith God dwelleth in Hea- ven, aniwer'd by {hewing the reafons of that Phrafe, p. 99, 100 Obi 2. He if faid todefcend from Heaven, to come to, and depart from us, anfwer'd by fhewmg th^ due import of t hofe Words, p. i o i , 1 02 ^ Obi. ^. That it feems repugnant to Rcafon that God fliould be in Hell, and in all filthy Places, aa- fwered, , . P' ?P^* ^°? How far it is neceffary to Salvation to believe this Attribute, p. 104,10s Hence we are affurcd of God's Omnifcience, P* ^<^ His Providence, P- ^^7 His Incomprehenfiblenefs, p. loS The Divinity of Chrill, ^^^»» This Attribute affords, 1. A moft powerful motive to abftain from Sin, p. 109 — 112 2. An Inducement to perform our Duty with fm- cerity, P. ii3, "4 3. Strong ground of Comfort to God's faithful Ser- vants, P- ^ 1 S 4.A Motive to live in a conftant awe of a God always prefent with us, P- ^7 «. To [ xll 3 §.To Chriftiaa Coiirage,and a freedom from the fear of Evil Men, or Evil Spirits, p. 1 1 8, 1 1 9 We are not to doubt of God's Omniprefence, or Omnifciencc, becaufe we cannot apprehend how he isfo, Vol i.f. 33, 34 1. Becaufe God doth not require us to believe how- he is fo, p. 35 2. Becaufe he hath given us Experience that he is fo, p. 3^ In what fenfe God is faid to be Patied^JP Vol- 2. p. 236---239. 243 An Objedion from inftances in Scripture of his fpeedy Judgments upon Sinners, anfwered, p, 240—243 This patience improved to a fpeedy Reformation of our Evil Ways, from four Confiderations, p. 244 — 245 An inftance of God's patience towards the Old Worlds f. 247, 248 A farther Demonltration of it from Our Deportment towards God, f . 2^0 — 254 And his Deportment towards us, p*^S% — 257 USE, 1 . We are to imitate this patience of God to Sinners, ^258 2. It ftiould move us to Repentance from three Con- fiderations, p. 259—252 The Perfeftions of God may be conGdered, 1. Abfolutely, and fo we fay he l:»thall Perfections, Vol. I. f. 20, 21 2. Relatively, and fo we feparate from him what- foever h an ImperfeQion in the Creature, p. 21, 22 3. By C xiii ] 3. By way of Comparifon, and then we fay they are unliniiced, pnderivative, tranfcendent, p. 23, 24 Inferences from God^s Pcrfeaions, t. That he cannot need, or be advantaged by our Services, f. 24.^2% 2. That 'tis of his free Goodnefs that he rewards 3. That his Commands mull be defigned not 'for his, bu^jfor our Good, p. 28,29 4. That it highly concerns us to make God our Por- ^^^"» ^3o,3I Four Rules how to judge aright of Divine Per- fedtions, 1. Deny not any Perfedion plainly revealed in Scrip- ture, becaufe you are not able to conceive how it "lay be fo, p, 33...»3^ 2. We muft have juft Notions of God's imrtable Per- fea:ions, though not of thofe which are unirai- table, . p. 37 33 3. Wc muftconfider God's Perfedions in ConjundU- on, fo as to make our Conceptions of them eoiX' r^ftent with each other, p^ 39—41 4. Count nothing a Divine Perfedion which coa- tradids the Principles of natural Religion, the neceffity of a Good Life, or Countenanceth^Men in their Sins, p. 41— 4^ God may without Mutability or Impeachment of hisTruth, remit the temporal Puniftiments threat- ned to Sinners, becaufe they arc Conditional, ' Vol. 2. />. 3r But not the eternal Punifliments threatned to thofe who die in their Sins, p, 32 33. This tends to awskea ns cHt of our flcep in^Sin^ Four C xiv 3 four Reafons why God delays the Punifhment o^ £yil Doers, and the Reward of the Righteous, Vol. 2. p, 70 — 77 R. The falfnood of the pretended Decree of Reproba- tion, Vol.2, p, 13—18 The certainty of future Recompences proved From God's Government of the World, From the Faculties implanted in us, fro^|f.<5i — 68 This Ihould make us concerned to prepare for the great Day of Recompencc, p. 58, 69 God is not obliged to reward or punifh prefentiy, f. 71 It is fuitable to the Language of the Scripture to ftyle our future Happinefs a Reward or Recom- pence, p. 79 — 89 Seven Rules declaring how God's proraifes of tem- poral Bleffir\gs to the Righteous, are to be un- derflood and limited, f . 3^— 5 1 This may be improved, 1, To take off our AfFeftions to things tempo- ral, and to fix them upon fpiritual things, ^ p. 52 2. To engage pious Men to bear all outward Wants and Troubles with true Chriftian Patience, f-S3,S4 God's (Incerity in his Declarations, Comrbands and Prohibitions, Exhortations, and Dehortations, Promifes and Threats, Vol. 2. p, 11— 18 Speech is not the Invention of Man, but the Gift of God, p. 29 The true fenfe of thefe Words, God h a Spirit, Thg Cxv3 The impart of the word Spirit { SraSdy/'^^^ The ncceffity of believing God is a Spirit. f, 261 Objeftions anfwer'd. Obj. t. Some Men have feen God Face to Face. Anfw. Not by feeing any Similitude of him, but by feeing that glorious Light in which he ap- peared, p. 262, 263 Obj. 2. The Scripture Attributes to God Eyes, Ears, Arras, Hands and Mouth. Anfw. But then it alfo faith. He is a Spirit, God invifiblc, whom no Man hath feen, or can fee, and whofc Eyes are not Eyes of Flelh, p. 2^3 1. It afcribes fuch Adions to thefe Parts as are pure- ly Divine, viz,. A Mouth that fpake the World into beiag, &c, ibid. 3. God reprefentshimfelf thus, I. In ConderccnGon to the wcaknefs of our Under- ftandingSj f . 26^ 2. For our Comfort and Inftruftion, f, 26% Obj, 3. God made Man after his own Image and Similitude. Anfw. Not as to outward (hape, but as to, I. Inward and fpiritual Faculties. 2. As to ftate by tte Dominion imparted to him, jf . 166 T. Sod is a God of Truth in his Aflertions and Declarations, Vol. 2, p. ^, Threats, p. 3 1 Promifes, p. 37, 3$ Obligations to fpeak the Truth, From the Nature of the God of Truth, p. 21,22 Kis hatred of the lying Lip, p. 2» The [ KVi ] The dreadful Punilhments he threatnethtothe Lyar; f. 23,24 From the Natare of this Sin, as being, 1 . Always a Sin againft knowledge, /?, 2 5 2. That which renders us like the worft of Beings, p. 25 3. Contrary to the ufe of Speech, p. 28, 29 4. That which impairs our Credit among Men, p. so What care we fhould take that we offend not with our Tongue, Vol 1, p, 158 How many ways this may be done, p, 1 59 The abfoiute neceflity and difficulty of this Duty Ihews how much we are concern'd to keep a guard upon the Motions of this unruly Member, p. 150—163 ^ u. Rcafons proving the Unity of the Divine Nature, Vol. I. p. 3—5 This Unity is impugned by the Church of Rotne^ 1. By owning and worfhipping that as God, which by Nature is no God, f • 7» 8, 9 2. By afcribing that Worihip to the Creature, which is proper to God alone, p. 10 Hence we conclude God's love to all Mankind, p. io,n The Unity of God engages us, 1. To maintain Love and Unity one with another, p. II — 13 2. To devote our felves wholly to his Service, p. 14,15: 3. To fear him above all things, /. 15 4. To pLice our ConSdeftce in him alone^ p. 16 §. T» [ xvii ] 5. To give him the Praifeand Glory of allthe BleC fingsv/e enjoy, jp. 17 W. Wherein the height of Human Wifdora confifts. Vol. I. p, 229 The Wifdom of God, as it refpefteth us, {, i^o As it refpe(n:s the Works of Creation, Providence, Redemption, p*23i, 232 That Wifdom belongs to God, p. 233, 234 God only is wife Originally, f. 235 Independently, f, 13,6 Perfedly, f . 237 USE, 1. It behoves us to repair to God for Wifdom, p. 241, 242 As appears, i. From the ncceffity of doing it, p. 243 2. The Encouragement we have to do it, f . 244, 245 3. The Excellencies and Advantages of this Wifdom, p. 246" 2. That we ought to be governed by the Laws of God, p. 248 1. Becaufe this is to be governed by that Wifdom which always dircfts us to confult our highell In- terefts, p. 249 2. Wc muft be governed by Divine Wifdom, orb/ our ownfmful Wjlls, and by the Will of Satan; p. 250,251 3. That we fliould entirely commit our felves to the Conduct of God's Providence, p. 25 1^ By doing this we give to God the glory of His Wifdom, h^5X Sovereignty, - ^25^ And Goodpefs. '^^^. k W« [ xviii ] Wc belt confult our mvn Interefts, ^ 254 What the worftiip of God in general imports, f. 272 It muft be, I. k Religious Aft X It muft proceed from a direft immediate Intention to do God fome Honour. 3. IC mull be an Aft direftly terminated updn God p, 272, 273' This worfhip is either, Internal, ?• 274, 275; Or External, and that either Subftantial or Circum- ftantial, p. 275, 275 ^ Both which arife from the Conception of God as a being worthy, by reafon of his Excellencies, to be worlhipped both vv'ith Soul and Body, ?.273 External Afts of Worlhip derive their Goodnefs from the direftion of the Judgment, and the choice of the Will, j>. 275 To Worfhip God in Truth is fet in Oppofition to the Worfhip of hhn, 1. In Types and Shadows, p, 257 2. To the falfe Worfhip of him by an Image, f. 25p 3. To feign-d and unfincere Worfhip, p. 270 To Worfhip God in Spirit doth not exclude, I . Th^^Worfliip of him by the Body, p, 277, 278 ^2. The Worfhip of him by a premeditated form, p. 279, 280 Tothisfpiritual Worfhip it is fundamentally requir'd, 1 . That we be pure in Soul and Body, p. 28 1 2. That we perform it by the alTiftanee of the holy Spirit, p, 283 9. That we hare due Appreheniions of the Divine Nature and ExcellencieSj, p. 283, 284 Formally Cxix 3 • Formally it is to Worftiip him From inward and fpiritual Principles, fo that the Mind, WilJ, Heart and Affections are chiefly exer- cifed in this Worlhip of God, p. 284, 285; This contains the other Rulcs^ 1 . That we are to fer ve him from a principle of Love, 2. For fpiritual Ends, p. 2.87 5. After a fpiritual Manner. p* 288 VOL. I. ERR\TA. PAge 1 1. 1. 1. them read him. p ^6. 1. 9 thereby i\ by, p 39. U 27* I{e^a! r, I{rmapu \. ly the v. this. p. 5*- I 35' r- li^yjiuzv©-' p. 5<^, 1. 12. i?>4Vi«f r, ^dz/^. p.^i. J» '4* ^'^*'* r. /;4^^. p. 1 1 1 . 1. 1 4. t^ng Solomon, r. R. Salomon* p. iS5» 1. 1 4. dele by. p. ^^o j. 1 i . r. abufed^ p. J04. 1. U. f' to hste^ blajphems, p. $c6. 1 jj. dclcw£>. ADDENDA. PAge 1 9. Line 12. add^o. p. 24.1.1^. add the> l J^. adi by p. 46. 1. 2. add 4Wfi?. p. 69. 1. 2 1 add *>. p 1 64. 1. 1 f. add^/. p. 192. 1,28. addf^iJ. p» *if^l« Ji-addo/. pUS' 1 4. addi«« VOL. IL ERRATA. PAge j6. Line i j. '. p. X 8. 1. 31. add tpho. p. 32. 1. 1 o. arW, r.mben. p 59. !• i. rA^aCoy. p. 73. I. 17* ^w^'* r.4uty» I. 12. ^twouldy r. /»o«W. p. 78. 1. 1 8. as God^Sy r. a' good. p. 9®; I. 8. «/, r. as, p. 91. Margin, r. Statue, p. 1 2©. I. 5, r. that paf^ fage varying it. pll^7, l.7» tbiSyV»his, p. i6'i»U <^.MtPct p. 1 6 5, 1. 2 1 . procure^ v. pour, p. 2 4 1 , K islt. c/w^/, r. clothes. THIRTY THREE SERMONS UPON THE Attributes of G 0 D. VOL. L Mark XII. 19. %I^y 0 Ifraely the Lord thy God is one Lord, fr m ^H E Holy Scripture gives the Name of I Helohim^ or Gods, fometime to Crea- I tures, becaufe of fome refemblance- JIL they bear unto him, either by Nature, or by Office : Thus, v, g» I. The /^o/y Jngeb are ftyl'd Gods, becaufe of their Spiritual Nature, and of that Might, and Wifdom in which they bear fome faint Refem- blance of him : As when the Pfalmifi faith of Man, * Thou madeii him little lower, Meheloim, than the Gods^ And faith to them, touching his only begotten Son, t Workup him Ml ye Gods \ that is, faith the Apoftle, \\Lct all the Angels of God Worjhip him. B 2dly* % The Attributes of G 0 D. idly. This Name is given to God's Vice- gerents upon Earth, bccaufe they all derive their Power, and Right of Government, from him who is the Fountain of all Power •, as in thofe Words of the ^ Tfdmifl^ God ftandeth in the Con- gregation of the Mighty^ he is a Judge among the Gods. And of the Hebrew Servant that will not go free, it is faid, his f Mafler jhall bring him be Helohim to the Gods^ that is, unto the Judges. And Chap. 22. 28. Thou jifalt not revile the Gods^ nor /peak evil of the Rvler of thy People ^ becaufe, fay the Hebrew DoBors^ this expofes them to the Contempt and Hatred of the People, and enclines them to Sedition. ^dly. This Name is given to the Ambafladors of God •, or thofe who deliver his Meflage unto others. So Lev. 7. i . God faith to Mofes^ See I have made thee Heloim^ a God \ not abfolutely, but to Pharaoh ; To whom I fend thee as JjL^^k baffadory to fpeak to him in my Name.^P^^p Chap. 4. 1 6. Aaron fhdl be thy mouth to fpeak wmt J reveal to thee^ and thou jhalt be to him^le Helohim j for a God, to declare from me what he fliall fpeak. Accordingly, ouv Lord informs us. That the 5cr/p- ture calls them Gods, to whom the word of the Lord came \ and faith, He that heareth them who are commiflionated from him to teach his Word hear- eth him, and he that defpifeth them, defpifeth him: And the y^po//^ faith, th^ti He that defpi- feth them J defpifeth not Man^ but God. And did Men ferioufly conlider of theie things, they would not be fo forward, as in the Nation now they are, to fpeak evil of Dignities'^ or ueprefent our learned and laborious Bi(hops as her fecret Ene- mies \ and to rail at them with fuch Rage and , * p/.^ 82. 2. j. Levit, 21. 6. I) 3obn lu. 35. * Luhe lOr Fury Vol. I. Of the Vntty of GOD. J Fury as they do, left God Ihould execute that Threat upon them ; ^ Tins People are as they whi> contend with their Friej}^ therefore jhall they fall iti the day time • " and I will defiroy their Mother, But albeic there be many who in thefe feveral Accounts are called Gods, yet is there but One, who by way of Excellency is lb caird^ and who is therefore ffcyFd the Great, and the moft High God^ the God of Godsj and Lord of Lords^ God over all^ blejfed for ever. This will appear from the true Kotion of the Deity, deliver'd very frequently and exprelly in the Scripture to us, that He is that Being, '|- who made the Heaven and the Earthy the Sea^ and aU that in them is^ and who did providentially govern and order all things in them according to the Council of his Will. That Providence mult be included in the true Notion of a Deity, isevi^^^ dent from this Confideration, That to own only fuch a Deity as we are not oblig'd to Worfhip, an^ from whom we can exped no Benefit by any ScRrice we perform unto him, as to all purpofes of Religion, or any Intereft we can ferve by fucH an ufelefs God, is, in effecl, to own no God at all. A God without a Providence being to us an empty Kame, and a thing infignificant, which we as free- ly and fecurely may deny, as oWn ; for to what purpofe ihould we Pray to a God who regards none of our Addrefles? or hope in a God who is iiot concern'd to help us ? What fhou'd move us ta love a God who beftows no good upon us ? to fear a God who will inflid no evil on us ? or to obey a God who regards not our A'ftions ? or hov? can vve do it? there being no poifibility of being obedient or difobedient to him who hath given us no Laws by which our Aclions fhould he governed. Why fhoad we thank him^ if we receive nothing ' /4^; 4 i V:. i ^^ih' 9. 6, Aa$ 1 7- 24; 3 5 B i from 4 TheAltrtbute^^^. from him ? or praife him, if He be no ways Be- i^ieficial to Mankind ? or in v;hat can we imitate him, ir He fits (till and doth nothing? or if he exerciftth no Wifdom or Juftice, and fhews no Goodaefs or Mercy to any of the Sons of Men? Hence ^ Cicero truly fays. That Epicurus by own- ing only fuch a God as did nothing, cared for nothing, and did good to none ^ did only leave lis the empty Name of God, but took away his Nature. Kow if this Maker and Governor of the World be not EfTentially, and Neceflarily pne, there may be many who did concur to the Creation, and may concur at prefent to the Go- vernment of It J and then how many they may be, will be impofliblefor usto judge j for when once we acknowledge more than One, how many more they may be, no natural Reafon can deter- mine, and fo we cannot know whom we are to Love, Fear and Obey, on whom we are to Truft and Depend, to whom we are to render our Praifes for any of the BlefTings we receive, or yjho it is we do Oifend by our Tranfgreflions ; or to whom we mull repair for Pardon of them, ^ to whom we mult addrefs for any Mercies that wc want, or for Deliverance from any Evils that we labour under ^ we know not which of them we are to imitate, or whether by obeying One, wc do vyhat's grateful to the Ref^. Again, If there may be more than One, then can no Man be certain whether he worfhips all the Deities he ought to worfhipj becaufe he cannot know by the Light of Nature how many they may be, and then no Perfon can be fatisfy'd that he hath done his Duty, and fo can have no inward Peace, becaufe he cannot know that he * i^e toUit, Orationc rsJhquit Vcos, £)e naUiriL Dcorum, U i ^ hath Vol. L Of the Vnity of GO D. 5 hath worlhipped all thofe Deities which are con- cern'd in his Proteftion,or that he hath injurMor offended none of them by his Negled to worlhip them •, for as ^ TertulUan truly faith. The Meg- ledt to worfhip any one of them, may be an Of- fence, feeing fmlatio uniusfine contvmelia alterius ejfe nonfotefi^ the Preference of the one^is a Contumely to the other, as lefs deferving to be worfhipped. 3^/y, If more concurr'd to the making, or con- cur to the Prudential Government of the World, they were and are either total, or partial Caufes, only of the Creation, and in this Government ^ to be all total efficient Caufes of one and the fame effed, is a thing impoflible ^ for where the EfTed is one only, the total efficient Caufe can be but one : So if my Soul was wholly created, and put into me by one God, nothing of it could be crea* ted by another. If then they be all total Caufes, they muft all aft by the fame Power, Wifdoni and Will, and confequently by the fame Nature. Seeing thefe Attributes fpring fiom the very Eflence of the Being, to which they do belongi and efpecially in Divine Beings are one and the fame with it, and fo thefe Caufes would not be many, but one only. If they were only partial Caufes, they only can deferve our Worfhip and Service according to that part they bore in the Creation, and do (till bear in the Government of the World -^ which being impofiibie for Man to know by the Light of Nature, He mull be left uncertain what Service He fhouid pay to any of them, and on what Account. For cither he rauft know, that the Obedience, and other Part* of Worlhip which he pays to any one of them, will be accepted as if paid to All ; which never can be known by the Light of Nature, unlcfs it doth affure us, that the Will, Power, and Wif- ■n ■'■ '' ■— ■ ■■■■*'■ IWi 1IW ^ * Jpol. C.13. B 3 tlom 6 The Attributes of GOD. dom of the One, is the Will, Power, and Wif- dom of them All ^ wheace it may rationally be concluded, they are all One in Nature, or we mull be aflur'd that they all require the fame internal and^external Worlhip; that is, to be every one Loy'd, Fear'd and Obey'd above all others, and then they mull require what is impofTible to be performed ; or clfe we mud judge they only do re- quire 3 partial AfFedion and Obedience, accor- ding to the Part they have fuftain'd in the Creati- on, and do ftill bear in the Government of the World, and then we cannot be oblig'd, or able to pay them any Service, becaufe we cannot know, either what fhare they had in the Creation,or have at prefent in the Government of Things below r From thefe three Arguments it clearly follows, that the Suppofition of more Gods than one, doth fundamentally deftroy the Worfhip of the Deity . Again, Whatlbever is a God, muft be Eter- nal, and the firfl: of Beings, or elfe muft have begun to be, and fo muft have fome Caufe of it's Being, and fo can be no God : It muft be either ffis a f€^ a Being from it felf, or ens ah alio^ derived from another, and fo again can be no God. It muft be either a necefiary and independent Being, or elfe may ceafe to be, becaufe He doth depend in being on another, and fo again can be no God. JSlow if you alTert more Beings of this Nature, they muft be either all Infinite in Wifdom and Power, and ^o muft all, excepting one, have Power and Wifdom, unneceflaty and fuperfiuous to the Produdion and Government of the World, feeing one God of infinite Power and Wifdom muft be fufflcient for thcfe Ends;, or elfe their Power and Wifdom muft be finite, and then they neither could Create, nor can they govern the whole World, ilnce both apparently require a "Pcwpr and Wifdom which is Infinite. In a vyord, iMfiaice Power and Wifdom can rcude only in an ' ' Bdenc^j Vol. r. Of the Vnity of GOD. 7 Elfence, that is. Infinite ; that is, hath all Perfefti- ons poflible, and then it is impolTible that any other Being fliould have Perfedions equal to it, lince that mult make two Infinites, which is a contradidlion \ for if they do agree, and are united in Efience and Perfedlions, they are not two, becaufc there is then nothing in which they differ \ or if they diff'er in Eflence, Power or Wifdom, that muft be wanting in one of them by which they differ \ and fo that Being cannot be Infinite in Perfections*, fo clearly doth the Denial of the Unity of God deflroy his Nature. Now, i/. Hence we may eafily difcern the grofs Ido- latry, and the pernicious Error of the Church of Rome-^ which tho'fhedoth in Words profefs to own thisAttribute,yet inTruth owneth otherGods b.efides the true and only God *, and this fhedoth I. Diredly, By owning that as God, and pay- ing Divine Worfhip to it, which by Nature is no God, but a meer Creature. II. By afcribing that Religious Worfhip to many of his Creatures, which is proper to God alone, and fo advancing the Creature into the Place of the Creator. And, ift. This they are guilty of diredly, by making it an Article of Chriftian Faith, That the Sacramental Bread, is by Converfion, made God bleffedfor evermore*^ and commanding that Latria^ that is, the Worfhip due to God alone, fliould be given to It ; for, that the Coiifecrated Bread is not Converted into the Body of our Lord, is evident almoft to all our Scnfes ^ feeing it reprefents it felf fo to the Eye, the Tafte, the Touch, the Smell, and fo cannot be otherwife, as Romanifts themfelves confefs, without a conftant Miracle. Seeing then no Evidence of the ieaft Miracle appears to any of our Senfes in this Cafe, we are thence affur'd, that no fuch Miracle is wroughr B 4 afiev 8 The Attributes of GOD. after the Confecration of the Elements ^ for God did never, that we know of, work a Miracle, but He ftill repreftnted it unto the Senfes of thofe Perfons, for whofe fakes He wrought it, and made it apparent to their Eyes, Ears, and their Expe- rience, that he had wrought it ; there is not one Inflance to be given to the contrary from Scnf- ture^ or any Human Writer. idly. It is repugnant to the Nature of a Mi- racle, not to be made the Objed of our Senfes ; for a Miracle is, in Scripture^ filled a 5/j^», and that is, faith St. Auftin and the Schoolmen^ Some-' thing fen/fhUj whereby we do perceive what is not fert' fihle ^ what therefore is not the Objedt of fome Senfe can be no Miracle. ^dly. We have, in Scripture^ many Inflances of Miracles done, not for Converfion of Unbe- lievers ^ but, as this is fjppofed to be, for the benefit of Believers ; fuch were the Handing Mi- racles recorded in the Book of Mofcs^ the Man- ^^?, the Water of Jealoufie^ the Vrim and Thummim^ &c. Such alfo were the Miracles which Chrifi and his Apofiles wrought upon Difeafed Chrifiians : If then in all thofe Miracles we cannot find one In- ftance which was not made apparent to the Sen- fes of Mankind to be Miraculous;' we may hence flrongly argue, That where there is not the Icaft appearance of it to anySenfe, there is no real Miracle produc'd. Lafily^ We do as reafbnably pretend a Reve- lation to juftify the Verdid of our Senfes in this matter, as do ih^ Romanifls for the Deception of our Senfes; the Confecrated Elem.ents being live times in ^ Scripture declared to be Bread, where- as it is not once affirmed there, that theSubflance qf the Bread doth not remain, and only once, •• io, 16,17. xi. 25, 27, z8. that Vol. I. Of the Vnity of GOD. 9 that when our Lord's Body was whole, and not yet broken on the Crofs, that the Bread givea was his Body broken for us •, and if we muft not re- jcd the Romifh T^ranfuhfiantion^ notwithftanding all the Abfurdities and Contradictions which feem to follow from it, why Ihould we rejtft the Confubftantiation of the Lutherans^ which makes both thefe AfTertions true on the account of any Contradidions or Abfurdities which can be urged againft it? In a word, if Chrift had faid. This is my Body broken for you^ and the Holy Ghoft had never faid after Confecration, it was Bread, it might have been more reafonable to call upon us to fufped our Senfes in this matter *, but when it is fo oft in Scripture Ilyl'd Bread, which they did eat of, which was to them the Communion of the Body of Chriflr^ and by eating of which unwor- thily, they became guilty of the Body of Chrifi^ not difcerning the Lord's Body^ 1 Cor. X. 16 j 17. xi. 25, 27, 28. and it is but once affirmed to be the Body of Chrift broken : Is it not a Wonder, that one fingle Paflage mention'd by Chrift whilft He was alive, fhould be deemed fufficient to make all Men believe, that his whole Body, and fo his Hand, was in his Hand ; and that this Living Chrift was at the fame time Dead and Sacrificed ^ and that the fame Body, which was whole before the Eyes of his Difciples, was alfo broken for them at the fame time ; with many thoufand Contradidions more ; and yet that what the Holy Ghoft ^ who knew the Meaning of our Saviour s Words better than any Romantft^ hath faid fo of- ten to inform us. That the Element was, after Confecration, Bread, Ihou'd not be thought fuffi- cient to make us think it Bread, tho' it appears to all our Senfes fo to be. ^ Now if it be ftill * Qiktiriric Tit^de Verier, Sior ;•. 133, 134. Bread, lo The Attributes of G 0 D. Bread, the Rimanifls themfelves are forced to confefs, they of all Men are the molt grofs Idolaters, II. This they do indiredl>y, by ofFering up Mental-Prayers to Saints and Angels through- out all the Places of the World. For a Mental Prayer being a Prayer,utter'd not with the Mouth, but conceiv'd'in the Heart only, mull fuppofe, not only that the Saints and Angels have the knowledge of the Hearts of all Men, which * Solomon declares God only knows ; but alfo that they are prefent every where, fince othervvife they could not hear fuch Prayers put up by all Men every where : Now this Pradice afcribes unto thefe Creatures two incommunicable Attributes of God, and fo doth in efFed afcribe unto the Creature what is due to God alone, in which con- lifts the very Eflence and Nature of Idolatry. 2dly, This Dodrine doth inftrud us, that God will be good to all, and bear a kind AfFedion to the whole Race of Men, and therefore that his Mercy andLoving-Kindnefs fhall not be rellrain'd to fome lefs Parcels of Mankind. So the Apftle plainly teacheth in thefe words, God would have all Men to be faved^ and to come to the knowledge of the Truth ; this He confirms from the Confidera- tion, '\ That there is ofie God^ and Father of us all ^ who therefore, as the common Father of all Men, doth Will the Happinefs of all his Chil- dren, He being the God and Father of all Men in particular *. Upon the fame Account, the fame Apofile argues for God's readinefs to juilifie the Gentiles by Faith as well as the Jews \ by enquir- ing thus, is He * the God of the Jews only i is He not alfo of the Gentiles /* and by anfwering that as to this, there is no difference betwixt them, it * ^ ^%^ ^* 3y + ^ ^'^''« 2. 4j 5. *^m, 3. 30, 31. being Vol. I. Vf the Vnity of GOD. Yi heing one and the fame Gody who juftifies the Circum^ €ifion hy Faith ^ and the Vncircumcifion by the famt Faith^ and the fame God of * ali^ who is rich unf aU that call upon Hun, Agreeable to this is that of the jipoftle Peter ^ of a truth I perceive that Cod is uo refpeUer of Ferfons, i, e* He loves not Men^ becaufe they are Jewsj or Circumcis'd, or of thf Seed of Abraham according to the flefh^ as the Jews vainly did imagine, 't" ^"^ ^^ every Nation^ he thac feareth God^ and worhth Righteoufnefs is accepted of him^ i. t. Wherefocver he finds any Perfon own- ing the true God, and the natural Principles of Piety, juftice and Charity, and endeavouring to live according to them, he is Accepted with, and he will be JRewarded by Him *, and of this we may be afTured from the Principles of Natural Reafon •, for he that hath due Appreheniions of the Divine Nature, muft know, God can love nothing bat as it is fuitable to his own Holy Na- ture, and his Communicable Perfe^lions ; and therefore can only Accept of., and Reward Mea on the Account of that which makes them Holy, Juft, True and Faithful, Kind, Good and Merci-j ful, as their Heavenly Father is. III. If we have all one and the fame God, we who Confent in the Acknowledgment and Worfhip of this God alone, fliould alfo bear the greateft Love to, and keep the ftriaeft Bonds of Union one towards another ^ according to thcfc words of the jipofiU Taul^ * Walk, worthy of tie vocation wherewith you are called^ endeavouring to k^ep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace j for there is one God and Father of ally who is above all by his Sovereigmy^ and in you all by his Spirit. Hav- ing then ail one Father, we muft all be Brethren, and therefore ought to Love as Brethren^ for evca T' ' "^ '^ " ••^*^"" "■■' ■ ' "■ ifc m * ^m, 10. i2. t ^'^ J^. 34' * I^^K 4' h 4' Nature 22 The Attril?utes cf GOD. Kature will Inftruft us to be kind to our own Fiejh 9 this was the Argument of Abraham to Lot^ * Let there be no firife betwixt thee and me^ for we ar^ brethren ; We have all one God, whofe Power gave us alia Noble Being after his own Image, and capable of Communion with him, and Enjoy- ment of him i whofe Goodnefs giveth to us Life and Breathy and aU Things^ and who doth bear a Icind Affeftion to us all, becaufe we are all his OfF-fpring, and therefore ftand bound to imitate hisGoodnefs, and kind AfFedion towards all: For why fliould we conceive that Man unworthy of our Care and Love, who is made after the Image of his God, and is the Subjed of his Care and Kindnefs ^ hence the AfoftU reprefents it as a great Abfurdity, with the fame Mouth with which -f- we hlefs God-^ to curfe Man made after thefimili" tude of Cod, Moreover, He is that God whofe Providence Watcheth over us for Good, who freferveth ail eur Souls in Life^ and gives us all things plenteoufijf to enjoy : We then in gratitude to this kind Provi- dence, fliould have regard to, and be concerned for the good of all whom He thus Loves. He alone, laftly, is God over all^ and therefore hath a Sovereign Authority over all, and fo a right to require this Brotherly Affedion towards all his Children; That God, who fees all our unchriftiaa Quarrels, bitter Zeal, and Animofities againft them, and will be fure to punifh it ; thefe are the Inducements which even the Principles of Na- tural Religion do afford to move us to this Love to one another ^ and they ought, fay the Heathen Moralifls^ to be improv'd to thefe three great Ends : (i-) To a mutual Care of one another. ?Gv». 13,8. +? then the jipoftU informs us, that the Denial of the Service of one Member of the Body Natural, the Hand to Labour, or the Feet to Walk, would be exceeding prejudicial, and ' €vca 14 The Attributes of G 0 D. even fatal to the Body •, fo our Denial of any Offices of Kindnefs to the Members of the fame Spiritual Body, muft be obftrudive of its growth, it being, faith St. Paul^ By that which every Joint fupplies, that it encreafethy to the edifying of it felf in iLoi'f, Eph. 4. Id. ^thly^ Is there One only who is God? then muft we wholly be devoted to his Service. This is the Inference of Mofes from this Attribute, in thefe words, (<^) Know and conjider in thy Hearty that the Lord he is God in Heaven above^ and upon the Barthy and there is none elfe^ thou fhalt therefore keep his Statutes and Commandments ^ among which this was one. Thou Jhalt worjhlp the Lord thy Godj and him only Jhalt thou ferve ^ the fame Inference is made by King Solomon in thefe words, (^) The Lord is God^ and there is none elfe^ Let your Hearts therefore he perfeU with the Lord our God^ to walk, in his Statutes^ and to k^eep his Commandments *, this, faith our (0 Saviour ^ is the firft Commandment^ the Lord thy God is one Lord ; this being necefTary to be known, that we may own him only as our God, and we may Worfhip him alone, in oppofi- tion to all Heathen Gods, 'thou therefore jhalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Hearty and with all thy Souly and with all thy Mind^ and with all thy Strength, For He being that God from whom alone the Powers of our Soul, our Faculties and Might en- tirely are deriv'd, it is but equitable that they fhould wholly be imploy'd in his Service ', our Heart mult therefore be perfect with the Lord^ {d) It mufi not halt hetwixt God and Mammon jOthQdi- vided betwixt him and any other Rival ^ but muft without Referve, Exception, or Excufe, purfue the Intereft of his Honour, and delight ()f, Self-fufficient ; there can be nothing wanting to hiin, and fo he mufl: have all Perfections: He being alfo the SupremeBeing,mufb have thefe Perfedions in the Supreme, or in the highefl; manner. Moreover, he mufl have thefe Perfedions without Limits, Dependencies, or a Capacity of addition to, or diminution from them. r. '/'ithout Limits, becaufe his Nature being unlimited or boundlefs, his Eflence Infi- nite ; all the Perfeftions contained in, and flow- ing from that Nature mufl: be fo, the Holy Serifs ture dotn afljare us, that h is V/iderfianding is infinite^ Ffai 147. 5. and that he is Almighty, and can do exceedingly above all that we cart ask or thinh^: And what bounds can we put unto that Power which could create a World from nothing, or to that Wifdom which could order all things both in Heaven and Earth *, and fee what was to come throughout all Ages : And if his Power and Wif- dom be thus infinite, Why fliould we not con- ceive rhef^meof all his other Attributes? 2. He ha hall hisPerfedionsindependentlyfromanyotherj all the Perfections of the befl: of Creatures mufl be derived from him, from whom they do receive their Being, "^ For of him and from him are all things * R^m. II. 36. fcut Of the VerfeBion of G 0 D. 21 but he who hath his Being before all other things, muft have all the Perfections of that Being be- fore them; and therefore independently npon them, it being impoflible that bis Perfedions fhould depend on that which had no Being when he did enjoy them. And 3-5///, Seeing thefePer^-, fe(flions are infinite or boundlefs, there can ;be no addition to them, fince nothing can be mor^^ than infinite, and fince he is a neceflary and all- powerful Being, his Perfedbions cannot be taken from him, nor can he ever lofe them, and fo they cannot bediminifhcd. . In fine, God is fo perfe(^t, as that he wants not any thing to make him abfolutely Happy in the Enjoyment of himfelf, or to make us Hap- py in the Enjoyment of him. Hence he in Serif ■- ture is ^O often ftyl'd El Shaddai^ God Alt-fufficient*- theWord, is by the Septuagint rendred -r^aivioK^c^.Teffl^^ i. e. That God, who hath an abfohjte Power over all things, to Rule and Guide^hem at his Plea- fure, and to do whatever pleafeth him, from whi^h his All-fufficiency doth naturally refult. ^dly^ When we fay God's Perfeftions may be confidpr'd by way of Remotion, the meaning is, that they are fo compleat, as to admit of no Defeft or Imperfeftion, or Mixture of what i-; contrary to them ; for if we once admit of the; lealt Blemifh in the Divine Nature, or afcribe any thing to it which imports Impeifedion, wc flrike at the Foundation, and deftroy the molt Natural Conception which we have of God. To explain this to you in a familiar Inftance, Wifdom is an abfolute Pcrfcdion, including in it no Imperfection or want of Knowledge, and -. fo we abfolutely fay, that God is Wife *, butf Learning is a Perfection acquir'd by much Study, and pre-fuppofes former Ignorance of what wc have now Learned, which Ignoranceisan Imper- C 3 fedioa 2^ The Attributes of GOD. feaion; andfowe cannot properly fay, that God is Learned, but only, that his Underftanding far exceeds the Learning of the wifefl Man : To be able to move fwiftly from Heaven to Earth, and from one Country to another, is a Perfediou in the Angels ; but then it argues Imperfeftion, as'^pre-fuppofing a Nature Finite, and Limited tQ6hQ Place ; and therefore cannot be afcribed to tbat God who is prefent every where: whence He enquires thus, ^Canany cne hide himfelf in fecrtt J*laces^ where I am not prefent to behold him ? do^ tiot I fill Heaven and Earth ? And in this way of eftimating the Divine Perfedions, we follow thq conflant Language of the Holy Scripture^ which frequently fpeaks of the Divine Perfeftions, by a remoiril of what is contrary to them, or argues apy Imperfection in the fame kind \ declaring, that Grod is fo Holy, that there is no Iniquity^ arid fo exadly Juft, that there is no -f- Vnrigh" teoufnefs inHim •, fo Trne^ that it is irnfojftble that He ^iould Lie^ fo conflant to his Promifes, "^that He cannot de:ny himf&lf^ that he cannot repent *, fo im« inutable, that there is -f- in Him no vanablenefs^ s^siithsr Shadom of turning. Thus in the Song of \Mofes^ afcrihe r^, faith He, Creatnefs unto God^ as {or our Rock:, ^^i^ Work is perfecl^ He is a God of Truth^ and withofut Iniquity^ Deut. 32. 34. God is fiot as a Man that Hejhould lie^ er as the Son of Man that He [hould repent^ * hath He faid-, and jJjall He not do it "^ hath He fpok^n^ andl jh^zH'tt not come to_ faf ? And 3fdly^ The Divine Perfeif^ions may be confider'd by way of Compariibh with the Perfedions of bis Creatwres, and then it is to be obferv'd (ift^) i hat whereas their Perfedions are Limited ami ^_-_\. "' '■ ^ '■ '-^ i:^ ib, g ' ■" • *y^^ 23, 24. f 'lieb, 6, 18, * 2 Tim^ 2. 13, f ^am, u J^iaitCj Vol. I. ' Of the Perfection of GOD. i2 j Finite, and fo their Power, Wifdom and Good- nefs cannot reach to all things; when we fpeak of Divine Pcrfedions we fupply this Defeft, as doth the Holy Scripture^ by adding the word AU, faying, He \s All 'mighty ^ A'l^wife, Omnifcient^ Omnifrefetit^ is a God that knoweth all things, and who isprefent with them alU or by adding fome Epithet, as the word infinitely^ inconceiv^- ably^fuperlatively^ as when the Scripture faith, his Vnderftanding is infinite^ he cun do more than we 4ire Me to conceive^ He is one Cod above all^ he IS to be fear'd above all Gods. idly^ Whereas all the Perfedions of the Crea- ture are derived from Him, and dependent on Him, and nothing can give unto another what it hath not fome way in it felf •, hence we infer, that all the Perfedions which are in the Creature, are in God by way of Excellency, as being the Caufe of them, and one that can perform them without difficulty, and with greater Perfection than the bed of Creatures ; according to that Enquiry of the Pfalmifi, * He that ^Imteth the Earfljall not He he hear^ He that maketh the Eye Jhall not He fee^ He that teacheth Man Knowledge^ (hall not He know ? Again, Becaufe all the Perfcaions of the Crea- ture are but faint Shadows, and weak Refcm- blances of the Divine Perfedions, and in many Inftances feem not to be of the fame kind with tbofe in God, his Wifdom being not acquired, or capable of failing; as ours is, his Power need- ing no Inllrument by which he fiiould exert it, being attended with no DiiTiculty, lafirmity, (\r Wearinefs, as is the Strength, and Power of a Man*, therefore the Scripture doth exprefs this difference fometimcs by way of comparifon, as when ^4 fhe Attributes of GOD. when it faith. If There is none Holy asthtLord^ or none '*^ that can he compared to him *, and ibmetime^ by afcribing thefe things unto him alone, bc- caqfein the way of Eminency and Perfef^ion they agree only to him, and fo excluding any Creature from a participation of them with- him, becaufe ^bey cannot have them in that Eminence in which they are in God ; as when the Scripture faith> ^ There is none good but one that is God^ and ftiles him, '^ The only wife God^ that God who -f- t^nly hath Immortality^ and who only is Holy^ be- caufe he only is fo Eflentially, Independantly, irnmutahly, and by way of Excellency^ and this Comparifon is of excellent ufe to engage us to place our Trufl: in God alone, and to repair to liinifor all thofe Bleffings which we want, and tq render him the Praifes due for all the Blefllngs we enjoys to fubmit to his Government, acqui- efs in the Difpenfations of his ProviSence, and yield Qbedience to hi*; Prefcriptions, as will be farther evident in Proftcution of thofe Ufes, which the Confideration of the Divine Perfedions will very naturally afford. And ifi* Is God all perfeft I then is it certain that be cannot need our Help or Service. He need- eth laeither the VVifdom of theWife,northe Power <](f the Strong, * For the foolijhnefs of God is wifer ihan Many ^tnd the weahiefs of God is ftronger than Jfi4m^ i. f. That which the Wife Men of the World dG reprefent as Foolifhnefs, hath more of Wifdom in itthan all their Politick Contrivances ; v;h^t which they look upon as Weaknefs in his ibifpenfations, fhall vanq'aifh all the Strength of Man againfl it ; and therefore Jch puts the Que- ftion to his three Friends thus, t Whom would you I I Stm. 2. 2. * TfaA ^\, 6. \ Mat, 19. 17. ♦ Jud^ 25. ^}(ev, 5 5o4« •■' I Cor.x^ 25. f C^J> 26. 2, 3„ Vol I. Of the perfeaiQft of GOD. 25 helf^ is it not him that hath a mighty Arm and great Strength ? or whom wouldft thou Counfel, is it not him that hath all Wifdom ? God is not Worfliiffed by Mens Hands^ as if He needed any thing ^ faith St. Faul^ * Seeing He giveth to all Men Life^ and all things. He needeth not the Sons of Abraham^ for He is able out of Stones to ralfe up Children to Abraham :, He wanteth not the Ser- vice of Men, as having Myriads of Angels dai- ly to miniiler to him ^ He needeth not the Wick- ednefsof Man to plead his Caufe, jiorhisLieto promote his Honour *, this y^^reje^eth as a great Abfurdity in that Enquiry, Will you fpeak^wicked* lyforGod^ or taik deceitfully for the mofi high} Ch. 13.17. He needeth not our Arm to help him, for he hath the whole heavenly Hofl at his Com- mand, and it is nothing with him to help either with many^ or with them that have no Power^ as in the Cafe of Afa and Jehofophat^ 2 Chron. 14. 11. and as God doth not need our Service, fo is it cer- tain that He receives no real Benefit, or Self- advantage by all the Homage we can tender to him, feeing ourGoodnefs^ fiith the Pfalmift^ * £^- tendethnot to him^ who being abfolutely Perfedt, can admit of no acceflion to the Perfeftion of his Happinefs •, and this even the Friends of Job knew by the Light of Nature, and therefore fay, t Can a Man be profitable to God^as He that is wife may be profitable to himfelf^^ is it any pleafure to the Almighty^ on hiS'Own Account, that thou an Righ- teous^ or is it gain to him that thou makefi thy way perfeB^ if '{• Thou finnesl--, what doe si thou against hlm^ or if thou bseit righteous^ what receiveth He at thy hands} Now hence thefe things mud follow, (ift.) That 'tis Infinite condefcenfion in the great * Acis 17. 25. t Mix. 3. Q. * /y? i5. 2, t Jabs 22, 12. \Chxp. ^go6. 7. ^ GoJ ^6 The Attributes of G 0 D. God of Heaven, the high and lofty on^^ that ift- hithiteth Eternity^ to have refped to us, or any of our Services 9 feeing He can receive no Benefit by what we do, and He hath Myriads of Angels who do him fpotlefs Service ; we may well cry out with the Admiration of the Pfamift, * What is Man that thou art mindful of him^ or the Son of Man that thoufo regardefl him i the Pfalmifi therefore reprefents it as a great condefcenfion in the moll High, to have refpeft unto the Services of Men or Angels, by faying, that t he humhlcth himfelf to be- hold the things that are done in Heaven and in Earth* idly. Hence it muft follow, that 'tis of God's Free-Grace and Mercy, that he is pleafcd to re- ward his Servants, and to encourage their Obe- dience with an aduraace of his gracious Accep- tation ; his kind Providences, and his peculiar Favour in this prefent Life, and with Enjdyment of himfelf hereafter j and yet fo ready is he to reward the meanefl Services that we can pay un- to him, as that he will not fuffer any Service that is done unto him, tho' it proceedeth from an Heart Unfandify'd, and byafs'd by unworthy Ends, to want feme Token of his acceptance ti)\A reward, in reference to earthly BlefTmgs. When Ahah humbled himfelf before God, altho' he neither did rellore the Vineyard to the Pofte- rity of Nabothy nordefifl: from his Idolatry, nor cnife his Wife to do fo •, yet God was pleafed to defer the Evil he had threatned to him upon that account ^ for thus he fpeaketh to Elijah^ t Scelf t'bon how Ahah humhlcth himfelf before me \ therefore J will not bring the Evil Tloreatned in his days^ hut in his Sons days ; who {till adhering to the Whoredoms of his 'Mother Jezebel without remorfe, became more ripe for Judgment. Jehu did well in cutting , . — ^ ' — •— - — .' ^— ' ... off Vol. L Of the Perfe^ion ef GOD. 27 off the Jloufe of Jthab^ and deftroying the Ser- vice of Baalj and therefore God promifeth his Seed fhould fit upon the Throne to the fourth Generation •, and yet the fame Scripvre will in- form us, * that Jehu took no heed to walk in the Laws of the Lord with all his Hearty for he departed not from the fins of Jeroboam. And becaufe Nebnchad- nez^er did fulfil what God had prophefy'd againft: Tyriis^ tho' without doubt he did it not out of Affedion to the God of Ifael , but only to en- creafe his own Dominions, yet God rewarded him for it with the Land of Egyp ^ for fo he fpeaketh to his Profhet^ t Son of Man Nehuchad- Xiez^er did a great fervice againfi Tyrtcs ^ yet neither he-, nor bis Army have any wages for Xyrvs^ therefore I will, give him the Land of Qy£gypt for the labour wherewith he ferved againf it^ becavfe they wrought for mefyith the Lord God. And of thefe Hypocrites w^ho pray'd, failed, and gave Alms to befeen of Men ^ Chrift faith, * Verily I fay untoyov.^ they have their reward^ /. f. That Reputation, and that Vain» glory which they aim at, in the fight of Men, they fliall have. But then to them who fervehim faithfully, and with all their Hearts, with a fin- cere refpedb- unto his Glory, and true affcdion to his Service, he Will afluredly vouchfafe an ever- lafting Crown of Glory. Now that thofe Ser- vices which are fo much our Duty on the account of our Creation, and our continual Prefervation, which do not in the lead advantage him to whom they are tendred, and which, fliould God ftridly remark the evil Circumflanccs that d^o cleave unto them, might condemn us, fhould find fuch gracious Acceptance, and fuch great Rewards, mull be afcrib'd wholly to the free Grace, and the rich Goodnefs of our God. Ki^l^ 10. 3Ct t ^V^* ^9^ iS. ?o. *~ Max. 6, 2. . sS Tije Attributes of GOD. Sdly. Is God fo infinitely perfcd, and Self-fufE- cicnt ? then furely his Commands muft be deCgned^ not for his Interell, but for the good and welfare of his Servants, or as Mofes faitli. That it may be well with them^ and their Souls might live ^ for fee- ing God is infinite in all Pcrfedions, it is impoflible that he fhould ad for felf-ad vantage, or for addi- tion to his eflential Glory ^^ and fince our goodnefs reachcth not to him^ nor is it any profit to the Al- mighty that we are good or holy ^ he cannot aim at Self-advancement from om* Service, bat only at the Good and Welfare of his Creatures. Jf e therefore chiefly is delighted in our Services, as they afford juft rifes to his Bounty to confer Re- wards upon us ^ and herequiresour Acknowledg- ment of former Favours, to make them opportu- nities of begging, and vouchfafing new. When therefore it is faid, that * God made all things for him- felf^ a.nd that his Glory is the end of all his Ani- ons : We muft not underftand this fo, as if Godj did his glorious Works only to be admired and applauded by fuchworthlefs Creatures as we are-, or as if he could fufftr any diminution of his Glory by our diflike, or an advancement of his Honour by oni: approbation of his Actions •, that therefore we fhould think well of, and therefore praifehim, can l>e^ iio further his concern, than as thefe Apprehenfions niay engage us to that Affedi- on, thac Imitation of him, and that Obedience to him, w^hich tends to the promotion of our Hap- pinefs ^ God therefore adeth for hi,s Glory, when he dilcovers to us thofe exxellencies and perfefti- ons of his Nature, which are 'jult Motives to the performance of that Duty which we owe unto him, or when he doth acquaint us with thofe com- municable Perfcdions, in which it is mir glory to *•••.., I I ... I ■ I II ,»— ,■. ..I .1... .^ ■ I i« II ■^■> »ii I . . * rrov. 16.4. be Vol. I. Of the Perfection of G 0 D. 59 to be like him-, but then in thefeDifcoveries he doth as well defign the Benefit and Happinefsof Man, as the advancement of his Honour; for when he reprefents himfelf as good and merciful, kind and obliging to the Sons of Men, he doth it with dcfiga, and in a manner very proper to lay the higheft Obligations on us to Returns of Love and Gratitude, and to engage us to that Ldve and Mercy which renders us Partakers of the Di- vine Nature, and helpful to our Brother in all his Exigencies ♦, when he gives Demonftrations of his Almighty Power and great Wifdom.he deligns by this to teach us, that he is able to forefee and to di- vert thofe Evils which may at any time befal us, and to confer upon us the greateft Bleflings, that fo he may encourage us to place our Truft in him at all times, to repair to his Throne of Grace for fuitable Help in time of Need, and to ferve him faithfully in Expedation of his Favour and Pro- tection J when he manifefts himfelf to be a God of Truth and Faithfulnefs,one who will punctually per- form his promifes to, and execute his Threats upon us : he doth this chiefly to affright us from thofe Sins which make it neceflary for his Juftice to be fevere upon us, and to engage us to the Perfor- mance of thofe Duties to which he hath annex'd the greatefl Blefiings ^ when he informs us that his Holinefs and Juftice cannot permit the Wicked to efcape his Vengeance, or any upright Perfon to wantthe Tokens af his Love, or the Rewards of his fincere Obedience, his Great Defign in all this is^ that Sin, which is the Rife of all our Miferies rpay be avoided, and Holinefs which is the true Advancement, and heft Accompljfliment of Hu- man. Nature, may be more earneftlypurfjed by us ; lb that God's ading for his Glory, is alfo afting for the Good of his mo[l- noble Creature ; 'tis only recommending hirnfeif to their good-liking and affection, that fo he may the more effedual^y pro- mote their Happinefs. ' L^Jliy. 35 The Aitrihtttes of GOD. Lafily^ Is God thus perfect ? then nothing caii concern us more, nothing can be our Intereft and Wifdom more than to make God our Portion, and to fecure our Title to the Bleflings, and the Perfedions of this All-perfeft God •, for if there be none Good hut one that is God j there cart be none from whom we can exped that Good we may re- ceive from him. Whatever we defire to enjoy, we do it, either becaufe we think it neceflary to prevent fome Evil that we fear, or to obtain fome Blefling that we do at prefent, or may hereafter want. Now if this All-fufficient God be our God, we have a full Security of Freedom from any Evil we can dread, and of enjoying all the Bleffings we can want or defire ^ ^ Fear not^ faith God to Abraham^ Iain thy Shield^ and thy exceeding ^reat Reward. I am thy Shield ^ there's his AiTu- rance of Prote6:ion from his Enemies.- thy Great Reward *, there's his AlTurance of all Bleflings : and furely he who is All-powerful, and All- fufRcient to confer on us the choiceft Bleflings, El Shadadj the God that can preferve us from all Evils ^ who makes the Wrath of Man to praife him,and the Remainder of it will refl:rain, mufl: be the bed of portions. Again, This fiiould engage lis to make God our Rock, and place our Confi- dence in him, and not to fear what they can do iinto ns who are under his refl:raining Providence, or think our Cafe can ever be fo defperate, that an All-fufficient God cannot relieve and help us '|- He is the Rocjz-, his Work is ferfeEh. The Works of Creation fliew the Perfedion of his Power and Wifdom; thole of Redemption the Greatnefs of his Love and Goodnefs. Now all Nations think themfelves happy in a Prince who hath fuflicient Power to proteftthem, great WiP * Gen 15. I, \Den. 32. 4. flohi Vol. I. Of the VerfeStion of G 0 D. 51 dom to dired them, and equal Goodnefs to encline them to confult their Happinefs; howftrong mult therefore be their Confidence, who have an In- tereft in him who is infinite in thefe Perfedions. The Scrifttire fpeaks of thefe Perfeftions as pro- per unto him alone, by faying,* He is orily Wifcy and only Goody excluding any Creature from a Par- ticipation in thefe Attributes, becaufe their Power to help us, their Wifdom to difcern what is befl for us, and their good Inclinations to us, is as nothing, when compared to thefe Perfeftions in God, and foour Truft in Man ihould be as nothing, when compared to our Reliance upon him. Lafily^ This (hould induce us to walk before him with a perfed Heart \ "^ I am God Almighty^ laith he to Ahrah^m^ walk before me^ and he thou ferfeBy i. e. walk before me without diflimulation^ and without partiality or revolting from me, for I am perfeft in Wifdom to difcern thy Heait, and no Hypocrify can be concealed from me; perfed in Power j and therefore fully able to re- venge all Difobedience ; perfect in Wifdom to re- ward thy faithful Service^ and perfed m Goodnefs to encline me fo to do. SER- gi He Attributes of G 0 D. ■irr^'i S E R M b N n. Matth. V. 48. Be je ferfeEt^ as your Heavenly Father , is ferfeSt), HAving thusfhew'd, That God is infinite, or boundlefs in his Divine Perfeftions, 1 fliali endeavour, .,, ,, . . , 2^/y. To lay down fome Rules which may di- reft us how to conceive aright, and pafs the trueft and the fafeft Judgment concerning thefe Perfefti- ons •, and fhew us when we may, and when we ought not to affirm this or that is repugnant to therpj or to thofe Providential Difpenfations which are manag'd by them-, God's Providence depending fundamentally upon his perfeft Know- ledge of things future and contingent, and upon his Power and Wifdom to order all Events ac- cording to the Counfel of his Will. This is a Subjeft necefTary to be difcourfed up- on, becaufemany have very falfe, and pernicious Notions of the Perfeftions of the Deity \ fomQ ib exalt one of thefe Attributes, as that it clalheth with, and even contradifts another of them. O- thers deny two or three of thefe. Perfeftions, be- caufe they are notable to conceive the manner^ after which theyexill, or aft. Some, laltly; (bel- ter all the abfurd Opinions which they have.e-i fpbufedi Vol. I. Of the Etermtj of GOD. 5 j fpoufed againft all the Arguments which can be offer'd to confute them, under this Pretence, that God is incomprehenfible both in his Nature and his Attributes *, and fo, fay they, we cannot argue a- gainft their Sentiments from any feeming Contra- didions which they bear to the Perfections of the Deity. Now the Rules which 1 fhall offer in this cafe are thefe four. Rule I. Firft,That we ought notto deny Or doubt of any of the Divine Perfedions, which clearly are revealed in his Word, becaufe we do not knov^ or are not able to conceive how they can be m God, or to argue thus concerning them. I am not able to difcern how this can be, and therefore ought notto believe it^ for oae of theDivine Per- fedions being this, to be unfearchable and incom- prehenfible by finite Underftandings, it is an old and a good Rule in Revelations of this Nature^ [j^'"^ o^CivibW^Av ^^^, that we ought not to enqdre how that can be, which God hath allured us that it is, and much lefs to deny the thing, becaufe wc do not comprehend the manner how it is, or ads; and the Reafon of this is very plain, be-' caufe a God of perfcd Knowledge cannot be ig- norant of what he doth aver, and a God of perfed Truth cannot impofe upoii us by a Lye^ To give fome Inllances of this Rule. ifi. Let us not doubt of God's Prefence every where, becaufe, we cannot apprehend how a Spi- rit can be extended thro' all places, feeing God hath exprefiy told us, ^ That^ he fits Heaven ^r?d Earth : King Solomon^ That the He^iven of Heavens are ^not able to contain him : The Pfalmifij -]' That we caswot go from his Prefence-^ for if vpe climb up mo Heaven^ He is there, or fliould we defcend in- D to 54 The Attributes of GOD. to Hell^ or the Regions of the Dead, He is there alfo: idly. Doubt not of God's Omnifcience, or his Pore-knowledge of all things, as do the fame So^ cinians^ becaufe they cannot apprehend how God Ihould know that certainly will be, which depends on free and fo uncertain Caufes. For the Serif" fure plainly doth inform us. That ^ Known -unto God are all his ways from the beginning of the World ; "]- That he knows our Thoughts as free as they are, long before they are formed in us, and all the Prediifli- ons of things future, and dependant on the Will of Man recorded in the Scripture^ and which are come to pafs exadly as they were foretold, are fo many Demonftrations of this Truth ; and God liimfelf fays, Jhew the things that are to come that we may know that ye are Gods, ^dly. Doubt not of God's Providence wifely dif- pofing and ordering of all things both in Hea- ven and Earth, as many of the Heathens did, becaufe they by Experience found that it h^p^ pen'd here oftenimes well to the Wicked, and that the righteous were oft expofed to the greateft Evils ^ for the Scripture plainly doth in- form us. That his Kingdom ruleth over ali^ \. e. all things, all Perfons, Adions and Events, 1| That all things are of him and from him *, and ^ That a Sparrow falls not to the ground without his Provi- dence. To fhew thereafonablenefs of the Rule, Confider, (i/.) That where God hath not ena- bled us to know how thefe things are, or can be, he doth not require us to believe the manner how they are, or may be. For inftance, he requires us to be- lieve his Power can raife the Dead ; and this is jiecefTary to be believed, that we may live in expedlation of that glorious Refurredlion which " III I II- -II I I I I -| - |- . "Ill ■■_■■_ L * A^s 15, 18. t Pfahi29, 2, I) ^w, II. 36, '^ Matth he Vol. I. Of the Eternity of G 0 D.- 5 ^ he hath promifed to his faithful Servants *, but then he no where hath obliged us to believe how he will do this* He requires us to believe that he is every where prefent, that we may reft upon him as a frefent help in time of need \ but we are not concern'd to know how he is fo, or how a Spi- rit can be fo- It is neceflary that we fhould be- lieve that God knows things to come tho' they be contingent in their own Nature, fince other- wife we could not believe his Prediftions con- cerning them \ but then he hath not obliged us to believe or know how he doth this. 'Tis ne- cefTary to believe God ordereth all things both in Heaven and Earth, that we may own his Providence in all Events ; but then it is not ne- ceflary that we fhould know how he doth all thefe things. The firft in all thefe cafes is therefore ne- ceflary to be belie\red,becaufe it clearly is revealed, and fo is matter of our Faith *, and therefore we may know it is, and muft be ^o- The fecond is not neceflary to be known, becaufe 'tis only matter of our Curiofity, nor can it be believed, becaufe 'tis not revealed ^ fo that where our Uii- derltandings are puzzled, and our Knowledge non-plufs'd, our Faith is not concerned. 2dly. Obferve that where God hath not given us Wifdom to difcern how thofe things can be which arc the Objefts of our Faith \ there he hath given us Experience and Judgmeat to dif- cern they may or muft be fo- For inftance, tho he hath never told us how he will raife th^ Dead, yet he hath given us experience by rai- ling our Lord Jefm from the Dead, and many o- ther Perfons with and by him, that he can do thisi tho' he hath not given us Underftandings to comprehend how he is every where^ yet hath he given us experience, by his Works done in aU places by thofe Attributes which are not rral- D 2 ' iy 56 The Attributes of G 0 D. ly diflinguifhed from his Eflence that he is ^o. And tho' he hath not taught us how his Fore-know- ledge of our free Adions is confiltent with the freedom of our Wills ; yet hath he given us ex- perience that we have free Wills,or that we freely chufe to do what we do, and freely do refufe to do what we leave undone ; and this we teftify by the Confeflion of our Sins, and the Convi(^ions of our Confciences *, and thereby, the blame we lay, and the Punifhments we inflid on others, for theif Adions. Moreover, our Judgment is able to difcern that fore-knowledge can neither make nor change its Objed, but fees it truly as it is ^ and fo it mull either fee thatMan lies under an ab- folute neceffity of Ading as he doth^and then there can neither be place for Vice or Vertue, Rewards or Punilhments, Religion or Irreligion ; or he inuft fee that Adion to be freely future, which indeed is fo. To clear up this, by a plain Inftance, when Chrifl revealed to his Difciples that Judas fhould betray him ; they mull: have a fore-know- ledge that he would do ^o^ as certain and infalli- able as that of God's '-, and yet it is as certain that their fore-knowledge that he would do fo, had no ixnfluence on his doing fo ^ and from thofe words (.f Chrift, Mat. 26. 24. The Son of Man coeth '-is it is written of him^ but woe to that Man by whom he is hctray^d^ it had been good for him that he had not been horn ; it clearly follows that this Predidion, and. fo the Prefcience of this Event, that jefic fhould be thus betray'd by Judas^ did neither lay oa Judas^ or imply any neceffity laid Oil him of doing that Adion ^ becaufe it did not leffen the V!>oe pronounced on him for the doing it. God therefore gives us fufficient ground of Faith in thoie particulars, in which he is not pleas'd to fatisfy our curiofity, becaufe that is needlefs ^ but the other is neceifary. RuU I i Vol. I. Of the Eternity of GOD. 57 Rule 2. My fecond Rule ^s this. That we ought to put a difference as to aur knowied.ze of, and our dedudions from God's iniiriirable Perfections, which are pure Objc^ls of our Fairh \ vtz^. his Eternity, his Omniprefenxe, his Knowledge of Things future and contingent, and his moral and communicable Perfedions, which relate to our practice \ of the firft, we neither bave^, nor can have a jull Notion, becaufe they .being only in God there is nothing occurring to ourSenies^or our Ap- prehenfioiis, whence all our knowledge hath its rife, to which we can compare them, and foour certain inferences from them can be only fuch as Scripture hath afforded to our hands. But then as to God's imitable Perfe(f^ions, his Truth and Holinefs, his Juffice, Love and Goodnefs, the matter is farotherwife ^ for we are enjoyn'd to imitate, and to refemble God in them *, his Truth and Faithfulnefs, his Love, Goodnefs and Since- rity are the Foundations of our Fafth and Hope, of our Dependance on him, and our Expedations of good things from him ; and fo without a julfc Idea of thefe things (tho'it be ftill imperfed, as all our prefent knowledge is) thefe Duties could not be our reafonable Service ; and if we could not underfland thefe things, the whole Bible would be infignificant to us, for all Revelation from God, depends upon his Veracity, and fup- pofeth that we know what is meant by his Since- rity and Truth, his Goodnefs and his Jullice, and therefore no Man can duly entertain any Notions which plainly contradid thefe Attributes. And to pretend that we cannot know what Goodnefs, Truth, and Juftice in God are, is, in effcd to fay, it is all one to us whether God be Good, True and Juft or not. Nor could we imitate him in thefe Perfections ^ for he that imitates, endea- vours to make himfclf like to fomething that D 3 ^« 5 3 The Attributes of G 0 D. lie knows, and ninH: of necelTity have a true Idea of that w hicli he aims to be like. So that if we had DO certain Notion of the Juflice, Truth and Good- nefs of God, he would be, as to thefe things, an un- intelligible Being to us, and Religion, which con- fifts chiefly in imitation of his communicable Attri- butes, would be a Thing impoHible. In a word. The moll Natural Notion, which all Ncn have of God, is this, That he is Juil, and Good j and to fay God is Juft, and Good, but not Good, and Juft, as Men underlland Goodnefs, and Jultice, is to fay that we have no Natural Notion of a God ^ for if the Natural Notion of a God be this, that he is Jufl, and Good, it feems incongruous to think, that we fliould have the Notion of a Juftand Good God, without having any Natural Notion of what^his Goodnefs, and his Juflice is. Now hence this Co- rollary will arife, viz. That tho' we cannot argue concerning God's incommunicable Attributes thus, I have no Notion of aji Eternity with, or without Succefiion, I have no Idea of a God wholly, every where without Multiplication, I am not able to conceive how he can certainly know the EfFedl where the Caufe is uncertain, and free to produce die contrary, and fo cannot believe God's Eternity, his Qmniprefence, or his Prefcience. This being Argument ah ignoto ad IgnotiHs^ yet may we argue againll the abfclute Decrees of Reprobation, and of denying Grace fuificient for the Performance of pur Diity, from the Coniiderations of Divine Ju- ilice, his Truth and Sincerity, his Lpve and Good- nefs to the Sons of Men. Rde 3. A Third Rule necefTary to be obferv'd, that ;ve may judge aright of the Divine PerfeftionSg is to coEiider them in Conjundion, and fo that they inay be ali conaiLeat one with another, it being cer- tain that nothing can be a Perfedionin God, which plainly thwarts ar.y other of his Attributes, they ^ '^ " • ■ ' ' beinp^ Vol. I. Of the Eternity of GOD. ^9 being all immediate Emanations from the fame fim- ple and invariable ElTence^ U''hen then we frame to ourfelves fuch Notions of one of his Attributes as thwart the Nature and neceflary Operations of the other, we frame an Idol of our own, inftead of a Divine Perfection. For inllance, A God of abfo- lute Sovereignty, who by virtue of his Prerogative over his Creatures, can pafs an A<^ of Reprobation on the Generality of Mankind, when he had equal Reafon to make them, as well as any others, Vef- fels of Eledion, they being equally his Offspring, equally the Sons of Adam^ and equally in want of the Divine Grace and Favour, is a Predeflinarian Idol, God being incapable of exercifing any fuch Sovereignty over his Creatures, which is repugnant: to his rich Grace, Goodnefs, Love, Mercy and Compaffion to the Souls that he hath made, and therefore incapable of leaving the greateft part of them inevitably obnoxious to Eternal Ruin 5 whea he had, by the Sufferings of his own Son, provided a Remedy fufficient to prevent it, did he not arbi- trarily exclude them from it? when under the Re^ gal Governm^ent the Father had an abfolute Power over his Children, and in the Eaflern Nations the Prince had abfolute Power over his Subjeds, would the Sovereignty excufe them from a Severity and Rigour unworthy of a Father^ or z Sovereign ^ ia leaving moft of their Children, and their Subjects under the extreameft Mifery, when by the very fame means that a few of them have been refcu'd from it, they might all have been fo? and fhall we then impute that Rigour, want of Natural Airefti- on and Coaipaflion to the Lover of Souls, and the benign Government of our Heavenly Father^ which we muft condemn and abhor in Earthly Governorsy and in the Fathers of our Flefh ? idly. A God of all Mercy, or who is merciful to them th^t ojfend of malicious yVickednefsy and go on ftiU, and even die D4 id 40 The Attributes of GOD. in their Sins upon Prefumption of his Mercy, is an Idol fram'd in the Sinner's Brain; becaufe it is the Apprchenlion of a God, who wants that Holinefs which makes it neceflary for him to hate Iniquity,* and that Juflice which will not fulfer him to clear the Guilty^' or that Truth which doth engage him to execute his Threats upon the Wicked and Impeni- tent *, whereas in truth there neither is, nor can be fuch a God. Again, a God of abfohite and uncon- fin'd Goodnefs, who will be always doing good to Men, however they deport themfelves towards him, is an Idol, feeing there neither is, nor can be fuch a God, whofe Juflice, Holinefs and Truth do not oblige him to punifh infolent Impiety and Wickednefs; we therefore only are to look upon him as a God, who hath the Mercy of a Righteous Governor, who hath declar'd he will deal with Men according to the Tenor of his Laws, and will dif- countenance the wilful Violations of them, and as a God that is only Good and Merciful, as far as it is confiftent with that Holinefs, and Hatred of Iniquity, and with that Juitice which is elTential to him fo to be; and were this well confider'd, Men would not be fo prefumptuous as to encourage themfelves in Sin, by fanfying to themfelves a God made up of Mercy and of Goodnefs, feeing it is not fuitable to the Divine Goodnefs and Mercy, fi- nally to bear with, and forgive obftinate Offenders, this beiag inconfiftent with his Truth, Holinefs and Jallice, and with the Wifdom of his Govern- ment. On the other hand, we are not meerly to confi- der him as a God of Jullice and Severity, but only as a God of Juflice temper'd with Mercy, and free- ly tendring it to thofe who by (In cere Repentance qualify themfelves to be the Objeds of that Mercy, and waiting to be Gracious to all that truly turn to }iim, and only exercifing the Severity of his Juflice upoA Vol. I. Of the Eternity of G 0 D. 41 upon thofe who have defpis'd that Goodnefs, Pati- ence and Long-fuffering, which was defiga'd to had them to Repentance \ and were this well conlider'd. Men would not by the Apprehenfions of God's Ju- ftice be call into Defpair ; for God is not lb fevere, buE that he hath flill a Referve of Mercy for the Penitent, and an Arm open to receive returning Prodigals, provided they return from their Iniqui- ty whilft they have Health and Vigour with Plea- fure to purfue it^ and not then only, when grim Death affrights them into fome fudden Refolutions, or they are fo enfeebled by their former Lulls, as that they cannot feek it yet again. Rule 4. My Fourth and lait Rule is this : Enter- tain no Opinions of God, or of his Attributes, which contradid the Natural Principles of Religion, or the NecefTicy of a good Life, or countenance Men in their Impenitency and evil Courfes, what Arguments foever may be offer'd for them ^ for as for the Natural Duties we owe to God and to our Neighbour, they are all prefcrib'd by the Light of Nature, and writ upon the Tables of our Heart \ and fo tho' Divine Revelations may improve, and tender better Motives and fredi Engagements to perform them, they cannot contradict them, feeing by doing fo they would be contrary to thofe very Principles God hath implanted in our Nature, and therefore could not reafonably be receiv'd as Divine Revelations. Moreover nothing is more evident, than that an Holy God can reveal nothing which tends to the Encouragement of Men in Sin, or the Negled of Holinefs, or of Obedience to his Laws i for his Gofpel is the Knowledge of that Truth which is after Godlinefs^ Tit. i . 2. that Grace of God which has appear'd to ^ teach us denying alL'Vngodli'- * Chip. 2* 12. n(fi 42 The Attributes of GOD. nefs and worldly Lufts^ to live Soberly^ Godly and Righ" teoujly^ and to have our Fruit Hnto Holinefs^ that the End may be Eternal Life, As therefore Zsno's Ar- gument, that there could be no Motion, was pre- sently rejeaed as contrary to the Experience of all IVIen tfeat could walk^ and as being attended with this abfiird and evil Conrequence,That all Men mufl ftand flill ^ fo in like manner are we to rejeft the Dodrinesof thofe Men, who teach that all Men are purely Pafllve in the whole Work of their Regene- ration, and can do nothing towards their own Con* verfion, becaufe the Scriptures reprefcnt the Hea- then World as dead in Trefpajfes and Sins •, and dead Men cannot ad, and fay that Natural Men have no Free Will to chufe any thing that is Good, becaufe our Saviour faith, j4 corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit ; fince they, from thefe miftaken Meta-- phors, and Scriptures falfely apply'd, advance Opi- nions which are abfurd in Pradice, and pernicious in their Confequences, for the Natural Confequence of the Dodrine of Men's Inability to do any thing towards their Converlion is this, That fuch Men muft do nothing at all in Religion, neither think of God's Promifes or Threats, nor pray to God, nor read or hear his Word ^ for dead Men cannot Pray, Hear or Read, or be mov'd by Promifes or Threats, but muft lie (till till the Life-giving Operation de- fcends from Heaven upon them ^ and fo the Devil muft be needlefly employ'd in coming ^ To take away the Word out of thefe Men^s Hearts^ lefi they fiiohld believe and be fav'd^ feeing that Word could have no Influence upon Men to Salvation, when k was not attended with God's unfruftrable Affiftancerj and where it was {b, all his Attempts to fruftrate the believing of it to Salvation, muft be vain 5 yej, ?; Cfdiu 13. 19. hence Vol. L Of the Eternity of GOD. '45 hence it follows, that God doth hi vain, and with Reverence be it fpoken, unreafonably and abfurdly call upon thefe Men to confider of, and lay to Heart his Promifes and Threats, Judgments and Mercies, and more unreafonably fay unto them. Turn ye^ turn ye from yonr evil waysj why will you die ? Turn yonr [elves ^ and live^ Ezek. 18.31, 32. And the plain Confequence of the Incapacity of Natu- ral Men, to chufe any thing that is good, is the fame ; for if they can chufe nothing that is good, they muft either not be oblig'd to chufe any thing at all, or to chufe what is evil 5 and if they be not able to comply with any of God's Motives, Per- fuafions, or Sollicitations to chufe the Good, and refufe the Evil, they muft: be ofFer'd to them ia vain^ nor could God rcafonably complain, as ve- ry oft he doth of fuch Men, that they would not chufe the Fear of the Lord^ or threaten the feverelt Judgment on them, for not doing fo ; nor had our Lord any jufl: Reafon to complain of the Jews^ that they would not be gather^ d^ or come upon his Invita- tion to the Wedding-Feaft, 04- come unto him that they might be fav'd, if they could not even will to do fo ^ nor do thefe Men confider, that he, who faid to the Jews^ A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruity commanded the fame Perf(:)ns to make the Tree goody that the Fruit might be good alfo^ Mat. 12. 33. And tho' Men may imagine that they ad- vance the Glory of Divine Grace, by divefting Man of all Power to do any thing, yet as ic cannot be for the Glory of his Grace to leave the greateft part of the World in a perfedl Incapacity of doing any thing which may obtain his Favour, fo is it eaf/ todifcern the Falfhood of this Dodrine, becaufe It contradias the Pradice of Religion, and takes off Men's Obligations to perform Religious Duties^ for what Men cannot do, they cannot be oblig'd to do, and renders all God's Commands aad Exhor- tarioas 44 The Attributes of GOD, tations to thefe Men vain •, for that Command mufl be given in vain, which cannot be obey'd ^ it dif- courages all Endeavours of Reformation and A- mendment, and renders Men flothful and regard- lefs of working out their own Salvation \ for he that can do nothing that is good, can do nothing that conduceth to it. Hence alfo we may be aflur'd of the Fallhood of that Dodrine, which affirms, That Chrift died only for the EUB^ bccaufe that Dodrineis vifibly deftru- ^ive of almoll all the Ads of Piety and Vertue; For, ifl. Prayer is the Great and General Duty of all Chriftians^ who are obliged to make Prayers and '^Stippllcatlofjsfor all Men ^ and thefe Prayers mull be offer'd up in Faith, in the Name of Chrift^ implor- ing all Spiritual Bleflings for his fake, and thro' his Meritorious Paffion. Which how can we do feri- oufly, and in Faith, if we may reafonably queftion whether Chrift's Merits do refped us, or are avail- able in our behalf? How can we do this /or all Men^ provided God himfelf hath taught us, that his Son never Died, nor did he ever intend his Paffion for the Benefit of all, but only for the Good of his Eled ? Surely he can apply himfelf but faintly to God for the Bleffings of a Saviour and Redeemer, who is thus taught to doubt whether he hath any Saviour or not. idly. It is the Duty of all Chriftians, f To givz thanks to God always for all things in the name of the Lordjefiis Chrtfl. We muft do this, faith the Apo- ftlc^for all Men-^ and therefore that Opinion which obftruds this Gratitude, deprives God of his Praife, and Hops our Mouths, fo that we cannot open them in Thanksgivings to him, mull be repugnant both 1 7im, 2. I, f I Tm. 2, i, to Vol. I. Of the Eternity of G 0 D. 45 to Scripture and to Reafon. Now fure the greateft part of Mankind cannot be oblig'd to blefs God tor his Love to them, in fending his Beloved Son into the World, if he were never fent with a Defign of doing good to them, or to give Thanks to the Lord Jefus, for his Redeeming Love, who never were redecm'd by him* They cannot heartily refent the Kindnefs of their God and Saviour, who know not that this Kindnefs doth at all concern them, or thac he ever was defign'd to be their Saviour , fo that either Chrift is the Saviour of all Men, or the great- eft part of Chriftians are difoblig'd, and even inca- pacitated to praife him for any thing which he hath done and fuffer'd for them. 3^/y. The greateft Duty both of Jew and Gentile^ is to love the Lord with all their Hearts. This is moft certainly a Precept, obliging all Mankind. Now if God hath been fo kindly affedcd towards al] Men, and fo careful of their Welfare, as to provide a Saviour for them, and fend his own Beloved Soa into the World to die that they might live thro* him, all Men muft be oblig'd to love him as their Gracious Friend and Benefador. But if he intend- ed no fuch Kindnefs to the greateft part of Men, what Motive can they have to love him, v;ho never had any Love to their Souls, never delign'd them any Deliverance from the Wrath to come ? ^hly. The Holy Scripture doth require us to fear the Lord and his Goodrjefs^ and to perform our Duty from a Senfe of the great Kindnefs he hath fhew'd to us 'j and if God firft lov'd us thus, furely we all ftand bound to fhew our Love to him again by that lincere Obedience, which is the trueft Evidence of our (incere Affeftion ^ if Chrift hath bought us with the Price of his moft precious Blood, we ought to live to him who died for us, and to glorifie him with our Souls and Bodies, which are his; but (al- iho' he muft have a flavifli Dread of God who can expedl 46 The Attributes of G 0 D. expeft no Mercy, lie cannot be pofTefs'd with aa Ingenuous Fear of forfeiting his Favour^ how can he be mov'd to ferve God from the Confideration of his Benefits, for whom they never were intend- ed ? 'Tis partly the Senfe of thofe Bleffings which we have receiv'd, and partly the Aflurances of thofe Advantages we Ihall receive by ferving him, which are the mofl prevailing Motives to the Performance of our Duty ^ if then God never intended any Spi- ritual Bencfic by the Death of his Son to the great- eft part of Mankind ; if they have no Beloved^ thro' whom their Perfons or Performances can find Acceptance ^ if thro' the Want of this they are in- capable of Salvation, or of Deliverance from the Wrath to come ^ mull they not be entirely depriv'd of all prevailing Motives to the Service of this God and Saviour ? To conclude, Hence have we reafon to fufped the Validity of a Death-Bed Repentance to Salvati- on ', for if a Sorrow for our Sins, when we can live no longer to commit them, be fufficient to procure Pardon and Salvation, then cannot Holinefs of Life be neceflary to that End, fince that cannot be ne- ceflary in order to an End, without which we may certainly obtain that End. This alfo plainly feems to make Chrift the Minifter of Sin^ as coming to proclaim Pardon and Salvation to them, who in Defiance to all his Holy Laws, * and all the Methods of his Grace, have fpent their whole Lives in Ads of wilful Difobedience to his Precepts, provided they at laft be forry for fo doing. Let us then live a Life of Righteoufnefs, if we defire to die the Death of the Righteous, and have our Fruit unto Holinefs^ that the End may be Eternal Life. Which God of his Mercy grant. O F 47 O F T H E Eternity of G 0 D. S E R M O N I. 1 Tim. I. 17. Now to the KJng Eternal^ Immortal^ Invifible^ the only Wije God^ be Glory and Honour for ever, T.HE Attributes of God are by Divines rank'd under thefe Five Heads. J. Such as flow from the Independency of his Na- ture, viz.. his Eternity, his Immutabilicy, his Tmmenfity or Omniprefence. Or, II. From the Perfedionofit, 'y/z,. his Invilibility^ and his Spirituality. III. Such as refpedt his Underilanding, viz.. his Knowledge, his Wifdom, and particular Pro- vidence. IV. Such as relate to the Divine Will, to wit^ his Holinefs and Juflice, his Faithfulnefs and Goodnefs, his Diltributioa of Rewards and Punifhments. V. Such as refpeft his Power of Acting, viz.. his Almightinefs, his Dominion, and Sove- reignty. I begin, 4S The Attributes of G 0 D. I begin, as my Text doth, with his Eternity, and that which doth immediately follow from ic^ his Immortality. Now the Words leholam and the firfl and the lafl^ which is^ was^ and is to come. And again, (e^ Righteous is the Lord^ who is^ was^ and Jhall be. Where note, that thefe Words are ap- propriated to God, and therefore muft be under- ftood in flich a Senfe as is not common to him with any of his Creatures ^ and fo 75 mV he was^ muft fig- nifie all paft Duration, « ) De Nitu.Deoriimy Lib 47. (0 Ibid, 11. 19. ^i) Mv, StoicoSf p. 10, 74. 10. 75. re- Vol. I. Of the Eternity of G 0 D. ^j receive his Being, or thofe Divine Pcrfe^ionS^ which necefTirily exid together with it, fiomany other thit receiv d a Being after him, feeiap; the Canfe mu^ be before the Effeift ; whereas i: is a Coatradif^:."^:! to affirm, th:it any other Being can be be.ore rne firft, accordini'; to that Enquiry of the Ap f}le^ (a) Who hath fir^J given to him^ that he may repay him j for of him^ and from him^ are all things, idly. Is this the Property of God to be Eternal, hence we may certainly conclude our BlefTed Sa^ viour muH: be God \ for he that was like to the Son of Man laid to St. John^ (b) I am A and O, thff firfi and the Ui^^ that was^ and is^ and is to come. He is flyFd the EVerlafting Father in thefe Words, To us a Child is born^ a Son ts given ^ and he jhall be called wonderful Coirnfellor^ the mighty Godj the everlasting Father^ and the Prince of Peace, And therefore whereas it is faid of the Creator of all things, f c) Tho^i of old hajl laid the Foundations of the Earthy and the Heavens are the work of thy hands \ they flmll ferifli^ but than jhdt endure *, they jhall wax old as doth a Garment^ hut thou Art the fame^ and thy tears flj all not fail, St. Panl^ in his Epiftle to the Hebrews Qi) alFures us, that this was faid unto the Son. And sdly. Is this Attribute peculiar to the true God, hence we may argue alfo that the Holy Spirit mull be God, he being ftyrd by the fame Apofilcj (^) the Eternal Spirit, By way of Preface to thefe pradical Conclufions which flow from the Conhderation of this Attri^ biite, I (hall coafider briefly the Diltinftion which the Schoolmen make of it into Eternity, a part 0. nnte^ and aparte poft. And, (a) I{om. ii.3'5,36. (b) F^v, i. S, 1 p. (c) Pf. X02. 25, ?f . id) CkitP, u 8, 9. (c) hih, 9. 