A Glimpse of God, Part 7
A Diſcourſe of Gods Infiniteneſs, and Incomprehenſibility.
1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, &c.
CHAP. I.
THeſe words are part of the preface of Solomon's prayer, which he made at the dedication of the Temple, in which he ſets out the incomparable excellency of God ver. 23. And he ſaid, Lord God of Iſrael, there is no God like to thee in heaven above or earth beneath, who keepeſt Covenant and mercy with thy ſervants, that walk before thee with all their heart. Secondly, he ſets forth the admirable faithfulneſs of God in keeping covenant, and performing promiſes. ver. 24. 25. Who haſt kept with thy ſervant David that thou promiſed'ſt him, thou ſpakeſt alſo wiih thy mouth, and haſt fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day; therefore now O Lord God of Iſrael, keep with thy ſervant David my father that thou promiſedſt him, &c.
In this verſe he ſets forth the incomprehenſibleneſs and infiniteneſſe of his Majeſty. I ſhall a little explain the words, before I handle the attribute from them.
But will God indeed dwel on the earth?] God is ſaid to dwel in heaven, per praeſentiam gloriae, by the preſence of his glory, becauſe in heaven he ſets out the fulneſs of his glory to the view of Angels and Saints.
He dwelleth in his Saints per praeſentiam gratiae, by his grace in their hearts.
He dweleth in his ordinances: ſo he is ſaid to dwel at Jeruſalem, becauſe in and by his ordinances, he communicateth himſelf to his people.
He dweleth every where by his eſſence and power in heaven, earth, hell.
Theſe words ſhew that God dwels not in earth, and much leſs in that Temple circumſcriptivè, as if ſo limited in one place, as that he is no where elſe, as bodily things are; for here Solomon ſheweth, that God's eſſence is infinite and incomprehenſible.
Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens, &c. the higheſt heavens are of a moſt vaſt circumference and capacity; and yet the heaven of heavens cannot comprehend the infinite eſſence of God: ſo that his argument is a majori ad minus, from the greater to the leſ if the higheſt and largeſt heavens cannot contain God, much leſs this houſe which he had built, which is of a far leſs capacity than the earth.
CHAP. II.Obſerv.
HEnce I note: that God is an infinite, and incomprehenſible being; here in the firſt place I will briefly ſhew what it is to be infinite; for d…ſtinction of infiniteneſſe take one for all. There is a four-fold infiniteneſs.
1. An Infiniteneſs in reſpect of quantity; as if there ſhould be a body that hath infinite dimenſions, of infinite breadth, length and depth, God is not thus infinite, becauſe he is not a body; neither is there any infinite body: the heaven of heavens are of a vaſt circumference, and the greateſt of all bodies, yet it hath its bounds and limits,
2. There is that which is infinite in reſpect of number; ſo the ſands on the ſea are ſaid to be infinite becauſe innumerable; the ſtars in the heaven be innumerable, yet be they not truly infinite, becauſe there can be as many more ſtars and ſands: neither way God is ſaid to be infinite, becauſe God is but one.
3. There is an infinite in reſpect of qualities inherent; ſo no creature is infinite, becauſe there cannot be infinite vertues in finite natures, as all created natures are: ſo God is not properly ſaid to be infinite, becauſe in God there are no qualities, and vertues, but improperly: God is ſaid to be infinite in qualities, as they denote his pure eſſence, infinite in power, infinite in goodneſſe, infinite in mercy: all in God is infinite, becauſe they are his very nature.
4. There is an infinite in reſpect of Being, Nature, or ſubſtance, to have an immeaſurable, incomprehenſible and unlimitted being or nature; ſo God and onelyonly God is infinite, who onelyonly is incomprehenſible and unlimited: therefore he is ſaid to be ubique & nuſquam, every where and no where: he is no where circumſcriptivè limited and bounded, ubique repletivè, every where filling all things▪ God comprehends all, and is comprehended of nothing, his center is every where, his circumference no where.
