The Spiritual Nature of God and His Worship, Treatise
Iohn 4.24.
God is a Spirit, and be will be Worſhiped in Spirit and in Truth.
IN this Chapter is contained the Subſtance of a Diſcourſe, between our Saviour and the Woman of Samaria; Verſ. 19 who perceiving at laſt that our Saviour was a Prophet, becauſe he had told her a thing, which ſhe thought concealed from all the World; thereupon ſhe preſently deſires ſatisfaction, in that great and famous Controverſie, which at that time was handled with great Animoſity, Namely, Whether God was to be Worſhiped on Mount Gerizim, according to the Samaritan; or on Mount Moriah, which was Sion, according to the Jewiſh Inſtitution. She, It ſeems, thinking it abſolutely Neceſſary, that God ſhould be ſerved in one of thoſe two places, and in no other: and to defend her ſelf in her preſent way of Worſhip, ſhe makes uſe of that common Aſylum, of Lazy and Ignorant Superſtition; I mean, Tradition and the Practiſe of her Fathers; Our Fathers, ſaith ſhe, Worſhipped in this Mountain; Verſ. 20 but ye ſay, that in Jeruſalem is the place, where men ought to worſhip.
To this Demand, our Saviour is graciouſly pleaſed to return a double Anſwer.
Firſt, In general, whereby he takes away the ground of her Scruple; for whereas ſhe erroneouſly thought that God muſt neceſſarily be ſerved in one of thoſe two places; our Saviour tells her, that the hour or time was approaching, when neither on this Mountain, nor yet at Jeruſalem, ye ſhall worſhip the Father, i.e. that God would no longer have his Worſhip limited and fixed to this or that peculiar place; Mal. 1.11.but as all places were in their own Nature Equal, ſo in every place, where men met together to ſerve God, pure Incenſe, viz. of Prayer and Praiſe ſhould be offered up to God; and that it ſhould not be material, where, but how, men ſerved him, as to his acceptance of them.
Secondly, And more particularly, our Saviour refutes her fond Argument, whereby ſhe nuzled up her ſelf in her own Superſtition; Ye i. Samaritan…, Worſhip, ſaith he, ye know not what: i. e. However ye plead preſcription, and Cuſtom of your Anceſtors; yet in Religious Worſhip, ye ought not to be guided barely by the Example of your Fathers, nor draw over you the Mask of Antiquity, to countenance an Error; for trace up your Opinion to the Top, and let it run as high in Antiquity, as you pleaſe; yet as long as you have no certain and infallible Rule to walk by, but deviſe forms of your own Heads, and ſerve God, not according to the Word of God, but your own Inventions; the Older your Opinion is, the worſe it is; as being nothing elſe but Gray-headed Ignorance, and Dotage made incureable by Time. But, ſaith he, We know what we worſhip: i. We Jews have received from God himſelf Ordinances and Rites of Worſhip, according to which we ſerve him; not weakly confining God to a Place, as you do; but obediently worſhipping him in that place which he himſelf hath appointed; and of which many glorious things are ſpoken, as that this Mountain shall be exalted above all Mountains, Iſa. 2.2.and all Nations shall flow in unto it; And that, a Law shall go out from Sion, and the Word of God from Jeruſalem: M…cah 4.1.with many other ſpecial Priviledges, which long ſince have been propheſied of in reference to Jeruſalem, our place of worſhip; by which we know, and are infallibly aſſured, that Salvation is of the Jews; i. e. the ſaving Doctrine is onelyonly to be found amongſt us, and you Samaritans have nothing to ſhew, that any ſuch thing is committed unto you.
Our Saviour having thus fully ſatisfied this Womans Scruple, and rectified her Erroneous Practiſe, by bringing of her unto a Rule of Worship; which alone can be a comfortable ground of any Religious Action; ſince God looks not onelyonly after the Matter, but the Manner of our Worſhip; and diſdains to be ſerved by the Inventions of Men; ſince by their Adding to his Word, they onelyonly preſume to be Wiſer and Holier then he; Therefore our Saviour repeats and enforces again what he had mentioned before; and tells her plainly, Verſ. 23 that as Gods Worſhip ſhould no longer be confined to a certain place, by way of Special Holineſſe; ſo neither ſhould it be clogged with thoſe Outward Forms and Ceremonies as before. No ſuch things as Pompous Garments, Legal Washings and Fleſhly Rites, ſhould be required any longer; but the True Worſhippers ſhould worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: Which alone is the True Worship, becauſe all thoſe External Rites, were onelyonly Shadows and Repreſentations of it. As if our Saviour had ſaid, it is no longer your Temples, nor your Altars, nor your Outward State and Magnificence, which God now looks after; but foreign, he ſeeks with earneſtneſs, and approves with Delight and Complacency, onelyonly ſuch as worſhip him in a Spiritual and Inward Manner.