14* E 3 I. God 54 The Attributes of G 0 D. ^ I. God, fay they, is Eternal, a f arte antey i. e^ his Duration is before all things, and without Be- ginning, according to thofe Words of the Pfal- mifl, (f ) Thy Throne is efiahlijVd of oldy thoii art from everlaftinj^. And again, (h) Before the Earth and the World were made^ thou art God from ever-^ laftpig. This is a Property which cannot pofTibly agree to any Creature \ the Angels good and evil, and the Spirits of jufl: Men made perfect, (hall ne- ver ccafe to be ; and God can cafily preferve what Creatures he is plcas'd for ever. But that a Crea- ture fhould have no Beginning, implies a Contra- didion ; for whatfover is a Creature, was made, and fo began to be, and before that Produ\ 6S The Attributes of G 0 D. greater^ and more Lifting Pleafrre. They feCm de-* /irous to live at cafe, and to preferve their Bodies free from thofe Maladies and Evils to which it will be fiibjeft in this prefent Life-* and yet make no Provifions for that happy Refurredion which minifters a conftant Eafe from all the Pains and Sorrows of tlie Body, fi'ees it from all the'Weak- nelles and the Infirmities of Imman Kature, and from that Death which is to them the King ofTer^ rorsy and puts it in a State of never-fading Health and Vigors yea, they expofe it to an Eternity of Torment without one Minutes cafe •, and furely this their way (k) muft he their roily. Let us not then be like them in that, for which we cannot but condemn fhem. Oh ! let us be fo wife, as to difcern the immenfe difference betwixt this Mo- ment and an unchangeable Eternity, and let us a'^ as Men throughly convinced of the vail dil^ parity betwixt tliem. Let us ferioufly confider, how dreadful it mult be to lie under the Wrath of an Eternal God -^ for tho' this may be (lighted by the Sinner now, yet when he cometh to ap- pear before his righteous Judge, the apprehen- lion of it will fill his Soul with Horror : tho' he may put it out of his Thoughts at prefent, it will hereafter be the conftant Subjecl of his moft dif- inal Thoughts. That his Judge, who hath fenten- ced him to everlalling Punilhmcnt, and his Aven- ger, lives for ever. The Confidcration of the Al- mighty Arm, which will be then made (I) hare vfon the P^cffeh of Wrath fitted for Deftru^tion^ adds a niofl infupportable Weight unto their Mifery : But then Eternity rendei^s it ftill more dreadful ^ for the Strength of God's Arm renders it unfup- portable, his Omniprefence unavoidable, but his Eternity renders it' perpetual, and everlalling as {k) Pfal. 49. ig. (/:. Rom- 9. 2 2. he Vol. I. Of the ImmutMity of GOD. 6g be is. Confider idly.^ What an eternal fource of Comforts niiilt flow inceffantly iu upon our Souls, from the Enjoyment of ai) infinite, eternal God •, feeing their Happinefs confifts in the Enjoyment of his blifsful Prefence, they may be fure it can- not perilli, or abate, whilit this God lives to be en- joy'd. . And how then muft our Souls be raviihcd with the Enjoyment of a God infinite in Good- nefs, whofe Duration never fails, who lives for ever tobe enjoy'd, and will prefervc us in Life for ever, that we may enjoy him ? His Goodnefs is a juft Ground of our Affedlion, but in the Eterni- ty of that Goodnefs confifts the Happinefs of that Affedion. Seeing then God alone is Eternal, God alone is a fit Objed of our choiceft Love, and we act fuitably to the higheft Reafon ^ when we place that noble Paftion upon that Being, we al- ways fhall pollefs, and always Ihall be happy, whilft we do enjoy •, upon that Objed, who al- ways muft deferve our bell Affeclion, and who mnit live for ever to reward. Having then eter- nal Souls, let us endeavour that they may ever have an Intereft in this eternal God, to Eternity they muft: endure : And what can more concern us than that it fhould be an happy, and not a miferable Eternity ? A Portion in this Life is the fad Lot of them who have no Intereft in the Life to come, and fo muft be for ever miferable \ but a Portion in that God who lives forever, is Happi- nefs for ever. And it is ftill more neceftary to have a firm Be- lief of this Eternity, or that our God ftiall never ceafe to be, becaufe the Confolations which re- fult from all God's other Attributes, are only made compleat by this ^ a Wifdom which reacheth not to all Times, cannot difcern what will be al- ways for our Happinefs -^ a Power that will fail, cannot alv/ays uphold us, or proted^ us j a Good- F 3 neii 70 The Attributes of GOD. nefs that will ceafe ^ a ?/Iercy that will perifn, will make us, while v:c do enjoy the BlefTings of them, dread the Period of them ^, and a Truth that may fail, affords no lafting Ground of Con- fidence ; fo that did not our God abide for ever, our Happinefs, which confifts in the Enjoyment of him,could not laft for ever -^ and then the Thoughts of loling it would much abate the Greatnefs and the Pleafure of it, and whilft we did enjoy it we fliould be tormented with the fad Apprehenlion, that the time would come, when we fhould be eter- nally deprived of it ♦, for that which crowns the Joys of Heaven, and banilheth all Fears and Trou- bles from tht Minds of blefled Spirits, is this Con- ^deration,That this moil happy State (hall be Eter- nal, and ihall find no End, but that after the Pe- riod of many Ages, there ftill remains a long Eter- nity, in which they fhall be happy in the Enjoy- ment of their God and Saviour ^ for the King- dom promifed to them is cverlafting : The Crown of Glory is ftyled an immortal and incorruptible Crown that fadeth not away. OF Vol.1. 71 OF TH E Immutability of GOD. Ma LAC. III. 6, / am the Lordy I change not, therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not confumed, THESE Words are capable of two Inter- pretations. ifl^ With refped to the Promifes which God had made to their Fore-fathers, and then the Import of them will be this : ' Ye Sons oi Jacob have * fo exceedingly degenerated from the Faith and ' Piety of yourFore-fathers,are grown fo defperate- * ly wicked, and fo incorrigible by all the Methods * my Providence hath ufed for your Reformation, ' that you deferve entirely to be confumed from be-= * ing any more a People : But I have promifed your ' Fore-fathers, that I would W be a God to them ' and to their Seed for ever \ and that in their Seedjljould * all the Families of the Earth he bkffed ^ and I never ' vary from my Truth and Faithfulnefs, and there- <• ioxQyo^i Sons of Jacob are not conftim'd. Or, 2^/y, With relation to the preceding Verfe, in Vi/hich God threatens to come near to Judgment againft the Sorcerers^ Adulterers^ Falfe-fwearers^ and againft them who op^refs the Hireling in his Wages^ the Widow and the Father lefs^ and turn afide the Stran- {») Gen. 17.7. F 4 &^ 72 The Attributes of G 0 D. gerfrom his Right^ and fear not me, faith the Lord ^ For I am the Lor^^ I change mt^ tho* you Sons of Ja- cob are not confumed^ i. e. I am ftill the fame God of Judgment, bearing nn unchangeable hatred to all fuch wicked Perfons as you are •, and therefore tho' I with fo much Patience have hitherto forborn £0 execute on you my threatned Judgments, yet Ihall they certainly in their due Seafon fall upon you. The Heathens faw this by the Light of Na- ture ^ for that, fay they, which prevails with Men to vary from their Words and Promifes, is either, that they were deceitful when they made them, and fo never intended what they fliid ; or by fome « n for efeen Accident are moved to repent of them, or that they are unable to perform them. Now none of thefe things can be incident to an Almigh- ty, and All-knowing God, who is a Lover of Truth, and fo cannot delign to put the Cheat up- on us. He therefore is not as a Man that he flwnld . lie^ or as the Son of M^tJ that he fhovld repent^ Numb. 23. 19, Nowthelmmutability of God either {firft) re- fpefts his Nature ^ and then it fjgnifies, that he is, was, and ever will be from all Eternity the fame, and that he cannot undergo a Change, or Varia- tion of his EIFence ; for either he mull change for the Better, or for the Worfe •, whereas being a God of all Perfeftions, he cannot change for the better, for then he muft before have wanted fome Perfecfion v/hich he acquires by the Change. If he changes for the Worfe, he lofeth fome Perfedion which hp had before, and fo he ceafeth to be a God of all Perfedlions. Again, If the Divine Nature can be capable of any Change, it muft he either from within, or from the internal Principles of Being, which ren- der him fubjed in his own Nature to Mutation, oif from without 3 i.e. from fome external Power which •' ' caa Vol. !. Of the Immut ability of GOD. 7 } can efFed that Change, /. e. fome Being that is of greater Power. ISJow he that is Almighty can want no Power to preferve himfelf^ and he who is the firft of Beings muft give unto all other Be- ings all the Power they enjoy •, and fure that Power which is entirely derired from him can be no greater than his own *, neither can he be fub- jed to Mutability from his internal Principles of Being ♦, for whatfoever we perceive fo to be, is Compounded and Material, whereas God is a Spi- rit, and fo exempt from Matter : He is a fimple Ellence free from all Compofition, or any Parts that can be feparable from him to impair his Being, and therefore by St. James declared to be without all f^ariatiori^' or Shadow of turnings Jam. I. 17. Or, 2^/y, This Immutability refpeAs his Attributes and Perfedions •, and then it fignifies, that he is, was, and ever will be a God of the fame Wifdom, tower, Holinefs, Juftice, Truth and Goodnefs, becaufe all thefe are Attributes which never can be feparated from his Nature ^ and therefore fince his Nature is Immutable, the Perfedions which immediately flow from it muft be fo : Moreover, if he were capable of Change in any of thefe At- tributes, it muft be either for the better or the worfe ; If for the worfe, he muft be after fuch a Change lefs Wife, lefs Powerful, lefs Holy, Juft, and Good, and fo would be deficient in thefe Per- fedions : If for the better, he muft become more Wife and Powerful, more Holy, Juft and Good, and fo he muft before have wanted fome Degrees of thefe Perfedions •, both which are things not applicable to an All-wife, Almighty God, perfed in Goodnefs, Holinefs and Juftice. And hence it ifollows, 3^/v, That he muft alfo be Immutable in all his Ptirpofes, Decrees, his Councils, Promifes, and Threats^ becaufe they being the Refults of the exadeft 74 The Attributes of G 0 D. cxafteft Jufticeand Goodnefs, and of that Wifdons which fore-fees all Circumftances, no unfeen Cir- cumftance can happen to move hhn either to change his Purpofe, or to vary from his Counfels, Pro- jniies, or Threats. And hence the .Holy Sm^pfwr^ mentions the Qi) Immutability of his Comfel. And tho Pfalmijl^ iky^y (c) The Cotmfel of the Lord fi and- €th for ever^ a-nd the Thoughts of his Heart to all Gene- rations. And again, (d) He will notfuffer his Faiths fulnefs to fail^ his Covenant will he not break^ nor al- ter the thing that is gone out of his Mouth, So that his Counfels, Promifes and Threats, are in themfetves immutable : Only to reconcile this to thofe Scrip- tures and Examples, in which God leems to vary from his Promifes, reverfe his Sayings, and to re- pent of the Kindnefs he had done, or of the Evils that he had threat ned to others , we mufl care- fully obferve that which the Jevplfij DoBors have delivered as a general Rule, viz., ' That all God's * Covenants and Promifes made to Man, and all * his Threats againll: him, which refer only to * this Life, in which Man ftill continues in a State ^ of Tryal *, tho' in Words they be fometimes ^ abfolute, yet in Senfe they are ftill conditional^ ^ Of the Truth of this Rule, God himTelf hath ^ given us two exprefs Declarations ^ the Firft con- f cerning Temporal Bleffings promifed, or Evils ^ threatned to a Nation^ viz., (e) At w^hat in- •^ ftant I fhall fpeak concerning a Nation, and con- ^ cerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull ^ down, and to deftroy it •, if that Nation againft ^ which I have pronounced this, turn from the «- Svilof their Doings, I will repent of the Evil ^ wi}ich 1 thought to do unto them. And at what n .^ ■ ,.m u . I 1 I -| II ilM I I " I a) Kefe. 6, 17. (c) Ffal. 33. ir. (d)?£al, 89. 33. {s)]cT. 18. 7, 10. < inftant Vol. I. Of the Jmmutdilitj of G 0 D, 75 * inftant 1 fhall fpeak concerning a Nation, and ' concerning a Kingdom, to build and to plant it ; ' if it do Evil ia my Sight, that it obey not my " Voice, I will repent of the Good wherewith 1 * faid, / woidd benefit them '. The Second Text concerns Perfons Good and Bad, viz- ^ (/) When *- I ftiall fay to the Righteous, he Ihall forely live *, * if he truft to his own former Righteou fuels, * and commit Iniquity, all his Righteoufnefs that * he hath done fhall not be remembred ; but for * his Iniquity that he hath committed, he fhall * die. Again, When I fay to the Wicked, thou * fhalt furely die ^ if he turn from his Sin, and do * that which is lawful and right, He jhall furely * live J he Jliall not die \ Whence it is very evi- dent, that the Promifes made by God to Righ- teous Perfons, are only made to them, not turn- ing away from their Righteoufnefs, to commit Iniquity ^ and the Evils threatned to the Wicked, are only threatned to them, not turning away from their Iniquity, to do that which is lawful and right. Whence it is alfo evident, that when the Promifes of God to the Righteous are not perform'd, or his Threats denounc'd againft the Wicked are not executed ; this doth not happen thro' any change in God, but only thro^ a change in Man; the Promife only failing, becaufe they to whom it was made, ceafe to be the proper Objefts of it, by cealing to be the fame Righteous Perfons or Nations which they were before; the Evil threatned being reversed, becaufe they ceafe to be impenitent Sinners, or Sinners not turning from their Evil Ways, and fo they ceafe to be the proper Objeds of thofe Threats. For inftance, God fpeaks to Eli thus, (^) / faid indeed that thy Hottfe^ and the Ho-ufe of thy Fat her ^ jJjozdd walk before if) Ezek.33. n, H- (s) I Sam. 1, 30. me 7$ Tk Attributes of GOD. me for ever ^ but this Vv'as fa id when, and was m- tended only vvhilft they kept my Charge, and did religioufly perform their Office to the Honour of my holy Name, and the good of my People. But now that they defpife me, and commit Lewdnefs ill my Sancluary, and thereby c^iufe my People t^f abhor the Offerings of the Lord, the Lord faithj far hi it from me to continue my Affe ' '« {k) Ezek. 1 8. 30. (;; Prov. 28. 1 3 fhould 78 The Attributes of 0 0 D. fhould repent of, and turn from his Iniquities iin» to him, and therefore cannot be difpleafed with him when he doth fo ; he therefore could not threaten to him fpiritual Evils, tho' he became 3 Penitent, and a reformed Perfon •, fince otherwife he mufl be ftill unkind, and ftill difpleafed with him, tho' he doth repent and turn from the Evil of his Ways. When therefore God, in thefe Cafes, is faid to repent of the Kindnefs done to thofe who after are unworthy of it, and ungrateful for It^ or of the Evil he threatned to the Wicked upon their Repentance j this is not fo to be un- derftood as if God changed his Counfel, and his Purpofe, but becaufe in thefe Adlons he d^aleth with us as we do with others, when they prove fo ungrateful, as that we ceafe from fhewing any farther Kindnefs to them. So God faith. It reperi^ teth me that I have made Man^ when being made upright, and under the moft fignal Obligations to yield fincere Obedience to him, he yet became fo vile. That (m) all the Imaginations of his Heart were Evil^ and only Evil-j and that continually^ and fo had no farther Kindnefs or Pity for them *, and therefore brought on them, for their Impenitency, after his Prophets had in vain forwarned them 1 20 Years of their impendent Ruin, that Deluge which fvvept them all away. Thus alfo (n) he repciited upon Saufs Difobedience, that he had made him King *, that is, he reverfed that Kind- nefs, by giving the (0) Kingdom to one better than himfelf. So alfo is he faid to repent of the Evils he had threatned, when he doth as v/e do, when v/c repent of any Evil which we threaten to our Servants, or our Children, upon their Acknowledg- ment of their Offence, and their return unto their Duty, remitting the Evil threatned, as ia the fcw)Gen.5. <5. (n) i Sam ? s U- (0 Ver. 2^. Cafe Vol. I. Of the Immutability of GOD. y6 Cafe of Nineveh and of David^ intreating the Lord to pardon his Sin in numbring the People, or re- ceiving them again into Grace and Favour upon the Entreaty of fome worthy Friend*, as God is faid to refent of the Evil which he threatned to his People upon the Interceflion of Mofes and the Prophet (f) Ames. Now to improve this Truth. i.^, Is God unchangeable? This fpeaks great Terror to all wicked Per fons whilft they continue in their evil Ways, fince the Almighty, Sin-re- venging God, muft be unchangeably their Enemy. For if God be unchangeably an Holy God, he muft for ever be difpleafed with all the workers of Ini- quity, and fo he muft for ever feparate them from his blifsful Prefence •, if he be inflexibly a juft God, and a righteous Governcur, then muft he deal with wicked Men according to their Works. He muft pafs a righteous Judgment on them, and there* fore muft condemn them in that tremendous Day, when he will render -unto ail Men according to their Works, The Lord indeed is flow to Anger ^^ and of rich Gcodnefs *, but if the Patience^ and Riches of his Goodnefs will not lead the wicked to Repentance , he aflures them in the following Words, That he will not at all acquit the Wicked. If he be a God that cannot lie, or vary from the Truth of any of his Threats, whilft Men continue in thofe Sins, againft which he hath threatned the fevereft Judgments, (q) Tribulation and Wrath mujl he on every Soul that worketh Evil'^ then muft they feel the Power of his Wrath, and the Weight of his Almighty Arm, Ts?ho will not by fmcere Repentance, and thro' Re- formation of their evil Ways,prepare themfelves to be the Objeds of his Mercy. *' Know then, O '' Sinner, ftom the Mouth of God himfelf, that if (p) Amos 7. 3. (f) Rom. i, 7. " thou So The Attributes of G 0 D. '' thou art obflinately bent to continue in thy *^ wicked Ways, God is as peremptorily refolved " to make ye the Object of his Wrath and Ven- *' geance ^ yea, he will therefore do it, becaufe *' thou dofl prefume thou may'ft efcape it, tho' *' thou perfiftelt in thy Wickedncfs *, (r) For if any Man fay Ijlja/l have Peace tho' I walk in the Ima- gination of my Hearty adding Drnnkenncfs to Thirfij go- ing on fecurely in a courfe of Intemperance, or any other Sin, the Lord will not ff are him^ but then the Anger of the Lord^ and his Jealovfe jhall fmoke i^gainft that Man. Vain therefore are their Hopes of Mercy, whilft they continue in thofe ways to which he threatens the fevereft Judgments^ for both his Mercy and his Jufticc are the Mercy and Juftice of a Cover nour prefcribing Laws and Rules^ dn the Obfervance of which, he only will be merciful*, and which if we negledl to comply with, there remains nothing but fearful looking for of Judgment^ Heb. lo. 27. 2^/y, Is God immutable in his Nature, un- changeable in his Holinefs, and doth he always ad agreeably to thofe ftanding Rules of Righte- oufnefs, he hath prefcribed in his Word ? It mult be vain for Sinners to exped his Favour till fome Change be wrought in them \ or to imagine they can, by their AddrefTes, encline him to ihew Fa- vours to them, whilil; they continue Enemies to him by wicked Works, Seeing it can never be fuita-*. ble to the Purity of Nature, or to the juftice of his Government, to befriend them who are Ene- mies to him : Nor can it be confiflent with the Honour of a juft and holy God, to love them who by their wilful Violations of his holy Laws de- monftrate, that they love not him ^ and when we defire that he would do fo, we pray againlt the •• ' 'III • '-^»""^i«*«"i I I ' ■■■ 11 .r II I ma , ,. , , mm I I ' ^r) Deur. 29. 19, 20. Purity Vol. L Of the Immut Ability of GOD. 8i Punt,y of his Nature, again ft the Declarations of his Will, and agaiult the Rules of his Govern- ment. Since then God changeth not-, if we de- jire that our Perfons, or Performances fiionld be accepted by him, there mull be a Change in us, viTL* in our Affedions, from a Love to an hatred of every evil way ^ from adiflike, to an Appro- bation, of the ways of Piety \ in our Wills, from a perverfe and difobedient, to a willing Heart; in our A<^ions, from Obedience to, Sin in the Lu- ilings of it, to Obedience to the Laws of Righte- oufnefs ^ and then that God who is immutable will therefore be difpofcd to accept our Perfons and Performances, becaiife he unchangeably is willing to do good to his Friends, and to Ihew Kindnefs to every Soul that truly .doth ^defire, and uprightly endeavour, to love and fervc him. When I con- fidered thofe Texts of Scripture which represent God to lis as repenting of, or forbearing to exe- cute, the Evil denounced againft a Nation, or a fingle Perfon, I fhew'd you that his Repentance did not import a Change in him, but only in the Perfons threatned; and that this was immutably his Purpore,vvhen he threatned,to fufpend the Ex€- qution of it upon the Reformation of the Sinner: for all his Threatnings are certainly deflgn'd in his •firii Litention.to awaken Sinners by the Terror of the Lord, and to engage them to defill: from the Evil of their Ways, and turn unto him. Seeing then the Sinner could have no Inducement to this Reformation, without fome hope of Pardon and Exemption from the Evil threatncd, upcrf that Pvcformation •, God's Judgnients muft be de- nounced againll'the Wicked, whilft God continues him under the Day of Grace, with a referve of Mercy for thi Penitent: For were it otherv, ife they ^:r)md cladT ^vith the chief Defign of thefe his ^Ihie.its ^\\^ with ail his Promifefi of Pardon to 82 Of the Jnribuf^s of G 0 D. the Penitent. But then this very attribute of God's Unchangeablenefs,for the fame Reafon^muft alTure us, that his Threats of everlafting Punilh- ment will certainly be executed on all who die in their Iniquity •, for they have wholly lofl: their firft and falutary Delign upon all thofe who are incapable of repenting. They therefore are in that fixed State in which no Change can be fuppofed to be wrought on them, which fhould induce God to (hew Mercy to them. If then God may remit to them the threatned Evil , it muft be either by a Change m him who is immutable in his ha- tred of Sin, and in his Faithfiilnefs to his Word*, orby a fecret Intention in him not to inflid what he doth threaten ♦, and then his infinite Wifdom muft carry on his great Defigns by abuling Mens Credulity, and fearing them with Fears of what he never did intend to do unto 'them. When God AiA threaten thefe tremendous Judgments, his Truth and his Sincerity engage us to believe hefpake what he did really purpofe, if no Repen- tance intervened to prevent the threatned Judg- ments *, thefe Threats being plain Declarations of what our righteous God will do unto the Difo- bedient, that he will come in flaming Flre^ to take Vengeance upon all that obey not his Gofpel ; and of what the Impenitent Hiall fuffer, that (s) theyjlialt go away i?no eternal Punijhment *, and (t) that they fiafl be pjimflyed with eternal DeftruEl ion from the Pre- fence of the Lord, This fea^et Will muft there- fore plainly be repugnant to God's reveal'd Will, and therefore muft fuppofe in God two contra- ry Wills, and fo a Mutability in the Divine Will. Moreover, to fay that fuch a fecret Intention may be in. God notwithftanding thefe Declara- 0) Mar. 25-. 4^. (/) ThefT i. 7, «- tions Vol. I. Of the Immutahility of GOD. 85 tions to the contrary, is in great Meafure to en- ervate even the primary Intention of thefeThreats, vItl* the deterring the Sinner by the Conlldera-; tion of the Greatnefs and Duration of them, from a Continuance in his Sin *, for if that Intentior. may be in God, it may be his Will not to inflid v/hat he hath threatned to the Sinner*, and fo much hopes as you give the Impenitent Sinner^ that he may efcape eternal Punifhment, fo much Encouragement you give him to continue ftill^ and even die in his Impenitency ^ and fo far you elude the great Defign of all thefe Threats, and the molt powerfiil Reftraints from a Coxriinilance in the ways of Sin. Laftly, 'Either God may in Juflice infiid upon fuch wicked Men the Punifh- ment which he hath threatned, or it muil beun^ jull in God to execute on them the judgment written, i. e. the Punifhment he hath denounc'd againlt them in his Word of Truth. If it be unjuft to execute thefe Punilhments upon impeni- tent Sinners, either we cannot be obliged to be- lieve that Word in which thefe Threatnings are contain'cl, or elfe an Obligation muit lie upon us to believe that God will ad unjuilly. if God in J\ill:ice may infiidt thefe Punifnraents upon the Wicked, than what can move him not to do, what by his Thre^taing he hath engag'd his Truth to do? Or how can he do this but by an act of Mercy to them (n) who p^ll have Judgment ti^'trhaut Mercy ^ faith the Scripture^ and to whom, iiothing can Tcm^imj . (w) but .fearful looking for of Judgment ^ and by referving them from periflnng. bf whom^..our Judge hath fud, (x) Except ye re-, irat ye JJ}^i!l all periff} y and by remiiTion of the Sins- of lis^ Impenitent,' witliout ^n Intereft in the ■O'/am. 2-;i. (») tlsb.j.io, 27. fx) Luke 13.5. > -a i BI06 J §4 Tie Af tributes of GOD, Blood fhed for the Remifliou of Sins ? Oh then th^t ihis Cojilideratiou may engage us all to com- ply with .the ^.rft and the nioft falutary Defign of theie moll dreadful Threatnings, vli,. to de- a^ from the Evil of our ways, that fo Iniquity iBay not he oisr Ruin ^ and to repent, that fo OUT Sins may be blotted out, and we may find Mercy in that Day, Sdly-j Xs God unchangeable in his Nature, At- tributes, andCounfels? This is a ftrong Encou- Tagement to continue firm 'm our Obedience to Mm ^ or^ in the Words of the Apoftle, (y) to he fiedfaf}^ immoveable^ always .ahovndlng in the toork of the LorL For, as I have obferv'd already, all God's Projnifes of fpirkual Bleflings to the Righteous, depend on this Condition that they continue fo to "be:; and therefore whllft they continue fo, they cannot doubt, but that this Giver of every good and prfeBGlft^ with whom is no Variation or Shadow of Ckmge^ will ilill be ready to give thefe Gifts to them who duly ask, and who are fitted to receive them, nor will he ever be wanting in his Grace and Favour to them that love them. For (tl) he win give Grace And Glory^ and no good thing will he •mth hold from them that live a godly Life, But then he cannot engage himfelf to continue his Blef- fliigs to the Righteous Man, though afterwards (a) he dehorns frem his Right eotifnefs ^nd committer^,'! Iniqmy^ and doth according to the Abominations of the Wicked, for this is contrary to his ex- prefs Declaration, that all his Rightcoufnefs fia/l not be ri5memh/£d^ hut in his Sin fldall he die ; 'tis contra- ry to the Purity of the Divine Nature, and even to the Conditions of the New Covenant, (incere Obedience^ and Perfeverance Iw it to the End. (;) I Cor. xf. cS, (z) Pfal. 84. j i. (a) Ezek. 18. ?.4. Let Vol.1. Of the Inmuuxhitity of G 0 D. Sj Let us then by (h) faticnt Continuance in we/lr^sis^ feek for Glory^ and for Immortality^ and tho. URx;h3nge- able Fidelity of God will yield iis firm Aflbrance of our future Happinefs •, (c) for he that endvreth to the endjljau he favcd. 4-thlyj TheUnchangeab-lenefsof Godwin^ mim^ fter ftrong Confolation to us in all the Changes. of the World ^ for wlwtever they may be, God will (d) be good to Ifrael^ to them that are true hear- ted: Their Ex'pe(^acion relies on the unchangea-- ble Goodnefs and Fairhfiilnefs^ of tfrat God', aE whofe Promifes are yea and Amen^ fure and cer- tain in Chrift Jefus. Whether we look without us, or within us, we can find no true ground of Comfort or Confidence in any other Thing> Witk-- out us we can find nothing bat what is fubjed unto Change, Men are inconftant, and given tc* change as their Circumftances or Opinions^ or In- terelts. do vary i and he that trnlleth in INIaa tmiU eth to a flitting Creature, ivhofe Breath is in hi$. No fir Us : Our Riches are vncertain Riches y a-nd fo we ought not, faith St. Paid^ (c) ta truft in them^, hut in the living God-^ infiniiating, that he alone who lives for ever can be the true Foimdatiou of his Comfort, who mult live for ever. If wc look within us, we ftiall find, that we arc fiibjcct to great Mutability v we are in a perpetual pro- greflive Change from Youth to old Age, froin Health to Sicknefs, from Life to Death ^ hwt ftiil our God will be the fame (f) TefierA-y^^ and to Day^ and for ever. His Afix:ftion to his faith- ful Children will be flill the fame, his Promifes the fame : He will not leave us when v^e are Old, nor forfake us when our Strength faileth C^) Rom i. 7. (f) Mar 2^. i j. {it) PuK 7j *« («} I Tim. 6. .7. (/) Hcb. i5.9« G 5 US 86 The Attributes of G 0 D. us, (g) But when our Fiefh and our Heart jJjall fail :iSf he will be then the Strength of our Hearty dnd our Portion for ever. When the Agonies of Death do feize us, and the great Change is coming upox*i us. (h) He wi^ be then our God for ever^ and our (I aide vnto Death j (i) He •will then guide us by his Counfel^ and after that receive us unto Glory, So hap- py is the Man whofe God is the Lord. Cs) Ffal. 73. 26. {h) Ffal.48. 14. (/; Pfal. 7?. ^8. OF Vol I. S7 O F T H E Omnipre fence of GOD. SERMON I. PsAL. CXXXIX, 7, 8- Whither /ball I go from thy frefence ? If I ciimh uf into Heaven^ Thou art there. GO D's Prefence in the Holy Serif tttre doth import three things. I. His Majeflatick Prefence in a bright Light, or with an Hoft of Angels^ calFd hy the Jews Shechlnahy the Habitation \ becaufe God dweftetb in Lights and the Glory of the Cord: Becaufe when this Light fhone forth, it gave them notice of the Prefence of his Glorious Majefty in fomc extraor- dinary manner. Thus in that Vifion of the Prophet Daniel (^), the Amicnt of Days did ft-, his Tyrone was like fiery Flame ^ and his Wheels as h turning Fire ^ a ftream of Fire did iffue from before him-, thotifands of thou fail ds mifjifired to hini^ and ten thcu-larrd times ten thoufand flood before him. Thus God appeared on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law ; (h) for then the Lord came horn Sinai, and rofe t^p from A^omit Scir to them : He fliincd forth frcyn Moimt paran : He {it) Chap. 7. p, ic (h) Df^ur. 33. ■». G 4 fame S8 rhe Attributes of GOD. came with ten thoufand of his Holy Ones •, from his Right J-Und Cdme a fiery Law for them. That he was there attended with an Holl of Angels we learn from thefe words of the Pfabmf^y The Chariots of Cod are (c)twcnty thoufand even thoufands ofJngcbyand (d) the Lord was among them as in Sinah ^ and h^nce the Law is faid to be given by the Hand or Difpofiti- tionof (f) Angels^ and is itilcd the (/) wordfpoken by. Angels^ becaufeGod made fome of th^m his Mi- nilters to form that Voice by which the Law was given to them. He appeared alfo there in a bright fhining Cloud, or flame of Fire, as in thofe words, (g) The Glory of God abode on Mount Sinai, arid the Sight of the Glory of God xvas like devouring Fire j and the People ieeing this Symbol of the Divine Prefence fay thus, (h) The Lord God h'ath fljewed us his Glory\ and we have heard his Voice out of the midfl of the Fire ', and by feeing of this Fire they are faid to fee God. And h^nce faith God of Mofes^ (i) I will fpeak to him -^A^outh to Mouth f, or as one prefent with him, (k) andlthe Similitude ^ i.e. tIm o%^av yivpii^^ The Glory of the Lord fliall he behold ^ and becaufe being not contented with this Symbol of God's Pre- fence with them, they made a golden Calf*, tiiey are laid to (J) change their Glory into the Similitude of a Calf that eat eth hay j and becaufe this Symbol of his Prefence was alfo given to the Gentiles before the Law, they by reprefenting him by a corporeal Image are faid to change, T'he Glory of the incorruptible God, into an Image made like to CGrruptihle Mauy and to. Birds and fourfooted Beajls and creeping things-^ Rom, 1.23. Now ia this Senfe God is frequently faid CO Pra!.6S. 17. {i) Aftsy.^a. (O Gal. 3. 19. ( f) Heb.2.2. (g) Lev.i4.. 16. ('iB)Dt'ut.5.22. (0 ^xcd. I0i 12, {k) Numb. 12. 8. (1) Pfal. 106.20. to Vol. I. Of the Omniprefence of GOD. 89 to dwell on high^ and Heaven is {tiled his Throne and Dwelling •, and he is [aid to fit in Heaven^ be- caufe he dwelleth there In Light imccejfible^ and hath the Holy Angels (landing there before his Face continually : This being therefore, faith St. Jude^ the Prefence of his Glory, and in this Senfe the Pfalmifi faith {m) in thy Prefence there is fid?jefs ofJ.oy ^ the (ri) Arch-Arigel-t I ayn Gabriel that fland in the Prefence of God ^ and the Apoftle, that (0) Chrifi is entrcd i?no Heaven now to appear in the Prefence of God for vs. liy. We have in Scripture mentiou of God's fpecial and extraordinary Prefence, viz,, when he is prefent to exert his Power, or give fome other vifible Demonftration of his Providence towards the Sons of Men ^ and this is ftiled his providen- tial Prefence, and thus he is prefent I. In way of judgment to chailife the Sinner: Thus when Pharaoh and his Holl followed the Jf- raelites into the Red Sea, (p) 77?^ Lord looked thro^ the Pillar ofFire^ and the Cloudy and troubled the Hoft of the Egyptians^ and took off their Chariot-wheelsj viz. by Thunder and Lightning and Hail-ftones com- ing out of the Cloud to terrify and diforder them, and to break the Wheels of their Chariots, as the Pfalm':ft feemeth to inform us ^ for having faid that God Qf) Redeemed his People out of i^gypt with a mighty Arm^ V. 15. & ver. \6. that the Wa- ters faw him^ and were afraid^ and the Depths were troubled^ i. e. the Waters of the Red Sea retreated to make a Way for thy People to pafs thro' them, as if they had been afraid at thy Prefence, v. 16. He adds, but as for the ^AEgyptians that follow'd them, the Clouds poured out Water ^ the Skies fent out (m) rfi'. 16. 11. [(7!) Luke i. 19. 0) Heb. 9.2:;. 35. (h) Levir. 14. 14. (i) Pfal. 77'i5« iS, ^u The Anributes of G 0 D, a Sound-, i.e. a terrible Storm of Raia and Thunder upon them, and thine Arrows or Hall- ftones went abroad among them^ ver; 17. The Voice of thy Thunder was in the Heavens^ the Lightnings ^afhing their Faces lightned the World, ver. iS. Thus alfo when he executed that tre- mendous Judgment on Corah^ Dathan and Abiram^ (r) 71?^ Glory of the Lord appeared to alt the Congrega- tion ; and ver' 3 5 . There came out a Fire from the Lord and con fumed the 250 Men that offered In- cenfe-, in aUufionto which the^(j) Pfalmifl faith, A Fire was kindled in their Company ^ the Flame burnt -up the ungodly. And thus God reprefents himfelf to his own People as one that went before them as a confuming Fire to dellroy their Enemies, whillb they obey'd him. As in thefe Words, (f) The Lord thy God is he whogoeth over Jordan before Thee as a con'- filming Fire J he piall defiroy them^ and he jhall bring them down before thy Face, But tO COnfume them feeing difobedient, Take heed to your felves left you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God^ and makt you a graven hucige^ for the Lord thy God is a confum- ing Fire^ andajeaious God: And to deter the Chrifti- ans from the like Tranfgreflions, the Apoftle fpeaks thus to them, (w) Let us have Grace whereby we may fcrve God acceptably in reverence and godly Fear^ for our God is a confuming Fire ^ and of this Prefence thePfalmifi fpeaketh when he faith, (x) My Ene^ ■mies jJjall perifJj at thy Vr e fence ^ and as wax melteth be- fore the Fire *, (^) So let the Wicked per if j at thy Vre- fence^ 0 God. 2. This Prefence is more ft-equently mention'd ill a way of Mercy, and favour to his People. It is highly probable that he who required Services, (r) Numb. 16. 19. (v) Pfal 106. 18. (f) Deut, 15. (a) D-ut. 4,255!J^. (n>) H£:m2.28,z9. ("xj Pfai. and Vol.1. Of theOmnifrefenceof GO D. 9I and received Sacrifices from Men from the begin- ning, gave 'em fome vifible Token ol his Prcfence with them, when they met to fervc him. Thus when Cain and Abel brought their Offerings to the Lord,that is to the place where his Shcchinah or glo- rious Prefence ufcd to appear ^ God, faith the^^jo- ftle^ teftified to Abel^ (2:) T})at he accepted of his Gift ; that is, faith Theodotius^ kvi'Trpimy God confumed his Sacrifice by Fire from Heaven ^ and had not he done fo, how could he have known that God ac- cepted of his Sacrifice ? and had not God thus ufual- ly appeared at the Place of Worfhip , Why doth Cain fay, (a) From thy Face Jljall I be hid F Or why is he; faid toga out of the Tre fence of the Lord^ he being as to his Eflence every where prefent ? Thus after the Flood he appeared to Abraham^ when he faid to him, Qi) Get thee out of thine own Country : For then the Divine Shechinah appeared to him as a Lamp of Fire^ and pafTmg thro' the Pieces, confum- ed them in Token of bis acceptance of his Sa- crifices. When Aaron came out of the Taberna- cle to blefs the People, (t) TIjc Glory of the Lord appeared unto all the People^ and there came a Fire $ut from before the Lord^ and confumed vpon the Altar the Burnt -offering and the Fat^ in token of God's ac- ceptance of the Miniftry of Aaron^ and of the eftablifhrnent of his Authority. And when David offered Burnt-Offerings and Be ace-Offerings to make Atonement for his Sin in numbring the People, God, to teftify his acceptance of it, anfwered him from Heaven (^) by Fire upon the Altar of Bumt-cffer- h}g> When Solomon offered Burnt-offerings and Sa- crifices at the Dedication of the Temple, the Lord, to tcflify his acceptance of his Prayer then (^)Heb. II. 4. (^) Gen. 4. 14, '6. (Z-) Gen. 15. 17. O Lev. 9.23, 2j, (/) iChron, 21. 26. made, 92. The Attributes of GOD. made, (^) fent Fire down from Heaven-, and confu^ med the Sacrifices and the hvrnt Offering \ and \yj this Siga (/) Elijah turn d the Hearts of the Peo- ple to the Lord, by calling down Fire from Hea- ven to confiime his burnt Sacrifice: Accordingly the Pl'ayer of the Jews for King David runneth thus, (^) The Lord remember all thy Offerings^ and mm to Ajl^es thy burnt Sacrifice ^ and becaufe this Fire ufually came down at the time of the Even- ing Sacrifice, he prayeth thus, Qj) Let my Fray* er come before thee as Jncenfe^ and the lifting vp of my Hands as an Evening Sacrifice, And tho' God is not prefent now in the Aflemblies of his Saints in fuch a vifible and extra,ordinary Majiner as then he was •, yet have we ftill fuflicient Reafon to exped liis gracious- Prefence by the effedual Operation of his Word and Spirit, opening the Hearts of fome to attend to the Word preach'd to them, as in the Cafe of L^^/^, Ads i6. 14. raifmg up ftrong Con- victions of their Sin in others,, and pricking them for it ta the Hearty as St. Percy's Sermon cUd the Jews^ A6:s 2. 37- and fb becoming to them a. Sa- viour of Life unto Life J 2 Cor. 2. i5. our Lord ha- ving promifed,, That where two or three were ga- thered together in his Name^ and for his Service,, there would he be in the mldf ofthcm^ Mat. 1 8. 19,20* And that he would be with his Minifters, teaching the Things he had commanded^ always to the end of the Worldy Mat. 28. 20. And St. Paul having af- fored us, that when he afcended ivp on High, he (rave fome to 1)0 Apofles^ fome Prophets^ fome F.vm- gellffs-i fome Pafors^, and Teachers^ for the perfeHrlng of the Saints '^ for the Work of the Adhilfry 'y for the edifying of the Body of Chrlfl^ till we all come in ths. Vnlty of the Faith ^ and of the Knowledge of the Son- of (e) 2 Chron. 7. 1. (/; 4 Rings iS-a?' fe) PfaU20.3.. {h) Pfdl. 14 r. 2. Gody Vol.1. OftheOmniprefence^fGOD. 9^ - a) Pfal. 5. 7, (b) Jonah 2. 4. (f) Lev, 22. 22. (i)?i. Earth. Vol. I. 0/ the Ommprefence of G 0 D. 99 Earth. And as God was in Scnpturc faid to lit> and dwell between the Cheruhlms^ tho' he dwelt alfo in the whole Temple, and the Holy City, and amidft his People throughout the Holy Land ; be- jcaufe his Glory there appeared, and there his Ma- jefty was reprefented as furrounded with \\\sHoly Mgels ^ fo in like manner may God be faid to dwell in Heaven, tho' he be pitfent with his Servants here on Earth, and be invifibly diffufed through- out all the World, bccaufe the higheft Heavens are the place where he dwells in Light inacceffible, and is incircled with the Hbft of Angels. More- 0ver,the Holy Ghoft faw fit to ufe thefe Reprefenta- tions of the Divine Majefty as having his Throne and Royal Palace in the Heavens, and difpenling all his Favours from this heavenly Court, in ailunou to the Thrones,Palaces and Courts of the great Ea- fiem Monardjs. (i.) The more lively and fenfibly to exprefs his Majefty, and Glory, and his Domi- nion over all. So Jehoflmphat ?irgues^ (^f)OLord our God. art not thou God in Hearoen-^ and rvlefl not thoit over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen ? For he that fitteth on fuch a Glorious Throne, and ruleth in the Circuit of the Heavens, mull fare be ex'cel- lent in Majelly, and his Dominion mult be an- fvverable to his Greatnefs. Hence, faith the Vfd- mift^ (g) The Lord hath prepared his Throne in HeAven-i his Kingdom ruleth over alL And therefore we owe unto him the moft religious Fear and Re- verence, and molt ex'ad Obedieuce : (/;) for great is the Lord^ and greatly to be praifed^ he 2s to be feared above all Gods. 2. To beget in us deep ImprelTions of his^ Al- mighty Power. So again Jehojlmphat addrefles to him, An not thi)uGod InHcwen^ and in thy hand is there not Povoer and A'fiirht ^ So that none is able to if) t Chron.' 20. 5. (^) Pfal, 103. 19^ (r) Pfal 96 4, H :i ^^-f^j- lOO The Attributes of G 0 D. wlthfldnd Thee, So ao;ain, PfaL ii%, ^, Our God IS in the Heaven^ he hath done whatever ^leafed him j and this, even in the Judgment of a wicked King, fhould engage al! Men (J) to fear and tremble before this God^ whofe Power none is able to with- Itand* to place our humble Confidence in him,who is able to do for us above all that we can ask and thiiik J and faithfully to ferve him, who is Co able to reward us with the highcll and mod lafting Bleffings. 3. To reprefent unto us his Omnifcience, by which he fitting in Heaven, beholdeth all that is done upon the Earth, {k) The Lord's Throne is in Heaven^ he beholdeth all the Sons of Men^ he con- Jidereth all their ways. And this fhould teach us Sincerity, and a Regard both to our Thoughts and Words, at all times, but more efpecially m our Addrefies to him, (/) I have kept thy Precept^ and thy Tejiimoniesj faith David^ for all my ways are be* fore Thee. 4c To in2;age us to imitate his Purity and Holi- nefs^and raifcus up toHcavenly-mindcdnefs and Pu- rity of Heart, he dwelling in that high and holy Place into which no -unclean thing enters : So Mofes prays, {in) Look down from thy holy Habitation from Heaven^ and blefs thy People. Hence is he filled («) The High and Lofty one^ who inhabiteth Eternity^ whofe Name is holy^ and this fhould teach -us to he holy^hecaufe the Lord our God is holy. Objecl-.2. God is in Scripture faid to defcend^to come unto us, and to depart from us : Now if he were always upon Earth, how could he then defcend from Heaven ? if he were always with us, how could he properly be Hud to come to, or depart from us ? (0 Dan. 6. 26. Cm J Deur. 26. 15. (k) PCal 11. 4. (n} Iia <,-. i- (/) Pfal, 119. 168. u4nfW' Vol.1. Of the Omnif referee of G 0 D, loi jinfw. This Objcdion is anfvvered from theCoiili- deration of the fecond Notioa of God's Prefencc, inention'd in the beginning of this Difcourfe ^ ac- cording to which, God is faid to dcfcend from Hea- ven not by local Defccnt, or quitting Heaven ; but only by a Manifeftation of himfeif on Earth. Thus when it is fiiid that God (o) came down to fee the City^ a-ai thcTower ^/ Babel, /kChaldec thus ex- plains it, the Lord came down to take Vengcam^ on the Builder i of it :' And when it is fiid, (p) / mil ^o down to fee the cry of Sodom, 1 will appear to judge them, fiith the Chaldee. So God faith to Mofes^ (jf) I am come down to deliver my People out of the ' hands of the Obj, 3. It is objeded that it feems repugnant to Reafon to conceive God prefent in the moft filthy jflaces, and even in Hell with the very Devils. ^ AnfiTK The former Objedions were taken from thofe Expreffions, in which God is pleafed to fpeak of himfelf after the manner of Men : but this is grounded on Mens Conceptions of him, as of one of them. For otherwife, why fhould we think it inore repugnant to his fpiritual Eifence to be pre- fent in the mofl fordid Place5,or with the viieft Per- fons, than for his Knowledge and his Power to be converfant about them. There's not an KPd- on fo filthy, but he fees and knows it, and Ids V.o'i^^x h oft concerned about it, and fo his Ellence mufl be prefent with it ^ and therefore 2,^/7, We have good reafon to conceive, that God is prefent in thofe places, becaufe of the Effects that are pro- duced there, which are all Inftances of his great (0 Exod, 10.24. (t) Pfal. 145.18. &46 i, («) PfaL ^2, 1. & 10. lo (2^) pfal. 73;. 23. (x) Prov. 15. 29. Vol. I. Of the Omniprefence of GOD. i o j Wifdom and his Power. For doth not his Blefllng make the Fruit of the inceftuous and adulterous Womb ? Are not many living Creatures produced in thofe places, which are all framed by his Wif- dom ? Were not he prefent with the evil Spirfe to reftrain them \ his Servants might well dread their Malice. Were not he prefent with his Ser- vants when they are caft: into a loathfbm Dun^ geon, and their Feet fink into the Mire \ they would be deftitute of their bed ground of Com- fort in that Cafe. In a word, nothing is filth)'' in the Eye of God, but Sin : and if he can endure to be prefent where that is committed, which is the abominable thing which he hatesj jer. 44. 4». Sure he can endure that which is only loathfom to our outward Senfes. And 3^/y, This Objedion flicws. That we have low and mean Conceits of God^ as if his Majefty were capable of being wrought up.- on,afre(fled with, and even defiled by, thcfe Things; or that he is obnoxious to Injury and Diflurbance, as we are from the Prefence of thofe Perfbns we diflike, or from the evil Adions we behold ; or had a Nofe, or other Senfes as we have, which might be offended with the Stench, or Filthinefs; of Things about him : Whereas he is indeed in- capable of any PaHions •, nor can he be hurt by any of our Adions , for if we be wkhd^ h^ h not thf! fforfe ^ his pure and fpiritual Nature can adwAt of no Defilement from any of his Creatures, and why then may we not conceive him as well preient to a Dung-hill as a Palace, cjuantum p^tas nm^ura Soils Deo inferior eflj &:c. How im^pure, faith Cyfri^m^ is the Sun in Comparifon with the fpiritual Nature of God ? And yet its Rays receive no Filth md no Pollution from the Duag-hiil i^.pou v;hkh it ihines. H 4 S E R' 104 SERMON II. PsAL, CXXXIX. 7, 8. Whither flj all I go from thy frefence ? If I climb uf into Heaven y Thou art there, 'AND having thus conflrm'd the Truth of /\ God's Omnipref^nce, I proceed to fhew the JL Jl Neceflity which lies upon us to believe it, and the Ufe we fhould make of it. Concerning the Kecefllty of believing it, note ' ly?. That it fcems abfolutely neceflary to Salva- tion to believe, that God is prefent throughout all the World, either by his eflential Prefence, or by vertue of his Knowledge and his Power. TJieRea- fon is, becaufe the Foundation of all pradical Re- iigiqn depends upon it. We could not have fufii- cient Motives to deter us from Sin, did we not heartily believe, that wherefoever we do venture to commit it, his Eye doth fee it ^ and wherefo- ever we are, his Hand can reach us, his Power, can punilh it. We could not have iuft Reafon to place our Truft and Confidence in him at all Times, and in all Places, unlefs we heartily be- lieved, that wherefoever we may be imprifon'd *, or hovvfoever we may be a (hided, his Eye difr cerns the Mifery we are fubjcct to *, and his Power is able to fupport us under it, and to deliver us Qat of ^11 our Troubles. X^e Denial of this is in, effect' Vol. I. Of the Omnifrefence of GOD. lo^ effea the Denial of God's Providence- for if bii Knowledge, and his Power doth not reach to ad places, how can he govcn all Things both in Hei ven and Earth? idly^ I think that Opinion the trueil and fafelt: to beheld, which aflerts, that God is everywhere prefent, not only by virtue of his Power anci Knowledge, but alfo of his EfTence^ or that he doth not only know what is done every where, and how to order all Things by his Power in all Places, but that his Efience alfo is diffhfed through- out all Plapes. i. Becaufe it is inconceiveable how any thing fliould a(^ where it is not ♦, or that God's Power or Knowledge fhould really be di- ftinguilh d from his Efience : Whence it hath paf- fed into a Rule among Divines, that c^Mccjvid efi in Deo^ efi iffe Dciis. 2. Becaufe this Doclrine feems more to favour that Dodrine of his over- ruling Providence, which is a fundamental of Re- ligion J for it feems not difficult to believe, that a God prefent with them, fiiould know and govern all Things ^ but if we Ihould confme his Prefence to the Heavens, we may be tempted to conceive, with the Philofophers of Old, that his Providence alfo is confined to it, and that the Earth is go- vern'd only by Angels^ (a) thofe Mlniflers of his that do his Pleafure ^ and s^/y. We cannot poffibly con- ceive, according to this Opinion which confines the Divine Nature to the Heavens, how Chrifi^ as to his Human Nature, could be united to the God- head, whilft he was on Earth, feeing, according to this Opinion, the Godhead only is in Hea- ven. ^dly>y I add, that thougli the contrary Opinion feems Erronious, yet would I not condemn all -^hofe, who out of Reverence to Almighty God, io6 The Attributes of GOD. can not believe that he is prefent in the mofl for- did Places ^ and therefore think that he is prefent in fuch Places only by his Power and Knowledge. For onr great Objcdion againft this Opinion is. That it is inconceiveable how God fhould ad ei- ther by his Power or Wifdom, where he is not by his Eflence •, whereas we do and mull acknow- ledge, that it is inconceivable how a fpiritual Be- ing fhould be difFufed thro' the World, idly^ The Opinion of God's virtual Prefence in all Places, is all that can be neceflary for the concerns of Piety^ and of Religion^ and fo as much as can be necefla- ry to be believed in order to Salvation. For what can further be required to deter Men from Sln^ when they are tempted to commit it, and to en- courage them to the Performance of their Duty ^ and in particular to a continual Dependance upon God, and Expedation of his Help *, but to con- lider that God is throughly acquainted with their Ways, and is as able to execute his Wrath upon them for their Sins, as if he were effentially pre- fent with them, and that he doth as certainly approve of, and is as able to reward, their^ Ser- vices^ to affift them in all Streights and Difficul- ties *, preferve them from their Enemies :^ to hear and anfwer all their Prayers, as if he were im- mediately prefent with them. ISvOW this Doctrine is profitable for Informa- tion, and Inftrudion, . for Exhortation, and for Confolation. And i/, Is this the property of God to be pre- fent every wliere? Then i. We may be hence aP Hired, that he is alfo Omnifjient. Even Men and Angels^ tho' they did neither make, nor do pre- ferve us, can know what's done whiill they are prefent, and behold our Actions : and fhall not then the God of Heaven, who is ilill prefent with us, and views the Secrets of our Hearts^ be able to Vol.1. Of the Omnifrefeme of GOD, 107 to perceive what's fpoken, and done, and what's conceived in thofe Hearts which are his Handy- w^ork ? Shall not he do it, in whom we llve^ and move-, and have our Being ? Surely there's not a Thought ftarts up within us, but mull be vifible to him who is fo intimately prefe^it with us: Not an Adion can be done in Secret, with re- fped to him, from whom nothing is abfent, no- thing lies conceal'd. Hence doth God argue thus, (h) Cm any hide himfclf in Secret that I flmll not fee him'f who f II Heaven and Earth? Of this the Tfal- mift here takes Notice, when he makes this Infe- ferenc^ from God's Prefence with him, Thou know- ^ my Thoughts long heforj, 2dly^ Hence we may be aiTured of his Provi- dence, that he obferves, regards and orders the Adions of all Men. No Child will be fo Toolifh as to think that a wife Parent cares not what he faith or doth, whilft he is prefent vnth him , and can we think, that be who is thus prefent with our Hearts, can be regardlefs of the Motions of them ? That he who is ftill prefent to behold thy A<^ions, lliould take no Notice of them ? That he who is all Ear to hear thy Words, will not obferve the Falfhood, Blafpheray, and the Prophanenefs of them ? If thou didft fee God prefent with thee, thou would ft not doubt of this : Why therefore ihouldft- ihou do it when Scripvre-^ Reafon, and Tradition tell thee this is fo ? ' S^/y, tlence alfa we may learn, that God is Incomprehenhble, that being the Ufe the Tfalrr.ift makes of this Ailcrtioa^ ior verc^ 5. he faith. Thou haft befet me behind a^jd; before. And v. 7. enquires. Whither flj all Igafroifi thy. J^refin^el and ver. 6. he confeileth, fifch linowkdg^ is toe^ excelfentfcr me ; it is bigh^ 4 camjot ^tj^ain tmo^ it ; ^ici chis is evident {h} ler. ^3, ^4, *' ' from io8 The Attributes of GOD. from our Experience^ for 'tis not in our Power to conceive how any thing which is fpiritual, and hath no Parts, fhould be diffufedthro' the World : And, 4f/?/y. Hence we may conclude that Chrift is God, becaufe he Hands engaged by his Promife to be with his People always, wherever they may be difperfed thro' the whole World, faying, (c) Lo J am with you always ^ for fince the Scripture doth afTure us he is afcended into Heaven, and fat down at the right ha?id of God ^ and yet he hath declar- ed he will be with us here on Earth ^ we may conclude, that he fills Heaven and Earth ; as, when he w^as on Earth, hG was (d) flill in Heaven?. 2. The Confideration of God's Prefence may be improved as a mod powerful Reflraint from Sin, and an inducement to Obedience and holy Walk- ing tqw^ards God, and the Performance of our Duty with the grcateft Diligence, Sincerity and Zeal. The Afoflh hath comprifcd the whole Syftem of the Chriftiam Duty under thefe two Heads, viz., (e) 'The De}?lal of all Vngodlinefs and worldly Luflsy and the Obfervance of Sobriety towards our felves, of Charity and juftice to our Neighbour, and of Devotion towards God. Now, i/?. The Confideration of God's Prefence with iiSg is a molt powerful Inducement to depart from all Vngodlinefs and worldly Lvfts. The devout Cajfian relates a Story of a pious Man, who being dehr ous to reclaim two Harlots^ went to one of them pre- tending a Defire to enjoy her, provided he might be fecuvc to do it fecretly :, whereupon fhe leads him into a fecret Apartment, where (he told him fhe was fare that having lock'd the Door, no Per- fon could be privy to their Adioas. Stay, faith the good Man, have you Ihut cut God, who is to be onr Judge, and who hath threatned Damnation to this ■I i« < * ■ ■. ■ I « II ' III' ■!" ■!«■ » ■ la 11 — . .i» (tr; Matt. 2i. 20. CO John 3.13. (e) Tit. 1. 15. Sin • Vol. I. Of theOmnifrefence of GOD. 109 Sin ? And this fuprizing Qiieftion ftartlcd her, and made her fee her Folly *, and indeed this is the ve- ry Argvimentthc Scripture ufeth to reftrain Men from this damning Sin. (f) Why wilt thou my S072 he ravified with aflanige Woman j fcci?jg the ways of a Alan are be- fore the Lord J and he ponder eth all his Goings. He goes CO the Other, pretending aDcfire to enjoy her in the open Street, or in the Market-place. What, fiith fh€, do you think 1 am mad to let all the Town fee me do it? would not the Magiftrate pu- nifh, and my Friends abhor me, and all People cry out fhame upon me ? The good Man anfwered. If thefe Confiderations can reftrain you from the Pub- lick Pradicc of this Lewdnefs, Why fhould not the Confideration of that God who is to be your Judge, and will more certainly condemn you for it, reftrain you from the fecret' Pradice of it ? for will not his Holinefs, Juftice and Faithfulnefs, oblige him to exclude fuch impure Perfons from his Kingdom? Will nothecaufean everlafting Shame to fall upon them at that Day, when what is now a Secret, will be laid open to the Eye of Men and Angels ? and is it not exceedingly more dreadful to fall into his hands, who will deftroy both Soul and Body in Hell-fire^ than into the hands of the fevereit earthly Magiftratc ? Now feeing all our Works are done, our Words are fpoken, our Thoughts con- ceived, in the Prefence of that God w^ho hath reveal- ed his Wrath again ft all Vnrighfeoiifnefs of Men^ who will bring every Thovght and idle Word into judgment t, and deal with all Men according to their Works ^ thefe Motives do as much oblige us to abftain from every other Sin, whether of Thought, Word or Deed, as from Uncleanefs and LafciVioufnefs. To this end let us, 2. Confider how we deport our felves tow^ards il) Prov. <. 2c,«i, tlvofe 1 1 o The Attribates of G 0 D. thofe earthly Magiftirates,wh6 are both able and en° dined to panilh the wilful Violaters of their Laws. Would any Alalefadors dare to offend them, if they were fure to be detected, and to becondemnM to Punilhment, and that no Power could fecure them from fufferiag what the Law did threaten? Seeing then it is impoflible that we fliould violate the Laws of God before his Face, and in his Prefence, and he ihould not know it, and as impoffible that he fhould look upon oiir Iniquity without the greatelt Deteltation *, feeing his Purity, his Truth and Ju- nice oblige him to execute his Wrath upon the Sinner, provided his Repentance doth not atone, or his Reformation divert the Evil threatned ^ fee- ing he who is {till prefent by his Power, mull be always able to punifh •, nor is there any one who can deliver from his hand j fhould not the Gonfidera- tion of his awful Prefence, lay a more powerful Reftraint upon us from Violation of his holy Laws? efpecially if weconiider, 3. That to Sin thus before his Face and in his Prefence, is a great Aggravation of our Guilt, and renders our Iniquity exceeding fmful. The Royal Pfalmifi diffolved himfelf into Tears, his Heart was pierced, and even broken upon the apprehenfion of his Sin, (g) his Sorrow was continually before him^ and he went mourning all the d^y long i For faith he, againfi thee have I finned and done this Evil in thy Sight* This was the Arrow that lluck faft witliia liim^ and made him roar thro'^ the difquiet of his Heart * And well he might, iince God refents this as a moffc heinous Provocation, and worthy of his molt tre- mendous Judgments, (/?) I will recomfence into their Bofom-y faith the L»rd ) jor ^cis a People that provoke me to my very Face. I will number you to the Sword^ and you jhall all boW down to the Slaughter^ bccaufe {g) Pial. 51,4. (h) Ifa. 56. 6. & ver, 12. Vol. I. Of the Omniprefence of G 0 D. in rvhen I fpahe^ you did not hear^ hut did evil before mine Eyes. For a Man to draw his Sword in fome Kings Palaces is Capital *, what is it then to fpuni againft God in his Prefence, to trample on his Laws before his Face ? How great iniift be the Provoca- tion which fhews that we are wholly void of Shame, of Fear, and Reverence of his Sacred Ma- jefly, and his all-feeing Eye ? for fnre we too ap- parently demonftrate that we do very little reve- rence his Sacred Prefence, or dread his Power and Jiiftice \ and that we even degrade his Maje- fty beneath our Fellow-Creature, when we dare venture to do that under his Eye, and iti his Prefence, which we abftain from doing ia the Prefence of a mortal Man. And as it would be more excu fable for a Child who had done what his Father had forbid, to fay, I did not think you had been there to fee me, than to con- fefs, I did it, tho' I faw you Handing by \ fo were ic better for the Sinner not to believe the Divine Pre- fence, than to go on in the Commiflion of his Sin, tho' he believes him to be prefent with him. Moreover, this Conllderation fhould efpecially re- ftrain us from the Commiflion ofthofe Sins in which Men do more fecurely and unreftrainedly indulge themfelves by reafon of their Privacy. For did we confider with the Tfalmif}^ That God is about our Bedy it would be the Bed undefiled. Did we live in an aw- ful Senfeofthis great Attribute, which doth afllirc us that God is always v;ith us, yea, within us, and infeparable from us, and that our Adlions are only faid to be done fecretly, becaufe no Eye of Man beholds them, no mortal is prefent when we do them, and not to exclude hitn (/) Whofe Eyes are upon all our IVaysj and who fpies out (0 Job 24. 25. ^11 112 The Attributes of G 0 D. all our Paths \ fiire we fliould be concern'd not to do that Provocation in his Prefence, which will in- cenfc that Majefty againll us, who is ftill prefent with us. This would. engage us to cleanfe our Hearts from all Filthinefs, all Rancour, Mal&e, Envy, Pride, impure Thoughts -, this would re- strain us from deviling Mifchief in oiir Hearts, as knowing that thefe things defile it, and render it imfit for the Enjoyment of his gracious Pre- fence, whofe eflential Prefence thou 'canfl not a- void. Well therefore doth the (k) Heathen Arrian advife us, when we enter into our Clofets, not to imagine we are then alone: for o o*-^? ivJiovi^i, God, and your own Confcience is then with you,and they have no need of Light to know what y6u do, nor can t!iey fleep^ or be deceived. And as this Dodrine is ufeful to deter us from the Commiflion of all fecret as well as open Sins,, lb is it alfo proper to affright the Sinner from his evil Courfes, and let him fee how dreadful is his ftate till he hath made his Peace, with God, lince he ftill lives, walks, fleeps in Prefence of that God who hath k^a all his Wickednefs, hath been ex- ceedingly provok'd by it, and who is to the wicked a con[uming Fire ;, yea, in his Prefence who is to be his Judge, and who can in a moment fentence him intoeternai Flames. Doth it not then concern him, whilft it is called to Day, by humble ConfefTion and Self-Gondemnation, by godly Sorrow for his Sins, and fixed Rcfolutions to forfake them, and then by Faith in Je/'w;, who Is the only Propitiation* for our Sins, and by future Reformation, or his hrlng^ ing forth Vndts meet for Refetitance^ to endeavour his Atonement fnould be made before that Wrath go out agaiaft him ? (k) L. I. c. 14. idly^ Vol. I. Of the Omniprefeme of GOD, 1 1^ iMyj This Doctrine affords a powerful Motive to the Performance of our Duty, and that with allilncerity and vigour. To this efFed it is ob- fervable, that what is, in the Hebrew^ to walk.with^ or before, God, is, in the Greekj, ImpzTTKTcti ki'c!>'no¥ djjmto do that which is fleafing in his fight. Thus (0 Er?och walked with God ^^^^■^9'^'^^'^''^ rcoQiZ^ Cr. and this interpretation is confirm'd by {m)Sx.*VauL declaring, that God gave Teflimony that hepleafed him. J will walk before God in the Land of the liv ing^ faith («) David^ ev^pii^]^c^j^ 1 will do what is pieafing in his right while I live., Gr, By which PafTages we learn that then v/ewalk as before God; when the Confideration of his Prefence with us, and his All-feeing Eye upon us, renders us careful to be Hill doing that which is well- pieafing in his fight. 'Twas this made Holy -D^- 'vid fo exad in his Obedience to God's Commands, viz.. That he confidered he was prefent with himj who had requir'd his Obfervance of them ; who obferv'd all his Adions, and with what difpofiti- on of Heart he did perform them ; and who would recompence him according to his Works. (— .. , y..^^ , ,.-^— ^ ■ v... . ■■"•-<' . ■■■ . ...11... .« fi-) Gen. 34. 30. Cf)Rom,4 2i. (i) Gen. 9$ 11, n, and 122 The Attributes of GOD, artd the Land which I gave Abraham and Ifaac, to thee will I give it^ and to thy Seed after thee will I give the Land, Now evident it is, that in all thefe feveral Senfes of the Word, God is Almighty. For, ij?, He is able inftantly to deftroy and bring to nought the Enemies of his Church and People. For feeing the fame Power that made anything, is able to deftroy what he hath made, that God who is the Maker of all things, muft: be able to deftroy the Works of his own Hands. And of the Truth of this, as all Mens Reafon will con- vince them, fo alfo doth that Enquiry of the Book of Wifdom, How could any thing endure^ if it were not thy Will ^ or he preferv''dy if it were not fufiain'd by thee ? Hence doth the Apoflle fay of God the Son, that (e) he fufiaineth all things by the Word of his Power^ and that by him all things do fuhfijl. When therefore God is pleafed to with-hold this Power, they will foon ceafe to be. He therefore being the Original from whence all Power is deriv'd, muft be that God on which it doth entirely depend, and to whom it is fubjed and fubordinate. And therefore, 2flf/y, No Oppofition can be made unto his Power, no Contradidion to his Will, as we learn from thefe words of the Prophet Ifaiah, (/) Th^ Lord of Hofts hath purpofedy and who fjall difanul it i His Hand is firetched out^ and who jJjall turn it back.^ He doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven^ and the Inhabitants of the Earth ^ and none can ft- ay his Hand^ or fay tmto him^ What doe ft Thou? His (g) Power^ faith Jehofaphat^ none can Withftand: From (Jo) his Hand none can deliver and whatfoever he is pUafed to do^ hone can re- f^) Heb. I. 3^.. Col. I. 17. (/) Chap. 14. 27- {g) 2 Chron* 20! 6, {h, Ifa. 43» 1 3* fjh Vol.1. Of the Omnlfotence of GO D. isj pfi. His Arrows (J) are the Arrows of the Almighty^ and who can heal the Wounds they make f ( IQ His Wrath is the Wrath of the Almighty^ and who can in^ dure it ? The (/) DeftruUion which he fends ^ is from the Hand of the Almighty^ and who can reftfi it? He then can check and countermand, at pleafure, the Power of all, or any of his Creatures ; becaufe there neither is, nor can be, any Power which is not dependent on him : Nor can the Power of frail, finite Creatures, be able to withftand the Arm of the Almighty. And this is farther evi- dent from the Examples he hath already given, of his Power to fubdue the Enemies of his Church and Kingdom, viz. Satan, and that World which lies in Wickednefs. Now, as for Satan^ the Scripture doth inform us, that God hath him in his Chain ; that ChriJIr hath bound thhfirong Man armed^ and hath fpoiled his Houfe *, that he hath led him Captive, and made a Publick Triumph over him, and made his Kingdom fall like Lightening. The Hiftory of the Church aflures us, That at the very Name of Jefus, he was forc'd to quit thofe Bodies which he had poffefTed, to confefs before them that worfhipped him, that he v;as a filthy and deftroying Spirit-, his Temples v;ere demolifhed, his Oracles flruck dumb, and he himfelf was forced to retire into the dark and utmoft Corners of the Earth. As for the World, our Saviour doth not only tell us, that hs had overcome it, but he enabled his meaneft Servants fo to do. His CWc/j was built and pro- pagated throughout all the World, by twelve poor and unlearn'd Perfons, without either Sword or Money, or any other means, but only by the Power of Chrift ; and all that did r Jlft that Power, were either converted or confounded by (i) Job, 6. 4, (I) Job. 21. ao, (0 Ka. 13. 16. it. 124 ^^^ Attributes of GOD. It. Thus was the (m) Weaknefs of God^ as the jipoftle faith, ftronger than Man ; and the fame Power ftill continues to defend God's Church and People againft all their Enemies ^ to make the (») Wrath of Man to fraife him^ and the remainder of it to refrain. Now, I ft. This is a powerful Motive to the Fear of God ; which, when it is effedually planted in our Hearts, will powerfully engage us to depart from all Iniquity. The Power of the greateft Man can only reach to our Bodies and Eftates \ and yet it fo far over-awes us, as that we dare not do what renders us obnoxious to his Wrath : How much more fhould we dread the Fury of his Wrath, who, when'he hath deftroyed the Body, can fub- jed the Soul to eternal Punifhment? Fear (o) not them who can kill the Bodyj faith our Lord^ but after that can do no more : J will forewarn you nhom you Jljould fear *, fear him^ who after he hath killed^ hath power to cafi into Hell ^ / fay ttnto you^ fear him* This is indeed a PafTage worthy of our moftferious Conndcration^'(i/,) for the Ingeminatiori of the Words ^ for we are here commanded thrice to fear him ; and all this for one Reafon •, but it is fuch a one, as is fufRcient for a thoufand Fears, viz.. the Power of God> enabling him to inflid not only on the Body, but upon the Soul, which he alone can touch, the greateft and moft lafting Puniftiment. (z^/yJForthe Intenfenefs of the Fear eujoyn'd : For tho' we are to fear the Magiftrate, this being as much due, faith the (/?) Afoflle^ as is tribute to him ^ yet are we (^o^tiv (Mo^KKov to fear more the Wrath of God, Alatth. 10. 28. even fo much more, that, in com- parifon, the Fear of Man ihould be as nothing iii our Eye?, and therefore is exprefled thus, Fear not (m) I Cor, 1. 25. {n) Pfal. 76. 10. (0) Luke 12. 5. (p)Rom. r> 7* thtm Vol. I. Of the Ommpoteme of GO D. 125 them who can kill the Body^ and after that can do no mort. The Fear of guilty Perfons is always full of Jealoudes and Sufpicions *, for Wickedrjefs^ faith. C^) the Book of Wifdom, being condemned by her own Witnefs^ is very timorous ^ 4ind being frefs'^d with Confcience^ always ahodeth terrible things : Yet whea we have extended our Fears to the utmoft, the Power of God reacheth farthei^^ for who knoweth the Power of his Wrath .<* faith (r) the Pfalmifi ; for even a% a Man fear eth^ fo is thy difpleafure : i, e, God affrights not with vain Fears, or empty Terrors; but will really inflid upon impenitent Sinners, the utmofl of his Threats, and make them afiually fuffer what they do expeft. And feeingMen, by con- tinuance in their Sips, after thefe dreadful Threat- nings denounc'd againft therii, do even challenge the Almighty, and dare his Power to do the worft it can ; it is not to be wonder'd, that fuch Provo- cations fhould induce him to ( j ) make bare his Arm^ and make the Glory of his Tower known upon fuch ftubborn Enemies, whom neither the molt precious Promifes, nor the moft dreadful Threats, will work upon, (sdly^) This Exhortation is con- fiderable, in refped of the manner of the Addrefs, as being back'd with our Lord's own Authority in thefe Words, / will forewarn you whom ye fjall fear-^ and as being tendred to his Difciplesout of pure Love, and fincere Friendfhip to their Souls, i fay to yotcmy Friends : And laflly being concluded with this Affeveration, va) i^iyco C/Ziv ^ eerily I fay unto you^ fear him \ to fhew how much he was con- cerned that we fhould obferve this Precept, and of what vaft importance it was for us fo to do. And therefore Providence took care, that this Injundlion fhould belaid upon the ^ews before our Saviou/s Advent, as being of the greateft mo- ■ I ■ » ■. I ,. .' « »». " " "t (^ Chap. 17. II. (r) Pfa), 90. II. (fj Rojri. 9. 22. ment i 26 The Attributes of G 0 D. ment to preferve them from the Violation of his Laws: For, in Jo/ephus^ we find the Son of Eiea-- z,er fpeaking thus to the fufTering Jervs^ under the Tyranny of Antiochus * Mi; ooCiiQu^ 7VV cTflxyf/- Epiphanes. ^ Let us not lui fS^CciJii>iiai"llu).iv7vKbM ts the Dread of Eternal «r«0£«. DeMaccab.Cap. 13* Torment to the Souls of P" '^^91' them who violate the Com" mand of God, All Fear arifeth from the Apprehenfion of Ibme Evil de- Itruftive of, or burthenfome to, Nature, and which deprives us of fomething which is profita- ble or pleafant to enjoy \ and the greater the Evil is, the greater is the Fean iSIow that which can alleviate thefe Fears, is either (1/,) That we may be able by our own Strength, or by the Help of others, to refill the Stroke, or to keep off the Evil which we fear. Or (^idly^) That we may be able to endure it, or be fupported under it ; til! ( 3%5 ) we obtain deliverance from it •, or (/If/?/)',) that we may avoid it : And that either by concealing our felves, and flying from the Hand bf Juftice ^ or elfe by making of our Peace, and by obtaining Pardon of the Offence committedo And he that ferioufly confiders, that he cannot polTibly avoid, nor yet endure the Punifhment due to an Evil Adion, nor ever find a Freedom froni* that Punifhment, is more than mad, if he will venture on that Adion, or ftill continue in that ftate, which will fo certainly and fo inevitably procure his Ruin : And yet this is afiliredly the cafe of every Sinner, that wilfully, againft the Checks and the Convidions of his Confcience, goes on in any courfc of Sin and Difobedience to the Law of God. For, 0 Vol. I. Of the Omnipotence of G 0 D. 117 i/. It is impofTible. that either he, or all the Powers of Earth, or Hell, fhould be fufticient to contend with the Almighty, or divert the Stroke of his moft mighty Arm : For can thine Heart c«- dure^ faith the (0 Prophet^ or thine Hand be ftron^ in the Day that he fiall plead with thee ? (y) HmJI thou an Arm like God^ or canft thou thunder with A Voice likg him ? Do you provoke the Lord to Jea^ loufy^ faith the (.v) Apoftle to the Church of Co- rinth^ are ye ftronger th^n he f Intimating, that it is madnefs to provoke that God to Anger, whofe Power we never can be able to refill:. idly^ It is impoflible we fhould endure the ftroke of his Almighty Arm, or be fupported under his afflidling Hand : For, as the Prophet Nahum puts the Queftion, Who can fland before his Indignation f Who cm abide in the Fiercenefs of his jinger ? C\\2L^* 1.5. 3^/y, It is not in our Power to avoid the Hand of Juftice, or to efcape the Stroke : For thus faith God, (>) I am he ^ and there is no Cod with me ^ / kill^ and I make alive *, / wonnd^ and I heal^ when I whet my glittering Sword ^ 7. e. prepare my felf for, and take hold of Judgment *, i, e. begin tO punilh : / will render vengeance to mine Enemies^ and will re^ ward them that hate me. Laftly^ We cannot hope to fly, or be conceal'cl from the Hand of Juftice : For God makes this Enquiry, (;^) Can any hide himfelf in fecret places^ that I p^a/l not fee him <* - Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? Nor can we hope to make our Peace with him, without Repentance and Reformation of our Evil Ways ^ for there is no Peace to the Wicked^ faith my God^ Ifa. 48. 22. And feeing we are only Enemies to him by wicked Works, we (t) Ezek. 12.34. {v) Job.4.0. 9. (x) iCor.io. 22. (y) Deut, 32. 39, 41. (t) Chap. 2^ 14. an 128 The Attributes of G 0 D, can only ccafe to be fo, by ceafwg to do evil^ and learning to do well, Whilft therefore we go on in our Evil Ways, we go on to engage this Power againft us ; (a) for his Wrath is againfi all that forfake him : We are fitting our felVes to be the Objeds of his Indignation, who hath declared, (h) his Hand Jhall Jind out all his Enemies ; and ipeaks as if he could not be at eafe till this were done, by faying, (c) Ah I I will eafe me of my Ad^ verfaries^ I will avenge me of my Enemies, What then remains, but that we all refolve to fear ch our Hearts^ and try our Ways^ and turn from our Ini- quities? that fo that Power which will afluredly engage for the Deftru6:ion of the impenitent andl wilful Sinner, may be imploy'd for the Preferva- tion of t|ie returning Prodigal. To ftrengtheii this Motive, i/. Let us confider the Impiety that Sinners muft be guilty of, whilft they continue in their Sins, without regard to, or dread of, that Al- mighty Arm, thus lifted up againft them. What- foever they may outwardly profefs, they do either rob God of his Power, or do exalt their own againft him. When they are neither- concern'd at the Divine Threats, nor deter'd by them froni their flnful Courfes, they in effed declare, that his Threats are but vain Boaftings, and that his Arni is not fo ftrong as Scripture reprefents it ; and therefore they will put it to the venture, and make the fad Experiment, whether his Power be as great as his Words are terrible : Or elfe they magnify themfelves, and ad as if they did imagine they had an Arm fufficient to grapple with him, ortofupport them againft the Glory of his Pow- er : For this the Afoftle plainly feems to intimate iA) Ezra 8« 22* {b) pfah 21* 8. (0 Ifa. 1.24, id Vol. I. Of the Orfmipotence of G 0 D. 129 in that Enquiry^ (d) Do ws provoke the Lord to Jeaioufy ? Are we ftronger than he ? Do we think we have ail Aim too powerful for that juftice we provoke, and able to repel that Vengeance we exafperate ? And God himfelf, by putting this Queftion to (e) Joh^ Wilt thou difanul my Jitdg-^ merits ? Haft thou an Arm like God^ or can ft thou thunder with a Voice like his f 2dly^ Let us confider the extream Folly fuch Sinners muft be guilty of.That Man muft be furely very inconfiderate, who will attempt to do that which he knows before-hand muft be done in vain^ and even enterprifed to his greateft damage : And yet this muft be certainly his cafe, whofets him- felf againft that Almighty, who caufss the Earth to tremble^ aud rends the Rocks afunder. All our ftubborn Oppofition againft him, muft only tend to exafperate his Wrath, and enhanfe our Pu-» nifhment^ And this is very lively exprefs'd by Holy Job^ Chap. 9. 4, 7. He is wife in Hearty and mighty in Strength : Who ever hardned himfelf againft him^ and profpered f who removeth the Mountains^ and over-turns them in his Anger '-, who jhak^th the Earth out of his place ^ jo that the Pillars thereof tremble, v/Vho ever hardned himfeif againft him, )y vTTi^triViv^ anei was able to fuftain the Power of his Wrath '. So the Septuagint. Who, ever did it^ and found Peace ^y that means ^ .faith the Hebrew^ For can a Man take hold of his Arm^ and make Peace with him ? No^ faith the Prophet^ ( /) they who fet them-^ felves in battle array againft him^ are hut as fo manv Thorns and Briars ^ and he who is untO the Wicked a confuming Fire^ will foon devour and confume them. When God is pleafed to make bare his Arm-, and fiew forth ail his Power upon the rtjfels of Wrath i () 1 Qbv, Idi 2i {e] qU^'. 10. S/ .?. if) Ifai 27,4. .- f% .fir ted 1 Jo Of the Attributes of G 0 D. fitted for DefiruElion^ he {£) will tear them in pieces^ and there fljall he none to deliver them. When the Great Judge (hall come in Flaming Fire (h) to take *vengeanceon allthofe who know not God^and obey not his Co/pel^ the Kings of the Earth and the mighty Men are fo far from thinking of oppofing him by their own Strength, that they are reprefented as hiding themfelves in Dens, and (/) calling on the Moun- tains to fall on them^ and on the Rockj to hide them from the Wrath of the Lamb : for^ fay they, the great Day of his Wrath is come^ and who Jliall be able to ft: and? Laftlyy This alfo fhews the Mifery that ftubborn Sinners muft expefV, provided they continue ia their Rebellions againft this Mighty God. For tho' they may break his Laws, they cannot im- pair his Arm ^ tho' they may flight his Word, they cannot refill his Power, or (top the Execution of his Wrath : And when Strength of Power an(i Fiercenefs of Wrath meet together, as they will do in the great Day of Recompence ^ when there Ihall be Judgment without Mercy ^ and Power with- out CompafTion, how irrefiftible muft be the Force, how intolerable the Load of fuch a weigh- ty Hand ? How great, how terrible muft be that Vengeance, which is executed by this mighty God- ftewing forth all his Power? And if to this we add this one Confideration, that (k) in the Lord Jehovah is everlafling Strength : And therefore that the Vengeance executedion the Sinner will be as lafting as his Strength, what can be farther ofFer'd to fhew the Terror of God's Wrath, or to con-., vince the Sinner of theGreatncfs of this Mifery, to which, without a timely Reformation, he will for ever lie expos'd ? If thefe things cannot make (g) Pfal. 50. 22. (/;; 2 Xiief, i. 8. (i) Rey. 6. 15^ 16, 17. (il)lfa. 26.4. the Vol. I. Of the Omnipotence of G 0 D ^131 the Sinner tremble, he is worfe than the very Devils; for they knowing, that with alltbeirSub- tilty they cannot efcape, nor with all their Strength refift, or yet fuftain, this Wrath ; they, faith St. James^ (/) believe and tremble. And oh ! that every obftinate Sinner would ferioufly rc- fled on this^ that he would ^o rcHecl upon it, as to provide a|j,ainl]: it ; that fince he is not able to oppofe his Power, he would fubmit unto his Will •, that feeing he is not able to endure tins Almighty Arm, he would be careful to avoid that Sin which will inevitably expofe him to it ; that fnice he can- not avoid the Stroke of his Power, he would more carefully avoid' that Sin which brings it down upon him : Laflly, that fince he cannot fiy the Hand of Juftice,' he would, by his iincere Repentance, fly intathe Arms of Mercy. ^ I con- clude in thofe Words of Mofes^ concerning the Death of thofe murmuring Ifraelites^ of whom God fware in his Wrath, that they Ihould not enter into his Pveft ^ who hwrveih^ i. e. duly con- fidereth the Power of thine /^nger^ fo as to be moved by it to Repentance? Even accordirg^lo what thy Threatnings gave us caufe to fear^ fo is thy Wrath : So teach us to nvmber our Days^ that we may apply our Hearts unto Wifdom : i- e. Lord teach US fo to confider of the Shortnefs of this prefent Life, on which our Evcrlafting State depends, th;it we may be fo wife as to live in conftant Re- verence of, and Obedience to, thee, there being nothing fo unwife, as to provoke thee to cut us off in our Sins. idly^ God is Omnipotent, becaufe his Fewer doth extend it felf to all things \ nor is there any thing, imaginably poflible, which he cannct do. This we have often aderted in the Scriptures, both (/) Chap. :. 19. K 2 cf I J2 The Attributes of G 0 D. of the Old and the l^QwTeflament, As in (m) foFs Anfwer to the Lord, / kf^orv thou canfi do all things: In Chvift's Arifwer to the Apofile's Queftion, (w) Who then can he faved ? viz. with God all things arefoffihle: And in his Prayer, {o) Abba Father^ aS things are fojfible to thee : And in that Confo- lation which the Apftle gives the (/?") Ephejians^ 'Viz., That God was able to do "^ cpcrsezarS \^ ■:scivrcL^ more abundantly than we can ask.or think* And this is evident to Reafon from the very Terms. For whatfoever can pofllbly be done, is therefore pofli- ble, becaufe there is fome Power that can clo it : Now, what any Power can do, the Power of God mull be fiippofed able to effed, becaufe it is ex- ceedingly beyond all other Powers : The Power of the ftrongeft j4ngel is but the Power of his Crea- ture, and therefore muft be infinitely lefs than that of their Creator. Moreover, God's Power hath no Limits from himfelf, but what his Will and Wifdom gives unto it : It can have no reftfaint from any lefler Power ; for the greater Power muft be able to overcome the lefs. Now, if God's Power hath no Limits, we cannot fay of any thing, which implies no Contradiction, and therefore may be done, that God cannot do it ; for that would be to limit the Almighty, as did the Ifi-aelitesy who tempted God in the Wilder nefs, a^d limited the Holy One of Ifrael, by faying. Can (^) God provide a Table in the Wddernefs f He [mote the Rock, indeed^ and gave us Water ; hut can he give Bread alfo^ or provide Flejh for his People ? And laflly. Why fhould we doubt of his Power to do any thing, who could create a World from no- thing, and give a Being to all things both in Hea- ven and Earth ? (m) Chap. 42. 2. C«) Mat. 19. 26, (0) Mark 14. 36. WEph.3.2u toPral.72. 41. Vol.1. Of the Ommpotence of G 0 D. i jj idly^ As for the manner of Operation, we muft believe God's Power doth produce all things, without all Difficulty, Labour, and all Wearinefs ; without requiring length of time to do it in ^ or without any other of thofe Imperfeftions wc are fubjed to. (i.) He can do all things without all difficulty. As maay things exceed our Know- ledge, fo many more exceed our Power *, but Om- nipotence can do all things with the greateft eafe : For what can caufe any difficulty to him, feeing there being nothing which was not madebyhim^ there can be nothing whofe Power is not deriv'd from him, and dependent on him, and therefore fubjeft to him ; and being limited and finite, muft be infinitely unequal to the Almighty Power of God. Hence they who would oppofe or con- tend with him, are reprefented as (r) Briars and Thorns, fettingthemfelves in Battle againft him, who being a confumingFiie, can eafily go forth and burn them. (2.) He can do all things with- out Wearinefs or painful Labour. The Work we enterprife, foon makes us weary; it is accom- plifh'd by hard Labour, and much Pains, and we ibmetimes faint under it •, but the Creator of the Earthy faith the (j) Prophet^ fainteth not^ nor is he weary, (3.) He can do all things at once; and without length of time. We indeed can do but one thing at one time ; and the greater and more con- fjderablc is the Work, the more time it will re- quire that we miy accomplifh it: But God, to whofe Knowledge all things are prefent at once, hath a Power anfvverable to his Knowledge^ and therefore it is as eafy for him to do all things, as to do one ♦, and to do them at once, as in leD.8;tl\ of time: And tho' his Will and Power are for- mally diilind, his Power following in order to the K 3 Ex ecu- IJ4 The Attributes of G 0 D. Execution of his Will ; yet llnce nothing can re- fill his Vvill, or hiader him from doing all his Pleafure, th.e Schools do reprefent him as acling fer modum voluntatis^ iis if ail things ftarted up into being at the beck of his Will : And the Serif- ture may fairly be fuppos'd ro intend to exprefs all this to us, by telling us fo ofc, that God produced all things by hisVVord^ or his Command ; for /? ,(^.) }am. 1. 