When we ſay God is infinite, we mean he is a ſpirit of infinite extenſion: when we ſay he is extended, it is meant ſecundum totalitem, not ſecundum partes, he is wholly extended, not part by part, therefore he is of infinite extenſion.
CHAP. III.
NOw that God is infinite and incomprehenſible, may appear by removing all bounds and limits of Being: Creatures are bounded and limited with theſe bounds, with
Time.
Place.
Efficacy.
Their own Beings.
1. Creatures ar finite, and limited with their Eſſential Terms, as the Ang…lical nature is: but God hath no Eſſential Terms limiting and bounding him; his Eſſence is an unlimited Eſſence.
2. All creatures are bounded with Time: The Angels and Souls of Men, who have a being to eternity; yet had no being of duration when they were created: but God is infinite in duration, he is not bounded with beginning nor end, but from everlaſting to everlaſting he is God.
3. Place is another bound or limit to creatures: Angels that are in Heaven, are not at the ſame time upon Earth. We ſee how every creature that is in this place, is ſo bounded, that he is not in another. And this is one ſtrong Argument againſt Taanſubſtantiation: Chriſt's Body is not phyſically or naturally in the Bread and Wine, but onelyonly ſacramentally, becauſe being a body, he is (as all bodies) in a place circumſcriptively: but no place ſets bounds to God; he is every where, he filleth heaven and earth; the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him.
4. A thing is limited and bounded in reſpect of it's efficacy and operation. Angels are powerful, mighty in power, yet their power is limited. Nihil agit ultra ſphaeram activitatis; Nothing can go beyond his power. The School-men, ſpeaking of Angels in place, ſay, they are in loco definitivè, that is, by applying their actions to this, and not to that place: the Sun throws out his light and heat at a great diſtance, yet it is bounded. Now God is infinite in reſpect of efficacy, and as he is. Is there any thing too hard for me, ſaith the Lord? Whatſoever is poſſible, he can bring to paſ his power is boundleſs, his mercy is boundleſs, not onelyonly in reſpect of duration, but alſo in reſpect of operation; ſo that God is infinite in reſpect of Eſſence, therefore incomprehenſible; infinite in reſpect duration, therefore eternal.
5. Intelligentiâ: Great things may be comprehended in the underſtanding of Angels and Men, but God ſurpaſſeth our underſtandings: It is impoſſibleMagnus denotat duo: magnitudinem extenſionis, & magnitudinem cujuſtibet perfectionis ſapientiae, &c. for Men and Angels to conceive the greatneſs of God: The Angels ſhall be prying and prying to eternity, yet never ſhall they ſee God fully, perfectly, and comprehenſively. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed, his greatneſs is unſearchable, Pſal. 145. 3. When God is ſaid to be Great, it always noteth his Infiniteneſ Great, beyond all conception of Angels and Men; could they conceive his greatneſs, God were not Infinite.
'Tis poſſible to ſearch out the depth of the Sea, of the Earth, of the height of Heaven: but God is a bottomleſs Ocean of Majeſty and perfection; 'tis impoſſible to reach the height, and to fathom the depth of God's Majeſty; you cannot come near him, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee, viſione comprehenſiva, 1 Tim. 6. 16. his infinite Majeſty will find the Angels and Saints work to eternity to find him out, to comprehend him; and when they have done what they can, they cannot comprehend him. Do not I fill heaven and earth, ſaith the Lord? Jer. 23. 24. The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footſtool; where is the houſe that ye build unto me, and where is the place of my reſt? Iſa. 66. 1. Thus Zophar ſpeaks to Job, Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? canſt thou find out the Almighty to perfection? It is high as heaven, what canſt thou do? deeper then hell, what canſt thou know? the meaſure thereof is longer then the earth, and broader then the ſea. Job 11. 7, 8, 9.
CHAP. IV.
I Shall now lay down ſeveral Reaſons to prove that God is infinite and incomprehenſible.
