Catechistical Guide to Sinners and Babes in Christ, Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Q. YOu having now in the general ſhewed the more neceſſary things, contained in the beſt of Doctrines, I am willing to hear from you ſomewhat a more particular (yet brief) account of the ſame matters; to wit, as concerning God as conſider'd in Himſelf, and in his Works: But firſt I will ask you, What kind of Knowledg we may have concerning theſe things here in this Life?
A. That we may here have concerning God, conſidered in Himſelf and in his Works, ſuch a knowledg as is true and ſufficient, hath been already proved; but a perfect knowledg of God, in himſelf, and in his Works, is not here in this Life attainable.
[1 Cor. 13.9, &c. We know in part, and we propheſy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ſhall be done away. When I was a Child I ſpake as a Child, I underſtood as a Child, I thought as a Child: but when I became a Man, I put away childiſh things. For now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face: Now I know in part, but then ſhall I know, even as alſo I am known. Job 11.7, &c. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? Canſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as Heaven, &c. See Job 36.26, &c. Pſal. 77.19. Thy way is in the Sea, and thy Path in the great Waters, and thy footſteps are well known. See Pſal. 36.5, 6. Eccleſ. 3.11. No Man can find out the Work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. See Job 37.5. Rom. 11.33. How unſearchable are the Judgments of God, and his Ways paſt finding out.]
Q. What are you taught from the Holy Scriptures concerning God, conſidered in himſelf?
A. The Holy Scriptures teach me, concerning God, conſidered in himſelf, theſe two things, namely, That God is one, and that God is a Spirit.
Q. Where do the Scriptures affirm, That God is one?
A. The Scriptures do in many places expreſly affirm, that God is One, or that there is one God.
[1 Tim. 2.5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chriſt Jeſus. Epheſ. 4.6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. See Deut. 6.4. with Mark 12.29. Mal. 2.10. Matth. 19.17. Rom. 3.30. 2 Cor. 8.4.6. Jam. 2.19. Zech. 14.9.]
Q. What are we to underſtand by this, That there is one God?
A. By this; That there is one God; or, That God is One; we are to underſtand, that He alone, or He only is God, and that there is no other that hath the ſame Being, or the ſame Kingdom as he hath.
[It is affirmed in the Scriptures, that JEHOVAH, (which is the Name of God, Pſal. 83.18. Jer. 16.21. Exod. 15.3.) is God alone. Pſalm. 86.10. Thou art great, and doſt wondrous things; Thou art God alone. See 2 King. 19.15. Iſa. 37.16. Neh. 9.6. That he only is God, 2 King. 19.19. Thou art the Lord God, even thou only. Iſa. 37.20. That he is the only true God. John 17.3. ſee Jude v. 4. That there is no God elſe. Iſa. 46.9. Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none elſe; I am God, and there is none like me. See 1 Kings 8.6. That there is no God beſides him. Iſa. 44.6. Thus ſaith the Lord, the King of Iſrael, and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hoſts, I am the Firſt, and I am the Laſt, and beſides me there is no God. Verſ. 8. Is there a God beſides me? Yea, there is no God, I know not any. Iſa. 45.5. I am the Lord, there is none elſe, there is no God beſides me. See Verſ. 6, 14, 21, 22. 1 King. 8.60. Deut. 4.35. 1 Chron. 17.20. That there is no other God. Exod. 34.14. That there is no God with him, Deut. 32.39. 2 King. 5.15. Who is God, ſave the Lord? 2 Sam. 22.32. Pſal. 18.31. That there is no other God but one. 1 Cor. 8.4. Therefore we muſt have before him no other God. Exod. 20.3. Nor worſhip another God. Exod. 34.14. Pſal. 16.4. & 81.9. But we are to worſhip Jehovah, and ſerve him only. Exod. 22.20. Mat. 4.10.]
Q. Why in your Anſwer were thoſe words added, That there is no other that hath the ſame Being, or the ſame Kingdom as he hath?
A. They were added, to ſhew more diſtinctly and expreſly, that God is alone both in his Being and Kingdom, and that there is no other that hath with him, either the ſame Nature, or the ſame Majeſty and Authority.
[By the Being and Kingdom of God we here intend the ſame which the Apoſtle Paul in Rom. 1.20. expreſſeth thus; His eternal Power and Godhead.
Theſe things are plainly held forth in the Holy Scriptures.
Firſt; God as to his Being or Nature is One or Alone. What he is in this reſpect no other is. He is therefore ſaid to be One Jehovah, or Lord, Deut. 6.4. Mark 12.29. Hence is that ſaying of Chriſt to the young Man that called him, Good Maſter. Why (ſaith Jeſus) calleſt thou me Good? There is none good but One, that is, God, Mat. 19.16, 17. For the ſame God is ſaid to be only wiſe, Rom. 16.27. 1 Tim. 1.17. Jud. v. 25. and alone to have Immortality, 1 Tim. 6.16.