15a inde- Vol. I. Of the Ommpoteme of GOD. i j7 independent or from Eternity *, for then he would be a Creature, and yet no Creature, have a be- ginning as being made,and yet have no Beginning as being from Eternity. And the Reafon of this is evident to a Demonftration, becaufe this would be to do fomething, and yet to do nothing •, for to give any thing a Being, is to do fomething ; and fo is the Objed of Power : but at the fame time not to give it a Being,is to do nothing which is the Objed of no Power. We therefore cannot fay that the fame Body is dead and alive,is at reft and moves, is eaten and not eaten, made, and not made at the fame time, becaufe thefe Terms evi- dently deftroy one another, that which is dead being not alive, and that which is alive being not dead We cannot fay a Body capable of Reft and Motion, can be in two Places; for then it might come nearer to and go farther from it felf, and yet ftand ftill, and fo might move and not move at the fame time. Thefe and a thoufand Contra- didious more which follow from the Dodrine of Tranfubftantiation, demonftrate th^t that Do« ftrine cannot be true. And laftly, of fome things it is faid God cannot or he could not do them, not from want of Pow- er in^him, but becaufe it is not futable to the Per- fedions of his Nature, or it comports not with his Honour, or with the Juftice and the fixed Rules of his Government to perform them. In this Senfe the Prophet Habakh^k faith of God, (^) That he cannot behold Iniijuity^ i. e. with Appro- bation, or without great Deteftation, viz.. by rea- fon of the Contrariety it bears to the Purity of his Nature, the Prefcriptions of his holy Will, and the Difhonour it does to his holy Name. Thus .-■I ■ ■■ I I "I ■..■■! II ■ ... II in (?) Chap. 1. 13, the 138 Tk Attribntes of GOD. the Prophet Jeremy introduceth him laying, (h) 7'h» Mofes atjd SimncX fieod before me^ (viz,, to inter- cede for tliem) yet my mind could not be towards this People. Not for want of Kindnefs and good Will in him •, but for want of thofe Difpoficions in them which might render them fit Objed:s of his Favour, or make it agreeable to the juflice of his righteous Government to Ihew favour to them. To pray for the Divine Favour to Men living in ftubborn Difobedience to him, and being Enemies to him by wicked Works, being to pray for what he cannot do by reafon of the Purity of his Na- ture, the Revelations of his holy Will, and the Juftice of his Government : and to pray that God would not punifii obftinate and incori gible Sinners for the fa me Reafons, is to pray for that which the God of Holinefs, of Truth and Juftice cannot do ^ for, faith the fame Prophet^ (c) The Lord could no. longer hear^ hecaufe of the Evil of your Doings^ and becaufe of the Abominations which you have commit-- ted. And of our Bleffed Lord it is recorded, that at NaTiareth^ {d) He could do no mighty Works ^ for he requiring Faith in the Patient ia order to his Cures ; where that was wanting, he could do na mighty Works-, not that he wanted Power to do. them> but that they wanted the Condition which made it fit that he (hould do them. And O what Thought can be more proper to awaken Sinners, and to engage them to repent of their Iniquities, then is this Confideration, that by continuing in their finful Courfes they render it morally impoffi- ble even for Almighty Power to do them any good^ and even Goodnefs it felf unwilling to fhew them any Favour ! For thus God fpeaks to his own People (0 ^^'^(^'^ ^^y ^-^^^^d is notjljortned that it can^ {h) Chap. 15. r. (0 Chap^ 44. 22c (d) Mark 6^ Vol.1. Of the Omnipotence of G 0 D. 1 59 not fave^ nor is mine ear heavy that it cannot hear^ hut your Iniquities have feparated between you and me^ and hid my Face from you that J will not hear. But then tliey give an Edge unto this Power to fall upon them with the heavieft llrokes of God's vindictive Juftice, and render him willing to make bare his Arm, and make the Glory of his Power known upon fuch Velfels of his (f) Wrath fitted for De- ftrudion. Yea God is pleafcd to reprefent himfelf as one that cannot be ateafe till this be done by faying,(p) ^h^J will eafe me of my Adverfaries \ and as one that taketh Comfort in fo doing, as we learn from thefe Words, E^Lek, 5. 13- / will four my Fury on them^ and I will be comforted. Laftly, God only is Omnipotent. For if the Power of all things befides him derive from God, he can refume it when he pleafeth, and they can- not be able torehflhim, ortodo any thingagainft the Author of that Power by which they ad, and iherei'ore cannot be Almighty in any of the Senfes mention'd. • The neceflity of having thisBelief of God's Om- nipotence appears, (r.) inorder to the Confirma- tion of our Faith in Matters pall, and done ^ upon the Truth of which our Piety and all our Obliga- tions to Duty, do depend, as, v.g. The Creation of the World, the Truth of all thofe Miracles which did confirm the Faith of Jew and Chriftian^ the Exaltation of our Lord and Saviour to the right hand of Power: For he that doubtsof the Amighty Power of God, mufl: doubt whether all Power can be by him committed to the Son, and whether the Creation, which is a Work of higheft Power, could be performed by him *, and if he did not thus create all thir)gs,^whether he could perform thofe Miracles which did fo much (J) Rom, 9. 22. c^) ICi. 1.2;. 140 The Attributes of GOD. exceed the Power, and contradid the Courfe of Nature. (2.) In order to the Confirmation of our Hopes and Expectations of future Bleflings.Did wc not heartily believe that God is able to do all things pofTible, and that his Power can perform above what we are able to conceive, as to the way and manner of Divine Proceedings, we could not poflibly believe that Doctrine of the Refurredion of the Body, which is the great Foundation of our future Hopes : there being nothing of which we are lefs able to give a Philofophical Account. And did we not conceive his Power could advance his Creatures unto the greateft Purity, and to the highefbMeafuresofPefedion of which the human Nature can be capable, we Ihould not eafily believe t\\ditour vile Bodies could he made like unto Chrifir^s glo' riotis Body ^ that we Ihould fee God as he is, know him as we are known of him, or that when our Savi- our doth appear, we fhould be like him. (3.) This Faith is neceflary in order to our Belief of his continual Providence ; his Prefervation and Go- vernment of all things ^ and for the Encourage- ment oiChriftians to place their Confidence in him at all times, and under ail Conditions, and to ex- ped Deliverance and Prefervatioq from the At- tempts of the whole Hofl of evil Spirits, our moll malicious, fubtile, and mofl potent Adverfaries. (4.) On the Belief of God's Almighty Power de- pends in a great meafure both the Comfort, and the Dread of all his other Attributes. Could we own him to be a God of fufEcient Wifdom to difcern what bell conduceth to his Creatures Hap- pinefs \ and did we believe his Goodnefs did in- cline him to render us as happy as he could make US', yet could we doubt his Power to perform what WifdSm diddired, or Goodnefs did incline him to, this would be a great damp upon our Spirits, and an abatement of the Comforts we ihould Vol. T. Of the Ommpoteme of GO D. 141 fhould receive from the Confideration of his Wif- dom, and his Goodnefs. Again, tho' we believe he is ftill prefent with us, and that his Eye doth ftill behold our Thoughts and Adions, and that he were an Hater of our evil, and Lover of our pious Aftions, yet would not this be fufficient to create in us proportionable Hopes and Fears, if the Divine Nature had not fufficient Power to reward and punifh, or to perform his Threats and Promifes. So evidently do the Foundations of all true pradical Religion depend on onr Aflurance of this Attribute. To proceed then to the Im- provement of it, for Information of our Judg- ments, and for Diredion of our Adions. T. This may confirm us in the Truth of Chrifls Divinity. For fmce the Work of #e Creation is frequently afcrib'd to Chrift*, feeing all things are faid (Jo) to he made by him^ and nothing to be made without him ; and fince the framing of the World is faid to be a clear and perfed Demonftration of the 0) (t^rnal Fewer and Godhead of th6 Crea- tor of it '■) this muft be a convincing Proof of the eternal Power and Godhead of our Blefled Saviour, Again, feeing to be Almighty is the Property of God alone, and yet the Prophet Ifaiah faith, (i^) the Child that Jhotfld be born unto the Jeivs^ or their Meffiah flwuld be the mighty Cod ^ And he himfelf declares that he who was pierced by them, and who would come in the Clouds, fo that all Eyes Ihould fee him, was jil^ha and Omega^ the (t) Almighty •, it follows that he mufl be truly God. 2. The Confideration of God's Almighty Pow- er, as it creates the greateft Terror to the Wic- ked, fo it affords the higheft Comfort to all pi* {h) John I. 2. (i; Rom. I. 3o. (t) ITa. 9. 6. (i) Rev, 1.8, 0U5 f 4^ The Attributes of G 0 D. ous Souls, becaufe a God of infinite Holinefs and Goodnefs, a God engaged by promifc, (/) to give Grace and Glory ^ and withhold no good thing from them who lead a godly Life^ muft be both willing, and by his Word obliged to fhew the highed To- kens of his Favour and good will* towards them ; and a God of unlimited Power muft be as able as he is willing to do the greateft Kindefs for them. And therefore, (i.) This muft adminifter Support tmto them under all DiftrcfTcs. For if no Power can be fo able to opprefs them, as God is able to proted and to deliver them, furethey can never Want fufficient ground to hope for Succour, whof^ help fiandeth in the Name of that Lord^ who hath made Heaven and Earth. The Apoftle Vaul informs us that God ddrfl fometimes fuffer his beloved Ser- vants to be prefs'd above meafure, to give them an occafion to exercifc their Faith on this Almighty Power ; For we^ faith he, were freffed ^bove meafure^ and had the Sentence of Death within cur felves that we might truji- not in our felves^ but in God who raifeth from the dead^ who hath delivered^ and can deliver^ and we trujt willyet deliver us^ 2 Cor. l.p. 2dlyy The Confideration of this Power, may encourage us againft the Fears of being over- power'd by the Strength of Satan, or overcome by the indwelling Strength of our Corruptions, provided that we ufe a Chnfli an DiVigcnce to watch againft their Motions and Afiaults ^ and are as careful to provide againft thefe Spiritual Ene- mies, as to fecure our felves from Worldly Ene- mies. Could we ifbt be fecure under the Power and Providence of God, that Satan never fhould be able to prevail upon us without our Confent ^ to perform any Evil A(fl ion, or render us unable Cm) Pfal. 84. II. 34. to Vol I. Of the Ommfoteme of G 0 D. 145 to perform that Duty which God requires at our Hands: Could we fufped the Readinefs of God, to give fulTicient Strength for the Avoidance of that Sin he hath forbidden, under the pain of endlefs Mifery, and the Performance of that Duty he hath made necelTary to our Salvation \ wefhould have reafon to defpond and flag in our Endeavours to comply with his Injundions. But this is our exceeding Comfort, that the Divin9 Power^ faith (») St. Peter^ doth ajford us ail things re qui file to Life and Godlinefs : That tho' we may be weak, yet if we be not flothful, and do not wilfully fall, we (0) jhall be holden uf^ for God is able to make us fland : That tho' we have a ftrong and fubtle Enemy without us ^ yet faith (p) St. John^ we that are of God^ (hall overcome the World ; for Jtronger is he that is in and with us^ than he that is in the World. If by well-doing we com- mit our felves to the Divine Protection, we Ihall he {jf) kept by the Power of God^ thro* Faith^ to SaU vation. If we be of the number of Chrift's Sheep, •meek, innocent, obedient Chrifiiansj and do not wilfully depart from the Shepherd of our Souls ; this is our comfor*., that we ^all never perijJ} by the Induftry or Strength of our moft fubtle or moft potent Enemies; (r) none being able to pluci us from the Hands of this Almighty God^ or of that Jefus who is able to fave us to the uttermojt, sdly^ This may encourage us againft the Fears of any Evils that may befal us from the Hands of Men, as being (helter'd by the Wing, and kept^ under the Shadow of the Alrmghty. The Pfalmifi mentions all the Evils.that can at any time befal us i and doth aflure all thofc, who do abide under the Shadow of the Alrnighty Gcd^ of Preferva- Cw) 2 Pet. i .3. (0) Rom. 14.4. (f) j John 4. 4. ii). I Pec. 1.5. (r) John 10.28,29. 144 r^^ Attributes of GOD. tion from the Terrors of them ; for he^ faitH (j) David^ who makes the Lord his refuge^ need not fear the Terrors of the Nighty nor yet the Arrow jfy- ing with, the Morning-light^ nor the Fefiilence that walketh in the dusky Evenings nor the DefiruUion at Noon-day : i- e. He Ihall find fafety in every Hour both of Day and Night. The (t) Lord is thy Keeper^ the Lord is a Shade on thy Right-hand \ the Sun Jhall not finite thee with its violent heat hy Day^ nor the Moou hurt thee by its cold or moifture in the Night : The Lord fljall prefer ve thy going outy and thy coining in. So that fuch Men may fay^ with humble Confidence, The Lord is on rny fide^ I will not fear what Men can do unto me^ Heb. 13.5. ^dly^ The Confideration of God's Almighty Power, fhoulcl be improved to a lincere, exa(ft, and confcientious Performance of our Duty both to God and Man : This is the Improvement God here requires Abraham to make of it, / am God Almighty y walkjoefore me^ and he thou per fe^. What we render walking with, or before God, the Creek ftill renders oo^tpirjK^or irojx/of jcr£^ he did what was pleafing in his Sight •, / will walk be fore God ^ {oxxh David ^ '■-^'^?i'^ri2. \ ? OF 48 O F THE Omnifcience of GOD, SERMON 1 1 John, III. 26. Qod is greater than our Hearts^ anA knoweth all things. THESE Words may be confider'd with relation to the Context, and the former Words ; and then they are a powerful Motive to ufe our utmoft care fo to demean our- felves, that, upon a ferious Review both of our Adions and Deportment towards God and Man, we may not be condemned, by the inward Tefti- mony of our own Confcience, of Infineerity ^ as we fhall always be, when Confcience teftifies, that we live in any courfe of known Iniquity ^ or in any wilful or cuftomary Negleft of Duty : Be- caufe, as fuch a Confcience will be a coatinual Torment to us here ^ fo will God certainly con- firm its Teftimony, by paffing on us a Sentence of Condemnation at the Great Tribi^ual s He being Iha? Vol. I. Of the Omnifcieme of GO D. 151 that God who hath a moll perfcd knowledge of all the evil Adions we have done^ and all the Duties we have neglcded, and of all the Aggra- vations of them J and who, by his impartial jaflicc, ftands obliged to pafs Sentence on us, at the great and dreadful Day, according to our Works. Or, 2^/y, Thefe Words may be confider'd abfo- lutely •, and then they do contain a Declaratioa of God's Oranifcience and all-feeing Eye ; that is, his perfed Comprehenfioa of all things, with all their Faculties and Powers of acliiig ; and all their Adions, of what kind foever they may be, and all the Qircumftances of them. And, i/. He hath a perfeft knowledge of every Word we utter with our Mouth : For there is not a. Word in my Tongue^ faith the (^) Pfalmifi^ hut thou knowefi it altogether. Were it not fo, our hleffed Lord would not have told us. That (Ji) hy our^ Words we jliall be jufiifiedj or by our IVords con-^ dcmned •, fmce God can neither juftify or condemn us, for that which doth not fall under his Know- ledge. ^dlyy God takes efpecial notice of all our Aft ions ; for, as EUhu (c) informs us, his Eyes are upon the Ways of Man^ and he feet h all their Go" ings *, ;. e, he taketh an exaft and particular no- tice of them : And hence his Inference is this. That there is no darknefs or Jljadorv of Death ; i. e. no place fo fecret, where the Workers of Ini- quity can hide themfelves from his all- feeing Eye. This Perfeftion God challengeth to himfelf, on the account of his Prefence in all places, faying. Can any hide himfelf in fecret places^ that I Jljall not fee him ? Do not I fill Heaven and Earth ? Jen 23. 24. ' ' H I ■ I — , I 11 m I I I ii>i a' ail I I (<2) Pfal. 139. 4. (^) Mat. 12.37. (OJoh.34. 21. L 4 ~ ^dify 152 The Attributes of G 0 D. Vol. L sdly. He alfo views our inward Thoughts, and is acquainted with the moft fecret Motions of our Hearts *, for, faith the (d) Tfalmifi^ thou under- ftandeft my Thoughts afar off^ before Man can per- ceive them by my A(^ions : There's not one Ima- gination arifing within me, which is not perfe^ly difcern'd by thee. And this all Men believe, who offer up to God a mental Prayer ^ who ad- drefs to him by fecret Ejaculations, and inward Motions of the Mind, and lifting up their Hearts to him ^ for all our inward Afts of Worfhip de- pend on the Belief of this Perfe^flion of the Deity. He difcerns all the pious Motions, good Difpo- iitions and Inclinations of the Mind and Will; the Integrity of David^ and of Hez^eklah ; the freefl Motions of the Will, and the AfFedions. This Peter infers from' our Lord's Gmnifcience, by faying, (e) Thou howefl all things^ thou kpowejh that I love thee ^ and yet Love is free *, and tho' it doth conftrain the devout Lover, it cannot be retrained by the Power of Men or Devils. He is acquainted v^ith all our fecret Defires *, Thou hnowefi^ faith (/) .Vavld^ all my Defires: With all our good Inclinations ; even thofe of Jeroboam's Child, for whom^ faith (^) he, all Ifrael Jhall mourn^ becaufe in him fome good thing is found towards the Lord God of Ifrael, Were it not fo, he could not anfwer Men according to the Integrity of their Hearts, as David faith he did, nor fulfil all their Defires, He is alfo privy to all the evil Mo- tions of our Mind and Will. Thus he declared of the old World, That (hi) all the Imaginations of their Hearts were evil^ and only evil ^ and that con- tinually. He knows our vain (i) Imaginations : He tells our wandring and diltraded thoughts ia {d) Pfal. 139. 2. CO John 21. 17. (f jPral.3809. (g) I Kings 14. 13. \h)QQii 6.5. (0 pral.94. lie. Pray- Vol. L Of the Omnifcience of, GOD. 1 5 j Prayer, or in hisPrefence, and therefore faith to his Prophet QO Ez^ekiel^ They hear thy Words^ hut -will not do them^ for their Heart goeth after their Co^ vetoufnefs. And to his Prophet (/) Jfatah^ This Peo* fie dr arret h nigh to me with their Lips^ hut their Heart is far from me. He perceiveth when we come to him with our Idols in our Hearts^ or offer him a Sacrifice with an evil Mind, and will an- fwer us accordingly. And were it not fo, he could neither puniih us for them here, nor judge and condemn us for them hereafter. ^thly^ God doth not only know what we do, but alfo what we would do, were we left to our felves, or put under fuch Circumftances and Dif- penfations of his Providence, as either we defire or decline. He told {m) David^ That if he ftaid in Keilahj Saul would come to take him, and that the Men of Keilah would deliver him up : But of this I fhall treat more fully under the Head of God's Fore-knowledge. Moreover, God doth not only know what we do, but from what Prin- ciples and Motives, and to what end we do it : Whether we ferve him with a ready Mind, out of fincere Affc(^ion to him *, or only out of flavifii Fear, and with reludancy of Spirit : Whether *ve do our Alms, imploy our felves in Prayer and Fafting, from a Principle of Vain-Glory, to he feen of Men ^ or from refped to him, rvho fees in fecret^ and will reward us openly : Whether we en- gage in all Religions Duties, from a fincere De- fign to promote God's Glory, and the Good of our own, and other Men's Souls ^ or to promote oar own Advantage and Reputation in the World : For he who hath declared, he will accordingly accept or reject, reward or punilli Men ^ muft have a 0) Chap, 33. 31. (/)Cbap.29. 13. (w) x Sam. 23. 12. per- 1 54 The Attributes of G 0 D. perfeft Knowledge both of the Principles, the Motives, and the Ends of all our Adions. %thly^ This Knowledge of all things, and more efpecially of all the Secrets of our Thoughts and Hearts, is proper unto God alone : This he doth plainly challenge to himfelf, by faying, («) / the Lord fear cb the Heart: And from this Knowledge King Solomon excludes all Creatures of what Rank foever, by faying, Thou only h^owefi the Hearts of all the Children of Men^ I Kings 8. 39. In fine-, God knoweth all things, fo as not to be an idle or infignilicant Speftator, but anexaclOb- ferverof them. Hence he is faid to ponder and confider all our Works, to weigh them in the Ballance : And we are told, That our {0) Iniquity is marked out before him : He knoweth every Cir- cumftance of them, the place where, the time when, the Mercy, the Convidions,- and the Ob- ligations againft which they are committed : And which is more efpecially coniiderable, he taketh notice of all thefe things as a Judge, in order to our future recom pence ; Thine Eyes are upon all the Ways of the Sons of Men^ faith the Prophet (/?) Je^ remiahj to give every one according to his Ways^ and according to the Fruit of his Doings. He feeth Mif" chief faith thQ (f) Pfal mi fi^ to^equite it with his Hand, The Eye of his Knowledge is upon them*, to dired the Hand of his Juftice, that the finful Adion which could not efcape his Cognizance, might not efcape his Punifhment ; and what hi& Knowledge is a Witnefs to, his Juftice will re- ward or punilh : And therefore he is faid to know his faithful Servants with a Knowledge of Ap- probation and Affedion. Thus the Lord (r) Iqtow- eth the way of the Righteous •, thus doth (j) Chrifi (?7jjcr, 17. 10. (o)Jer.2.22. (/>)Jer. 32. 19. (^) PfaK 10. 14. (r) pfal I. (:. (0 JoiiJ^ ^^» 27128, know Vol.1. Of theOmnifcieme of G 0 D. 155 know his Sheep ^ i. C. fo ^s to j^ive vnto them Life eternal'^ aiul thus if (0 ^^7 ^''^^w ^^'^^ Ood^ he is hioxvnof Cod: And in this Seiife he will deny his Knowledge of the Wicked at the Great Day, when he will fay unto them, (1^) Depart jrom me^ J kiiow ye mt^ ye Workers of Iniquity ; becaufe he doth not know them, '^o as to approve of either their Perfons or their Adions. The Truth and Certainty of this Divine Perfedion is evident from the general Acknow- ledgement of all Nations; for they had all their Temples, in which they woriOiipped their fuppos'd Deities by^ Prayer and Sacrifices, and gave them thanks for all the Bleflings they en- joy'd : They all made Covenants, confirm'd by facred Oaths : Which plainly do fuppofe, that God is both a Witnefs of the Truth or Falfhood of all that we affirm, and is acquainted with all our Violations of our Words. They generally expected future Rewards and Punilhments. All which fuppofe in him, who doth reward us for our good, or inflid Punilhment on us for our evil ASiocs, a perfedl Knowledge of our Adlions. And indeed, all Religion feem.s clearly to depend upon the firm Belief of a moft perfed Knowledge of all our Ways and Adions in thatGod we worihip: For why fhould v\e dread his Anger and Difpleafure, who hath no notice of our Crimes ? Why fhould we love and ferve him, who, if he cannot know, much Icfs can he reward our Services ? Why fhould we either call upon him in our Streigfits and Exigencies, wiio neither hath an Ear to hear, or Eye to difcern them ? Or truft in him, or commit our Affairs to his Government, who nei- ther is acquainted with our Wants, nor hath the Cognizance of our Affairs, and therefore cannot (t;i Cor, 8. 1. (x')Mat, 7. 23. order 1^6 The Attributes of GOD. order them as belt conduceth to our Good ? Sa that take away Omnifcience from the Deity, and you take away with it all Encouragements and Obligations to his Service, and give Men full In- dulgence to commit the worft of Crimes, in a word, were not God omnifcient, he could not judge the World in righteoufnefs : For as his Juflice doth enable him to make righteous Laws ^ fo can his Knowledge only dire^ him to pafs Judgment on Men according to their Obfervance, or their Violation of them. The Works of Men are ei- ther fit to be rewarded or punifhed, not only with refped unto the outward Adions, but chiefly ac- cording to the inward Principles and Ends, Inten- tions and Deiigns, the Frame and Difpofition of the Will. An infallible Knowledge of thefe things is therefore neceflar'y, to pafs a right and an unerring Judgment on them, and to propor- tion the Rewards and Punifhments unto the Me- rit of them. 'Tis therefore necefTary, that the fuprcme Judge of all the World fhould fully be acquainted with the Meafureof our Knowledge, the Motions of our Wills, the Fram? and Difpo- iitions of our Hearts, in aH we do ^ becaufe every Man's Work is to be meafured by them. And therefore 3^/y, God hath made this legi- ble to every Man, in the fecret Workings of Confcience. The Fears and Terrors which natu- rally follow us, upon the Commifllon of a lecret Sin ; the Checks of Confcience, which then arife within us ^ the Condemnation of it, which we find in our own Hearts, when no Man can condemn us ; afiure us of the Truth contained in my Text, That there is ane greater than our Hearts^ that \now^ €th all things : For, where a Judgment above us i^ feared ^ an Underftanding above us, confcious to thefe fecret Adions, is acknowledged. In all iiich Cafes, 'tis certain, that it is not the Fear of Mai\ Vol. I. Of the Ommfcieme of GO D. 1 57 Man whkh creates this Diforder in us ; becaufe he is fuppofed ignorant of thofe which we call fecret Sins. If then this Verdid of our Confcience refpedls not Man, but God \ if it fills us with a Dread of Punifhment, not from Man's, but alone from his Tribunal \ then mufl it argue a Con- vidion in us, that God is privy to our moft fecret Sins ; and that his Eye difcerns them, when they are hidden from the View of Men and Angels. * If a Man in a Storm grows pale, and trembles '^ and Ihreeks at every Wave that flies over him ; ' thefe natural Sentiments of Fear will convince ' both himfelf and others, that he lies uader a * prefentSenfe of Danger. So when Mens Con- fciences, upon the Reflexion on a fecret Wicked- nefs done in the Clofet, do fling and lafh them, and fill them with inward Horror and AfFright- ments ; whatever they may fay to the contrary, this is a natural Senfe and Acknowledgment of an invifible Eye that fees them, and difallows their fecret Wickednefs. Now, whereas great improvement naay be wade of every one of the Particulars fuggefted to you, I fhall at prefent infift only on the firil Par- ticular ; becaufe it is fo common to offend in it, that there is fcarce a Perfon, not cloiflered up from all Society, who can entirely plead, not guilty ^ I mean the Slips and Vices of the Tongue j nor are they lefs pernicious for being commoa. 1/, then. Is there not a Word in our Tongve^ but the God of Truth and Holinefs knoweth it alto- gether <* And are we by our Words to be j 24ft i fed or condemned at the Great Day ? How much doth it concern us, with holy (.v) David, to take heed to our IVays^ that we ojfe?id not with our Tongue f And to join with him in that Supplication, (^) Set a i- 111 .., -■■— — ~Ti — n ^_ ■ WPfal. 39. I. WPfal. 141.3. Watch I ^8 The Attributes of GOD. Watch, 0 Lord, before my Mouthy and keep the Door of tns Lip i that we may be preferv'd, not only from thofe blafphemous Words of the Ungodly m the (€) Pfalmift, enquiring. How fl'ould God how i Or faying in the (*) Prophet, The Lord mil not do good neWr will he do evil ; or thofe hard Speeches and Murmurings againft his Providence, which re- prefent it (h) as a- vain thing to fervethe Lord; and ask, What Profit is it that we have k^p his Or- dinances ? as knowing that the Lord (0 wdl come toith Myriads of Us Jngels, to execute Judgment on them, for all their hard Speeches whuh ungodly Swners havefpohn againflhim : butto keep us from the ly- ing Lip, and the falfe Tongue, which id).s an Abo- r„lationtotbeLord,^nd oncof the feventUngs which his Soul hates. Not only from vain Swearing ; which demonftrates the want of a trueFear of God beforeourEyes,theSwearer being numbred among Sinners in thofe Words of the Wife Man, (0 as I the Good, fo is the S.nner; and he that fweareth as he thatfeareth an Oath. tJot only from filthy and impure Words, which argue a polluted Heart within fince ff) out of the Multitude of the Heart ^SoltTSaith ; but alfo from all vain and idle woVds, for wuch\g:) .e -«/|'7.-/-ir' iuthour Saviour, at the Day of Judgment. That he would be pleafed to reftrain our Tongues from an ra^umniating and detrading Words; not on y when they are !he Fruit of our own vile Inventi- ons, but when they are taken up from the Mouth of others and our Tongue only fpreads the In- ?amy ^knowing from the Pfalmifi that he onl Ihall be permitted to abide. ii ^°'^ ' ^frhljerl- uiid dwell in Ins Holy H.ll, the Type of tht Jeru- " fAPftl -^5 II WZeph. I.I2. (i)Mal.3. H- Vol. I. Of the Ommfcience of G 0 D. i jg falem that is above ^ that is, he only (hall be ac- cepted as a true VXorfhipper of him here, and re- warded with eternal Biifs hereafter, who hack- hiteth Qj) not with his Tongue^ and taketh not vp a Reproach ^^ainfi his Neighbour : i. e. Vv^ho doth not abufe his Tongue to calumny and detradion ; nor is any other way injurious to the Credit of his Neighbour -^ who neither doth himfelf reproach him, nor lightly believes, increafes, or fpreads the Reproaches which are begun by others. That he would keep us from all vilifying and reproach- ful Language of others; proceeding, as it gene- rally doth, from an exafperated Spirit ; and ihew- ing, not only that they are vile in our own Eyes, but that we are willing to make them ^q^- picable in the Eyes of others \ as conlidering that our righteous Judge interprets this as a Tranf^ grefllon of that Precept, which faith. Thou fljalt not kill J by thefe Words, He (J) that calh his Bro-^ ther Racha^ flmll be in danger of the 'Judgment • and he that faith to him^ thou Fool^ Jhall he m danger of Hell Fire, That he would powerfully reflrain us from all retaliating Words ; i, e. from rendring evil for evil, railing (O/or railing •, this being that which the Example of our Lord requires, who, when he was reviM^ reviled not again ; when he fuf- fered^ did not threaten ; and in this left (/) us an Examjile that we jhould follow his Steps. From all cenforious judging and condemning Words, as confidcring that our Judge hath faid, (m) Judge not^ and yc fl)all not be judged • condemn not^ and ye Piallnot be condemned. And laftly, Frorn all Words that may do hurt to others. If thou can'ft indeed be helpful or advantagious to thy Brother, by fpeak- ing forth ihe Words ot Truth in his Behalf ; if " ' ' ' '** *** ' " "> "»> 11 I > I— ■ {h: Pfal. 15. 2. ,i) Mat. 5.21. {k) i Pet.. 3. 9. (/; I Fcr. 2. 23. (rn) Luke 6, 37. thou l6o The Attributes of G 0 D. thou can^fl: vindicate his injur'd Reputation, and clear him from the Afperfions calt upon him; thou do'ft a work of Chriftian Charity : But if thou can'ft: fay no good of him, fay nothing to his difparagement and difadvantage ; remembring, that 'tis the Character of a Man, whom God will deftroy and root out of the Land of the Living \ that 'he (n) loveth all Words that may do hurt. And fay not here, for thy Excufe, that Words are Wind j for what's more blafting, fcorching, or more per- ' nicious, than fome Winds ? And tho' they quickly ceafe, yet the Effeds of tljem are lading. And fhelter not thy felf under the Multitude of fuch Ofienders, by faying, (o) there is no Man who flips not with his Tongue : For we mull not follow a, Multitude to do evil j nor mull we live by the Ex- ample of Men fubjed to great Frailties and In- firmities, but by that Rule by which we mult be judged. Let us then ferioufly endeavour to make a due Improvement of thefe things, i/. By being more upon our guard, more dili- fent to watch the Motions of this unruly Mem- er, fo hard to be tamed, fo difficult to be well- govern'd : Let us pray more fervently that God would fet '^v^.v ^iexox^^-i ^ ^^^^ ^f Guard upon our Lips \ following the excellent Example, and pi- ous Refolution of King David^ exprefled in thefe Words, (/>) Jfaid^ I will take heed to my Ways^ that J offend not with my Tongue ^ / will keep my Mouth •with a Bridle^ while the Wicked is before me ; / was dumb with fdence^ I held my Peace even from good Words^ tho* it was pain and grief to me. On which Words 1 find this excellent ^ Paraphrafe. ' Tho' * it be a great Provocation to Anger, and a very ' difficult Task patiently to hear my felf abufed >^i^»— 1^1 ■——I I III 'i II— —^t ■ > >—— ^— ^"* (n) Pfal. 52. 4. (0} Ecclcf. 19. 16. (p) Pral.39. 1,2. ♦ Bp* Patrick. ana Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. ' idi * and calumniated ; yet I refolved with my felf ' not to be moved at it, but rather to take care * to be the more inolfenlive in all my Adions *, and ' efpecially to watch over my Tongue, ands lay ' the ftrideft Rtins upon it, that no intemperate ' Speeches againfb my AdveiTaries, no indecent * Language might proceed out of my Mouth: ' And this Pu/pofe I kept fo fledfaRly, that I * fpake not a Word good or bad, but kept li- * lence •, being fo afraid of fpeaking indecently, * and breaking forth into impatient Language * againfl my unjuft Accufers, that 1 would not fo ' much as vindicate my felf, and clear my Inno- * cence, tho' I knew this might be interpreted as * a yielding the Caufe, and having nothing to fay * againll their Proceedings '. Now the Reafoa of this Silence under all thefe Calumnies^ was this. That God's Providence permitted them, for the Punifhment of his Sin ^ for fo we read, v. 9» / was dumb^ and ope?7ed not my Afouth^ bevaufe thou did' ft it : i. e. bccaufe thou by thy Providence opened 'It the Mouth of Shimei to curfe me, and re- prefent me as a Man of Blood, and Son of Belial ; and therefore he fpeaks thus in his flight fromi j^jalom to (jf) Ahi^jahj Let him curfe^ the Lord. hath faid unto hirn^ curfe David ^ who jhall then fay^ wherefore haft thou done [of I doubt, not but vve may, and ought, efpecially if we be Perfons of a pnblick Station, the Succefs of whofe Labours de- pends much upon our Reputation, vindicate our Reputation. But then if, with Vavid^ we find out the Sin which moved Providence to permit the Tongues of others fallly to accufe us, 'twill be our wifdom, (i/,; to humble our fclves for it j and by a true Repentance, to remove the Gaufe, and to take greater heed to our ways for the fu- (^) X Sam, i6, lo, M tare, i62 Of the Attributes of G 0 D. ture. And {idly^ to conficler that we are under a great Temptation, wlica thus provok'd, to break out into angry Paflions, and to render re- viling for reviling ^ and therefore to fit down and confider whether we can do this with a true Chriflian S^ix'it^ without PalTion, without Revenge, and without faying more than what isabfolutely neceflary to clear our Innocence, and juftify our felves againlt the falfe Afperiions , and with true Forgivenefs of, and hearty Prayer for, the Of- fender: And, when we have done this, humbly committing ourCaufe to him who judgeth righteoufly. And as we, in this mild Deportment, ihall pre- fer ve our Innocence ^ fo fhall we find more Com- fort, than in the ufual way of venting our angry PalTions, and loading the Calumniator with thofe Crimes which truly may be charged upon him. 2^/y, Let us confider the abfolnte neceffity of this Government of the Tongue ^ feeing without it we cannot be lincerely pious, truly and pradi- cally religious : frr (r) he that feemeth to he religi^ ous^ and bridleth not his Tongve^ that Alans Religion is vain. ' That is, faith one upon the Place, a * Failing greatly to be lamented, and very ufual ' among many who exprefs a more than ordinary * Zeal for the outward and folemn Exercifes of * Religion ; but yet are malicious Detractors, * bufy Enquirers into other Mens Failings, bold * Cenfurcrs, and bitter Backbiters. Isiow the ' Religion of fuch Men is therefore vain •, be- '' caufe, tho' they may make confcience of fome * other Duties, they allow therafelves in the neg- * led of this *, which is as expreily and as fre- ' quently commanded, and as difficult to be per- ' formed, as molt others are '. Confider there- (n) Jam* I. 26. fore, Vol. I. Of the Omnifcknce of GOD. 16 j fore. That the more difficult this Duty is, the Hrronger is the Temptation to tranfgrefs iri Words ; and the more common is the Failing iri it, the greater is the Goodncfs, and the more ac- ceptable to God is the Practice of it. To be fcrupulouQy confcientious in the-Perforrhance of that Duty which we find alnioil generally neg- leded, and to (land firm where all Men are too prone to fall, fliews a great Eminence in Virtue. Hence doth the Pfdmifl reprefent it as the Cha- racter of the' good Man, {s) that he guideth his Words with difcretion : And when he faith, (r) Come ye Children^ I will teach you the Fear of the Lord ; his firft Inltrudion, in order to it, is, keep thy Tongue from evil^ and thy Lips that they [peak no Guile. The Reafon he afilgneth of this Diligence is this, for the Eyes cf the Lord are over the Kigh-^ teous ; clearly inlinuating, that it is only a religi- ous Awe of God implanted in the Heart, that caii preferve our Tongues from fpeaking Evil. HencCj laftly, doth (y) St. James inform us, That he that ojfendeth not in Words ^ is a perfeB Man^ and able to bridle the whole Body : i. e. They do demonftrate themfelves to be the bell: of Chriflians, and able to refifh all other Temptations, and giude al! their other Adions by the Chriftian Rule. is) Prai,uJ, 5. • (p;Pral,34. iio (i')Jam. 3. 2. Mi «)f# 164 O F T H E Omni faience of G 0 D, SERMON 11. I JOHN, III. 20. God is greater than our Hearts^ and knoweth all thingi. THE Knowledge of God, in Scripture^ ei- ther rclateth to things paft \ and then in condefcenfion to our Knowledge of Things paft, 'tis called Remembrance : or to things prefent ^ and then he is in Scripture faid to fee them *, and fo his Knowledge is reprefented by the Name of Sight, of njion : or to things fu- ture ^ and then 'tis ft y led Vrefcience^ or Fore- knowledge. Confider therefore, 2^/v, That God knoweth all things that are pail ; all our paft Words, Thoughts and Ani- ons : For he who knowtth all things, muft as well know what's paft, as what is prefent, and to come. Hence is God faid. W ^^ write them in th^ })oc\ of his Remembrance^ becaufe they are furely known, andperfedly remembred by him, as if he bad them v^itren in a Book ; and becaufe he will {^(L) yh\, 3. 16. mani- Vol. r. Of the Ommfcience of GO D, \6% manifeft his Knowledge of them, by pafling Sen- tence on Men according to their Deeds. Tht judgment was fet^ ' faith the Prophet (b) Datiiel^ and the Books rvere opened : j4tid all Jiden^ faith (c) St. Johr?^ were judged out of the thinj^s which were written in thofe Books ^ according to their Works* And this is therefore necefHiry to be believed, i/, Becaufe it is the Foundation of the Do- (^rine of a future Judgjnent : For did not God know all things that were paft, were they not all contained in the Book of his Remembrance, he could not polTibly bring every Word, Thought, and Adion into Judgment^ and lay them opea before Men and Angels at the Great Tribunal : For he can only manifeft and bring to light, that which he knows to have been done in fecret ; and only pafs the Sentence on us, according to his Knowledge of our Deeds. And this is more ef- pecially that Knowledge to which my Text re- lates. For to engage us to fcrve God with fmceri- ty of Heart, it informs us, That if, when we reflecl upon our paft Behaviour, our own Heart condemns us for living in any courfe of Sin, or in the cuftomary ncglcd of any known Duty ; if by comparing our Adions with the Conditions on which the Gofpcl Covenant doth promife Abfolu- tion, or threaten Condemnation, our Hearts and Confcienccs condemn us ;, the Omnifcienc God, who knoweth many of our evil Actions we are not able to remember, and m^ny things to be exceed- ing finful, for which our Confcience, thro' Igno- rance or Error, doth notfmite us, will more af^ furedly condemn us at the great Day of oar Ac- counts. zdly^ This is necefiary to be believed, that we may yield a firm Afient both to the Hiltory of the {h) Chap. 7. ic. Cc) Rev. 20, 13. M { Old 1 66 The Attributes of GOD., Old and the New leftament. For if things paft had not been known by God, how could he have acquaintedi^^/fj with the Original of things ? How could he have declared thofe Tranfaftions from the beginning of the World, of which all Hifto- ries were filent ? How could he have known the true Rife of Man's Fall, and his Corruption, fo ynany Ages after, which nonplus'd all the Wit of the Philofopkers ? How could Mofes have told us the Order of the Creaticfrt, the Work of every Day, the placing our firft Parents in the Garden of Edef?^ and their Expulfion thence, the Cir- cumftances of C^/«'s Murder, or the private Speech pi Lame ch to his Wives ^ with many other thing? of a like nature, if God had not revealed them to him ? And how could this Revelation be made, if thefe things pafr had not been prefent ^o the Eye of God ? Moreover, it being fcarce imaginable that the Memory of the jlpofiles fhould, without Divine AfTiiLince, exactly retain all thofe long Difcourfe? of Chrifl, niention'd in the Gof- pels, fo as that we fnould undoubtedly receive them, as the Words of Chrift, purely upon the Strength of their Memory ; we have great rea- fon to believe, that the holy Spirit of God, ac- cording to our Saviour s Promife, (d) brought all I he things to their Remembrance^ which he had [aid vnto them. And on this Suppofition we may be fare, that all the Sermons and Difcourfes of our Lord to his Difciples, recorded in the Evange^ lifts^ are faithfully dcliver'd by them, as to the Senfe and genuin fm.port of them : lince other- wife the Holy Spirit did not bring to their' Remem- prance whatfeever he had piid umo them ^ but fuf- fer'd them to record fome things otherwife than be deliver'd them : Kor were they faithful in the ■ ,J<«ii III.. I i»-i n II .. i»-i I I J ».i. I II P' 11— II Ml '' '.' ' ' id) John 1 4c 2«5o Vol. I. Of the Omnifcieme of GOD. 167 Execution of the Charge committed to them* which was, (J) to teach all Nations all things which he had commanded them. Now, if the Spirit of God brought all t^iefe pafl; Words to their re- membrance, and enabled them to give us an ex- act Account of all the Ad ions recorded by them, with all their feveral CircumHances, he muft ex- adly know all thefe pall Words and Adions. Moreover, God To knows all things paft, that they are always prefent, and before his Eyes: They are not only on record, to be hereafter ma- nifelted ; but they are always prefent to his View : For what was prefent to his Knowledge once, muft ever be fo, or elfe his Knowledge would be mutable ; whereas 'tis like his EIFence, uncapable of change. God is indeed, in Scripture^ faic^fometimes to forget his Servants; as in the fad Complaint of the (/) Pfalmift^ Hoxv long wilt thou forget me^ 0 Lord^ for ever ? But he is only faid to do this in a judicial Senfe, becaufe he doth notprefcntly come forth to help them. For, as God is faid to remember Sinners, and their Sins, when he doth puuifh them for their Iniquities, ac- cording to thofe Words of (^) Jeremiah^The Incenfe which you oJj}red in the Streets of Judah, did not the Lord remember it , fo that he could no longer hear^ he^ caufe of the Evil of your Doings.^ And as God faith of the true Penitent, that he will remember his //;/^«.- ties no more^ beciufe he will not punifh him for thofe Iniquities he hath forfakeii, and repented of : So is he faid to forget his People, when he with-holds the wonted Tcilimonies of his Kind- nefstothem^ and utterly to forget them, when he forfakes them utterly, T^r, ^3. 3^. So that God's Remembrance is not an empty fpeculative thing, but very conifortabie to the Righteous, (cfjMat. 28. 20. (f; Pfcil. 13, I, r;;: chap. 44. :i2. M 4 ^ and i68 The Attributes of GOD. Vol. I, and very terrible to the Wicked : |Iis Remem- brance of the Righteous being Rill for good, to render them Partakers of his choiceft Favours ; whereas his Remembrance of the Wicked is ftill attended with the Tokens of his Wrath, and his moft heavy Judgments. Now this Coniideration may be improved, (i.) to the Shame, Confufion and Terror of the* Sinner^ and to engage him to a fpeedy and fm- cere Repentance. (2J As a powerful Motive to rcltrain us all from indulging to Sin for the fu- ture. CsOTo encourage all Men to a more ftrid Performance of their Duty \ and to comfort them who have fincerely endeavoured to perform it- And 1/, This Apprehenfion, that all our pre- fent and paft Sins do thus lie open to the View of God's all-feeing Eye, mufl fure ftrike Shame, Confufion, and Horrour, into the Soul of him v»ho is convinced in his Confcience, that he hath oft been guilty of thofe Sins, to which that God who cannot lie, hath threatned damnation ; and can- not fay that he hath purchafed his Pardon by -an liumble ConfeiTion of, a godly Sorrow for them, an hearty Refoludon to forfake them, and a fu- ture Converfation fultable to that Refolution. For what can be a greater ground of Horror and Confauon, than to conJider, that all the Sins thou ball commireed to this very Day, are as frefii in the Memory of j:hy impartial Judge, and as cer- tainly befoi^e his' Eyes, who is unto the Wicked a coniuming Fire, as if they had been ail commit- ted but this prefent moment? Sure this rauft be a very frightful and amazing Thought, fince it would be lef> ground of Terror. to them, to have their Crim.es known to all the Angels in Heaven, the Men upon Earth, and the Devils in Hell \ than lehat they fliould be known to that Dread Sove- f eiga, whofe Laws they have violated, and whofe ■ ■' Ati- Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of G 0 D. i6q Authority they have contemned j and to their Judge, whofe Righteoufnefs obliges him to re- venge the Injury, and to condemn them to an eternal Separation from his blifsful Prefence. To fet home this Refle^ftion, 1. Let us confider that 'tis thus with us in re- ference to our Fellow-Creatures, our Friends, our Parents,and our earthly Judges. When our Thefts, Whoredoms, or any other fcandalons Offence againlt the Laws of our Superiours *, when our Difobedience to our Parents, our Hypocrify, In- gratitude, or Falfenefs to our Friends are known ; when it becomes a common Subjed of Difcourfe, and is prov'd againlt us in a Court of Judica- ture r what matter of Shame and Confufion of Spirit is it to us ? Should it not then be caufe of greater Shame and Horror to us to confider that our Hypocrify, our Falihood, our Ingratitude, and .wilful Difobedience againlt our heavenly Father, is naked to his Eye, and at this moment is remembred by him, and will, unlefs we cover it by a fincere Repentance, be laid open at the great Tribunal, before Men, and jingels ? 2. Let us confider that the Sins we do remem- ber are but few incompirifon of thofe our God remembreth againlt us. For we are ignorant that many of our Adions are linful Violations of his Laws,which yet he knows to be fo*, we are forget- ful of many of thofe Sins we have committed, all which are written in the Book of his Remembrance ; we have but mean imperfeft Apprehenfions of the Vilenefs and Aggravations of our Sins : Whereas God hath the m.olt perfed Knowledge of all their aggravating Circumltances. If there- fore the Rctjerlion we can make upon the finful Mifcarrijtges . of our Lives, gives us fufficienc ground f:>r Self-abhorrence, much more (hould the Ccaiidcration of the lively Senfe, and exad Know- ijo The Annhutes of GOD. Knowledge which this impartial Judge hath of all our (inful Adions, and all their aggravating Cir- cumftances, encreafe this holy Shame within us. Let then all thofe, who chiefly are concerned ia this ufe, whilfb they are in the Prefence of this God, and whilft the Apprehenfion of this Truth 13 frefh upon them, refled back upon their Lives, and call to mind their former Sins ^ and thea conlider ferioufly that, tho' thefe Sins are paft, and have been long ago committed, God who in- finitely abhors and loaths them, who ftands en- gaged by his Truth and Faithfulnefs to punifh them who do commit them with everlafting fhame and torment, and to lay them open before Rlen and Angels at the great Day of their account, even this God hath them continually before him, and now within his View : and furely no- thing can be more effeftual to create in us aa holy Shame, a godly Sorrow, and a fincere Re- pentance for them, and a Refolution to forfake them whilft ic is called to day ; left, being thus continually before his Eyes, they fhould provoke him to difpatch the Sinner to the Place of Tor- ments, before that neceflary Work be wrought which can alone prevail with God to caft them all behind his back. 2cily. The lively Senfe of this, that all our pafb Iniquities, as well as prefent, are ftill before the Eyes of him who is to be our Judge, is a moll powerful Motive to engage us all to a moil fpee- dy and fincere Repentance for all the known Ini- quities of our Lives pall. If the Child be allured that his Father is acquainted with his Diforders, he prefently betakes himfelf to his Knees *, if the Malefad^or knows that his Iniquity is difcovered, he prefently bethinks himfelf of fuing to the Judge for Mercy : Dofl thou then know that all the Sins of thy whole Life are at the prefent fpread be- fore Vol.1. Of the Omnifcience of GO D, 171 fore the Eyes of thy impartial Judge, and hea- venly Father? what remains but that thou in- ftantly endeavour, by humbling thy felf for them, by faithful Promiles of Amendment, and by fin- cere endeavours to perform them, to procure thee Pardon and Forgivenefs of them, thro' the Blood of Jefus Ihcd for the RemilTion of the Sins of all true penitent Believers ? And to this end confider, 1. That till this Work be done thou mufl: be certainly condemned by that Word by which thou wilt be judged : lince that doth pafs this dreadful Sentence upon all Inipenitents. This Condemnation muft be alfo written in theBook of thy own Conrcience,for that muft certainly be pri- vy to, and fmite«thee for negleding this one thing necefTary. Kor canft thou tell how foon this Judg- ment may be conlirmed by the fupreme Tribunal \ feeing God doth remember thine Iniquities in or- der to the Execution of rhe wicked Man, If^os turn not^ faith the ?falmifl^ (Jj) He hath whet his Sword and bent his Bow^ and hath prepared for him the Inftruments of Death, Confider, 2. That either thou muft fometime or other of thine own accord remember them, and that with godly Sorrow, and fincere Repentance, or He that knows them, and keeps them in the Book of his Remembrance, will force thee to remember them. His Providence may call them to remembrance in fuch a troubled Confcience, as is a Burthen too heavy to be born ^ he may (^/^^ thy Sins in order before thee^ as he hath threatned he will do ; fo that if thou wouldft forget them, thou fhalt not be able fo to do, but the appearance of them, like aGhoft, (hall terrify thee Day and Night. Evea holy Joh complains, (t) That God wrote hitter thin£s aMtnfthim^ and made him pojfefs the Sins of his Toiith : (h) PfaL 7. 12, (/; Pfal, 50. 21. (h) Chap. 13. 16. and 172 The Attributes of GOD. and canfl; thou promife to thy Self afTurance of Freedom from thofe Judgments which God is pleafed fometimes to inflid upon his righteous Servants ? But if thou fhouldfl: efcape them in this World, the Worm of Confcience will bring them all to thy remembrance in the World to come, and that Remembrance will be an ever- lafting Torment to thee. O how much better therefore is it, now to remember them with that godly Sorrow which will create both Joy in Heaven, and endlefs Joy in thy own Confcience! 3. Confider that this penitential Remembrance, which puts our Sins continually before us, till we look upon them with an eye of Hatred and Abhorrence, and put them away from us by yielding no Obedience to them in the Luftings of them, is the only way to prevail with God to caft them all behind his Back, and hlot them out of the Book^ of his remembrance, Wafh nie^ fays David j (/) throughly from mine Iniquity^ and cleanfe me from my Sin \ for I acknowledge my Tranfgrejfions^ and my Sin is ever before me. Hence the Apoftle Peter calls thofe Jews to repentance, who had crucified the Lord of Life, Qn) That their Sins might be blot- ted out. And God hath promifed to the Penitent that he will be merciful to his Iniquity^ and remember hisSin no more : When the Shame of the Impenitent ihall belaid open before Men and Angels,, he will be pleafed to cover his Tranfgreflions, fo that they fhall not once be mention'd \ for thefe are his own Words ; If the Wicked Man turn from alibis Sins that he hath committed^ and doth that which is lawful and right^ all the Tranfgrcffions that he hath committed^ fjail not be mention'd to him, Ezek. 18. 22.. (I) rral.51. 3,4. C^) Aclss. 19. Vol I. OftheOmnifciemeof GOD. ij^ 4. Confider that thou can'ft not tell how foon the Providence of God may place thee beyond the Meaps and the Capacity of that Repentance, vyhich can alone prevent thy Ruin : feeing our Times are not in our own, but God's Hand ^ and he may juftly fay to thofe who flight the prefent Opportunity of turning to him from their evil 7^ Ways, Thou Fool^ this Night jJjali thy Soul he re- cjuired of thee : And if thou dieft before thou haft performed this great and neceflary Work, thoa . dieft too foon to be faved, and fo muft dye eter- nally. I have read of a good Fafior^ who zea- loufly exhorted a loofe Liver belonging to his Charge, to a fpeedy Repentance and Reformation of his evil Ways ; and when he could bring him no farther than a faint Refolution to do this hereafter, he defired him, that if Sicknefs ihould ieize upon him> he would chafe it away, and tell it he was not yet at leifure to be fick ^ and if , Death come, bid it, faith he be gone, and tell it thou haft other Bufinefs than to dye : Or if thy Soul be feparated from thy Body, let it not appear before thy Judge till it hath repented. ' This^ faith the Man, is very foolijJ) Counfel^ fince ^tis not in my Power to hinder Sicknefs or Death from feiz.ing on me^ when God pleafeth ^ or to hinder the appear- ance of my Soul before him after death* True^ faith the P^fior^ but if thou knowefi thou canfi not do this^ thou art the Fool^ who artfiill for deferring thy Repen- tance to another Seafon^ when Sicknefs may arreft thee^ and Death may fummon thee to this Tribunal before that Seafon conm, Lafily^ The due Confideration of God's all- feeing Eye, tends naturally to reftrain us from.re- turning any more to Folly. For (i .) we know by experience, that the Eyes of thofe we honour, and for whofe Favour we have a great refped, have a ftrong Influence upon us, to take heed to our 1 74 The Attributes of 0 0 D. our Ways, and our Behaviour in their Prefencec Hence is it, that the Heathen Sages advis'd their Scholars (till to prefent to their Imaginations fome grave Socrates^ or Cato^ or any other Perfon eminent for Virtue, as always prefent with them^ and a Spedator of their Actions, that the Con- fideration of their Prefence, might reftrain them from the Extravagancies of their Youth. And fhall then the Confideration of God's all-feeing Eye, and his continual Prefence with us, be lefs effedual to make us circumfped in our ways, and careful to avoid what is ungrateful to his pure Eyes ? Can we have a greater regard to the Eyes of mortal Men. whofe Favour and Good- liking can ftand us but in little ftead, than we have to the Eyes of that eternal God, in whofe Favour is Life, and in whofe Approbation doth both our prefent and everlafting Happinefs con- fift? Moreover, if we know that any earthly Magiftrate is of inflexible Juftice, and bears fo true an hatred to all Iniquity, and fuch a Zeal for God, whofe Minifter he is, as that he will not; iufFer wilful Violations of the good Laws of God ar Man, to go unpunifh'd ; this ufually will ren- der us more watchful that we do not offend be- fore his Eye. Since therefore God is faid to fet the Sins of wicked Men before his Eyes, in order to their Punifhment, and to the Executiou of his Wrath upon them ; what can be more efTedual to deter us from a Relapfe into our old beloved Sins, than this Confideration, that tho' we may forget them, God will be fure to have them in remembrance, fo as to vifit us for them? We are confumed^ faith the Pfalm (^a) of Mofes^ by thins Anger ^ and hy thy Wrath are troubled : Our Days are faffed away in thy Wrath •, for thou hafl fet our Ini* (4)PfaI.90, 7^879. ' quitii$ Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 175 auities before thee^ our fecret Sins in the Light of thy Countenance. And here 'tis proper to take notice of the Folly and VVickednefs of thofe Men who indulge themfelves in Sin on the account of Se- crefy ; for what, I pray you, doth this Secrefy import, only that they are yet conceal'd from the Eye of Man, not from that Eye to which all things ly open ? Now hence an Heathen^ * Senecrt^ asks this confounding Qiieftion, Qvidprodefl.homi- mm latere f nihil Deo claufum eft. What profit is it to have our Anions hidden from the Eye of Man, when they ly open to our Judge ? Quid prodefi neminem ejfe confciu?n^ hahenti confcientiam f Or what avails it, that no Man is confcious to that, to which thy Confcience is a thoufand WitnefTes : and thou hereafter art to be condemned, not by the Teftimony of Man, but of thy Confcience and thy God ? Moreover, when open Iniquities arerefrain'd from out of refpeft or dread of the Eye of Man, and fecret Sins are indulg'd to, not- withflanding the Eye of God *, we plainly Ihew we dread more the Cenfure of Man, than the judgment of the Almighty God \ or that we have a regard for the one, but do comparatively def- pife the other : For as we fhew fome Reverence for the Eye of Man, when we are either alham'd or afraid to do a vile Adion in his View •, fo we difcov^r that we have no regard unto, or fear of God's all-feeing Eye, when we impudently com- mit our fecret Sins in the Light of his Counte- nance. Now, as to fear Man more than God, is grofs Idolatry, and honouring the Creature more than the Creator : So the true Root of it is Infi- delity, fecretly lurking in the Heart : For by this Contempt of him, we difcover, that either we believe he hath no Eye to fee, or that he wants ' * Epift. 8j. ij6 The Attributed of GOD. an Arm of Jullice to puiiifli what we do in fecret. In fine, the care the Wicked take '^ot to have Cod in all their Thoughts-^ not tO COnfider that his Eye is upon all their Way $^ fufficiently demonftrates the Force of this Confideration, to lay a Curb upon them. For wherefore do they put away thefe Thoughts, but that they find them power- fully moving them to quit their evil Courfes, and become new Men ? Now if they fometimes will have thefe Effeds upon thofe Men, who neither know him truly, nor fmcerely love him, yea, who prefer their Lufts before him ; how powerful will thefe Confiderations be upon all thofe who have lb truly known and loved him, as to renounce themfelves, and all their worldly Interefts, for his Sake^ who love him as much for his Good- nefs, as they fear him for his Power; and who had rather die, than willingly difpleafe him ? Kot fo much becaufe he can punifh them, as be- caufe they know how difingenuous and bafe a thing it is to affront him to his very Face, who hath been fo exceeding kind and gracious to them. Surely thefe Thoughts muft powerfully reftrain them from all wilful Sin. O F 77 O F T H E Omnifcience of GO D. SERMON III I John, HI. 20. God is greater thm our Hearts^ and knoweth all thin^t. % '^ THE Confideration of God's general Knowledge of all things, may be im- proved, i/?, For the Confirmation of our Faith in feveral important Points of Dodrine. And idly^ For Direction of our Lives and Actions. And i/. The Certainty of God's all-feeing Eye, confider'd in conjundion with his Almighty Power, may give us juft Ailurance that God can raife the Dead ; and that what he hath promifed, as to this matter, he is able to perform. For why fhould we diftrud God's Promife, provided that be not impolTible, which he itinds engag'd to perform? Or in St. Pauls Co) Euquiry,' ^Vhy fljould it he thought a thing fmpOjffible for God to raifs the Dead .^ Since that alone can be impoflible to God, which either he wants Knowledge, or want- (a) Mis 2(. S. N eth lyS Of the Attributes of G 0 D. eth Power to effecl:. Now, can that God, whofe Underftanding is infinite, want Knowledge, how or where to recolle(fl and reunite our fcat- tered Dufl? Sure that all-feeing Eye, from whofe View nothing can be hid, which knoweth whereof we were made, from what Duft we arofe, and into what we (hall return '-, can eafily obferve each Particle of our dilTolved Matter ; and know all ways and means by which this fcattered Duft lhouldbeunited,and thisruin'd Fabrick be rebuilt. Again, Is it unreafonable to conceive, that he whofe Power did at firfl give Being to the World, and to all things contained ia it, fhould, by the fame Almighty Power, give a fecond Being to our human Bodies ? If with God nothing is impojfihle, but that which doth involve a Contradidion ; why fhould the Refurredtion of the Body be con- ceiv'd athingimpoffible ? for is it any Contra- didion to affert. That he who was, and now is not, fliould be hereafter what before he was ? That he who firfl: was Dufl, and after Man, becoming Dufl:, fhould be made Man again ? It is indeed a Contradidion, that the fame Parts, at the fame time, fhould be united unto divers Bodies, becaufe they mufl: be then in divers places: They mufl: be Parts, and yet not Parts of the fame Body. And hence fome think they ftrongly argue, that the Refurredion of the fame Body is impoflible, becaufe fome falvage Perfons have devoured human Flefh. But this Objection is of no force againft that Refurredion of the fame Body which God him- iclf hath promifed ^ for then, as God is able, fo IS his Providence engag'd to preferve one Body from entring fo into the Confhitution of another, as to hinder it from being the fame Body when raifed, as it was when 'twas laid down in the Grave, or dead, as far as that is neceflary. There Vol. L Of the Omnlfcknce of G 0 D 179 There is no reafon to affert, That ia the Refurredion, each part of the deceas'd Matter fhallarife; and th.it there Iliall be no Diminution from, ornoAddition to, thedyingBody. St. PW (/') exprefly faith. That Meats are for the Belly and the Belly for Meats ; but God flmll deftroy both them and it. Whence we have reafon to conclude That our renewed Bodies, which iliall no longer eat or drink, fhal] not be clogg'd with thofe En^ trails, which have no other ufe but to receive, digefl:, and to tranfmit our Meat and Drink. Moreover, who thinks the grofs, unweildy, or the maim d, ftarv'd, and confumptive Bodies of good Men, fhall at the Refurredion be raifed in that plight ? Or how is this confident with its being rais'd a glorious and fpiritual Body, as the A^oflle faith It will be at the Refurredion ? Why therefore may not he, who gives ^^ ew^ 5^^^ that IS call into the Ground, its own Body, tho' not without fome diminution from it, and addition to it,make fome Supplies to, or Diminution from, the human Body, \^ the fore-mention'd Cafes 1 and yet preferve to every Man thus rais'd, his own Body, and render him no more another Man, than he that is grown fat or lean, doth differ from \{i% former felf ? ^dly Hath God a perfecT: Knowledge of alt our Words, our Thoughts and Adions > Then miy we reafonably conclude, that there will be a tuture Judgment, or a time when God will call Men to account for what they have done in the Body, whether it be good or evil: For as //./v 5m/,r.r. fully affures us of this Truth, by frying, (0, The Lord fearchcth the Heart, and trieth thl ^ems, for this very end. That he may give to every, M^n accord^r.. to his Ways, a.d according to the C^; I Cor, 6, 13, (r) Jer. 17. 10. ^ N Z Fruii: i8o The Attributes of G 0 D. Fruit of his Doings : So we cannot rationally con- ceive why he fhould take notice of our Aclions, if he had no concern to punifh or reward them : For either it mufl be faid, that they are neither good nor evil, and therefore are uncapable of any recompence *, which in effeft is to fay, there can be no fuch thing as Religion in the World, fince that only confifts in doing good, and in declining evil out of refped to God : Or if it be acknow- ledged that there is fomething good and evil, there mufl be fome Law forbidding what is evil, and commanding what is good. Now either he who gave this Law, did give it to Man in vain, as being one who will not call him to account for any Violations of it done before his Eyes, or be con- cerned for his Obedience to it ; or from this Knowledge of his Violations of it, or Obedience to it, we may certainly infer, that he will punifli the TranfgrelTors, and reward the Obfervers of it: thefe being the fole Motives to decline the Violations, or be concern'd for the Obfervance of them. Moreover, no Man can rationally conceive God truly loves, or highly doth approve of any Ferfons, for doing that which he hath left them at free liberty to leave undone *, or that he difap- provesof, or is difpleafed with any, for doing that which he permittcth them to do, without fear of Punilhment. If then God having a full Knowledge of all our good and eyil Adions, will put no dijference betwixt the Evil and the Good^ by future Puni^hracncs or Bleffings, Men muftbeleft at liberty to be good or evil ^ and fo God cannot be truly faid to love, approve of, or be concern- ed for his obedient Servants, ^rather than for his ftubborn Enemies ; or b| difpleas'd with their moft vile Enormities, fince he will put no dif- ference betwixt the Sinner and the Righteous. Vol. r. Of the Omnifcience of GO D. 1 8 1 3^/y, Who can imagine, that a God infinite in Holinefs, (hould have no hatred of Sin, or fhcw no difpleafure againft that which bears the highefl Contradiaion to his holy Nature ? And yet if he will not punifti it, he cannot be fuppos'd to fliew the leaft Difpleafure againft the Workers of Ini- quity. If he will not deter Men froir it, he can- not bedifpleafed that they do it *, and if lie gives them liberty to do it, even before his Eyes, with- out fear of Punilhment, he can do nothing to de- ter them from it. Again, we cannot reafonably conceive God bears a great AfFedion to, or highly doth approve of that, which he hath given us no fuificient Mo- tives to perform. Or that a God, infinitely holy, fhould leave the World without the lea ft en*- couragement to Holinefs and Vertue, or hopes of a good llTue from it : And yet if he will not here- after recompence them for it, we have great reafon to fufped that he hath done ^o ; for all tiie Motives to a vertuous and pious Life, muft bot- tom on the Apprehenfion of foiil Good to be ob- tained, fome Evil that we nlly efcape, by living uprightly. Now feeing evident it is, that Piety doth often here fubjedt Men to great outward Trouble, which otherwife they might efcape: If there will be no future Retributions, there caix be no well-grounded Hope of any Good to be re- ceived, or any Evil to be avoided by a vertuous Life ^ and fo no Obligation to perform cny ad of Piety, or Love to God. So that it plainly fecms to follow, that God can neither be a Lover of true Goodnefs, nor an Hater of Iniquity *, if, having a moft perfed Knowledge of both, he neither will reward the good, nor punifti evil Doers. Since then Experience ftiews, this is not done at prefenc ifl this World, but here is often, N 3 * as I §2 The J t tributes of G 0 D. as (^) Solomon obfervcth, arte Event unto the Righ- teous and the Wicked ^ it follows, that there muft be a time hereafter, when God will deal with all M^n. according to their Works. 2^/y, A ferious Confideration of this Attribute, will naturally tend, (i.; To advance in us that great Duty of walking humbly wuth God. (2 J To fupport us under the Troubles and Af- fli<5tions, the Calumnies and Reproaches, to which we may be iubje(fl in this prefent Life; and to engage us to acquiefce in all the Difpenfations of God's Providence. C3.) To guard us againft, and to prefervc us from, the Power of Temptati- ons. And 4?%, to engage us to the Performance of that Service which we owe to our good God, with more Sincerity and Vigour. And, 1/, The Confideration of God's perfect Know- ledge of all our Thoughts, Words, and Adions, ^'nd of his Eye intent on all our Ways, muft render us more fenfible of our own great and frequent Failings, and therefore more difpos'd to be vile in our own Eyes, and touch'd with a due Senfe of our UnWorthinefs to come before him, or to receive any Blenings from him, as being y??;- ftilVvfi and jljljes: To be humble in the very Pollure of our Bodies, and more humble in our Minds, when wc addrefs unto this (0 high and lofty one^ who inhabiteth Eternity^ whofe Name is Holy^ in rvhofc Sight the Heavens^ or the Inhabitants of Heaven, are unclean, and before whom the very ^4ngels veil their Faces. For where is the perfect Man who offends not with his Tongue? Who iiever took up a Reproach again 0: his Neighbour ? ^\ever fpake to his Difparagement without ne- celTity ? Never pafs'd. an undue Cenfure on him? 'd) Eccle-;; 9 3. (r) \u, 57. 15. Job 1$, 15. Ifa. -J* Who Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 1 8 j Who never call'd him Fool in anger ? Who in his Table-Talk, his chatting over a Cup of Li- quor, in his Difcourfe in Publick-Houfes, or in Publick Places, never faid any thing, without ne- ceflity, to the Difparagement or Difadvantage of his Neighbour ? To omit many other Vices of the Tongue, too common among Men, I fear it may be truly faid of what I have now mention'd, in many of thefe things we ejfend all. Again, to omit thofe luflful Thoughts, which, faith our Saviour^ render us guilty of Adultery in the Heart -^ thofe covetous Thoughts, which are forbidden in the Tenth Commandment *, thofe diftrullful Thoughts in time of danger, which fhew the Weaknefs of our Faith •, thofe murmuring Thoughts under great and long Afflidions, by which we charge Good foolijlily. If fome choice Per- fons can fay, they never have ftole in upon them ; yet as to vain and foolifh Thoughts, to wandring Thoughts in God's Service; as to proud and high Thoughts of our felves, and contemptible Thoughts of others, v;ho highly have provok'd us ; as to Thoughts which rufflle and difturb our Spirits, and leave undue Commotions in our Souls, if they do not provoke us to fpeak un^dvifedly with our Lips, (f) Who can fay^ 1 have made my Heart clean^ I am pure from Sin .<* Or wifll, with the Philofopher, That every Man had a Window into his Heart, to fee the Motions of it ? Who is the righteous Man among us, who needs no Repen- tance, or no ConfefTion that he hath done foolifh- ly, and may not rather fay with holy (g) Job^ If I thus jufiify my felf^ my own Mouth jhall condemn me • if I fay I am perfeEi^ it jhall prove me perverfe. Who of us can fay, my Underftanding is free from Er- ror or Miftake, even in things relating to my Cf ) Prov. 20. 9. • (g) Job. 9. 20, N 4 Dutjf I §4 ^he Attributes of GOD. Vol 1. Duty towards God and Man? My Will is free from Oppofitioa or Avcrfenefs to God's Will of Precept ; or from all Difiatisfadion at his Will of Providence ? My Appetites, Defires and Af- feftions never were irregular ^ my Paflions never were exceflive : Yea, who can know how oft he hath cjfended in fome or other of thefe kinds ? Kow if the befl of us know fo much of our Infirmities and Failings, as to render us vile in our own Eyes, and to make us fay with the lamenting (h) Prophet^ J\4y Soul hath them flill in remembrance^ and is hum" hied in me: How much more doth God's all- piercing Eye perceive, to render us vile in his ^Sight ? How dejeded fhould any of us be, if we were fure that even our Neighbours were through- ly acquainted with all our Crimes, and all their feveral Aggravations ? And yet, alas, what is the Knowledge of a IVTan, to that of an infinite Underflanding ? When therefore we confider, that God knows all our Actions, whereof there are multitudes i and all oar Thoughts, which are yet more in number : That he knows all the Bleffings he hath bellow'd upon us, and how we have abiifed them, and perhaps fought againft him with thofe very Mercies ^ his Kindnefs to us, and our Ingratitude to him, arjd how we have refufed to be drawn unto him by thefe Cords of Love \ that he is perfectly acquainted with all our Omiffions of known Duty, our Violations of plain Precepts :i with all that Averfation to his holy Will, which is in our Hearts; and all the Oppofition to it, which is in our Aftions ^ and all the Failings and Imperfeftions of our belt Performances \ mull not this highly engage us to walk humbly with (/))Lam. 3. 20. OUT Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 1 8 $ &itr Gody and to cry out with the Royal Q) Tfalmift^ Jf thou, Lord^ jJjouldfi mark our Iniquity^ who could ftatjd ? That is, if thou fhouldft ftriElly examine our Llves^ and proceed with us according to our Deferts, we (hould be certainly condemned by thee. An Inllance of this Humility we find in holy (k) Job^ who having faid, / k^ow^ Lord^ that thou canft: do every thhig, and that no Thought can be xoith'holden from thee ^ adds v/6. by way of In- ference, wherefore I abhor my felf^ and recent id Dujt and Ajhes. To this let me add, by way of Caution, two PalTages, which under this Head are very ufually, but falfly and very dange- roufly a Hedged ;. as firft, by the Word of the Wife IvlaD, The (l)jufl Adan falletkfeven times : Of which ail excellent Divine fpeaks thus, ' Thefe Words are commonly in Sermons, and in Books applied to falling into Sin ^ and that Men may the more fecurely indulge themfelves in their Sins, and yet think themfelves good Men, they have very cunningly added fomething to them,for they arecommoiily cited thus, a juji Man falleth [even times a Day : ^Vhich laft Words (a, Day^ or in a Day, are neither in the Original, nor in any Tranilation of the Bible): Nor can that Paflage be underftood of falling into Sin, fince the \Vord S^phal never fignifies fb, but always to fail into trouble and calamity *, as may be prov d from all thofe places where it is joyn'd, as here it is, with rijing agaiv^ both of them having refped to Calamities \ the former fig- nifying being pluhg'd into them, and the latter getting out of them. Wherefore, faith he, we muft take heed of reading the Holy Scriptures fo (/}prai, 130, z. (t; Chap, 42. 2, (/) Prov. 24. 16. ' carelefly i86 The Attributes of G 0 D. *' carelefly, as to turn our Mediciae iato Poyfan -, ^ which is the fault of thofe, who from fuch • Millakes, give way to their evil Affeffions, and ^ let them carry them into Sin '. The fecond Text is that of Ifa, 64.. 6. where the Prophet faith of the hypocritical and wicked Generation, who bad nothing of Religion but the out-fide left, and therefore were juft ready to be led into Captivi- ty, We are all as 'an unclean things and all our Righ" teoufnefs as filthy Rags. They Ite'mg Men^ faith the fame Prophet^ who only offered to God fuch Sacri^ ftces as were an Abomination to him^ and only drexo "mgh unto him with their Afoiiths^ when ttoeir Hearts -were far from him : And therefore to apply thefe Words, which belong only to the out-fide Hypo- critical, and Pharifaical Performances of the vileft Sinners, to the mod upright and fincere Performances of the beft of Chrlffians^ is to dif- courage them, and make Men lefs concerned for that Integrity which is here compared, by this falfe Interpretation, to the mod filthy and pollut- ing things. 2^/y, A ferious Reflection on this Attribute^ and a due Imprelfion of it on our Spirits, will be fufficient to fupport us under all the Troubles and Calamities, the Calumnies and Reproaches, to which the good Man may be fubjed in this pre- fentLife. For what if the Jail Man, in this fhort courfeof Life, Ihould fall into them feven times : if the Words following will aflure him he fliall often rife again ; if God, as the Pfdmift (ni) faith, h^noweth his Soul in Adver/ittes^ if he fo knows them, as to be with them in fix Troubles^ and to deli" -jsr them from feven? (ti) St. Perer fpeaks of fiery (m) Plal. 31.7, 0?; I Pet. 4» i2» I7» Tryals Vol.1. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 187 Tryals the ChriftUns of his time were to fuffer, and of Judgments which were to begin at the Houfe of God\ but then he thinks it fufficient to inform themj (0 '^^^^ ^^^ Lor<^ krioweth how to deliver the Righteous out of Temptations : And the AfoflU Paul^ that the Faithfulnefs of this all-feeing Eye en- gages him not to lay us under any Temptation which his Grace will not enable us to bear, and (/?J from which his Wifdom cannot find a way for our efcape. Thus when God had wonderfully deliver'd David^ when he was in the utmoft dan- ger at the Cave of Engeddai^ and knew not how he could efcape, he fpeaks thus to him, (^q) When my Spirit was overwhelmed within wf, thou kf^eweft my Path. What, laftly, if our Troubles do abound, if he that knows them, will (r) make our inward Con folat ions to abound much more? What if they feem to continue long upon us, if this we know, that (/) all thefe things fhall work^ together for the good of them that: love God J and that becaufe he did fore-know they ihould thus fuffer ? This alfo muft be matter of juft comfort to us, under all the falfe Calum- nies and Reproaches which wicked Men may caft upon us : For what if the World chargeth us with Crimes of Hypocrify, Falfhpod, or In- Uncerity, muft it not be fufficient comfort to us, to be able to appeal to the Searcher of Hearts, as to our Innocence and Sincerity, and to fay with the Prophet (r) Jeremiah^ Oh Lord of Hofis^ that trief; the Righteous^ and feefl the Reins^ and the Hearty to thee have I opened my Caufe <* This, laftly, will enable us to acquiefce in all the Dif- (0) 1 Vet. a. 9. ip) I Cor. 10. 13. (^) Pfal. 42. 3. [r) I Cor. 1. 5. ($) Rom. 8, 28. (t) Chap. 20. 12. pen- l88 The Attributes of GOD. penfations of God's Providence, and in patience to poflefs our Spirits under them, and with St* Tavl^ (y) To learn^ in what Eflate foever we are^ therewith to be content ^ as knowing that God fees all our Wants, and is able to fupply them : That, if we be fincere, he will not fuffer us to want any thing that is good : He {x) will give (jrace and Glory-y and no good thing will he with -hold from them that live a godly Life, Hence doth our Lord forbid us to be folllcitous what (y^ we jhall eat^ or drink^^ or wherewithal jhall we he cloathed ; becaufe our Heavenly Father knoweth we have need of all thefe things : Which Argument de- pends on this great Truth, that his Providence will certainly provide whatever he fees needful for his Servants. And s^ly^ This Confideration, where the Con- fcience is not feared, and where no fecret In- fidelity lurks in the Heart, muft be a great Pre- fervative againft Temptations to commit Iniqui- ty. For whilft there is any awe of this all- feeing Eye upon our Spirits, we cannot choofe but ftartle at the Thoughts of doing any wicked Adion in the View and Prefence of this Holy God, to whom it muft be very hateful, and who^ in juftice, ftands engag'd to condemn us for it, and who efteems it a moft vile Affront, and a Contempt of his raoft glorious Majefly, that we dare thus to provoke him to his very Face, This was one Inftance of the Integrity of Joh^ (zS) That he durft not allow himfelf a wanton Glance upon a Maid, becaufe God faw his W'ays^ and counted his Steps. And this is the Reftraint which (•u) Phil. 4. 12. (x) pral. 84,11. OJMat. 6. 30, (0 Chap.: 31. 4. Solomon I Vol. T. Of the Ownifcieme of GOD. 1 85 Solomon lays upon his Son, from embracing the Borom of a Stranger, (^) That the Eyes of the Lord are upon all the Ways of Man^ and. he pondereth his Goings. A deep affeding Senfe of God's all- feeing Eye, would curb the very Glances of the Heart to Sin, and put a ftop to the firlt Moti- ons of it rifing up within us : 'Twould render fruitlefs all the Wiles of Satan, and deadea the Temptations of the World. Let us thea ask our Hearts that Queftion of the (b) Ffalmifi^ Should I confent to this Temptation, tpow/^ not: God fearch it out f And it quickly will vanifii and flee before the Weight of this Confideration. With this one Thought, Jofeph repels all the SoUicitations of his Miftrefs, How {hall I da this V/ickednefs^ and Sin againfl God ? Gen. 39. 9. And, Laftly, This would be a good Inducement to perform every Duty, publick or private, with more Sincerity and Vigour : For as the Dodrine of God's Omnifcience is the Foundation of all Religion, fo the due Impreflion of it on the Heart, will beft promote the Pradice of it. Did we but ferioufly confider, and fay within our Hearts, by way of Preparation to thofe reli- gious Duties in which wedo engage •, I am going into the Prefence of that God, who knows the Frame, and views the Difpofition of my Heart, whilfl: I am ferving him ^ and will accordingly approve, or accept, or elfe rejed my Service : We (hould be more fervent in Spirit^ whilft we are ferving the Lord ^ and fhould ' engage in his Service with a more willing, and a perfed Hearty according to that Advice oi David to King Solomon^ (c) Aiy Son^ fcrve the Lord with a perject Hearty and with a willing Mind ; for the I , ■ . , _ ^ j_ • ~ (4)Pf0v. 5.21. (b)V[diU4-^. 21. (OiChron. 2B. 9. Lord ipo The Attributes of GOD. Lordfearchtth all Hearts^ and underfiandeth all the Imaginations of the Thoughts, And laftly. This will engage us to an impartial Obedience to all the Laws of God, what tempo- ral Advantage foever we may hope for, from the Violation of them. Hence David faith (^), / have kept thy Precepts^ and thy Ceremonies ^ for all my Ways are before thee : i, e. Tho* I could have got a King- dom by privately confenting to the Death of Saul^ I kept my felf from that Iniquity, as know- ing nothing could be done fo fecretly, but that thou perfectly art acquainted with it. ((i)PfaI.ii9.i68. itMHWiMMii OF 191 OF THE Omnifcience of GOD, SERMON IV. I John, III. 20. God is greater than our Hearts^ and knoweth all things. I Proceed now to a very ufeful Subjedl", full worthy of our Religious Obfervation, viz.. God's perfed Knowledge of our Hearts, Thoughts, and our Imaginations, on which ac- count he is fo often ftiled that God {a) v>ho fearch- eth the Hearts^ and tries the Reins of the Children of Men^ and is faid to be icpiTtKc? zv^v^yzsov >y iwoiuy 7m icApAicti, a Critick upon, or an exaEi Ohferver of the Thoughts^ and the Imaginations of the Heart : and this is abfolutely necefTary to be believed, that we may yield as firm affent to thofe exprefs Decla- ration of the //c/;' 5mpf2/re, which inform us, That God will bring every Thought into Judgment^ and at tfiatday make manifefl the Counfels of the Heart. Hence this is made the End or the Defign of God in fearching of the Heart, or at the leaft the certain confequence of it. For the Prophet (^)7f- (tf; Heb. 4,xi. (^; Chap. 17,10. 