The reaſon of which our Saviour gives, in the words of the Text, becauſe God is a Spirit, and, therefore he expects a Worſhip altogether ſuitable to his own Nature: They that worship him, muſt worship him in Spirit and in Truth.
In the words, there are two things conſiderable. 1. What God is. God is a Spirit. 2. What kind of Worſhip muſt be paid unto him. They that Worship him, muſt Worship him in Spirit and in Truth. From whence ariſe two Obſervations; the firſt of which I ſhall handle as a Doctrine, the other as an Uſe or Inference from it.
1. God is a Spirit: or, a Being altogether Spiritual.
2. The Spiritual Worship of God, is the onelyonly True Worship.
For the underſtanding of the firſt, there are two things to be explained. 1. What is a Spirit. 2. In what ſence, God is ſaid to be a Spirit.
For the firſt, viz. what is a Spirit; the Schooles define it to be an Immaterial or Incorporeal Subſtance; where, if in ſtead of the word Subſtance, (which is a Term very few underſtand) they had put the word Eſſence or Being (which anſwers to the Greek foreign, and to the Hebrew foreign) they had ſpoke ſome, but not all the Truth. For thus our Saviour likewiſe defines a Spirit, in oppoſition to a groſſe and palpable Body. Luke 24.39.A Spirit, ſaid he, hath not Flesh and Bones as you ſee me to have. Which place though ſome have made uſe of for the definition of a Spirit; yet it is clear our Saviour ſpeaks there only of a Spirit, in that ſenſe that we call a Phantaſm or an Apparition, a Spirit; and therefore Ignatius in one of his Epiſtles, inſtead of the word foreign reads foreign A bodileſs Demon or Ghoſt.
But in the word Spirit, is implied ſomething more Poſitive, then barely to tell us, what it is not; and as in the Definition of a Man, it would but little ſatisfie us, to tell us, that he is not an Horſe, nor an Houſe, &c. becauſe theſe Negative Deſcriptions would never lead us to thoſe Eſſential Characters and Properties, by which the Nature of man might be diſcerned. So nakedly to tell us as the Schools do, that a Spirit is Incorporeal, i. e. not a Body; will give but very little ſatisfaction, to the Enquiry, What it is.
To find out therefore more poſitively what a Spirit is, I ſhall lay down this Ground; The Nature of every thing is to be diſcerned by its manner of Operation; as, though we can ſee neither Fire nor Air, yet we may juſtly conclude, they have Different Natures, becauſe they produce Diverſe and Contrary effects. So that if there be ſome Things or Beings in the World; which have ſuch kind of Operations, as are no way applicable to or produceable by Bodies; then They have a Diſtinct Nature from Bodies; i. e. They are Spirits.
What thoſe Operations are, every man may obſerve in the Actions of his Soul; And I ſhall inſtance onelyonly in theſe three. 1. Power. 2. Preſence. 3. Knowledge.
1. The firſt Action by which the Nature of the Soul of man may be diſcerned to be Spiritual, is Power; I mean that foreign: Or ſelf-moving-virtue; by which it can move, not onelyonly it's ſelf, but the Body too, to which it is conjoyned. And this no meer Body is capable of, for motum movetur; No Body can otherwiſe move, then as it hath an Outward Principle to move it; but the Soul hath no other Motive of it's Actings, but it's own Will and Pleaſure. And though there be ſome who affirm, that the Will doth alwayes follow the last dictate of the underſtanding; yet this is Demonſtrably falſe, by the experience of all men in the World; as well as of the Apoſtle Paul who cries out of himſelf, Rom. 7.The things I like not, theſe do I. And it is a very true ſaying of one, to whoſe writings the Chriſtian world is little beholding; As oft as Reaſon is againſt a man, ſo often will a man be againſt Reaſon. For which no cauſe can be given, but meerly the Power of the Will, to move i. e. to determine it ſelf, in ſpight of all contrary ſuggeſtions from the Ʋnderſtanding. Solomon therefore ſpeaking of dying man, divides him into his two diſtinct, and ſeemingly inconſiſtent Natures; The duſt, ſayes he, i. the Body, returns to the Earth, as it was; but the Spirit i. Eccleſ. 12.7.the the Soul, returns to God who gave it. It is the Spark of Divinity within us, which puts Life and Motion into the Dull and Unactive piece of Earth about us; and ſo enlivens it, for the doing of ſuch Actions, as Fleſh alone could not compaſs, without the Influence and Conduct of ſome more Heavenly and Spiritual Principle.