Secondly; God in reſpect of his Kingdom and Government, is One or Alone, There is no other that is ſuch a King, Lord, or Governor as he. Deut. 32.39. See now, (ſaith the Lord) that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. 1 Tim. 6.15. He is the only Potentate. Jam. 4.12. There is one Law-giver who is able to ſave, and to deſtroy. Pſal. 72.18. Bleſſed be the Lord God, the God of Iſrael; who only doth wondrous things. Iſa. 43.11. I, even I am the Lord, and beſide me there is no Saviour. See Hoſ. 13.4. 1 Cor. 12.6. It is the ſame God that worketh all in all. In both reſpects God teſtifies of him, That there is none like unto him, Iſa. 46.9. Thus the Saints have profeſt concerning him. 1 Sam. 2.2. There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beſide thee: neither is there any Rock like our God. Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee among the Gods? [or mighty Ones] who is like thee, glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes, doing Wonders? See Exod. 8.10. Deut. 32.26. 1 King. 8.23. Pſal. 35.10. & 86.8. & 89.8. & 113.5. Mich. 7.18.]
Q. Are not ſome others, even in a good ſenſe, called Gods in the Holy Scriptures?
A. Yes; both Angels and Men. And indeed ſome of both may not only be called Gods, but alſo may in a good ſenſe be Gods, but not in that ſenſe as the Lord our God is.
[1 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6. We know that an Idol is nothing in the World, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called Gods, whether in Heaven or in Earth, (as there be Gods many, and Lords many) but to us there is but [one God] the Father, of whom are all things, and we in [for] him, and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, and we by him.]
Q. But who are they that in a good ſenſe may be called Gods?
A. They in a good ſenſe may be called Gods, firſt, who in ſome Imployment are inſtead of God: Secondly, They who in Government are the Sons of God.
[Such, both Men and Angels, who in ſome Imployment from God, are to others inſtead of God, may be called by the very Name of the moſt high God. As for inſtance; in Exod. 7.1. The Lord ſaith to Moſes, See I have made thee a God [Elohim] to Pharaoh; that is, inſtead of God, as it is expreſt in Exod. 4.16. The Angel of the Lord appeared unto Moſes in the flame of a Fire out of the midſt of a Buſh; Exod. 3.2. This Angel is called, in verſ. 4. Jehovah, and Elohim; or, as we engliſh it, The Lord and God. Alſo they who in Government over others are the Sons of the moſt High, are called Gods. See Pſal. 82.1, 6. God ſtandeth in the Congregation of the Mighty: he judgeth among the Gods.—I have ſaid, Ye are Gods; and [even] all of you are Children [Sons] of the moſt High. John 10.32, &c. Jeſus anſwered them, Many good Works have I ſhewed you from my Father; for which of theſe Works do ye ſtone me? The Jews anſwered him, ſaying, For a good Work we ſtone thee not, but for Blaſphemy, becauſe that thou being a Man, makeſt thy ſelf God. Jeſus anſwered them, Is it not written in your Law, I ſaid, Ye are Gods? If he called them Gods, unto whom the Word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken: Say ye of him whom the Father hath ſanctified and ſent into the World, Thou blaſphemeſt; becauſe I ſaid, I am the Son of God? In Pſal. 8.5. we read thus; Thou haſt made him a little lower than the Angels: In the Hebr. 'tis, than the Gods. Here, and in the like places, a ſingle Perſon is not Elohim, but Eloah, which is ſometimes uſed of the moſt High; as in Pſalm. 18.32. Job 12.4.
Now the great God is in diſtinction from theſe, ſometimes called, The God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, Deut. 10.17. Joſh. 22.22. Pſal. 136.2. Dan. 11.36. (Chap. 2.42.) And he is ſaid to be greater than all Gods, and above all Gods, Pſal. 135.5. He is alſo ſaid to be high above all the Earth, and exalted far above all Gods, Pſalm. 97.9. He is called, The high God, Pſalm. 78.35, 56. The moſt High, Numb. 24.16. Deut. 32.8. 2 Sam. 22.14. Dan. 4 17. and elſewhere often; and in Acts 7.48. The moſt High God, Gen. 14.18. Heb. 7.1. and elſewhere often. The Lord the moſt high God, Gen. 14.22. The Lord moſt High, Pſal. 47.2. In Pſal. 83.18. That Men may know, that thou whoſe Name alone is JEHOVAH, art the moſt High over all the Earth. See Dan. 5.21. In the place now quoted, the ſame word is rendred, High, and moſt High.]