192 The Attributes of G 0 D. remy informs us, that the Eyes of God are upon alt the ways of Man-) to give to him according to his Ways^ and according to the Fruit of his DoingS4 And he who is to be our Judge declares to the Church of Thyatyra^ (c) That all the Churches fliall know that I am he who fearchcth the Hearts and the EeinSy and will gi've to every Man according- to his Works, 2. This Knowledge of the Hearts and Thoughts of all Men is a thing proper and peculiar to God alone. Thus God declareth in the Prophet J^re- my^ (d) That the Heart of Man is deceitful above all things : who can know it ? i. e. What Angel^ Mail or Devil^ can difcern the Secrets of it ? Surely none; (for 'tis a common Obfervation of Di- vines, that fuch Queftions are ftrong Negations) and what he thus denies to them, he afcribes to himfelf alone, by faying, / the Lord fearch the Hearty I try the Reins. And this is more exprefly taught us in the Prayer of Solomon^ (e) What Prayer^ or what Supplication foever^fl)all be made by any Man^ or by all thy People Ifrael, when every one fmll know the Plague of his own Hearty andfpread forth his hands towards this Houfe : hear thou in Heaven^ thy dwelling Place^ and forgive ; and render to every Man according to all his Ways^whofe Heart thou knowefi -^fcr thou^even thouonly-^ knowefi the Hearts of the Children of Men, Where obferve, (i.) That is given as a Rea- fon, why, when any Perfon renders his Petition to God, he fhould render to him according to his ways^ becaufe he only knows his Heart* (2.) Obferve that this Knowledge of the Heart is thus appro- priated to God in reference to whatfoever Prayer or^ Supplication fljall be made by any Man : Whence I infer, that whatfoever Prayer or Supplication fhall be made by any Man, God only knows the Heart, (c) Rev. 2. 23. (d) Chap. 17.10. (e) t Rings 8. 39. and Vo/. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 195 and the Conceptions of the Supplicant; and therefore that this Knowledge n not communi- cated to Sai?ns and jingels. The Tafifts in defence of that Invocation of Saints and ^ngels^ which they daily pradice, are forced to own that both the blefTed Sams and Angels know the Hearts of all that pray unto them here on Earth *, and that is, at leafl, of all of their Communion : and therefore they are forced here to diflinguifh thus. That God only knows the Hearts of all Men from the Perfedion of his Nature, but Saints departed, and Angels have this Knowledge either by Reve- lation from God, or by Virtue of the Beatifick Vifion, that is by feeing him who know^eth all things. But this is a very forc'd Intrepretation of this Text. For,*F/V/?, According to tbisLimitation ; the ex- clu five Term God only knows ^ will not refer to what is fpoken, to wit, the Knowledge of the Hearts of Men •, but only to that which is not mentioned, to wit the ma-nner of that knowledge^ of which the Text is wholly filent. ^, Then the Propofition taken as it is cxprefled, ^'/^. God only k^ows the Hearts of all that fray uuto him^ will be abfolutely falfe, becaufe the Saints and Angels do alfo know the Hearts of all that pray to them to pray to him, and the contracfidory to it, God only doth not know the Hearts of all that fray vnto him^SNi^ht true* Secondly^ The Diftindtion is plainly falfe as to both Particulars. For 17?. Whereas they fay that 5^/wfj and A?:- gels do fee all things by Virtue of the Beatifick Vifion, i. e. by feeing him who feeth ali things ^ this is, I. Falfe in the Foundation: For all the Ancients held that even the Souls of Saints de- parted were not to be admitted to that Vifioa till the Day of Judgment, when Chrift fhall O fay 194 Of the Attributes of G 0 ti. fay unto them. Come y^ blejfed of my Father^ receive the Kingdom prepared for you. idly. 'Tis certain that the Holy Angels who ftand before the Face of God continually, and fo are made Partakers of this Villon as fully as the Souls of Saints can be, do not fee all things in God: For, (t.) Our Saviour hath inform'd us that the Angels in Heaven f/) know not the day of Judgment: St. Taul^ that the (g) manifold Wif" dam of God in the Gofpel is made known to the Prin^ cipallties and Powers in the Heavens by the Church ' St. Peter ^ that Qi) the Angels dc fired to look^ int(f thofe things which were revealed to the Apofiles by the Spirit. Nor is it faid in Scripture that the Angels in Heaven do rejoice at the Converllon of a Sinner, but only that Q) there is Joy in He aven^, evct'TTtov '^ Kyykhuv, before the Angels upon that ac- count. This therefore not being true of Blefled Angelsj muft be lefs true of Saints departed. Moreover the Apofhle faith that (t) no Man k^oweth ths things of God^ but the Spirit of God ; therefore the Saints and Angels do not know the things which are in God -, and why then fhould wc think that by beholding God^ they muft behold his Knowledge of the Hearts of all that pray unta him ? (bO If Saints and Angels know our vo- cal and our mental Prayers 'by feeing him who knows them, they muft for the fame reafon know all the Words, Thoughts, and Adions of all Men, becaufe that God they fee, doth know them all ^ fot where the Gaufe is the fame, the eft^d mull be the fame: yea they muft know all things future and contingent, becaufe God knows them all •, and yet that this is the fole Property (/) Viark 14.32. ig) Eph. 3. 10. (/;} i Pet. 1.12. (ij Lukei5. 10. (k) i Cor. 2, 11. of Vol. 1. Of the Omnifcience of G 0 D. 195 of God we learn from thefe plain Words, Shem the things that are to come hereafter^ that we may k/iow that ye areGods^ Ifa. 41.23. idly. That they do not know the Petitions of thofe that pray unto them, and theDcdresof their Hearts, by Virtue of a Divine Revelation only, I' Be liar mim thus proves^becaufe the BlefTed Spirits do not want it ^ for, faith he, did they need this Revelation to perceive our Minds, the Church would not fo confidently fay unto the Saints^ Pray for me^ and we offer to you the de fires of our Hearts ^ but fometimes would defire God to reveal our Prayers, and to acquaint them with the Defiresof our Hearts. 2. Either the Pafifts do certainly know this^' or they do nof, if they do not, their Church muft be Schifmatical in impofing that Practice, as the Condition of Communion, which depends on an uncertainty. If they are certain that God, doth thus reveal to the Saints all the Defires o£ all that pray unto them ^ this certainty mull arife either from a Divine Revelation, which they nei- ther do, nor can pretend to, there being not the lead Intimation of fuch a Revelation either in the Old or the New Teftamem ; or they muft be- certain of it from the Confideration of the Divine Nature, or fome of his Attributes, and then it muft follow, that God could not be God unlefs he thus revealed the Prayers of all Supplicants to the Saints, which is a.monftrous Abfurdity. If they fay they are certain of it from Tradition 5 why isBellarmine^^nd many Schoolmen,yea all their Doctors, allowed to rejed this way, and prefer the other, this being to rejedt their Rule of Faith ? la fine, all this is not fafficient unlefs the Saints and Angels alfo know, either by way of Vifion, or of Revelation, i. The State of the Perfon praying. Whether he be good or wicked , for we know^ O 2 faith 19 5 The Attributes of GOD. faith the blind Man (k) God heareth not Sinners: If J regard Iniquity in my Hearty faith David^ (/) God will not hear my Prayer. His Prayer faith (jn) So^ lomon^ is an Abomination. 2. As to the matter of it, they muft know whether the Matter of the Prayer be what is good for him to have, or whe ther Divine Wifdom may not fee it better that he Ihould at prefentwantit, as in Petitions for tem- poral good Things, and for Deliverance from out- ward Troubles and Calamities it often happeneth. And, 3- They muft know whether the Prayer be duly qualify'd, and have all the Requifites of an acceptable Prayer : For without the Know- ledge of all thefe things the Bkjfed Spirits mult often ask amifs, and pray in vain, and when they know thefe things their Prayer is needlefs, God having promifed, («) That he will fulfil the Vejires of them that fear him^ and when they call he will anfwer them ; and this is his Vromife that we have from him^ (0) That if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth wJ, and then we have the Petiti- ons which we ash^of him. In all due Prayers we have the affiftance of the Holy Spirit to help our Infirmities, and the Interceflion of our great Ad- vocate to Ipeed them y and fo we cannot doubt of their acceptance, tho' neither Saints or Angel join in the AddrefTes. Now hence 'tis certain that the Pra(fi:ice of the Church of Rome ia praying, as they do, to Saints and Angels^ renders them guilty of Idolatry. For what is Idolatry but the afcribing to the Crea- ture, by an Ad of religious Worfhip, that Ex- cellency which belongs only to the great Creator ? Having then proved that the Knowledge of the Hearts of all Supplicants is an Excellency pro- (k) John 9. 31. (I) Pfal. 66, 19. (w) Prov. 28. 9, Qi) Pf4l. I45« 19. W I Jolin 5, 14, 15. pe Vol.r. Of the Omnifcience of G 0 D. 1 97 per to God alone, they who afcribe it to Sai?7ts and Angels^ who are profefledly Creatures, mu(t be guilty of Idolatry ; and that they do this, tho' it can need no other Proof befides their daily practice, is evident, 1. From the (p) T'rent Council^ which declares. They impiotijly think who ajfert it is an impious things lis vel meme fupplicare^ To pray unto them with the Mind^ and pronounce an Anathema on them who teach the contrary : In their Breviary they pray thus to the Apoflles^ (cj) Fotis precamur cordium au- dits preces fupplicum^ with our Hearts we fray you to hear our Trayers : To St. Sebaflian they pray thus, (r) No fir arum ohfequium refpice mentium^ Regard the Service of our Minds ^ and in their Ritual they require the lick Man, To fay with his Hearty when he cannot do it with his Mouthy O Guardian Angel pray for me, 2. Hence alfo we may learn the Godhead, and Divinity of our Blefled Saviour ; for St. Jah» doth aflure us, that (0 he knew all Men^ and need* ed not that any one {hould tefiify of Man \ (^) for he knew what was in Man. He knew their particular Inclinations, before they fliewed them by their Adions j for Jefus knew from the beginnings who they were that believed net ^and who fliould betray him -^ and therefore Teter faith unto him, without rebuke, (jt) Lord thou knoxvefi all things^ thou knowefi t,'o^t J love thee. He alfo knows the Hearts not only of thofe that were with him whilft he lived here h the Flefh,and of thofe who have, and fhall live 4- ter his Afcenfion ; but alfo of all that lived fron the beginning of the World to his fecond Advent: for he is to be Judge of all Men, and at tha: day mufl manife^ the Counfels of their Hearts ; ani * ' ■ -»i I ■■! .■ ■! I I ■■■ ■III (j>) SefT. 2$. (^) Com. Apoft. p. 2. (r) Brev. Jan. 30 tt John 2. 24, 25. (OJohn 6.6^, («) John ai. 17. ^ O 3 ther^ 198 The Attributes of G 0 D. therefore that he may perform this Office ac-?' cording to the Rules of Truth and Equity, he mufl exa(aiy know all that muft pafs under his Judgment, that is the Words, Thoughts, and Adions of all Men. He therefore challengeth to himfelf, with a plain reference to the great Day of Retribution, both the right of judging, and his fufficiency for the Work by faying, j4U the Churches Jl:ali kriow that I fearch the Hearts^ and try the Reins^ and will render to every Manacccor^ ding to his Work^ Rev. 2. 23. 3. Is God alonethe Searcher of theHeart? This fhews the great Iniquity of thofe who boldly take upon them to cenfure the Hearts, the fecret In- tentions, the Inward Principles and Ends from vvhich Menadl^ when they are neither own'd by their Mouths, nor do they necelTarily follow from their outward Aftions. Open Crimes indeed fall tinder our Cognizance, and therefore when we have Authority to do it, under our Judgment: For whatfoever falls under the Authority of Man t6 be punifhed, falls under the Judgment of Man to be cenfured : Yet when we pafs from the Evil of the Action, which is obvious to our View, to judge of the Heart and Intentions of the Man, wtiich is not fubjea: to our View, we, in efFed^, ftep up into the Throne of God, and affed to be equal to the Mofl-High ; for we ufurp a judicial Power pertaining only to the fupreme Governour of the World, and pretend to be the Searcher cf the Hearts, and fo to be polFefs'd of that Per- tiod^ion of the Deity, which only renders him fuffi- cicnt for the Difcharge of Sovereign Authority. Vox as it is in refped of his Dominion, that God liath the fupreme Right to judge \ fo is it with leiped/to his Knowledge of Mens Hearts, that he hath an incommunicable Capacity to judge, 4pd as this Truth plainly difcovers the unchrifti-- - - ' ' ' • ■'• ' au Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GOD. 1 99 an Spirit of that new Sed, who boldly take upo^ them to judge Mens Hearts, and as confidently to cenfure all they do not like, as if they had ^ Window into their Breads : So are we alfo guilty of this Crime, when we call Men Hypocrites ; who make an outward Profefllon of Religion, and do nothing palpably inconfiftent with the Truth of that Profeffion. (2.) When we judge the er- ronious Perfon obftinate, who perhaps only errS thro' Weaknefs, or infirmity of Judgment, or want of better Information, we invade this Pre- rogative of God. This Rule 1 gather from thefe Words of the \Apoftley in Vindication of his Sincerity in the Dif- charge of his u^pofilejhip^ Qi) He that judgeth me^ is the Lord^ therefore judge nothing before the time till the Lord come^ who will both bring to light the hidden things of Darknefs^ and will maf{e manifeft the Counr fels of the Heart. Whence I conclude, that what is hidden, and not brought to light ; what is not manifeft as the Hypocrify and Obftinacy of our Brother in many Cafes cannot be, is by this Rule to be referv'd to God's Judgment ^ and therefore by pafling of this Verdid on them,we do ufurp his Pre- rogative : And it feems very ftrange to me,that the moft judicious Divines of our Churchy and the belt Cafuifls^ ihould allow Salvation to many erroneous Papifis^ upon a general Repentance for all their unknown Sins, tho' at the fame time they pro- nounce them guilty both of Idolatry and Schifm ^ and yet fome of our Church-Men (hould be fo for- ward, without exception, to pronounce our Dif- fenters guilty of that Hypocrify and Obftinacy-, of which if they be truly guilty, they cannot be (a) 1 Cor. 4, j» O 4 fayed. 2 CO The Attributes of GOD. Vol. I^ faved. And ^dly^ Of this Crime they mull be alfo guilty, who, when their Neighbour does them any real or reputed Injury, or profecutes them at any Civil Court, or even witnefieth the Truth againfl them, prefently cry out, he doth this out of pure Malice and Revenge, or from fome corrupt Principle, and to fome evil and vile end.^ For fince the Intentions and evil Difpofiuons, the inward Principles and Defigns of Men, lie deep and hidden from us, (unlefs they be reveal'd by their Mouths) and ^o depend upon the inward Thoughts and Counfels of the Heart, which we cannot difcern ; by pafTing of this Verdid, we may be guilty, not only of rafh Judgment, but alfo of invading this Prerogative of God. God himfelf is not yet pleafed to ered: this great Tri- bunal for the Tryal of Mens Hearts, and the Principles of their A A dueRefleclion on God's all-feeing Eye, and his lafpeftion of all the fecret Motions of our Hearts, would free the Heart, tho' not from fin- fill Failings and Imperfedions, yet from Preten- ces of our readinefs to do what, by negleding, we fhew our felves unwilling to perform, and from a Partiality in our Obedience*. Walk before me^ faith God to Abraham ; that is, as in my Prelence, and before my Eye ; and be thouperfefl • i, e, fin- cere and upright in thy Obedience to my Com- mandments, Gen.i-j, I. Laftly^ This (hews how much it doth concern us to obferve that Precept of King 5o/(?w2ow, (^) Keep thy Heart with all Diligence. Would we but care- fully do this, we fhould keep our Tongues from cvil-fpeaking, it being, faith our (c) Saviour^ out of the Multitude of the Heart that the Tongue ffeaketh : So that were there no Rancour in the Heart againft our Brother, there would be no angry, no opprobrious, no railing or provoking Language in the Mouth. Were there ho Malice in the Heart, there would be no backbiting, or whifpering of evil things ^ no Inclination to take up, or to fpread Calumnies againft our Brother* Were there no Filthinefs in the Heart, no cor- rupt Communication would proceed out of the Mouth. Were the Heart free from Pride, there would be no high Looks in the Countenance, no vaunting ExprefTions in the Tongue. Again, Were the Heart free from covetous Defires and worldly-mindednefs, there would be no fordid Parfimony, no immoderate Purfuit of worldly Wealth, no reftlefs Dedres of ftill having niorej but a free and comfortable Enjoyment, and a li- W Prov. 4023, (?;MaMz. 34« beral Vol.1. Of the Omitlfcience of G 0 D. 20g beral Diftribution of thefe earthly BlefTings. Were luftful Defires once wholly banifhed from the Heart, there would be no Uncleannefs of the Flefh, no Lafcivioufnefs, Fornication, or Adul- tery in the outward Aftion *, but we ihould aU kfep our Fejfels in San^ification and Honour * Were there no Pride and Haughtinefs in the Heart, there would be no defpifing of others, as be- neath our Regard ; nor any eager Profecution of the higheft Dignities and Polls of Honour. In a word, were there no Rancour, Malice, Anger| or revengeful Thoughts harbour'd within our Breafts, there would be no Strife, Contentions, Fightings •, no fpiteful or malicious Deportment towards others, in our Lives or Actions. So that by keeping the Frame andTemperof our Hearts thus pure from all Defilement, our Words and Adions would be more regular and inoffenfive, both to God and Man. Kow, that it highly doth concern us thus to obferve and regulate the Motions of our Hearts, cannot be doubted, if we coniider and believe, that all of them lie open to the Eye of God ^ that he underftands all the Imaginations which arife within them •, that he is Ktilnco^^ a critical Obferver of the Thoughts and the Inten- tions of the Heart, and that in order to a future Judgment to be pafsM upon us for them ; that there is not an unbelieving, not a repining Thought againfl his Providence, not an irreverent Thought of his Majelty, not a contemptuous Thought in our Heart of his Service ^ there is not a vain or wandring Thought conceived in his Prefence, but he, who hath declared (^d\ That the Thought of Focliflmefs is^ Sin^ perceives it : There's not a proud, ambitious Imagination, not an unclean or luflful, not a malicious or revengeful Thought {d) PfOV. 24. 9. doth 204 The Attributes of GOD. doth lurk within us, but he, who threat'nqth to (^) bring Evil vpn Judah> even the Fruit of her Thoughts^ dilcerus and ponders it. Moreover, "he obferves the Bent and Difpofition of our Spirits^ with what Hearts we engage in his Service, with what Preparations we come into his Prefence, and to what Ends, and from what Principles we are engag'd in his folemn Worfliip : Whether we only follow him, as did the Jews^ for Loaves \ or from an ardent Thirlt and Hunger after Righte- oufnefs : Whether we do it to be k^n of Men ; or only to approve our felves to him who fees in fecret : Whether we do it from a Principle of Love, delighting to come before him, and count- ing one Day in his Courts better than a Thoufand fpent elfe- where ; or rather out of Cariolity, or only to fatisfy the Workings of our Confcieace : Whether we are fervent in Spirit, ferving the Lord •, or do the Work of the Lord negligently. Laftly, He fearcheth all Hearts, and ponders all our Thoughts, in order to a future Judgment ; where he will pafs the Sentence of Approbation or Condemnation on us, according to the good or evil Difpofitions of our Hearts. Now thefe Confiderations, if they be ferioufly weigh'd, will very powerfully engage us to keep our Hearts with all Diligence. For can we have fo little Re- verence of that great and dreadful Name of the Lord 7^/70 W?, as to affront him while he looks upon us, and do that thing before his Eyes, which he extreamly doth abhor, and (lands oblig'd by his Truth and Juftice to avenge? Mult it not be a dreadful Conllderation to the Man of a wicked and polluted Heart, to know, that all the vile Imaginations, all the Abomina- tions of his naughty Heart, are naked to the ^ ■ "^ " WJer. 5. 19. i Vol. T. Of the Omnifcieme of GOD. 20^ Eye, and frefh in the Remembrance of that God, who is unto the Wicked a confuming Fire, and fhall be all laid open before Men and Angels at the Great Day ot his Accounts, if they be not firlt covered by fincere Repentance ? Is it not mat- ter of Eternal Honour to the antient Patriarchs and Prophets^ that God hath given them this Teftimony, that they walked before him with aperfe^h Hi art ? And can then any thing be moredeli- rable, than to have this Praife of us pronounc'd by the Mouth of Chrift, in the augufb Aflembly of Saints and Angels ? Can there be any thing more comfortable when we lie upon our Death-bed, than to be able to fay with Hez-ehjah (/), Behold^ O Lord^ how I have walked before thee in Truth^ and with a perfe^ Heart ? And mufl we not therefore all approve of David's Counfel to his beloved (g) Solomon ? My Son^ ferve thou the God of thy Fathers with a perfeil Hearty and with a wiU ling Mind ; for the Lord fearcheth all Hearts^ and underftandeth all the Imaginations of the Thoughts^ Again, If God will bring every Thought into Judgment, mult jt not concern us fo to take no- tice of them, as to prevent the Terror of that Judgment we mufl undergo ? Since we muft all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift, where all the Secrets of our Hearts will be made manifeft; muft it not beourWifdom to labour that they may be approved of him ? (/) Ifa. 38. 3« (^) I Chron. 28. 251. O F 2o6 O F THE Omnifcience of GOD, SERMON V. I John, III. 20. God is greater thm our Hearts^ anA knowelh all things i • ■ LAftly, pod's Knowledge reachcth to all things, future, and contingent. This fol- lows from the abfolute Perfection of God ^ for fure it is a greater Perfedion to know things future, than to be ignorant of them : Whence even a conjeftural Forefight of fuch things iri Man, is accounted a great part of human Wif- dom. And feeing Ignorance of fome things is an Imperfedion and a want of Knowledge, God mult know all things future and contingent, or elfe his Knowledge muft be imperfect and deficient. idly^ This alfo is evident, both from thofe 5m/7- tures which cxprelly do afcribe to God the Know- ledge of all things, and therefore of things future and contingent ; and from thofe which inform us that his Vnderftandwg isinfimte^ and hath no Bounds^ Pfal. 147. 5. For did he not know things future and contingent, his Underftanding muft be li- mited to the Knowledge of things pait and pre- feuc. Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of G 0 D. 20 j Tent Yea, God doth challenge this as his owa Peculiar, and a Demonftration that he alone is God, and that the Heathen Deities were falfe Preten- ders to that Name. For thus he triumphs over them, (a) Let them jloew tis what fhall happen^ ot de^ dare to us things to come ; jliew the things that are to come hereafter^ that we may know that you arc Gods. Who hath declared frtrn the beginning that we may know^ and before time that we may fay he is righteous ^ or true in his Pretenfions to be God ? Chap. 44. 7. Who^ as i, ^mll call^ and (hall declare it^ and ftt it in order for me • ftnce J appointed the things that are comings and Jljall come? let them fljew them. And hence his Enquiry is this, Is there any God he^ fides me ? there is no other God^ V. 8. And Chap, 46. 9, 10. I am God J and there is none befides me^ none that is like unto me *, declaring the End from the Be^ gi^ning^ and from ancient times the things which are not yet done. In all which places God, with fuffi- cient Plainnefs, doth afTert, That this Knowledge elTentially belongs to the true God ; and that he that wants it, falfly pretendeth to be God. 3^/y, The certain and infallible Predidion of things future and contingent, /". e, depending on the Free-Willof Man, are an unqueftionable De- monftration of God's Fore-knowledge of them 5 iince no Man can certainly foretel, what he doth not certainly fore-know. Now thefe PrediAions relate fometimes to things good, or tending to the Welfare, or to the Afflidions of God's Peo- ple, or to the Sins and moral Evils of a Nation, or a fingle Perfon. Now the Predictions of the laft kind, afford an unconteftable Demonftratioa of this Truth. For whatever influence the Divine Concourfe may be fuppofed to have upon Mens good Adions, how much foever he may intereft ' .->■■; ■ ■« ' !■ 11. II — Wlfa. 41. a I, z2, 26, him- 268 The Attrihutes of G 0 D. himfelf in the inflid^ing Punifhments deferved ' yet no Man can, without Blafphemy, fay, Go^ lays upon Men a Neceflity to commit fniguity Thus God foretold, that Pharaoh would harden his Heart, againft his Command to let his People go out of Egy^t^ till he came upon him with his flrong Hand ; for thus he fpeaks, (^) / am furs the King of Egypt will not let you go^ velo, hut with a flrong Hand. God, by his Prophet Elijha^ foretold the Evil Haz.ael fhould do to the Children oilfrael^ how he fhould (r) fet on fire their flrong Holds^ flay their young Men with the Sword ^ daflo their Children in fieces^ and rip vp their Women with Child. Our Lord foretold, That before the Cock's crowing in the Morning, St. Peter fhould deny him thrice ^ and that Judas fliould betray his Mailer. God alfo hath foretold the Sins which the generality of Men in a whole Nation would commit. Thus he foretels the Idolatry of the Jewijh Nation in thefe Words, (^) This People will rife -up^ and go a whoring after the Gods of the Strangers of the Land • whither they go to he amongfl them-^ and will forfak^ tne^ and hreak my Covenant which I have made with them. And v. 20, 21. When I have hr ought them in'- to the Land that flows with Milk^ and Hony^ and they are waxed fat^ then will they turn unto other Gods^ and ferve them^ and provoke me^ and hreak tny Cove- nant ^ for I know the Imagination which they go ahouty even he fore I have hr ought them into this Land* He foretold alfo the Impenitence and Incredulity of that Nation, when the Gofpel fhould be preach'd unto them, introducing his Evangelical Prophet^ enquiring thus, (f) Who hath helieved our Report^ and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed ? And complaining that the Aieffiah was defpifed {b) Exod. 3. 9. (f) 2 Kings 8. 11. ( will appear to be of the fame Force, if we con- llder, that they who brought thefe Troubles and Perfecutions on God's faithful Servants, were guilty, in fo doing, of the greateft Sins : And that frequently to the Prediftion of the Afflidi- ons of his People, is annexed a like Denuntiation of his Wrath and hisDifpleafure, againft thofe who were the Inftruments of their Sufferings, it being, faith St. Vaul^ (/) a righteous thing withGod^ to recom* fence Tribulation to them that trouble them* For in- ftance, God faid to Abraham^ (ni) thy Seed flja/I be Strangers in a Land that is not theirs^ and they fl/all atfficl them tour hundred Tears ^ and that Natioti whom they fliall ferve^ will I judge (j)r funijli) and af- tervoArds they Jljall come out with great Suhftance. God alfo by his Prophet Jeremiah^ foretels the Cap- tivity of his People in Babylon^ feventy Year^, and the Judgment he would bring on the Chalde^ 4tns for it, in thefe Words, («) This whole Land fiiallbe a Defolation^ and an j^fionijhmem '^ and thefe (I) 2 Thcf. 1.5, <^- 0«) Gen. i>. 13, i^'. (n) Ifa. 47. 6. Nations Vol. I. Of the Omnifcknte of GOD, 211 J^rdtioris piall ferve the King of Babylon feventy Tears. And it /hall come to pafs^ that when feventy Tears are accomflijh^dy t will pvnijh the King £»/ Ba- bylon, and that Nation^ for their Iniquity (againft my People, faith the Prophet Ifaiah^ on whom thou didfl jliew no mercy) and the Land of the Chaldeans^ and will make it perpetual l)efolations. — j4nd I will recompence them according to their Deeds^ and accord'^ in(r to the Works of their Hands, (0) And I will bring upon that Land all the Words that I have pronounced againfi it^ even all that is written in this Book^ which Jeremiah hath pr'ophefy'd again fl all the Nations* Remarkable, to this effect, are the Words of Chrift againfi the Scribes and Pharifees^ and Rulers of the Jews^ (p) Te are the Children of them who killed the Prophets^ j^ avnvS'oKeiriy and you take plea'- fure tn their Deeds^ ^ TrMpcoactje^ and will fill «p the Meafure of your Fathers Sins^ by your Malice agaiafl rae and my Servants. Wherefore behold^ (faith the Wifdomof God) I fend to you Fropbets^ and Wife Men^ and Scribes ; aiid fome of them ys Jljall killy and crucify^ and fome of them Jlo^ll J* fcourge in your Syn'dgoguesy and fijall perfecute them from City to City^ that upon you (thus out- doing the Malice of your Fore-Fathers againft the Pro-, phets feat to you by God) may come (the Punifh- ment of) all the righteous Blood (of God's f^ro- phets) f}sd upon the Earthy from the Blood of righted cus Abel, to the Blood of Zacharias Son \ . . 212 The Attributes of G 0 D. ble in God, to command and exhort, or tender Motives to Men, to perform what he before-hand fees they will not do : It alfo feemeth vain and delufory in God, to feem concern'd that thofe Men fliould be faved *, or to ufe Patience, Long- fuffering, or any other means to prevent their ruiji; or to lead them to repentance, whom he certainly forefaw, would not by any of thefe meiins be induc'd to repent, that they might be laved ; nor is it eafy to difcern how he can be fe- rious ia fuch Exhortations. Mow to this Ob- jeftion I anfwer, ifl-^ That the Divine Prefcience is fb far from rendring thefe Exhortations not ferious, or thefe Endeavours to prevent Men's ruin vain, that hence it follows, That God neither can, nor ought, todootherwife ; becaufe the Divine Pref- cience of all future Events, comprehends not only the Knowledge of what Man will do, or not do ; but alfo the Knowledge of what he will do, when he hath ufed thefe means to promote his Salvation, and prevent his Ruin. And therefore on this Snppofition it becomes neceflary, that God fhould thus exhort, and command, and ufe ?:hefe Methods, to prevent Mens ruin, before he fore-knows that Men will comply with them, or will reied them : For Obedience or Difobedience can have no place, till God hath laid upon us his Commands , nor can Men be impenitent, till he hath made it, by his Commands, their Duty to repent ^ nor can they be inftrumental to their ruin, but by negleding of the means he hath pre- fcribed to prevent it. So evidently is Divine Pre- fcience in Nature confequ^nt to thefe things. And if God were not ferious in thefe Methods, CQlinduce Men to Repentance, he could not fore- fee tl-ir final Impenitence ^ for to fee Mens final Impenitence, is to fore-fee their wilful Con- tempts Vol.1. Of the Ommfcience of G 0 D. sij tempts of God's Warnings and Exhortations, and the Rejedion of his Grace. Now Mens wil- ful Contempt of thefe things cannot befeen, un- lefs God forefeeth that his Exhortations are feri^ ous, and in good earnefl:> and refped that which he is truly willing they fhould do. idly^ I anfwer, That God's Fore-knowledge reacheth not only to all things future, but to all things poflible, or which may be, tho' they never will be. Thus he told David (^), That Saul would come to Keilah^ if he ftaid there \ and that the Men of Keilah would deliver him into the Hands of Saul. He therefore knows, that Men might will, and ^Oy what they neither will, nor do, and might abftain from that which they do not abftain from •, and that they will this, when they might will the contrary ^ fmcQ otherwife they could not hut will, and do, that which they will, and do, and could not but abftain from what they do abftain ^ and fo both their Will and Adions muft be neceHary, that being To, e^tiod non fotefl aliter fs habere^ which cannot be Otherwife. Moreover, he not only forefees what will be done, or omitted, but after what manner this will be done, or left undone \ and To he forefees, that free Actions will be done, or omitted freely '-^ and fo hisPrefcience tends rather to eftabliih, than to take away the freedom of our Anions ^ for if God forefees that I might abllain from that which he forefees i will not abftain from, and that i might both will, and do, that which I neither will, nor do; as he muft, if he forefees that I a(ft freely in doing, or omitting thcfc things ; then he forefees I may be willing and obedient, and io may be faved, when he forefees that 1 will not be faved; and then there muft be place and cqui- iq) \ Sam. 1-^, 11^ 12. P 3 tabk ?I4 The Attributes of G 0 D. table ground for all his Admonitions, Exhortati- ons and Motives not to perifh, bat return and live •, they being only Exhortations and Motives to do, or to abllain from, that which he forefeeth J may freely do, or freely may abftain from, and therefore muft have Power fo to do. Obj. 11. If it be farther faid, that this infallible Prefcience of God deftroys human Liberty, and takes away the Freedom of our Anions, feeing Man cannot but do what God infallibly fees he will do *, and it is unconceivable how God fhould certainly forefee, I will do what he forefees I may not do •, or how that effed can certainly be fore-known, which in its Caufes has no cer- tain Being, but may be done, or not done ^ be, or not be. .Af7fw. Now i/, as to the Confluence of human Liberty with God's Fore-knowledge of our Anions, I have already fhew'd this Liberty not only may, but muft, follow from his Prefcience of them : For in every Adion or Event, God's Fore-knowledge comprehending not only the Effed to be produced by fuch a Caufe, but the manner how that Caufe will produce it ^ he mufl forefee that free Adi.ons will be done, or be omit- ted freely y i. e. when we might not have done, or might not have omitted them : Wherefore the Will of Man being his power tochoofe,or torefufe to do this,or thatAdion,itmufi: be either abfolute* ly deny'd that Man hath any Will at all,or muft be granted, that God forefees he hath a Power to choofe, or to refufe this or that Adion which he doth not choofe, or refufe to do *, i. e. that he hathliberty todo what he doth not, and to re- fufe what he doth not refufe. idly^ I anfwer, That God's Prefcience hath no Infiuence at all upon our Adions. This is fo evi- dent^ th;;t it is own'd by Mr»i(ohhj in thefe Words^ Vol. I. Of the Ommfcieme of GOD. 21 $ Words, ^ That the Fore-knowledi^e of Godjhould be the Caufe of any thin^^ cannot be truly [aid : For Fore-knowledge is Knowledge^ and Knowledge defends an the exiflence of the things known^ and not they on it* Now hence it evidently fol- , , y r lows, as-i-On^.„f.ith, That J S^i.^vTI? God's Fore-knowledge^ is the ^,^ou4i'^'f to 5 ecri/^g- Knowledge of the future Ex- pov curioy rk toiav /« ifience of things •, and fo his etvau riw tk). ajjvi Knowledge is not the Caufe that jm^^^'^'- ^^"^^^^^^ they are future but their future ['^ ^['^^'^ ^^^|^' Exiftence ts the Caufe of his ^^^ Prefctence, And indeed it muft be fiid, either that no Man is happy or mi- ferable, when he might have been otherwife, but of necefTity is both the one, or the other ; and ^o there can be neither Vice nor Verti e *, nor Religi- on : or that Man's perifliinp;, and being miferable by his own Wilfulnefs, when he might not have been ^o^ mufl: be the caufe why God fbrefees that he will do fo. The Reafon is, bccaufe God's Fore- knowledge neither makes nor changes its Objed, but fees it as it truly is, and fo mufl fee that Adion to be freely and contingently future, which indeed is fo ; and that neceflarily to be future, which from a neceOary Caufe is fo. To clear this by a plain Inftance: When Chrift revealed to his Difciples, That Judas (hould betray him, they mud have a Fore-knowkdge that he would do fo,.as ccrrain and infallible as that of God's \ and yet 'tis evident, that their Fore-knowledge that he would do fo, had no influence upon bis doing fo. And from thofe Words Chnft^ {>) The Sm of Mm goeth^ as U is written of hnn ; b^it w^s to that A'Lm by whom he is bctray\i^ it had been good for him that he had not been hor.??^ it clciU'ly follows, * Bi>.Br<)mhrtl, p. 66f. (^j Mac i6. 14. P 4 That 5? 1 6 The Attributes of GOD. Vol. 1. That the Predidion, and fo the Prefcience of this Event, that Jefus Ihould be thus betray'd^ and fuffcr by the Treachery of Judas^ did lay on Judas no antecedent NecefTity of doing that Action, becaufe it did not lefTen the Woe due unto him for it *, and therefore only doth fup- pofe a Fore-knowledge in God, how the Will of Man, left to his own Freedom, will determine or encline it felf. See the Note on Lvkeii. ii. And, Sdly^ That God's Prefcience renders no Adions necelTary, tho it fees fome in their own Kature are fo, appears, becaufe otherwife it muft lay a Ne- ceflity on all his own.Adions *, and alfo on his not doin? what he doth not do : For he foreknew from all Eternity both what he could and might do, and what he would do in time, and when he would do it- v.g. he foreknew when he would create a World, A»gels and Men, and when he would fend the Mejfiah into the World to be the Saviour of the World ; but there was no vifible IsecelTity either from his Nature or his Attributes, that he fliould only do it then, when aiflually he did it. He knew he could create morclVorlds ^Angels and Men,and no Reafon can be aUign'dfrom his Na- ture or his Attributes,why he might not have done it. If therefore the Divine Fore-knowledge lays no necelTity on himfelf to ad, or not to ad, nor any way impairs the Freedom of his own Adions or the Sufpenfion of them ^ why fhould it be thought it lays any Neceflity on Men to ad, or not to ad, or impairs the freedom of their ading or not ading ? Now if God's Prefcience doth not im- pair the freedom of our Adions or Omiflions, any mare than if there were no fuch Prefcience, and it be reaDnable to give Precepts, and tender Ex- hortations and Motives to Men who are free to perform what is required, and to omit what is forbiddenj it mtsfl: be reafcnabie to lay thefe In^ jundioAS Vol. I. Of the Omnifcience of GO D. 217 Janftions oq them, notwithftanding God's Fore- knowlege of their Adions. To the Enquiry how God can know certainly, and infallibly that to be, which in its Caufes is not certain, but may be, or not be : I might anfwer, That whatfoever is future, is certainly and infallibly future, as to the Object, tho' not as to the Caufe .* and whatfoever is future by my Eledion, muft be freely fo, there being no Eledion without a Power of refufal, nor an Eledlion of one thing rather than another with- out a Power to choofe the other. And of this Freedom all Men have Aperience, and are con- fcious to themfelves that they have it. For when we have done evil, Is not our Shame, our Remorfe, and our Repentance, and our dread of Punifh- ment for it, an inward Teftimony that we might not have done it,? and when we ftand thus affeded for Sins of Omiffion, or for not doing what we we were required ^ doth not thi^s (hew that we are ponfcious to our felves that we might have done, and fo were free to do it ? Do v^e feel any thing within, or without us that did force us to do or omit fuch Adions ? Whatfoever we do or omit, do we not do, or omit it, from fome in- ward Reafonings or Motives which incline usfo to acl ? and do we not from thefe Motives choore,or will todo,ortoomit,whatwedecline,ordo? When v;e eat or walk, Do we find any thing that moveth is to eat, hut our own Appetite,or to walk but our own Will and Reafon ? Experience therefore be- ing a certain Ground of Knowledge we may know that we have a Freedom to choofe and to refufe, though we know not how this Freedom is confident with God's Fore- knowledge of our Aftions. 2. I mi^ht add, idly^ That in things plainly and exprefly revealed, the Rule \si^^ hje&r. But may it not be faid in the like man- ner» that all that we can offer againfb the abfolute Decrees of Reprobation and Eleftion, from the Confiderations of Divine Juflice, and Holinefs, his Truth and Sincerity, his Goodnefs and Mercy, may be confident with thofe Attributes, tho' we know not how they can be fo. To this I anfwer. jfnfw I. That there is this fignal Difference betwixt thefe two Cafes, that the Divine Pre- fcicnce hath been always acknowledg'd by all Chrifiians as an Article of Faith, till Socinus be- gan toqueftionit: Whereas the Doftrine of thefe abfolute Decrees was never known, much lefs afferted by any Chrifiian 'till St. Anfiin'% time. Now againft a controverted Point, renounced ftill by the greatefl part of Chrifiians^ wc have a right to argue from the evident Abfurditics that follow from it, and from the Contradidi- on that it bears to God's communicable Attri- biites: Whereas againft the neceffary Articles of Faith plainly revealed, or againft an avowed Attribute of God, we cannot juftly argue from r.!:*e "^^ "^^^ or an Enquiry, How this can be f be- caufe Vol. I. OftheOmmfcienceof GOD. 221 caufc we own that the Nature of God, and his incommunicable Attributes cannot be compre- hended by a finite Mind ^ and fo our Arguments about the manner of their Exiftence, or theirOpe- rations, ferve only to betray our Ignorance. But idly^ As to God's communicable Attri- butes, the matter is far otherwife ; for we are called to imitate and to refemble God in them, (f ) To he holy as he is holy , arid righteous as he is ri^h* teous \ kind and merciful as our heavenly Father is merctfuL His Truth, Faithfulnefs, and Sincerity, are the Grounds of our Faith, Hope, and De- pendance on him, and our Expedation of good chings from him : and therefore we mult have juft Ideas of thefe things, (tho' thefe Ideas in this State of Imperfedtion will be fliill imperfeft) : ' For however we may be at a lofs, faith *Dr. T»7- * lotfon^ in our Conceptions of God's infinite ' Knowledge and Power; yetGoodnefs, Juftice, ' and Truth, are Notions eafy and familiar to us : ' And if we could not underftand thefe, the * whole Bible would be infignificant to us ; for all * Revelation from God, fuppofeth that we know ' what is meant by Goodnefs, Juftice, and Truth ; ' and therefore no Man can duly entertain any * Notion of God, which plainly contradids thefe ' Attributes. And it is foolifh for any Man to * pretend that he cannot know what Goodnefs, * Truth, and JufliceinGod are ^ for if we do not * know this, 'ds all one to us whether God be ' good or not : Nor could we imitate his Good- *' nefs \ for he that imitates, endeavours to make ' himfelf like fomething that he knows, and muft * of neceflicy have an Idea of that which he aiais I Pet. I. \6. I John 3. 7, Luke 6, }S, ; * Serm. ef Gads PerjefiiQn^ p. 15, id. 222 The Attributes of GOD. to be like : So that if we had no certain No- tion of the Goodnefs, Juftice, and" Truth of God, he would be to us altogether an unintel- ligible Being ; and Religion, which confifts in the Imitation of his communicable Attributes, would be utterly impoflible '. ' ft is not the natural Notion of God to be arbitrary, faith t>x»^^erlock^ but to be juft and good: And to fay that God is jufl; aqd good, but not good and juft, as Men underftand Goodnefs and Juftice, is to fay that we have no natural Notion of a God : For if the natural Notion of a God be this, that he is juft and good, it feems hard to think that we Ihould have the Notion of a good and juft God, without having any natural No- tion what his Goodnefs and his juftice is. Hence, tho' we do not pretend to know how the Liberty of Man's Will confifts with the Forer knowledge of contingent things ^ yet we profefs we can account for the Conliftence of God's Adions with his Juftice, Truth,, arid Good^nefs ° And tho* we do not attempt to anfwer the Argu- ments produc'd againft the feeming Inconfiftency of God's Fore-knowledge with the Freedom pf our Wills, we think we can, and do, return fufficient Anfwers to all Objections that are offer'd againft his Juftice, Truth, and Goodnefs. Now briefly to make fome Improvement of this Fore-know- ledge of God, i/, This fiiould beget within us honourable Thoughts of God. We honour any Man, and ce- lebrate his Wifdom, who is able to make a wife Conjedure concerning fome future Affairs : And fliall we not adore that God, who hath a certain ^nd infallible Knowledge of all future Events, how contingent foevcr they may be in their own Natures? It was by the Predidions of their Oracles, that Evil Spirits have endeavour'd to iifufp Vol. L Of the Omnifcience of G 0 D. 225 ofurp the Name of Deities ; and to this Tefl: God brings them, by faying, Tell the things that are td come^ that we may kriow that you are Gods. And if they obtained fuch Veneration in the Heathen World, for their ambiguous and often falfe Pre- dictions, fhall we not have the higheft Veneratioa for that facred Majefty, whofe Word affords us fo many certain and infallible Predictions of things in their own Nature moft contingent ? 2^/y, Hence we may eafily difcern the Sin and Vanity of thofe Men, who pretend by jiftrology^ or their Skill in the Motions of the Stars, to fore- tel future Contingencies- or Events depending on the Free- Will of Man. For if they fay thefe Stars are the Caufes of all future Events, they mufl: make all Events neceffary, and ^o deftroy the Freedom of Man'^ Will, and with it all Reli- gion and Morality, feeing the Stars having no Freedom in their Actions, if they be at all Caufes of future Events, they muft be neceffary Caufes. 2. Since God hath made this a Character, and cer- tain Token of a Deity, by faying. Tell the Things that are to come^ that rve may know that ye are Gods ^ they, by pretending to this Knowledge, muft lay Claim to the incommunicable Property of God, and in effeCt muft make themfelves tiods. Hence that God who placed thefe Stars in the Heavens for, Okpth^ Signs, fpeaks thus in derifion of thofe Aftrologers and Wife- Men of the Chaldeans^ who were celebrated for this pretended Art, (v^ Thac he who had ftretched out the Heavens alone^ and fo kjiew all the Powers of the Stars which he had placed there ^ did fruflrate the Tokens of thofe Lyars^ Okoth Baddim, the Sgns of the jiflrologers^ and make their Diviners mad^ and turn their Wife-Men hackjvardy a*jd mal'S their Knowledge foolipj. And again, « III. i> I' ■—. — . .— . I I ^ 1,1. ,„ I I (■v)Ifj. 44. 14, IJ. ^24 r^^ Attributes of G 0 D. (^x) A Sword upon the Chaldeans^ and vfon her Wifi Aferij a Sword upon her Liars^ Baddim, her Afirolo'' gers, HefKe they who go to Aftrologers^ or Wife- Men^ as they call them, after the manner of the Heathens^ to know their Fortunes, and enquirbof the Events of their Lives, forfake God, and truft in lying Vanities, and are juftly accufed of Ido^ latry by almolt all the Commentators on the firft Commandment-, becaufe they afcribe to Men that which God challength as his own Peculiar. 2.^/y, Hence we may pafs a Judgment of all our modern Prophets^ and be aflured that they are falfe Prophets : For if they pretend to prophefy, or foretel things to come, without Infpiration from that God who only knows things future and contingent, this is God's own Mark of falfe Fro- phets^w'iz. (^) That they ran when they were not fentj^nd prophejy^d out of their own Hearts when God had not fent them. If ttiey fay they prophefy by Infpiration from God, and that he hath fent them to prophefy^ they mult prove their Miflion, as our Lord and all true Prophets did, by Miracles fufficient to con- firm their Teftimony *, it being certain, that God never fends a Prophet to declare his Mind to others, but he affords him fufficient Evidence to convince them that he is fent by God ; for other- wife God muft have fent him in vain, fince no Man can be oblig'd to believe his Meflage without fufficient Evidence. 3^/y, Hence let us be induc'd ftedfaftly to be- lieve this divine Perfection, and place our humble Truft in the great Author of it, and not trouble and afflid our felves with what will be hereafter. This Belief is therefore ncceflary, becaufe without it, the divine Power and Goodnefs would afford (x) Jer 50. IS 35. W Jcr. 23, 14, 21, 25. US VoL I. Of the Ommfcience of GOD. 22^' us no fufHcient Support againft: the Evils incic!ei>t to us in this prefent Life : For what Expedation of Relief could we have from the moft fovereiga Arrti, or moft obliging Goodnefs, if it were a Perfon ignorant of thofe Dangers which may hap- pen to us ? But if God knows and forefees all the Devices which thfe Devil and his Inftrumcnts caa have againft his Servants, and as St. Peter (z) fays. Knows alfo how to deliver the Righteous ovt ofTempa" iions ; we may fay to them in the Pfalmifi's WordS| Trufi in him at all times^ ye People^ pour out your ^ Hearts before him^ he is a Refuge for us^ Pfal. 61. 8. (z) 2 Pet. 2. 9. U €)F 22^ OF THE Wifdom of G 0 D. SERMON I. Rom. XIV. 27. To God onlj Wife he glory, through "Jefus Chrifi for ever. Amen* TH E Apoftle in the two preceding Ver- fes is difcourfing of a Myftery of Di- vine Wifdom, reveal'dby theGofpel to all Nations, for the Obedience of Faith; that is, the Myilery of calling the Gentiles through Faith to the Enjoyment of the fame Privileges and Bleflings with the believing Jews : in whicli Difpenfation, faith the fame j^foftk, {a) God hath abounded to us Gentiles in all Wifdom and Prudence^ fliewing his Divine Wifdom in the Contrivance of this Difpenfation, and his Prudence in execu- ting the Counfel of his Will, by fending his Son to be out Saviour, And Chap. 3- ^o- 'I'^^t h ^f fellowjhip of the Gentiles in this Myftery^ might be mad? kwwn to the Principalities and Powers^ by the thmas done to, and for the Churchy the manifold Wifdom of God, Now this glorious Difpenfation ' ' ■«« — "J*"" ■ i'--^-^- -^ (^) Eph» I. 8. being Vol. !. Of the m/dom of GO D. 227 being the fruit of Divine Wifdom, contrivine the Performance of it by the Mifllon of his Son Jefus Chrifl ; the Apoflle in the Contemplation of It, concludes with this Doxology, Now to the onh Wife God. ' In Pfoffcution of which Words, I fhall, i#, She^ what Wifdom in the general ini» ports. ° ^x.Kt'-l ^'" endeavour to denonftrate, that this Wifdom IS the Property of God , 3% Shew in what S^ak it bcionps to God alone* ^ And 4fi/y What Ufes and improvements we Inould make of thisConlideration. Now Wifdom is the Skill to chufe the beft Things, and Ends, and to purfue them by the moll proper and fuccefsful Means, this is the very height and excellency of all Human Wifdom s whatfoever other Wifdom any Man purfue-h, or attaincth to, with the negled of this, tho' ia his own Conceit, and the efteem of others he ^V , //nl''''^^' 1^^ '^ ^" ^"ff'^ *»^ !'<= jhall he aFooU If Men chufe that which is evil in its felt, as being oppoiite both to the holy Nature, and to the WiU^of God ; if they aim at evil Ends and purfue ill Defigns, they can be only w,fe to do ll'h ''"V '^"iO"'^ they have no knowledge, and al! flefr^".' I"'' feeming Prudence in /u?fuing of thefe Ends by the moft proper and fuccefsful Means, ,3 only the Wifdom of the Serpent or and hurtful VVifaom, f.nce(^) hethatlurfue,hevl r^ffutthtt to h,s own hurt. The time will fhortltf come when they mult either here repen of t ? their feeming Wifdom in bitt.rnefs ol^ Spirit or muft in vam lament for ever that folly and ftupi- (!>) PrOV II, ly. * n 12. 32. (v) 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, blemifii Vol.1. OftheWifdom of GOD. 255 blemifh of our llfcures, is renrefented in the Scripture by the t^ame of folly ^ and Sinners by the Name of fools •, whereas Wifdoni is general- ly efteemed the higheft Perfection next to Holi- nefs and Goodnefs ^ whence a Man's Wifdom, faith the Preacher, (p) makes his Face to floine. Now whatfoever is an Imperfedion, muft be remov'd from, and whatfoever is an abfolute Perfedi- on, muft be afcribed to, an All-perfed Being, as God is. 2dly^ That this Wifdom muft be afcribed to God, will evidently appear from the confiderati- on of thofe other Attributes \ which, as we have already prov'd, belong to him. For fince the infinite Underftanding of his great Majefty reacheth to all Adions and Events, and fully comprehends the Nature, and the Qualities, the good and evil of all things, both in themfelves, and with relation to his Creatures, and the fit- nefs or unfitnefs of them to produce fuch ends as he propofeth ; a God of fuch abfolute Knowledge cannot want Wifdom to chufe what is beft for us in all Cafes, or to difcern what means are moft proper to compafs all his own Defigns*, and then his mighty Power muft render him exceed- ing able to accomplifh ihefe Defigns, and his rich Goodnefs will always render him as willing, as he is able, fo to do \ whence to allure his Peo- ple of his kindnefs to them, the Wifdom of the Holy Ghofi thinks it fufficient to fiy. That God is able to do fuch, and fuch things for them. Moreover, fhould we deny that this Per(l^<^i- on belongs to the Divine Nature, we fhould caft a Cloud over the Glory of his other At- tributes, aad lolfen our Dependence on them^ For fhould Almighty and Soveraign Power act "■ "■' f ~~ • ' ' ^- ' ' ' " ■"•"■'~*~~^ (^) Ecclef, S. I. without S3 A "^^^^ Attributes of G 0 D. without the Condu(^ of unerij||g Wifdom, what dreadful things might be expeWa from it ? Should Juftice 3(^, without Prudence to examine and in- fpe^ the Merits of the Caufe, how could it pof- fibly obfcrve the Rules of Equity ? The Good- Defs and the Mercy of God, without the Di- r€) Fear God and k^ep his Commandments^ for thi^ is the whole Duty of Man. This is Col Hahadam^ faith the Hebrew^ /. r. This is the fum of all that Man can, after all his writing, reading, enqui- ring, fludying, in order unto Happinefs, attain unto ; in this coniifteth his entire felicity, and all the means which Man can ufe to come to Happinefs at the laft ", this is the utmoft of that Perfedion which Man is capable of^ thisisf^e whole Duty of Man^ and the Duty of all Men that wpuld be happy. 2^/y, In order to this, it direfts us to be mind- ful of our latter end ; (p) Oh that they were wife^ that they would remember their latter end ! faith Mofes y Hear Counfel and receive InflruH^ion^ faith Solomon^ that thou mayefi: he wife at thy latter end^ Prov. Tp. 20. And furely did Men fcrioufly confi- der that they have but a few Days to live, and thofe uncertain •, and that at the clofe of them, they muft enter on an unchangeable Condition of everlafting Happinefs or Mifery ; this would engage them to live fo here, that they hereafter might live, and might not die, eternally. I con- clude then with the advice of the wife Son of Syrac^ (jq} Before Judgment examine thy felf And defer not till death to be jujiified ^ humble thy felf before thou beefl fick^ and m the time of fms Jhew Repentance ; Whatfoever thou doefi^ remember thy latter end,^ and thoupialt never do amifs. (0) Eccl. 12. 13. ft*) Deuti 31,29. {a) Chap,' 18. 241 O F T H E Wifdom of GOD. SERMON II. Rom. XIV. 17. To God only rvife he glory through ^efusChriJi for ever. Amen. I I proceed now to the improvement we ihould make of the Confideration of what hath been difcourfed of the Wifdom of God. And \fi. Is God the Fountain and Original of all true Wifdom ? Hence we may learn whither we are to repair for the obtaining of it, even to this all-wife God ^ for fince all fpiritual Wifdom cometh from above, we ftiould look up to Hea- ven for it \ for thither doth St. James dired us, by faying, (^) If any Man lackWifdom^ let him as\ it of God. It is the Spirit of Wifdom, which only can ijifpire us with faving knowledge, and therefore^ we fhould pray as St. Paul doth for his Ephejians^ {h) That God would give vs the Spirit of Wifdom^ and of Revelation in the knovDled(Te of him* felf It is the blefled Jefus in whom 'are hid all {^) Jam. I. 2« (^)Ch. 1. 17, R the 242 Of the Attributes of G 0 D. the Trefures of Wtfdom^ and fo we fhould requeft that he may be made to us Wifdom and {c)SmFti^ fication^ as well as Righteoufnefs. (^) h is the word of God which is able to make us wife unto SaU vation^ and fo we fhould pray in the Words of holy David ^ (e) Open mine Eyes that I may fee the wondrous things of thy Law. The two great ends for which we all want fpiritual Wifdom, are, that we may be preferved from the Power of Temptations, and that we may be dir€<^ed in the way thatleadeth to eternal Life. Now the Apofile James having informed the Chrifiian^ that he may fall under divers Temptations to defert that Faith he had embraced ^ that he might receive thefe Tryals of his Faith with Joy, endure them with perfed Patience, and have the ftrcngth and the fmcerity of his Affedion to God fo approved by them, that he may at lafl x^ctivQthat Crown of Glory which God hath promt fed to them that love him^ 4ie exhorts all who want that Wifdom, which is fo neceflary to preferve them from falling by the Power of Temptations, (/) to ask it of God. And the Blejfed Jefus direds us to make this our daily requeft to our heavenly Father that lie would not fuifer us to be led into Temptation •, that is, that he would not fuifer us to be drawn by the allurements of Temptation to commit Ini- quity. The like advice he gives to his Difciples, (^) To watch and pray that they enter not into Temp* nation ; that is, that being now come to the very Hour of Temptation, the time when Satan would be vehement in his Aflaults againft them, they would ufe their utmoft vigilance, and fervent fupplications to be preferv'd from falling by them. And (0 1 Cor. I. 30. (i) 2 Tim. 315. {e\ Pfal, 119. 18. zdly. Vol. I. Of the Wifdom of GOD. 245 idlyj As for our Dii^cl-ioii and Prefervation ia the way of Riglueoufnefs ^ the Trofhet hath iii- form'd us, That the way of Man^ i. e. the Know- ledge of the way that he fhould walk in, (Jo^ is vot from hi??if€lf'^ it is not in Man that walhetb to di- reEh his own Steps. What then remains, but that we fay with holy David^ (0 Lead me^ O Lord^ in the way that I jhouldgo^ for thou art my God ^ let thy good Spirit lead me" to the Land of Right e on fnefs. For if by our hearty Affedion to, and fervent De- lire of, raving Wifdom, we fhew how much we prize, and how earneft we are for her ; This Wif- dom from above^ will certainly come down to us, and be our bell Inftrudor, and our furelt Guide : according to thofe Words of Solomon^ (h) When Wifdom entreth into thy Hearty and Knowledge is pleafant to thy Soul ; that is, When it hath taken full Pofleffion of thy Heart and thy AfFedions, fo that thou findeft an inward Pleafure and Satif- fadion in walking in the ways of Piety and Ver- tue, Difcretion fljall freferve thee^ Vnderftanding JJjall keep thee. And again, (l) Get Wifdom^ get Vnderftanding'^ farget tt not when thou g^efij ^hy Steps fljall not be ftrait^ned^ and when thou runneft^ thou jljalt not fturnble. Now the Inducements I fhall offer to engage you thus to feek true and fpiritual Wifdom, will arife from I. The Neceflity of thus repairing and looking up to Heaven for it, fince it only can be dcriv'd from the God of Wifdom- For the Lord^ faith (jn) Solomon^ giveth Wifdom^ out of his Mouth comet h Vnderfianding and Knowledge : So that without the divine AfTiftance, all our Pains and Study to ac- quire it, will be ineffedual. This was fo evident to many of the Heathens from the Light of Na- (/:) Jer, 10. 23. (/) Pfal. 143. 10. (^ Pr^V. 2. 10, ii. {/)PfOV. 4. 5,12. (m)Vxoy. 1. 6, R 2 ture 244 r^^ Attributes of GOD. Vol. L ture, that they declared, that all true Wifdoni was ^lo-TTviv^^Q- without any other Price than that of a Soul willing to receive it, and careful to improve it to the Glory of the Donor. And whereas Men have fome Secrets belonging to their Trades, and thtPhyficians have feme Noftrums which they are not willing to impart to others, tho' they would be very profitable to them *, and even wife Mea either envy others, or care not to make others as wife as themfclves ; Our bkffed God is only fparing in conferring that Wifdom which only ferves to gratify our Curiofity, but very liberal in giving of that Wifdom which he fees needful todired us in the way to eternal Life. And tho* our former Follies, and our Mifimprovement of thofe Talents which he before vouchfafed, may render us unworthy of his future Favours •, yet if at laft we become truly willing to receive, and ta improve this Wifdom to his Glory, and to the Welfare of our Souls, he is ftill ready to impart it liberally, and upbraideth not our former Neg- lect or Mifinprovement of it. Yea, (2.) If wc addrefs unto him duly for it, and feek it with that Diligence and that Concernment for it, which the Neceflity of being made Partakers of it, and the Happinefs of them who do enjoy it, doth require, he Hands engaged by his Promife to confer it : For {0) if thou crieft after Knowledge^ and lift eft uf thy Voice for Vnderflandirjg \ if thou feekefl her as Stiver^ and fearchefi for her^ as for hid Treafures ^ then pialt thou under fiand the Fear of the Lord^ and find the Knowledge of the moft High ^ then fljalt thou under ft^ and Right eoufncfs^ and Judg- ment^ and Ecjuity^ yea^ every good Path^ That is. If thou exprefleft fuch a Defire of it, as Men do of that which they moft want, and without ( Vol.1- Of the WifAorn of GO D. 249 World, that he Ihould have the Government of all our Actions and Defires, feeing his Good ncfs muft encline him to do always what is bcft for his Servants, his Wifdoni muft enable him to contrive what is fo, and his Power to execute his holy and benign Defigns towards us. To llrengthen and confirm this Exhortation, let us confider, I . That we only are required to obey that Will, which always is direded by the higheft Wifdom, and is ftill guided by the trueft Reafon, and pro- foundefl Counfcl; compared to which, the bell Difcretion of the wifefl Men is perfed folly. Again, This Will is always juft and holy; it ftill commandeth what is equitable and fuitable to the Dictates of our own Reafon ; and fo mull be, as the Apoftle ftiles it, KoytKi) ^ctj§(ictj our reafonahle Service, It requires only that which tends to the Purification of our Hearts and Lives, and thereby fits us for Communion with, and the Enjoyment of, an holy God ; and fo we never can have any reafon to thwart this Will, or to defire it may not be done by us, whofe Happinefs confifls in the Enjoyment of this God. Moreover, this Will is always good ; for umo Man it fpeaKeth thus. He hath jliewed thee^ O Man ! what is good^ and tvhat the Lord thy God requtreth of thee. It always d(Wi confult the Welfare and Perfedion of Man- kind, requiring not only that we Ihould be jnft, holy, merciful, but (d) alfo perfect as our heavenly Father is perfeB^ : And therefore both Intereft and Reafon muft oblige us to a full compliance with it. So that had we the Freedom to contrive the way CO make our own Condition happy, we neither could contrive a better, nor any other way than what his Wifdom hath prefcribed in his good and (d) Mat. 5. 48. ' holy 250 The Attributes of G 0 D, holy Word. Judge then, O Man/ whether this perfeft Will of God iliould not be deemed good and acceptable by all that are acquainted with it ? Whether by ferving him, we do not jnoft efFeftually ferve our felves? Whether we do not follow the Didates of our own Rea- Ion, when we follow his Diredions ? Our Plea- fure, when we do comply with his ? What elfe did even the Heathen Sages mean, when they inform us. That Sapiens femfer hahehh in anima illud vetus diBum^ J^eum fequere^ The wife i\lan will attend continually to that old Precept, Follow the Will and Guidance of an all-wife God. idly^ Let us compare this Will of God with that which Sinners do oppofe unto it, and pre- fer before it, even their own carnal Wills j for therefore only do werefufeto do his holy Will, fcecaufe we do prefer our own before it ; that is, we do oppofe our foolifh Wills againfl; the Coun- fels of an all-wife God ; our earthly Wifdom againfl: the Wifdom which is from above ; our carnal Wifdom againfl the Wifdom of the Holy Spirit. And muft we not have reafoji to confefs that in doing this we have done foolifhly ? yea> what is this in the refult but grofs Idolatry ? the advancing the Will of the Creature above that of the Creator ; the exaltation of our Ihallow V^^jjlK, or our perverfer Humours, above that Wifdom which is infinite f What is it but in Works to fay, what in our Words would be the highefi; Blafphemy, that we are wifer than God ^ that we know better what is fitting to be done, and more conducive to our good than he ? 3^/y, Muft we not do the Will of God, or be kd captive by Saltan at his Will .? Mufb we not be his Servants, or the Devil's Slaves ? Muft we not foUov7 1 Vol.1. Of the Wifdom of GOD. 251 follow the Prefcriptions of Divine Wifdom, or comply with the dellrudive Wifdom of the old Serpent? And can we without horror think of revolting from the God of Heaven to the Fiend of Hell? from the Saviour, to thedeftroyer of Souls ? To conclude this Head ; Did ever any Perfott fail of Happinefs who lived in compliance with the Dircftions of this all-wife God ? or had ever any Perfon reafon to repent of his Obedience to God's Holy Will ? whereas all oppofition to the Counfel of his Will, muft either end in our Re- pentance, and the convidion of our Folly here, or our eternal Mifery hereafter. And what are all the Judgments we can dread, or all the Mi- feries that we can fuffer, but the produds of that carnal Will, which QT) is not ftfbjeB to the Law of Cod ? What is the foreft Judgment we can labour under on thib fide the Grave, but that of being (e')gi'ven up to our own Hearts lufls ? what are the damned Spirits now bewailing but their own felf-Will ? What will eternally confine them to thofe unhappy Maniions, but walking in the ways of their own Hearts f Eccl. 1 1 . 9. 3fi//y, Are all God's Difpenfations the refult of perfeft Wifdom? then it becomes us to commit all our Affairs unto his Conduct, with an entire refignation of our Wills, not only to his Will of Precept, but alfo to his Will of Providence ^ never murmuring or repining at, or being im- patient under, any State or Condition in which his Providence fees fit to place us •, never di- Itrufting the Divine Wifdom, or meafuring it by our own fhallow Reafon. For as by this^entire Refignation to the Condud of his Will, we give .//inthe Dominion of Samaria, Let it be noted from (^) Jofephus^ That the Samaritans pretended to be (r) O Lord God of Hofls ! who is a firong Lord like unto thee ? Thou haft a mighty Arm^ ftrong is thy Hand^ and high is thy Right-hand s By the Metaphor of a Mouth, his ability to reveal his Will, and teach Man Wifdom ^ For the Lord giveth Wifdom^ out of his Mouth cometh Knowledge and Vnderftanding. Moreover, thefe Metaphors af- ford unto his faithful People, fit matter of great Confolation •, his Face towards them, importing the Manifeftation of his Grace and Favour to * them ; and his Face {et againft their Enemies, the Deftrudion he will bring upon them : His Eye fignifies his watchful Providence over them for good . His Ear his Readinefs to hear their Suppli- cations ^ (s^ For the Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous^ and his Ear is open to their Prayer : His Bowels reprefent the Teridernefs of his Compafll- on : His Heart the Sincerity of his AfFedion to them : So that he rejoiceth over them^ to do them good with all his Heart. And laftly. His Hand and Arm doth mind them of the Defence they may exped from him whofe (f) Hand fiiall find out all their Enemies^ and his Right-hand findl deftroy them > ■ ' ■■ — ' '■ I ■ ■^— — .^ ■ . I ,..^.1 . (^)Pral. 11.4. C;') Pfal. 89. 8; 17, (/)Pral, 34.15, that 266 The Attributes of G 0 D, that hate him^ and the Relief they may expeci from (v) the faving'ftrength of his Right-hand^ and his Arm^ which brings Salvation to his People^ V/hen there is none to help, Ifa. 59. id. Sdly^ It is faid, That God made Man after his Image and Similitude ^ but it is not faid that he made himfo as to his outward Shape, hut rather as to his fpiritual Faculties, or as to that Righte- oufnefs and Holinefs in which he was at firfb created *, and fo not as to what is feen of him, but as to that which is not feen, he being (at) created €ifter God^ )tctj ^yjovet^ after the Image of God ^ in Righ- teoufnefs and true Holinefs. Or rather, not as to his Nature, but as to his State, by reafon of the Dominion he obtained over all the other Crea- tures ^ for thus the Words run, God created Man after his Image^ and faid unto him^ have dominion over the Fijh of the Sea^ and the Fowls of the Air^ and over every thing that moveth -upon the Face of the Earth. Hence, tho' the Woman hath the fame fpiritual Faculties with Man, and was created with the fame Holinefs and Righteoufnefs ; Man is only ftiled the (y) Image and the Glory of God ; but Woman, as being under fubjedion, is only ftiled the Glory of the Man, And as the holy An- gels^ tho' they are fuperiour to Man in Holinefs^ and their fpiritual Faculties, are never faid to have been created after God's Image : So Man, after that Fall by which he loft his Holinefs and Righte- oufnefs,is ftill faid to be made after the Image ofGod^ Gen. 9. 5. Jam. 3. 9. And having thus explain'd the Propofition, I proceed to the Inference, which is d,ouble, viz., ifij That therefore we muft worfliip him in Spirit. (y) PfaL 2Q. 6. (x) Eph. 4. 12. Col. 3. 10. (y) i Cor; u, 7. .= ' ■ ' Vol.1. Of the Spirituality of GOD. 267 2^/)/, That we miift worfhiphim in Truth. This fecond Head 1 fhall fir ft; profcciite, becanfc it v;ill quickly be difpatch'd, for I am only able to con- ceive thefe three Significations of the Phrafe- i/, That to worfliip God in Truth, is fet in oppofition to the worihip of him with thofe legal Types which w^ere only ftiadow^s of good Things to come. Hence tliG Jpofile fpeaks to Chrlftiaps thus,(;2:J - Let no Man jndge (/. e. condemn) j/oz/ /or not ohferving that dift:indlion in meat or drink (which the Jews ftill do) or (for negleft) of a (Jewiih) Holiday^ or of the new Moons ^ or Sabbath-Bays (obferved by them) which are (only) a jJjadow of things to conu^ but the Body^ (or Subftance of thefe Shadows) is (of) Chrifi (and exhibited by him.) From which words there is nonecelFity of aflerting, that all the ritual Conft:itutions of the Law oi A4ofes^ fhadowed forth fome Chrifiian Misery, but only to fay, that they were but as mere Shadows compared to that folid and fubftrantial Truth, which the blefled Jefus hath in his Gofpel difcovered to us. And again, Heb. ^ 10. I. The Law having (only) a padow of good things to come^ and not the very Image (Charader, or Im- prefs of the things (themfelves) could never with thofe Sacrifices which they (who officiated under it) offered,^ make the comers therennto perfe^l^ (/. e. fully abfolved fi'om the Guilt of Sin for ever) i.e. they contained only a Shadow of thofe good things, of which Chrifi Jefus was the true High Prieft^ their Tabernacle being only a Shadow of the celeft:ial Tabernacle, into which he,(^) as ovr Forervnner^ hath already entred. The Purgation they obtained by their Sacrifices from ceremonial defilement, and the uncleannefs of the Body, was a type of the Purgation of our Confcicnces from dead Works ^ and of our Hearts from an evil and condemning Con- "^ ft) Col. 2, 16, 17. (^) Chap, 9. ij. fcience, 2(58 The Attributes of G 0 D. fcience, v. 13, 14. their annual Redemption, of the eternal Redemption obtained by Chrift, v. 12. their freedom of entrance (being by their Sacri- fices thus cleanfed) into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, was only a faint type of our free- dom to enter into the Holy of Holies by the Blood of Jefus. C^^ And in this Senfe is the word Truth ufed, when St. John faith. The Law came by Mofes, but Grace and Truth by Jefus Chrift ^ and in that Paflage of St. Pattrs Eph, 4.. 24. where we are faid to be renewed after the Image of God^ l»- o(7/6t«7,tj)^ «)Jer.3.io, ^p 271 OF THE Spirittmlity of G 0 D, "S E R M ONIT" John, IV. 24. God is a SpirH^ and they who Worjhip him^ mufi Worship him in Spirit^ and in Truth. zdly-, 1 1 O R Explication of the fecond Parti- jH cular, viz.* What it is to worfhip God A. in Spirit, I Ihall endeavour to ihew li^, What the Worfhip of God in general I imports. 2^/y, What bodily Worfhip is confiftent with it» Sdly. What is the Foundation of it : And, ^thly^ Wherein it properly confifls. Now all Worfhip of God is a religious Ad, tending to God's Glory, by the acknowledgment of fome divine Perfedion, or Excellency of the Deity, and terminated on him as the Objed. la which Defcription are contained thefe three par- ticulars : I if, That every Adt of Worfhip, muft be a religious Aft, that is, an Aft by which we fhew ia our Minds an apprehenfion of fome Excellency in God, which deferves to be adored j in our Wills an Inclination to Honour him by doing what we conceive is proper to teftify our Apprehenfions of that excellency : And laftly, if the Worfhip be external, an outward aft performed for the ExprefTiou of our Conceptions of that Excel- Iciicy. zrfy ^72 The Attributes of G 0 D. iMy^ A proper Ad: of Worfhip mufl proceed from a diredt, immediate Intention to do God fome honour, or to cxprefs our Senfe of fome of his Perfedions, or his glorious Attributes. And upon this Account, the Duties of the Second Table, viz,. Obedience to our Superiors, Civil and Sacred *, Charity to our Chriftian Brethren, and all the A(as of Juftice, tho* they be done for the Lord's Sake, and in obedience to his Com- mand, can be no proper Ads of Worfhip*, be- caufe the immediate end of all thefe Aftions, is doing good to Men, or giving them their due ; Jtho' the Inducement Co to do, is the Command of God, and the relation which they bear to him, as his Vicegerents •, or as the Children of God, and Members of the Body of Chrid. And idly^ It muft be an Ad diredly terminated upon God, and having him for the Objed of it : And upon this Account, all Ads of Prayer, Faith, Love, Fear, all our religioi's Vows and Oaths, are parts of divine Vl^orfliip. For we pray to God, we believe in God, we vow to God : And by our Oaths, we call the all-knowing God to be VVitnefs of the Truth and the Sincerity of what we do attefl or promife ^ and the God of Juftice to avenge it upon us, if we prove falfe in either of them. Whereas our Preaching is properly no Ad of Worfhip : for tho' by this we make a pub- lick Declaration of the Will of God, of the Ex:- cellencies of his Nature, of his admirable Works, and of the Benefits and Mercies he beftows upon us, and fo do honour to him *, we have not God for the Objed ^ for we preach not to God, but Men : And the immediate end of Preaching, is the In- ftrudion of their Underftandings, how to per- form their Duty to God and Man, and the per- fwading their VVillsto do it : To which end alfo, reading of God's Word, holy Confennce, and good Ixiftrudions fcrve : which ia the Scl oo's are ftiled Vol. I. Of the Spirituhlifj of GOD. 275 filled only imperate Ads of Worfhip, as being done ill obedience to the Command of God ; whereas by our Love to God, we make an imme- diate Acknowledgment of his Goodnefs ; and by the Fear of God, of his Almighty Power, his Juflice, and all-feeing Eye ', and therefore thefe are by them called elicit A(^s of Worfhip. Now this Worfliip is either external, or fuch as is per- formed by the Body, or by fome Part and Mem- ber of it : Or, Internal, as being performed by the invvard Operations of the Judgment, Will and Af- fedions. In order to the tendriag of that Worfhip we owe to God, it is requilite that we conceive of God, as of a Being worthy, by reafoa of his ex- cellent Perfedions, to be religioufly worfliipped by us both with Soul and Body. When therefore we conceive of God, as our chief Good, and our exceeding great Reward, and therefore Worthy to be belov'd by all, above all things ; as one who hath a Right, from his Creation, and his continual Prefervation, to require our faithful Service and Obedience; as one from whole free Goodnefs we derive all the Mercies we enjoy ; as a God that is exceeding wife, and able to preferve us from all the Evils that can at any time befal us ; or to fup- port us unJer them, and give an happy liTue from them, and to confer upon us all the Bleffings we can want ; as one who will alTuredly be rich in Goodnefs untothofe that love him : when we do look upon him a^ a God of Holinefs and Purity, and of impartial Juftice, who abhors all Iniquity, and hates it with a perfed hatred, and who ftand^ bound in Jaltice and Veracity to render to all Men according to their Works ; and as a God of Faithfulnefs and Truth, who will alFuredly make good hisPromifes, and execute the Judgments he hachthreatned. When thus we do conceive of T Godj 274 0/ t^e Attributes of G 0 D. God, and fix thcfe things upon our Hearts, we fundamentally do worfhip God with our Under- ftandings ; that is, we lay a firm Foundation of all thatinward,and that outward,Wor[hip welperform unto him. For, i#. Hence naturally flow thofe inward A^s of Worfhip, which are perform*d by our Will and our Affeclions: As, v.g. When the Confidera- tion of his Power, Truth, and Faithfulnefs, do caufe us to rely upon his Promifes, and hope in his Word : When the Apprehenfion of his Goodnefs, Wifdom, Power, and his Readincfs to help us, engage us to trufl: in him, to wait on him, to pour otJt our Souls before him: When our Belief of his admirable Excellencies, his great Benefi- cence and Kindnefs to us, induce us to love and magnify him in our Hearts : When the Confidcra- tion of his Greatnefs and his Purity difpofe us to reverence his Majcfty, and to walk humbly with him : When the Senfe of his fovereign Power to difpofe of all our Interefts and Enjoyments, be- caufe they are entirely deriv'd from him, and lent us only during pleafure, moves us with patience to fubmit unlo his Will, and to refign chearfully our felves and our Concernments to him: When the Belief of his Purity, Juftice, and ^11-feeing Eye, doth beget in us a religious Fear of offending him, or being obnoxious to his Juftice •, and a holy Care to purify our felves from all filthin&fs of Flejl) and Spirit^ perfe^ing Holimfs in the Fear of God: When the Confideration of him, as our Creator, Lord, and Governour, to whom we owe all Outy and jSubjeiflion, and of his Ability and Promife amply to reward our Service, produceth in us fixed Re- folutions and fincere Endeavours to obey and walk , iefore him unto all well-pleafmg : When laftly, our Apprehenfion of him, as our chiefeItGood,and only true Felicity, doth make us inwardly to long and thirft after him, to chopfe him as our Portion, and ckave Vol.1. Of the Spirituality of GO D^ 275 cleave to him in oppolition to all other Objects of our Love, and to rejoyce in the Light of his Coun- tenance, more than in Com^ and Wine, and Oil in-^ creafed. All thefe areinwprd Ad:s of Worfhip, by which the Kingdom of God is fet up in us : And when it is thus with us, we may cry out Hallelujah^ for the Lord God omnipotent rcigneth in our Hearts, la thefe things confiftsthe Power and the Life ofGod- linefs: All other Ads of outward Worfhip derive all their Goodnefs from the Will and the AfFedions thusdifpofed ; and when they are feparated frorn this inward Worfhip, are a lifelefs Service, a Sacri- fice without an Heart. Even our Faith is dead, faith the Apoftle^ when it brings not forth thefe Works of Righteoufnefs. Our Knowledge of him, when it is feparated from the Practice of what we know to he our Duty, is by God look'd upon as none at all ^ as we learn from thofe Words of God, to Shallom the Son of good Jofiah^ Thy Father did Judgment and Juftice : Was not this to kriow me ? faith the Lord^ fer. 22. 1 5, id. It is a pradical Denial of what in Words we do profefs : In Words the Jews profefs to know God^ faith St, Paul^ Tit. I. 16". (;ut in Workj they deny htm^ being difohedient, 'Tis only fuch a Knowledge as will aggravate our fu- ture Doom ', for /je who k^iew his Lord^sWill^ and did it not^ Jhallhe beaten with manyfiripes^ Luke 12. 47. External Worfhip is that which is perform'd by the Body, or by fomc part or member of it *. And it is either fubllantial, or circumftantial- The fub- ftantial parts of God's Worfhip are vocal Prayer, publick Thankfgiving, or giving Praifes to hinx with the Mouth *, the calling God to witncfs to the Truth of what we do aifert, or the Sincerity of what we promife with an Oath ^ our entring into Covenant with God by Sacraments, and the Obla- tion of our Souls and Bodies to him, by way of gratitude for all his Goodnefs to us^ the receiving the Word read or preachM, not as the Word of T 2 Man, 276 The Attributes of GOD. Vol. I, Man, but God. The circumllantial parts of Wor- fhip^ are thofe bodily Ads which are done by us, in the Performance of thefe Habftantial parts of Worfhip*, and whereby we do fignify our Reve- rence of that God in whofe Prefence we are, as Standing, Uncovering the Head, Kneeling, Bow- ing, and Proflratingthe Body. Where note, i/. That thefe, as all our outward Adion?, receive their goodnefs from the Direction of our Judgment, and the Choice of our Wills. ifi. From our Judgment, which determines that God is worthy to'be Worfhipped with our Thankf- giving, and our Praifes, for his great and publick BlelTings^ with our Pfalmody, as being the chief matter of our Joy ^ that his Word is true and faithtlil, and therefore ought to be heard with reverence, attention, and refolutions of Obedi- ence ; that he knows the truth or falfhood of what we do affirm, or promifc, and fo is fit to be invoked by an Oath ^ that we owe our Souls and Bodies to him, and therefore fland engaged to glorify him with thofe Souls and Bodies which are his •, that he is infinitely exalted above the higheft and the moll excellent Creatures, and therefore to him do belong all thofe outward Ads, by which we do exprefs our reverence to our Superiors, and which are proper to acknowledge the greatnefsof his Majefty, and that exceeding diftance which is betwixt him and us. ?Jly^ They receive their goodnefs from the Will commanding the inferior Faculties to tender unto God this Service ^ the Tongue to fpeak his Praifes, the Knee to bow unto him, and the like. idly^ Obferve that tho' we cannot produce a^ particular Command for every particular Ad of circumllantial Worfhip mentioned ^ yet, if it can . not hi deny'd that they are Ads proper to exprefs our reverence of the Divine Majefly, they may be reafonably thought to be included m thofe Pre- cepts Vol. I. Of the Spirituality of G 0 D. 277 cepts which require us (^) To give the Lord the Hort' our due unto his Nume \ and in that Declaration, (/;) / will he honoured by all thofe that draw nigh mito me. Thus tho' the Precept to Honour the King be only general ^ yet no Man doubts but that he may Honour him by bowing of the Knee, or by un- covering the Head in his prefeace*, and tho' the Text faith only in the general^ Honour thy father and thy Mother^ no Man can reafonably doubt but Children may, and ought to do this by bowing to them^ and by uncovering their Heads before them. Why there-fore fliould Men fcruplethe bowin^T of the Body, or the uncovering the Head, when they come into the Prefence of the God of Heaven? 3^/y, Obferve that thefe external Ads of Worlliip are fo far from being oppofiteunto, or inconfiftent \vith,rpiritual Worfhip, that they do very well de- ferve, when we perform them duly, tobedeem- ed Spiritual, as being direded by the underltand- ing, and performed by the command of the Will, and fo proceeding from Spiritual Principles : and hence we are commanded in our publick Prayer to Pray not only with the Voice, (0 ^"^ ^^^^^ f^^^ Mind ; (d) to fng with the Spirit^ making A4elody in our Hearts to God with our ffiritual Songs ; (e^ to give thanks with our tinderftandings^ and to ferve, (/J or worjhip the Lord with reverence and godly fear. Hence therefore I infer, i/. That to Worfhip God in Spirit doth not exclude or ftand in oppofition to the Worfhip of him with the Body. This will be evident, jfi. Becaufe publick Prayer and Thankfgiving, hearing the Word, receiving the Holy Sacrament, are Dcties under the Gofpel which requires tiiis Spiritual Worlhip : and yet they do require the Service of the Body. (iZjPfal. 19. 2, {h) Lev. 10. 3. {() iCor. 14,15. (4; hph, ^. i|>. Ce) Pfal. 47. 