1. If God were not incomprehenſible,Reaſ. 1. then there may be ſomething which is extra Deum, beyond, or above, or without God, which hath not his being in God: but theſe places of Scripture manifeſt, nothing can be above or beyound God. Pſal. 139. 7. ad 12. ſheweth, that there is no fleeing from God's preſence, and that no creature can be where God is not; Job 11. He is higher then the heavens, &c.
2. If God were not infinite and incomprehenſible,Reaſ. 2. then there would be ſomething that is an adequate meaſure of his greatneſs: If there be any ſuch meaſure of his greatneſs, then it ſhould be the Heaven of heavens, which is of the largeſt capacity, ſeeing it containeth within it's compaſs, the whole created world; but this is not the meaſure; for behold, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him: he is higher than the heavens, deeper than the earth,
3. If God were not infinite, butReaſ. 3. finite, then 'tis poſſible, that God might move from place to place, as finite bodies may.
4. If God were not infinite, thenReaſ. 4. it is poſſible for us to conceive ſomething may be greater than God; but it is impoſſible for the underſtanding of Men or Angels to conceive a thing may be greater than God: See in what manner the Prophet prayeth to God, and then tell me, whether we can conceive any thing greater than he? Jer. 32. 17, 18, 19. Ah Lord God, behold thou haſt made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and ſtretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Thou ſheweſt loving kindneſs to thouſands, &c. The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hoſts is his name: Great in counſel, and mighty in working. For thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the ſons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. He is called, the bleſſed and onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Who onelyonly hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee; to whom be honour, and power everlaſting, Amen. 1 Tim. 6. 15, 16.
Now theſe three things may fully evince, that God is infinite and incomprehenſible.
1. Becauſe God is abſolutely and eminently perfect; not ſo much as a negative imperfection is in God: All perfections are his eſſence, or rather his eſſence is all perfections; all infinite power, infinite mercy, infinite juſtice, infinite wiſdom; therefore he is called, Pelagus eſſentiae, a ſea of being, foreign.
We may behold great perfection in the creatures; Angels are great in power, great in wiſdome: but all the perfections that are in creatures, are but as a drop of a bucket in compariſon of the main Ocean, they are as nothing.
2. God is infinitely powerful, therefore infinite in his eſſ…nce: that he is infinite in power, witneſs his Creation of the world; there is an act and work proper onelyonly to infinite power, witneſs the upholding the whole world by the word of his power.
3. From his great Creatures which he hath made, we may apprehend the I…finiteneſs of God. Quod efficit tale, eſt magis tale; ex pede Herculem. The Earth and Water are a vaſt and great globe; the Heaven (eſpecially the Heaven of Heavens) is of a moſt vaſt and inconceiveable circumference; the very Sun, and but one Star in the Heavens, is far greater then the World is; now if God hath made ſuch great things, he muſt needs be infinite; ſee what the Scripture ſpeaks of the great creatures in compariſon of God, Iſa. 40. 10. Who hath meaſured the waters in the hollow of his hand? and meted out heaven with a ſpan, and comprehended the duſt of the earth in a meaſure, and weighed the mountains in ſcales, and the hills in a ballance? Behold the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket, and accounted as the ſmall duſt of the ballance, behold be taketh up the Iſles as a very little thing; All Nations before him are as nothing, they are counted to him leſſe then nothing and vanity ver. 15. 17.
CHAP. V.