2. The ſecond Operation which demonſtrates the Soul of man to be a Spirit; is Preſence. We know that every Body is tied and limited to a place, out of which it cannot ſtir; and whenever it is moved, it moves onelyonly one way, and with one kind of Motion at once; making a dull leaſurely progreſs; Firſt how, then there by ſteps, without any Variety at all. Herein therefore doth the Spirituality of the Soul of man moſt convincingly appear, in that at one inſtant it can attend ſo many different Employments; and without any diſtraction at all, wheels about in ſo many Contrary and Repugnant Motions; not onelyonly Seeing in one place, Hearing in another, Feeling in a third; but it runs over Innumerable Idea's; it ranges infinitely diſtant places, it admits of all manner of Contraries; and yet remains ſtill the ſame by one Entire, Abſolute, Indiviſible Act, influencing every Part of the Body, and Animating the whole, which were it not a Spirit, it could not do.
3. The laſt Operation of the Soul, which ſhowes it to be a Spirit, is Knowledge. The utmoſt perfection of a Body, is Motion; and let a Body be veſted with whatever Circumſtances to ſet it out, yet Figure and Motion, do anſwer and reſolve all it's Phenomena. But to reflect upon it ſelf, to move, ſo as to know that it moves, to underſtand, and to be Conſcious of it's own Actings; to take in all manner of Idea's and Species of things, and to Spiritualize them in its Apprehenſion; theſe with many millions of ſuch kind of Actions, which are daily performed by the Soul of man, in the faculties of its Underſtanding and Will, are all beyond the Poſſibility of a Body; and therefore the Principle which produceth them is not a Body, i. e. It is a Spirit; And indeed, what ever our Modern Sadduces may argue (who are not afraid to tell us, that there is neither Angel nor Spirit) Yet when a man hath wearied himſelf with contemplating his Inward Frame, and in ſeeking to Unriddle thoſe Myſteries, which he is alwayes privy to in himſelf; he will at laſt find it, not the moſt ſafe and pious onelyonly, but the moſt reaſonable way to conclude, Job 32.8. Prov. 20.17.that there is a ſpirit in man, and the Inſpiration of the Almighty giveth Ʋnderstanding; as Job ſaith; or as Solomon, The Mind of Man, is the Candle of the Lord, i. e. a Light placed in us, and to be uſed by us, but ſpringing from, and ſavouring of its Divine and Unconceiveable Original.
Having thus, by thoſe Actions of the Soul which every man is conſcious to in himſelf, demonſtrated, at leaſt abundantly to my own ſatisfaction, that there is ſome Being or Nature in the World which is not Corporeal; I define a Spirit thus; A Spirit is a Being created by God, and endued with Qualities, whereby it is enabled to move its ſelf, and to reflect upon its own actings; and therefore Incorporeal, ſince neither of thoſe Properties, are conceivable how they can be performed by any Body, in the moſt Subtil and Abſtracted Conſideration. And ſo much for the firſt Querie, viz. What is a Spirit.
2. Secondly, The next thing to be explained was, in what ſenſe God is ſaid to be a Spirit; And I anſwer, in all thoſe ſenſes, wherein a Spirit can be conceived or expreſſed by us.
1. Negatively, God is a Spirit, i.e. He is not a Body, but infinitely removed from, and incapable of thoſe Imperfections, which do ariſe from Matter: according to that Definition of the Apoſtle John, God is Light, 1 John 1.5.and in him is no Darkneſſe at all; i. e. No mixture of any thing, which might be an Allay to his Ineffable Purity and Perfection.