7- (/)Heb. 12.28. T 3 2dly, 27S The Attributes of GOD. zdly^ This outward Worfliip is enjoyn'd by the Second Commandment, which fays. Thou jh alt not worp}ip^ or bow down to Images •, /. e. Thou fhalt perform no Sign of Relii^ious Worfnip to that which is no God. This being then the Negative Part of that Commandment, the Affirmative Part of it mufi: be this, all proper Signs of Reverence and Religious Worfhip fhall be givei; to the true God. Moreover, God forbids that Honour to be given them, hQc?L\x^cheisaJealousGod^ who will admit no Rival, nor (g^^ive his Honour to another : Whence it is evident that all thefe Signs of out- ward Worfhip muft be due to him, and we do rob him of his Honour, as well by our neglect to pay them to him, as by giving them to any thing be- fides him. 3<^/y, God doth require us to glorify him with our Souls and Bodies^ which are his ; as certainly they are by right both of Creation and Redemption, andthereforetodenytheServiceof theBody tohim, is virtually to deny that he is the Creator and the Rcdemer of the Body. Now,as to gl orify him with the Soul, is to perform fuch Actions of our Souls by which we do acknowledge our Senfe of fome of his raoll glorious Attributes, which render him exceeding excellent, and therefore worthy to be glorified, fo to glorify hira with our Bodies, mufl be to do thofe bodily Anions, whereby we teftify ; that we conceive him worthy of all Adoration, and one to whom every Knee JI)ould how^ and every Tongue con\e[s. Moreover, that we might not think that this was any part of Ceremonial Wor- friip, it is enjoyn'd upon perpetual Grounds of Reaibn, in thefe Words., (/j) Lvt nsbovo down before kls foctjiool^ for the Lord our Ged ts holy. And doth .not natural Reafon teach us that God is more wor- . thy to be honoured than any of his Creatures, and that we have far greater realbn, becaufe of that "^ ^^^ (g) Ifa. ^ZJ. '^hj Pfal. 99- 9- Vol. I. Of the Spirituality of GOD. 279 great diflance which there is betwixt us and the Majcfty of Heaven, tocomeiato his Sacred Pre- fence ia the molt reverential, and humble man- ner. Since then we do perform thefe outward Ads of civil Worfliip to our Superiors, in tokea of that Honour which we owe to them, by vir- tue ofthat Precept, i^<^;?^^er to all their dues^ Honour to whom HoTiour is due^ Kom. 13. 7. Much more are we to yield Religious Worfhip to our great Creator, by Reafon of that Precept, Give unto the Lord the Honour due unto his Name, They there- fore who do quarrel at our Church becaufe fhe doth enjoyn the bowing at the Name of Jefus^ who is Godbleffedfor ever^ Rom. 9. 5. or the un- covering the Head whilfl; we are in thePrefencc of the great Godj or our Kneeling at the Sa- crament when we are putting up a folemn Pray- er to God that we may be preferved by it to Eter- nal Life, mull quarrel with us for paying to God that Honour which is due to him, or for glorify- ing him vvith our Bodies. idly^ To worfhip God in Spirit, is neither op- pofiteto, nor inconfiflentwith, a form of Words. Premeditated Worfhip, and Spiritual Worfhip are very well confiftent ^ we may Pray, Praife God, fing in fbinted Words, or Meter, and yet do it Spiritually : So that our DifTenters ad unrea- fonably, when they exclaim againft the ufe of any form of Words in Prayer, and yet in fmging ufe a ftinted Metre : For if Forms of Prayer ftint the Spirit, why do not Forms of Meter alfo do it ? And therefore when the miraculous Gift of Praying by the affla^s of the Spirit, was given to forae Members of the Church ^ the Gift of finging by the Spirit was given alfo, as appears from thefe Words, (i) I will Pray with the Spirit^ I will Pray with the Vnderftanding alfo^ I will fng with the Spirit^ J will fing with the Vnderftanding alfo. Moreover, (0 I Cor, 14, 15, T 4 why 28o The Attributes cf GOD. why is it that Men plead for Prayer extempore^ or without thinking what to Pray for, and not for Preaching fo^ imlcfs they do imagine, that the Holy Spirit is able to ruggeft what they fhoiild fay to God in Prayer, but is not able to fuggelt unto the Preacher, what he ihould fay nnto the People ? Whereas, when God gave the Gift of Praying by the Spirit, he alfo gave the Gift of Preaching, or fpeaking to (k) Edification^ Infiruch- ion^ and Exhortation^ by the fame Spirit. And if the Teacher can Preach better, when he premedi- tates, and ftudies to find out acceptable Words^ why fhould he not Pray better, when he chufes his Expreffions! and as the Prophet faith, Hof 2. He takes unto hlmfdfWords^ and is not rably fuppos'd to be that very Crime y/hich baniflrd Satan and his Augels, from the hea- venly Regions. Our flefhly Lulls proceed from the Temptations and Suggedions of that unclean Spirit, who,doubtlefs was the contriver of all thole- impurities, which clogg'd the Worfhip of the Hea- then Deities. All Malice, Rancor, bitternefs of Spi- rit, are by St. James^ Chap. 3.15. declared to be the Fruitsof that Wifdom, v/hich is Earthly^ Senfualy and Devil ifh. idly^ That we may be prepared to Worfhip God in Spirit, we muft endeavour to perform it by the Afliftance of God's Holy Spirit, he being that inward vital Principle, which quickens and fpiritualizes all our Services. And as that Word wliich prefcribcs the M itter of our Prayers, and aii our other Duties, and the due manner in which they are to be performed, is indited by the Spirit of God -, fo the lame Spirit is the inward Prin- ciple, by which v/e do perform them acceptably. We mull: be born again of the Spirit, and have (r) Pfal. 24, 4. (il) Jobfts. 44.. , . him. Vol.1. Of the Spirituality of GOD. 28 J him dwelling in us as a new Prirciplc of Orcratlon, that we may A^hen we approve of all his Precepts, as highly reafonable and fit to ^'^ obferved, aaJ can truly fay with the fqme /y^/- mifti^ u\. Vol.L Of the Spirituality of G 0 D. 285 miftj I efteem all thy Precepts concerning ^11 things t^ beright,^ Pfal. 119. 128. We Honour him with our Wills, when they are fo difpofed as to approve what/V the good and acceptable^ andperfcEl Will ofGod^ andp:ill chufethe r/;?«^/ that are mod excellent; when we conform our Wills entirely both to his Will of Precept, by fincere Obedience to his Commands^ and to his Will of Providence, by an entire and cheerful Refignatlon of our felves, and our Con- cerns to his wife Difpenfations, and fo command our outward Faculties, and all the Members of our Body to be Infiruments of Righteoufnefs. And laftly. We honour him in our Souls, Hearts, and our AfFe<^ions, when we value his Favour above all other things, faying with David^ Whom have I in Heaven hut thee^ and what is there on Earth that I de^- pre in comparifon of thee ? Pfal. 73. 15. When our Defires are moft earned ly carry'd out after com- munion with him, and the Enjoyment of him, fo that we long, thirft, and pant more after him, re- Joyce more in his Favour than in any other thing, are more concern'd to retain it than any other BlciUng, and are more fatisfy'd with it than with marrow and fatnefs ; and this AiFe^ion doth engage us to employ all our Faculties in Adions chiefly tending to the Enjoyment of him. The Precepts of the firft Table comprehend the whole Service which we owe to God, and they are Summ'd up by our Saviour in this one, Thou JJjalt love the Lord thy Cod with all thy He 4rt^ and with all thy Soul^ and with all thy Mind^ Mat 22. 3?. Now this one Head comprifeth all the other Ways and Rules prefcri- bed by others for Worlhipping God in Spirit, and it is only needful to infift farther on them, tore- move the Miftakes, and falfe Conceptions of them, which have too generally obtained. For i/. This comprehends that common Rule, That to worjijip God in Spirit^ is to ferve htm from a prin- ciple of Love ^ for 'tis evident that he who ferves God 286 The Attributes of GOD. God with a moft prevalent Affedion, and a moft earneft defire to obtain his Favour above all other thiags, mufl: ferve him from tliis Principle. When they add that we mull ferve him from a Princi- ple of Love, and not of fear ^ if by this they mean only fuch a dread and horror of him which renders him rather terrible than amiable in our Eyes \ this is very true : but then this is a falfe Idea of him, fet up by the Imagination of Me- la ncholly, and fearful Men, or drefs'd up and difguis'd under an abfolute Decree of reprobating the greateft part of all Mankind; Whereas there neither is, nor can be fuch a God, for God is Love, and furely it cannot be dreadful to us that he is pleafed to be the Lover of Souls. There can be nothing dreadful in the true Notion of a God, to a Man truly willing to do what is vvell-pleafing in his fight, or who is willing iin- cerely to repent of all that he hath done amifs, fince he hath promifed a full Pardon to the one, and an exceeding great Reward to the others then only he becomes terrible to us, when by our wilful Provocations we lie under the Terrors of a guilty and condemning Confcience. But if they mean this of a fear of caution, lead we fhould forfeit our Intereft in his Favour, or provoke his juft Difpleafure •, this is moft certainly a Chrifti- an Duty under that Gofpel Difpenfation which requires us Actf^sus/;' to worflj'tp God with Reverence and Godly fear '^ Heb. t2. '28. and is not only well confiilent with, but naturally arifeth from a prevailing Love unto him : for the two genuine effeds of Love being a true defire to pleafe, and an unwillingnefs to offend, the Object of our Love ^ that Fear, which hath thefe efFeds, muft be the Fruit of Love. Again, the fear of lofing his Favour here, or the Enjoynaent of him hereaf- ter, fprings naturally from that high value we have for him as for oar chief, ajid mod defirable Good Vol. L Of the Spiritudity of G 0 D. 2S7 Good, and fo from a prevailing Love to him above all other things. iMy^ This alfo comprehends that other Rule, That we rnuft rvorjhtp God for Spiritual Ends^ viz.. the Promotion of his Glory ; and, which is in cffecl the fame, the Salvation of our Souls. For how can we promote God's Glory more, than by efteeming him our chiefeft Good ? by cleaving iledfaftly to him, in oppofition unto all that ftands in competition with him for our Love ^ by placing our Affections chiefly on him, as the mofl: amiable Good *, 3nd having our Defires carry'd out after him, as the moft valuable Bleffuig that we can en- joy. God doth himfelf promote his Glory, by difcovering to the \Vorld thofe Excellencies and Perfeffions of his Narure, which are juft Motives to the Performance of that Duty in which our Happinefs confifts : And therefore we fliall belt promote his Glory, by improving the Knowledge of his Excellencies tothefeEnds: by improving the Confideration of his Goodnefs and Mercy to the Sons of Men, in Returns of Love and Grati- tude, and by an Imitation of his Love and Mer- sey in our Deportment to our Fellow, Man; our Contemplation of his Power and Wifdom, to pre- ferve us from the worfl: of Evils, and to confer on us the choiceft Bleflings, fo as that we may be moved by them to ferve him faithfully, in ex- peftation of his Favour and Protedion ; our Knowledge of his Truth and Faithfulnefs in the Performance of his Promifes, and in the Execution of his Threats, fo as to avoid thofe Sins which make it neceflary for his Jufticc to be fevcre upon us, and to be diligent in the Performance of .thofe Duties to which he hath annexed the Pro- inife of the greateft Bleflings. And if this be the great Defiga of God in adting for his Glory, and in requiring us to do fo, 'tis very evident, that his afting for his Glory, is alfo ading for the good of his 288 The Attributes of G 0 D. his mofl: noble Creatures : Nor is there any way reveal'd or requir'd by God, for the Promotion of his Glory, which doth not as diredly tend to the Promotion of our Happinefs. '^dly^ This alfo comprehends the third Rule, lihditto wor^Hf God in Spirit^ is to worjhip him in a fpiritual manner ; fo that our Hearts Ihall be wrought up into a fpiritual Frame and Difpolition, and that we fhall be fervent in Spirit^ ferving the Lord: For the Heart, or the Affedions, Will, and Mind, being the Directors and Commanders of all the Body does, when thefe are ftill imploy^d in prizing God as our chiefeft Good, in cleaving to him, and earneftly defiring his Favour above all other things, the whole Man muft be put into a fpiritual Frame, and be imploy'd in doing what is good and acceptable in the fight of God. Then Ihail we pray with fervency of Spirit, and fo our Frayers will come before God as Incenfe^ and the lifting -up of our Hands as an Evening-Sacrifice : Then fhall we hear God's Word with good Attention, trea- fure it up in good and honeft Hearts, and bring forth the Fruit of it in our Lives \ and fo being-not forgetful Hearers^ but Doers of the Wordy we fijall be hleffed in our Deed : And what-ever other religi- ous kdi we are engag'd in, we Ihall do it with all our mighty endeavouring to approve our Hearts to God in it. OF Vol. t 289 O F T H E Dominion of GU D. PsAL. cm. 19. His I\Jngdcm ruleth over nil. TH E Dominion of our gracious God, as it is exercifed by his providential Dil^ pcnfations, and is the Government of a Being who is infinitely wife, juft, and good> is the moft comfortable thing we can propofe to our Conceptions : Tho' they who reprefent it as the Dominion of an Almighty Arbitrary Being, who by meer Will can make that Good or Evil, which, in the common Sentiments of Mankind is other^ wife, and hath a Right to doom all Mankind both to be guilty of the firft Sin of Adam^ and for that Sin to be obnoxious to inevitable and eternal Mi-- fery, make it the moft dreadful thing we can ima- gine. It is therefore necellary to have fuch Appre- henfions of this Attribute, as may render it juft ground of Comfort and Satisfaction, and not of Dread and Horror to us*, that we live under the benign Government, and are all fubjed to the Dominion , of the God of Heaven. And this I (hall endeavour to do in thefe enfuing Propo- fitions. Prop, I, That the Government of God is, as to Power, abfolute and uncontrolable ; no Power in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell, being able to hinder U him. 290 Of the Mtrihutes of GOD. him, who is Almighty, from doing what he pleafcs : For {a) myComfel, faith hejjallfiand, and I will do all my P lea fur e, Dan; 4. 39. Ne doth ac- cording to his mil in the Armies of Heaven^ and in the ^T^'l\ But then it is the Pleafure of that God, who (b) deliahteth in fljewing Mercy^ who (c) would have all Men to be faved, and is long-fufFering to- wards them that perifh ^ becaufe he is (^) not mllincr theyjhould perijh, and by this Patience de- llgns to bring them to repentance^ Rom. 2. 4. Pr^;). II. The Will of God is fo far tinaccounta- ple, that none of his Creatures ought, or can, have any right to call him to account for any thing he doth 'j for (e) he giveth no account of his Mat^ urs ; nor can any (f^ fay unto him^ What doejl thou ? And the Reafon is evident, becaufe all his Works are done in Equity and Wifdom *, and fo none can have caufe to queilion the Equity or Wifdom of them ; or fay with the Murmurers in (g) Ez^ekiel^ The Way of the Lord is not equal. But then, that no Man may prefume to attribute any thing to God, which can never be reconciled with the com- mon Notions of Good and Evil, Jult and Unjuft, upon this Pretence, that the Ways and Judg- ments of God are unfearchable and unaccountable, and that we ought not to demand a Reafon of them ; he is pleafed, in the cafe of Punilhment, to vindicate his Ways from all Sufpicion of Inju- ftice and Severity, by an Appeal to the commoa Heafon of Mankind^ enquiring, when he deter- min'd to lay his Vineyard wafte for her Unfruitful- nefs, (Ji) what he could have done more than had been done by him already, to make his Vineyard fruitful^ in bringing forth good Grapes, and then ( is* {0 tlom. 7. J 2. Deut. la. i^^ iiaUics, Vol. I. Of the Dominion of GOD. *i()j nalties, what the greateft part of them cannot do, cannot be inftituted for the publick Good, but rather for the greateft Evil to the generality of Mankind., becaufe they muft be left, accord- ing to this Suppofition, under an Incapacity to avoid the Evil threatned. 3. Good Laws do fhew a Man what is to be done, or is to be avoided by him : But thofe Laws which prefcribe what a Man cannot do, or for-* bid what he cannot avoid, either by any Power which he hath already, or which the Law-giver will afford him, cannot dired a Man to what he is to do, or avoid, and fo cannot fubjedt him to Pu- nifhment, for not doing what is enjoyned, or not. avoiding what is forbidden: For who feels not the Truth of thefe Sayings of St. Avftin^ ^ Ini- cjuum ejfe eum darr.nare cui non efi potefias jujfa com-* plere ^ That it is unjuft to condemn him as dijobedientj who hath no Power to obey : And, That \ no one^ juRe daninari ullo modo poteft, can juftly be con^ demned-) for doing that vohich he had no Power to avoid. Vain here is the Pretence of fome. That we had Power in our Firft Parents, to perform our Duty ; and fo it may ftill be required of us, tho' we be now unable to perform it. For, (i.) We are not the OlF-fpring of Adam in a State of Innocency, but of Fallen Adam ; we be;ng all obliged to re- pent and believe in Chrift, for the Remiffion of our Sins-, which Adam in a State of Innocency could not do. And, fi.) All the Exhortations, Commands, and Prohibitions, the Promifcs and Threats contained in the Scrijjture, are made to Fallen Man : And fo, if God be ferious and fin- * I. defide contr, Mmh, cdp, 10. f /. de duubiis A7n^ mabuS'^ cap, iq. 298 The Attributes of G 0 D, cere in making them,they declare his UnwiHingnels that Fallen Man fhoiild perifh, his pafiionate De- iire that they fhould be faved, and therefore muft declare his Readinefs to afford them all the AfTiftance requifite on his part, for the obtaining Salvation, and the preventing their eternal Ruin. And feeing he that truly wills the End, muft alfb will the necertary Means for the obtaining of that End, God cannot be fuppofed truly willing that Fallen Man fhould (;>) believe to the Salvation of his Soul^ or ((j) refenty that his Sins may be forgiven^ and yet be unwilling, at the fame time, to afford him the Means necelTary for the obtaining of thofe Ends. S.TheConfideration of Divine Wifdom will be fufficient to convince us, that God hath not laid or left Men under an utter Difability to do that Duty which he will accept, or to avoid that Sin for which he will condemn them ^ but that they either have, or may have, by a due Application to. the Throne of Grace, fufficient Strength for the per- formance of the one, and the avoiding of the other. For Wifdom is the Knowledge of thofe Means which beft conduce to our obtaining the defigned End. Now the End of all the Com- mands which God hath given us, is our Obedi- ence ; the End of all the Promifes annexed to thofe Commands, is to excite and to encourage us to that Obedience; the End of all his Prohibi- tions, is to engage us to abllain from what he hath forbidden ; the End of all the Punifhments he threatneth to the Workers of Iniquity, is ta move them to abftain from that Iniquity. Now is it not a foul Imputation on Divine Wifdom, to fuppofe he ufeth or appointeth Means for the ob- (p; Hcbo 10. 39. (i)Aa5 3»i9" taming^ Vol. L Of the Dominion of G 0 D^ 299 taining his own Ends, wbich lie well knows can never be fufficient to obtain them? And yet if he hath left the greateft part of Men under an abfolute Incapacity to do what he commandeth, that they may be happy -^ or to abflain from what he hath forbidden, that they may not be mife- rable ; muft he not have prefcribed, in order to thefe Ends, that which never can produce them ? Can it then be fuitable to Divine Wif- dom, to be Hill exhorting, folliciting, alluring, awakening Men, without exception, by Promifes and Threats, to the Performance of their Duty, to be fending Prophets and Apoftles, Paftors and Teachers, to perfwade them to it, and yet deny that Afliftance which he fees abfolutely neceflary to render any of thefe Means fuccefsful to obtain thefe Ends ? Surely thefe Dealings muft im- port, that God faw thefe Means, if they deferve that Name, might have had that effed upon the Wicked, which, thro' the want of due Atten- tion, Confideration, and Refledion, they had not ; or elfe muft caft a vile Refleiftion, both on his Wifdom and Sincerity, in all thefe Aftions and Difpenfations with Mankind. 3. Hence it is evident, That God cannot im- pute the firft Sin of j4ciam to all his Pofterity as their Sin, or condemn them for it, as if it had been perfonally committed by them. For, i/, I ask, Whether this Imputation made the Pofterity of j4dam Sinners, or [found them fo ? If it found them fo before, it was plainly nced- lefs, fmce then they might have been condemned to death without it : but if this arbitrary Impu- tation made them fo, then, fince this Imputation is the Ad of God, and not of Man, it plainly follows, that God niufl be the Author of this Sin^ bccaufe this Imputation flows immediately from him^ JOG The Attributes of G 0 D. him, without the Intervention of any A£^ion of any of thofeMen to whom it is imputed. More- over, then the Imputation muft be falfe, as charging them with Sin, whom he did not find Sinners, but only by this arbitrary Decree and Imputation, made fo. Now far be it from any Chriftian to aflert. That God can falfly im- pute Sin to any Man, and then condemn him to eternal Mifery, for what he falfly doth impute to him. In a word, Koyi^c&cu^ and imfutare^ -is to reckon or account a thing to any Man •, and when it hath refpeft to Sin, it is to charge him with the Guilt of it, or to lay this to his Charge, that he hath finned. This Action therefore, in the very nature of it, fuppofeth that God muft fee fome A(^ion done by the Pofterity of Adam^ which was in them blame- worthy, before there could be any ground for Imputation of it to them for Punifh- ment ^ and this fhews, that it is impofiible that this Imputation fhould be the very thing which renders them blame-worthy, or Perfons worthy to be punilhed for the Sin of Adam : And yet, if the Sin of Adam becomes ours only by Imputation, it muft be ours^ only becaufe it is by God imputed to us, and not imputed to us, becaufe it is ours : That is, God by this Imputation muft make us Sinners, and not find us fuch ; for this Imputa- tion is the Adion of the judge, and not of the fuppofed Criminal ^ remove or take away this arbitrary Adion of the judge, and no Crime will be found upon him. idiy^ We are not gailty of any other Sin of Adar/i^ therefore we are not guilty of the firft 3in of Adam. For Anfwer to this, IVe are driven (0 confefs^ faith * Bp. Davenarn^ that this defends at ■^ Anfv/. to /ior^. p. a45> :49» thq Vol. T. Of the Dcmimon of G 0 D. jci the free CofjfiittftioTi of the Dli'h'jc Will ^ for (virtual Inclvfion in|. ' or^) natmd'.:Froj^agation (from the Loins of A4'a^)i wotdd not: have • char pr^d us with the Guilt of ayjy S'it2^^yfor>al.ly:comr?titted by him-i had not God eriaShed and cokftituted a. Decree ^ that it Jhould he foj when tt fiocd in his Power and Pleafure that it fljould be othenvife. And agaiii^ * It was net by any natural Neceffity^ that Adam fallings his Pofierity fljovld be univerfally tainted with Original Sin^ but this depended^ ex li- bero Dei decreto. Dr. Whitahr faith, That our Will was included in the Will of Adam ^ fo that his Sin jloould be properly voluntary in us. Hoc in Dei, non Adami voluntate pofitum fuit, Arofe vot from the Will of Adam, but of God. And again, -f- That the Will of Adam, in that j^Eiion^ is reputed for ours ^ Id fadum quia ipfius (i. e. Dei) voluntas eft juris & juftkix Korma. Nunquam aliter intelliges juftum fuifle nos omnes nafci miferos propter unius hominis quamcunque noxam : i. e. That happened^ becaufe the Will of God is the Rule of Equity and Jufiice *, for otherwife 770 Man can underfland how it could be juft^ that ati Men fiould be mifer able for the Sin of one. For be it granted that his Will was ours, and that we willed in hitn •, Ratio hujus voluntatis nulla eft preterquam voluntas Creatoris, There is no Reafon why his Will Jhould be ours, befides the Will of the Crea^ tor. Tou may fay. That Adam is to be considered as the Seed and Principle of Nature, and that his Sm was the Sin of the whole Nature ; whereas the Sins of other Men are perfonal • and fo his Sin was propogated with that Nature, but the Sm of other Men is not ', but why the Sin of Adam deflroyed not his Perfon only^ *DePec«atoOrig.I. i. Cap. 9. p. 3. f Cap. 7. p. 640. but 502 The Ac tributes of GOD. Vol. I, hut Nature^ when the Sins of other Men hurt only their own ferfons^ but render not their Nature worfe^ Caufam afllgna, 11 potes, aliam qua m Dei juftam voluntatem, No other Caufe cm he ajfigned^ but the juft Will of God. Now from thefe neceiTary Con- ceflionsi it is evident, that the firft Sin of jidam cannot be deemed ours, becaufe he com- mitted it ; none of the other Sins of Fallen Adam being ours upon that Account, but becaufe God of meer Will^ decreed and conftituted it fwuld be fo^ when he might have ordered it ctherwife : And fo there is nothing which makes this Sin ours, be- sides the arbitrary Will of God. And furely then God mud be the Author of ir, becaufe it is the Will of God alone, which makes this firft Sin of Fallen Adam ours, more than the fecond, of which it is confefs'd we are not guilty \ nor is there any other Reafon why we are more guilty of it, than of his other Sins, belides this Will of God. As then we become Sinners in our own Per- fons, only by willing that the Action which is evil, fliould be ours, fo we become Sinners in the Perfon of Adam^ only by the Will of God, that his evil Aftion fhould be ours-, and had it not been his Pleafure fo to will, it had never been ours : So that, according to this Divinity, God's meer Will firft makes us Sinners, and then damns us for what his Will alone hath made us. To make this ftill more evident, let it be noted, That in every Sin of Commiffion, there is required, not only the Will of the Creator forbidding that Aftion, but alfo the Will of the Creature, chufing to do what is forbidden *, but, as I know of no Command of God, forbidding the Pofte- rity of Adam^ who never were in Paradife, not to eat of the forbidden Fruit there •, fo in this fuppofed original Sin, there is no Will of ours chufing Vol.1. Of the Dominion of GOD. jo} cbufing that forbidden Aftion, more than any other Sin of Adam *, it was not therefore upon that account our Sin, and fo it muft be fo only by the Will of the Creator. If it be reply'd, that the Ad:ion and Will of Adam was ours alfo ; 1 ask, Whether it was fo in its own Nature, or only by the free Decree and Will of God ? If only by the latter, it clearly follows, That his Adions are made and accounted ours, by the meer Will of God, and fo that only renders it our Sin ; if front its own Nature, then all his other finful Wills and Adions mult be ours alfo ; for what agrees to the Will and Anions of Adam^ from the Nature of them, mult agree to every Will and Adion of Adam at all times : Now this be- ing confefledly falfe, it remains, that it is folely from the arbitrary Will of God, that we are guilty of this, and not of any other Sin of -/^ 5o6 The Attributes of GOD, ped, even from the befb of Beings. If then it be fb great a comfort to us, to have a Friend, who is eminent for Power, Wffdom, and rich Good- Hefs, to refbrt unto in all our Exigencies •, if it be a llgnal Happinefs to any Nation, to be go- vern'd by a Prince, who isjenown'd for all thefe Perfeftions ; Oh ! how much greater comfort muft it be, to live under the Government of a God abfolute in Power and infinite Wifdom, when we know this Power and Wifdom will cer- tainly be imploy'd in the Exprellions of Kindnefs and good Will, to all who do not obftinately re- fufe to be fit Objeds of his Goodnefs. Hence is It natural to all Men to depend on the Divine Goodnefs, to fly to this great and general Be- nefador to fupply their Wants, to take refuge in his Ability to do them good, and render him their daily Praifes for his Kindnefs to them. And can there be a more comfortable Reprefen- ration of abfolute Soveraignty than this is ? Or can any Man have reafon to dread this Power more than to be afraid of that Goodnefs from which it isinfeparablc ? • 3. Abfolute Soveraignty being the Soveraignty frf a God, rich in Mercy to the Sons of Men, niufl induce Sinners to hope in his Mercy, and be the llrongeft Motive to engage them to turn unto bim by Repentance, in cxpedation of his par- doning Mercy. For if even after his denunciation of Deitruftion to an Heathen Ni?7eveh^ upon their turning from their evil Way s^ he rtpented of the Evil which he f aid he xvouid do to them^ and he did it notj Jon. 3. II. Yea, if he had pity on that great City, becaufe there was twelve thoufand of little In- fants in it, and alfo much Cattle^ Chap. 4. ii- Can we conceive that a God ^0 gracious to the Bealts that periflijcan yet be fo fevere to the gene- rality Vol. I. Of the Dominion of G 0 D. 507 rality of the Souls of Men, as to leave them ine- vitably to perifli everlaftingly ? Can we conceive him fo merciful unto the little Infants of an /f^4- then City, and yet think him fo cruel to Myriads of Myriads of other Infants, both of Jews and Chriftians^ as to condemn them unto endlefs Tor- ments for that which they could never help ? Sure 'tis not eafy to conceive, that a God fo pitiful to the very Bealls, fhould have no pity for the great- eft part of Fallen Men : Or that an Heathen Ni- neveh obtain'd this Favour, by that which only was fplendidum feccatum^ an Aggravation of thdr Guilt. The End of the FirjTVolume. SIXTEEN SERMONS UPON THE Attributes of GOD. VOL. II. Of His Communicable Attributes, His %mt% ^ r His Peace^ Peace^ when there is no Peace^ but the Sword reaehetb to the Soul ? And then it rather doth imply, that 'tis impoffible fnch a falfe Melfage (hould come from the God of Truth, and th.it it ^ Chip. 70.7. t verhm (udr/. Kjrchr, 4a 4 ?2:Uil: 8 The Attributes of G 0 D : nuft be rather fpoken by Mk Prophets in his Namc^ ■^ as God himfelf four times declareth, that ic was. To give one Inftauce more, where Reading, by the way of Queilion, clears the difficialiy, Veut, 29. 2, 3,4. we read thus in our Tranfluion, Te have feen ah that the Lord dtd before your Eyes in the Land of Egypt, hU great Temptations ^ Signs and Mr acles^ Velo Nathan. And he hath not given yuu Hearts to perceive, and Fyes to fee^ and Ears to hear unto this jDay .J which Woids aie ccitaioly intended as an Aggravation of their Sin, whereas it CJ^n be no Mans fault, that he hath not that which God a- lone can give, and yet he is not pleafed to afford : Read therefore the Words by way of Qiicltion thus, And hath He net (by all thtfe Miracles; gtvtn yon Hearts to perceive^ and Eyes to fee his great Good- nefs to you^ and the Senfs^ is clear •, Velo being here put for Vehalo^ or ufed by way of Interrogation, as in thofe Words of Jonathan^ if 1 knew that my Fa- ther had decreed Evil tothee^ Vdo^vrould I not tell thee ? I Sam. 20. 9, Velo, (hall not my B'-'other Hammon go with usti Sam. 13. 26, Velo Maru, and did they flat rebel dgainji his Word^. Pfal. 105 28. 5ff Nold, in hanc particulam, N. 2. OhjeB. 2. 2dly. It may be faid, that God is reprc^ fented as faying to the Evil Spirit, who engigcd to be a Lying Spirit in the Month of Ahab^s Pro- phets^ Go^ and prevail -^ i Kings 22. 22. Anfiv, But to this I Anfwer, That thefe Words are not to be undcrftood literally, but only as a Vifion, or 'a Parabolical Reprefentation of God's Providence in ordering Matters fo as that Ahah fhould fall at Eamoth Gilead^ for doubtlefs there was no fuch Confultation before God, who fhould be imployed in this Work, as is reprefented, v, 20. * Chap..*?. 17. 2y^\. 27.9,14,15. 28.11. No His T RVT H. ^ No fuch advifing him to do it, this or that way, as is fuggelled, v, 21. No fuch enquiry on God's Part, how the Lying Spirit would do this, as we read of, v, 22. and therefore no fuch Command of God as follows ^ but the Purpofe of ail this is only to inftrudl us that God having purpofed Ahabh De- ftrudion for his Idolatry, permitted Satan to flir up his Prophets to Prophefie according to his Inclina- tions, that He, believing them, might perifb. And whereas Mcab faith, v. is- The Lord hath put Na- than, hath given a Lying Spirit in the Mouth of all thy Prophets. This only fignifies, that God had permit- ted Satan to be fuch a Spirit. Thus 2 Sam. 24. i . it is faid, The Lord moved David to fay^ Go number Ifrael ^«^ Judah, and yet that He did this only by permitting Satan to provoke him to it,^e learn from iChron, 21. I. where we read, that Satan flood up againft Ifrael, and provoked David to number the People. Thus alfo St. Paul faith of the Unbelieving Jews^ That God had given them a Spirit of Slumber^ Eyes that they fl^ould not fee^ and Ears that they fhould nothear^ Rom. 11. 8. And yet the fame Apoftle faith, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. That if the Light of the Gofpel was hid from any^ fo that they remained ftill VnbelieV" ers^ they were only juch Per fens whofc Eyes Satan^ the God of this World^ had blinded^ leaft the Light of the Cofpel fhould ftme into them. See many Inftances of a like Nature ^ Note on Rom. 1.28. ObjeB. 3. ^dly. It maybe faid, That God declares that // the Prophd^ who anfwered thofe who came to enquire of him, with their Idols in their Hearts, vpas deceived^ He had deceived him^ Ezek. 1 4. 9. Anfw. If He hath erred, I have made him to err, faith the Vulgar, agreeably to the Hebrew^ i. e. I have permitted him to be led by Satan into Error, according to the Scripture D\d\^€t^ where God is of- ten faid to make that to be done, or not done, which he fuffers or permits not to be done. So Pfal I o The Attributes of GOD. ^ Pfal 119. 10. ^ith my whole Heart have J fought thee^ al tufgeni, make me not to err from thy Command' mnts^ i. e. Suffer mc not to do fo. And Ifa, 63. 17. the Ghurch enquires thus. Why haft thou made us to err from thy Ways} i. e. 'Why haft thou fuf- fered us to do fo, for, faith Gataker^ in this Place, in the Senfe, not of Compalfion, but Permiffion, is this Form often ufed. So Exod. 22. 18. mn vivifi^ cahis^ I'houfljalt not fuffer a Witch to live : And Prov, 10. 3. Non € fur ire faciei^ The Lord will not fuffer the Soul of the Righteous to famifh. Moreover, whereas God, in his ordinary Providence, either reftrains Satan from working fo pov/erfully by his Inftru- ments, as to deceive others, or fends true Prophets to warn his People of the Deceit, and to prevent the Delufions of falfe Prophets^ the Men, who in this Cafe came to enquire of the Lord, being Men who came, v, s. with their Idols in their Hearts^ and put the Stumbling-block of their Iniquities before their Eyes^ and therefore worthy to be deceived to their Ruin ; and the Prophet who thus errs, being a falfe Prophet^ one willing to fpeak things grateful to them, and ]to bolflcr them up in their Iniquities, as appears from the following Threat, that God rvould cut him off from his People: God, by withdrawing his re- ftraint from Satan^ is faid to caufe this Prophet^ fo well inclined to it, aftually to err. Thus when God withdrew his Spirit from his People, Ifa, 63. TO, II. witheld thoft gracious Providences which encouraged them to fear and obey him, v. 12, 15. and left them under thofe OpprefTions of the Hea^ ihens^ which miniflred Temptations to them to caft off his Fear. The Church thus Expoflulates fnot asaccufing God, but as deprecating his Judg- ments) Why haft thou caufed us to err from thyWays^ ^ndhardvied our Hearts from thy Feir^ i, e. Why are thy Difpenfations fncb towards us, as lay before us Temptations fo to do ? Now, His T RVT H. ,1 ift. Is God a God of Truth, one who cannot put a Cheat upon us, hence we may reft afTured, that we are not fo framed by God, as that our Facul- ties (hould ftill be liable to Deceit •, that when we perceive things clearly, we are not liable to mi- ftake, for^ feeing, the God of Truth can never be the Author of Error and Delufion, He therefore hath not made us with Underftandingsthat of ne- ceffity muft err, and be deluded, i'o that if it be not our own fault, we need noc be deceived in things neceffary to be known, and chofen in order for our Everlafling Welfare. Were it not ^'br the Veracity of God, we could have no Affurance that our very Frame and Temper might not fubjea us to a perpetual Delufion. For if God could deceive, or put a Cheat upon us by his Words, why might He not alfo do it by his Works? And then we could have no Affurance of any Miracles wrought to confirm his Revelations, and confcqoently we could have no certainty of the Truth of any Revelation. idly. God is a God of Truth, and fo mufl: be entirely free from Fraud, Deceit, Diffimulation, or fpeak- ing what He doth not think ; becaufe thefe things are plainly oppofite to Truth, He muft be alfo'a God of that Sincerity which will not fuffer him to pretend to that Kindnefs and Affedtion to us v/hich He doth not bear, for fo far He mult deviate froni the Truth. And hence 'tis certain, that God muli be Sincere, and without Fraud, Diffimulation, or Deceit in all his Declarations, Commands and Pro- hibitions, his Exhortations and Dchortations, his Promifes and Threats ^ his Motives to engage us to purfue, or to decline an Acftion, in his paflionate defires of our Welfare in his Inquiries, what he could have done more in order to it, and in his concern, that all his Methods h^ve been in€[re7». 2.4. 2 Pet? 9- tH^4 33' "• II ^K^k. M n. Mat* 1 5. 37. ^ (T^- 5-4. * I Chron.^6. 1 5. E^el^- 33. 1 1 Jer, 1$. 27. /j4. 30. i8i 65. J^» His T RVT H. 15 it once be^ who is ftiH waiting to be Gracious , flretch* 'ing out his Hand all the day long to a KeheUious and Cainfaying People^ and Exercifes this rich Goodnefs^ Fatience^ and Long'fujfering on purpofe to ^ bring them to Repentance • denying to molt of them to whom He thus affedionately fpeaks, any poflibility of being made clean, of turning to him, or re- penting : And fo after all thefe Pretences and fine Words, not really concerned that they ftiould do fo. Afthly. Thefe Do^rines reprefent him who fays with the greateft Earneftnefs, and feeming Com- paflTion, '{Oh that they were wife^ that they would con- ftder their latter End ! Oh that my People had kearkned to me^ and Ifrael had walked in my ways ! Oh that thoit hadft hearkned to my Commandments ! Oh that thou hadfi known in this thy Day^ the things th^t did belong to thy Peace ! and who enquires in the moft afFcdtiqg manner, || How jhaU J give thee up, Ephraim ? How /hall J deliver thee^ Ifrael ? How (hall I make thee as Admah ? Hoxo fljall Ifet thee as Zeboim ? Notwith- ftanding all thefe feeming Tranfports of AfFedion, and keen Defires of their Welfare, refufing to have the leaft Compaflion for them, yea, decreeing to leave them without a Saviour •, and without Means fufficient to make them fpiritually Wife, truly O- bedient, or to obtain a faving Knowledge of the Things belonging to their Peace. ^thly. They reprefent him as one encouraging the Foolilb, and the Scorner to return at his re- proof by a promife of t pouring bis Spirit on them ; the Simple to forfake the Fooli/h, and live ^ and the Wicked Man to ^ forfake his Ways^ and turn unto the Lord^ that He may abundantly be pardoned ^ to f ceaje ^F^m.z 4. t P>s^f' 5- 29* P/rt/.8i. 13. Ifa. 48. 18. Luke from 1 6 The Attributts of GOD: from Evil^ and learn to do mil ^ that tho* bis Sins were as Crimfon^ He might he white as Wool: Yea, more concerned * for one loft Sheep, than for ninety and nine that went not aftray ^ and rejoycing more at the return of his Prodigal Son, than in him whenever wandred from him ^ and yet leaving moft of thefe Men nnder an incapacity of returning from their Simplicity and Folly, to ceafe to do Evil, or to learn to do well, and the loft Sheep without Ability to return to the Shepherd of his Soul. To fay heie, that God is Serious, Sincere, and in good E^rneft in thefc Declarations and Enqui- ries, \ alter revera dccrevit Gratiam necejfariam ad ilia praftanda eis non indnlgere^ & eos ad ferniciem pu- fcrip/i: : He hath decreed not to vouchfafe them the Grace Tiecejfary to perform thcfe things^ md hath appointed them for Delhudion, only becaufe the thing com- manded, tho' it be impoffiblc to be done by them, would be grateful to him if it were done, and therefore may be faid to be wilVd by him, -z/oto- tate fimplicis complacentia ^ By a Will of Complacency • or, to fay with Bifliop |j Dnvenant^ That when God offers to the Reprobates Life and Salvation, par* don of Sin, deliverance from Death, and all other Spiritual Bleffings, he dealeth very fmcerely with tbem, Becaufe He will certainly affi^rd them all thefe JBleffings^ and deliver them from all the dreadful Evils threatned^ upon Performance of the Conditions on which they are tendred. Gad's meaning when He offers Glory to any Man, if He believe^ and per f ever e^ being truly to perform it if He doth fo, t j^nd as for Chrijl's coming into the World to fave Sinners^ it was not to fave the Eld}^ ht under the Conditions of Repentance^ and perfeverant Faith^ and no decree of Reprobation ex- * Luke 15. 10, ^a. t ^i^^ef con. Socin. To, i> P. 66^* Againlt Ford. p. ?5^. t p. 399- tludeth His T RV T H. tj cludeth any Man from Salvation, provided always that He repent and believe. This is moll certainly to delude Men with vain Words. Fof, I. Hence it doth plainly follow chat God's true Will is flatly to deny them thefe Blefllags, and to promife them nothing, becaufc the Condition of the Promife is only the Performance of an Impof- fibility, and * fuch a Promife, faith Piijfendorf^ dif^ fers only from^ a downright negative in this, that it is more affronting, by m^ih^ng the Promife run affirma- tively, and yet clogging it with an impoffible Condition. Seeing then theie Men teach that the -f- Decree of God not to give Faith, Repentance and Eternal Life to Judas, (or to any other Reprobate) is that which they underflmd by the Word Reprobation, and this is never Abrogated by any Conditional Promife -, and 'tis impoffible he fhould have Faith and Repentance to whom God hath abfolutely decreed noc to give it. Muft not the Reraiflion of Sins and Salvatioa promifed to Judas, or any other Reprobate, only i]pon Condition of Faith and Repentance, be pro- mifed upon an impoffible Condition, and fo be E- quivalent to this Negative, Neither Judas nor any other Reprobate piall be faved. idly. To fay that would be grateful to God were it done, which He himfelf hath left under an im- poffibility of being done ^ is only to fay, He would be pleafed if that Vvcre done, which He is noc pleafed that it fhouid be done 5 whereas feeing vo- luntas non ejl impo[jibiliumj A true Will only refpe&s things poffible, God cannot properly be faid to will that at all whieh He hath left impoffible to be per- formed, much lefs can He be faid to will it rather than that Death, which by his own Decree, i. e. hisi* Will, and Rule of Afting, He hath made impoffible to be avoided. • L. 3. c. 8» $, 5. t Ba. Davenantj ih. p. 2 z/, Bb Ifl it the An r shut es of GOD: In a Word, did ever any Honeft Man thtjs at- tempt to engage another to that which He before- hand knew was impoffible for him to do without the help He had determined to deny him ? Or en- quire why He would do what He well knew He ne- ver could avoid ? Did ever any wife Phyfician^ Oat" lifi^ or Chymrgeon fay to the Blind, the Deaf and Lame, I am not willing you ihould Hill continue under thefe Diftempers, put away therefore your Deafnefs, Blindnefs and Lamencfs, and it fhall be well with you, when they well knew it was im- poilible for them to do it without their Art, and that they were refolved that fhould afford them no AlRflance fo to do? If then the Cafe be per- fedly the firae, in reference to all to whom God bath decreed not to afford fufEcient Grace to en- able them to repent, and turn to him, and more cfpecially to them cjiios ad perditiomm pr^ef crip fit ^vpham Ide hath ordained to die etermlly: Who can imagine a God of Wifdom and Sincerity, not to fay of Good- xicfs, fliould {o deal with the generality of lapfed Men, as no Good, Wife, Honelfc, or True-hearted Man, could have the Face to deal with one like himfelf ? SER- H SERMONii Of His TKVTH. DEUT. XXXII. iv. He is 4. God of Truth^ And vAthout Imq^uity^ or Deceits BU T that which I would chiefly prefs as the moft proper Exhortation from the Confideration of the Truth, and the Sin- cerity of God in all his Words direded to us, and his dealings with us, is, that wc would be concern'd to live by the exaftcft Rules of Truth^* and of Sincerity in all our dealings and conrcrfe with Men, that laying afidc all FaKhood and Dif- limulation, all Equivocations and fecret Refervati- ons in our Words and Promifes, wc would ffeak forth the Words of Trutb^ that putting away from us all Cuile^ Deceit, all Fraud and Artifice to over-reach our Brother in all our Dealings, wc would Aft by the ftriftcft Rules of Sincerity and Uprightnef?; !2a The Attributes of GO D: of Candor and Plain-dealing, that fo Men may fe- curely rely upon our Words, and truft to our Ho- nefty. That there is great Occafion to prefs this Exhoitation, will be apparent if we confider that there are fome Trades or Recreations who fe very Delign and Bulinefs is to Lye, Cheat, and conceal the Truth, as that of the Horfe-Couifer, and the Common Gameiler, and that where true Religion and a ilrong Awe of God prefides not in the Heart, M§nof all Trades lie under powerful and ftrong Temptations to this Vice ^ that is, to gain a little Temporal Advantage with the lofs of their Spiri- tual and Eternal Interefts, that f.here be many who take a pleafure in Bantering, which only is another Word for Lying to their Brother ^ and fo they hazard their Souls for the fake of a Jeft. ^dly. How common a thing is it for Children, Ser- vants, and Dependants, to Lye, out of fear of Pu- nifhment, which is to make bold with God, and to incur his Difpkafure to avoid that of Man. j^ihly. How many do this to avoid that Shame and Difgrace, and the Infamy which is due to their E- vil Anions, which only is to endeavour to preferve our Credit with Men, by lofmg the Favour of God ^ and to avoid Shame in the World, by ex- poling our felvcs to everlafting Shame and Con- tempt at the Great Day of our Account. But laft- ly. That which feems now to be the reigning Vice, and is the natural refult of thofe DiviOons and A- nimofities which obtain amongfl: us, and of the Ha- tred and Malice we bear to one another, is, Lying for a Party, or from pretence of Zeal for our Religion : For, who fees not how prone Men arc to vent, take up, and induftrioufly fpreadfalfe Sto- ries upon Men who are of a contrary Party to them, or are thought by them no true Friends to that Religion, for which they feeni concerned, tho' by XY\% rraftice they render their Religion vain, evea M His T R V T H. 21 '^B widedly for God, and talk deceitfully for the 7nofi High^ and fo they caft a double Blemifli on his Sacred Name ; accufing hira as unable to preferve the iQtereft ot Religion without the AfTiftancc of • their Lye, and as a God who could be pleafed with Fallhood and Deceit^ when it was vented for his fake : I fliall therefore prefs this Exhortation from Confiderations arifing from the Nature of that God we Worfhip, from our felves, and from the Natnrc of this Sin. And, i/. It becomes us who Worfhip the God of Truth, to fpeak the Truth, and to ufe plainnefsand fmcerity in all our Words and Anions, becaufe by this we do conform our felves to his Nature, and become like the God of Truth. One of the firft, and the molt natural Notions that we have of Re- ligion, is this, that 'tis an Imitation of God, and it confills in a fmcere Endeavour to be as like him as ttion of Tongues^ feeing they could not learn to fpeak, as all Mankind do now, by hear- ing and obferving the Words of others. And hence arifeth a convincing Demonffcration of that Truth of the Original of Mankind, which Mofes has delivered to us-, for they who fay, that Man had his Original any other way, but that of the Creation, can never give us any tolerable Account of the original of Speech, or tell us how the firft Man came to think of fpeaking, or to give Names to any of the Things which were theObjedsof his Seufes. This then being the true Original of S,^eecb, it is certain, that the End for which it was injparted to us by the God of Truth, was, that we might difdofe our Minds to one another and fo cur" \Vords might be the true Interpreters of our Thoughts 5 whence it raufl follow that we contradid the very End for which this Speech was given, when wc fay that which contradicts our inward Thoughts and Apprehcnfions of the Things we fpcak of. Moreover, we can have no inter- courfe with one another, and no dependance on what Men do affirm, or promife, but on theSup- pofition that they fpeak as they think, and pro- mife what they are inwardly refolved to perform ; and therefore, when Men affirm what they know* and believe to be falfe, or promife what they in- tend not to perform^ they do what tends to the great Prejudice and DifTolution of Society and Con- verfation ^ and fo they mult be guilty of a Sin a- ^ainK the Li^ht of Nature, and the Ends of So- ciety 3 o The Attnhtiies of GOD: ciety, and winch tends to beget in Men a mutual diftruft of one Another. LajUy^ This is a Sin which tends moft plainly to impair our Credit aincng Men, and renders us obnoxious to the mod vile Reproach. A Man that is addi<^ed to it, is a Man of a loft Credit, and hath our- lived his Reputation ; his Sayings are re- jeded with Scorn, and no Man re^ardeth any thing he faith ^ tho' he fpcaks true, no Man believes him : And when a Man hath behaved himfelf fo im- prudently as to have loft his Credit with his Neigh- bours, fo that no Perfon of Difcretion will de- pend on any of his Promifes, or value any of his Wrrds ^ there is an end of Friendfhip with him, or dependance on him, and all Men will be (hy of having any Dealings with him. And hence we find that there is fcarcely any thing that Men re- fent more highly than to be called L/Vj; that they look upon it as the higheft Reproach they can be charged with*, and there is nothing they are more afhamcd of than to be taken in a Lye. Where- fore, to fum up what has been faid on this Sub- jed, if either the hatred which the God of Truth bears to this Wicked Praiftice, or the Refemblance it gives us to the worft of Beings : If either the Contradidion it bears to the ufe of Speech, or the inward Didtates of our own Confcience, or the tendence which it has to the prejudice of Society^ and the impairing our Credit among Men : If laft- ly, the Reproach and Shame it brings upon us here, or the feverity of Punilhments, to which it will expofe us in the other World : If, I fay, all, or any of thefe things be laid to Heart, fare they muft be fufficient to deter us from this Evil Pradtice. idly, God is a God of Truth, and therefore he will execute his Threats upon impenitent Offenders. To Mis T RV T H. 31 To ftate this Matter fo that Men may have right Apprchcnlions of the Tenor of Divine Commina- tions ^ let it be obferved, I. That in cafe of Temporal Punifliments ia this World, defighed not for Excifion, but the A- mendment of the Sinner ; God may, without any Impeachment of his Truth, or Semblance of Mu- tability in his Purpofe, remit the threatned Pu- nilhment ; becaufe there may be a juft Ground for the Remiffioa of fuch threatned Evils, even the lincere Repentance and Reformation of the Sinner which doth in every inftance of this Nature change the Subject of the Threat ; for all thefe Com mi- nations, in what Expreffions foever they are made if they be only Threats, and not confirmed by the Oath of God, are ftill Conditional ; the meaning of them being only this, I will inflid this Judgment if you return not from your Evil Ways : And this Interpretation of them is made by God himfelf, both wich refpcct to the Evils threatned to a Na- tion, Jer. \ 8. 7, 8. and with relation to every par- ticular Sinner, E^k, 18. 32, 33. (zdly.^ Becaufe God threatneth thefe Judgments, not that he ta- keth pleafuve in pnnilhing Offenders (for he doth not willingly afflid or grieve the Children of Men, Lament, 3. 33.) but rather to awaken and reform the Sinner ^ when therefore by his Threatnings he hath wrought this good Effedt upon him, it is not to be wondrcd that he doth not proceed to exe- cute that Judgment, which hath done its intended Work by being threatned • feeing in doing this God only adeth fuitably to his own Declarations. idly. Obferve, that as to thofe future and eter- nal PuniOimcnts which God hath threatned to all them who die in an impenitent and unreform'd State; tlicrecin be no fuch Rcafon why God (hould permit them, but rather very cogent Rcafons why he fliould infti'ft them. For, ijl. In 3 i The Attributes of GOD: ift. Ifl all tbefe Cafes the Evil threatned hith entirely loft its firft and falutary End upon theiti, which was to bring them to Repentance, and there- fore muft be threatned to fuch Perfons to no End, or to affright them, as we d% Children, with falfe Fears ; that is, with Fraud and Lying Artifices, which no Man of Integrity , and exaO: Probity would ufe: Or elfe to ihew thejufticc of God in punifh- ing fuch Feffels of Wrath fitted for Dejlru&ion • for Inftance, what Chrift faith, Except ye repent^ yefhall allperi/h^LvikQis. 3,$. and ^ St. Paul^ That to them that obey not the Gofpel^ fhall be everlafl'mg Defirudion from the frefence of the Lord. Thefe Threats are plainly made againft thofe Perfons who die ia their Impenitence and Difobedience, by him who mil judge every Man according to his IVorh^ and who declares, that they fhall not efcape his righteous Judgment, becaufe, \ thro' the hardnefs and impeni^ tency of their Hearts^ they treafured up Wrath againfl the day of If rath, and rendred themfelves f'eff'els of Wrath^ fitted for Deftrudion. Can it then ratio- nally be faid, becaufe God does them no Injury if he doth not execute his Wrath upon them, that tho' they do not repent, they may not perifh ^ that everlafting Deftrudion may not be the Portion of the Difobedienc ^ and that this Righteous Judge may not deal with them according to their Works; may we not rather fay unto them, if you con- tinue in your Impenitence and Difobedience, his Holinefs mull oblige him to feparate you from his blifsful Prefence ; his Impartial Juftice to re- compence you according to your Works, his Truth and Veracity is concerned to infli(ft upon you the Judgment written. "^XThejj: I. 8. I fyr:i,2. 5. ^ly. God's His T R V T H. j5 idly. God's Threats of Everlafting IMiferies have for their Objeds the Impenitent, and therefore do (Exclude theSuppofition of any change in them who die in that Efcate, which may induce God to remits or to abate the Evil threatned ^ if then this Punilh- ment may be remitted to them, it muit be either by a change in the Divine Will and Purpofe, or by a Secret Intention in him, not to inflid what He hath threatned : That this cannot be rcafonably expedfed from any change in him, will be -exceed- ing evident from the Perfe<^tions of his Nature, for He is an Holy God, who therefore neceflarily hatethall the workers of Iniquity: He is alfo a jiiH Gpd, who therefore will by no means clear the Guilty^ or let the Wicked go unpuniflied : He alfo is Omnipotent, and therefore able to execute the Vengeance threatned to the Sinner ; and, which gives a fad accent to» all this, He who is thus Holy, Jull and Powerful continues ft ill the fame without Variation in Na- ture, or in Will, and fo will never ceafe to bate all Iniquity, or to be an implacable Enemy to all Impenitent Sinners. Moreover, that there can be in God no Secret Intention not to inflid what He thus threatneth, is evident, bccanfe He ts the God of Truth, and fo mult fpeak what He doth really purpofe and intend. And (Ince thefe Threats declare what the Righteous God will do to the Impenitent, and what the Difobedient ihall fufi'er in an Eftate which will admit of no Conditional referve of Mercy .^ a fccret Will not to inflid thefe Punifhmeats, mult plainly be repugnant to God's revealed Will, and therefore mufb fuppofe in God two contrary Wills. And indeed to fay that fuch a iecret Intention may be ini God, nocwithltanding thefe Declarations to the contrary, is in great Meafore to fruftrate and enervate even the primary Intention of thofe Threats, to wit, the deterring of the Sinner by C e the ^4 '1^1^^ Attributes of G 0 D : the Confideratlon of the greatnefs and duration of them, from continuing in his Sin, for if this In- tention may be in God, they may believe it to be in him ; and fo the Impenitent may hope, even tho* they do continue fo to be, they fhall efcape the thre-atned Puniihment : Now fo much hope as you give the Impenitent that He may efcape Eternal Puniihments, fo much Encouragement you give him' to continue flill, and even die in his Im- penitcrfte. In fine, if God may deal thus with the' Impeni- tent Offender, He may deal thus with all that arc fo, becaufe the Reafon is the fame in all ^ and then rxither the Holinefs of his Nature, nor his Righ- teous Government requires that He fhould punifli 3ny Sin, and fo it mull entirely depend upon his Arbitrary Will, whether He will deal with Mcft according t6 their V/oiks, or not. Now as thefe Threats were certainly dedgncd by Divine Wifdom to deter Men from their Iniqui- ties, fo is the certainty of this great Truth, thac God will execute the Judgments threatned in his Word upon all Impenitents ; the befl Confidera- tion that can be offered to the diowfie Sinner to awaken him out of his deep in Sin, and to deter him from continuing one Day longer in any of his finful Courfes, Icait that Day fhould put him un- der an incapacity of any Reformation, or doiag any thing which may exempt him from the Wrath to come : For hence we have as great Airurance as the Truth of God can give us, that "^ the Wrath of God will he revealed from Heaven ^gainjl all Vnrighteoujnefs ^ and all Vngodlinefs of Men j that our great Judge will || come in flamitig Fire to take V'engeance on all that Obey not his C'ofj)d-^ and *l^:t?s, i. 17. \2.Tkejf i. I. thaf His T RV T H. J5 that they /hall he punifhed with Everlaflmg BefiruBion from the prefence of the Lord. That all Impenitent Sinners fliall be Condemned to that Lake vf Fir: and Brimftone which cannot be quenched, and have their Portion with the Devil and his JlngnU in Eter* nal Torments : It therefore deferves A;rioufly to be confidered by him, that whilft He ftill conti- nues under any Courfe of Sin, He muft continue under a dreadful Expedation of the fevered of God's Judgments, becaufe his Confcience tells him He deferves them, and Divine Juftice mav inflicl: them, and only Hands engaged to rem.it them up- on Condition of his Reformation, that is, his cea- fing to be that Wicked Perfon agSinfl whom they are denounced. Now thus to live under perpe* tual dread of Divine Judgments, is truly to be puniflied here, for "^ Fear hath Torment in it^ nnd the more Torment, the greater is the Fear. But then let him confider alfo, that however He may efcape in this World, his Punifhment will be great and endlefs in the next •, that tho' He fhould go quietly to his Grave, the Holinefs of God will cer- tainly oblige him to exclude him for ever from his biifsful Prefence, his Truth and his Veracity to Condemn him unto Endlefs Torments : And if this will not engage him to break off his Sins by Repentance, and to awake to Righteoufncfs, 'twill be in vain to offer any leifer Motives to engage him fo to do. ' Let then all obftinate Offenders * hear this and tremble, fmce they cannot be more obftinately bent to continue in their Evil Ways, than God is peremptorily refolved to make them Miferable; if they are determined to go on ia ' their Evil Ways • God alfo hath determined ' that He will not fpare them, but caufehis An- *iyi>/;;;4. I8. Cc 3, ger, 36 The AttYihiites of GO D: * ger and his Jealoufie to fmoke againft them : He * hath fvvoni in his Wrath, that Unbelieving and ' Impenitent Sinners (hall not enter into his Reft, * and hath confirmed this Threatning by an Oath, * that by this immutable Sign, in which it is im- * poflible for God to Lye ; Sinners might have ftrong ' Terrors, and not be able to fly from the Wrath * to come. Oh then that they would fly to that ilepentance which can alone prevent thefe dread- ful Judgments, and to that timely Reformation of their Evil Ways, which would prevent their dying everlaftingly. SER. J7 SERMON ni. Of His TRVTH. D E U T. XXXII. iv. He is A God of Truth^ and wilhout Imquity^ c/r Deceit. \dly, ^(^^"^ O D is a God of Truth, and there- fore will afluredly perform his Pro- mifes •• The Proj^nife of Eternal .-■-, Life to be conferred on all God's Faithful Servants, is, faith ^ St. Paul a Promife made bf that God who cannot Lye : And he exhorc- eth the believing Jews to -p hold the Vrofefjicn of their Faith without waverings bscaufe he is faithful who hath promifed. On this Account He is in Scripture fly- led th?.t God |i ivho keepctb Truth for evcr^ who therefore will not fuffer his faith fulnefs to fail^ nor al^ ter the thing that is gone out of his Afouth. In which Senfe are we to underfland thofe Words of th^ + rfalmijl^ thou hafi magnified thy Truth above all thy *T/r. i.x. IHcb. 10.13. llPf-^I-8>33,.34. 4= Pf. 13^.1. Cc 3 Narn^i 58 The Attributes of GOD i Name, i. e. thou haft been more Glorious in the exadt fulfilling of thy Promifes, than in the De- monftration of thy other Attributes. And of this we may farther be convinced from the Voice of Reafon ; "^ for, fay the Heathens, that which pre- vails with Men to vary from their Promifes, is, either that the^are deceitful in the making of them, engaging by their Words to do that which they never really intended to perform : Or that they are not able to fulfil their Promifes, or that fome unforefeea Circumftances have changed" their Minds, and rendered them unwilling to perform them. Now nothing can be more repugnant to the Idea of a God of Truth, than that He (hould delude us with falfe Words : A God Almighty can never be unable to perform his Promifes j a God immutable cannot change hisPurpofes, and He who forefeeth all Events cannot be induced to change his Mind by any unforefcen Accident j and fo Ha neither can be deem'd unable nor unwilling to per- form his Promifes. But tho* this Truth doth carry in it fuch a fhi- ning Evidence as makes it needlefs to fay more in Confirmation of it ^ yet is it very needful to ex- plain and give you the right import of it,, both as to Temporal and to Spiritual Promifes, Men being very apt to miftake the due importance of* each of them. And, 1/?. As to the Temporal Promifes of Plenty and Profperity, Health, length of Days, of Peace and Quictnefs, and the like \ Men arc too apt to fall into great and d??ngerous Miftakes about them, ffor fuch they well deferve to be eK:ecmed, which con- tradict the ordinary Courfe of Providence, and the f^xperience of Mankind,) for from the want 0| His T RVT H. g9 of thefc things fome Melancholy and AfHi(f\cd Per- fons and Men of low and very narrow Circum- Itances, are tempted to diltrufl: their own Eftate, and to fufpect they are not truly Good. On the other Hand, Men of ftrong Fanfics and hii;;,h Con- ceits of their own Goodnefs, are as ready to pre- fume on the Enj.)ynicnt of thefc outward BlelTings God hath not abfoiately proniifed to, nor doth He ordinarily confer upon the Righteous. And the Prophane are apt to quellion the Providence of God, or his Concernment for the Good more than the Wicked \ or to doubt of his Veracity in the performance of his Promifes, becaufe they Tee thefe things diflributed with an indifferent Hand unto the Wicked and the Righteous-, \ tlierefore ftaiV endearour to ftate the Matter fo as to prevent the melancholy Dcfpondings of the firlt^, the un- due Prefumptions of the fecond, and the Piophane- ncfs of the third fort of Perfons ^ and this I (lijll attempt to do in the enfuing Prcpofitions. ifl. That the Promifes concerning Temporal En- joyments, as Health, long Life, Plenty, quiet Pof- feflion of their Land, fruitful Seafons and the like, made to the yerp//^ Nation under the Mofaic Cove- nant^ are not to be extended to us, nor in kind generally to be expeded by us under the Cove- nant of Grace : Becaufe that Covenant was expref- ly founded upon Temporal Promifes, and they are laid down a^ their chief Encouragements to ths performance of thofe Duties which that Law re- quires,-as you may plainly fee Deut. 28. ?md Lev, 26. Whereas the New Covenant is ejlablijheci^ faitli vSt. Paul^ on better Promifss relating to Spiritual Blef- fines, and an Inheritance referv'd in the Heavens for us. Accordingly, under the old L^w we fin I the Temporal Blellings promifed to the Obedient particularly enumerated •, v/hereas the Gofpel hath no particular aud" fpccial Promife of Riches, Peace, Cc 4 Plenty, 4p The Attributes' of GOD : plenty and long Life, but only a general Declara- tion, that Godlmefs hath the promife of the Life that now «, i. e. of what will render it mod comfor- table and eafie to us, and nn AiTurance, tlvdt if te fir ft feek the Kingdom of God^ and the Right eon fnefs thereof^ all other things fljali he added to us^ as far as Divine Wifdom fees them needful for rs v and this with Contentment, Relignation, anEalinefsand inward Comfort under all Events, and quiet En- joyment of what God fends, makes the iMeek to ijiherit the Earth. And hence it is obfervable, that under the Le- gal Difpenfation, the Profpericy of the Wicked, and the Afflictions of Good Men, was an Obje^ion that prefled hard upon, and aimoft lliock'd Wife and Good Men, bccaufe it f:em'd fo oppofite to the Promifes made to the Righteous, and the E- vils threatned to the Wicked . in that Law : On this Account do. Job'^s, three Friends conclude that his fore Punifhrnents were a proof of his Inlinceri- ty and fecret W^ickednefs. And good Jfaph con- feffeth, that "^ when he faw the Frofperity of tloeWickf edy and the Waters of Jffli&ion which flow'd down upon the Righteous, and that he himfelf woi plagued aU the day long^ and chajlned every mornings his Feet iv^re well nigh gene ^ and hh fiefs had aimoft JJipt ^ and He was tempted to fay vvithin himfelf, Ferily I haie cleansed my Heart in vain •, in vain haveirvafh' cd my Hands in Innocency. And the I^rophet Jere- miah pleads thus with God himfelf. Wherefore doth the way of the Wicked profpcr^ wherefore are they all happy that deal very treacheroujly ? But when the Gpfpel of our Lord had brought Life and Immortality to IJght^ this Scandal was incirely removed ^ theBlef- ijngs promifcd to the Cltriilian in that Covenant be- *P/4/.73. 2, 3, !•, 13, M. ing His T RVT H. 41 ing chiefly Spiritual, viz.. that increafe of Grace which fometimes is advanced the more by SufFer- ings, that Faiih, Contentment, Patience and Refigna- tion to the Will of God; which is the molt proper for, more vifible and more pralfe-worthy inalovv and fuffcring Condition^ the Comforts of aniipright Confcience which may be ftill enjoy'd in an afflidtcd State, and are enh:^nred by Patience under it-, as it affords a farther Teftimony of our Integrity, thofe Confolacions of the Holy Ghoft, which ^ as ctty Sufferings do alcund., will, fliith Sl.Paul^ abound much more ^ and faith St. Peter.^ f mil make us happy Suf- ferers^ bccaufc the Spirit of Glory anSof God will the a abound towards us: Our hopes will alfo be increa- fed by patient Suffering according to the Will of God, for II Tribulation wovketb Patience., .Patience Ex^ perience, and Experience Hope, And lallly, this will increaPa our future Expectations which vvi'l abun* dantly Compenfate for ail the Troubles we may here indure; the ^pofilchawing afiiired us, t That the Snf^ ftrirgs of this prefoit Life are not worthy to be compared Tvith our future Glory, Now feeing thefe Spiritual Blefimgs are, e'/,en in this prefent Life, exceeding- ly more beneficial, and therefore more defirable than any temporal Enjoyments ; that Piety may well be [aid to have the Blellings of this Life, which doth infure thefe Bk (Tings to us. 2dly. The Promifcs of any Temporal BlelTings made to the Righteous, give no Man reafon to ex- pcdr his prefent Piccy (hould either free him from, or fhould in kind repair thofc Evils He formerly^ in his Unregenerate Ellate, had brought upon hini- felf by his Iniquities, or that they fhc^uld prcferve liim from thofe Calamities He after brings upon himfelf by his own wilful Sin and foily : if He had ♦zCiJM.j. tiP^^.4H- 11X^^'S*J.4* ^2Cor.^.ij. formerly 4t The Attributes of GOD: formerly contracted Difeafes and Diitempers by his Drunkennefs and Luxury, he cannot hope t'> be entirely delivered from tjzm by his future Tem- perance : If He had formerly walled or diffipated a fair Eftite by Gaming, ill Husbandry, or other collly Lufts, He hath no Ground, by virtue of thefe Promifes, to expe^ft his future Piety ihouid in kind repair this Lofs ^ but then He may comfortably believe his true Repentance for, and thro' Refor- mation of thofe Vices, will procure the full par- don of his former Sins ; that it wiU make him Rich towards God, and cure the more dangerous Diftempers of his Soul, and give hereafter to his crazy Body a never-fading ftate of Health. More- over, He will fee good Reafon to be humble, con- tented and refigned under thofe Evil Circumltan- ces which are the fruits of his Iniquities ; this will admonifh him to prepare more for, and fo more comfortably to entertain that Death which thefe Infirmities daily remind him of. And laftly, to live in expectation of a blefled time, when He {hall be truly Rich in the Enjoyment of an Inheri- tance incorruptible in the Heavens. Now can that Min have Reafon to complain, or fay. He wants the Good Things of this Life, who, tho' He hath not thofe Temporal Enjoyments he had loft re- florcd in kind, hath that which is incomparably better. Or would «iny Good Chridian defire to enjoy thofe Temporals before the ieall of thefe Spiritual Advantages. Let any Manconfider what it is to have a difeafed Body, and a diftempeiM 5>oul, an aking Heart and a wounded Spirit, to fnf- fer in the Body here, and be obnoxious hereafter »nto endlefs Sufferings, to want at once the Com- forts of this prefent Life, and the hopes hereafter of a better ^ and He mnft fally be convinced, that Codi'mffs With Contentment is the pjeatcfl ^n'm^ even Lo the mcancfl:, and the moft aiflicicd of the Sons of Mejft. -Again^ His T R V T H. 45 Again, even pious Perfons cannot have Reafon to expedt that God fhould refcue, or preferve chera from thofe affliding Evils which their own^ Sin and Folly may have brought upon them, for feeing Sin will have its Sufferings here, or hereafter : Is it not better to fuffer for it here, than in another World. And feeing God hath given us Difcreti- on to avoid thofe Evils which our own wilful Fol- ly bring upon us, we cannot fay, they do befal us for want of Power to avoid them, but mull ac- kflowledge we indure them for want of ufmg that Difcretion which was fufficient to preferve us from them ^ this being a certain Rule, that v/here God hath given us fufficient JMeans for the avoiding a- ny Evil, ' He hath done all that was req»ired oa his part, for the prevention of that Evil, and fo we cannot in this Cafe charge him, but Oiily our own felves, with v/ant of Care for the preventing of that Evil. sdly. As for thofe Temporal Evils which arc incident to a whole Body or Community, by Fa- mine, Peftilence, infedious Difeafes, or derLruifuvc Wars •, the Good Man cannot reafonably exped his Piety (hould be a fure Defence^ or Prefervation from any (bare in thofe Calamitie's. This will be evident, if we conlider that many Inltruraents of thefe Evils cannot, and others will not put a dif- ference betwixt the Evil and the Good ^ and fo without a Miracle, it cannot be expeded that this diftindion Ihould, in thefe Cafes, be often made. For Inllance, the good and bad in times of Fa- m.ine live on the fame barren Earth, and breath in the fame Air when 'tis infcded ; the Storm falls, without diftindion, on their Houfes, and the de- vouring Fire on their Goods ^ for all thefe, ading not from choice, but by neceffity of Nature can put, no difference betwixt the Righteous and the Wick-' cd! And Mea who are the voluntary Caufes of ferae 44 ^^^^ Attrihut^s of GOT): fome of thefe Calamities are as regardlefs of this difference, and therefore will not do it. The Sol- dier, when He comes to Plunder, enquires not whether the Man be Good or Bad, whofe Houfc He riflf s \ his Sword doth equally deftroy the Righ- teous and the Wicked. Seeing then natural Caufcs muftAd according to the ftated Laws of Nature, and voluntary Caufes are ufually permitted to Adt Eccording to their Liberty, it cannot be expeQied without -an extraordinary Interpofition of God's Providence, that this diftindion fnould by them be made betwixt the Evil and the Good^ nor is the Julbicc of Divine Providence engaged to make fuch a Difcrimination in this Cafe. For no Evil which befals the Good Man in this World, can, with refpeft of God, be deemed unjuil, provided that bis Sin bath rendred him obnoxious to Divine Ju- itice, and He fuffers even lefs than his Iniquity de- fervcs \ fo that if there be no Man in this imper- fect State Ti'b i% Righteous, {Ptdftmutb not'^ there can be none who in thefe Cafes fufier what he hath not defer vM. Moreover, all thefe outward Blcffings being the free Gift of God, and given only during plcafvire. He may, wirhout Injury to any Man, re- cal them when He pleafeth. But then, as Providence fometiaies makes a very great diftindion in this kind, as in the cafe of Lot and Noah, and fo giveth Ground of Hope that the Good Man may fome- times be the fubjed: of this Difcrimating Act, that God may "^ Keep him alive in Famine^ deliver him from the noJfome Psfliknce^ and hide him under the Co- vert of his Wings till the Indignation he ovcr-p^ft ; fa when the outward trouble is the fame. Oh how confiderable is the difference betwixt him who hath loll all his Gutvvard Comforts, and hath no Con- folations m T RVT H. 45 folations from within, and him who dill retains the Comforts of an upright Confciencc, and focan with good David ^ encourage himfilf in the Lord his Cod'^ and having lolt his All on Earth,- knows that He bath in Heaven a better^ and a more enduring Suhftance-^ betwixt him who having fuffered from the Hand o^ Man, hath caufe to dread far greater Sufferings from the Hand of God, and him who hath this comfortable Hope, that when his f Flepi and his Heart fail him God will be then the Jlrength of his Hearty and his Portion for ever. Laflly, be- twixt him who is fnatched away by a fudden Death, before He is prepared for it ; and fo goes from the firft unto the fecond Death, and him who is prepared for his Change, whenever God is pleafed to make it, and fo is fure to en- ter into Reft. This fure muft make a differ- ence betwixt them more happy and defirable to the Righteous than the mofl llgnal Difcrimination, as to outward Circumftances could Minifter, and fo may well defervc to be eftcem'd one of the ■grcatefl Bleffings of this Life. ^tbly. It further is to be obferved, that all the Promifes of outward Bleffings, or freedom from the Troubles of this prefent World made to Good Men, can belong only to the GhriHian, fo far as is confjftent with bearing cf the Crofs^ when Providence fees fit to lay it on him • or when his Sufferings may be highly inllrumental to the Glory of God, the Good of others, or our own Glorious Reward hereafter • as it was in the Sufferings of the Blef- fed Jefus, by which his Doftrine was ef^ablin)'d, and the Salvation of the World procured, and of his Apoltles, and the Primitive Confeilbrs, by which the Truth of the Gofpel was fo much eftablilhed, J I Sam. 30. 6 Hih> 10. 34. f PM 73- 2^. and 46 The Atirihutes of GOV): and will be, in fome meafure, in the Cafe of all that fuffer for the fake of Righteoufnefs .• The Reafo n is, becaufc God'cannot be fuppos'd to pro- mife ti'at which is incon^iftent with the Duty of a Chriiiian, or is obltrudtive of his higheft Inte- reils- what therefore any Man fufFers for doing that Daty v^hicii will be plentifully Rewarded ; or for the Welfare of his Soul, He may fuffer com- fortably and joyfully. The Sufferings of Wicked Men, when they produce no Reformation in them, are therefore bitcer, becaufe they come from an Angry, 5in-ievengingGod, and fo they neither can take Comfort in them, nor hope for a good Iffue from them ^ but the Sufferings of God's Ser- vants in his Caufe, or for the fake of Righteouf- nefs, are Honourable for their Delign the Glory of God, which ought to be the End of all we do, and they are highly Comfortable as they are Te- llimonies of their prevailing Love to God, above all other things ; and Ihew that nothing is fo dear to them, but they can freely quit it for his fake : As they afford us'frefh Experience of the Affiftancc of that Holy Spirit which makes us happy Sufferers, as they tend to exercife our Faith, our Patience and Refignation^ and, to prepare us for a more am- ple Recompence, thefe light Afflidions which are but for a Moment working for us, an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory -^ fo that he mull be wanting both in his Love to God, and to himfclf, who is not willing thus to promote God's (Glo- ry and th^ Spiritual and Eternal Welfare of his Soul. Moreover, feeing many are the Jffli^ions of the B'fghteous^ God cannot beengag'd to prefervethera thro* the whole Tenor of their Lives from Trou- bles ^ but only to convert them when they befal the Righteous, to their Good ^ when therefore they are fubjedt to Sickncfs, Poverty, or any other Temporal Calamicyy His T RV T H. 47 Calamity, they have ftrbng Confolation from thefe Confiderations, that they ilTue from God's Father- ly AfFe(f^ion to them : That "^ Be then deaUth with them mt as Baftards^ but as Sons -^ that he defigns thefc Troubles to the belt of Ends, to corredt our Wanderings : Whence Holy David faith. It was good for rne that J have been ajfli^ed^ for before I was affli^cd I went aflray^ hut now have 1 learnt thy Law and to brighten our Vertues by working in us the comfortable Fruits of Righteoufnefs, and rendring us partakers of his Holinefs. That He ftands en- gaged by his Promife to make them all conduce to our Spiritual Good, whilfl: we fincerely love hin? and fo in very faithfulnefs to om Souls^ doth caujl us to be troubled. As therefore he is wanting in his Regard to his own Body who is not willing to take that Vomit, or that bitter Potion which his Phyfician doth prcfcribe, as neceirary to reltorc Health and Vigour to his craxy Body; fo is He wanting in his concern for his Souls Welfare who is unwilling to fubrait to thofe Sufferings, which his Spiritual Phyfician fees needful for the Health and Vigor of it ^ and which were all defigned to have thefe falutary Efi'efts, and happy Ifllies, and therefore are much better, and more defirable, and fo are greater Bleflings of this prefcnt Life than a- ny Temporal Enjoyments, or a Deliverance from thofe Troubles ^ which naturally leads me to this ^th Confideration, That lince thefe outward Blef- lings are only promifed as an Encouragement to Piety, feeing we only ask of God ourdailv Bread, that we may be enabled the better to promote the HoQour of his Name, the Interelts of his King- dom, and our Obedience to his Will. 'Tis evident that thefe Temporal Enjoyments can be no farther "^Ilfl;. 11. 7)8« Good 4^ The Attributes of GOD: Good, and fo can be no farther fit Matter of ^ Promife than they are Inftrumental to thofe Ends. And fmce a Promife neceflarily relates to Some- thing that is Good, it follows, that all the Promifes recorded in the New Teftament, concerning out- ward BklTing*?, which are not always good for usi muft admit of this Reftridion, w/.. that they fliall pundlually be performed, as far as Divine Wif- dom fees them needful for his Childrens Good ; for to confer thole Temporal Enjoyments which Divine Wifdom knows would minifler to the hurt and damage of our Souls, is rather to 'confer a Curfe upon us than a Blefibg ^ and to withold thofe outward Troubles *which will conduce to our Spi- ritual Advantage, is not to give, but rather to de- ny what is the trued Bleiling to us. Since there- fore Hum-ane Reafon taught the Heathens, ^ that Temporal Enjoyments are not always good for us-, whence Socrates defired only of the Gods what was good tor him, but faith. He would not ask Riches or Government, or Pleafure, becaufe He knew not whether He (hould ufe them well or ill. Since lafb- ly. Temporal Afflidions are never truly Evil to us when they are Inftrumenral to our Good, and feeing Divine Wifdom infallibly difcerns when Temporal Enjoyments will do us hurt by pam- pering our Corruptions, fwelling our Pride, or placing our A flexions tco much upon them, fee- ing He alfo certainly difcerns when Temporal Af- flictions arc needful, either to humble and awaken us, or to cor red fome vicious Inclinations in us^ or to increafe our Faith, our Patience, our Refig- nation and Dependence on him, and only doth inflift them f vohcn ficed /?, and when they thus conduce to cur Spiricnal Advantage. Is it not Wifdom in all His T RV T H. 49 all thefe Caufes, to give np our felves nnto his wife Difpofal, who never will withhold what he fees good and needful for us? Can it be reafona- ble either to defire thefe Enjoyments to our hurt, or to decline thefe fceming Evils when they arc needful for our Good ? Or can that Piety be wan- ting in Provifions for this prefent Life, which both preferves us from what is hurtful to us, and doth fecure to us all that Divine Wifdom feeth to be good, and needful for us? 6thly, God cannot be obliged to confer thefe Blcflings on the Righteous Perfon any farther tliari they are fuitable to his Condition, and needful for his Station. He therefore is not by this Promife bound to make the pious poor Man Rich, or the low Honourable, but only to let him have enough, or that which is fufficient for that Condition in which the Providence of God hath placed him; We learn both by Experience and from the Prayer of ^^ar^ "^ Give me neither Teuerty^ nor Riches^ that each of thefe Conditions are attended with their feveral Temptations, and therefore in our excel- lent Litany we pray thus, in all times of our Tri» bulation^ and in all times of our Wealthy good Lord de- liver us. And from St. Paul we learn, that it re- quires great skill to know -f- horv to abound with Innocency, as well as how to he in want • and for that Reafon ought with him, to be inftrud:ed in what Ejlate foever we are^ therewith to he content^ and to permit that all wife Providence which orders all things, according to the Council of his Will, to grant, or to withold thofe things as he fees fit- ted for us, efpecially if we confider that God will give to every pious Man, how mean foever his D d Con- 5o The Attributes of G 0 D: Condition be, what is incomparably better than thefc things ^ to wit Contentment, and a quiet IMind under his prefent State, and make liim fatif- fyed with, and thankful for that little he enjoys. That if he be indeed a pious Man, he mufl be * rich in Fu'ith^ and an Heir of that Kingdcpn which God hath promifcd to them that love him. And therefore that he will be hereafter as rich and honourable as his Heart can wifli. That all God's fpirituai Mercies arc equally defigned for, and do as much belong to them, as to the Richeft, and moft Ho- nourable , they being Children of the fame God and Father, Members of the fame Body Myftical of which Chrift Jefus is the Head, fed with the fame Spiritual Food, they having the fame Faith and Hope, being adorned with the fame Grace, Partakers of the fame Promifes, and living in Expectation of the fame Salvation ^ and laftly they only differ from the Rich and Honourable in thofe things which neither make them better, nor more Honourable in the Sight of God. What therefore tho' thy earneft Penny be but fmall , if it doth equally fecure thy Title to a vaft Inheritance, and all thy Cares, and Fears at prefent, and thy account hereafter, are leflened with thy Fortunes, fare thou had caufe to fay '|- the Lines are fallen to me in a plcafant Flace^ J have a goodly Heritage, Laflly^ God by thefe Promifes is not engaged to give the pious Poor Man Superfluities, but only wHat he fteth needful for him. And upon this account our Bleffed Lord forbids the good Man to be follicitous for Food, Drink, or Rayment Jl becaufe his Heavenly Father knows he hath need o^ thefe things^ and therefore will molt certainly con fer them on him. Hence faith an Heathen, Fpi^e a Jam. 2. 