IF God be infinite, hence you mayƲſe 1. learn what an evil ſin is; that it is an infinite evil, becauſe it is committed againſt an infinite God. We meaſure ſin by the act, and not by the object: the act is tranſient, it paſſeth away, an idle word, a vain thought; a vain thought, as a vain thought, is little; and ſo we are apt to think the ſin little, becauſe we meaſure it according to the act▪ not by the object againſt whom it is committed. Men make nothing of an Oath, of a Lye, of being drunk, even ſuch groſs ſins as theſe are, b…cauſe they meaſure them by the act: but this is but a wrong Rule to meaſure your actions by; you muſt meaſure ſin by the object againſt whom it is committed, which is God, and ſo every ſin is an infinite evil. Thy idle words are infinite evils, becauſe ſin… againſt God; much more thy blaſphemies. Words ſpoken againſt the K…ng, and a ſmall wrong done to his perſon, is Crimen laeſae Majeſtatis, is high tre…ſon; but wor…s ſpoken againſt an ordinary man are not ſo; becauſe 'tis the King againſt whom they are ſpoken, makes them treaſonable, and brings death and deſtruction to him that ſpeaks them. Hence it is, that God will puniſh every ſin with an infinite puniſhment, in reſpect of duration: thoſe ſins of which thou makeſt no reckoning, the infinite God will inflict wrath upon thy ſoul for them. Thou makeſt no matter of thy idle words, and vain thoughts; oh know, that God will puniſh thy idle words, and vain thoughts, with infinite wrath. Pſal. …0. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear ſo is thy wrath.
Here is an Uſe of ſingular ComfortUſe 2. to all broken-hearted ſinners: God's mercies are infinite▪ his mercy is incomprehenſible. You think your ſins are greater then can be pardoned; yet though thy ſins be great and numberleſs, God's mercies are infinitely more infinite. Thou canſt not out▪ vie God's mercies: Lay down as many ſins as thou canſt at ſt…ke, God will lay down infinite multi…udes of mercies. Turn thou from thy wicked ways, and believe, and prove whether the Lord will not pour down mercies, that there ſhall not be room enough to receive them; God will abundantly pardon: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, ſaith the Lord; For as the Heavens are higher then the earth, ſo are my ways higher then your ways, and my thoughts then your thoughts. As if God ſhould ſay; your thoughts are, that you are the moſt notorious ſinners, that are, that your ſins are unpardonable; you think with your ſelves, is it poſſible, that ſuch a ſinner ſhould find mercy? Will God be gracious to ſuch a vile wretch as I am? Thou haſt ſaith God, too ſhallow thoughts concerning me: my thoughts are not like thine; thy thoughts of my way of mercy are but finite poor conceits, but my thoughts of love and mercy to broken hearted ſinners that humble themſelves unfeignedly, are (like my ſelf) infinite: I have infinite thoughts of mercy toward you, I have infinite thoughts of mercy for you; for as the heaven is higher then the earth, ſo are my ways higher then your ways, and my thoughts higher then your thoughts. Iſa. 57. 7. 8. 9. When men do think their ſins unpardonable, what do they they but make God finite? his mercies finite, his mercies comprehenſible?
3. If God be an infinite majeſty;Uſe 3. this may ſerve as an uſe of inſtruction to us.
1. Then it concerns us, to behave our ſelves with all humility and reverence when we draw nigh to God: by how much greater a prince is, the more reverence we ſhew to him: God is great, infinite majeſty, therefore worthy of all fear, ſubmiſſion, and reverence▪ the Angels in heaven cover their faces ſtanding in His preſence. Iſa. 6. Beholding his infinite and moſt glorious majeſty, and their own nothing, this is Solomon's exhortation to all that pray, to conſider what a God he is to whom they pray, Eccleſ. 5. 2. Be not raſh with thy mouth, &c. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: God is a glorious infinite majeſty, thou a poor, vile worm, therefore fear and tremble before him: when he beholdeth men behaving themſelves irreverently, irreligiouſly in his worſhip, he curſeth the man and his ſervice. Mal. 1. 14.
2. It inſtructeth us, what a moſt noble ſervice Gods ſervice; is; the greater the Perſon is, the more noble is his ſervice; it is far more noble to ſerve Kings than to be a keeper of ſheep; God is a great King, an infinite majeſty, infinitely exceeding all the Majeſty and ſtate of earthly Kings; to ſerve him then, and to be his favourite, is far more noble than to ſerve Kings and Emperours: Theodoſius thanked God more that he was a Chriſtian, than an Emperour; there's no title in compariſon of this, to be the ſervant of the great and infinite God. Great perſonages can give great gifts to their ſervants; but God will give infinite, eternal rewards to all his faithfull ſervants, not the half of his Kingdome, but his kingdome to his ſervants.