2. Comparatively, By way of Proportion or Reſemblance to the Soul of man; Thus, God is a Spirit. i. e. what ever Excellence or Perfection we find in our ſelves, that is to be aſcribed unto God, in a more Abſolute and Perfect manner; Pſal. 94.8.as the Pſalmiſt, He that made the eye, ſhall not he ſee? He that made the ear, ſhall not he hear? &c. 1 Cor. 2.12.And the Apoſtle, As none knoweth the Things of Man, but the ſpirit of Man, which is in him; ſo none knows the Things of God but the Spirit of God. For ſince God made man after his own Image, there can be no Divine Quality in the Soul of man, but it is in the Arch-Type or Pattern in a more Supreme and Inexpreſſible degree. And therefore
3. God is a Spirit, Tranſcendentally, i. e. In a way of Eminency and Superlativeneſſe of Perfection. Therefore God who doth often compare himſelf to man, thereby to familiarize himſelf unto our Apprehenſions, doth as often take us off from dwelling too long upon thoſe Thoughts, leaſt we ſhould thereby leſſen God, and think him to be altogether like unto our ſelves. For this reaſon, we are frequently called upon, to conſider that God is in Heaven, and we are on Earth; that, The Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain Him; whereas Our Foundations are in the Duſt, with many Expreſſions to the ſame Purpoſe; So that as Shade to Light; as the Picture of the Sun in water, unto the Real Globe in the Firmament; as Painters Flame, unto a Burning Fire; or whatever elſe are moſt diſtant from the things they Figure; ſo is the ſoul of Man if compared to God. So that when we ſay God is a Spirit, the meaning is, God is a Being, Infinitely Perfect and Pure in himſelf, but altogether Incomprehenſible and Inexpreſſible by us. And ſo much for the ſecond Query, in what ſenſe God is a Spirit.
The Uſe or Inference from hence is that Spiritual Worſhip is the onelyonly True Worſhip, Vſe. That is to ſay, In all our Prayers and Addreſſes to God, we muſt fix an eye of Faith, eſpecially and mainly, upon thoſe Attributes and Deſcriptions of God, which do moſt clearly repreſent and expreſſe his Spiritual Nature unto us.
For the underſtanding of this, we muſt take Notice, that the principal thing which keeps a Man, in his Dark Eſtate of Unbelief and Unregeneracy, Epheſ 2.12.is a ſecret Thought, that there is no God at all; and this is the condition of all Natural men in the World; as Paul affirms of the Epheſians, that, before their receiving of Chriſt, 1 Theſ. 4.5.they were foreign without God, or plain Atheiſts in the World; and in another place, The Gentiles knew not God, know nothing of him; for as he argues, how ſhould they know, of whom they had not heard? i. e. though God hath imprinted upon his Creatures certain legible Characters of his Power and Divine Goodneſſe; yet very few can ſpel the meaning of them; or from the works they ſee, be brought to acknowledge a Power whom they do not ſee; as the Apoſtle elſewhere teſtifies, The world by wiſdom knew not God. But when, 1 Cor. 1.21.by the Power of ſome conviction, ariſing either from an Intent view of the Frame & Make of the World; or from the obſervation of ſome remarkable turn of Providence, a man is brought off from his Atheiſm, he preſently is apt to fall into another gulf as dangerous, and as fatal; and that is, of thinking God to be like Man; full of the ſame paſſions, and pleaſed with the ſame things, which we imagine are moſt taking with men like our ſelves. And this conceit lies at the bottom of every mans Nature, and is the Foundation of all that VVill-VVorſhip, and Deviſed Service, which heretofore was entertained in the Gentile or Atheiſtical; and, at this day reigns, in the Papal or Antichriſtian World; when men do meaſure God by themſelves, and go no higher in the contemplation of his Infinity, then what they conceive is aſcribable unto the higheſt ſtrain of Humane Excellence.
This Erronious & ſleight opinion, we are by all means to be armed and fortified againſt; for beſides the mean and poor eſteem it begets of God in our Thoughts; it doth neceſſarily draw along with it this conceit, that God is beholding to Man, and that we do oblige him by our Service. And therefore the Scripture is very expreſs in declaring, Pſal. 16.2, &c. Job 35.7.that, our Righteouſneſſe is nothing to him; and that when God requires to be worſhiped, he challengeth it onelyonly as the Devout Homage of an Humble Soul; and not thereby in the leaſt to encourage the Vanity and Pride of Boaſters, ſince his greatneſſe, is incapable of any Addition; God indeed doth in Scripture deſcribe himſelf by ſuch Names, as are of greateſt Eſteem and Reverence with men; ſuch as are King, Lord, Father, Maſter, and the like, yet herein he is far from preſcribing a meer Bodily and Outſide Worſhip, ſuch as thoſe would have, who are as yet far from knowing, or at leaſt from conſidering, that God is a Spirit; But the meaning of all thoſe Expreſſions is this, that what kind of Outward Reverence we ſhow unto perſons, to whom we are ſo related, as a Subject is to his Prince, or a Son to his Father, or a Servant to his Maſter; the ſame by way of Analogy and Proportion, we ſhould ſhow to God, in the Inward Frame and Deportment of our Spirits, when we appear before him in any ſolemn way of Worſhip.