5» t Pf)v not^aKarot^muiv iiv tAfuo-oi', the depfttum they received from him , for they received a Spirit free from falfhood, and there- fore by Lying e^fc.vav TVi'i tS oeS na^aKaii:Vr3Tf- KHi', they have defiled that which was commit- ted to their Truft. And thus it alfo is with all the other Talents he hath committed to us. Our Temporal Enjoyments, if we ufe them to Excefs and Luxury, or do not ufe them to the Ends for which they were committed to us by honouring the Lord with all our Suhftame^ and giving to the Poor their due, are things abafed by us, for Stewards ought to lay out their JVlaftcr's Goods both for his Honour, and according to his Order, who only giveth us a liberty to ufe them on thefe Terms. Our Wifdom, and the briskaefs of our Parts muft be imploy'd, not to be wife to do Evil^ to defpife and ridicule our weaker Brother, much lefs to rally on and Burlefque Sacred Things, but in being wife unto Salvation^ and being inftrumen- tal to make others fo. Our Power not to Op- prefs and Grind the Faces of the Poor, or to ftrengthen Mens Hands in their Wickednefs, but ^ for the Punijhment of Evil Doer s^ and for the praifi of them that do well^ and with Holy Job, to break the Jaws of the Wicked^ and pluck the prey out of his Teeth ^ Our Tongue and Speech, not to Revile, Calumni- ate or Deceive others with a Lye, or any way to hurt our Brother, but to be indeed our Glory by fpeaking forth the Praifes of God, and miniftring Grace to the Hearer, Hence Thilo faith, ^ This is * the Praife of the Wife Man, that He keeps the * Sacred depofttum of the Soul, Speech, Senfe, the * Divine Wifdom, and Humane Underftanding, •^ purely, and without Deceit, not ufing them for f Chap: 29. 17. his 6o The Attributes of GOD : * his felf, but chiefly for him who hath commit* * ted them to him. And did we ferioufly confider that we are only Stewards both of Soul and Body, and all the good things we enjoy, and that the time will Ihortly come when that Lord from whom we have deri- ved all the good things we enjoy, will fay unto us, * Come^ give an account of thy Stervardfl^ip^ for thon sanjl he no longer Steward • and that then even the Xflothful Perfon who hid his Talent in a Napkin^ and made no good Improvement of it^ [hall he fentenc'd as a Wicked Servant^ and he ca[t out into utter darhnefsz Sure we fhould be concern'd to fpend our preci- ous time, and all our other Talents more to God^s Glory, and to theWelfare of our Souls, that fo wheni this great Lord requires it, we may give up our jic- counts with Joy. And fo I pafs on to the Confideration of Diftrt- butive Juftice, which confifts in giving Recompen- ces to Good and Evil Men, according to the Na- ture and the Circumf^ances of their Anions. This ■afually is comprifed under thefe two Heads,^ 1. The rewarding the Vertuous and Pious Man with thofe good Things which are to him the Re- compence of, to others an Encouragement to imi- tate his Vertues. idly.Tht puniihing wicked Men with thofc evil and ^ffliaing things which their Iniquities defcrve, ,and which do either tend to briqg them to Repentance for, and Reformation of their Evil Ways ; or^ to deter others by the example of their Sufferings, from daring to commit or to perfift in the fame wicked and pernicious Pradlices. And hence the Pfalmift faith |1 The Lord is Righteous, for he revpard- eth every Man according to his Works ^ and Elihu faith,, Mis JVSTICE. «i Tar be it from God to doWkkednefs^ and fyr^r^'tJ: /i'i, mighty to commit Imquity^ for the Work of a Aj^ri^,^ii he render to him^ and canfe every Man to find accord- ing to bis Ways, Now the truth and certainty of this Uo(^rine, that God will render to all Men future Rewards and Punilhments, according to the Tenor of their Works, may be evinced, I. From that Fundamental Principle of all Vice and Vertuc, that God is the Governor ot the World - for he that denieth this, mull deny alfo, that there is fuch a thing as Duty or Obedience, for where there is no Government, and fo no Law ccmmand- ing, there can be no Duty or Obligation to Obe- dience. He alio mull deny that there is any Sin - for where there is no Government, and fo no Law forbidding any Adion, there can be no Sin, that being the * Tranfgrejfic-n of a Law ^ and -f- where there is no Law there is no Tranfgrefflon^ faich Ss, Paul. More- over, He that denies God's Government, fubverts all Humane Governments, feeing they are the Or- dinance of God, deriving all their Authority from him who is the Fountaia of all Power, and ading as his Vicegerent, to whom Fefrgeance belongs m the Punifbment of evil doers, and fo by denial of God's Government, all Humanejufl:icemuft be overthrown. Now if God indeed governs the World, he muft do it by prefciibing Laws to be obfervcd by his Subjeds, for fo all Governments in the World arc managed. Thefe Laws, that they may be efFedual to obtain their Ends, "jiz. the Obedience of the Subjed to them, muft be enforc'd by Promifes of fome Advantage or Rccompence to the Obedient- and the Denunciation of ferae confiderable Evil to be inflifled on the Difobedient. For what Ingage* ment or Motive can any Perfon have to yield O- bediencc 52 The Attributes of GOD: bedience to the Laws of his Superiors, if he can reafonably exped no Advantage by performing, nor Difadvantage by negleaing that Obedience? 4^%, God having proraifed Rewards to the Obe- dient, and threacned fevere Punilhments to the Dirobedient, muft either adually difpenfe thefc Rewards and Punilhments^ or be untrue unto his Word, and govern by Deceit and Fraud. Now what ca:i be more contrary to that God of Truth, who hath declared his abhorrence of the lying Lip, his Refolution to punifli the faife Tongue, than to conceive that' he himfelf fliould govern by Deceit and Lying? Surely He neither wanteth Powernor WiOom "to govern the World without thefe Arts of Falhiood, he therefore being that God who lo- t'€tb Truth in the invpard Parts^ cannot be rationally fuppafed thus to govern^ Since then 'tis evident from Experience, that thefe Rewards and Pu- nifliments are not generally difpenfed in this pre- fent Life, fee as the Orator faith "^ dies deficeret fi enumerarem quihus bonis male evenerit^ nee minus^ fi commemorem ^uibus improbis optime^ feeing it often happeneth as the Wife Man faith, that the f ju/t Man doth pen/Jo in his Right eoufnefs, and the Wicked prolongs his Life in his Wichdnefs ^ fince as to Tem- poraf Concerns, as the fame Wife Man faith, || ^There is one Event to the Righteous and the Wicked^ it follows, that there mufl: be a future time of Re- com pence, when t Tribulation and Angui/Jj f3all be the Portion of every Soul thu worketh Evil^ but Glory ^ JHomur and Peace /lull be to every Man that worketh Cood •, or ^vhen God (liall reward them both ac- cording to their Wo.^ks. and by fo doiog Hiall vin- dicate the^ Ji^ilice of Hs Government to all the I * Cic. De Nat. D. L 3. u^ 60. f £^^^^'f' 7 i ^ 11 Chap. 9. a* World. His J V S T I C E. 6j World. This is the Inference which Men, affifled by the Spirit, of God Hill make from this CoqU- deration, I Jav? under iheSm^ faith 5^?/ 7W0,v, the lUce of Judgment^ that Wkkedicfs was there ^ ar.dthc lUce of Right eon fnefs.^ tha, -iquity was there^ and ^ Jfaid in tny Hearty Cod fhall jucjje the Righteous^ and the IVick-^ ed. The Eviis which the Chriflian here fuffers for the fake of Chrifc are, faith f ^t. Faul^ a manifeft token of the Righteous Judgment cf God -^ it being a Righteous thing with God to give Rewards and Comforts to them that fufFer for his fake, and let them find the Bleffings of another Life, who, out of Love to him, do feel the Miferies of this. It alfo is a Righteous thing with him who hath de- clared, that the Wicked fhall not go unpunified^ to execute upon them that Vengeance in another World, which here they often do efcape, idly. This will be further evident from a Re- flexion on thofe noble Faculties which God hath given us, and which ailare us he hath not only made us capable of ferving him, but actually re- quires that we (hould do fo. For evident it is, that all wife Agents ad for fome prudent End, and defign fomething Good, and worthy of them- felves in what they do. Now to what End fhould God ligve given us thefe noble Faculties if he requi- red of us no Improvement of them ? Why hath he given usUnderftandings todifcern the things which are moft Excellent, if he doth not require us to purfue them ? Why hath he given us a Will to chufe the Good, aad to refufe the Evil, if He doth not expert we iliould do fo ? Why hath he given us Fweaibn if he doth not oblige us to act like Men of Beafon ? Why is Wifdom and Difcretion imparted to us to difcern what tends to cur Ad- vantage 64 The Attributes of GOD: vantage, and our hurt? what will conduce unto the Glory, or tends to the didionour of our God, if ive are not obliged, either to purfiie his Glory^ or to confult our own Advantage ? And if God requires any Duty from us, he muft Reward or Punilh us as we perform or negledi it ^ for Du- ty muft be a vain and infignificant Exprellion, and even a Contradidion in the term, if I be not ob- liged to perform it : Obliged thus I cannot be, if I fhall never be the better by it, or rewarded for it-, there can be no fuch thing as Duty if I freely may omit it 5 and fure it is I may negledt it, if I fhall fufFer nothing by fo doing ^ that is, if I (hall not be called to an Account and punifh- ed for that negled. Moreover, is it not highly equitable that a reafonablc Creature fhould give a Reafon of his Adions? And is not this a juft Pre- fumption, that he who made him fo will require a reafon of them? Is it not rcafonable to conceive that he to whom God hath given a Judgment to difcern the difference betwixt Good and Evil, and a freedom to chufe the Good and refufe the Evil, Ihould be obliged to ad fuitably to that Judgment, and put that difference betwixt them in his Ani- ons, as to rcfafe the Evil, and to chufe the Good ? Is not that Sovereign who hath thus framed ^1 Men, their Superior ? And mult he not then have a Right to call his Servants to an Account for the Improvement of thofe Talents he hath put into their Hands ^ 'tis certain, that he never hath de- clared, and therefore no Man can have Reafon to believe he will not do it. Now, could we car- ry this no higher than to a ftrong Prefumption, thm God will judge us all according to our Works, without all reafonable Grounds to hope, or to fufped the contrary •, even this, if feriouily confi- dered, would be fnlRcient to deterr us from our Evil Gourfcs-, for all Men naturally defire to live His J V S T I C E. 65 at Eafe, and to have Satisfacflion in their Minds, and to be free fronni all tormcncin:', Fears, and dreadful Expedations of the vvorft of Punifhmcnts. Now it is morally impoffible that any Man (hould live at Eafc, or have true fatisfattion in his Mind whillt Confcierjce tells him, he hath done whaE may expofe him, both to open Shame and dread- ful Judgments, or that he fhould be f.ee from a continual dread of thst ^vhich his own Confcience tells him he deferves to fuffer, and God m^olt juftly may inflift .* So that no M^n cai live a Life of Comfoit 'till he begins to live a Life of Piety. Moreover, do not all Men naturally require an account of A- dtions relating to thcmfelves •, if we conceive our Neighbour injures or affronts us, do we not pre- fently enquire why he doth fo ? if Children or Ser- vants negled their Duty, or do what they ought not, do we not ask, Why is this done? Why is that l^fc undone? Would not Society be difTclved, and the Wodd run into Confunon, if no Man was ac- countable to his Supeiiors for what he did ? And is it reafonable to conceive, that God flioiild make us accountable one to another for our Ani- ons, and not accountable to himfelf, but leave us at liberty to dlfobey and affront him whofe Children, Servants and Subje(^s we all are, without requi- ring a Reafon why we do fo ? Shall Parents judge their Children, Maders their Servants, and Magi- itrates their Subjects? And fnall not the great Ma- tter, Father and Sovereign of the World do fo ? sdly, God, by implanting in 11s all a Confcience, which naturally doth judge and call us to an Ac- count, and pafs a Sentence of Condennation, or Ab- folutioii on us, for all our ?rlo!al A(^tions, hath gi- ven us an 'n'vard Teffimony of a future Judgment according to thofe Wordsof the Apofile, rf our oxm Hearts co^'-dcmn «?, God is greater than gut Hearts • that is, a furer Wirnefs of the Evil we have done' E e and 66 The Attributes of G OD: and a more Righteous judge to pafs the Sentence? on us for it ^ for wherefore have we this witnefs in our ftlves, why fuch a Judge and Tribunal e- re(^ed in our own Breads, if not as his Vicegerent, who will hereafter ratifie the Sentence it hath truly pafs'd upon us ? Or why doth its Verdii^ refped God's future Judgment, and fill us with the expe- dation of Rewards and Punifhments from him, and not from Men ^ if Good Men never were to be re- warded, nor Bad Menpuniihed by him in another World ? And feeing thefe Hopes and Fears do na- turally arife within us from the Verdid of our own Confcience, they muft be Hopes and Fears of what will certainly befal us, or Man muft be fo fra- med by God as to be a continual Torment and Dif- quiet to himfelf without caufe, and live in Hopes and Fears of that which never will befal him. The refuge of the Infidel and Atheift here is this, that thefe fuppofed workings of a natural Confcience are only the effedsof Superftition, Education, and falfe Ideas fuggefted to us in our Infancy, but a- gainft this furmife let it be noted, i/. That this is to affirm that which no Man caa have juft reafon to believe, and fo no Man can ra- tionally Ad as if he did believe it; for that which bath its rife from Superftition and falfe Ideas, muft proceed from Error and Miftake. Now if this be an Error we cannot difcern to be fo, what reafon can we have to judge it is an Error ? If reafon can dif- tern the Error, it, by fo doing, muft corredt it, and free the Confcience from thefe fuppofed effedsof Su- pcrftition. Thus was it with refped to the Poeti- cal Fables of Styx and Phlegethon^ Erinnyes and jilaflo' res^ and of the Infernal Judges * ^acus^ Minos and Rhadamanthus^ for the Books of the Pbilofo^hers^ faith * Tufc, 9. /. I. w. p. De nat, Deor, 1. 1. n, 4<» Cmro^ His J V S T I C E. Sf Cicsro^ fully confute all thefe portentous Figments of the Foets and Patnters^ nor is there any Man tarn ex- cors, quern ifta moveant, fo void of Senfe as to be moved by thent, nor any Old Woman fo defirous^ qu2e ilia quae quondam timebantur apud exteros tor- menta extimefcat, as to dread thofe internal Torments which were once the objeHs of their Fears. Whereas 'tis evident from the Experience of Mankind, and of thefe Enemies cf all Religion, that they are not able wholly to exempt themfelves from thefe effects and workings of their Confcienres; and why is thisfo but that the utmoft vigor of their Reafon, affilled with the ftroniicll: bent of their defires and endea- vours to flifie thefe effeds of Confcience, cannot af- ford them an afliirance of Exemption from the Evils which they dread; or any certain Proof that God will not hereafter judge them ^ and it is natural to all Men to dread a formidable and lafting Evil which may happen to them, tho' it fhould be uncertain. 'Tis therefore certain, that thefe Men have no rea- fon to conclude^ that ail thefe workings of the Con^ fcience are the refults of SuperjTition, but rather that they have a fure Foundation which Humaae Reafon cannot fbake. idly. That thefe are natural Workings of our Confcience may be proved from the befl: Charaders of what is fo; for if that be natural which is com* mon to all the kind, Confcience muftbe as natural as Reafon ^ for tho' many Men are born Fools, I never henrd of any who erijoy*d the free ufe of Rea- fon that never had thefe workings of his Confcience. If that be counted natural which is infeparabie from our Nature, this prpves the hopes of Good, and the fears of Bad Men to be natural ; it being at lesfl as common to find a Man of Reafon tuin'd into a Sot^ as to find him entirely exempted from thefe Fears. If we call that a natural Principle which we admit without difficulty, and aflent to without much dif- Ez 1 pute^ 6S The Attributes of GO D: putc, is not thisfo that there is fometbing natural- ly Good and Evil ; and therefore fonlething that we ought to do, and fometbing which we aie obliged to avoid ? and is not this the immediate Ground of all the wot kings of ourConfcicnce < and if thefe be the natural Effeds of Confcience, then every Nia againll onr Coiirdence^muft be a Sin againft the Light of Nature, and fo againft that Rule the God of Nature hath implanted in us, and then he who hath given us thisRule to walk by, will confirm thejudg- raent which a well informed CGnfcience, fljall pafs upon us for our Compliance with, or Violations of this Rule. Now the importance of thisDo^Vfine is fo great, that we cannot be convinced of the truth and certainty of this future Judgment, without fome inward Refo- lutlon and Concern to be prepared for that dreadful Day,th€re being no inducement moie proper to excite lis to the moil vigorous performance of our Duty, than thi:> Confidcration, that our finceiity in the performance of it muft produce in us at prefent an inward Peace and Satisfadion of our Mind, ftrong Comfort, folid Joy, and firm Expedance of future Bleflings, and muft redound to cur Prmfe^ Hcmur and Glory in the Day of the Lord Jefus. Nothing more naturally leads us to put St. Peter's Queftion to our felves, What manner of Ferfons ought we to be in aU Holy ConUerfation and Godlinefs^ looking and prepa^ ring for the coming of our Lord and Saviour J efiis Chrifi^ that we may be found of him without fpot^ and blameiefs. Nothing more powerfully tendeth to reilrain us from our iintul Courfcs, than this Confideration that they rob us of all Peace and Quiet in our Souls ^ they fill us with Self-condemnaticn, and with continual Terrors, and do confign us to fearful looking for of Judgment, Nothing more naturally conduct th to the curbing of our youthful Lufts, than that of the Wife Man, that for all thefe things God mil bring us into Judgment, His J V ST I C E. 6g Judgment. Nothing can more effe(f\iially engage us to keep our Confciences clear from all condeaining Guile than this, that // our Flearts condemn us^ Cod is greater th.m our Hearts^ and will more certainly condemn us. A Man convinced of this momen- tous Truth mufi: be condemned in his own Confci- ence as the worll of fools if he do not labour fo to live that he may gi\re up his Accounts with Joy, and order his whole life with a continual refpeft unto it, if it hath not that effe(ft upon him which the Apoftle faith it had upon the Chriflians of his time to walk before this Judge to all wellpkafng The Heathens had but a very weak and imperfed knowledge of a future Judgment pieferved to them by Tradition, and yet what noble Refolutions did it work within them ? How naturally did they hence conclude, it was their higheft Interefl to be Good themfelves, and to make others fo. * So Plato relates to his Friends the Story of Eris Anmniui co- ming ivom Hades to declare the Punifliments which Evil Perfons there endured, the Happinefs v.7iiich Good Men did enjoy, wherefore, faith he, If you Toill follow my Counfely tS? ccvq o/^b' M i|oVe^a;^ kp cur Hearts be lifted up to Heaven^ and our feet xvalk-^ ing in the way of Right eoufnefs^ that we may find ths Favour of the Gods bere^ and hereafter the Reward of Vertue. f And, fpeaking of the fameSubie'5t in his Meno, he makes this Inference, We ought therefore ii(; oV/6oTaTa //(xyav'rivp>iov, to lead mojl Holy Lwes^ II And in his Gorgioui he refolves that the b lief of thefe thing? Ihall engage him to lay allde all other Cares, and to employ his time in miking preparations to come before his Judge with a mnj} pure and holy Soul, If then the fbrongtr Evidence we ChviHians have of fuch a future Judgment beget no fuirable dread in us of this impartial Judc^e, if it Ee 3 (Jq 70 The Attributes of GOD i do not render us exceeding careful to avoid the Condemnation which will be then pronounced upoa the workers of fniquity, and to obtain the Hap- pinefs which will be then confer r'd upon the Righ- teous^ how infenfible of our higheft Intereft, how blind and flupid raufl we be, even beyond the rate of Heathens? fince even an Heathen Fdix^ when he heard St. Paul fpeak of Judgment to come^ trembled. Oh therefore that believing with %t,Paul, that there will he a Refurre^Hion both of the Jufl and the Vnjuft ^ in order to this future Judgment, we could add with him, and he'^ein do I fxercife my felf to have always a Confcitnce void of c fence towards Ged and Man ; that this may be our Comfort in that Day, even thetefli'^ tnony of our Confcitnce^ that inftmplicity and godly ftn^ perity^ we have had our Converfation in this World, SER- 71 SERMON V. Of His fVSTICE, — - - ^ PSALM. CXLV; xvii. The Lord is Righteous in nil his Wnys^ Holy in all his Works* FO R farther Explication of the Ri^hteouf. nefs of God in the diftributing Kewards and Punifhmcnts, and clearing it from the Objections which are made againit it, let it be confidered, i/. That tho' God's Government of the World, his lo\re to Holincfs and Goodnefs, and perfed^ ha- tred of Iniquity, afTure us, that he will reward the Good, and punilh Evil-doers, yet doth it not hence follovv, that he mud do this prefently, but only that he certainly will do it in the bed, and the; moft proper Seafon. All we can reafonably ex- ped^ at prefent from God's Govern inent of the World is (ly?.) That Good Men fiiould fometimes find Providence vsry vifible in their Protection, E e 4 Piclervauonj 72 The Attributes ofGOD: Prefervation, and ia the BklTings He confers upo/i them ^ as in the Cafe of Noah^ Lot^ Jbrabam, and all the Pa'ri^mhs^ that fo they may comfortably depend upon his Goodnefs to them: And that He fhould ftiovv fome remarkable, and dreadful nftan- ccs of his Wrath againft Evil Doers to territy o- thers from the like Enormities, as He hath done by bringing the Flood upon the imgodly, and rain- ing down Fire and Brimilone upon Sodom^ and Go^ morrah^ a ad kara'mg thtm an Example to thi^m that afterwards (h nld live Vrigodly^ 2 Pet. 2. 6. A. d that whenfoexrer God is pleafed to reward, or puniih, good Men (hall have no reafon to complain that their Reward hath been deferred fo long, nor bad Men to Glory that their Paniihment came {o late ' upon them. For tho a Sinner do evil an hundied times ^ and his days he prolonged^ (or as the Hebnw may be rendred, a>id bis FtmifJmem be delayed) yet furely I know faith the Preacher , it (hall be well with them that fear God, ^but it (hall not be well with the Wicked, neither ihall He prolong his Days becaufe He feareth not before God. Ecclef. 8. 12, 13. It may be Wifdom for an Earthly Magiilrate, when He can fafely do it, to execute Judgment more fpcedily upon evil Doers, they being Mor- tal, as the Criminal alfo is, and fubject to variety of Changes : And fo Offenders may either flip out of the Hands of Juilice, or by Death, or fome o- ther way efcape it; but God is without variahlemfs^ or Ihadovv of Change. No Man can ever get be- yond the reach of his Vindiclive (ul^ice, nor will Death it felf be able to exempt him from ic^ and fo his Wifdom may have reifon to deferr thofe Paniihments which humane Governments fhould more fpeedily inflidt, 2dly. Obferve that iho' we cannot fully fee into the Depths, and Secrets of Gt)d's Providence, we may His J V S T I C E. 7j may difcern good and wife Reafous, why GocJ fometimes delays the Punilhmcnt of Evil Doers, and the Rewards of Righteous Perfons. For Iq- ftance, jft. God may do this for the Improvement of our Fakh and Love, and many other Cbrilliaa Graces. Should Providence always reward upright Men, with conftant Blcfli.igs here^ and a continual fredom from affliding Evils, they would be too apt to fay with Pete>\ it is good for us to he here-^ and not to have their Hearts, and their AfFcdions duly fet on things above. They might be hence induced to ferve God, not from that faith which i? ^ the £xpe{}ation of things future^ ayid the Evidence of things not feen^ but from the lower principle of Senfe, not from the Gofpel principle of Love, which chiefly renders culy acceptable, but rather from that regard to temporal Advantage which would make it Mercenary. And on the other fide Ihould a continual fcene of Judgment inllantly purfue the Sinner, and fhould God be Hill as quick in Punifh* ing, as they are forward to offend. Men s would abllain from Sin , not out of Difaffedtion to it, but for fear of Punifhment, for ■]- becaufe Sentence is not executed fpeedily u^on Evil Doers^ therefore their Hearts are fully fet in them to do EviL This courfe of Providence would put fo manifcfl a Difference betwixt the Juft, and the Unjufl:, that 'twould be little Vertue to be good: There would be left no place for Self-denyal, Patience, and bearing of the Crofs, which are the Tryais of true Chriilian Pie- ty, the Vermes which work for us an exceeding weight of Glory, and render our Reward in Heaven Great. Faith then would in great Mcafure lofe * Hebr, i!. i. f Ecclef 8. u. its 74 The Attributes of GOD: its Efficacy, and 'twould be fcarce praife worthy to believe what we did daily fee, as we may ga- ther from thofe Words of Ghrift to his incredu- lous Difciple- ^ thm hajl believed, Thomas, becaufe thou haft feen^ hut tie fed are they who have not feen and yet have believed* ' 2 ^/y. This Slownefs of God's Providence to pu- jiifh evil Doers hath ends moft worthy of himfelf ^ thofe delays being in their primary intent defigncd for the Reformation, and the Eternal Welfare of the Sinner. God by this fecming Slacknefs as He difcovers thofe Attributes of Goodnefs, Mercy Cle- mency, Patience, and Forbearance to the Sons of Men, which would not otherwife be vifible to the World • fo doth He try by this rich Goodnefs and Long-Suffering to lead the Sinner to Repentance,and draw him to his Service by the Cords of Love, Maa faith the f Heathen Moralifl aims at the Satisfa(flioa of his revengeful Spirit, and the Execution of his Wrath, and that makes him purfue Offenders fpee- dily, and with the higheft Rage : But God dehgns the cure of thofe, who are not utterly incurable and therefore gives them a time tt^oc iirocvd^^siv for Reformation, according to thofe Words of the Apoftle to the unbelieving Jews - |j defpifeft thou the Riches of his Goodnefs, Patience, and Long- Suffer- ing, not knowing that the Goodnefs of God is de- figned to lea4 thee to Repentance? and what can be a Jtronger motive to returns of Love, than free continued Obligations laid upon us when we de- ferve the word of Evils ? This faith St. Teter, is the reafon why the Sinner is not prefently dif- patched to the place of Torments ; becaufe + God is Long-Suffering to usward, not being willing that any * 3ohn ao. 29. t Plutarch dc fera nunaia. rindicla p. <. 3. 5. dive go The Attributes of GOD: aive Juflice, or that which becomes due by vir- tue of God's Promife, ic being a received a Rule, that Dem prornittendo fc facit Debitorem^ God is ob- liged, by Virtueof his Faithfulnefs, to perform his Promile, f/f^. 10. 23. But bccaufe many have falfe and pernicious Notions of this Matter, I anfwer, that by calling the future Blefiings which God hath promifed to the Righteous a Reward and Rccowpence^ that which they are meet, and even feme way worthy to receive, and which it is a Righteous thing with God to give unto them ^ we only fpeak the Lan^jjage of the Holy Scripture^ and fay what the Wifdom of the Holy Ghofl thought fit to teach tis. For, ifi. Our Lord himfelf hath often faid the fame thing in thefe Words, ^ Rejoyce rrhen you fufftr for the fake of Righteoafnefs^ for great is your reward in Heaven:^ do thy Alms iri furet^ and when thou payeji enter in- to thy Clofet^ andhs that feeth infecret (hall rewa>'d thee openly •, and when the Sm of Man cometh he/Jjall reward every Man according to his VVorh, |j Behold I come quickly^ and my Reward is with me^ to give to every Man accord^ ifjg to his Works. The Apofdejoljw fsith to the Chri- ftians of his time, look to jour [elves that ye lofe not the things which y 6 have mought^but that ye may receive a full Reward. And the Apoftic Paul reprefents this as a neceiTary Article of our Faith, by faying f without Faith it is iwpojfible topleafe God^ for he that cometh to God mufl believe that heis aRewarder of them^ that dili" gently feek him, idly. Thefe future Bleflings are alfo flyled onr In- heritance, and our Reward, by way of Recompence. Thus the Apoftle exhorts Servants to obey their iMa- Iters, as knowing ^ that of the Lord they [hall receive Th * Matth, 5. 19. c/j. 6'. 4. 6, ch. 16. 27. || l^v, li. 1 2. E^h* i. 8. t Hf^r. 10.6. JCW. 3. 14. His J V S T fC E. Si (XV7i7r^iAxo^Awv '^Great recompcnce of reward. And of Mojes he faith d-THp^Kt-Tn^ be looked off from the Treafures of Egypt, to the recompence of Reward, ^dly. They are faid to be made fit, and meet for this Inhcritaace^ f Let us give Thanks^ faith St. Faul^ to him who bath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of Saints in Light, They are alfo faid to be Worthy ©fit, ol m^oclicyMvT is, \\ they rvho are made worthy to be partners of Eternal Life^ xio not Marry, The Sufferings of Cbrijlians are^ faith St. Paul^ art Evidence of the righteous Judgment of God^ ii<, li xATa|/6),S5ivou, t That they may be accounted Worthy of the Kingdom of God^ for which they have fuffered. And of thofe in the Church of Sardis^ who had not de- filed their Garments, Chrill faith, they (hall walk be- fore me in White ^ for they are Worthy : And Lajlly. Our Lord invitcth Labourers into his Vineyard withaPromife to givetliem V^hMmj^av^ *What is Righteous, St. Paul declares t it is a Righ- teous Thing with God to recompence rejl to his Suffer^ ing Servants, And that jj God is not VnrightcoHs to forget the labour of Love^ which they have /hewed to his Name : And that there is t ^ Crown of Righte-- oufnefs laid up for him^ which God the righteous Judge wiU give not to him only^ hut to all that love his Ap* fearance. Now to (hew that thefe things arc well confiftent with the Texts alledged in the Objei^ion. Confider Firfl:, That it fecms Righteous that God, confidered as our Governor, fhould fome way reward the Obedience and Sufferings of his Faithful Servants, llnce otherwife they could have no fufficient Motive to obey, or fuffer for his fake. • • He/. |. 6. || Heb.6. jo. F f for 8t The Attributes of GOD : For feeing the cbicf part of our Obedience confife ia 'denying the Pleafures and Enjoyments of this Wwid, what reafon could we have to renounce thefe things^ had we no Aflurance of receiving fomeihing better at his l4ands, who lays upon us thefe Commands. Hence even the heathms laid this dqwn as a certain Risle, that if Piety and Pro- fit did not go together, Piety could not be prc- ferr'd, the inducement to purfue any thing being the hopes of fome Advantage to be gain'd by it: And the J^ofile lays this as the Fouadation of all that Service which we pay to God, that He is the Rtwarder of all them that diligently feek him^ (ince then when God doth call us to fuffer the moft dread- ful Pains, and even Death for his fake, he cannot reward thofe Sufferings in this Life, we may reft affured, he will recoro pence them in the next, for, faith St. Taul^ ^ it is a Righteous Thing with God^ to re- compence Tribulation to them that trouble you^ and to you that are troubled reft with us. And this alfo was a Truth owned among the Heathens^ and that which Tythagor as ^ Socrates^ P lato^ Cicero^ J amblicus iky ^ Phi- Jofophy fuggells as the bell Encouragement to Vertue* that * If we believe that nothing is con- ' cealed from God, v/e muH believe that what hap* * peneth to the Friend of God, happeneth for the * beft •, and that what: feeming Evils happen to him, * will do him good in this, or the other Life ; for * He can never be neglefied by the Gods who de- * (ires to bes Vertuous and Good Man, and as like * to God as He is able. And God himfelf highly approves of thisPhi- lofophy, by reprjef:nting it as aninfolent Blafphe- my, to pronounce his Service unprofitable, as we ieirn from thcfe Words, f Your Words have been ftcMt His J V ST I C E. 8g JfoUt aga'mfi tne^ for ye have faid it is a vain thitig td ferve the Lord^ and what profit is it that we have keft bis Ordinances, But then that this Reward fhould be for Kind, fo excellent as is the Beacilick Vifion, the being Heirs of Cod^ Joy nt" Heirs with Chrift^ and even like to him in Glory, and for Duration Ihould be Eternal, can never be on the account of that ftrid Juftice, which renders to every one his due, feeing there can be no Proportion betwixt a finite Adion or Pafllon, and an infinite Reward. And hence the fame A- poftle who faith that by our Sufferings, we are ac^ counted worthy of the Kingdom of God doth pofi- tirely declare that ^ the Sufferings of this prefent Life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that /haU be revealed hereafter, Tho' therefore it be Righteous with God to reward his Faithful Ser- vants, it is of Grace, and his free Goodnefs, that their Reward will be fo Great and Lafting, as He hath promifed it (hall be. idly. This Eternal Recoinpence being promifed to our (incere Obedience, and Patient-Suffering for the fake of Chrifl by him who hath faid, be thou faith- ful to the Deaths and I will give thee a Crown of Life^ it may be faid by virtue of this Promife, to be due unto them who thus obey and fufFer, it being a part of Jullice to perform our Promifes , and to be true unto our Words : But then God being not bound in (Irid juftice to promife fo great 71 Recompence of cur Obedience, or Sufferings, He cannot be faid to confer it by rc2fon of any Merit or VV^orthinefs, in us on thefe Accounts, but only becaufc his Promife hath made it Righteous, and Equal for him fo to do. 'Tis therefore of great Grace, Mercy, and rich Goodnefs, that he hath * /^w. ». i8„ S4 7"^^ Attributes of G 0 D : made this Promife, tho* it be an Adt of Juftice to perform it. Sdly. It is certain both from Scripture, and the light of Nature that an impure Soul cannot enjoy Communion with an Holy God, our Blefled Sa- viour having ir^formed us that only ^ the pure m Heart /hall fee God, and his Apoftle^ that i* mthout Sanguification no Man flmll fee the Lord. And the Reafon is evident, for God being infinitely Holy; He muft retain a conftant hatred of || all Filthynefi ef FUJI) and Spirit, and fo it muft be abfolutely nc- ceffary that we fliould have our Fruit unto Holi- nefs, that we may be lit to enjoy Communion with him, or be admitted to that Place into which no- thing enters ^ that is defiled, or unclean. Again God being the Governour of the World, He cannot reafonably be fuppofed to reward thok who live in wilful Difobedicnce to his Laws, fince it is only our Obedience and Fidelity to him which is rew?rdable; aiid fo fincere Obedience muft be abfolutely neceflary to make us meet to be Partakers cf the Inic^-hance of Sainti in Light, Tho' therefore Etev nal L.ifc be the gift of God^ it is a Gift which He in Honour can beftovv only on thcfe who are meet, and fitted to receive it, becaufe 'tis only promifed to them, and they only perform the Conditions to which this Gift is annexed. And laftly feeing Holinefs and RighteoufnefSy Goodnefs and Mercy, render us like to God, Par- takers of his Nature,and renew'd after his Image.God cannot ceafe to love, approve, and fliew a kind Af- fedion to them who thus refcmble him in thefe Divine Perfedions, fince this would be to lay afide his Love to his own Nature. Now by thus [hew- ing forth his Vertues in our Lives, we are faid to Uattb. 5. 8. f Hshr, 12. 14. I [^v. ii.in. walk J His J'V S T I C E. 85 walk worthy of him, who hath called us ^ to his Kingdom and Glory^ for all that the Scripture means by being worthy, is beiag fuch Perfons as it is a- greeable to the Holinefs, and Righteoufnefs of »' jod to reward. Now this Holinefs, and Likenefs to him renders us the Sons of God, and therefore Heirs of the Inheritance He hath prepared for his Children •, hence hath he given them his Holy Spirit, as the pledge of that Inheritance : So that if bemg f73ade free from S'm^ and become Servants to righteouf^ nefst we have our Fruit unto BoUnefs^ the end will he Eternal Life. For Holinefs will certainly conclude in Happinefs, and whom God Sanctifies, them will He alfo Glorifie. ^i Thef2.iu Ffj SER. 26 SERMON VI. Of His fVSTICE. PSALM CXLV. xvii.. The Lord is Righteous in dll his JVajs, Holy ia all his Works. I Oh]e[i. 3. "H^ Proceed now to the Chief Objedion which is made againft Divine Ju- ftice, with Reference to the Pnnifh- ment which wicked Men fhall fufFer in the other World \ and here it is faid that it feems contrary to Juftice to punifh fliort, and tem- porary Crimes with Eternal Punifhments ; becaufe Juftice always obferves a Proportion betwixt Crimes and Punifarnents, but between Temporary Crimes, and Eternal Punifhments there; is no Proportion. Now, To this I fhall neither Anfwer with the Socinians^ by denying the Eternity of thei« Tor- ments, nor endeavour to compound the matter by fliying with Mr. Dodwel^ that they belong only to Chrijlians^ or thofe who upon fufficient Conviftion cf the Truth of it, refufe to own, and to profefs His J V S T I C E. 87 Ckijliamty: Seeing that Do^rine as ic is new, un- fctiptural, and plainly contrary to the whole Cur- rent of Primitive of Antiquity^ as will be farther proved in the Appendix to this Sermon ^ fo doth it rather Itrengthen, than leflen the force of this Objcdtion, for if as He alferts, the Souls of wicked Men are naturally Mortal^ and fo, that they may fuffer this Eternal Mifery, they muft be immondUz.'- ed to Pimifh^neyU by a pretsmaturd Operation of the Spirit. Then mult God make a Mortal Soul Ire- mortal, only that He for ever might torment it, and work an Eveilalting Miracle to render it the Ever-? lading Objed of his Wrath •, as if Divine Juftice could not be fatisficd by punlQiing a Creature as long as it had any natural Duration, without giving it a being againft Nature, that He might lengthen out its Mifery. But on the contrary, I lay the Strength of my Anfwer upon that, which the Fa- thers call H iH.)i\Mo-ioc^?6>f ^^(TuaXioi the DoCtrine of the Church taught by the Scriptures.^ and the Holy Prophets, to wit t^k; ^v^^; cpuV/v a^z^vocniv the Im- mortal Nature of the Soul^ that it is free from Death ^(X THi' <|)uViv, by reafon of its Nature.^ that it hath Naturam non moriendi , a Nature not fuhjcd to Mortality^ and ocsl hci.p,onv a perpetual Duration by Vcr- tue of the Nature which God hath given it, neg- le(^ing thofe Metaphyfical Niceties which deny it to be Immortal in that Senfe, in which none ever thought it was, and which is wholly ufelcfs, and inhgniiicant, with Relation to the Chriflian Syflem of Everlafling Rewards, and Punifhmcnts, I there- fore fay that this ObjeClion may be fully An- fwered by this one Confideration^that what the Wick- ed arc to fuffer in another World, they are to fufTcr not from the immediate Hand of God, Infli- d'cing.polltive Torments on them, but they are the pure Refults, and natural Confequenf; of an im- .pure, and finful Life, and foppofc only the peipe- F f J. ti'al \ 88' The Attributes of GO D: tual Duration of the Soul. For as the natural Fruits of Piety are inward Joy and Peace, and comforta- ble Expedations here, and the Participation of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light hereafter: So doth a Sinful Life as naturally fill us with inward Fears, and dreadful Expedtations here, and tend for ever to exclude us from all future Happinefs and to torment us with that worm of Confcience which will never die. Now furely Men can have no reafon to complain of Cruelty or Injullice, when they do only fufFer what is the natural Iffuc and they were told would be the Fruit of their own Anions. To clear up this, \ft. Let it be obferved, that as this was the Do- drinejDf the -^ PhUofophers^ (x^Ik^v ^mi ^ fcoKap^^iec ja>K6L(jec, l')^yir^v^ that the Vnjufl are pmifhed from their own Eeafen^ and fro?n the Memory of what they have done in this Life ; fo this is evidently the Do- a:rine of Ir^n^us^ that wicked Men are then in Torment, tS 5^9 ^^ t^oh^/^tj^S^ /a4i kcKocIovt^s 6-^cU7icc\"nbV T^v dyci^(2v^ GodnQt internally^ Qr an- tecedently Tormenting them^ hut that Torments being fiibfequent to^ or following u}on their Deprivation of all Good^ and that Punifhment being Endlefs, and Eternal, becaufe they are for ever deprived of all Good. idly. Obferve that the Souls of wicked Men be- ing not fubjed unto Death by Nature, mult abide for ever, if they be not by God annihilated, and that God is not obliged to annihilate them, or inake them ceafe to be when they are mifcrable. Since then Ke mult be obliged td put them out of that State, which they have brought upon them- * Stob.EccI. plyf. p. ^9, 130,131. f l. 5, c. 27. felvcs Hts J V S T 1 C E. 89 felves by their own Folly and Rebellion ; and then fince this muil be an Ad of Grace and Favour God mufl be bound to fhew an Ad of Grace and Favour to them, purely becaufe they have provok- ed, and rebell'd againft him, that is becaufe they have done that which renders them the proper Ob- jeds of his jufl, and his unchangeable Difpleafure. 3^/y. Obfcrve that an impure, and unholy Soul cau never be admitted to enjoy Communion with a Pure and Holy God ; ^ For without HoUnefs no Man f]]ali fee the Lord, And feeing God is infinitely Holy, feeing his Nature is immutable, his Holinefs unchangeable. He mud for ever be irreconcilable to impure and unholy Perfons, and for ever mufl ex- clude them from his blifsful Prefence. 4t/;/y. Obferve that the proper Adion of the Soul is Thought, and that while (he continues, flie muil be confcious to her felf of her own Adions, for which fhe is condemned to an Eternal Separa- tion, from the Place of Happinefs •, when then the Soul hath nothing comfortable to imploy her Thoughts upon, but an eternal fceneof IMifery, to which her willful Sin and Folly hath confined her to be the doleful Objed of her continual Refledil ons, when jQie hath nothing to divert her from thefe rueful Thoughts, ihe mufl become an endlefs Torment to her felf. Now that a never dying Soul thus Everlallingly excluded from God's blifsful Prefence, mufl be tor ever fubjed to the height, and the extremity of Mifery will be evident from thefe Confiderations. ifi. That it muH be perpetually tormented with the Thon2,hts of its Eternal Separation from God's blifsful Fr .fence, and from that flate of Happinefs, which Samts made perfed do enjoy. Now as an * Heb. 12- 14. ^ Heathejtj go The Attrihutes of GOD: Heathen^ Pint arch puts the queftion, muft it not be ~ , w > / , extreamly irkfome to be deprived ff©^ the Flefh of all Mankind, and would exercife Righteous Judgment g^ td?^ toot upon all Men, and would fend the Apoftate Angels, the Ungod- ly, the Unrighteous, the Wicked and Blafphcmers, \ e]<; ciiQviov 'ttj^ into Everlafting Fire. And this ♦ Ctnt* L iih^ I. c 2, \L't*J<» i> Ed. Ox. f. 206. | , clfewhere An A P P E N D I X^ 99 elfewherc he reprefents as Fetus ^poftolorum Traditio^ the Ancient Tradition of the Apoftles. St. Barnabas faith *, the way of Darknefs is o^(; ^vocT^ ou6ov!» ywifo. TifjUD^Jctq^ the way of Eternal Death with Punifliment ^ and that it belongs to all Idolaters^ Murtherers, and Adulterers, &c. The Gonftitutions of St. Clemens inrroduc« the Apoftles delivering the Dodrine which they preached thus. We acknow- ^ ledge that there is in us an ^'^v:)S^ f^^^fjc^U '^^^^^^^ immortal Soul not corrupti- ^^'r%fCT:i ble as the Body is, but m- ^,'^7^ ^^> dUva^v, corporeal and mortal. And /. ^.c. u. in the preceding f Chapter, they reckon this as an Heretical Opinion ^v^^ aScciocTDv pi (i-m^x^v that the Soul is not Im- mortal. Miiximui gives us the Opinion of Clemens \\ thus, aSdcvocTo/ ims-cu ou ^^X^^ ^ '^ a^€(£v. All Souls are Immortal, even thofe of the Wicked, to whom ic would be better riot to be Incorruptible^ for be- ing tormented with the endlefs Punifhme^ of un- quenchable Fire, f }y jlmi 3vmii^6-(U^ £7n )Loi.KOQ T(S icujT^^ -dKQ^ Koc^iiv in ex^cfiv, and not dying, there can be no end of the Evil that they fuffer. This Paflage is alfo cited from him by Damafcen, Juflin M, faith "^ , The Chrillians are perfuaded :?a/, that unjuft and lafcivious Perfcns iliall be pu« Fiifhcd in Eternal Fire. And that he extends this :o the Heathens, is evident from the Words fol- lowing. That all the Prophets, and our Lord Chrill, taught that the Torment of Hell-FirQ is prepared for the Devils, ;^ tu?^ AaTf&'^oiv ou3to?V, ♦J^a. 20. \ IbU. cap* 1 o. II Serm* 4^%!? >9 «'»• * Cent. 1. Wptf'. I. P- 4^. Gg 2 Serm* 53. /. 6 c. il, ^Q. U^i a>id loo An APPENDIX. and for thofe that worfliip them ; and this he re- peats^ p. 71. And whereas, faith he*, the Philo- fophers iaugli'd at this Dodrine of the Chriftians, 07? ;6flAa^0VTa/ (Ip cu.o:)Vi6d irv^] cl ci^jtoi^ that the Wicked are tormented in Eternal Fire^ as a vain Ter- ror :i if this, faith he, be not fo, isn "^ eed^, h ei %itv i p.iKi OLVTzf r ocv^dTrcbv^ either there is no God, or he regards not Humane Affairs ^ and having laid down this Perfuafioii of the Chri- ftians, p. d4, 55. He addreffes to the Enrperor thus, ei &i ocV(Uo5fiGiocv \yd^\ t^^caov ocv ?v luc, ccM- Kou^ wViv, If the Soul, after Death, were in a State of Infenfibility, that would be Gain to the Unjufl, aM' l7roc^j. vivificantur a Patre^ il- lud autem quod non aliajf vivificatur nifi illiprtefiety vita derelinquiy 1. 5. c. 4; M J P P E N D I X. 101 'juS^o^ but we believe that they who have lived un- juftly, and have not reformed, are tormented in £ternal Fire. Irenaus difputing againft the Vakntinians^ who allowed that God would grant Immortality to the Soul, but held that the Flelh /hould peiifh, and was incapable of a Refurreftion to Life, He lays down their Opinion thus ^ They grant that which is manifeft to all Men, that the Soul and Spirit, and l^^cunteaqu plicia Gehenna ardoribus irrogabit^ who will inflid Eternal Punilhments in Hell-Fire ^ nee erit unde ha- bere tormenta vel requiem pojfunt aliquando vel finem^ nor will their Torments have ever any End, or Refpit. Eufebius faith t. The Chriftians had learned the DoSrine tte^i oi^vocciiou; 4*;;)^$, of the Immorta- lity of the Soul ^ and that Plato taught according to Mofes^ ^hocviv idccv Uvea tIiv iv (xv8^i>7r(3e) ^t;- ;^v, that the Soul ia Man was an Immortal Sub- Itance ; and that it was 7n5tiTo$ ohi&^ts K^efr?^ ri^ cpvm ot^dcvx" T©^, is by Nature Mortal, but the Soul is Immor- tal ^ but alfo adds, that ^oc tStd k^ocvoUov '(^, ;y i TTDCu^iTocc ^ix -r Utt^^ Tro/iitrDvTa 3eov, therefore iE Js Immortal, and (hall not ceafe to live, becaufe God hath made it fo by his Word Jefus Chrift our Lord. ^ DeTeft.attimce, cap. ^» f P- 39« II C^- Oxon. p. 145. ^ Cent. 4. prapar. ev* L i. c, 4. /. II. C 27. p, JJo, 5^5. 9 Orat, Gent. p,i$^ G g 4 J^piphanitts 104 Aft A P P E N D I X. Epiphanm faith *, our Lord hath taught us Thv -^^v (XVoAtO^v §vou 3t^ (xSayocTov, that the Soul is Mortal, and free from Deftrudion. St. Chryfoflome f, on thofe Words of St. Mat- thew^ Fear not them who can kill the Body^ and after that can do m wor^, cap. lo. 28. faith^ That ia few Words rot -vrs^i a^vatyfct^ 4^;^;^^ iv ou)7:)T$ .Twyvu(ri ^y[xccm^ he fixes upon them the Do- (ftrine of the Immortality of the Soul. And again. When thou heareft, faith he, of the Death of the Soul II /UM t'o/XtffK^ \f^;j^> (XTToOvMo-RBi', a6av(3cf©^ ^ think not that the Soul dies, for it is Immortal, but the Death of the Soul is Sin and Eternal Pu- yiifhmeat. Theodoret faith t, The Soul is free from Death ^ix nriiv cpuV/v, "by virtue of its Nature- and that it hath oibhocfov ^\j(Tiv^ an Immortal Nature. -And that from the Scriptures we may learn ^ -^^4 'q\i(yiv oi^xvccfov^ the immortal Nature q^ the Soul. From thefe plain Teflimonies, I conclude with ''E^7«/ 'j r^m, ^ 4v ^^^wm-^to. that the Soul ^vVi)clr^:vct}Qy,7vyK0' Is Immortal ; for that ?^(o^ijo7 « iraii'JjifjS^ov which having Senfation, be- h> cL]^.<7itv i::^ 4v W- ing tormented and punilh- To this I add, that the new Opinion that thofc Souls which are to fufFcr Eternal Punifhments, arc naturally Mortal, and only are imraortaiiz'd for Punifhment, by the extraordinary Operation of the Holy Spirit, is unknown to all Antiquity. For, F/r/?, They plainly do affert this of our mortal Bodies, that they (ball be Immortal, by the Power 1 \\ De l{jf4y, Chnfti, Serm. ^^, Ed, Morel /. 529. 4: Dialog, of J» J P P E N D IX. 105 of God and by Virtue of God's Spirit dwelling in them'- but never fays this of their Souls - but on the contrary declares, that this agrees only to the Body. Thus Irenaus * proves that the Pro- mife of the Refurreaion cannot belong ad Sptrttus natura immortales, fed ad Corpora ex fe mrtdta, to our Spirits, which by Nature are Immortal but to oiir Bodies which of themfelves are Mortal^ for h Sing cited Thofe Words of the Apoftle, He that raifedjefus from the Dead, /hall alfo rtcken your mortal Bodies, by his Sprit droelling in you. He asks What are thefe mortal Bodies? Num^md anm^ ? Sed immortaUs Animx quantum ad comparatmem mw- taliumcoriorum. Ate they our Souls? Not fo, for the Souls, compared to our mortal Bodies, are Immortal ; for God breathed into Man the breath of life and he was made a living Soul. Flam amm JJ incorporalis eft, now the Breath of Lf 'Sin- corporeal; and as they cannot call the Soul, Body fo neither «»o^t^(em quidem dicere foffmt tffum flatum vit^ txiftentem, can they call that Mortal which is Breath of Life ? Whence David faith f. My Soul fhall live to him 1 tamiuam immortah fubftantta ejus exiftente, fpeaking of its Subftance as Iramovtali nor can this be faid of the Spirit: the mortal Bo- dy therefore to be qnickned, muft be the Flelh for that dies, and is refolved, not the Soul, and Spirit; for to die, is to lofe its vital Power, and • be diffolved into thofe Parts of which it was at firft compounded, hoc amm neq; Anima evemt, pa- tus eft tnim vita, neq; Sfiritui, incomfofttus emm eft iy ftrnplix Stiritus. But this cannot happen to the Soul, for it is the Breath of Life; nor to the Spi- rit for it is fimple and uncompoundcd, and can- not be refolved, and is the Life of them that have ti.5' «-7. t Pf-^-i^: it. io6 A'4 J P P E N D I X. it. And agaia^ Thefe Words, ut abforbeatur mo¥^ tale a viti^^ belong, faith he *, only to the Flefh, nee enim anima mortalis^ neq-^ Spirit h$^ foi neither is the '^oul, nor Spirit, Mortal. See more on i Cor» IS- 45- 2//, They, on the contrary, ground the Eter- nity of Future Torments on the Immortality of the Soul, or its not dying with the Body, but continuing in a State of Senfation whilft that God is pleafed to let it live, who hath declared it fhall be fubjed to Eternal Pu- nifhments. So TertuUian^ We receive the Immorta- lity of the Soul, fq as to believe it fhall be defiroyed, not by periQiing, but by be- ing punifh'd and calt into Hell • and if fo, Salvatioa will not refped the Soul as being fafe by its immortal Nature, but rather to the Flefli, which in the Judg- inent of all Men is fubjedt to Deftruftion. And again. If any one, faith he, from thofe Words, He can deftroy both Soul and Body in Hell, infers that both are there to be confamed, have an end, and not to be pu- nifhed, let him remember, that Hell- Fire is mentioned in order to Eternal Puni8i« raent, and then he will ac- Porro auiem rtcipimus Amm, and that fo many who ftyle themfelves Reformed Chri- ftians ihould do fo much to jui>ifie. To little to contute the Scandal of thit Accuiktion, is a Con- fideration fo exceeding Melancholy, ib fad an G- men to a Church and Nation^ that I cannot think upon it but Fearfulnefs And Trembling doth come upon 9ne • for if indeed wc will not be unto him a Peo- pie \ealou5 of Good Works , if we will not di- llinguiQi our felvcs from that World which lies in Wickednefs^ by being not confermed to it^ but transformed by the renewing of our Minds , and the purification of our Manners from the Corruption of it, wc may as reafonably expedt that God fhould ceafc to be concerned for Holinefs, as ceafe to be in- cenfed againft us, or that He ftiould bear a kind Affedion to what his Soul abhors as that He fhould continue ftill to diftinguifn them from o- thcrs by his peculiar Favours, and the Be- nign Afpei^s of his Providence, who will not be diftinguilhcd from them by their Converfations, His Arm, which can alone afford us help, is by the P/:?/wyjftykd^ his Holy Arm: He therefore will not ftretch it out for the Deliverance of an unholy People : his Promife which miniHers the trueft Comfort and Support unto us, f is his Holy PromifCy and fo belongs not to unholy Perfons : his Name, V^hich hath refpe^ to all his Attributes, || is his Holy Name^ and fo can only be fuccefsfully invok'd by lio T'he Attributes of GOD: by them who are in Life, or at the leafi: are ia Defirc and Kefolution Holy. ^ He is Khhteous in alt his Way s^ and Holy in all his Worh^ and therefore they can only be imployed for the Promotion of Righteoufnefs and HoHnsfs ; if then we do fin- cerely wiili to flirowd our felves under the Pro- tedion of this Holy God, if we do really defire to live hereafter with him, who hath expreHy faid that fwtthoutSana^fication no Man (hall fee the Lord wc tnuft r«rolve to yield Sincere Obedience to this molt reafonable Precept, Be ye Holy ^ far I am Holy In profecution of which Words I fhall endeavour to fhew, 1. What is the Import of thefe Words The tordts Holy^ or what the Holinefs of God 'doth fignine. 2. What are the peculiar Properties of the Holi- nefs of God. _ 3' What are the Inferences we may make from . the Confideration of this Attribute, and what praftical Improvements may be made of if^ And Laftly, What is the full Import of this Exhortation Now the Holinefs of God in Scripture hath re- fpeauntoa double Objedt (ly?) Sin, and fo doth import his perfea Freedom from it, his Hatred of and Oppofition to all kinds of Wickednefs Or {idly) It hathrcfpea unto fnch Perfons which are by Confecration to, or by Refemblance of him Holy, and fo it flgnifies his great AfFeftion to tnem. And, lA The Lord onr God is Holy, that is. He hath an abfolute and entire Freedom from all Impuritv and Iniquity • for 1| God is Light, faith the Me, and m htm ts no Darknefs at all. He ii a jujl God ' and Without Jnifjity, faith Afofes^ He is of purer Eyes "^I^fa/m 1^^-17. ^Hekii, iA^h7ohnu6,7, His HOLINESS. in than to heboid Evil^ faith the Prophet Habakhuh^ and cannot look upon Iniquity^ Ch. 1. 13. U^hcre 'tis not faid He will not, but he cannot do it, to fhew the unchangeable Averfion of his Nature from it, for as Darknefs Hands oppofed to Light, and Evil to Good, fo hath Holinefs in God a neceffary and elTential Oppofition to' all Impurity, all Filthineft of Fkfh and Spirit ^ to conceive otherwife of Him, who is the Spring, the Fountain, the Grand Exem- plar, the ?.ule and Meafure of all Real Holinefs, is to imagine that corrupt Screams may fiow even from the Fountain of unfpotted Purity. Again, there is in God a perfcQ: Freedom, not only from all out- ward ading, but even from all inward liking of, and all complaifance in the leail Iniquity, for ^ He hath no Pleafure in Wichdnefs^ faith the Pfalmifi • a Delight in the Evil of another's Adion, implies an Approbation of it, and a Confent unto it, and therefore this mufb be inconfiftent with the Per- feQion of that God rvho is of purer Eyes than to be- hold it without the utmoll Deteftation. As prone as we are to commit iniquity, we cannot do ic till our UnderflancUiigs firll approve of, and our Wills chufe the Adlion ^ it mull appear defirable to our miftaken Judgments before we can proceed to covet the forbidden Fruit; now a God infinite in Wifdom can never be miftaken in his Judgment of Sin, and a God infinite in Purity, cannot ap- prove of that which bears fo great an Oppofi- tion to his Holy Nature. idly. God is an Holy God, that is,* He is a God who bears a perfeft Hatred to all Iniquity , He therefore is in Scripture faid to loath, detell, and to abhor it, it is there ftyled -f- the abominable thing which bin Soul hateth. He reprefents it in his I'falm 5- 4 t Jer. 44. 4- Holy 112 The Atfrihutes of GOD: Holy Word by that which is moft loathfome to us, to wit, a * Leprofie^ and -]- a ftinking Sepukhrh and thofe who do return to the commiflion of it, II as the Dogmurnwg to his f^omit^ and the Swine to TV allowing in the Mite. Our own Experience will in- form us, that the more we do advance in Purity of Heart and Life, the greater is our averfion to all Impurity* the more we are in love with Righ- teoufnefs, the more do we increafe in hatred of all Injuftice. Since therefore God is abfolute in Holinefs, feeing He infinitely loves all that is Holy, Juft, and Good, He cannot but retain the great- eft hatred to, and abhorrence of all Unrighteouf- nefs, and Evil Actions. And fince his Nature is immutable, bis Holinefs unchangeable, He mull hate Sin perpetually with a raoft perfeft hatred, ^nd muft for ever loath whatfoever is Unholy and Impure •, and to fuppofe an Interruption in his Hatred of evil Actions, ot of the workers of Ini- quity, is to imagine He can ceafe to be a Pure and Holy God. Even that Blood of Chrifi which was defigned to take away the guilt of Sin, cannot re- move God's Hatred of it, becaufe it cannot alter the Nature of God, tho' it may remove his Dif- J pleafure from the Penitent ; that Hatred which arifeth in our Breafts doth generally refult from the great Oppofition which the Objsi^ of it bears unto our Natures, our Difpofitions, or our Wel- fare^ now Sin of all things is moft oppofite to the unfpotted Nature of the Deity, 'tis a Rebellion againft his Righteous Laws, an Oppofition to his Holy Will, by this that Glory, which is the So- vereign Aim of all his Adions, is impaired ; by this He in the vileft manner is affronted, and is continually difhononred, upon all which accounts . this H;/ HOLINESS. ii? thismuftof all things be moll hateful to his Sacred MaeftY Again, our averfation to any thing which we deem Evil, is fuiiable to our Apprehenfions Tthe vieneft'of it ; now the Knowledge which *God hath of the obliquity of Sm muft be ex- SedinR y advanced above the moft ra.fed Apprc- Sons that we can attain unto, and fo his hatred ofk and the difpleafure he conceives aga.nft it, muft be proportionably greater. Now Hatred ES the ?4opfc^\'%\«^^^l3^:'oSben1 whole Kind of its Objea, becaufe th« Q^" ""'If for Kind the fame, the reafon for our fttred of U muft be ftiU the fame, and fo the Paflion if it be SSlar w be the fam'e ; fince then all Sin is oppo- SI to JhTpurity of the Divine Nature to the Equi- ;j of his Laws, to the Holinefs of his Will, and Se Concernme^its of his Glory, Jis hatred o|C muft beUniverfal, and therefore he moft hatelni- nuitv as truly, and as much in them who bear the bShteft ChLaaers of Majefty and Honour as m Smeaneft Peafants, as well in If^s Beloved ChiU dren as in the very Devils, becaufe »n both it bear- eth the fame Oppofition to his Spotlefs Nature. Sence hath h. fo particularly declared hisRcfolu- SoSflytopuniSi it in tbem who bear a Cove- nant Relation to him, and have had more efpecial tokens of his Favour than any other People, ac- coSe to thofe Words, Yoh have I known above all SSZof tb. Earth, 'therefore wiU 1 {umjhycu for nSIS;! nom ihi" hatred of it, doth natu. rally flow a>ft Affuranceof his Oppofition to it that He by no means will dm the Cmltj, or let the Sinner always go unpunlftied ; were it not fo, what IvTdenceTould we have of his hatred o it, fince if he wil notpunilhit, he muft fo far indulge «nW^ to leave all Men free to go on « their Imquities without feat of his DifpUafure i as then h^ Loj^^. 114 The Attributes of G 0 D. RighteoDniefs would not appear if he did nothing to encourage it, or made no Promifcs to reward the Righteoiis, fo neither would his hatred to Ini- quity appear, if he did nothing to deter us from it, or if his Holineft did lay no Obligation on him to punifh obftinate Offenders, and therefore, God hath been fo careful to prevent all fuch pernicious Imaginations, that in thofe very Places where he is pleafed to proclaim himfclf * A God Mer- ciful and Gracious^ i'O^g'f^ff^^^g-, ^^^ of great Good- ncfs ^ He ftill adds, that He will by m means acquit the Vlfickedr And of this Truth he hath afforded us as many Demonftrations as he hath executed tre- «ien(Jous Judgments upon the Wicked of the World. For Was it not for this that fo many, once Bleifcd jingeh^ fo many Souls created after God's glorious Image are deprived of an infinite Good, even the Fruition of the BleflTed God ? Is it not for this that wicked Men are fentenc^d to an Evil infinitely great, bccaufe it knows no end ? Was it not this that fo incenfed the God of Love and Mercy, Pity and Compaffion, that he refolv*d to (hew no Lore or Mercy to us without a Satisfai^ion made to his injured Juftice, or an Atonement of invalu- able Merit ? And when oor Saviour was once be- come our Surety, neither the Obedience of his Holy Life, nor the Endearments of a beloved Son, nor his ftrong Cries with tears could exempt- him from the bitter Cup, whereas if Divine Wif- doiH could have thought it fit, or if his Holinefs and Juftice could have permitted him to let Sin go unpunifhed, wc might then reafonably think that his b«loved Son had never felt the fmart of oar Iniquities ; and are not thefc fufficient Demon- llrations of the infinite Oppofition of God's Nature to His HOLINESS. ii5 to Sin? Do not all the Evils that he hath threat- ned to inflidt upon the Wicked, fhew, that his Re- folution to infiidt upon them the feverefl Judg- ments if they continue in that State, is unchange- able • for feeing there can be no Change in them who die in their Impeaitence, if they cfcape the Judgment threatned, it muft be either by a Change in him, in whom, faith the Apoftlc, is no f^ariation^ nor (hadow of Change^ or by a fecret Intention in him not to be true unto his Threatnings, and whofo- ever faith, that tho' God threatneth to the Impe- nitent Sinner Death Eternal, He may not inflid it, as He quellions God's Veracity, and fays in effedV, that we are not obliged to believe his Threats, fo he gives Men ground to hope, that tho' they die in their Iniquities, they may efcape the Punilli- ment which God hath threatned to the workers of Iniquity •, now fo much hope as you give Sin- ners to efcape without Repentance thefe Eternal Punifliments , fo much Encouragement you give them to continue ftill, and even to die in their Impenitence, and fo far you elude the great De- fign of God's Threatnings, which is to deter Mea from a continuance in Sin, and the deiign of oUr Lord's Salutary Paflion, who gave himfelf for tis, ■^ That He tnight redeem tis from all Iniquity^ and, furcbafe to himfelf a peculiar People^ z.ealous of Good IVorh^ and bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree^ that we heir?g de.id to Sin^ might live uyito Righteouf- nefs^ I Pet. 2. 24. Now the Inferences which plainly follow from the Confideration of the Ho- linefs of God, as it refpecleth Sin, are either fuch as tend to the Information of our Judgments, that we may think aright of the Divine Nature, or to the Reformation of cur Lives, that we may live *-Tit 2. 14. I Fa* 2. 24. H h 2 Mtably I \ 6 The Anrihutts ofG 0 D i fuitably to the Holinefs of his Nature. And , \ft, Be^ice it is nianifeft, that God can do no Evil, He being ^a JuflGod^ and without Iniquity^ for that which he hates unalterably. He can never Will, and what he cannot Will He cannot do ^ not be- caiife He is weak in Power, but becaufe he is pcr- fed in Holinefs and Goodnefs ; for the better a- ny Perfon is, the lefs muft he be able to do Evil- the confirmed j^ngds ^ and the Spirits of Men made Perfed cannot do it, becaufe made Per- feft, and confirmed by Grace ^ the Divine Nature can much lefs do it by reafon of its natural Per- fccHon, when therefore you do hear God faying, -^ I make Feace^ and create Evil^ or making this En- quiry, Ij Js thsre any Evil in a City^ and the Lord hath not done it ? know that he fpeaketh not of the Evil of Sin, but of the Evil of Punilhment, of the Evil that we juflly fufFe? from him, becaufe we have done Evil againft him ? For from the Evil of Sin his Prop(7ct doth exempt him bythefc Words, ^ Tl?e Jv.fi Lord is in the midfl thereof^ He wilt do no I- piquity. Moreover hence it follows, 2dly. That God cannot command what is intrin- fically Evil, for what are his Commands but Decla- rations of his Holy W^ill •, if then He cannot Will what is Evil, He cannot pofiibly command it. Yea feeing it is Sin alone which makes us Enemies to God, we may as well imagine He fhould cnjoyn us to live at Enmity with him, as to do that which of nccelTity will make us fo. And there- fore when fome Jewifl) Zealots had llanderoufly re- ported that the J^oftles by aflerting the necefljty of jullificauon through Faith in Chrifl, taught that ^ Ke might do Evil that Good might come -^ He round- ly tc-lk them ihut their Damnation is jufi. And a- * De/Jt. j2. 4. I Jfai. 4^7^ il Ames 5- ^. t ^fph.3'^'*Ro*r,.-^% gain His HOLINESS. 117 gain He maketh this Enquiry, "^IVhat/h^Il nefay then ? Is the Law of Cod Sin? i. c. Is it the caufe of that Sin which worketh in our Members ? And anfwers, God forbid that wc fhould fo affirm, for the Law forbidding Sin is Holy^ and the Command- ment (to abflain from it) is Holy^ Juft^ and Good, God might by way of Tryal fay to Abraham^ Go offer up thy Son Jfaac for a Burnt-Offmng^ but could not fuffer him to execute that Precept, bccaufe the Blood of our Firft-born could be no pleafrng Sa- crifice to him. God might command the Jews to ask Jemls of the iiy££yptians^ and give them fo much Favour in the Eyes of the ay^gyptians^ when they lay under fo great confternation, that they thought they were all dead Men, ^s to give them their ashng^ which is all that the Hebrew, truly Tranilated, faith, but He could not command them to borrow what they were to fpoil them of, fmce borrowing includes an Obligation to reftore. God alfo mighu in a Fropbetick Vifion, and imaginary Reprefenta- tion, make an Imprellion upon his Prophet Hofea, as if He had faid to him, f Go^ take to thy felfa Wife of Whoredoms^ and Children of Whoredoms ^ the more lively to reprefent the prcfent Scate of the Jewifh Nation, who being Married to God, they and their Children had committed Idolatry, that is Spiritual Whoredom againft God, but to command him to do this really, would have been to command hiai to render himfclf and his Prophecy defpicable in the Eyes of them to whom He was fent ; and tho' ic were not abfolutely unlawful to Marry a Wife which had been formerly Whorifh, yet to take in a like manner Children of Whoredoms, muflbc linful •, for if He took them to him as Wives, they mull be alfo Wives of Whoredoms j if He begat ^.'^"w. 7.7, \ Hof r. 2. Hh 3 them 1 18 The Attributes ofGOD: them of Whores, they muit be finfully begotten^ if he only took them in to be Inhabitants, He ei- ther mud enjiage them to ceafe from their Whore- doms, and then they could not fitly refemble the Children of Ifrael , continuing in their Spiritual Whoredoms, or muft permit thenv to go on in their former Wickednefs, and then He mult con- fent unto , and therefore become guilty of their Sin. ' 3<^/y. Hence it mull follow, that God can- not fecretly infpirc into us any Evil, or infafe any Evil Principle into our Hearts, for Evil never can proceed from him who hath an abfolute and entire Freedom from it ^ were it his Off-fpring, it rauH: ceafe to bear the name of Evil, his Works being all very good, and wrought in Righteoufnejs^ and 'tis more eafie to imagine that bitter Waters fliould proceed from the fweeteft Fountain, or that the Sun fhould cover all the World with Darknefs, than that the bitter fruits of Sin Ihould ifTue from the Sweetnefs of the Diyine Nature, or that Spiritual Darknefs (hould be derived from him who is pure Li^ht, and in whom is no Darknefs at all. 'Tis Sin which renders us the Objeds of the Divine Dif- pleafnre, make^ us the ITtffch of his Wrath fitted for DejlrnB'ton ^ but who can without horrour think that a good God will Sentence any Mantoendlefs Mifery for what was done by a fecret Infpiration from hinifelf ? * Say not thou then it is of the Lord that I fell away^ for thou ought eft not to do the thing that He hateth ^ fay not thou He hath coifed nie to err^ for He hath no need of the ftnful Alan, The Scrip' ture faith indeed, that the Lord hardned the Heart of Pharaoh'^ but this he did not by infufing into him any Evil Principle that Ihould make it hard. J Ecclef 15. ii^ 11, bi5t His H 0 L I N E^ S. 1,9 but only by refpiting of his Judgments, and by removing of his Plagues from him, that is, by Adts of Mercy, and of Kindnefs, according to that true Obfervation of the Fathers^ ^?§ iJi'X\A.^o^JiMOL G\^.KhPj%xx.^f'OiC ecmci ^ God's Mercy and Long-Suf- fering was ths caufe of thehardnefs of bis Hearty Ch. 9. 32. Ch. 10. I. As you may fee clearly explaiaed, and fully proved in the Note on Rom, 9. 18. ^.thly. Hence alfo is it certain that God cannot incline, excite, encourage, or effectually tempt or entice any Man to Sin, for then He mufl; excite Men to perform the abominable thing vohtch his Soul hates^ and to do what is infinitely difpleafing to him, and muft incline them fecretly to that which he deters all Perfons from by the feverelb Menaces, and then He cannot t^'uly be offended with them. He cannot punilh them for their Iniquities, or elfs He mull be angry with them becaufe they do obey his Motions, and Sentence them to Endlefs Mifery becaufe they do comply with his own Inclinations; fo that were God, even in this fenfe, the Author, He could not be the juft Avenger of it. More- over that which he inclineth, or excites a Man to do. He muft be willing he fhould do, but He can- not be willing he fliould do what He hates, and his Command forbids, for then he mufl be wil- ling we fhould difobey his Commands, and fo can- not be willing we fliould do them ^ hence is that Advertifement of the y^pofile James^ ♦ Let no Man fay when he is tempted (to Sin,) / am tempted of God^ for God cannot be tempted with Evil^ neither tempteth he any Man to ic. It indeed is faid that f ^^ ^^o^ 'vcd David to fay ^ Go number Ifrael a»d judah, but He is only faid to do this as he is faid to lead us into Temptation, to wit, not by inclining or exciting H li 4- us 1 20 The, Attributes of GOD \ us to wliat is Evil, but by pei mitting thQ Temp- ter to aOault and prevail over us, w^hen our Of- fences have rendred us worthy to be thus given up into his hands, and fo the Holy GhoH' interprets that by PafTage varying thus, 1 Chron. 21.1. The An- ger of the Lord was kindled againfl Ifrael, and Satan flood up againfl Ifrael, and frovoked David to num- ber Ifrael. The Apoftle alfo faith/that ^ God fends among a People flrong Deluftons which induce them to believe a Lye^ but then this He only doth by fuf- fering Satan to come with Signs^ and lying Wonders^ and with all deceivablenefs of Vnrighteoufnefs^ and for this caufe -He doth it, -^ Becaufc they received not tlye love of the Truth^ that they might he Saved^ yea, be- caufe they believed not the Truth^ but had Pleafure in Vnrighteoufnefs, In which fenfe alfo did He \\fend a Lying Spirit into the Mouth of Ahab's Prophets^ viz. Only by permitting the Evil Spirit to go forth for that End, that fach a wicked Prince might fall by their means. In this lenfe alfo is he faid to de- ceive his People^ Jer. 4. 10. To wit, by fuffering them to be deceived by Falfe Prophets^ Jer, 6,1^., who would not hearken to the Mefiage fent to them by True Prophets, Laftly.. Hence it muft follow, that God cannot neccfficate a Man to Sin, fince then He mult either by force compel him to it, and then the Adion done by virtue of that Force would not be ours, but rather God's, and fo God could not be fup- pofed free from Sin, as being in this cafe the Author of it ^ for what I am forc'd to do, I do not do my felf, but only fuifer in it, I being in this cafe only the Inftrument of him who lays the Force upon me. And as we cannot be fuppoied to hate what we do Will, fo neither can He be fuppofed * 2 Ibcf.i* II. \Ver. 10. 11. jj i t{ing. 22.21, to His HOLINESS. 121 to hate what He doth force upon us whether we will or not. Iniquity would deferve no Reproof fiom him who was fo much the Author of it, or elfe He mud deny us that Grace which he knows to be abfolurely neccflary to preferve us from Sin, or from tranfgreiring his Commands, and then He mufi: command Men what He knows it is impoffi- ble for them to do, or forbid what it is impoffi- ble they fhould avoid, and then we could not be obliged either to do what He commands, or to avoid what He forbids, nor would our Gonfciences con- demn us for it, were we afTured we could not help it. 'Tis true the ^ Scripture intimates^ that they cannot do Good who are accujfomed to do Evil^ -[ that the Carnal Man cannot approve the Thifigs of Cod^ that they that are in the t Itfh cannot pleaj'e God ^ but this is not an Impotencyot God's, but of their ov^n making, not an Inability to do thefe things if they would, but an averfnefs of the Soul contracted by a long courfe of Sinning, to the performing of them. Lee them ceafe to walk according to the Flefh, as the Jpnjlk doth exhort them, and break off their Evil Cuftoms, and the Power of the Lord will be prefent with them to heal that Impotency • Thus tho' our Lord had faid, that a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruity He adds Matth. 12. 33. Make the Tree good thAt the Fruit may be good. * 7^^ 13. 23. t ii^w. 8. 7, 8, S E R- 122 SERMON VIII. 0/ His HOLINESS. I PET. I. xvi. Be ye Holj^ jor I ^m Holy, BU T to proceed unto the Pra6:ical Re- flexions which this defcription of the Ho- linefs of God affords, from thefe three Properties of the Divine Purity joyntly confidered, we learn, jfl. Negatively, that we are not thus Holy only by Praying that we may be Holy, by talking of good things, or by hearing pious and afFedionate Difcourfes with Attention and Delight, for thefe ^re no Divine Perfections, nor do we by thefe outward Aftions refemble God in Holinefs • thefe are things too oft feparated from real Piety, they being found in the Hypocrites mentioned by Ifaiah^ * Tcho fought God daily ^ and delighted to approach un- to him^ but would not loofe the Bands of Wickednefs. His HOLINESS. i2t A boly Heart indeed will make thy Tongue more Foiy, the breathings of thy Soul more ardent after Holincfs, thy Ears and Spirit more delighted with Exhortations to it, and Difcourfes of it. and there- fore thou mayft very fafely and profitably argue thus • If I have no pure Up, no ftrong Affedtions unto Holinefs, no delight in holy Duties, in de- vout and pious Meditations and Difcourfes, no Pleafurc in, no Benefit from Exhortations unto Ho- linefs, 1 have no inward Principle of holy Living, for the *good Man out of the gooti Treafure of his Heart hringeih forth good things • but then we cannot cer- tainly conclude that we are Holy becaufe we do defire to be Holy, for they who f asked of God the Ordtnan" ces of Jujlice would not do them, and fad Experi- ence fticws that all Mert are not Holy who do pray for Holinefs, or becaufe we ralk of it to others, for the II Hypocrites in Ezekiel irith their Mouth^fhemd niuch Love^ when their Hearts went after their Coi^e-^ toufnefs, or becaufe we delight to hear of it , + for Herod heard John Baptilt gladly, and the ftony Ground "f- received the Word mth Joy ^ if therefore thefe Delires be not feconded with lincere Endea- vours after Holinefs, if our good Words be not attended with good Works, if we do not as well delight to pradife, as to hear Difcourfes touching Holinefs, the Root of the Matter is ftill wanting in us, and therefore pofitively, J ft. Then, and then only are we Holy as our God is Holy^ when Sin is fo far mortified in us that we do not obey it in the Luflings of it^ when Con- fclence can truly fiy, I know no way of Wick- ednefs in which I walk, no courfe of Life for which my Confcience doth reproach me, or my Heart condemn me. / have vpalked Eigbtcou/ly, faith Da- * Matth, 12. 5 5. t ^A« 58. i. II C/j. 33' 3^» t ^^^k. ^- ^°^ ^ Marl\ 13. 20. vid. %2^ The Attributes of G 0 D i vid, for I have hpt the Ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God^ for all his Judg- 7nents were before me^ and I did not put away his Sta- tutes from me^ I was alfo upright before him^ and kept my fdf from mine Iniquity^ and then it follows with the Pure thoH wilt (hew thy felf pure^ i. e. will tellifie thy profound AfFedion to unfeigned Holinefs, TfaL i8. 20,25. idly. When we are fo happily averfe fronj ta- king any Plcafure in known Iniquity, that we are grieved at the very Heart as oft as we perceive that any plcafing thought of Sin, any fuch Root of Bitternefs doth fpring up in us, or any Lult conceiveth in the womb of our Imagination, tho' it be ftrangled there, when we are as uprightly concerned for purity of Heart as Life, to be fo ia the Sight of God, more than to be fo in the fight of Man, when we wateh and ftrive, as well againft all Filthinefs of Spirit as of Flelh, with equal Indig- nation do rejeft each evil Motion, and with equal Sorrow do bewail them, as knowing that the ♦ thought of Fooli/hpefs is Sin^ and that all our fecret Thoughts are open to his Eyes, who will f bring every Thought and Work into Judgment^ before whofe Tribunal we iTiufb fhortly ftand, that by thefe things we defile that Heart which is the Temple of the Lord, the habitation of the Holy Gholt, we grieve and vex the Spirit of God, and by indulging to them, caufe that Sacred Gucit to quit fuch an unfuitable A- bcde. 2,dly. When we do hate Sin with a perfeft Ha- tred, when we have fuch a frame of Heart, fuch a difpofition of Spirit as renders Sin exceeding 0- dious and hateful to us, fo that we cannot enter- tain the thoughts of a Compliance with it, or a * P.'OX>. 14. 9. t Ecclef. II, 14. Tempta- His H 0 L 1 N E S S. ,2$ Temptation to commit it without the utmofl: De- tcftacion, on which account 'tis faid, that He * that is horn of God cannot S'm^ and *{* that a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruity by reafon of the alienation of his Mind and his AfFcdions from it When we do €ven loath the thoughts of doing what is a Pro- vocation to the pure Eyes of God • when we can- not lock upon it in our felves without abhorrence of our felves, nor in another without trouble ; when 'tis ftill very vile and loathfome to us by whom- foever it is done, whatfoever the Pretences be, or even the profperous Iflucs of it, or the Advan- tages we may feem to have obtain'd by it, it being flill as much as ever oppofite unto God's Holy Nature, and his Sacred Laws, and therefore the abo- minahle thing which his Soul hates ^ and by which He is infinitely dilhonoured and reproached ; when we dare not indulge it, or connive at it in the near- elt Relative, the greateft Friend, or the raoft pro- fitable Companion, but are Enemies to it without refpecc of Perfons. Laftly, when we challifc, and even take Vengeance of it in our felves, with- holding even neceflary Food from the intemperate Palate, and punifhing our pronenefs to any Vice with frequent Exercifes of that Vertue which is moft oppofite unto it. Happy, thrice happy is the Man whofe Heart, and whofe AfFedtions are thus truly alienated from all love to Sin, who doth not ykld Obedience to it in the Lutings of it^ who doth not yield the Members of his Body, or the Faculties of his Soul Inflruments of Sin unto Vnrighteoujnefs^ but rather Inftvuments of Righteoufnels unto God, for he having his Fruit unto Holinefs^ fljall have at, the End Eternal Life^ Rom. 6, 22, The Piaif^ical Inferences which we may mak? from each of thefe Particulars, are thefe. * J 5^;/j«3.9 tM./r. 7. 18. 1 26 The Attributes of GOD: I ft. Is there in God an abfolute Freedom from all evil, and from all liking of it, then can I not be like him whilfl / regard any Iniquity in my Hearty or retain any kinduefs or affedion to it, whilft there is in us an Heart defiled by the love of the World, by ftrong affedions to the fenfual Pleafures of the Flefh, delires of Applaufe from Men, by Pride and Haughtinefs, by Wrath, Malice , Envy, Revenge, Rajicour, and bitternefs of Spirit, we are not yet advanced to that Hate of Holinefs this Exhortation doth require ^ for God requires us to ^ ckanfe our f elves from all t-iUhinefs of Fklh and Spirit^ that we may perfBHd^yitfs in his Fear, And hath exprelly told us, that only f the pure in Heart Ihall be Partakers of the Beirifick Vifion, and that II without San^ification no Alan fn^U fee the LoyJ^ and that ^ whofoever hath this Hope mufi purifie himfelf^ ai Cod is pure. So thic Man mud be ftript of his Im- purity, or God of his Purity, before r bey can come together, or have Communion or Fellow (hip with one another ^ Men therefore vainly do imagine they may be faved by any other Faith than that which ^purifies the Hearty and fandifies the Life and Conver- fation, or by any other Grace of God but that which teacheth us -[denying all Vngodlvncfs^ and World- ly Lufts^ to live Rigbteoufly, Soberly^ and Godly in this prefent World^ or even by the Death, the merito- rious PafTion, or by the precious Blood of Chrill:, unlefs they be conformed to that Death by dying imto Sin, and anfwer the Delign of him who gave himfelf for his Church, that He might SanElifie and cleanfe it that it might be Holy, St. John having ex- prefly told us, that if we fay that i?>e have CommH- nion with him^ or Fellowfhip in his Sufferings, and * 2 Cor. 7. i.\M4tih» 5. 8. II Hck 11. H* t I joJm 3* ?• His H 0 L I N E S S. 127 "^ walk in Darlruft^ we Lye^ hut if wc walk in the Light^ as be is in the Light^ then have we FeBovojhip with him^ and the Blood of Cbriji cleanfeth hs from aU Sin, Laftly, in rain do wc cxpcd to be made RighteoiM bj Chrift's Righteoufocfs imputed to us, without doing Righteoufaefs, for agaijift this Dclufion we arc armed by tbefe Words of tbc beloxed Difci- plc. Little Children Itt no Men dicevue you^ He thai doth Rightemfnefs is Righteous^ e^m as he is Righte- ous, Let us not then depend on being happy in our End without being Holy in our Lives, it being a vain thing to wift with Balaam^ thai: we may die the Death of the Righteous^ and thai ottr Latttr End might be like his^ if we have not been like him in our Lives. Let us devoutly put up David's Pray- er, that our Hearts may not be inclined to any evil things and that of the Jpofile^ that we may be fanOi* fitd tbroiighout in Spirit^ Soul^ and Body^ and may he kept' Holy and VnbUmeable before God in Love, and as He that hath called us is Holy, fo let us en- deavour to be holy in all manner of Converfa- tion. 2dly. Is Sin that which God loaths, detefteth, and abhors ? Is it the abominable thing which his Soul hates > Then can we not indulge our felves in any Sin, or live in the praftife of any way of Wick- cdncfs but we- muft render our felves the Objeifts of his juft Difpleafure, we muft be loathfome in his pure Eye, and even abhorr'd by an Holy God, Sin makes the Penitent Sinner to abhor himfelf, trom the ConGderation of God's glorious Majcfty, and his all-feeing Eye, according to thofe Words of Holy Job^ f / know that no I'hoHght is hid from thee^ and therefore having feen thee with mine Eye^ I abhor my felf, and repent in Dujl and Jfhes^ and I Joh. I. 7. "f Joh ^1 2,6. there- 128 The Attributes of GOD \ therefore it muft aflarcdly caufc the God of Purity to abhor the Impenitent. The Pfalmift makes it the Charafter of one who hath no Fear of God before his Eyes, that he * fetteth bimfelf in a Way that is not good^ be abhors not Evil ^ and therefore to imagine fuch a God as hath no abhorrence of it, is in cfFedt to reprefent him like to the vileft, and the worft of Men. Whilft we goon in any way of Sin indulged to, and cherifhed or delighted in, whether it be more fecret, defiling the Heart by wicked Thoughts, by inward AfFcSions and Incli* nations to Sin, or by Contrivances how we may fecretly commit it, or by more open Violations of God's holy Laws wc render both our Perfons and Performances fo far from being acceptable to God, that they arc an Abomination in his Sight, He having exprcfly told us, that the Prayer f and Sacrifice of the Wicked is an Abomination to the Lord^ tho' they arc the only things for which they hope to be accepted, they are the very things for which they Ihallbe rejeded, becaufe they, faith the Wife Man, are offered with a wichd Mnd^ i. c. a Mind ftiU bent upon their Sin, and looking on the Holy God as one who could be bribed by their Offerings to connive at their Iniquities, and therefore evea thofe Services which he himfelf required, whca they were performed by Men perfiftingin their E- Til Courfes, are by God rejedtcd with the high- eft Intimations of his Contempt, and his Abhor- rence of them, and even forbidden to be offered to him, as in thofe Words, |1 Bring no more vain OblationSj Incenfe is an Abomination to we, the New- Moons and Sabbaths^ the callings of Afemblies I cannot away with^ it is Iniquity ^ even ycur folemn Meetings are a trouble to me -^ 1 am weary to hear them^ becaufs "^Pfai. 36. 