4. If God be infinite; it furtherUſe 4. teacheth us three things.
1. That this great God ſhould have all our affections pitch upon him, rooted and eſtabliſhed in him; he is worthy of all poſſible love, poſſible fear, poſſible joy: we may over-love all things except God, we may over-love our own ſelves, our wives, our children, the creatures, and ſin greatly in loving them, but we cannot over-love God: he is incomprehenſible in reſpect of our love to him, as well as in our conceiving of him: God is worthy of more love, than your hearts are capaple of love. The Angels and bleſſed Saints burn with Love, and ſhall burn with love to him to all eternity, and yet they ſhall never love him enough: God is infinitely good, infinitely glorious, and therefore deſerveth infinite love; and indeed none love God with a comprehenſive love but himſelf. If ye were the ſons of a Father who is infinitely wiſe, infinitely powerful, infinitely bleſſed and glorious, how would your natural love be toward him; ſuch a one is the Lord our God.
2. It teacheth us whether we ſhould go for ſatisfaction, even to God who i… infinite, and therefore can ſatisfie the vaſt deſires of man: We ſee finite things cannot ſatisfie; we ſpend ou… thoughts and ſtrength to ſeek ſatiſfaction in the creatures, and all in vain, becauſe they are vanity, finite things cannot ſatisfie our infinite deſires. 'Tis God that is infinite, that fills Heaven, he can fill our hearts with all deſirable and poſſible good: The whole ſoul will be ſatisfied with God; he will fill the underſtanding with knowledge, as he is infinite in wiſdom; he will fill the will and affections with good, as he is infinitely good: The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear with hearing, nor the heart with deſiring, becauſe when a man hath ſeen and heard many things, God will ſatisfie both ear, eye and heart, Pſal. 17. 15.
3. It ſheweth the wretched madneſs of moſt men, who ſpend all their thoughts, time, affections and labour about poor finite tranſitory things, as worldly Glory, Honours, Riches, &c. and neglect God, and embrace theſe ſhadows, theſe dreams, before an infinite God, in whom is infinite Glory, Honour, Riches; who is an infinite treaſure of all perfections: If God be thy portion, then haſt thou infinite Honours, Riches, becauſe thou haſt an infinite God; if thou enjoyeſt the world, and haſt a world of Honours, of Riches, and all worldly Goods, and haſt no intereſt in God, nor right to him; thou art infinitely poor, wretched and miſerable. It is St. Auguſtins Meditation, Should I hear God ſay to a man, here are Riches for thee, there are Honors for thee, live every day as merry as the Sunſhine, but nunquam videbis faciem meam, thou ſhalt never ſee my face, I ſhould ſay, much good may the World do ſuch a man, I ſhould not envy him. A godly man on a Dunghil, is better than Ahaſhueroſh in all his Glory: Paul and Silas did ſing in the Dungeon, becauſe they had God there; when Belſhazzer (wanting him) did tremble in his Palace in the midſt of his mirth and muſick.
If God be an infinite God, then letUſe 5. this great God be thy confidence; he is infinite in power, truſt to him, he is able to do what is poſſible to be done for thy good, he can do more than thou canſt a…k or think. He is infinitely wiſe, therefore can order, diſpoſe all things aright, though for the preſent they go croſs to thy hopes and deſires, yet in the event they ſhall be for thy good: He is infinitely good; truſt to him in thy wants, he can fill thy heart with good, thy Barns, thy Purſe with good.
God being a great God, muſt beUſe 6. greatly praiſed, 'tis the Pſalmiſts own uſe, Pſal. 145. 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to he praiſed. We uſe to praiſe great things that are good and excellent; we uſe to praiſe and commend wiſe powerful things; the Lord is great and infinite in power, wiſdom, goodneſs, give him the glory of his greatneſs: whatſoever excellencies are in the creatu…e, conſider how all are eminently, infinitely in God; the World is great, but God is greater.