Q. You ſaid, That God is a Spirit; How prove you that?
A. Jeſus Chriſt himſelf hath taught us, That God is a Spirit, Joh. 4.24.
[Jeſus ſaith unto the Woman of Samaria, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye ſhall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jeruſalem, worſhip the Father; ye worſhip ye know not what. We know what we worſhip; for Salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true Worſhippers ſhall worſhip the Father in Spirit, and in Truth; for the Father ſeeketh ſuch to worſhip him. God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.21, 22, 23, 24.]
Q. What muſt we underſtand by this, That God is a Spirit?
A. By this, That God is a Spirit, we muſt underſtand two things in the general: Firſt, That God is more excellent than all things. Secondly, That the Spirit of Man may be unto us in ſome manner, a Shadow of God.
[Although Method challengeth this place for the confirmation of this, That God is ſaid to be a Spirit, in way of alluſion to the Spirit of Man; yet the proof of it ſhall be reſerved for the cloſe of this Diſcourſe concerning God, as conſider'd in himſelf, where it may be done more eaſily, and in fewer words.
The Excellency of God is diverſly expreſſed in the Holy Scriptures. In 2 Pet. 1.17. He is called, The Excellent Glory. In the Scripture there is aſcribed to God, Excellency, Deut. 33.26. Job 13.11. Ch. 37.4. Pſal. 68.34. Iſa. 35.2. Greatneſs of Excellency, Exod. 15.7. He is ſaid to be excellent in Power, Job 37.23. More excellent than the Mountains of Prey, Pſal. 76.4. O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth! who haſt ſet thy Glory above the Heavens, Pſal. 8.1. Let them praiſe the Name of the Lord, for his Name alone is excellent. His Glory is above the Earth and Heaven, Pſal. 148.13. In the ſame ſence he is called, the great God, Tit. 2.13. Rev. 19.17. Dan. 2.45. Jer. 32.19. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; and his greatneſs is unſearchable, Pſal. 145.3. There is none like to the God of Jeſurun, Deut. 33.26. And Solomon ſaid, Lord God of Iſrael, there is no God like thee, in Heaven above, or on Earth beneath, 1 King. 8.23. All Nations before the Lord are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſs than nothing and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or, what likeneſs will ye compare unto him?—To whom then will ye liken me? Or ſhall I be equal, ſaith the Holy One? Iſa. 40.17, 18, 25. To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? Iſa. 46.5. Who in the Heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened unto the Lord? Pſal. 89.6. As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, ſo are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts, Iſa. 55.9. But will God indeed dwell on the Earth? Behold, the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee, how much leſs this Houſe that I have builded? 1 King. 8.27. See Jer. 23.23, 24. Acts 7.49.
But how may we gather that God is thus excellent from his being called a Spirit? Thus; Jeſus Chriſt here diſcovers the Divine Nature, by the moſt excellent thing that is vulgarly known, to wit, the Spirit of Man: Hereby he plainly ſignifies the Excellency of God. And in that he diſcovers this Excellency, not as it is in it ſelf, but by a Shadow, he clearly intimates, that this Excellency of God is ſuch, and ſo exceeding great, that we now cannot perceive the ſame, as it is in it ſelf, being far above the preſent ſtrength of our Underſtanding, and way of Knowledg.
The like we are to obſerve in many other ſcriptural forms of Speech, concerning ſome things that are Spiritual, and thoſe things that pertain to another World. See John 3.10, 11, 12. It was ſaid, That the Spirit of Man may be unto us in ſome manner, a Shadow of God. It is neceſſary thus to conceive, for otherwiſe, the term Spirit would here ſignifie nothing at all: for it cannot be taken in its proper ſignification here, and can in no other be accepted, but in that we call Metaphorical.]
Q. Whence does it appear that God is more excellent than all things?
A. It appears that God is more excellent than all things: Firſt, From his Almightineſs. Secondly, From his Eternity. Thirdly, From his Happineſs or Bleſſedneſs. For the Scriptures declare him to be Almighty, and to be Eternal, and to be Happy or Bleſſed.
[God is called by the Name of The Almighty, Job 40.1, 2. Moreover, the Lord anſwered Job and ſaid; Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty, inſtruct him? He that reproveth God, let him anſwer it, Job 37.23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out; he is excellent in Power and in Judgment, and in plenty of Juſtice. So elſewhere often.
He is alſo called, The Almighty God, Gen. 17.1. I am the Almighty God. And elſewhere often alſo, The Lord Almighty, 2 Cor. 6.18. And I will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my Sons and Daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty. Alſo, The Lord God Almighty, Rev. 21.22. And I ſaw no Temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it.