1,4. t Prov^ 1$. 11, 27, I Ifai' 1. ij, M. they His HOLINESS. 129 they did not pit away the Evil of their Doings from before his Eyes -^ yea. He rcprefents thofe very Ser- vices He had commanded, when performed by Men jvho chofe their own IVays^ and dt lighted in their yibo- minations^ as the molt heinous Provocations which they could commit, faying, "J"^ //x,ingage him to dived himfelf of his hatred of their former Sins, and bear^ with their continuance in their wicked Courfes,' like the Harlot who thought fhe mighc return fafely to her Uncleannefs, upon confidence that her f Peace Offerings would make atonement for her Sins, whereas afiinedly that God who is fo Holy in his Nature, who hath enaded fuch holy Laws, and ftrengthned them with, fuch dreadful "^Tfau 66r J. t Prov.j^ 14. I 1 Threats, I JO 57/? Jt tributes of GOD: Threats, can only be pleafed with that Deportment which bears fome fuitablencfs to his Holy Nature, and fome conformity to his Holy Precepts. We TTiuft therefore advance unto a loathing and abhor- rence of Sin, and of our fclves for the Commif- iion of it, it ninl»; be to us as it is to him, the a- bominable thing which our Soul hates, and then we Ihall no longer yield Obedience to it in the Luflings of it^ for when Sin once becomes truly loathfome in our Eyes, when 'tis indeed that which we chiefly hate, and from cur Hearts abhor, it niull have loll its Intereft in our Afledions, and confcquently we {hall ceafe from it in our Acti- ons, cur Wills and our Defires will be then fet againfl it, and when thefe moving Powers of our Souls Hand thus oppcfed to it, it mull: intiiely be bereft of all its Efficacy, and be deprived of its Dominion, we (hall then have no farther Tempta- tion to purfue it, and therefore we Ihall utterly forfakc it, and fo be cleanfed from cur Iniquity. And, ^dly. Doth God's Hclinefs a^nd Jufticc oblige bim to the Puniftiment of Evil Doers ? Then mult v;e be as much concerned to abltain from all Ini- quity as it concerns us to avoid the Wrath of God, and his fevere Difpleafure, who is unto the Wick- ed a confuming Fire ^ God is concerned in Love to cur Sords, to let us know this, by telling us even when He reprefents himfelf as a Cod merciful and gracious^ that He by no means ivill clear the Cmlty ^ thh Vv'C may learn from his Relation to us a-s our Kighteoiis Govcrnour, for that Relation doth as much require the Punifhmcnt of Evil Doers as the Encouragement of the Obedient, thofe higher Pow- ers, who are God's Vicegerents, bearing the Sword cf Juftice to this very end, and therefore David makes this one part of his Engagement when he fiiould receive the Kingdom by God promiied to hiav His HOLINESS. iji liim, that he * would early cut off all Evil Doers front the City of hisCcd^ and feeing Punifhment is natu- rally due to Sin, tliat is, to the tranfgreflion of a juH: and equal Law, feeing Protedion and En- couiagement is due to Piety and Goodnefs, at leaf]; from that Relation of a Governour God bears towards us, itfeemeth highly reafonablc to conceive this Righteous God ftiould be concerned for the En- couragement of Pious Men, and for the Punifhment: of Evil Doers, •, for to leave Sin unpupifbed, ancl Goodnefs unproteded, is a great Blemiib in any Humane Governinent, it therefore mufl be that which cannot be confiftent v\/ith Theocracy, or with the Government of a moft Jiiil and Righ- teous God. Vain therefore are the hopes of Sin- ners when they exped without a thorow Refor- mation, to efcape the Hand of Juftice thro' the great Goodnefs and Mercy of God to Mankind, for it is not fuitable to the Divine Goodnefs and Mercy finally to bear with, and forgive obllinate Oft'end- ers, that being inconfiftent with his Holinefs and Juftice, his Truth, and the concernment of his Go- vernment^ and hence the Pfahmfi^s Prayer run^ thus, '[ Be not thou Merciful to them that offend of Ma^ licioHs Wtckcdnefs. The defign of his rich Goodnefs^ Patience, and Long- Sufferance is, faith the jipflle^ 1) to lead Men to that Repentance which confifts in a great hatred of Sin, and a conftant Care for the future to depart from it, and when we will not fuffer it to have this falutary effed upon us, we turn his Mercy and his Goodnefs into a Treafury of Wrath againftus •, if then we defire to iiee from the Wrath to com.e , we muft bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance^ we mufl ceafe to do Evil^ and learn to do xvtll^ and then tho our Sim were as Scarlet^ we (Imll be white as Snow, » ?faU lOi. 8. t P^/» 59 ^' II Rom, 2, 4. t/>". 1. i8., 1 i 2 ^di^'. IJ2 TheAttribmesofGOD: idly. The Holiiiefs of God, as it refpeds thofc Perfons who bear foine true refernblance to this Perfection in hirafelf, imports his great Affedion to, his great Concernment for them, and his rea- dinefs to do Good to them : So that thefe Words, the Lord our God is Holy^ intimate his great AfFefti- on, and his peculiar Concern for all that are a- dorn'd with true Holinefs, for * the righteous Lord loveth Righteoufnefs^ his Countenance wiU favourably be^ hold the upright, He reprefents his Providence as oblig'd to favour and protect, and with his watch- ful Eye to be intent for good unto the upright fvlan, whofe Heart is perfect with him •, nor can we doubt of his moll paflionate AfFedion for them, if ^c confider, jfl. The great Efteem which he hath for them, and the delight he taketh in them. As for the Wicked, they, in his Account, are vile, yea Zal- hth vilenefs in the Abftract, as in thofe Words of the Pfalm'fft -f- when the Wicked walk on every fide ^ then vilenefs^ i, e. the vileft Perfons are exalted , where- as the Pious Man is precious in his fight, and this diflinction God himfelf puts between them, when he bids his Prophet \\ feparate the Precious from the Vile. The Wicked are ftyled the Bafe^ the Saints the' Excellent of the Earthy as in thofe Words of the Pfalmift^ t My goodnefs extendeth not to thee^ but: to the S-aints^ the Excellent that are in the Earth. The Heart, the beft thing in the Wicked is, faith the Wileman, * little worth ^ whereas, they who truly fear him are by God ftyled his Jewels^ and pecu- liar Treafure, as in thofe Words of Malachy^ \ they pi all be mine when I make up my SeguUah^ i. Q. my ♦ Pf. 1 1. 7. t Pr. 12. 1 1?. B Jer- 1 5. 19. 1 1^. i^. 2, 5. * Prov. Iq. 10. fCh- J. 17. Jtvpels^. His HO L I N E S S. ijj Jewels^ or peculiar Treafure, which (hews his value for them, and his care of them, as peculiarly be- longing to himfelf. God laftly hath declared, that his Soul hath no pleafure in the Wicked, yea, that the || Wicked^ and him that doth viuknce his Soul abhors^ but he taketh pleafure in them that fear him 5, t and they that are upright in the way^ are his delight^ Now can wc doubt his kindnefs or regard to them whom he fo highly doth cfteem of as precious in his fight ^ the Excellent of the Earth, his Jewels, his peculiar Treafure, or, that he (hould delight over them to do them good in whom his Soul de- lighteth, efpecially when he hath folemnly declar'd^ that * with the upright Man he will /hew himfelf up' right ^ and to the pure he will f}jew himfelf pure ? idly. We cannot doubt of God's peculiar Con- cernment for the Holy Perfon, if we confider, thae he is the faireft tranfcript, and the bed refemblanc« of his holy Nature j for as God did at firll create Man after the Image of his Power, giving him Do- minion over the Earth, and the Inhabitants of it; fo doth he now create the new Man v^tqI eih af- ter the Image of bts Purity, in Righteoufnefs and Holinefs of Truth, u e. not in the Jewiflj Holinefs, which was only Ceremonial, and fanctify'd to the Purification of the Fleih^ or, at the befl:, was only relative and federal, and rendred them an Holy Na- tion, and his peculiar People, but fuch an inward Holinefs as purgeth even the Confcience from dead Works to jerve the living God^ fuch a real Sanctifica*- tion as clean feth us from all filthinefs of Flejh and Spi- rit^ and caufeth us to perfelh Holinefs in the fear of God, Thus is the Holy Man renew'd )oxt' imvot, after the Image of him that created him. Now li 3 Similitude I J4 ^^^ Attributes ofGOD: Similitude is the ground of Love, this renders us his obedient Children, and fo mult qnalifie us not only for his affection ns a tender Father, but his j-^ward as the great Governor, and Judge of all the World. Moreover, thoie Graces which com- pofe this Holincfs, are Divine Vertues, for by it we fhcw forth f the Venues of htm that hath called «5, the Nature which it doth impart unto us is, faith St. Peter^ \\ the Div'we Nature^ the Life of Ho- pefs, from which the Wicked are eftranged, is the X^ife of God, for they are faid t to be alienated front the Life of God. God therefore cannot ceafe to bear a kind Affection to thefe rcfeinblances of him- felf, tho' little and imperfect, but he mult lay a- lide his kindnefs to his own Nature and Perfecti- ons, the Divine Nature muft forget its kindnefs for its felf, fliould it forget to fhew Good Will to them, who are thus made partakers of it, and who {hew forth the Virtues of it in their Lives. idly. God cannot ceafe to love true Holinefs in whomfoever ic refides, becaufc it is the Fruit of hi$ own Holy Spirit, who, as he hath that Name by reafon or that Oppofition which he bears to that Impure and Evil Spirit which is in the Woild ; So alfo is he Ityled the Spirit of Sancqfication, be- caufe he is the Fountain of all that Holinefs which any Creature is adorned with, 'tis t;^ro' this Spi- rit that we are fanctified throughout in Body, Soul and Spirit, that vre do mortifie the deeds of the Flejh^ and by this Spirit that we are ftrengthncd in the in-, ward Man to do the Holy Will of God^ by the Inha- bitation of this Holy Spirit we are fealed by God, to fhew we are his Property, and his Peculiar, and thai; Satan and the World have no part in us, an4 t I ?n* 2. 9. li 2 Pe/* 1.4' t ^f'^' 4- f^' to His H 0 L I N E S S. 155 to fecure nnd to keep us for himlelf, we being fealed up imio the Vay of Rtdc'r.pUon^ and vvhac he isl coiicern'd to mark ouc as his own Portion and Pe- culiar, and keep fafe in his own Hands, we may be fure he highly values. ^dly. God cannot ccafe to bear a kind Affect ion unto Holinefs, becauie he doth receive the great- eft Honour by it, and it To highly tends unto the Glory of his Name, which is the principal Defiga of all his Actions. It ii by being an Holy Nation^ a People feparated from the World, that WQ/hew forth the rertucs of him that hath called us from dark" nefs into his tytarvellous Light ^ * by the light of our Good Works fhining before Men, that we glorifie our Father which is in Heaven \ and by thofe [Fruits of Righteoufnefs^ which are thro' Jrfus Chrift^ that we do Minifter to the Praife and Glory of God^ by fhi- ning in the Beauties of Holin^fs, and being like to the King's Daughter, all glorious within •, we re- flect honor upon onr excellent Religion, and the Author of it ^ we convince the World, that a Re- ligion which begets faclt an excellent Spirit in us, is worthy of all Acceptation, that which doth render us fo like unto the bell: of things, mufl be very good, that Holy is that God who doth prefcribe fiich admirable Rales of Holy Living, whofe Precepts tend ^o manifeftly to the Advancement of the Hu- mane Nature, and to the Transformation of it in- to the likenefs of the Deity. Now even under the Mo flick Diipenfation this was a fixed Rule with God, \ them that Hofiour me I will Honour : And this is our Encouragement to yield Obedience to the Precepts of the Holy Jefus, t // any Manftrve *• M^f. 5. 16. t ^^*'* ^' J*^* li ^ ^^^* 2. 30. ± John \% li V ^^\ i 56 The Attributes of GOD i tne^ him will jny Father honour. Again, what is San- ctification but the reparation of our felves from the Conuption of the World, to the Service of an Holy God, the Confecration of our Faculties and lives to the performance of his Holy Will, and the promotion of his Honour ? If then God will not fufFer a Cup of cold Water to mifs of a Reward whea it is miniftred to one of his Difciples for his Names fake, when we entirely confecrate our felves to his Service, we furely may expect a Recompence agreeable to the Bounty of our God, and to his tind Affection to the Pious Man, and^ therefore, /\.thly. This Holinefs will be molt certainly re- warded by him, both in this and in the World to come:^ for 'tis this likenefs to our Heavenly Fa- ther which rendreth us the Sons of God j and if Sons, then, faith the Apoltle, are we Heirs of Glor^y *tis this which fits us for Communion with him, for * if we walk in the light as he is in the light ^ then have xve fellowfljip with God : if we be .^elct^ Koimvol (pmiQS partakers of a Divine Nature^ as all true Chriftians are, doubtlefs we fhall be made parta- kers BeictA )u>:^.^^ of the good will and favour of God, and if we do purifie our felves as he is pure^ then when he doth appear we (hall be like him^ for we fhall fee him as he is. His Promife doth afuire u?, that with the pure he will (Ijew himfelf pure • but if he would do nothing to encourage and reward them whofe Bu- iinefs it is to pcrfeil Holinefs in the fear of God •, how could he ihew that he had any kindnefs for them upon that Account? Hence is the Spirit of Sancti- fication faid to be given as the Earnefl: of our fu- tare Happinefs, and by this Spirit we ^vq fealed up^ faith the ^poftle^ to the day of Redemption ^ and ♦ i John 1, 7. to His HOLINESS. IJ7 to what end fhould God voncbfafe his Spirit to make us Holy, if he did not defign to make us hap- py ? why fiiould he by this Spirit make us nicet t(% be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light ^ if He did not defign us for the Enjoyment of that BlelTed Inheritance ? We may th^n re(t aflnred from thefe Confiderations as well as from his word of Truth, that if f being made free from Sin^ we k- come Servants of Righteoiifnefs unto God^ having thus our Fruit unto HoUnefs^ the end fliall be eternal Life^ for God is mt umghteous to forget that labour of lovi tphich we thus [hew unto his Holy Name^ Heb. 6. i o. Now iince God's Children muft referable him as well in their Affection unto Holinefs, and Ho- ly Perfons, as in their hatred of and averfation from all Iniquity, hence we may reft alTared, that true Holinefs in our felves will beget in us an honour- able efteem for, and ftrong Affection to all them that fear the Lord, and give convincing Demon- ftrations of a lincere and conftant Piety, for if God himfelf be amiable to us for the purity of his Nature, then he who moft refembles him ia Holinefs, muft therefore be moft amiable in our Eyes ^ this will engage us to prize and to efteeni them as the excellent of the Earth, to delight in con- verfe with them, to rejoyce in their Profperity, and to be ready to promote it, and as far as ia us lieth, to reward it, becaufe it makes them noc only like to God, but alfo to referable us : We en- joy the fame Spiritual Privileges, the fame precious Promifes, have the fame glorious Hopes ; we are adorned with the fame Graces, are partakers of the fame new Nature, and acted by the fame good Spirit dwelling in us, we have all alike relation to. and 1 3 8 The Attributes of GOD: and Communion with the fame God, and an In- tereft in the fame Saviour, and are all purfuing the fame blefled Ends. If thea we ad as Chil- dren of the fame God, as Men infpired by the fame Spirit, if we do truly value our own Privileges and Advantages, if we approve of our own Actions, Principles, Dellgns and Ends ; we mud approve of, and highly value thofe who do confpire with us in thofe things ; we rouft retain a great Affedion to, and have the highefl: value for Men fo like unto our felves : So that if Men of a confpicuous Vertue, and of an exemplary Holinefs, and who are vifi- bly concern'd to promote God's Glory, and the good of others, be diflalteful to us • if we fmd ia our Hearts an Averfation from them, or adif- affcftion to them • if we let loofe our Tongues to vent a Calumny againfl, or call a vile Refledioti on them ^ if we perceive within our felves a Spi- rit of Oppofition to their good Dcfigns, and their Endeavours for the promotion of true Piety ; wc have great reafon to fufpect we want that Holi- nefs in our felves, which we thus difafFect, re- vile, and do oppofe in others • for whofoever looks upon the Holinefs of the Creature with an evil Eye, can have no love to this Perfection in the Deity. He that contemns thefe Holy Difpofitions in the imperfect Pattern, muft flight it more in the original, and what he doth contemn and vilify in others, he cannot be concerned to have himfelf. And having thus inform'd you of the true import and effects of Holinefs in God, Let me intreat you to labour after a Conformity to God in this Attribute, for tho' we cannot reach to that Perfection of Holinefs which is in the Divine Nature ; yec may we have that Holinefs in Truth in which his Image dcth confift, which is the uc- rnQft His HO L 1 N E S S. J mofl: which God in this imperfect State requires of or expects from us. . T\\Q Soipure lees us the pat- tern of the Holy j^vigels for our Obedience, requi- ring us to pray that we may do God's rvill on Earth as it is done by them in Heaven^ but it propofeth only the Holinefs of the Father, and the Son^ to be the object of our imitation, as being both the bed of Patterns, and the highelt Motives to a Life of Ho- linefs. For what can be more Excellent and Noble than to live by the Example of the Deity, or in St. P^J^rs Ex predion, to live the Life of God^ what can fo much advance our Nature as to h^perfe^fas our heavenly Father /.< perfe^ ? This Exhortation may be inforced from the Confideratioiis of the Honour it will bting to God • the Advantage it will bring to us^ the excellency it reflects upon us, and the ncccllity of it in order to our Enjoyment of Com- munion with God. 1. From the excellency it reflects on us, the Saints being ftylcd by him who doubtkfs was one of them, the excellent of the Earthy by tins v/e be- come more honourable and worthy, both in the fight of God, and of Good Men, you have feea bow vile and defpicable Sin renders wicked Per- fons in G' d's Eyes, in Comparifon of Righteous Men, the firfl: are Bafe, the fecond llyled Honour- able ; the Wicked are counted Vile, the Pvighte- ous Precious in his fight. And as they are in his Account who is the tiuefl; judge of Excellency, £e alfo are they in the Eyes of all who have Lrue Wifdom to diicern, and true difcretion to judge of what is truly Excellent. Hence is this made the Character of a Good Man, that he is one j( in ivhofe Eyes a vile Perfon is contemned^ but he honour eth them iip/:i5.4. that i^Q The Attributes of G 0 D: that fear the Lord. Earthly Pomp, and Greatnef$ may make Men Honourable in the Eyes of a mi- itaken, injudicious World, but it is only the Orna- ment of a good and vertuous Mind, which renders even the King's Daughter all glorious within : Hence do we read of the Beauties of HoUncfs^ be- caufe 'tis fo attractive, and renders us fo amiable in the Eyes of others, fo truly excellent in our felves. And furely, that which renders any Per- fon the molt like to God, muft be moft Excellent, for God is infinite in all Perfections. He is that God to whom Honour, Majefby, and Glory is a- fcribed by Saints and Angels. Now this doth Ho- iinefs and Chriftian Piety. Supreme Authority may give fome faint refemblance of the Greatnefs and IMajeftyof God, and the Creation of the World is an amazing inftance of his Almighty Power, and his perfect Wifdom, but 'tis the Righteous Per- fon only, who is the trueft Emblem of his Holinefs, and upon that Account is faid to live the Life of God^ and to /hew forth his Fertues in it • if then it be fo great an Honour to wear the Livery of Princes, or even to refemble them in outward Features, what Ho^ Bour muft it be to be the living Image of the Dei- ty, and to refemble him in the more noble Qua- lities, and Vertues of an holy Soul ? i^dly, Confider the abfolute neceflity of Holinefs^ in order to our prefent and our future Happinefs, feeing we can have no Communion or Fellowfhip with God without it •, for t what Communion is there betwixt light and darknefs^ or what Concord or ^gree^ merit betwixt drnft and Belial. In order to our fel» lowlhip or intercourfe with God here, there muft be in us, i. A Communion in the fame things, f.e. t iC t '^^^ 20. jO. * I jcbn I. 7. to 144 The Attributes of GOD t to Vroc a life of Righteoufnefs, Moreover, if the Te- tior of the Gofpel Covenant admits of fuch a late Repentance as fufRcicnt to procure Life Eternal, then can it not be necefTary in order to that End, that wefhould live right coufly and godly in this prefent Worlds fince that can be no necefftry Condition of our future Happinefs 5 without which we may be for ever happy, and enjoy God for ever : Let us riot therefore reft upon thefe broken Reeds,' but now endeavour to perfed Holinefs in the fear of God, as knowing that the Fruits of Righteoufnefs ' are Peace ^ and the effeli of it quietnefs and affurancsfor tver^ Ifa. 32- 1 7- ■ . < 2,dly, A farther motive to this Conformity to the Holinefs of God arifeth from this Confidera- tion that by it God will be moft highly honour- ed \ for as an Earthly Father is more honoured wheil he^s imitated by his Son in his confpicuous Ver- tues, than when he only hath the Praifes of his Tongue, or the Labour of his Hands • fo is our Heavenly Father honoured, not fo much by the la- fcourof our Lips, or by our outward Services, as by that inward Purity by which we become like unto him in our Nature, and even * live the Life of God, By this we honour him in that Perfedion which is deareft to him, and counted by him as the chief Glory of his Nature *, by this we make a real De» claration, that he is the befb and the mofl: amiable Being, as counting nothing beHdes him valuable, or worthy to be made the object of our Imitation. This Life of Holinefs keeps up the Reputation of Religion, and of God in the World, and actrafls others to a love of him and it. And therefore 'tis obiervable, that we arc never faid or bid in the *£/;[;. 4.18. His HOLINESS. 145 New Teflament to glorifie God only by our Ad- miration of his Divine Ferfedions, or by our pom- pous Services ^ but only by thoie things in which wis do conform unto the Holinefs, and imitable Per- fections of his Nature. The way to glorifie our Heavenly Father is, faith our Bleficd Saviohr^ by our good Works fhimn^ before Men^ by being filled with 'f-tbcfe Fmts of Rtghteoufnefs which are thro'Jcfus Chrifi unto the Glory and the Fraife of God, faith the Jpoftle Faul^ by fhewmg forth the Fertmsofhim that hath called us from darknefs into his marvellous Light ^ faith St. feter I Pet. 2. p. ' ? f^iV.I.IL K k S E R 14^ SERMON IX. Of His HOLINESS. I P E T. I. xvi. Be ye Holy, for I am Holy. A '^ihly, ^ Jufl affeding Senfe of the Holinefs of God will naturally tend to advance in us many excellent bifpofitions^and good Frames of Spirit. For, 1 . This would beget in us a profound reverence of his Holy Name in all our Addreffes to him, and our dealings with him ^ * Forhoty^idXxh the Ffalmiftj and therefore Reverend is his Name, This would cre- ate in us a conflant awe of the Divine Majefty, and render us afraid of any Thought, Word or Adtion, which might offend the pure Eyes of his Glory, fo that we might fay with Holy David^ t I have kept thy Precepts^ and thy Ordinances^ for all my rvays are before thee ^ this would guard us more againft wan- dring Thoughts, and vain Imaginations, and againft For- His H 0 L I N E S 5. 147 Formality and Infincerity in our Deportnfient toward God ;we (hoiild not dare in owr Devotions toofFerup to God only the labour of our Lips, or a Sa- crifice without an Heart, had we juft Apprehen* Cons of his Holincfs, and his all-feeing Eye ; the Song of Mofes reprefenting him Glorious in Holinefs^ and therefore Fearful in Praifes, that is, to be Praifed with an awful Fear, and a religious Reverence. We fliould not be partial in our Obedience, or halt be- twixt God and Baal^ did we ferioufly refled on thofe Words of Jofhua^ ^ Tou cannot ferve the Lord whilft you retain Affedion to your Idols, for He is m Holy God. The more we grow in an afFeft- ing Senfe of this Divine Perfedion, the more fhall we advance in a (incere Performance of our whole Duty towards God, if every a^ of Duty be u(her- ed in with Ferious Thoughts of God as mfinitely Holy, wc fhall perform them with greater Ardour, and more religious Refpeift unto his Prefence. 2dly, This Meditation would be Armour of Proof againil the ftrongeft Batteries of Satan, and an ef- fedual Prefervation from the mofl: alluring Baits of Sin, and the mod violent Temptations to in- dulge unco it. If the Thoughts of God's HolineFs had ftrong and permanent Impreflions on us, we ihould hate Iniquity with the Fame kind of hatred as He does, that is, we Fnould hate it univerfally, and without Exception, v/e (hoiild hate it perpe- tually, we fhould deteft it in all PerFons, how great, how dear, how kind Foevev they may be unto us. This would cauFe us to reje(ft the ftrongeft aF- faults of a Temptation with the Enquiry of good Jojeph^ '[ How fhall I do this great Iniquity attd Sin a- gainp the Holy God\ Did we again confider that this HolineFs in God did lay upoa him' the high- ^ Chap. 14. 19. ^Gefi' 39. 9- K k ^ eft 14S The Attrihtaes ofG 0 D/ eft Obligations to punifh all Iniquity, even in the choieelt of his Servants, this would render us more ready to comply with the Advice of the Pfdmifl^ ■^ Stand in awe of him^ and fin not-^ did we confider what a Provocation Sin is to the pure Eyes of his Glory, and howhe'ftyles it in his Holy Word f the abominable thing which his Soul hates , we fhould be more alhamed and afraid to do Evil in his Sight who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, without the utmoft deteltation. || Semca advifes young Men to fee before their Eyes a grave Cam^ or a Zeno^ and to fanfie they were ever in their Prefcnce, and did all things before their Eyes, fo, faith he, wilt thou have one whom thou wilt al- ways fear, Et coram quo pcccare non audeas. Now if the Fancy of the Prefence of a Man like our felves, and fubjcdt to like Pafllons with us, and who hath no Authority to punilhour Offences, can lay Rcftiaints upon the Sinner, Oh how efFe<^ual to- wards that End fhould be the Real Prefence of that Holy God, who doth not only fee continually all ojr'molt fecret Thoughts and Adlions, but will bring every fecret Thought and Work into Judgment^ and pafs an irreverfible Sentence on us at the great Day, according as they are good or evil in his Sight. 3^/y. A due Confideration of theHolinefs of God will promote in us ftrong Convidions of our own Vilenefs ^ a ferious Refiedtion on this Attribute will certainly be attended with a deep Senfe of our owa Guilt, and our obnoxioufnefs to his Difpleafure, by reafon of thofe many fecret Sins in which we do unwittingly offend, and of thofe finful Imper- fections which cleave to our befl: Performances ^ for as ]ob"% Friends well argue, :|: // Godchargcthhis '^i/v^./.4.4. t>-44.4'|l^/-'»' t7'^4- 18, 15. 14,1 5- His HO L / N E S S. 149 very JngeU with FoUy^ and the Heavenly Inhabitants are not clean in his Sight^ what ts Man that he [hould he clean ^ and he that was born of a Womarj that hcjhould be Righteous ? The Senfe of Giiik,and of the Imperr fedtion of our own Righteoufnefs, is the nataral Refult of a dear Profped of the Purity of the Di- vine Nature, nor can we well think of it without acknowledging with Holy Jbraham^ that ^ ire are but finful Dufl and JJhes, Whiilt Jdam continued in his Innocence, and fpoclefs Purity, he convers'd with God in great Familiarity, and without dreid of that glorious Light with which he ufually ap- peared, but when he once tranfgrelTed, and loft his Ipnocence, he prefently cries out, -f / heard thy P'oice and was afraid. When the Prophet JJai^h faw his Glory, and beheld the Sera^^hims covering their Faces before him, and Chanting out the Ta- fagion, Holy^ Huly^ Holy is the Lord of H)Jls^ he pre- fently cries out, || Wo is we, for 1 am Vnclean^ and dwell among a People of unclean Lips^ and durlt not fpeak unto this Holy God, or receive his Meilage, till God had by his Jngel told him that * his Iniqui- ty was taken away^ and his Sin purged. They there- fore who never lay under a lively Senfe of their own Vilenefs, have never duly been arfe<^ed with the Senfe of the Holinefs of that God v^^ith whom they converfe : Now ftrong Convidions of our own Vilenefs arifmg from the Contemplation of the Di- vine Purity will, ^thly. Keep us humble under the higheft Attain- ments, and the befl: Services we can perform. When with the Pharifce we compare oar felvcs with Pub- licans and Sinners^ Men of the vileft Charader, and iGofeft Manners, we are apt to fwell, and e.».ter- t^in an high conceit of our own Excellency, but when "^Gen. i3. 27. f Gf i;. 3. 10. H J/^;. f . y. * 2. 7- K k 3 we 150 The Attributes of G 0 D : we look upwards, and take a nearer View of the iafinite Purity of the Divine Nature, and then look down upon our felves, and confider how far iliort we fall of the exadnefs of the Pattern pro- pofed for our Imitation, how inconftant, remifs, imperfect is our hatred of Sin, how weak our Gra- ces are, how feeble our Affedion is to Piety, what Imperfeftions cleave to our beft Perfor- mances, how prone we arc toftep afide from the right way, and let our Appetites and Affedions, and our irrafcible Pafiions fwell beyond the bounds of Reafon and Religion, this mull difpofe us for the great Duty of vpalUng humbly with our God^ by due Acknowledgments of his free and undeferved Goodnefs in multiplying his Bleflings, and con- ferring the choiceft of his Favours on Perfons who deferve fo little, and who have reafon to confefs VJithJacoh^^They are unworthy of that Mercy ^ and that Goodnefs which He hath fhevped unto his Servants^ by an affeding Senfe of his great Kindnefs in ac- cepting fuch imperfe(ft Services, and (hewing fuch a favourable refped unto, and fuch Delight in them, whofe Hearts are uprightly devoted to his Service under all thofe Failings which juftly might divert his Favour from us ; and faying v;ith an Holy David^ -]- Not unto us^ 0 Lord^ not unto us^ hut to thy Name give the Glory, And by admiring his Condefcenfion who vouch fafes to dwell in us by his Holy Spirit, vvho are fo prone to do what is ofFenfive to that Sacred Gueft, and promifeth to reward that Service which is unprofitable to him, which only is performed by his Divine Afliflance, which falls fo (hort of what our Duty doth re- quire, which laftly in ftridt Juftice might render us obnoxious to his Difpleafure, with an cxceed- * Gf«. 3a. io. tP/tf/. 115. !• ing His H 0 L I N E S S. 151 ing and eternal weight of Glory, and therefore may well force ds with admiration to cry out in the Pfalmiji^s Words, '^ Oh how great is the Cood^ nefs tbou hafi prepared for them that fear thee. And, %thly. This Meditation would make us Patient and refigncd under all Afflidions, to be con- tented in what Eftate foever we are, and to ac- quiefce in all the Difpenfations of his Providence. When Jot was aflaulted by his three Friends, he is very ftilf upon his own Juftification,and lets fall many hard ExprelTions and Intimations, that he thought himfelf too feverely dealt with by the Hand of Providence; but when God gives him a Profpedt of his Greatnefs , of his dominion over all his Creatures, and of the Righteoufnefs of his Dealings with the Sons of Men •, this forces him to fay, '|- Behold I am vile^ what [hall I anfwcr thee ? / will lay my Hand on my Mouth. This will make us modeil: in our Expectations from God, as know- ing we deferve nothing at his Hands, and that 'tis purely ot free Mercy that we have Bread to eat^ and jj Raiment to put on ; this being all that a good Jacob thought reafonable to defire of the Lord ; this will engage us to be fatisfied with a low EUate, to learn contentedly with the Jpoftk Paul how to behave our felves as well in want as in abundance , as knowing v;hen we have the lead, we have ftill more than we deferve, or, if we do confider our undutiful Behaviour, had rca« fen to expeft ^ the Holinefs of God , as I have fhewed, tends naturally to produce in us ftrong Ccnvidtions of our Sin and Vilenefs. Now the rife of all the Calamities we fufFer being that Sia which bears fo great an Oppofition to the Purity ^PjW. 5^. 19 -j-c^i. ^o, 4. II Gen.iS. io> K k 4 of f 5 2 The Anributes of GOD : of the Divine Nature, that He will not, yb He cannot let it go unpunifhed even in his deareft Children, ^ Unjcrefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the Pum/Jjment of his Sin ? Is it not Love nnd Mercy to our Souls, that when we are wan- dring from him He doth f thus hedge vp cur Way with rhorns^ that we are chained in this World, that we may not be condemned with the World ? But then if farther we conlider the gracious Defign of all his Fatherly Correftions, that He afflids not wiUingly but only puts us under Heavinefs if need be. that He intends all his Chaflifements for our good, that they may || work in us the peaceable Fruits of Righte- oufnefs^ and fo our Sorrow may be turned into Joy, and may mah us Partakers of his Holinefs, and thereby of the higheft Comforts ^ this furely n^uft ailpoie us to acquiefce in them. 4%. This minifters the higheft Comfort to all thofe who are advanced to any true Conformity to this Divine Perfeftion, and make it their chief Aim, and their fincere Endeavour to perfea HolineCs mthe Fear of God. The ftrength of his Affeaion, and his warm Concernment for the Happinefs and Welfare of fuch Perfons cannot, as I have fhew- ed, be doubted, if we conlider either the great E- ftcem which he hath for them, they being his De- light, his Jewels, his peculiar Treafure, or the Kefemblance they bear to him, which naturally produceth Lore, the Honour they do to him by their Holy Lives, who hath declared that th^m who honour htm he will honour-^ or laftly, that this Holi- nefs IS the Fruit of that good Spirit by which we are fealcd up to the day of Redemption. Upon all which accounts, they who are thus adorned With unfeigned Piety, may rely on his Protedion, and His HOLINESS. 155 and hisPrefervationagainft Men and Devils, ^ feew^ the Eyes of the Lord run to and fro thro'' the whole Earthy to fhexo himfclf (Irong in the behalf of them nhofe Hearts are perfeB with him^ that is, who are fincere in their Endeavours to do what is well-pleafing in his Sight. If by our Fear to offend him, and our con- formity to his Holinefs and Righteoufncfs, Mercy and Goodnefs, we demonftrate that we are his Chil- dren, we may then reft fecure of all Spiritual Blef- fings from him, and of all that can dcferve the name of good, for this is the plain Import of thofc Words of Chrijl^ -f- // Evil Parents will give good things unto their Children^ much more will your Hea* 'venly Father ^ive good things ^ikith St- Luke -^ \\ his Ho-* ly 5pfm, faith St. Matthew^ t&thofe that ask him: And laflly, this will yield us a comfortable Aflurance of our future Happinefs ^ for // we have our Fruit unto Ho- linefs^ the end afjuredly will he Eternal Life^ Rom. 6. 22. To proceed then* to give you the full import of this Exhortation, Be ye Holy^ for I the Lord your God am Holy^ and fhew the Weight and Ener- gy it carries with it \ it in effect is this. Be ye Holy, for He whofe Eyes run to andfro^ beholding the Evil and the Good^ before whom all your fecret Impurities, whether of Heart or Life, lie open \ He, in whofe Prefence they are all committed, be- fore whofe Face even your fecret Faults are afted. He is of purer Eyes than to behold them without the utmoft deteftation. Be ye Holy, for He who is to be your Judge is Holy. The Law which He hath given you is Holy, Juft, and Good, and fo you cannot live in difo- bedience to it but you muft be without excafe. The Rule by which the Sentence will be then paft upon you is an holy Rule, and therefore will not per* 1 54 The Annhutes of GOD t permit him to acquit the unholy Perfon, feeing He hath an Eye to fee all your Iniquities, an Heart to loath them, and a Law to condemn them, his Truth and Juitice will oblige him to take Venge- ance of them. Be you Holy, or you can never be his Children, or bear a true refemblance to him who is an Holy God, you can have no Communion with him, ^ for what FeUowfhip hath Righteoufnefs with Vmighteoiifnefs^ or what communion hath Light with Darknefs ? You can enjoy no fhare in his Af- fedion, for as He loves whatfoever doth refemble bis Perfections, fo mufl: He loath what is Impure, and therefore is unlike to his Holy Nature, and that unchangeably, fo that if there be wrought in us no change from Sin to Righteoufnefs, there can be none in him from Hatred to Love, from Severity to Mercy. Be ye Holy, for otherwife He cannot poITibly ad- mit you to the Happinefs defigned for you , for f mthout Holinefs no Man {hall fee the Lord, Under the Law of Ceremonial Holincfs the unclean Perfon was not permitted to come into his Tabernacle ^ Hewen therefore, to be fure, being the Place of his Majeftick and his Blifsful Prefence, mud be the Place, jj into which no unclean thing enters. Now to be banifii'd from the Fountain of Life, is the worft of Deaths, robe excluded from God's Blifsful Pre- fence is the extreamell Curfe, to be eternally de- prived of the fullnefs of Joy, muft caufe the ut- inoft Mifery and Sorrow. Be ye Holy, or He who is elTentially Holy cannot ceafe to loath you, nor can you ceafe to do the abominable thing which his Soul hates, you will be ftill the necclTary Objeds of his Hatred, and his hat: Difpleafure^ his Prophet hath not laid He willnor^ ^ a Cor, 6. 14. t Heb' J a. 14. ^B^v^ 21. 27. but His HOLINESS. 155 but He * cannot look upon Iniquity ; 'tis fo exceeding loathfome to him, that he cannot but difcountenance it by his Severities againft the Evil Doer. Yea laflly, be ye holy , or you cannot avoid the Portion of the very Devils, allotted to thena becaufe they are Impure and Evil Spirits • you can- not pofllbly avoid the Wrath of an Almighty God^ for He will be umo the Wicked d Confuming Fire ^ his Holinefs will even force him to exclude fuch Perfons from his Prefcnce, and (hew forth all his Power upon fuch Veffds of his Wrath fo fitted for Deflrudion • and feeing his Difpleafure againll: all Impenitent Sinners arifeth from the Purity of his Nature, you reay as well expedt that He (hould change his Na- ture as fhew no Tokens of his Indignation againft obftinate Sinners. Again, Be ye Holy, for your holy God beholds all your devout and holy Motions with an Eye of Favour ^ He hears your Groanings after it, and paffionate AddrefTes for it, with an Ear open to your Prayers \ He views all your Endeavoors after it, and your Advancements to greater meafures of it with Delight and Satisfadlion. They do not minifter fo great a Confolation to your Souls, fuch gladnefs to your Pious Friends and Relatives, as they do joy in Heaven. Be ye Holy, for then God will be fure to love you with a moft dear Affedion ^ lie never can re- fufe to own them as his Beloved Children, who are like to him in Holinefs •, he could not love him- felf if he did not affect fuch lively Images, and f iir Refemblances of his own glorious Perfedions^ {o happily transform'd f/row Glory to Glory by the Spirit of the Lord, If when He firfb Created all things He pronounced them very good, how can he 1 56 I'k Attributes of G 0 D: he chufe but look upon this new Creation with a more pleafing Afpeft ? Since he hath faid, ^ with the Pure will he fhew bimfelf pure^ and that Im Coun^ tenance Jhall favourably behold the V fright. Be ye Holy, and He will dwell with you for Ever ; He, in whofe Prefence is Life, will own your Bodies ponfecrated to his Service, as Tem- ples he delights to dwell in •, the high and lofty One who dwelleth in the holy Place, will alfo have an Habitation in the low, humble, pu- rified Heart. Yea laftly, be ye Holy, and you (hall dwell with him for ever, you (liall be like thofe Glorious yingels who being Holy, do behold his Face continually ; for Holinefs will certainly con- clude in Happinefs, and whom God Sandifies, them will He alfo Glorific. » Pfalm iF, S E R« M7 SERMON X. Of His GOODNESS. P S A L. CXLV. ix. . The Lord is good to ally md his Tender Mer^ cies are over all his WorkS' THis Text diredts us to the mofl: noble Sub}edt that can imploy our Meditati- ons, viz., to the Confideration of the moft Glorious Perfedtion of the moft I Excellent of Beings, the Divine Goodnefs^ this being I that which fweetneth to us aU his other Attii- j butes, and excites in us the befl of Paflions, -D/- vine Love ; for whereas this Almighty Power tends naturally to create in us Awe and Reverence, the Glory of his Majefty, an holy Dread, the Incom- prehenfiblcnefs of his Nature, and the Wifdom vifible ia all his Works to raife within us the profoundefl: Admiration, his Infinite Purity and Ho- Unefs to humble us^ and make us fenfible of our own 158 The Attributes of GOD: Ownvilenefs andunworthinefi; his Good nefs doth e- irect onr Countenance, prefents him to us in the moft grateful and obliging Afpect, and renders him the, object of our choicefl: Love. All the Effects and gracious Fruits of all his other Attributes we daily find, and which are abfolutely necelTary to preferve us from that Wrath which our Iniquities deferve ^ and to incline him to afford that Grace and Favour we never tan at all deferve, are the refulcs of this a- bundant Goodnefs. For what is his free Grace and Favour, but Goodnefs fhew'd to them who neither can deferve nor challenge any Right unto his Bleffings ? What is that Mercy, Pardon and Forgive- nefs which we daily need, but Goodnefs fhew'd to them who deferve Punilhment, and are obnoxious to his Wrath ? What is his Pity, but Goodnefs to the Mifcrable •, his Bounty, but Kind nefs to the In- digent ? What is his Patience, Forbearance and Long- fuffering, but Kindnefs lengthened out to us, whilfl we are adding Sin to Sin, and Provocation to Provo» cation > And what is the Defign of this rich Good- Befs and Patience, but to lead us by Repentance to Eternal Life, and to preferve us from going on to treafure up Wrath againft the day of Wrath^ and Revela^ tion of bis Righteous Judgment^ to draw us by thefe Cords of love to himfelf, in whom our Happinefs confifts, and to whom if we be not drawn by all the Methods of his free Grace, and hi-s alluring Good- nefs, we mult be miferable to all Ecernity ? This is - that high and noble Subject which even the Tongue of Angels cannot fufficiently exprefs, or perfectly difcover fo as to leave no room for the Pfalmiji'^ Admiratioa, Oh how great is thy Goodnefs I In Profecution of this Subject I fhall not fpendmy Time, or exercife your Patience with Arguments to prove that God is Good ;, this being that which we all daily find by good Experience, which all the Works both of Creation, Providence and Redemp- tion, His GOODNESS. 159 tion loudly proclaim to the World • for altho' the Divine Power was the principle, and his Wifdom the diredtor of all thefe Adions, his Goodnefs was the Motive to them ; and upon this our Service of him wholly depends, feeing, we therefore pray to him, becaufe we ftedfaflly believe that as his Wif- dom knows what beft conduceth to our Good, his Power enables him to confer it^ fo doth his Go«3d- nefs encline him to do what is good for us : Our Truft in him doth alfo center on his Goodnefs, our Hope is in his Mercy, and all our Praifes are the Ac- knowledgments of his free Goodnefs to us, and the chief Motive to obey his Precepts, is this Con- fideration, that he commands them for our Good. * IVefear hint^ faith the Prophet^ for his Goodnefs ; and '|- we love him, faith St. Jobn^ becaufe he firfi loved us^ andfent his Son to be our Saviour • I therefore fhall not fpend more time in proving what we all find by good Experience • what all our Services do own, and all kis Difpenfations fo clearly do evince. But (hall pro- ceed to fhew, ifi. What is the true import of Divine Good- nefs, and what Conceptions w^c fhould have of this perfedion of the Deity. idly. In what an excellent and tranfcendent man- ner he is Good. ^dly. How he is Good to all, and in what manoer he demonftratcs his Goodnefs to the Sons of Men, And, ^thly. What Improvement we (hould make of the Divine Goodnefs, and what good Effeds it fhould produce within us. And, ift. Goodnefs, as it belongs to Beings capable of moral Excellency, is that propenfion or readinefs of Mind, which doth encline them to defire and pro- ♦ Hat' I' 5. t I John 4. lo. mote l6o "The Attributes of G 0 D : mote the welfare of others as far as it is fit and pro« per for them fo to do, and they are capable of re- ceiving it ^ I fay, as far as they are capable of receiv^ ingCood^ becaufe the Devils are at prefent, and the damned will hereafter become uncapable of obtain- ing any Good, even from the beft of Beings. I alfo add , as far as it is fit 9nd proper^ for tho' I would not limit the Divine Majefty, or fay, he cannot make all Men Good -^ yet I do fa y^ God cannot at the fame time move and encourage them to be Good by pro- fpe^ of a Reward, if they will do what is fo, and by threats of Punifhment if they negled to do it, and yet force them to be Good, becaufe what they do not chufe, but are forced to do whether they will or no, is neither worthy of Praife or Difpraife, Re- ward or Punilhment •, God therefore cannot place Men in a ftate of Trial or Probation, whether they will be Good or Evil,and yet force them to do Good • for where there is no pofTibility of finning, there caa be no trial of Vertue and Obedience. If then it be agreeable to the Goodnefs of God to make Man of fuch a Frame as to be capable of having his^Obe- dience try'd, in order to his Reward ^ the Divine Goodnefs muft exert it felfin ways that are fit and proper for him to deal with a free Agent, by trying hov/ he will exert that freedom. If then^ halving made him capable of chufmg the way that will moil certainly conduce unto his Happinefs • and thoroughly acquainted with it, he hath alfo af- forded him all the Afliftance he can want for the obtaining of that End \ and the moll powerful In- ducements, and the bell Encouragements to do what will moil certainly procure it. He hath done for him all that this Attribute requkes. And to ima- gine that Divine Goodnefs doth require him to do more than this, even by force, to hinder them from doin^r. Evil, and to compel them to be Good, is at onee to dellioy Heaven and Hell ^ for there could His GOODNESS. t6i could be no Hell for us, if no Man were permitted to do Evil 'y nor could there be a Heaven to reward that Vertue which was not Praife-worthy, becaafe it was not matter of our choice. And fo much for the Notion of Divine Goodnefs, I proceed, idly. To fhcw in what an exceflcnt, tranfccndcnc manner God is Good. And, jfi. God h original Goodnefs ; he is the Foun- tain from whence all other Beings do derive thofe little Streams, or rather Drops of Goodnefs which diftil from them ^ he is the grand Exemplar of it 5 and all the Goodnefs of thebeftof Creatures is on- ly a rude Draught, and an imperfedt Imprefs of that inoft: perfedt and unimitable Copy. He alfo is the firft mover of us to it : He lays upon us the moft ftrift Injun6:ions to do Good, and to Diftribute^ and that not for his own, but for the fake of o- thers. He affords the higheft Motives and Encou- ragements to abound in Charity, and in that Be- nevolence which is the fpring 01 all true KindnefSji by reprefenting it as a Sacrtfice^r\d afweet Odor ac- ceptable to him, as that which will alone demon- ftrate that we arc the Children of our Heavenly Father, and that which will as generoufly be re- warded by him, as if it were a kindnefs done to his own fdf. Moreover, it is God from whom we all derive our natural inclinations to Kindnefs and Humanity, and when this natural propenfion is advanced into a Chf iftian Vertue, it is the Pro- dudi of that Spirit of God, whofe Fruits are Love and Goodnefs. All the Faculties, and the Means by which we are enabled to do Good, derive from him who * givtth liberally^ and makes aU Grace abound towards us^ that we having all'/nfficiency may abound to every Good Worl ^ fo that all that we contribute in •^2 Cor. 9. 8. LI mi i6t The Attrihites of G 0 D : any kind to the Relief and Comfort of his Servants, is only that which his free Bounty hath firft im- parted to us. And as his Goodnefs is the Fountain of all the Good we do to others, lb is it the true fpring of all the Kindncfs we receive from him; for as he can receive no Advantage from any Service we per- form, feeing if we be righteous he is not the better ^ fo is it certain, that if any good thing be found in us, it is the free produd of him ^from whom cometh c- vtYy good and perfe^ Gift. It is by the admirable Encouragements and powerful Motives to be ver- tuous, he fprcads before us m the Gofpel, that he excites our Wills to chufe the good ways of God ^ and when he finds us truly willing to do wiiat is well plcafingin his fight; he, by the aids of Grace, and by the inward motions of his Holy Spirit, doth firengthen us tvith might in the inward Man to do his fleafure^ and thus he '}- worhth in us both to wiU and doj even when he, for this very reafon, doth com- maiKl us to w&rk ouP our Salvation with fear and trem-' bling. All our AfFedion to him fprings from his preventing Love, for JJ we love him becaufe he firfl h^ ved us ^ and all that we return to him by way cf Duty, is what we have received from him by way of Grace and Mercy *, for who hath firfi givers fo him that he may be recomfenfed^ fmce of him and from him are all things^ Rom. 1 1* 35, 36. idly, God is a general Good, the Emanations of his Bounty are like thofe of the Sun Beams, which fprcad themfelves from one end of the Earth to the other, iov ^ the whole Earth isfuU of his Goodnefs^ faith the ?falmifi ; and as there is nothing hid, faith the fame Pfalmifl\ from the heat and influence of * Jam, r.t^, \?hiL ». i», 13. || i John 4. 10. ^ Pfaf. 33. J- the His GOODNESS. 16^ the Sun, fo is there nothing capable of, and fitted for the Efflux of Divine Goodncfs, which is not made partaker of it ; whereas the Goodnefs of the belt of Men is limited, and very fcanty, both withrc- fpe(n: unto the Objc(^ and the influences of it, he being only able to do little Good, and that to ve- ry fcw^ for were we never lb wellenclined to do Good, how narrow is our knowledge of the Wants, and the Neceflities of others, and were ever ready to diltribute : How unable is the Jargeft Fortune to fupply the Wants of all. The only thing in which we can exprefs our Kindnefs, arid extend our Cha- rity to all, is in our Wifhes and our Requelts to him, who is the Fountain of all Bleflings, that he would do for others what we neither know they want, nor are we able to fupply them with. The high- eft Aft of Kindnel's we can fhew to others, is to endeavour to make them truly Good, to fit them for Communion with God, and Enjoyment of him^ and how defedive are our endeavours in this Cafe ? For even when Taul doth plant^ and Apollos vfater^ it is G od that giveth the cncYeafe^ and therefore to hint alone the glory of the Work rauft be afcribed, i Cor, 3. 7. 3^/y. God is fo good as that no Creature can be good to others in the fame kind and riianner. Man being a deficient Creature ftill afts in profpei^ of fome good he wants ; he therefore is ftill moved to do good, either in Obedience to the Command^ j or in Conformity to the Example of God, or in I E^pedtation of a Reward from his Bounty, or from' I fome Advantage he receives or expefts from do- ing r.ood : t^e may, and the better ftill he is the i more will he be enclined to do good to others,' II when he experts no Rccompence from them ^ but Ij then he doth expeft it from that God whom he both li ferves and imitated in doing it. He may be fo ad- fj vatic*d in Goodnefs as to do it from the very plea- h\ X fore f 1 64 The Attributes of GOD: fure that he finds refulting frcJm his Benignity to o^- thers *, but then that pleafure chiefly doth arife from the Confideration of the refemblance which in that Adion he doth bear to God,and from the Expedatioa of his Acceptance upon that Account. Whereas, God being original Goodnefs, he ean^ have no Ex- ample for his Imitation ^ and being fovereign Good- nefs, he cannot obey the Commands of others in the ExprefTions of hisGoodnefs, he being alfo compleat- /y happy in and from himfelf, and capable of no additions to his infinite Perfedions, and his felf- fufficiency, can only be enclined to do Good for the fake of others, and from his readinefs to make his Creatures better, and more happy, by the Ex- prefTions of his Bounty to them. In this regard then God is Good above his Creatures, that he communicates his Goodnefs to them ; but can re- ceive none from them, and that the Motive to all his A6ts of Grace and Favour, is purely that of do- ing Good without a profpect of receiving the leaft Advantage by fo doing. 1 proceed, ^dly. To confider how he is good to all, and in what manner he demonftrates his Goodnefs to Man- kind : Now all Men being Good or Bad, under the conduct of the good Spirit of God, or of that Spi- rit who worketh in the Children of Difobedience; { Ihall confider the riches of Divine Goodnefs to them both. And,. \fl. Our gracious God demonftrates his kindnefs to the worft of Men in doing fo much Good, and being fuch a daily Benefactor to them^ whilft they are living in Contempt of his Authority, in wilful Violations of his Good and Holy Laws, andufing all his Bleflings to the di&onour of the Donor. But more efpecially in being fo concerned by all the Me- thods his VVifdom hath contrived, and his Goodnefs freely doth adminifter to make them better, to refcue them from that eternal ftate of Mifery which thej His G 0 0 D N E S S. 165 they are fo induftrious to pull down upon them- felvcs, and to prevail upon them to turn into the way of Life and Happinefs. In profecution of this noble End it is that, ijf. He doth fo liberally beftow upon them thofe Temporal Bleffings which have a natural tendcnce to engage them to returns of Love and Gratitude to him who is fo good and gracious to them undor all their Provocations, and to induce them to fear the Lord^ and his Goodnefs. Thus is it with us in reference to our fellow Man, if, under God, he hath been in- ftrumental to confer thofe Temporal Bleffings on us, which render our lives comfortable and plea- fant, we think our felves oblig'd to Honour, Love, and be as grateful to him as we can ; and if after great Provocations he ftill continues this kindnefs to us, the Obligation is the greater, and why then ihould not the Goodnefs of that God w4io gives us all things richly to enjoy ^ and notwithftanding all our Provocations, doth daily Ibad us with his Bkjjlngs^ and procure his Benefits upon us^ ingage us to returns of Love and Gratitude to the kind Author of them ? It is by this Exemple that our Lord excites us Chri- ftians to do good to them that hate us^ and to pray for them that def pile fully ufe us^ that we may (hew our felves the * the Children of that Heavenly Father who waketh his Sun to/Jmie upon the Wicked and the Good^ andjendeth Rain upon thejujl andthe Vn'jufi ^ and may refemble him more perfectly, \ who is kind to the Vnthankfhl^ and the Wicked^ endeavouring thus to draw them to himfelf ; and to his Service, as he did Ephraim^ \\ by the Cords of a Man , the Cords of Love, And when thefe kind, aad more obliging Methods have been loft upon them, ^Matth,<). ^^. i Luke 6.:^^, \\Hofiu^, LI 3 2 J/, 1 66 The Attributes of GOD : idly. He proceeds then with the fame kind In- tentions to affVight them from their fintul and per- nicious ways by the feverer Methods of his Cha- ftifements, nnd by the Terrors of his Judgments, which are then better for them than a ftace of Eafc, QniQZ and Piofpcrity, becanfe they are more pro- per to awaken them out of their fleep in Sin, to make them feel the Evils of Sin, in the evils that they fufFcr for it, and teach them what they muft lexped to fufFer farther from the Hand of Ju- ftice, if they continue ftill in their Iniquities, that fo he at the laft may teach them Wifdom by the Rod, and Obedience by the things that they fufFer. Thus is he faid to "^ wafh away the fM of the Daughr tcr of Zion, by the Spirit of Judgment^ and the Spirit of Burning, That this is God's Defign in all thofe Temporal Judgments which do afflict, but do not put us off, Elihu tcacheth in thefe Words, -j- // Men h9 bound in Fetters^ and held in the Cords of Jljfli&ion^ then God fJjevretb them their Wbrks^ and their Tranf^ grejfions^ wherein they have exceeded^ he opcneth their Ear to Difcipline^ and commandeth them to return from Jniqwty, And God himfelf faith of backQiding £- phraim^ \\ 1 will hedge up her way with Thorns^ and raife a Wall againjl her^ that/he fhall not find her Paths ^ and thenfpaU [he fay ^ I wtll gOy and return to my firji Hus' handy for then is was better with me. That is, I will, by great Afflictions and Calamities, which (hall be as grievous to her Spirit, as pricking Thorns arc to her Body, andbycaufirig her to meet with great Difhculties, and Difappointments in the purfuit of her inordinate Affedions, and irregular Defircs in- gage her to return to me, and to prefer my Ways which create Peace and Pleafure to the Soul, before thofe ways of Sin which produce fo great Trouble His GOODNESS. 167 and Affliftion to her. Thus when the Prodigal is reduced to his Husks, and cannot fill his Belly with them, he prefently refolvcs upon returning to his Father's Houfe. 3^//. If neither God's Mercies nor his Jiidgmentj can prevail upon the Sinner to confider and turn un- to the Lord, yec doth he not grow weary of thefc DcHgns of Love and Kindnefs, but is ftill waitwg to Is grachus^ and at the laft: to overcome our Evil with hi ; Goodnefs. For, ( ijl.) How earnellly doth he invite, how movingly doth he exhort, how unwea- ricdly doth he foUicite Sinners to return unto him? >L faying unto them, * Come buy Wtne and Milk without ' Money ^ and without Trice ^ eat yon that which fs^good^ and let your Souls delight themfelves in fatnefs. -[ Come unto tne^ faith the^Bleffed Jefos, all that travail and are heavy laden^ and I will refreflj you. \\ Tea^ whofo^ ever will^ let him come and drink of the Waters of Life freely. Moreover, to (hew his Zeal and wonderful Condefcenfion in thcfe Exhortations : He humbles himfelf even to intreat and to befeech us to be reconci- led, and to exprefs his pafFionate dcfire, that thefe intreatics may become effedtual : He faith, + Oh that there were fuch an Heart in them that they would fear me I II Oh that they were wife that they would cot^ftder this \ To fhew the conftancy of his Endeavours, that they might do fo, he rcprcfents himfelf as jiretching out his Hands all the day long to a rebellious and gainfaying People^ and thus expoftulating the Cafe with flub- born Sinners, * Turn ye^ turn ye^ why will you dye ? vphy do you fpind your Money for that which is not Bread^ and your labour for that which will not pofit. L 1 4 Again, ,i68 The Attributes of G 0 D. Again, when all thefe Methods of his Grace prove inefFeftual for a Seafon, when the obdurate Heart refills thefe Motions, and the deaf Ear is (hut a- gainfi: his Calls ; he doth not prefently withdraw his gracious Operations, and ceafe his kind Inten- tions to us, but with much patience doth endure thefe Repulfes, and ftill continue knocking at the JDoor of our obdurate Hearts, even to thofe Perfons who had been long in love with their Iniquities, who had contraifted a great hatred of faving Know- ledge, and even fcorncd God*s falutary Counfels^ Wifdom direds this gracious Invitation, ♦ Howlong^ yefimple ones^ will you love fimplictty^ and you /corners delight infcormyi£,and you fools hate knowledge^ turn you at m^ reproof', behold I wiU pour my Spirit onyou^ and make known my Words to you. And the /^fq/?/edoth afTare us, that the -f* Riches of this Goodnefs, Patience and l-ong'fuffering is defign'd to lead the Sinner to Repentance, In fine, when he can do no more, we find him grieved at the very Heart, and repenting that he made that Man he could not by thefe gra- cious Methods fave • and the Compaflionate Jefus weeping and fighing oyer that Jerufakm which he could not reform. And canft thou, O thou ftubborn Sinner, think of thefe things without Confufion, and a deep fenfeof thine Ingratitude, and thy ftupendious folly ? When thy good God hath (aid and done fo much to move thee to be reconciled to him. Oh, what pretence can there remain for thy refufal. When an Hear then Benhadad had learned that || the Kings of Ju- dah were mercifnl Kings^ he comes with Sackcloth on his Loins ^ and a Rope about his Neck, fuing for Life and Pardon with all the figns of Penitence, and of Submiffion^ and furely then the Dcmonftrations I fProz;. I, 14. |/^ow. a.4. II I ^««^i2©. 31,5?. His GOODNESS., 169 have offered that your God is rich in Mercy, and plenteous in Goodnefs to the Sons of Men, fhould bring you into his Prefence with a godly Sorrovn that you have finned againft fo much Goodnefs, and caufc you to prcfent your felves before the Footftool of his Grace, with full Acknowledge- ments of your paft Tranfgreffions, and hearty Rc- folutions to forfakc them, and to return no more to folly. For, is God fo unwilling you fhould pe- rilh, and will you ftill continue obftinately refol- ved to die eternally ? Is he fo earneftly defirous that you may be happy, and fliall you be un- willing to comply with the moft gracious Tc^ms on which this Happinefs is tendrcd ? Hath his Com- paffion to you moved him to do fo much for the ob- taining of this Bleffed End, and will you have no Pity onyour felves, or your Immortal Souls? Do his Bo- wels of Compaffion fo yearn towards you, and will you ftill be cruel to your felves ? Ah, (hall the Motions of the Evil Spirit to walk in that broad way which leadeth to Deftrudion, be more effedtu- al than all the Calls and Invitations of your Hea- venly Father to return and live ? Confider, O my Friends, what you^re doing whilft you gooa in your Impenitence, even treafuring up Wrath tf- gainft the day of Wrath ; and is it not much better to be laying up Treafures in the Heavens / Will you not be afhamed hereafter of your obftinatc refufals to receive the Grace of God ? and is it not much better now to blufh and be filled with an holy fhame, that you hereafter may lift up your Heads with joy ? Think, I befecch you, how un- grateful you will be to your good God, if after all the Riches of his Goodnefs you are ftill deaf to all his gracious Calls, regardlefs of his Pro- mifes and Threats, defpifers of his Goodnefs, and {lighters of his Grace and Mercy. For, what caa be more gracious and obliging f what caa difcover 4 I JO The Atirihutes of G 0 D. a greater readincfs to do us good than this Dc portment of our God towards us ? For him who IS fo highly exalted above aU our Thoughts to con- dcfcend thus, to expoftulate the Cafe with Sin- ners, to befeech them to confider of the things which do balong to their Eternal Peace ? for him who hath fo highly been incenfed by us, not on- ly to be willing to be reconciled/ but to fend his Son, his Holy Spirit, to acconiplifh this great Work upon us? for him who can reap no Ad- vantage by our Welfare to be fo earneft to pro- cure it ? for this great God of Heaven to wait upon us that he may be gracious to be ftill flretch- ing forth his Hand all the Day long to a rebel- lious People? ^ Thefc certainly are Indications of his tender Love, and his ama7Jng Goodnefs to us ^ gnd mull not therefore our flngratitude, Difingc- nuity and Bafenefs, be exceeding great, if we re- fufe to hearken to his gracious Calls, and ftill go on to weary him with our Tranfgreffions, who is unwearied in his Goodnefs to us ? To prefs a Matter of this vaft Importance home on thofe who are concerned in it, let me entreat them, ifi. To confider who it is who doth induftri- onfly labour to obftrufc their compliance with God's gracious Calls, and his Defign by all thi§ riches of his Goodnefs to lead you to Repentance. 'Tis not your gracious God, for you have heard him fweaiing by his own Life, he would not the death of a Sinner, but rather that he Ihould re- turn and live. It is not the Bleffed Jefus, for he came to feck and to fave that which was loft ^ he faith to every willing Soul, Come^ and dtmk of the Waters of Life freely : He wcepeth over an Im- *Ifa.6^,l. penitent His G 0 0 D N E S S. 171 penitent Jerufakm^ and fighing laith. Oh that thou hAcifl kmvon in this thy d^y the things which do belong to thy Peace. No, 'tis alone that great Abaddon^ that Fnemy of Souls, that roaring Lyon who goes about continually feeking whom be may devour. He know- ing how eft'edually your due Confideration of God's rich Grace and Goodnefs to you would con- duce unto your Reformation and Eternal Hap- pinefs, endeavours to divert you from it : He, as St. Mark * informs us, comes quickly^ and fnatcheth away the good Seed fown in your Hearts^ leaft being there retain'd and duly pondered, it fhould bring Fruit unto Salvation, and will you be fo foolilh and abfurd, and even Devils to your felves, as to join with him in his Policy to hinder your Eter- nal Welfare ? or can you hope that any thing bul endlefs Ruin Ihould be the litae of your Compli- ance with his Counfels ? idly. Confider that the time will fhortly come when we Ihall be forc'd to confider of thefe things whether we will or no, when God will fetthe Sin$ of Wicked Men before them, and will convince them of the execrable Folly of their refufals of all the Methods his Wifdom had prefcribed to bring them to the Enjoyment of himfelf ; whea ficknefs doth confine them to their Beds, whea Death arrefts them, and gives them a near Pro- fpedt of an unchangeable Condition, when the/ are ready to be fummoned to the Tribunal of that God whom they fo highly have inccnfed by their continual Dcafnefs to all his Invitations to return into the way of Life ; how deeply wil^ their Souls be then afflicted with the fenfe of their prodigious obdinacy, their flighting of God's Grace^ and their defpifing of the great Salvation fo free- f iV-yifiii %fX}TdLti ch. 4, I 5, IjZ Th^ Attributes of GOD, ly tendred to them ? Since then 'twill be in y^m to hope they (hould live happily hereafter, who nc- ver here lived holily j that they Ihould die the Death of the Righteous, or receive his Recom- pence, tho' they have never lived his Life ; and 'tis not poffible they fhould leave this World un- der a Sentence of Condemnation, without reflect- ing bitterly upon that Sin and Folly which expo- fed them to it. But when the fatal Sentence is once pafl upon them, and they begin to tafle the bitter Fruits of their Impenitence, they will be forced to bring their evil Ways to their remembrance, and be unable to divert the rueful Objed, tho* that remembrance will only aggravate their Torments, and encreafe their Mifery ; and is it not much better now to lay to Heart thefe things, whilft the Gonfideration of them may prevent that Mifery, and work that Reforma- tion which will create Joy in Heaven, and Joy in your own Confcience, than to be forced to do it when it can only minifter unto your greater Mifery. ^dly. Confider how inexcufable we fhall be if all thefe gracious Invitations, this rich Goodnefs, Pa- tience and Long- fufferance, cannot produce within US true Repentance. When God endeavoars to al- lure us with the profped of the greatcft and molt lafting BlefTings ; when he lovingly invites, and e- ven doth befeech us to become partakers of them ; when he attempts to terrifie us by his threats from going on in ways which lead to our Deltrudion, to awaken us by his Judgments, and teach us Wifdoni by his Rod, or the Example of what others fuffer, if none of ^11 thefe Methods will prevail upon us to reform, muft not our Mouths be ftop'd when God fhall plead in fury with us, or only opened to con- fefs we have deftioy'd our felves, when of hitn would have been our fafecy. Seeing His G 0 0 D N E S S. 175 Seeing then thy God is truly willing and dcfirous that thou ihouldft be faved *, Oh be not ftill unwil- ling to accept of the Salvation tendred by him, fee- ing he ftriveth with thee by his Spirit : Oh do not ftill refifl: his Motions, but heartily give up thy felf to his Conduft, Seeing thy Heavenly Father fo car- neftly invites thee to return and live. Oh, yield a willing and obedient Ear to his Call ^ feeing thy Sa- viour ftill continues knocking at the Door of thy Hcart,^ Oh open to him, give him poflcflion of thy Soul, and then he will be fure to keep it by his Power thro' Faith unto Salvation. SE R. >74 SERMON XL Of Hti GOOVNESS. P S A L. CXLV. ix. The Lord is good to dll^ and his tender Mef* cies are over all hts tVorks* Aving formerly fhew'd the Riches of Di- viae Goodnefs to the Vnthanhful and the Wicked^ I proceed to lay before you his more abundant Kindnefs to his (in- cerc obedient Servants, even to all that truly do de- fire, and therefore heartily endeavour to be Good. He is Good to the Wicked with a defign to make them fo ^ but he is fo to them that fear him, be- caufe they are Good in his fight. He is Good to^ the firft from a love of Benevolence only, to nia- nifeft his willingnefs that they fhould be good, but he is good to his Servants from a * love of Conj^lacmcy^ -f- for the Lord tdketh pleafure in them that fear him • and hath promifed to re- His G 00 D N E S S. 175 joke over them to do them Cood^ with his whole Heart and Soul'j he is good to the Wicked only by that general Goodnefs he affords to all, and in things common to all Men, becaufe, whilfl they conti- nue fuch, they are incapable of his efpecial Grace and Favour ; but as his Servants are Ilyled his pe- culiar People^ fo hath he his peculiar Favours for them, they being his adopted Sons, led by his Spirit, and Heirs of that Kingdom from which the Wicked Ihall be Excluded, when Chrifl: Ihall fay unto them, Depart from me^ 1 know ye not ye Workers of Imquity. Again, God's Goodnefs to theJ Wicked, if it doth not accbmplilh his great De- fign upon them ia turning them from their Ini- quity, is only for a feafon, the time will comef whea they ftiall find Judgment without Mercy^ be- caufe they have defpifed Mercy, and furvived their day of Grace, and (hall be as incapable of any further Mercy to them as the very Devils. Where-^ as the Mercies of the Upright are fure Mercies^ and they may fay with holy David^ * Surely Goodnefs and Mercy (hall follow me all the days of my Life^ yea, for ever and ever. Laltly, the Goodnefs of God to the Wicked is attended with a mixture of Anger and Severity, for \ he is Angry with the Wicked every Day^ and if he will not turn (md live, he hath pre^ pared for him the Infiruments of Death ; but, faith the ffalmij}^ ach Tob, U God is only Good to Ifracl, to them that are upright of Heart ^ if he chaftneth them, it is with the Affeftion of a tender Father, and for their Profit, that he may render them Parta- kers of his Holinefs^ and if he caufe them to be troubled, it is in Faithfulnefs to their Souls, ac- cording to thofe Words of David^ || / knoiv^ O Lord^ that thy Judgments are right ^ and thai in Faith* * PfaL 23, 6. t PfaL 7. 12. | P/i/. 75. 1. 11 PfaL- 119. 75- fulnefs 1 76 The Attrihutes of G 0 D- fulnefs thou haft affli^ed me. Such Reafon have we to fay with him, * Oh how great is the Goodneft thou haft laid up for them that fear thee ! Now this GoodBcfs to them God demonftrates, I . Iq his great readincfs to cherifli and promote the; leaft beginnings, and fmiinefl: fparks of Goodnefs in us, for as in temporal things he is ftill preventing us with the Bkjjings of Goodnefs^ fo in Spirituals f He meeteththem who remember him in his Ways^ and is flill Tfaiting to he Gracious to them. Thus when the young Man came to Jefus^ who bad kept all the Com- mandments of the fecond Table from his Youth, though he wanted one great Qualification to fit him for the Kingdom of God, to wit, a love of Treafures in Heaveri above his Earthly Riches ; yet the Text faith, that jj Jefus beholding him^ loved him ; where it is well obferved by Grotius^ that our Lord not only loved Vertues, but the Seeds of them, the one fo as to reward them , the other fo as to encourage them, and minillcr to their Growth. And hence he flill continued to excrcife all ads 'of Charity to the Souls of all that were difpofed to hear him, tho* they were weak in Faith, and full of Prejudices againft his Doftrine, whence that of the Prophet is faid to be fulfilled in him, + Ahruifcd Reed will he notbreak^ andfmoak^ ing Flax will he not quench. The higheft Inftance of Ibis Nature is that of the returning Prodigal, for how furprizing is almoft every Circumftance of his Reception, feeing his Father fo long deferted, fo much affronted, behold him afar off, and that with a moll gracious Afped, for he no fooner fpies him, but he comes running to hinii, not to upbraid him for his Prefumption, or to chaflife him for his Difobedience, but to embrace him with ? P/ N E S S. 179 and it /hall be opened to you. And tho' this Prornife doth extend to all good things without Exception, and to the giving that holy Spirit, who is the Foun- tain of all Grace, our Lord confirms it by an Ar- gument which leaves no place for doubting, viz., from a Comparifon of Evil Men with a God infi- nite in Goodnefs *, of Earthly Parents, with onr Heavenly Father, faying, If * Earthly Payerits will give good Gifts to their Children^ much nort will your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to thoje that ask him. The chiefeft Eleffing ofg God's People which Mofes could refledt upon, was this. That they had 4 Cod fo nigh to them in all they called upon hmfcr, j^ow this is certainly the Bleffing of every up- right Chriftian, he having freedom of accefs to the Throne of Grace \\for Grace^ for fuitahk help in time of need. ^dly. He alfo plentifully affords them all the Af- fiftance which he fees needful to their growth ia Grace, and which will fit them for Communioti with him, and Enjoyment of him. This plainly follows from the former Head : for God cannot be wanting, or in the lead unwilling, to afford what he afl^jres us we (hall have for asking. All outward Afliftances for the Performance of our known Do- ty arife from the Encouragements and Motives to Perfeverance in it, which his Word affords, and thefe are common to the good and bad : but with this difference, that v^icked Men do never feri- oufly confider of, and lay them to Heart, and fo they can produce no good Effe<3: upon them ^ whereas good Men do carefully attend to them, ferioufly meditate upon them, and treafure them up in good and honed Hearts, and fo in them they bring forth Fruit imto Perfe&ion, The inward. Motives to it. * Luk,e i!.o, fo. f Deut. 14. 7. |1 Hehr. 4. 16. M m 2 ar«5 1 So The Attrihtites ofG 0 D j are chiefly fiich as refult naturally from our own Experience, and thcfeour Gracious God hath made the fure reiuk of the fmcere Performance of our Duty ^ to wit, the inward Teftimony of a good Confcience, the eafe, the quiet, arid fatisfadtion of our Minds, the Peace and Pleafure which we find in our compliance with his Holy Will, the bumble c'^onndence we have in that God whom we fincerely ferve, the raifed Kope^-- and Expedtations of the Rev^ards which he hath promifed, the Joys and Comforts of the Holy Ghoft enabling us to call God f-athty\ and* teftifyin^ to our Spirits that we are the Children of God Thefe Fruits of a fincere and nndiffeQibied Piety, where they are found, are ve- ry ftrong Encouragements to walk on ftedfaflly in thofe ways, which by Experience we find to be fo full of Pleafure, Comfort,and inward Satisfadi- cn to our Souls. And he mult be not only inconfi- derate, but even mad, who would exchange them for thofex Regrets, DiiTatisfadions, and Difquiets, thofe Fears and Terrors of a guilty Confcience , and thofe dreadful Expedations of future Indig- nation, which do fo naturally refult from a con- demning Confcience, and a Mind confcious to it felf of an habitual negled of Duty. All fuperna- tural Affilbnces, which in this (late of Weaknefs and Imperfeition we Ihall daily want , derive , faith the ^poftk^ from God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chriit ; whence in the beginning of his Epiftles he Hill prays for Grace and Peace from them. Now God being our Father, and our God in Covenant, and having promifed that he will 'f- never k^jve as Kor foyfahe tis^ we may be fure, whilil we continue uprightly difpofed to ferve liim, that we fliall be fironjf in the Lord^ and in th • p5iriy His G 0 0 D N E S S, i8i Forvcr of his Might, Every good Ciiriftian being a living Member of Chrill's Body, be muR- bp able, as St. Paul wxis, * to do all things through Chri ft th.d strengthens him^ and through the Spirit -(- be enabled to mortifie the Deeds of the Fltfh that he may live. He laftly mud have the Spirit of VVillioni to di« redt him in the way to Life and Happincfs, the Spirit of Confolation to fupport him under all Tryals and Affli^ions, and the Spirit of Grace to fandifie him, and make him meet to be Partaker of the Inheritance of Saints in Light. 4thly. He hath afforded us the highefi: Motives to Perfeverance in well-doing, and the molt Sovereiga Prefervatives againft all temptations to the con^ trary ^ for what are all the inducements which Sin, Satan, and the World can offer, to entice us from our Duty, compared to the Encouragements which God affords us to perform it ? What are the Pleafures of Sia for a feafon, compaied to the Pleafures of a good Confcience here, and an Eter- nity of the moft ravifhing Pleafures and Delights hereafter ? What are the fading, and the unfatis- factory Riches of this prefent World, compared to the Eternal Jyiheritance referred in the Heavens for us ? Or what is the AppUufe of Men, in compa- riCon of that Fraife^ Honour^ and Glory^ which good Men fhall receive in the Day of the Lord Jeiiis ? Or what are all the Terrors they can threatea to affright us from our Duty, when fet in Com- petition with the Tenors of the Lord ? What is the lofs of Temporal Enjoyments compared to the lofs of the Enjoyment of the God of Heaven to ail Eternity ? What is the Wrath of Man, which reacheth only to the Body, to the Wrath of that God who caa dejlroy both Soul and Body in Hell Fire t * Phil. 4. 17. t ^«w. 8 13. M m :; Or i82 The Attributes of G 0 D : Or what is the Ir.fing of this prefent Life, which in the couife of Nature we niuft fliortly part with, when put in competition with the lofs of Life Eternal ? Sure, he tliat only lof>;^ch a ihortLifc to find it happily improved into Life Eternal, muft be the greateft Gainer. Laftly. What can ftiew greater Kindnefs than his Proniife to reward oar weak, and our unperfed Service with an endlefs and an ineftimable Reward? For if we do confider that when we have done all, we only arc urjprofitable Servants^ and have done nothing from which our all-fufficient God can pof- fibly receive the leafl Advantage, feeing if we be Righteous he is not the better ^ if we confider that as in our bell Performances we only do that Duty which is due from us as Creatures to our Great Creator, and our continual Benefador, fo is it done by the affillance of his Grace and Holy Spirit, and fo the Glory of it doth belong to him alone : If laftly we confider that our exa^left Services are fo weak, and fo imperfe6i:, and are attended with fo many Failings and Interruptions , as might in ilri(Snefs rather fubjed us to the Divine Difplea- furc, than procure fo great a Recompence, mufl it not be abundant Goodnefs which doth fo plen- tifully reward our worthlefs Services ? And whereas fome are apt to fay, If Divine Goodnefs be fo great and univerfal, fo ready to do good to all , and fo inclined to promote their Happinefs, why doth he not make all Men happy ? Why doth he not prevent thofe evil Difpofiti- ons which expofe them to the worit of Miferies ? Now to this I anfwer, ift. That feeing Judice and Hoiinefs are as ef- fential to the Notion of a God as Goodnefs, that cannot be a right Notion of Divine Goodnefs, xAThich renders that Attribute inconfiftent both with his Holinefs and juitice. Now jultice nevei can be- lonr- His G 0 0 D N E S S. 185 long to the conception of a God, if id were in- confiftent with his Goodnefs to make fiich Crea- tures as might do Good or Evil, and thereby to be capable of Rewards and Pnnifhments, (Ince 'tis the Property of Juftice to reward every Man accord- ing to bis iVorks, And fmce the Holiriefs of God ren- ders it neceflary for him to bear the greateil Ha- tred to incorrigible Sinners, if it be inccnldllent with his Goodnefs to fuffer any Creature to be the Object of his Hatred, Goodnefs and Hoiinefs can- not both belong to the Notion of a Deity ^ at leaft it is impoflible he Ihould difcover his Hoii- nefs and Juftice to Mankind. Yea, had it not been fuitable to God's Goodnefs to have made Man mu- table, or capable of doing that which might ren- der him obnoxious to his juft Difpleafure, he could have given us no Tokens of his Mercy and Com- pafTion, his Patience and Long- Suffering: for fince he was not pleafed to Ihew this Kindnefs to the fallen Angels, it mud be only the willful Difobedi- ence of Men which makes it poffible for him to Ihew his Mercy and Compaflion, and gives him aa Opportunity of exercifing his Patience and Long- SufFerance toward them ; and then the Glory of the great Work of our Redemption, and of all the ad- mirable Provifions he hath made for our Recove- ry from a lolt and miferable Condition, mull alfo have been loll. idly. This fond Imagination, that it is inconfifl- ent with Divine Goodnefs to have framed Man fo as that he fhould be capable of being Mifera- ble from himfelf, or fell fliort of Happinefs thro' his own Fault, doth, as was faid, deftroy both Heaven and Hell, the one being the Reward of Vertue, the other the defert of Vice ; this then is in effedt to find fault with God for making us capable of Vice or Vertue, fmce all our Vertue in this ftate of Tryal confifcs in chuling to do v/ell Mm J. whea 1 §4 Tf^^ Attributes of GOD ; tvhen we had Freedcm, and fome Temptations to dootherwife, and all onr Vice in chufing to do ill, when we had Laws dire^ing us to avoid the Evil, arid had the higheft Motives fo to do. Now to fay a good God could not create a Creature capable of Vice and Vertue, is in effed to fay, that it is incon- fiftent with Divine Goodnefs to make a Creature which fhould be fubjed to Government, fince Go- vernment fuppofes Laws, and Laws muft be attend- ed with propofals of Rewards for Vertue, and Pumfnments for Vice, and it was never thought a requifite of a good Governour only to make fuch Laws for his Subjeds as he would force them to obey, and never will permit them to tranf- grefs. ^dly. There are only two ways imaginable of engaging Men to be Good, or of diverting them from' doing Evil. The ift. Is by laying before them the higbefl: Induce- ments to be. good, which the Aflurance of the moft excellent and lafling BlefTmgs prepared for the Good Man can afford, and giving them a like Aflurance that the mofl infiipportablcandendlefs Mi- feries mufl follow on their refufal foto be, and their continuance in their Evil Gourfes ; and by laying flrong Engagements on them, from the confidera- tion of God*s great Love and Goodnefs to them, to comply with his Defires from Principles of Gra- titude and lagenuity; and lallly, by affording all neceflary AffiRances for being good, provided they be truly willing fo ro be. And that this is all which Divine Goodnefs doth require from him, is evi- dent both from Experience, and the v/hole tenor of the Scriptures, which reprefent God ftill uiing thcfe Methods to engage Men to turn from the Evil of their Ways unto him : whereas if Divine Goodnefs did oblige him to do more, even fo much more as to compel Men to be good ^ his U^if- don^ His GOODNESS. 