Now to advance and raiſe up the mind unto this neceſſary pitch of Devotion, there can be no better expedient given, then fixedly to contemplate the Spirituality of Gods Nature, unto which our worſhip muſt bear ſome proportion; and that will be, by faſtning upon thoſe Attributes which do moſt repreſent his Spiritual Nature unto us. What thoſe Attributes are, from what hath been ſaid, may eaſily be gathered; for ſince Power, Preſence, and Knowledge, are theſe Actions of the Soul, which do demonſtrate it to be a Spirit; it will follow then, ſince God is a Spirit, the Attributes which do moſt declare him to be ſo, are theſe three. 1. His Omnipotence, 2. His Omnipreſence. 3. His Omniſcience; which ought moſt intently to be eyed by us, in our Worſhip of, and Addreſſes to Him.
1. Firſt, The firſt Attribute we ſhould fix upon in our Worſhip of God, is his Omnipotence; which is in many and ſeveral Forms expreſſed in Scripture, all which, like ſo many lines pointing at one Center, do but ſpeak this Truth, that God can do what he will, and that nothing can withſtand his VVill; becauſe the Will of the Creature, is onelyonly Gods Creature; it is his Wheel in the VVatch, and moves onelyonly as he will turn it; And the Potter cannot have more abſolute power over, or leſſe reſiſtance from the Clay then God our Maker hath, if he ſo pleaſe to order it, from us his VVorkmanſhip.
The conſideration of this, at that time when we come to VVorſhip God, beſides that it gives God the Honour of his Power, which he deſires ſhould be Magnified; will be of Infinite uſe to us, in all the Courſe of our Lives, and in thoſe ſeveral ſcenes of Providence we may fall under. As
1. This will be a wonderful encouragement unto us, to put up our Prayers to God, and to attend with Comfort the Succeſſe and Iſſue of them. For what ſhould we deſpair of, if we can engage Omnipotence on our behalf? If therefore we miſs of what we Petition for, if we Ask and Have not; It is not, becauſe God is not able to do even more then we Aſk, but becauſe we Ask a miſs, and not with that Faith, which is requiſite to ſo Sacred an Action. It is our Unbelief of Gods Power which ties his hands; for did we pray with Full Aſſurance, that he whom we deal with could anſwer our moſt Laboured and Intenſe Requeſts, that he could ſatisfie our moſt Enlarged and Heightned Expectations; we ſhould not depart ſo often as we do, without a Bleſſing. But God ſcorns a Suitor, that hath low thoughts of him; For what do we elſe but tacitly contemn God, if we think that it lies in a poor Creatures power to Ask, what the Great Creator cannot do? Yet this, as eaſie a matter as it may be ſuppoſed to be, hath been the great miſcarriage of the Saints of Old; Gen. 18.12.What made Sarah laugh, i. e. Inwardly make a ſport and jeſt of the Promiſe God made to give her a Son in her Old Age, but her doubting of this Attribute. After I am waxed Old, ſaith ſhe, ſhall I have pleaſure, my Lord being old alſo? In which words, ſhe muſters up all manner of Arguments to augment the Difficulty; and therefore the Lord to ſatisfie her, is fain to have recourſe unto his own Omnipotence; Is any thing, ſaith he, too hard for the Lord? Intimating that, whatever ſhe pretended, yet indeed, that was the Fundamental Article ſhe doubted of. Exod. 4.1…, 11.So what made Moſes raiſe up ſo many Scruples, and urge ſo many Objections againſt his being ſent to Pharaoh, alleadging that he was not Eloquent, but ſlow of Speech, and ſlow of Tongue; intimating, that God could certainly do no great matter, by him who was laden with ſo many Imperfections; and withal inſinuating, that God might do well to make a better choice, thereby laying a ſecret imputation upon Gods Wiſdom, as well as his Power; as if God had not choſe a fit Meſſenger to do his Errand. God therefore doth anſwer all his Objections, by raiſing him, from looking down upon himſelf that was ſent, to look up to him that ſent him; Who, ſaith he, hath made Mans mouth, or who makes the Dumb, or Deaf, or Seeing, or Blind, is it not I the Lord? i. ſhall God do the greater, and ſhal not he do the leſs? Shall he be able to make man, and