185 t3om could not have been employed in uHng only other means, which by Experience we find too often unfuccefsfnl to produce this End. .Much lefs would Scripture have introduced him making thefe fruitlefs Wifhes, '^ Oh that Men were wife ! Oh that there rvere juch an Heart in them that they would fear tnc ? enquiring vohy they would die ? when they would he made clean ? and much lefs asking, f What could I have done more to make my Vineyard fruitful ? And faying that there was no farther Remedy to be ufed, )| there was no healing of them. idly. The fecond way of doing this, is that of compelling Men to be good, and by like force re- ftraining them from being Evil. Now that God doth not ufe this Method, Experience and Scrip- ture both atteft, and therefore both alTure us that Divine Goodnefs doth not oblige him fo to do, and the Reafons of this are very evident. For, \Ji. This feemeth plainly inconfiftent with that ftate of Tryal, Probation, and TemptarJon, in which his Providence hath placed us in this World • for Holy Scripture teachcth that his Wifdom hath dellgned thefe Temptations for the Tryal of our Faith and Patience, and that he by them doth de- fign to prove us 4: whether we will walk in his Ways or not. Now it is evidently abfurd to make a Try- al or Experiment whether Men will do, or leave undone, what he who maketh the Experiment, de- iigns, and ftands engaged, to force them to do, 'or leave undone : and to what pnrpofe fliould Satan be fo induftrious in tempting us, if he believed that Divine Goodnefs did oblige him to compel us to refill all his Temptations. idly. This alfo is inconfiftent with that Freedom of Man's Will both from Coadlion and Neceflicy, * Dent, 5, 29. t ija, 5: 4. II i Ckron* 36. 1 5, i. 1 7- S 2 (^or. 9- 7. t f^. 14. * x P^^$ 1 His G 0 0 D N E S S. 187 by the Will, infomuch that when the Will hath once confentedto theFadt, the Man is guilty of the Sin, tho' he be providentially hindred from perform- ing the outward Aft. Thus he is guilty of Fornica- tion or Adultery who ^ Lufteth after a Woman in his Hearty tho' he raeets with no opportunity to enjoy her ; and thus aifo is it with relped to Vertuops Adtions, for Jbraham is faid -f- by Faith to have Of^ fered up Ifaac, becaufe he had fully purpofed to o- bey the Command of God in that Particular, and had adtually done it, had not God interpofedto hin- der it. If then we do not Will the Good we do, but are compell'd by God to do it, there is no Goodnefs in the A dtion ; and tho' he hinder us from doing Evil, if he doth not alfo reftrain us from be- ing willing to perform it, he doth not hinder us from contrafting the guilt of it; and if he doth that, he, in effeS:, converts us into Brutes, the on- ly reafon why they cannot Sin being this, that they zd: from Inftind, and neceffity of Nature, and noc from Choice and Freedom. In fine, 'tis generally owned that the Anions of the llLderllanding, as they are purely fuch, and are not chofen by the Will, deferve neither Praifc nor Dlfpraiie, Reward or Punifhment , of whicli the Reafon can be only this, That as they proceed from the llnderftanding, they are necefTary, for when Evidence is propounded and difcerned, the Mind doth necelTarily aflcnt unto it. Now if Nc- cefTity in the Mind takes away from the Adion Praife or Difpraife, why fhould not a Neceffity laid upon the Win do the fame? And then if Gcd hicnfelf doth lay upon it this Neceflity, he muft, by doing this, render the Adlion incapable of being good or e- Vil, and fodellroy both Vice and Vertue. '^AUtt/j. 5. 23. -[Hdr. ii. 17. Let i88 The Attributes of GOD: Let us not therefore quarrel with Divine Good- nefs becaufe it doth not make us happy whether we will or no, lince this would be to give us an in- eftimable Reward for doing nothing that was good or acceptable m his Sight ^ to receive us into his Holy Place without being Holy, and to love us Eternally tho' we have never loved him. But lee ns thankfully acknowledge his great Goodnefs, that having given us an Underftanding to difcern betwixt Good and Evil, and a Will to chuie the Good, and refufe the Evil, and Laws which are all Holy, Juft, and Good, and which v/e mu-It acknowledge to be our reafonahle Service^ he hath added futh vafi: Encouragements, and powerful Inducements to engage us to perform them, and hath aflured us that the willing Soul fhall never want fufficient Grace or Aid for the performance of his Duty, nor ever fail of being happy, provided he fmcere- ly endeavours fo to be. So that we cannot mifs of Happinefs unlefs we will, and chufe to do fo, againft all the Convidionsof our Reafon,and all the Motives that Divine Goodnefs could offer to pre- vent it. Again, Let us not imagine that God is want- ing in his Goodnefs to us, in that he doth not forcibly reflrain us from that Sin which renders us obnoxious to Eternal Mifery ^ but let us mag- nifie the Goodnefs of that God v/ho hath not on- ly given us Underftandings to difcern the vile- nefs and difmal Confeqnences of Sin, and hath fo fully warned us in his Word of Truth of the ex- treme Torments to which it will fubjedt us, but alfo given us fuch Evidence, and even foretaftes of thofe Evils in the natural Workings of a Guilty, and, upon that account. Tormenting Confcience •, that he affords us the molt flrong Inducements to deter us from continuance in our finfulCour- fes, the bell Prefervatives againO;, and ^he rdofl power-^ His G 0 0 D N E S S. 189 powerful Engagements and Afliftances to refift Temptations to Sin. And laltly, that he hath fent his Son to purchafe for all them who adually re- fill them, a Deliverance from the Wrath to come by his own Precious Blood, fo that there is no- thing wanting to fecure us from thefe dreadful Miferies, provided we be truly willing to avoid them, and are not Itubbornly refolved to be for ever Miferable, after all our Gracious God hath faid and done to preferve us from it-, and even to deftroy our felves, when of him would be our Safety. S E R «9o SERMON xii Of His GOODNESS. P S A L. CXLV. ix. T'he Lord is good to all^ and his Tender Mer^ cies are over all his WorkS' I Proceed in tlie lafl Place to give you feme of the Excellent Ufes wc fhould make of Divine Goodnefs to Mankind. And, lyj^h God fo good to all ? here is a noble Pat^ tern foroiir Imitation, an Example which it is both onr Duty, Intereft, and our Perfedion, to refemble as much as we can, both in the Generality, and th« Reality of the Divine AfFe(ftion. And , ifl. Let us imitate his llniverfal Goodnefs, by endeavouring, as much as in us lies, the good of all Mankind. This indeed we can only do by our IntercelTions for all Men, and therefore let us not be of that narrow felfifh Spirit which is too common in the World, and is the ruin of the Body Politick, xealo\T< His GOODNESS. 191 zealous only for our fclves, and our own Interefts, but lukewarm in the Concerns of othersjand unmind- ful of the Publick Good. But as we worfhip that God who is the Creator and Preferver of all Things that Jcfus who is the Redeemer of all Mankind ^ as we profefs our felves Members of the Catholick Church, believe the Communion of Saints, and Hand obliged by the Chriftian Law to love our Brother as our felf'^ and as our Common Prayer, in which we juftiy glory, as the bell pattern of Devotion, inflrua: us in their very Name, and in their general Expref- fions. Let our Hearts be enlarged , and our Zeal ardent in our Addrelfes to the God of Mercy, that he TvoHld have Mercy upon all Men -, that he who is the Creator and Preferver of all Men, wo!ild be pleafed to make his ways known unto them^ his favwg health unto all Nations, That he who belt can, would give the bell Anfwer to that Objcdion againll the generality of his Goodnefs, viz.. that he fufFers fo great a part of the World to lie in darknefs^ and in the jhadoiv of Death^ by caiifmg his glorious Gofpel to fhine through all the dark Corners of the Earth. That he would blefs and hep all his People^ and that his Church may be fo guided and governed by his holy Spirit^ that all who profefs and call themfelves Chrifli- ans^ way be led into the way of Truth^ and hold the Faith in unity of Spirit^ in the bond of Peace^ and in Righteoufnefs cf Life. This being a too commoa failing, both in our Thankfgivings and AddrefTes, that we arc truly fenfible of the particular Blef- fings we our felves enjoy, are much affeded with them, and ready to retura our Praifes for them, but not fo heartily affected with, or fo inclined to praifc him for, his general Goodnefs to A4ankind. And in like manner we feel our own v/ants, and are zealous in our Prayers for our own private In- terefts, but neither much conccrn'd , nor zea- lous in our AddrelTe?, for the like kindnefs to our Chriilian 1 92 The Attributes of G 0 D : ChriHiaa Brethren. The Heathens reprefented the World as one great City, of which all Men were Members, and then improved that Notion as an Obligation to perform all the Duties of Humanity to their fellow Men ; Let then ns Chriftians improve our belief that we are Menibers of the fame Body niyftical, as the "^ ^pofile doth, into an Obligation to perform all the Offices of Charity to all the Mem- bers of the fame Body, that if one Member fujfers^ all the Members may fujftr in Compaffion with it^ and if one Member he made glorious^ all the Members may rejoyce with it, idly. Since after all our endeavours to imitate this general Goodnefs of God, we mult necefTari- ly fall Ihort of it, there being fo few that we know, or converfe with, and fo little Good that we can do to thofe we know ^ let us be more concern- ed to imitate the reality of this Goodnefs by (hew- ing it in Deeds as well as Words, and by confornl-^ ing, as far as we arc able, to the Inftances of Di- vine Goodnefs fet before us. What God is to us, what we would have him flill be to us, that let us aim to be to others. We are infinitely beholden to him for all that we are, and all that we enjoy, and all that we expect : and therefore have the high- eft reafon, not only to admire, but to refemble his Goodnefs, who is kind to the VfJthanhful^ and the Wick- ed^ and that with his Defign of doing this to make them Good, and to prevail with them to hearken with Attention to our Perfwafions fo to be. Let us be moved by this Example to bear that true Compaflion for, and that lincere Affedtion to, their precious Souls as will render us Induitrious, by all Inducements we are able, to perfwade them to be Good : Let us fpread betore them all the Motives J Cor. 12. 26* t^hicfe Hfs GOODNESS. 193 which the VVotd of God doth offer to engage them £6 to be ; all the Advantages it promifeth to them who comj'ly with them •, and all the Mifcries which will certainly attend thfir retufal fo to do. If we find them averie from doing that v=hichis dehr'd, let us endeavour to overcome that Avtrfion by repeated Exhortations, and vigorous ImprelTions of thefe Motives. If they be ftrongly inclined to that from which wc pafiionately dehort them, let us en- deavour to turn the Current of their Inclinations by lively Reprefentations of the Evils they will certainly be expofed to by a Continuance in their Evil Courfes ; and let us heartily beg of God a Blef^ ling upon thefe Endeavours. And to engage us fo to do, let us confider, ift, "^ That this is certainly our Duty, for if Cod fo loved us v^e ought to love one another. This plainly is required of us in thofe Words of the ^pojfle^ Beyehmd one to amthcr, tender-hearted^, Be ye followers of God as dear Cbildren-i and nalk in love. This is the Coynmandrnent of God^ faith the beloved D//- ciple^ that we believe in the Lord 7efus Chr'ifl^ drtd love one another ^ and again, This Cowmandment hjve we received from him^ that he who loveth God^ love his Sro- theralfo. Moreover, how indefatigable was our Lord whilit he was here on Earth iia doing good :o Meni» Souls .-^ How great were his Sufferings in pnrfuancei of that End ? And what is his Eufmefsnow in Hea- ven, but to intercede for our Enjoyment of thofe Blellings which he haih parchas'd for us with his precious Blood ? And what is the return which he requires for all this Kindnefs? it is chiefly this^ that rve fjjould love uur Brother^ as he loved us. And furely after this great Example of the glorious God^ who tho' he be that high and holy one who inhabit eth -i J Job* 4 »»• N n Eterniijf^ 194 ^^^^ Attributes of GOD: Eternity ; yet doth he ftoop fo low as to befeech the Sinner to be reconciled to him ; and tho' he be ex- alted above all our Apprehenfions of him, yet doth he invite, follicite, and even intreat us to accept of Life and Happinefs : after the wonderful Humi- liation of the BleHed Jefus, * who king in the form of God^ took upon him the form of a Servant^ and hum^ bled himfelf even to the Death of the Crofs for the pro- inotion of our Happinefs ^ no Chriftian can think himfelf too much exalted either in Station, or in Fortune, to minifter to the Concernments of his Brother's Soul or Body. idly. Confider, that as this is the Chriftian's Du- ty, fo by fincere performance of it will he belt con- fuk his higheft Intercils. For if our Lord hath promifed a Come ye Blejfed^ &c. to thofe who feed the Bodies of his Servants when they are hungry, who give them drink when they are thirfty, and eloath them when they are naked j what Bleflings will he confer on them who feed them with the Bread of Lifr^ and arc inftrumental to eloath them with the Robes of Righteoufnefs? if he hath promifed that '{- a Cup of cold Water given to a Difciple (hall not lofe its Reward '^ what great Rewards will he confer on them who have been inftrumental to bring them to the Waters of Life ? And therefore to encourage us to the performance of this Duty, the [j Prophet Daniel doth aflure us, that they who turn many to Righteoufrjcfs^ fhall fhine as Stars for ever. And the t jlpoflle James, that he thnt converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Wnys^ (hall fave a Soul alive^ and /hall hide a multitude of Sins. Lafily, Confider that this is a Work which ren- ders us moft perfed, and is the beft Advancement * Pbil, 2. 6, 7, 8. t Manh. i o, 41. \ Chap, 11.3. ^ Cha^. 5.21. of His G 0 0 D N E S S. 19^ bf the Hmnane Nature, as being that whkh ren- ders us moil like to the belt, and the mofl perfedt Being, in his belt Perfection. This wc learn from thefe Words of Chrilt, / fa^ unto you^ hue your Eue- fmes^ do good to them that bate yott^ and pray for them that defpitefully ufe you^ atid perfecute you^ that you may be the Children of your Heavenly Father ^ &c. In which Words our Lord informs us that we cannoc in any thing refemble God more than in Goodnefs, Kindnefs and Mercy, and in readincfs to forgive them who have been Injarioas to us : And, idly. That we cannot be more perfe(^ than by this refemblance : for lb he concludes that Exhorta- tion, * Bs ye therefore perfeCi as your Heavenly Father is pcrfe&. Let then this Pattern of Divine Good- nefs be continually before our Eyes, that we may be ftill fafhioning our felves in the temper of our Minds, and in the Actions of our Lives, to a iike- nefs to it ^ that by the frequent Contemplation of it v;e may be transformed into the Image of the Di- vine Goodnefs. 2dly, The Ccnfiderationof the Divine Goodnefs is a Itroag Motive to the performance of our whole Duty to him. It is a Rule in Et hicks, that he that hath one Moral Vertue in the habitual Pra- dice of it, hath them all in the Root, and the Foundation of theni. And fo 'tis alfo in Divinity : he that hath one Grace, or fruit of the good Spi- rit truly planted in his Heart, muft have allChri- ftian Vertues ^ as to the principle and kinc'., rho' not as to the fame Degree, becaufe the fimc Di- vine Authority commands- them all, the fame good Spirit doth produce them all, and the fame Love and Goodnefs of our God is an inducement toper- form them all. hi\^^ ^ M.it. t- 4S. N n 2 Jfl 1 96 The Attributes of GOD: ifl. A due Reflexion on the Great, and the con- tinual Goodaefs of our God towards us, will ex- cite ill us a prevailkig love to him above all o- ther Objefts of our love. The two great Objedts vv'bich chiefly challenge our Affedion, are Excel- lency aiiu Beneficence. There is a Charm in all things of great Worth and Excellence : for Excellence, in what is Commendable, and more efpecially in what is Vertiious, is amiable for itfelf; we naturally ad- r.iire, and affedt to imitate it, and reckon it our Glory to be like it ^ and we as naturally defire to be, or be elleemed. Men of Worth and Excellence- we delight in the Contemplation of it ^ all my de- I'^ght^ faith the Pfalmjl^ is in them that excel in f^er- tue. The Mind of Man as unavoidably efteems what k ccnceiveth Good and Excellent, Worthy and Ho« nourable, as the tail 1 elifheth and delights in what is fweet and pleafant to the Palate ^ and what is to the llnderftanding beautiful, doth as much ra- vifn and tranfport the Soul, as what is Beauty to the Eye, affeds the Senfes : And that becaufe fuck things comply with thofe ImprefTions which God hath ftamp-d upon our Natures. Now as God is an original and univerfal Good, fo have I fhew'd, that he is Good in fuch an excellent, tranfcen- dent Manner, a-s,that the Goodnefs of the belt of Creatures is as nothing, when compar'd to that all-perfect Goodnefs which is contained in, and fnines forth from, the Creator: and fo our love unto the Creature, on the Account of any little Excellencies deriv'd from him, fnould be as nothing when com- pared to that Aifeccion which we owe to this great Fountain of all Worth and Excellency. But, idl). Iho Excellency be amiable for it felf, yefe when we hope for no Advantage from it, -when we expect not to be the better by it, our love will fenHbly abate, wheteas Benevolence and Kindnefsi afibid a more conflraining Motive to returns of Love His G 0 0 D N E S S. 197 l-ove. Power doth render iMen the objects of our Fear ^ Wifdom and Skill provoke us to an Admi- ration of them : but *cis the fenle of their obliging Goodnefs which renders them the objects of our Love. Since then we daily find the comfortable EfFedts of Divire Goodnefs ^ feeing the Riches of it are continually fpent uponos- feeing we owe our Lives and all that we enjoy, or hope for, to it • feeing this loving Kindnefs is fo excellent towards them that fear him , fure we muft have the highell Rcafon to cry out with the Royal Tjdmift^ * love the Lvrd^ O my SohI^ and forget not all bis Benefits, Such great, free and continual Goodnefs niult lay upon us ftrong Engagements to place our prevalent Affedions upon tdie Author of it on the nccount of Gratitude, as well as Duty : efpecially if we conhder, ift. How diftinguilhing and peculiar his Goodneis is to us : he having loved us above all other Crea- tures of the Earth, and given us Dominion over them^ yea even above the fallen Angels, for ir. Ith- Acc/^jJocr^Tcu, he '[cdiughtnot hold q/,he help'd not them when fallen, but he remembered fallen Man in Mer- cy, and found out means for his recovery to a better State than that which h« enjoy'd at firfl: .• and therefore we (land bound to love him much, becaufe much hath been given and forgiven by him to us, idly. If we confider that God ftiew'd this Af- fedion not only to us mean and worthlefs, but fm- ful and rebellious Creatures, who had deferved to be the objects of his Fury, but were lefs than the leaft of all his Mercies, and moft unworthy of that great Goodnefs he exprefs'd towards us : whereas he be- ing per f;Sift Goodnefs, is therefore infinitely woifhy of our highell Love. N n 3 3*> 1 98 The Attributes of GOD : sMy, If we conlider, that it is infinite Conde- fceniion in the great God, thus to regard fuch worth- lefs Creatures, he humbling kimfelf to behold what is done upon the Earth ^ but 'tis the greatelt Honour we can receive to be united to God by Love : And, 4.thly, That God receives no benefit by us, and fo he cannot be engag d to fliew kindnefs to us ; whereas we have A (To ranee of aa ineftimable Re- ward of our Affedtion to him. In fine, ©ur Love to him is an Affection which his Kindnefs doth provoke us to, for we love him be-* caufe he loved us firfi : Now even P^blicans^ faith Chrift, will requite the Love of others with fuit- able returns ^ and fhall not Creatures do it to their great Creator^ and Children to their Heavenly Father? Doth therefore God's creating Love con- fer fuch Noble Faculties upon us, and dial] we not improve them by an Advancement in the Know- ledge, and the Love of him that gave them ? Hath his redeeming Love engag'd him to confer upon us the greateU fpiritual Bleflings, and the moll ex- cellent and precious Promifes, and fhall it not en- gage us to offer up our Hearts and our AfFedi- ons to him ? Did it move him to fend his own be- loved Son to parchafe our Redemption, and fnall it not induce us to part with any thing that ri- vals Heaven and robs us of the Purchafe of his pre- cious Blood ? Did it prevail upon him to pre- pare Eternal Bleffings and Rewards for us, and fhall it not provoke us to that Love and Service of him for a feW Years, which is its own Re- "A'hereas now Mtrcy tmrnphs overjujlice^ or at once gnP.vers both the demands of juftice, and the Sin- gers WaBts y the Divine Wifdora having, by vir- tue of this Propiation thro* the Blood of Jefus, found out a way, faith the Apojlle^ f that he might h Juji.^ and yet the jujiifier of him that believeth. Idly, Should God have iflfaed out a general Aft of Indemnity, and givexi ;js a full Remiffion of all paft Sins without any thing done by way of Re- paration to his offended Jufticc,. or any Satisfadi- on made for the Violation of his Holy Laws, be muft have pardoned Sinners without any Demon- ftration of his Holinefs and Juftice, or of his ha- tred of Sin, and Refolution not to let it go un- punidi'd, and fo without fufficicnt Motive to de- I ler His M E R C r. 2X1 ter us from it Sfor the future, which feems not well confiflent with his Holinefs andjultice, or with the Relation of a Governor and a Law- giver, which ieemeth plainly to require the Vindication of his Honour, and the Prefervation of the Laws he hath cftablilh'd from Contempt. If it be faid God might have iffued out this Par- don only upon Condition of Repentance, it is ob- vious to reply, ifi. That in no Government by Laws this hath been thought to have been fufiicicnt to vindicate the Honour of the Gc vernor, and to dcrer Men from the Violation of his Laws ^ all Nations ha- ving judg'd it fit that Offenders Ihould not only be forry for the Violations of them, and pro- mife to do fp no more • but alfo that they fhould be punifhM, both to deter themfelves and others from the like Offences: and in like manner the general Practice and Tradition of offering propi- tiatory Sacrifices for their Offences done againll their Deities, which obtained among all Nations, jfhews that it was uriiverfally received among them, that fomething more than bare Repentance, even the Subftitution of another to fuffer in their Head, was requifite for Reparation of their Offences a- gainft God. Hence to deter Men from Apolla- tizing from the Covenant of Grace eflablifh'd in the Blood of Jefus, St. Paul faith to them who thus offend * after they have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sjh^ but fearful looking for of Judgment^ clearly inlinua- ting that where there is no Sacrifice for Sin, no^ thing but Judgment is to be expected, this being faid jn plain Allufion to the Tenor of the Law of Aiofes^ which pronounced Excifion for thofe Oq 2 Offences. 2 1 2 The Attributes ofG 0 D j Offences, for wljich that Law would not* admit of any Sacrifice. ' ' . idly. I anfwer, that if it be fit to require this Repentance to prefer ve Men for the future from violating the Laws of God^ 'tis fit this fhould be don', iii a way mofl: effectual to reform them, and keep them from offending for the future, be- caufe this beft anfwers the Defign of the Laws, that is, the Cbfervation of them. Now this is done exad^ly by this Difpenf^Jtion in which God. hath both given us an AlTurance that he will. not pardon Sin without a Satisfa£tidn made to. his of- fended Juftice, and an effedual Example, in what our Saviour fuffered for Sin, to deter us from it, and alfo hath fufpended all the Benefit ariiing from his Sufferings to us, on our Repentance, and our Engagement to yield fincere Obedience to God's Precepts for the future. Whereas had God only required our Repentance by threatning Death to the Impenitent, Men might have hoped that he who pardoned the Death he had once threatned to the Sinner, without ex- pefting any Punilhment from him, or any other in his fiead, might alfo pardon the Impenitent, and never execute on him the Judgment threat- ned. For if God pardoned all Mens pad Sins a- gainfl him without any valuable Confideration, if with an abfolute freedom he forgave them all the Punilhments his Law had threatned to them, with- out any Atonement made to him, or required by him, as the Adverfaries of our Lord's Satisfafti- on fay he did, How will it appear God was at sll concerned to vindicate the Honour of his Laws, or iliew his hatred of Sin ? If there be nothing in r he holy Nature, or in the Juftice or Wifdom of God, and nothing in that Relation which he beaf- cth to us as ourGovernar by his Laws, which re- cvtiirts he fliould guuifh Sin, or fhew his Difplea- furc His M E R C r. 213 fure againfl: it, and fo the puniniment of Sia de- pends neither upon his Holinefs and Jullicc, nor on the Wifdom of his Government, but purely on his Arbitrary Will- why may not Sinners hope that a like Ad: of his free Grace fhould be here- after ihew'd in the Remiflion of what he threat- neth in a like Law to the Impenitent;, and that God may be reconciled to them again, tho' they continue in their Sins ? 'Twasthen an Adt of Grace, and Mercy not to require that we fhould perfon- ally fufFer the Reward of our Iniquity. It was an Adt of Juflice and of Wifdom, not to afford a full RemifTion of our Sins without requiring any thing by way of Satisfadtion for the Violation of his Laws. It muft be therefore an Adi of Grace, Mercy and Wifdom to admit another to fufFer in our ftead : For as the excellency of the Divine Wifdom, fo the riches of his Grace and Mercy is vifible in this way of tendring pardon to the Sin- ner upon thefe two Accounts, ift. That in contriving and providing this way for the procuring our Pardon, God hath prevent- ed not only our Wilhes, but our very Beings; the price of our Redemption being paid to Divine Juflice almoit 1700 Years ago : nor was this only a Mercy to us, who lived after the Sufferings of the Bleffed Jefus on the Crofs, but even to all Mankind fmce Mam^ he himfelf being not exclu- ded from it. For tho' God exercifeth much Pa- tience and Long-fuffering before he punilheth, he was not at all flack in the Expreffions of his Mercy : but as if he could not withold his redeeming Love to Mankind for a day, he promifed the Redeemer to Addm the very day that he had finn'd, on which account Chrift is in Scripture ftyled * the Lamb/lam O 0 3 from 214 Tk Attributes of G 0 D : from the beginning of the World, The Benefit of his falutary Paffion procuring Mercy to the Sinner throughouc all Ages of the World. And which is more amazing ftill, as God forefaw the fall of Man before the making of him, fo he decreed his redemption as foon as he forefaw his fall. Believers being ^ chofen in Chrijl Jefus before the foundation of the World : Hence is God faid to have f faved us according to his ovpn Purfofe^ and the Grace given us in Chrtft Jefus before the World vas made *^ fo that here is pardon before Chrift^s coming, and before we bad finned, pardon from t)ie beginning to the end of the World, and what greater readinefs to forgive us can be well imagined ? 2dly, Becaufe God by this Ad of Grace hath as freely pardoned us as he could have done had he required no SatisfaSion to his Juftice for our Sins: for by admitting another to fufFcr in the Sinners ftead, he is as much forgiven as he could be, did he not fuffer in his ftead, becaufe by this he is en- tirely exempted from fufFering any Puniftimcnt in his own Perfon, on the account of his Offence, and that is all which is implyed in the forgive- nefs of the Sinner, to wit, his full Exemption from the Punifhment his Sin dcferved. And how can he be more forgiven than he is by fuch an A6: of Grace which removes from him the whole Punifh- ment, as much as if he never had offended ? idly. God (hews his willingnefs to pardon, by his unwillingncfs to punifh Sinners, by his fparing us when we deferve Punifhments, his waiting to be gracious when wc have deferved his DifpleafureJ For feeing Sin as foon as 'tis committed, renders 13S obnoxious to Punifhment, and our repeated Pro- vocations deferve repeated Stripes, fo long as Goi E^h. 1.4. t n^o X^oVC^VCLimQV, i-Tim. 1.40 ■■ ■ is His M E RCr. ft\i is pleafed to fpare the Sinner, and to exctppt him from the Puniihment he hath defci ved already, fo long he may be fiid to pardon him, God's par- don being only his not imputing Sin to Puniih- ment : And in this fence God himfelf is faid to forgive that Iniquity which he doth not piinifh with Deflruf^ion. The Hc-^rts of his People, faith the Pfalmifl; were not right with him, * nor were tkey Jledfaft in his Covenant^ but he being full of Com- fafjton forgave their Iniquity^ and deflrofd them not. Add to this the gracious End of all this Mercy -, for he fpareth that he may not punifh, but give us fpace for that Repentance, which will prevent the Execution of his Wrath upon us. For, God, ^aith '(- St. Peter^ is Long-fuffering to us ward^ not ie- ing willing any Man/hould ^erijh^ hut that aUfhould come to Repentance, Now, by this gracious Difpenfi- tion God (hews his readinefs to pardon what hs doth only punilh after he hath in vain long wait- ed to be gracious, and doth then only punifli us in Fury, when there is no Remedy, no Heal- ing of us, 2 Chron, 36.15, 16. If therefore any of U9 who hath lived twenty, thirty or forty Years, and even grown old in the Iniquities of his youth, be not pardoned, 'tis not f^ecaufe God is not wil- ling he fhouW be forgiven, but becaufe he is not willing to repent, that he may be forgiven \ or, according to our Saviour's Words, becaufe * they have hardned their Hearts^ f and [hut their Eyes^ lefl they fhould be converted^ and their Stns (hould be for» given, Sdly. God fhcws his readinefs to forgive, in that he tenders pardon on the moft reafonable Terms on which we could expedt it, viz.. upon thofe Con- O 0 4 difion* 2i6 The Attributes of GO D : ditions of Faith and Repentance, without which^ with PvCverence be it fpoken, a juft and holy God cannot pardon us, the Sufferings of the ho- ly Jcfus cannot favc us, nor can we be in a Ca- pac'ty of receiving Pardon, or be the better for it. And, \ft. He cannot pardon us without Repentance : for to be pardoned is to be received into Grace and Favour with God ^ now can it rationally be conceived, that a Righteous and Holy God fhould receive us into his Grace and Favour whilfl: wc are unwilling to be fit objeds of his Grace? And this we muft be whilfl: we continue Impeni- tent and llnreformed, /. e. whilfl we continue to love that Sin he hateth with a perfedt hatred^ whilfl: we live in open Enmity to him, and in a continual Courfeof Rebellion againfl: his holy Laws, Even Heathens have declared it a thing impoflible TSjf ocyioc^oc^Tzf TO mSiZic^ov ftiyvuvou, that an holy God fliould have Communion with unholy Souls, that being to make contraries accord together. Nor would the Sinner be much better for a pardon of his pafl: Offences, whilfl; he continues to contra^ new Guilt ; for as the Son of Syrach puts the Cafe, ^ Be that wafljeth himfelf after he hath touched a dead Body^ and then touchetS it aga'm^ what availeth that tva/Jjtngt So he that fiijleth to obtain forgivenefs of his Sins^ and then goeth and doth the fame\ what pro- fit will his humbling do him^ fmce he returns '|- with the Dog to his Vorait^ and with the Sow that was wajhed^ to his wallowing in the Afire. • idlj/. The fame ntccffity there is of Faith, in order to our Jufl;ificatk)n,, or Exemption from the Guilt of Sin : for can At hope for Remilfion of Sins thro' the Blood of jefus, unlefs we do be- *Chap. 34. 15. i2pet.t.ii. lievc His MERC r. 217 lievc in him ? And fiace a Sacrince for Sin doth' only cleanfe us from the Guilt, but doth not take away the Power and Dominion of it, we cannot reafonably cxpeft to reap the benefit of our Lord's falutary Paffion, vnlefs we anfwer his Defign in fuf- ifering for us who ^ bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that we being dead to Sin^ might live to Ktgh^ teoufnefs ; and '\-gave him f elf for us^ that he might re^ deem us from all Iniquity and Purifis us to himfdf,a peculiar People^ z.ealous of Good Works, ^thly, God fhews] his readinefs to pardon Sinners in that he himfelf freely doth all that is needful^ both to engage and to enable us to obtain this pardon : For, (i/.) He, by his preventing Grace, prepares us for his pardoning Mercy. Had he not freely promifed pardon to the penitent Believer we Ihould have wanted a fnfficient Reafon to ex- ped what we are fo unworthy of ^ and had he not by a like Promife entail'd Life and Salvation upon the Penitent, we fliould have wanted the chief Encouragement to fet upon that Duty. And after all thefe Declarations and Encouragements, 'tis his preventing Grace which makes us truly- willing to repent, and his afTifling Grace which doth enable us to perfe(ft this Good Work by a fin- cere and thorough Reformation of our Evil Ways, for it 11 ;i God that vrorhth in us both to tvill and do of his Good Fleafure, And therefore he is faid to give :^ Repentance to the Gentiles^ not becaufe he alone doth work it in us without our Concurrence, for v/herefore then doth he command us to repent ? nor becaufe he works it in all who truly do re- psnt by an irrefiftible impulfe ^ for why then doth he complain of, or punifh the Impenitent, it be- ing neceflary that they fhould be, and continue fo *tPe(, 2,2^. tT;V.2. 14. B P/;/;'. 1. 1 3. ^^^sii,i9. without 18 1 8 The Attributes of GOD: yrithout that impulfe he is not pleafed to afford them? h\Xi becaufe he by his Word enlightens our Under- ftandjn9;s to perceive the neceffity of this Repen- tance, and by his powerful Motives and Encourage- ments inclines our Wills to it t And when he Jjatb thus gain*d our Wills, affords us all that Aid which he fees neceffary to carry on that Work unto Perfeftion. And fure there muft be a great rcadinefs in him to pardon us, who teachech us the way to find it, and gi\reth us the Heart to defire it, and the Will to chufe it, and the Abi- lity to perform that Repentance which can alone procure our pardon. ^t%. God fliews his readinefs to pardon in that he freely pardoneth the greateft Sinners upon their Repentance : for fure he mufl: be ftrongly and rea- dily enclined to pardon, when neither the moft prcfumptuous, nor pioft inveterate Offenders are excluded from this Grace and Favour. The In- ftances of this Nature^ which holy Scripture hath left upon Record, are a fufficient Demonftration of this Truth. For even that A^anajfeh^ who ^ wrought much wichednefs in the fight of the Lord^ and filled Jerufalem with innocent Blood, and fe- duced his People to do Evil -|- above all the Na* iions^ even above all that the Amorites did-^ when he 11 befought the Lord in his JjfUdion^ and hum^ hied himfelf greatly •, the Lord was intreated of him^ and heard his Supplicatioyj, In the Prophet Jeremy God tellifies againft: Jfrael^ that fhe had 4= plai4 the Harlot rsith many Lovers^ and had greatly foU luted the Land with her Whoredomsy i. e. her Ido- latries ^ that they went on in that and other * 2 KJngi ZT. 6, i6, \ V* V, B 2 Chron* 3J, I2, tjc heinous His M E R C T. 219 lielaous Sins without Shame and RegrcL for thou hadfl^ faith the Froihet^ a Whon't Forebe.nd^ thou refufedjl to he a/hamed : They purfucd thei'e Evil Ways with their utmoft Vigor, and did iyKOif^ia^^^ Thv a(r£€e(av recommend Iniquity to others ; for faith the Prophet^ f Bthold^ thou hull fpoken and done Evil Tloin^^s^ as thou couldeft 9 and yet fairh the Lord, I) I faid unto her after flje had done all thefe things^ turn you unto me^ and I mH not >caufe my Anger to fall upon you^ for J am merciful. The two great Sins of David were prcfump- tuous Sins committed after God had delivered him t from the Hand of Saul, and made hira King o- ver Ifrael^ and given him Viftory over ill his Ene- mies. His Adultery, after that God had given him his Afafter^s Wives into his Bofotn. His Mur- ther was the deliberate Murther, not only of an Innocent Perfon, but of a Profelyte to the Ji^wijh Religion, and fo had caufed the Enemies of the Lord to Blafpheme. Moreover, both thefe were Sins to which God had threatned Death, and for which he had not appointed, nor would admit of, any Sacrifice to make Atonement for them, and whick is yet more wonderful, David continued almoft a year infenfible of thefe Enormities : for the Child begotten in Adultery, was born before Nathan came to roufe him out of his Lethargy. And yet no fooner doth David fay, / have finned before the Lord • but the Prophet Aiifwers, the Lord alfo hath put away thy Sin^ thou (halt not die. To thefe I might add, the Inftances from the New Tefta- ment of Mary A^fagdalen, from whom our Lord caft out feven Devils •, of Saul a Blafpbcmer of Chrifi^ and a Perfecutor of his Church, even unto Death, t V* 5)^' 0 ^« 7' ^2^^w. 12. 7,8. converted 2.^0 The Attributes -of GOD: converted into Taul a Veflcl of Ele^ion ^ of Fe- Ur pardoned after he had been falfc unto his Promife, and had denie;. his Matter even with the. Guilt of Perjury, and fo had defcrved the threat, ^ He that demetb me hsfoH Men^ him mU 1 deny before my Father^ which is in Hea^ ven • of the Prodigal Sen, who had gone a- way from his Father's Koufe, without ever think- icg of returning to it, till meer neceiTity con- ftrain'd him, who wafted his Subftance with Riotous Living, and fpent it among Harlots, and yet upon hi^ late return, received the kind Em- braces of his Father. Now briefly to improve thefe things : Hath God himfelf contrived this admirable way for our Reconciliation, and Ihall we chufe ftill to live at Enmity with him ? Hath he prevented even our Wifhes in defigning this forgivenefs to us, even before we had a Being ; and fhall we tru- ftrate and defeat thefe kind Deligns? Hath he fent his Son to purchafe Grace and Favour for us by fo great a Price as his own precious Blood? And Ihall we flight the Mercy fo freely purcha- fed, fo kindly tendred to us? Doth he fpare us fo long when our Iniquities cry loud for Judg- ment ? And fliall not all this Patience, and Long-fuf- fering lead us to Repentance ? Doth he ofi^er Par- don and Forgivenefs on the moft reafonable Terms, and ftiall we be fo unreafonable as to refufe the Ofl'er ? Is our good God fo ready to do all that belongs to him to fit us for, engage us to, and to aflift us in, the performance of this Duty, and ihall we be unwilling after all his Invitations and Encouragements to return and live ? Is he fo wii- ling His M E R C r. 221 ling to pardon our moft heinous and multiplied Provocations upon our Repentance, and to em- brace the greateft, when they are relenting, Prodi- gals with the Arms of his Mercy, and fliall we ra- ther chufe to lie under the heavy load of a whole Life of Guilt for ever, than to obtain the Pardon of it by that prcfent' godly Sorrow, which quick- ly will conclude in Joy,,tnd end in everlafting Hap- pinnefs ? to which, God, of his great Mercy, bring us all, thro'Jdus Chrift our Lord, &c. S E R. ^92 SERMON XIV. 0/ tk MERCTof GOT). P S A L LXXXVI. V. TioUj Lordy art Goody and ready to forgive^ and plenteous m Mercy to all them that call up- on thee. I Proceed now to make a more particular Im- provement of this Attribute of Mercy, and that firft by way of Caution, againft two great and equally pernicious Extreams, Co wit, Prefumption and Defpair. And, ift. Let us be careful, that we do not fo pre- fume upon the Divine Mercy, as to encourage our felves in a continuance in our fmful Courfcs. This vain Opinion obtained generally among the Hea- then Pbilo/ophdrs^ that God could not be angry with ns, or do us any Lurt. ^ La&antm is pofitivej that they all agree in this Opinion, and that the *DeQra, lib.i.cb. 6. ton- His MERC r. 223 contrary Opinion, that God could be angry, was never cither embraced or defended by them. And Ckero confirms his faying, by thefe Words, ^ Hoc ^uidem commune efl omnmn Philofophorum^ nu^^qmrn nee irc^fd Jeum^ nee nucerc, " This n the Do^rine •' common to all Philofophers, that God can *' neither be angry with, nor hurt, any Body. And yet, as La^antius well notes, the Sum of all Re- ligion depends upon the contrary PcT/"'»afi- on 5 the fear of God being the begiming of Wif- dom^ and that which only ca' engaj»,e iis co de- part from Evil ; for we cannot be poflefTcd with any fear of him who will not be angry with us, however we offend again H him. This Do(flrin« therefore plainly tends to ?ive all Menlibcityto commit Iniquity, of what kind foever, withort fear of ^unifhment : And truly to imagine a God fo merciful that he will not punifh willful ^nd ha- bitual Sinners going on ilill in their Iniquity, is to turn God into an Idol ; for an Idol is that which falfely is reputed to be God, but indeed is no God. Now there neither is, nor can be fuch a God that wanteth either Holinefs, that is, a per- fed hatred of Sin, or Juftice, which is that Attri- bute which doth oblige him to deal with Sinners according to their Works : Hence it is obfervablc, that where God is pleafed to declare himfelf, \ a Cod merciful and gracious^ forgiving Ini^uity^ Trmf" greffiom and Sim^ left Men fnould hence be em- boldned to continue ftill in their Iniquities, He takes care to add, that He wiU by no means clear the Guilty. He is a God 11 fiw to Angtr, faith the Frophet Nahum^ yet he will not acquit the Wicked. He, faith the PfalmiJ}^ is angry with thsm every day^ and if they turn not, he hath whet his Su^rd^ ayid 224 T^^^ Attributes of G OD: and hath {repated for them the Jnfimmettts of Death, The Objeft of God*s pardoning Mercy is only the Penitent : to him only the Promife of it doth belong, it being delivered in thefe Words, * He that confcffdhandforfaketh his Sins (hall find Mercy. There can be no Exemption from Ruin by any other way than that of turning from our Iniquity, as we learn from God's Exhortation to his own People, 'f- Turn ye^ turn ye from your Evil Ways^ fo Iniquity JhaU not be ymr Ruin, When this is done fincere- ly and entirely, fo that we Ij ceafe to do Evil^ and Uarn to do well^ then tho^ cur Stns were as Scarlet^ we fljaU be white as Snow^ i, e. tho' they were of the deepefl Dye, and the molt heinous Provocations ; we fhall be thoroughly purged from the Guilt of them. Without this, as I have (hewed, God,tho' pleateous in Mercy, cannot pardon us ^ for, to be pardoned is to be received into Grace and Favour with God. Now, is it reafonable to conceive, that an Holy and Righteous God fhould (hew fuch Grace and Favour to us whilft we continue to be Ene- mies to him by wicked Works? If any Perfon flat- ter himfelf, faying, t I flmll havePeace^ tbd" I walk in the Imaginations of mine own Hearty adding Drun- kennefs to ThirJ}^ Mofes declares, that the Lord will not fpare him^ but the Angev of the Lord and his Jea^- loufte fhall fmoak aga'mfi that Man^-^c, And if we do confider the greatnefs of this Sid, we (hall not wonder at the feverity of this Threat ^ for by this hardncfs and impenitence of our Hearts, which makes us to defplfe the Riches of Divine, Good- nefs, Patience and Long-fufFering, which was de- Cgned to lead us to Repentance • we treafnre Uf ♦Prov. 28. 13. t^^^^- 18.30. iJja, I* 16,17,1%' ^Deut> 29.1^,20. His M E R C r. 225 Wrath agawjl the day of Wrath ^ by thus continuing in: our Impenitence, in hopes of Mercy at the lall, wc9 contradid the very End of God's Mercy, which h to leadns to Repentafjce^ and therefore to engage ut; to break off our Sins, and not to encourage us tc< continue in them. And it is exceedin^Jy Diflio.. nourable to our Holy God to think that his Good., nefs was intended for any other End than that ol;' procuring our Reformation, or caufmg us to feay the Lord for his Goodnefs ^ and they who draw an)i' Conclufion from it to ftrengthen their Hands ird their Wickednefs, make that very God who is th 7t»'Vi. i 5. 4. t i/4. 55-7. 11 t'faU 147. i I. famefs His MERC r. 227 fuinefs of God will give us a fure Title to his pardoning Mercy, he having faid. He that ccnfejfctb and forfaketh his Sin [hall find Mercy. The onlycaufeof Fear that we may not be for- given, is, that we will not repent and turn from our Iniquity ^ that thro' a long continuance in bin . our Hearts fliould be fo hardened thro' the deceitful^ nejs of Sin ^ that neither God's Mercies nor Judg- ments can ibfieh them ; that Sin, by cuftomary Coni- miifion of it, hath got fuch llrength and power o- ver us, that we are not able to refift the Motions' of it ^ that we have been fo long accuflomed to da Evil that we cannot do Good j that our Confclences are fo feared, that we are become infenfible of the evil and the dreadful Confequences of Sin -^ that wei cannot have Souls truly wrought up to a godly Sor- row for it, or to ferious and laftingRefolutionsto forfake it. But after all our purpofes to do fo, n>e feek it yet again ^ and when it is thus with us, our Cafe is almoil defperate • not becaufe God is un- willing to pardon us upon our Repcntance,but becaufe we are unwilling to repent, that we may be pardoned. Our Cafe is become that of the impenitentand hardned Jewi, who had fo ♦ blinded their Eyes that they could not fes^ and made their Hearts grofs and heavy that they could not hear^ left they flwuld be converted^ and God fhoiild heal them. But if rhou art fo aiTeded with, and fo afflided under, the fenfe of thine Iniquities, that thou canfi; pray fervently with r^w^, not only to bedcliver'd from the Guilt, butfrom thePoue: and Dv'^rxiinion of Sin ^ and canft weep bitterly witii Piter Qz the remembrance of it 5 if thy Heart be 111- led with a true godly Sorrow for it, and a true ha- tred of it, and a fixed Refolution to forfake it ^ and thou doll manifell: the ilncerity of that Rcfo-- lution by ceafmg for the future to do Evil, then th/; * }iUnb. ij. ix» ^ Pp 2 il^ 228 The Attriuutes of G 0 D. thy Sim wae as Scarlet^ thou (halt be white as 5«orp • thoa from thefe bappy Symptoms mayfl condudc, that had the Lord been pleafed to deftroy thee, he would not have done thee fo much Gopd, or wrought thefe fruits of godly Sorrow and Repentance in thee. ^dly. The Gonad eration of the great Mercy of our God to Creatures fo infinitely beneath, and fo unworthy of, his Grace and Favour, fhould fill us with the greateft Shame and Sorrow for our Offen- ces againii: a God fo rich in Goodnefs, and plen- teous in Mercy to ns. Great Kindnefles freely vouch fa fed to Perfons mofi: unworthy, are great Obligations to fnitable Returns. And fo when they are confer'd by Princes on their Subjei^s, and Ma- tters on their unprofitable Servants, in which Re- lation we all (land to the great God, they lay the highefl Obligations on them to an exad^E Com- pliance with all their reafonable Commands, and render all the wilful Violations of them the more heinous, and the kfs excufable : according to that faying of good Ezj'a^ * Seeing that thou^ O Lord^ baft puniffljed us kfs than our Iniquities defirved^ and haft given us fuch a deliverance as this ^ fnohld we a^arit break thy Commandments^ rrouU/i not thou then he angry with us till thou hadft confumed us ? And that ftrange Ex population of God, f Hear, O Hea- vens^ and give ear^ O Earthy I htve muri/Jjed and brought up Children^ and they have rebelled againjl me^ reprefenting this Ingratitude as fo very bafe, thac even the infenfate Creatures might bealhamedof, ^nd ?tfl:oni{hed at it. Great Mercies therefore muft be great Aggravations of our Sins, and render rhem exceeding finfiil : for tho* all willful Sins have in them the Nature of Rebellion, yet Sins a- griinffc efpecial Mercies have in them alfo the foul Aggravation of Ingratitude. In other Things, when His M E R C T. 529 when we ibreak the juft and holy Laws of God we rife np againfl our Governor, and exak our fooliOi Wills againfl: the Counfcl of an All- wile God ; but when we Sin agaiembred not the multitude of thy Mercies^ hut were DiJ obedient at the Sea^ even at the Red Sea • the Place lo remark- able for their miraculous Deliverance, and for his dreadful Judgments on their Enemies. Now that which fo enhanfes the Gaik of onr Iniquities, fhoiild proportionably encreafe our Sorrow for them • and the greater are the Mercies which we have received, the more fhould we be troubled at the remembrance of our unduciful Deportment :o the kind Author of them. Thus when God aggravates the Sin of David by the Enumeration of the great Kindnefs he had file wed unto him, fay- ing, / anointed thee King over the HoufeofiQzd^ ami delivered thee out of the Hands of Saul, and gave thee thy Majler^s Houfe^ and thy M.ijler's Wivas mto thy Bofonj, arj gave thee the H'ufe of Ifrael, and the Houfe of Judah, wherefore tJyen hafi thou dcjpifed the Commandment of the Lord to do Evil in his fight ? How many Penitential Pfalms doth he end ice ? And how pathetically doth he cry our, |j J am xcpary of my groaning^ every Night rrajh I my Bed^ and water my Couch with my Tears -^ 1 have £aten - fhcs as it were Bread^ and rr/wgled my Drink with weeding j / am brought into fo great tro-Mc and !* Beut. 32. t P[^^- 10^. ?. II ^/^''- ^- ^' Pp 3 mifcry^ 2 JO The Attributes of G 0 D : mlfery^ that 1 go mourning alt the day Img, * / am feeble and fore broken ^ / have roamed for the difqiiietnefs of my Heart. How doth he of- fer to God the Sacrifice of the broken and the contrite Spirit ? In a word, God hinifelf hath made it an evidence of a wicked Heart, that his Mercies cannot reform or work upon it, as we learn from thofe Words of the Prophet 7- fa'mh^ '\- Let favour he fhewed to the wiekedj yet will be not learn Rtghteoufnefs, Laflly. Let us be hence perfwaded to imitate the merciful Nature of our gracious God, efpe- cially in two Particulars fore-mentioned, and which afford an excellent Pattern for our Imi- tation. ifi. In preventing the offending Perfon by our kind offers of Reconciliation, and by difcovering our readinefs to pardon his Offences on the moft reafonablc Term§ .• for tho' we highly .have of- fended our God, againft all Realbn, and againft die higheft Obligations to the contrary, yet doth he by his AmbaUadors begin the Offers of his pardoning Mercy, aad even befeech us to be re- conciled. This Chriflian Vertue is like that of Charity, which is then moil Commendable when we do not flay for an intreaty ; when the Ex- ample of Others, or the Importunity of the In- digent do not extort it from us ; but we pre- vent their Wifhes, and feck out proper Objeds of it. So in like manner, tho' it be good to ac- cept of reafonable Terms when they are off^er'd, and to be ready to forgive when Mercy is de- fir'd ^ yet is it more Generous and Divine even to begin the offers of Friend fhip and Re- *P/:ioi.9. ^Tfa.26,io. conciliation His MERC Y. 2ji conciliation, though we be die offended Peiv fons. idly. By our readinefs to pardon the highcft and the moft mnltipUed Provocations. For a Re- fledioa upon the infinite iMajelty of God, compa- red with our Mcanncfs, and the Confideratioii that the Dignity of the injnred Pciron propor- tionally cnhanfeth the Offence^ mult be fujiici- ent to convince us, that the grearefl Injuries which we can fiiffer from the Hand of M;in are as norhini^, when compared to the Affronts we daily offer to the great Majefty of Heaven, and bear no juH propoitioii to them, either in weight or number. If then the Mercies of this glorious God are eqnal to his iM jefty^ if he fcill mul- tiplies his Pardons tov/ards us, we alfo, who by cor Savio/r are enjoined to be * wcrciful^ as our Heavenly Father is merciful ^ fhould be ftill rea- dy to forgive the higheil and mod multiplied Provocations of our offending Brother. O hov/ fad is it then to hear of Chrillians falling out with their Chriftian Brethren about trifling Con- cerns, and that fo bitterly that no Intreaties or Endeavours can prevail with them to be recon- ciled ? Oh how unfuitable is this to their own Delires, in reference to their Offences againlt God ? For, vcould they not have him to par- don even their higheft Provocations, and to renew his Pardon, even to feTienty times feven • and why then do they oblllnately refufe to for- give the (ingle and minute Offences of their ChriHian Brother? To engage -us to a more ready Compliance with this Duty, let us con- lider. P p 4 '(^- 2 J 2 The Attributes of GOD: ift, The excellency of this Temper ^ it be- ing a piece of natural Religion required indifpen- fably of all Men •, for, faith the Prophet Mtcah^ he hath fl^emd thee^ O Man^ what is Good^ and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee^ even to do Ju^ ft ice and love Mercy. It is that Duty which God prefers before the higheft outward Ads of his Religions Worihip •, for he hath faid, "^ / wiU have Mercy ^ and not Sacrifice : It is the Charadter of a Good Man, for the Righteous is merciful and liberal^ he is merciful even to his Beaft^ and much more to his fellow Man, made after the like- nefs of his Maker. Laftly^ It is that which ren- ders us moft like to him, who is the befl of Beings, for as nothing is more contrary to him who is the Father of Mercies^ than a cruel and implacable Spirit ; fo nothing' renders us more like to him, and fo more perfeft, than do thefe Adts of Mercy. And therfefore what in St. Luke runs thus, -]- Be ye merciful^ as your Heavenly Fa- ther is merciful^ is, in St. Matthew^ varied thu?. Be ye prft^l^ as your Heavenly Father is ferfeijt. idly. Let us compare the Mercies of our God with the Mercies he requires us to exercife to- wards our Chriftian Brother, and this will tho- roughly convince us of the reafonablenefs of this Duty ; fince he requires only that his forgive- nefs.of our Ten Thoufand Talents, ihould make us willing to forgive our Brother his Hundred Pence ; or that the Difpleafure we conceive a- gainft our Brother for fome few and petty Inju- ries, (hould perifh at the thoughts of his for- givenefs ot our more numerous and heinous Crimes. ^ Pf II lo 4, 5. t Manh* 5. 48- ^d!y. His MERCY. 23J 3^/y. Let us confider the need the beft of us do Itand in of Divine Mercy, and how mi- ferable we muft be, if God ftiould 77iark what we have done amifs^ and deal with us according to the juft defert of our Iniquity ^ and then let us ferioufly refied upon it, that our own pardon doth depend on this forgivenefs of our Brother : for * // we forgire Tiot Men their TrefpaJJes^ neU ther will our Heavenly Father forgive us. The Pa- rable recorded in f St. Matthew^ fecms to infinuate that he will even reverfe the Mercy he hath al- ready lliew'd us, upon our refufal to fhew Mer- cy to our Brother •, for it informs us, that he who refufed to forgive his Brother, was there- fore call into Prifon by his Lord, for that very Debt he had before forgiven him ^ and then our Saviour adds thcfe Words, So lihwife wiU my Heavenly Father deal with you^ if you for* give not from your Hearts one amthefs Trefpajfes, 4.thly. Let us confider how much we wrong our felves by our refufal to imitate this Mercy of our God in the forgivenefs of our Brother : for even that Claufe of our daily Prayers, forgive^ as we forgive^ or as St. Luke exprefles it, by way of Reafon, forgive^ for we forgive, demonftrates, that we come to God with a Lye in our Mouths, when we fay, for we forgive^ if we negle(^ to do {o^ or retain any Rancour againft him in our Hearts : and then we turn our Prayers into Pro- vocations. And when we fay, Forgive as we forgive^ and do not from our Hearts forgive our Brother, we pray that we may not be pardon- ed, and fo we turn our PVayers into Imprecations againH: our felves, and importune God not to for- ^Matth.6* 15. tChap. 18.54, ^y. give 2 J 4 ^f^^ Attributes of GOD: give us; But, on the other hand, this merciful Dif- pofitioa will render us fecure of the Divine Mercy : for our great Judge hath faid, * Bkjfed are the mer^ ciful^ for they /hall obtain Mercy ^ and hath exprefly told us, that if ive forgive Men their TrefpaJJes^ cur Heavenly Father xvill forgive tis : And furely ^Blcffed is the Alan whofe Irnqnity is forgiven^ and whofe Stn is covered. ^ Mattb,^, 7. 6, 14, S E R. 2?5 SERMON XV. Of His PATIENC K ROM. 11. isr, Defpifeji thou the Riches of the Goodnefs^ Tor- bearance and J^ong-fuffering of God^ not know- ing that the Goodnefs of God leadeth to Re-* pentapue ? TH E Apoftle, in the former Chapter, told the Romans^ that he was not aftiamed of that Gofpel which he preached, it being the Power of God thro' Fatth unto Salvation, The neceflity ofbsing jujlificd by this Faith he fhcws, (ryJ.) With refped to the Gentiles^ who by holdwg the Truth in Vnrighteoufnefs^ had defer- ved that Wrath of God which was revealed froytt Hsaven againji all Vngodlincfs and Vnrtghteoufnefs 2j6 The Attributes of GOD. of Men. In this Chapter he proceeds to fhew, that the Jews^ who locked upon the Gentiles as the greateft Sinners, were obnoxious to the fame Wrath, as doing the fame things which they con- demned in the Heathens^ and being as great Of^ fenders againft the Law of Aiofes^ as they were againft the Light of Nature, tho' God was pleafed to exercifc great Patience to them, that his Long- fufFeiance might prevail upon them to repent of their Iniquities. Whence ! obferve, \ft. That God is a God of great Goodnefs and Long-fuffering towards Sinners. 2dly. That his chief Defign in all this Patience and Long-fufFering is to engage them to that Re- pentance, which can alone prevent the Execution of his \A^rath upon them. In profecution of this Subjea I (hall fhew, ift. What this Patience of God imports. 2dly. That this is a PerfeQion which very emi- nently belongs to God. 'idly. What fign?'.! Demonftrations he hath af- forded of this Patience. Now, (i/?.) Patience being, in Man, that Vertue by which he doth fnpprels, reftrain and moderate his Anger ; the Holy Ghofl^ in the Old Teftament ex- preffes the Divine Patience, by being, Eyec Jpphaim^ flow to Anger, or long before he breaths it out. In the New Tellament, by the word u Tre^^^ujvw, i. e. the forbearance of the Punifhment deferved ; and by the word avoxvi, or the reftraining of his An- ger from breaking forth upon the Sinner, For fuch is the Holinefs of his Nature ^ fuch is his ha- tred of that Sin, which is a Contradiction both to his Nature, and his Holy Laws, that he muft -sceffarily be difpleafed with the Sinner as foon is he tranfgrelTeth any of his Righteous Precepts : nd hence the Pfalmift faith, that he is angry with ths His P JT / E NC E. 237 the Wicked every day : but then his Goodncfs and his Mercy fo far interpofe^ that he ftill waitethto he gracious^ and is Long fuffering towards hs, hccaufe he is net willing we fhould pert'/h. So that God fliews this Patience, firit when he defe'S the Punifhment the Sinner hath defervcd, and doth not inftantly break forth in Judgment on him, and give him the defert of his Iniquities; for feeing Sin nofoon- er is committed than itdeferveth Punifhment, and renders us obnoxious to the Wrath of God, it can be only Patience which witliolds his Hand, and defers the deferved Punilhment. Sometimes in- deed Impunity it felf is the higheft Adc of God's Difpleafure, as when he faith, * / vpHI not puniflj youY Daughters when they commit Whoredom^ nor your WiVes when they commit Adultery • but this is only fo when God fees Men fo hardened in their Sins, and fb incorrigible in their Iniquities, that no Judgments will have any good efFed upon them. And in this Cafe he inquires thus, '\'why fhould youhc f mitten ayiy mors r you will revolt more and more. But when he doth forbear the Sinner, with defign to prevent his Ruin, and to procure his Repentance, then is this an Exercife of Divine Patience, and Good Will to Sinners. idly, God alfo Exercifes this Patience when lie moderates the Puniiliment of our Offences, or, as Eva faith, doth punifh us lefs than our Iniqui- ties deferve^ for fo much Punifhment as is rcfpiced, fb much Anger is rellrained. Thus the Ffalmift reckoneth it an Inftance of God's Goodnefs to his People, that tho' they had many times provoked him, !| he did not flir up all his Wrath^ i. e. He pu- Dilhcd them not for Excifion, but for Reformation. And ft 3 8 The Amihtites of G 0 Di And this is one great Inftance of this Patience^ that whereas Death is the wages of Sin, he doth only punifh us with temporal Calamities ^ fo that the Patience of God comprehends all that fpace of Repentance which God affords Sinners in this Life, ' and all thofe temporal Judgments which * are infii^ed on them not tor Excifion, but for Rc- * formation ^ not to turn them into Hell, but to * awaken them, and keep them from it. For when God chaftifes Sinners in this World, that they may not be condemned in the next ; when he lays his Fatherly Hand upon them to corredt their wan- drings from the way of Life, and teach them O- bedience^ by the things that they fufFer, he flicvvs at once 'the CompafTions of a Father, and the Pa- tience of a God. Now, Impatience being a wcaknefs and blemifli in us Men, becaufe it Ihews that we want Power and Difcretion to reftrain the Motions of our an- gry Pafllons, and Patience being a great Chriftian Vcrtuc, becaufe it fhews in us the ftrength of Wifdoro, and of Power to govern and command them, according to thole Words of the Wife- man -^ * He that is flow to Jnger is of great Vn^ ikrflanding^ and he that ruleth] his Spirit ts Jlronger than he that taheth a City ^ this ihewing on- ly llrength of Body^ but that llrength ot Mind : Therefore is this ft ill leprefcnted as a Perfed^ion in the Deity. Hence is he ftyled, f The Gcd of Patience^ and we are bid, In Imitation of him, and • in Coniormity to his Example, to pftt on^ as the Eldf of God^ Meeknefs and Long-fuffcring, And when God gave to A^ofes the molt perfed Rc- prefentation of himfelf, and made all his GloYy * Pr9v. 1 4. 1 9. t it'^w* 1 5- 5*^ faf$ His P AT I E N C E. 2J9 pafs before him ^ he doth it by proclaiming him- fclf ^ a Cod gYacious, Long-jajfcring, and of great Mercy, But here it mud: be carefully obfcrvcd, that when we fay that Patience is an Attribute of God, we mull not undcrftand this fo, as if his Nature did require that he (hould always, and in all Cafes, Exercife this Patience ^ this being con- trary to Experience, and to numerous Examples of God's fudden Wrath on Sinners, recorded in the Holy Scriptures ^ but only thus, that he hath always the Power to reflrain his Wrath, and in the common Difpenfations of his Providence doth generally do it, as very numerous Examples of provoking Sinners do atteft. But as this Paffion in Rulers, Mailers, and Parents is to be guided by Difcreticn, and fo it is no Ar- gument of any want of Patience in them, that they more fpeedily do punifh the Offender when they fee that this is more agreeable to the Ends of Puniihment, and to the Rules of Go\Bernment • fo the Divine Patience being always cxercifed ac- cording to the unerring Rules of Wifdom, and the trueft Ends of Government, it is no Indica- tion of a defect of Patience in God, that he is fometimes pleafed to be quick in Execution of his Punifhments upon the Sinner, becaufe he doth this only when the Wifdom of his Government, and the true Ends of Puniihment require it. And this one Obfcrvation will (hew the Reafon of all the Inflanccs of the Divine Severity recorded in the Holy Scriptures^ and fo demonllrate the Divine Wifdom in inflicting thofe fudden ftrokes up- on Lof% Wife ^ upon tiie Man that gathered Exod, 54, ^. Sticks 2 40 The Attrihutes of GOD. Sticks upon the Sabbath day ^ oa Nadah and Ahihu ^ on V'ix,a 5 on Ananias and Sapfhira ; and on Herod Agrippa^ For, (lyJ.J We may confider that thefe Examples are but few, whereas the daily Provocations of the greatell part of Mankind are very numerous and heinous : fo that this magnifies God's Patience to Mankind in general, and fhews that when he is thus quick in executing his Wrath, he va- ries from the ordinary Methods of his Pro- vidence. idljf. We may confider that all thefe Examples do only concern particular Perfons, and that God fpares whole Bodies, and Communities of Men till they grow generally Wicked and Incorrigible. Thus God faith to Jbrahnm^ that he could not yet de- ftroy the Inhabitants of the Land of Promife, be- caufe the * Iniqmty of the Amorites was not yet fuU^ i. e, they were not yet arrived to fuch a general Corruption, as after overwhelmed the whole Nation. For when thole Words were fpo- ken, Jbraham had three good Friends Confe- derate with him, Mamre, Efchol and Aner, MeU chifedec was alfo then a righteous King, and a true Worfhipper of the moll high God, and doubt- lefs had many Subjeds who thus wor (hipped with him. But when God gave Commiffion to deltroy them, we read not of one Righteous Perfon left among them, or of one worthy to be faved but Rahah^ and that not for her Piety, for Ihe was an Harlot, but for her Faith, and kindnefs to the Spies. And fo when God's own People lay long under a general Corruption, God fends his Pro^ phets to reclaim them, Becaufe be bad CompaJJion for His PATIENCE. 242 them^ till there was no remedy^ 2 Ghron. ^6, \^ : e No bringing them to Repentance, that they miehl be healed. ^ But to proceed to a partici^lar Reflexion np< on all thefe Inilauces • it will be neceifary to la/ before you the true Reafons for which Wife and Good Governors do punifh, and they are thefe three. 1. For Examples (like, that they who fuflcf may be Exemplary to others, and may, by what they fuffer, deter others from the like Offences. idly. In Punifliments which reach not to the ta- king away of Life, the Criminal is punifhed, that he may learo Wifdom by the Rod, and the re- membrance of what he fufFered for it, may pre- vent the Repetition of his Sin. •^dly. For the Vindication of the Prince's Honor,- and the Prefervation of the Laws he hath eltab- lirtied from Contempt. Now all thefe Inftances of God's Severity were very proper in their Nature, and might be defign- ed by Divine Wifdom to accom.plilh two of thefe Ends of PunifhiTicnt. {ift.') That they who did thus might be Ex- amples to deter others from the like Offences, and fo the Suffering of one might be the Prefervation of many. Thus was it in. the Cafe of Xot'sWife, who looking back, in Difobedience to God's ex- prefs comir.and, became a Pillar of Salt, i. e. a Sanding Monument of the fruit of Difobedience, even then when God in a manner fo extraordi- nary was taking Care of her. And to this End it is improved by our Lord, who having bid liis Difcipies, m.ake hafte out of Jsrufakm^ when he wais ready to deftroy it, without ftaying W take Care of their Cloaks, or Houfhold Goods, Q, q add?^ §42 ^/^^ Ahribtites of GOD t ridds, * Remember Lot'j Wife^ i. e, wbat Puniflmient befel her for her Delay and Difobedience. This alfo might be the Reafon of God's fudden Jodg- ment upon Herod,^ to (hew he is a Jealous God, and vv'ill not fuffer his Honour to be given to another, nor permit Men to admit of fuch Flat- teries as make them rival him. A fecond End of Puni(hment is to vindicate ths ^hyiour of the Lawgiver^ and to prejerve the Laws he hath sflahJifljed from Contet^pt. It is obferved by St. Chryfojlom^ that the firft Violaters of a Law fhould be quickly punifhed, to ftvikeaTer- lor into others, that they might not dare to do the like. Now this was the Cafe of the Maa ix>ho pathered Sticks upon the Sabbath day^ he being the firft breaker of that Sacred Law given to the Jews ^ and by it, in effect, a Contemner of that God who had prefcribed the Obfeirvation of it, as a Teltimony that they worfllipped the Crea- tor of the World. This alfo was the reafon of the Death of JNadah zx]& Ahihu^ that they tranf- gieffvd the Precept of Offering only by Fire takeri from God's Altar, almoft as foon as it was given : whence the Remark of Mofts on this Judgment 5 i^ to this Effect, '{' This is that which the Lord fpake^ fiyingy I ^ill be fandificd of all that come nigh tne^ and before all the People I will be glorified^ to wit^ in my Judgments on them who do not revere niy Command. Thus Vz^za died, becaufe he was the firlt that prefuraed to touch the Ark of God: and 'tis obfcrvable, that in the two laft Inftan- ces we re^d of no more Offenders in the like kind ; and in the firft, not till long after. The Sin of uinanias and Saphira was very great on this Ac- ^ Luks ^7 32» '\ Lev. 10 3. Qomt Hts P J T I E N C E. 24J ount, that it was a dire(ft Sia againll the Huly Choft fent down from Heaven to propagate the Go- fpel, and a quellioning his Wifdom to difccin things fecret, and therefore plainly tended to the hindrance of theGofpel by reprefeiiting this Holy Spirit^ as unable to acquaint them with the Secret Things of God ; and it was highly reafonable than the firlt great Offence of this kind fnould receive fuch an Exemplary Punilhment from the imme- diate Hand of God, that others might more dread thofe Sins which thus affronted that Holy Spirit^ by whofe Power the Gofpel was to be propagated. idly. For farther Explication of this Attribute, it ought to be confidered^ that this Affection ill God, at Icallas to the Exercife of it, in which alone we are concerned, is not like thofe other Attri- butes of Juftice, Holinefs and Tiuth we a* e^ called to imitate. For thefe both, as to the inward Prin- ciple, and the continual Exercife of them, arc fo edential to the Divine Nature, that 'tis impoffiblc that God fhould ever ceafe to be a God of Jn- ftice, Holinefs and Truth, or to Ad unfuitably to thofe Attributes •, whereas, as there is a Day of Grace and Merc/, fo is there a Day of Wrath ; as there is a time of Patience, fo will there be a time when Patience will have an end, and the Lord "* will no longer bear, becaufe of the Iniquity of Mens doings. ' The very Nature of Patience and Long- ' futfering fuppofeth that they wiU not always lafi", *for to fay that God is Patient, or flow to Anger, ' Is, in effed, to fav, that he refirvetb Wrath for his ' Enemies^ tho' it be flow in comin?'. Nor is it a- ' ny part of Goodnefs to fee it felf perpetually a- Q. q 2 bufect 244 The Attributes of G 0 D. hvScd and defpiftd ; it is not Patience but infenfi- biiity to endure to be always affronted ; and fo we cannot reafonably fuppofe that God fhould fuf- fer his Holy and Juft Laws to be for ever violated vathout fome fign of his Ref^ntmsnt of the injury. God will always fo exercife his Patience and Long- fnffering, as is agreeable to his Holinefs and JuUice. Tho' therefore in this Life^ which is the time of Patience, he endures with nmch Long-fuffering^ the Fef^ fiU of Wrath fitted fcr Dsftrudton -^ yet in the next World his Righteous Judgment will take place, and he vjiW/hew forth all his Wrath upon them. The firft and chief De fign of all God^s Patience is, faith my Text, to lead Men to Repentance, he being * Long'f^ffmyig to us ward^ faith St. Peftr, mt being willing that any fjoald l^eri[h^ but that all fhould come to Repentance, But if Men will defpife this Patience, and go on flill in the frowardnefs of their Hearts^ adding Sin to Sin -^ If neither rich Mercies, nor fevere Judgments can awaken them out of their fleep in Sin •, if neither the Inellimabk Bleffings he hath promised to the Penitent can allure them, nor his dreadful Threats afright them from a continu- ance .in their finful Courfes ; Is it not juH with God to execute on them the Judgment written ? For what can he do lefs then condemn thofe whom all his Mercies cannot fave, and make them Mife- rable, who have fo obftlnately refufed to be for e- vcr Happy ? Doth not the Jpoflle here afll:}re us, that this will be the fad fate of ail defpifers of God's Patience, by faying, that they are trcafuringup Wrath aga'mfl the day (f Wrath ^ and Revelation of God's Righteous Jyjgnient ? Oh then that Sinners would conlider ferioufiy of thefe four things, which are His P J T I E N C E. 245 io proper to induce them to a more fpecdy and efFeftual Reformation of their Evil Ways, viz., i/l. That Sin deferveth Puniihment as loon as 'tis committed, and that 'tis only thro' Patience nnd iindeferved Mercy that it doth not find it, and that God is not obliged thus to lengthen out his Pa- tience to us. idly. That the Inftances of God's Severity and Wrath executed upon Sinners in the very Ad are purpofely recorded to terrific us from our con- tinuance in Sin without Repentance, from this Con- iideration, that it may be with us as it hath been with others, and Providence may arreffc us in the very Ad of Sin, as it did them. Sdly. Confider, that thou haft no Aflurancc of the Continuance of thy Day of Grace, and that ic ihall not very foon give place to that of Wrath ^ for rce know not what a D^y may bring forth. What folly is it then to leave our everlafting Intereds at fuch Uncertainties ? And to content our fclvcs with Proraifes and Refolutions to be Good for the future, when Death may feize us before that fu- ture time is come, and fend us to begin our Pen- nance in another World •, or caufe us to be per- petually refleding on our folly in not embracing the prefent opportunity of doing it to' our Soul's Health. 4t%. Confider, that ss God hath left the time of our departure out of this World uncertain, on purpofe that we might be flill prepared for ic when it comes, ^o hath he alfo taught us that '^ Novo ii the acceptable time^ now is the Day of Sal- vation ^ and that there is no Repentance in the Grave^ rchither wc all are goings that we may be induced, 9 2 Cor. 6,1. Q.q 3 v;hillc t^6 The Attributes, of G 0 D : whilfl: it is call'd to day, to maRe our Calling and Eledion fure, and fo may happily improve this Day of Grace into a Day of Glory. Let me then ask the Sinner whether he would 13 4. 348 The Attributes of G 0 D : \Ark vpas prepmng^ cannot be reafonably thooght to be any other Perfons than thofe who lived in thq Days of Noah 'y nor could he preach to them by his H. Spirit at any other time, they being only then difobedient to God's Laws, and his Calls to Re- pentance, as the Words ocT^eSvoztG-i TTDTsfhevvs. sdly, He is faid to preach to the Spirits in Prifon, partly becauft after the Sentence pafl: upon them, God kept them as it were in Prifon for a Day of Slaughter, if they did not repent ; and partly bscaufe their Spirits ever fince the Deluge have been kept in Prifon, or in Chains of darknefs to the Judg- ^mnt of the great Day, Laflly, Obferve^ that the ^/jo/l/jintvcduceth this very Inftance to prove, that * the Judgment of Vn-- godly Men doth not linger^ and their Damnation doth not /lumber. For, faith he, if God fpared not the Old Worlds hut. ftved only Noah, a preacher of Right eouf- ^lefs^ bringitjg the Flood upon the World of the Vngodly • We may r€fl: aflwred, that the Lord hioweth how to deliver the Righteous^ as he did Noah^ and to referve the Wichd and Vnfufi unto the day of Jndgmevittohe funifhed. Moreover, the ancient Phrafe to fig- nifi0 Hell, was not Gehenna ^ that Word . being not ufed in Scripture till Jnftah made a conflanc iFire h y^ \yv6(xin the Falley of Hinnom .' But it was the Place of the Giants^ mentioned Cenefis the dth, wliich corrupted the Old World.' So Frov. 2. 180 T^be Houfe of thejlrange Woman enclineth to Deatb^ and her Paths al Rephaim to the Giants^ and Chap. 9. 17, 18. The Giants are there ^ and herGuefls are in tks depths of Hades. And if this be the Portion of the Sinners of the Old World, who had lefs light, ancj lefTer means of Grace than we Cbriltians have , it * iPei. 2. 4, 5.; 9. is His P JT 1 E N C E. 249 js but reafonable to conclude, as our Saviour doth in a like Cafe, that it will be more tokrabk for thtrn in the Day of 'Judgment than for us. As therefore we fhould thankfully acknowledge the Patience of God continued yet to us, notwithftandinr^ our ma- nifold and heinous Crimes, which juflly might pro- voke him to deftroy us : So God grant we may all be led by it to Repentance ^ and may not, thro' the hardnefs and impenitency of our Hearts, g,o onfliU treafuring up Wrath againft the day of Wrath, and Revelation of God's Righteous Judgment, that fo our day of Grace may happily conclude in that of Glory. S E R- f^o SERMON XVI. Of the PATIENCE of GOn ROM. II. iv. Defpifefi thou the Riches of the Goodnefs^ For- hearanee and Long-fajfering of Godj not know-' ing that the Goodnefs of God leadeth to Re- pntmce ? I Proceed now to the mofl (ignal, and Convin- cing Demonftration of the great Patience, and Long-fufFering of our gracious God, re- fulting from the Confideration of the Deport- ment of Sinners towards God, and his Deportment towards them. For, i/^. All our habitual Tranfgreflions, and willful Violations of his Holy Laws are heinous Provo- cations of his Sacred Majefy^ upon feveral Ac- counts. I. As His P A r I E N C E. 251 I. As they are k^s of plain Rchellion againft his Righteous Government, and lb do render us even Sons of Ikiial ♦, Men who cad off his Yoke, and renounce Subjection to him. By every fuch Ad of Difobcdiencc, we, in effect, declare we Tvill not have the Lord to Rule aver us -^ and WQ continue Enemies to him by mcked Worh. Whence Chrifl: informs ns, that he will pafs the Sentence upon the Difobedient, thus, * Brhg thefe mine Enemies th.it would not I /Jjoidd reign over them^ and /lay them before me. Wh^tfoever we in Words profefs, we, by our Difobedience, deny him to be God, according to thofe Words of the A^ojlle-^ they^ in Words^ profefs to know him^ hut in IVorks^ they deny him^ being Difohedient^ Tit. i. i5, 2dly. Every Ad of willful Difobedience to the Laws of God is reprefented as a defpillng of his Sacred Majejiy: Whence God, by the Prophet Na- than fpeaks to David^ thus, '{' wherefore haft thou defpifed the Commandment of the Lord^ to do Evil in his fight ? And this is alfo evident from thofe Words of Chrift, |) No Man can fervc two Mw fiers 5 for either he will love the one^ and hate the 0- iher-^ $r he will cleave to the one^ and de [pi fe the other : For hence it clearly follows, that when we do not ferve God, and cleave to him, we d^^Y^x^z ^^^ h when we do not love him above whatever ftands in Competition with him for our Hearts, and our Affections, we do com.paratively hate him. Now, furely it mufl be an heinous Provocation to defpile him who deferves above all things to be valued, and to hate him, who above all things, is worthy of our choiceft Love. *L//A^ 19. i?. \^Sam> i:. 9, jo. \ Mat 6 24. i,d}y. IB 5 2 The Attributes of GO D^ ^dly. The Sm/^fMrc carries this Matter higher ftlil, and reprefents this wilful Difobedience as a re- proaching, and blafpheming of his Holy Name, That there is fomewhat of this Nature in every Adi of willful Difobedience, we learn from thefe plain Words of God ; * Tour Fathers baveblafpbsnied me in that they have commited a Trefpafs againfl me ^ and alfo from the Voice of Reafon : for by chufing to do what the Wifdomof God forbids, we muft reproach either his Wifdom, or his Goodnefs, de- claring, that the thing he requires us to abilain from, is fit and worthy to be chofen; and there- fore, that by forbidding it, God either want- ed Wifdom to difcern what was Good for ns, or, was not willing that V7e fnouid enjoy ic. f He that forfahs the Law^ puif€$ the Wicked^ faith Solomon^ u e. He reprefents them as the only Wife Men, who im3erftand their real Intereils, and know how 1^0 difcern what is beft for them: lyy^'iuocltroci rv,v oc(riih&oc\ he commends Wickedncfs, faith the ^Jreek^ as being pleafant and defirable, and fo he contradicts God's Judgment of it, and fettcth up ills Wifdom in oppofition to Divine Wifdom, his Will in oppofition to the Will of God ; and in his Adions faith, mt his Will^ hut mine /hall Jl and, ^thly. It is a farther Aggravation of our Sins, uhat they are all committed againfl: a God of fuch great Love^ rich Mercy, and plenteous Good nefs to •5*;be Sons of Men-, feeing to render him Evil for 62 The Attrihutes of GOD- ^dly. Let me entreat you ferioufly toconfider what you are doing whilft you perfift: ia your Impenitence, You arc, faith our Apoftle, tnafuring up Wrath againfs the day of Wrath^ and Revelation of God^s Righteous Judgment. O dreadful, and awakening Words ! for what is that Wrath you are fo wickedly Indu- ftrious to treafure up, or to pull down upon your felves ? it is no other than the Wrath of an Almigh- ty, Sin-revenging God, who will be to the Wicked a confuming Fire -^ it is that Wrath, which when it feifeth on the guilty Confcience here, its Wound is infuppor table, its Trouble is too great to be ex- prefs'd : That Wrath of the Lamb, which to avert^ Sinners are reprefented as * calling on the Mountains to fall on them^ and on theHUls to cover them : That Wrath which funk down Legions of once Blefled Jingels into the Regions of Eternal Horror, and will de- ftroy both Soul and Body in Hell Fire, Now is this Wrath foeafie to be born, fo little dreadful, that this Confideration, that this may Ihortly be our Cafe, fhould not engage us to ufe our utmoft Diligence to be delivered from it? Again, when will this Wrath be executed ? Some fearful Expectations of it will feife on the Impenitent^ when Death approaching prefents him with the profped of an unchangeable Eternity •, but then the Day is coming when f God mil make bare his jirm^ and (hew forth Ml his Wrath^ and make the Glory of his Power hmvon upon the f^ejjels of it ; [| when Chrifi will come in flaming Fire to take Ven^ geance on all that obey not his Gofpel ^ and to punifh them with Everlafting DeftruBion from his Glorious Prefence. And will you ftill go on to treafure up this Wrath ? Do not the very Apptehenlions of it ftrikc Horror to your Souls? What therefore will it be eternally to » ^v. ^. i6, 17. t ^om» 9. 12. II 2 TheJJ. i. 8. fuffei^ His PATIENCE. 26} fufFer what you dread to think on ^ and to reflcdl for ever on it, that this was the very thing that you were fo induftrious to treafurc up all yourLives long ? O then, will it not be infinitely better for you by the Riches of Divine Goodnefs, Patience, and For- bearance, to be led to that Repentance which will fecure you from the Wrath of God, and to which God defigns to lead you by thefe gracious Methods • to that Repentance by which you fhall be fureto trea- fure up Life and Salvation, it being fty led, Refentance unto Life-j to that Repentance which will convert the Wrath of God into that Favour which is better than is Lifeitfelf-^ exchange the prefent Terrors of a guilty Confcience for ftrong Confolations ; and cre- ate Joy in Heaven, and Joy in your own Heart, and procure for you an happy entrance into the Joy of mtr Lord. FINIS, I V ^? ^1I ^ f t^.'