ſhal he not be able afterwards to fit him for what Ends and Uſes he pleaſes? In the very ſame manner we find afterwards, that David and Zachary, and the Diſciples of our Saviour did often miſcarry. So that as our Saviour tells them, They could not caſt out the Devil, Mat. 17.20.becauſe of their Ʋnbelief; but if they had the leaſt grain of Faith in God, they ſhould preſently be able even to remove Mountains, and nothing ſhould be impoſſible for them; ſo ſay I, the great cauſe why we thrive ſo ill in our Prayers and Supplications to God, it is becauſe we are faint and timerous Askers; We do not by Faith ſet Gods Omnipotence on Work; but in a Dubious and Unreſolved manner, we pray according to the Compaſs of what we ſee, and can Naturally hope to. And whileſt we do ſo, it is no wonder if we obtain no great Matters from the Hands of God; for as we undervalue a Prince if we ask Trifles of him, ſo doth he diſeſteem God, who asks any thing below the Immediate Work of an Almighty Power; ſuch as is Preſervation from Danger, or ſupport under it; Pardon of ſin, and ſtrength againſt it, and the like, which are Petitions that God loves to hear, for ſince when ever he Anſwers a Prayer, he would be known to do ſomething, which onelyonly he is able to beſtow; and therefore by way of Prerogative and Excellence, he ſtiles himſelf, A God Hearing Prayer.
2. The conſideration of Gods Omnipotence, will take off all Deſpondency of Spirit, when Matters go otherwiſe with us, then we would have them. When we are put to a plunge, and are run into a wild Maze and Labyrinth of Perplexities, not knowing how to reſolve, what will be the iſſue of ſuch or ſuch a Providence that croſſeth us; a Belief of Gods Omnipotence will fix us again, and make us ſee clear day in the midſt of our Doubts. It was the Impious Triumph of thoſe Ungodly men, who had beſet and ſurrounded David. 1. That they had left him no probable way to eſcape: Pſa. 3.2. Mat. 27.43.Many there be, ſaith he, that ſay to my Soul, there is no help for him in God. As if they had ſaid, we have now made ſure work with him, and ſo ordered the matter, that Omnipotence it ſelf cannot reſcue him. As thoſe wicked Phariſees, when they had nailed our Saviour to the Croſs, they cut him yet more to the Heart, with this Reviling Speech, He truſted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he ſaid, I am the Son of God. VVhichWhich Speeches uttered with ſo much contumely and bitter Scorn, Pſal. 69.20.did as our Saviour complains, break his Heart; and no doubt pierced deeper into his Soul, then either the Thorns or Spear did into his Body. But what did our Saviour, what did David in that Extremity? For David, we find him in the ſame Pſalm, notwithſtanding all this, appropriating God unto himſelf, and boaſting of him, as his Shield, his Glory, and the lifter up of his Head; and to ſhow how much he ſlighted thoſe proud boaſts of his Inſolent Enemies, and how much they were miſtaken in their Triumph: I laid me down, ſaith he, and ſlept, i. e. I quietly repoſed my ſelf in the midſt of all theſe ſhakings; and that we might wonder at this his Calmneſſe and Security, he adds, For the Lord ſustained me. Thus likewiſe did our Saviour, juſt after thoſe words uttered by the Phariſees, which were ſo long before propheſied of, that they ſhould be ſpoken, our Saviour adds, But thou O Lord art my God, from my Mothers Belly; Pſal. 22.10.Be not therefore far from me, for trouble is near. As if he had ſaid, Times of deep diſcouragement, and Amazing diſtractions are thy Times, therefore now appear vigorouſly, when thou alone canſt have the glory. When a Creature is wholly forſaken as it were, when it is hung round with Terrour, and even fainting for want of Inward ſupply and ſuccour; then if a ſoul can but ſay to God, Thou art the Lord, the Lord Almighty; and by an Act of Faith, redouble, Thou art my God; what ſhould it fear, or what can it tremble at? For if God be for us, who can be againſt us? the World hath not in it Terrours or Diſcouragements enow to fright ſuch an one, whoſe God is the Lord; and who hath Omnipotence it ſelf for his ſhield and Protection.
3. Laſtly, the conſideration of Gods Omnipotence, will Quiet and Pacifie the Soul, under its Afflictions; where by Afflictions, I mean Spiritual and Inward Griefs; ſuch as are ſenſe of ſin, fear of wrath, Diſpair of Mercy, and the like: For as for other things, viz. Want, Poverty, Di grace and the like which paſs with the World for Afflictions, and are the ordinary Themes of Declaimers in Divinity, if we do ill, they are our Wages, as due to us as hire is to the Labourer: if we do well, they are Marks of Honour, and ought to be triumphed and gloried in, as our Choiceſt and moſt Signal Priviledges. But when God hath put his Terrors into the Soul, when he appears our Enemy, and by an Immediate Act of his Power, ſpeaks Diſpair and Anguiſh unto a Wounded Conſcience; a ſoul in that Caſe hath no poſſibility of Relief, but what it can gather from acting Faith upon Gods Omnipotence. For it is upon this ſcore that we may beg for pardon, as Moſes did for the Iſraelites, Numb. 14.17.and now let the Power of my Lord be great, as thou haſt ſaid, I am a God long-ſuffering, Therefore forgive the ſin of this people, according to the greatneſs of thy Mercy. For great Power is alwayes accompanied with great Mercy, Pſal 103 1, 1…. Pſalm 3 35.for ſuch an one, will conſider our Frame, will remember that we are but Duſt, as David ſpeaks, or as the Church, He will not Afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men. God who is infinite in Power, doth not delight to ſhew it in troubleing his poor Creature, who alwayes lies under his Laſh, and cannot bear with the Effects of his Anger. Therefore when Iob complained ſo grievouſly that God hedged up his way, with Afflictions, as with Thorns: that he did find occaſions againſt him, and counted him for his Enemy; with many ſuch expreſſions, as the bitterneſſe of his Soul did cauſe him to utter: Elihu anſwers him in Gods ſtead; Firſt, Job. 33.12.in minding him that God was greater than Man, and therefore it was in vain, to reply againſt God, ſince he gave not any Account of his Matters. And leaſt this Anſwer ſhould onelyonly ſerve to keep Job from Complaining, but not from Repining; leaſt it ſhould onelyonly make him ſilence his Diſcontents, but not totally ſuppreſſe them: Elihu reproves that Conſideration with adding this, That God can do no wrong, and the Almighty cannot commit Iniquity. Job 34.10.The Force of which Reaſon, conſiſts, not onelyonly in this, becauſe Soveraign or Almighty Power, makes all his Actions Juſt, who ever hath it (which is a Curious & an Unprofitable Notion in this Caſe) but becauſe God, in his Word, hath tied himſelf to Rules; he hath been pleaſed to Oblige himſelf to be Gracious, and to attend his peoples good, in the Exerciſe of his Power. And therefore in ſtead of thoſe bitter Complaints againſt God, wherewith perſons Mouths are uſually filled in ſuch Caſes, let them rather be opened in thankfulneſſe, ſince God doth in very Faithfulneſſe correct, and hath deſignes of Mercy, when he plungeth us into the Depth of Miſery. Heb. 12.10.For the End of all is to purge out our ſin, that we may partake of his Holineſſe.
So much for the firſt Attribute, viz. Gods Omnipotence.
2. Secondly, The other Attributes, which do belong to God, as he is a Spirit; and which in our Approaches to him, are moſt to be reflected upon by us: are his Omnipreſence, are his Omniſcience; I joyn them both together, becauſe they are both but one Act, and in Scripture Language are never ſeveral; In which to ſee and to know is all one. Thus God is ſaid I ſee all things; that nothing is concealed from him; that, All things are vain & naked foreign Anatomized or Diſerted, Heb. 4.their In-ſide as it were turned out before him. That there is no Poſſibility for any Action, no not for a Thought, to be hid from God. Now with many other Expreſſions to the ſame purpoſe; becauſe he fills all Places, he is preſent to all things, he is Intimate and Inward with all the Actions of his Creatures.
The underſtanding of this the Pſalmiſt doth acknowledge to be very difficult, ſuch knowledge, ſaith he, Pſal. 1 9 6. Pſal. 94.9, 11is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain unto it; but yet he gives a Reaſon which doth unanſwerably prove it, He that formed the eye ſhall not he ſee? he that teacheth much knowledge, ſhall not he know? Yes, ſaith he, the Lord doth know the Thoughts of Man that they are vanitie. Pſal. 139David therefore doth moſt excellently deſcribe the All-ſearching virtue of Gods Omniſcience, when ſpeaking in the perſon of one, that would fain ſhut himſelf out of Gods View, and retire from his Inſpection, he aſkes Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit, or whither ſhall I flee from thy Preſence? And then he reckons up every thing, which a vain man would imagine to be a ſufficient place of Secrecy. If I go to Heaven, thou art there; If I make my bed in Hell, thou art there alſo. If I think to travel and to quit page missing ner, nothing elſe but a calling of God to take Notice that we dare neglect him. So much of Outward Deportment, as may demonſtrate we are Inwardly affected with what we are doing, is without doubt neceſſary; but then it muſt be paid, not to the Place, but to the Ordinance; Not to the Encloſure of Walls, but to the Divine Adminiſtrations in it; for when the Publick Duties are Ended, the Place is as Common, Exod. 19.13.(I mean as any ſpecial Holineſſe) as that Mount was, when the Trumpet ceaſed from ſounding. Let us then conſider Gods Omnipreſence, that we may learn to feel him with our Hearts; and then our Bodies will quickly be ſupple and pliant enough, but till then we offer only an Unclean thing; a Carkaſſe only, which will be ſo far from being accepted, that it will be imputed to us for ſin. The Apoſtle doth exhort the Corinthian Women, to have a Care of their Head; i. 1 Cor. 1.to be vailed, becauſe of the Angels; which may be underſtood either of Good Angels, who would make uſe of their Beauty, as Baits, to tempt others unto Unclean and Luſtful Thoughts, or elſe, of good Angels who love comelineſs of Behaviour in Publick Aſſemblies; the Rule of which comelineſſe, in Men, is what ever is Manly; in Women, whatſoever is Modeſt. Others perhaps will draw … for Outward Decency, in … whom that onelyonly … the Church … portune and ſollicit? this ſhould take up our ſouls, and fill us with Thoughts, ſuitable to the Majeſty and purity of him, before whoſe Eyes, and to whoſe view, we do preſent our ſelves; and then indeed we Honour him.
2. Laſtly, This Conſideration that God is Omnipreſent, i.e. alwayes beholding and obſerving us, will put the heart into a Religious, Careful and Obediential Frame, even after Publick Duties are ended. The ſame Poſture of Mind, we had at Church, we ſhall carry along with us, if we think that we are ſtill in the preſence of God; It is indeed too true, that moſt mens Devotion doth end with the Miniſters laſt Prayer, then, like a Watch wound up too high, we break the ſtring, and let all unravel again, &c. As Cain is ſaid to go out from the Preſence of the Lord; ſo do we, thinking perhaps, that God is no where but when we laſt ſpake to him. But Holy men we find did act clean otherwiſe; Job. 31.1.4.Job ſaid, He made a Covenant with his Eyes; he would not ſo much as look upon a Maid; what was it that made him ſo watchful and ſollicitous? Pſal. 16.8.Doth not, ſaith he, he ſee all my Wayes, and count all my Steps? This Thought did make him ſtrangle ſin in the Birth, and ſtifle it in its firſt Conception. So David, I have ſet the Lord alwayes before me, ſaith he, and it follows, therefore I ſhall not be … in my Reſolves for … if Omnipoten… … Offend … 2 Cor. …. 1.Holineſſe in the fear of God. Gods Indwelling and Nearneſſe to us, is the moſt Potent Motive to perſwade to Heart-… & …rf…ion of Holineſſe. To conclude therefore, Did men think, that if they went to their Chambers, God was there; if to their Studies, God was there; if to their Beds, God was ſtill there; Within, Without, About them; curiouſly marking their ſteps, and with his Balance weighing their Actions; they would not, they durſt not think that Darkneſſe could hide their ſin, or that a Cloſet can conceal Iniquity. Thou Fool! what ever thou art, who ſinneſt, becauſe, as thou thinkeſt, no Eye beholds thee, does not God ſee? and will not thy Conſcience witneſſe? What wilt, what canſt thou ſay, when God calls thee to Judgement! when he ſhall charge upon thee, at ſuch a Time, in ſuch a Place, upon ſuch an Occaſion, thou ſaidſt in thine Heart, Tuſh God doth not ſee it, and on this Motion didſt not fear to do that which had thy Father, or thy Friend been by, thou wouldeſt have been aſhamed of. Let us not then dare to ſatisfie our Luſts, or pleaſe our Vain and Irregular Deſires, till we can bribe God to turn away his Eyes, and not to behold our Folly. Till then to be Secure, is to be Deſperate; and to ſin, is nothing elſe, but to Affront God unto his Face, and to tell … ſee, or that he cannot … Attributes which … …long to God,
End of the text · Edward Bagshaw, The Spiritual Nature of God and His Worship (1662)