He is called the Eternal God, Deut. 33.27. and the Everlaſting God, Gen. 21.33. Rom. 16.26. See Iſa. 57.15. Both his Almightineſs and Eternity are mentioned together; Rev. 4.8. They ſaid, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Alſo in other places he is called, The happy or bleſſed God, 1 Tim. 1.11. The happy, or bleſſed Potentate, 1 Tim. 6.15.]
Q. What are we to conceive by this, That God is Almighty?
A. By this, that God is Almighty, we are to conceive, that God needeth not any thing; that he can do every thing, which is neither wicked nor unequal; that he does whatſoever he pleaſeth, and is one, of whom, by whom, and for whom are all things.
[Acts 17.24, 25. God that made the World, and all things therein, ſeeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands: Neither is worſhipped with Mens hands, as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Job 22.1, &c. Can Man be profitable unto God? &c. Job 42.1, 2. Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid, I know that thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought of thine can be hindred. Matth. 3.9. God is able of theſe Stones to raiſe up Children unto Abraham. Luke 1.37. With God nothing is impoſſible. Mat. 19.26. With God all things are poſſible. Here underſtand things that are not wicked, nor unequal: For it is impoſſible for God to lie, Heb. 6.18. He cannot lie, Tit. 1.2. He cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2.13. Far be it from God that he ſhould do wickedneſs, and from the Almighty, that he ſhould commit Iniquity: for the Work of a Man ſhall he render unto him, and cauſe every Man to find according to his ways. Yea ſurely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment, Job 34.10, 11, 12. God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any Man, Jam. 1.13. ſee Pſal. 5.4. 1 Chron. 29.17. God does whatſoever he pleaſeth. Pſalm. 115.3. Our God is in Heaven, he hath done whatſoever he pleaſed. Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in Heaven and in Earth, and in the Seas, and in all deep places. Iſa. 46.10. My Counſel ſhall ſtand, and I will do all my pleaſure. Iſa. 48.14. Hear the words of Nebuchadnezzar concerning God; All the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing: and the moſt High doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth: and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, What doſt thou? Dan. 4.25. See Iſa. 55.11. God is he, of whom, by whom, and for whom are all things, Rom. 11.36. 1 Cor. 11.12. 2 Cor. 5.18. Heb. 2.10.]
Q. What are we to conceive by this, That God is Eternal?
A. By this, That God is Eternal, we are to conceive, that God is from everlaſting to everlaſting, and always the ſame.
[Pſal. 90.2. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadſt formed the Earth and the World; even from everlaſting to everlaſting thou art God. See Iſa. 43.10. & 44.6. & 48.12. and elſewhere. He is from Everlaſting, or from Eternity; or, as we expreſs it, without beginning: Pſal. 93.2. Thou art from Everlaſting. In this ſenſe he is called, The Everlaſting God; Iſa. 40.28. He is to Everlaſting, or to Eternity; or, as we expreſs it, without Ending: He ſhall endure for ever, Pſalm. 102.13. See Pſal. 92.8. Hence he is ſaid to be Ʋncorruptible, Rom. 1.23. Immortal, 1 Tim. 1.17. and alone to have Immortality, 1 Tim. 6.16. He is always the ſame, Pſal. 102.26, 27. Heb. 1.11, 12.—They ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; yea all of them ſhall wax old like a Garment, &c. But thou art the ſame, and thy Years ſhall have no end. Jam. 1.17. With the Father of Lights is no variableneſs, neither ſhadow of turning. Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not.]
Q. What may we conceive by this, That God is Happy or Bleſſed?
A. By this, That God is Happy or Bleſſed, we may conceive that God hath full and eternal Satisfaction, Joy, and Pleaſure in his own Self, and in his own Works.
Q. You having now ſpoken of the firſt Reaſon, Why God is ſaid to be a Spirit, namely, Becauſe he is more excellent than all things, it remains that you ſpeak of the ſecond Reaſon, which was this, Becauſe the Spirit of Man may be unto us, in ſome manner, a ſhadow of God; whence we may have ſomewhat a more particular conception of him: Wherefore I now ask you, In what the Spirit of Man may be unto us, in ſome manner, a ſhadow of God?
A. The Spirit of Man may be unto us, in ſome manner, a ſhadow of God, in that we may thence conceive, in ſome manner, what God is not, and what he is.
Q. What do you thence conceive, That God is not?
A. I thence conceive, That God is not more than One, and that God is not viſible; for the Spirit of Man is but one, and is not viſible.
[Concerning God, as being but One, we have already ſpoken.
He is not viſible, therefore called, The Inviſible God, Col. 1.15. 1 Tim. 1.17. His Eternal Power and Godhead are ſaid to be the Inviſible things of God, Rom. 1.20. He is ſaid to dwell in the Light which no Man can approach unto, and to be one, whom no Man hath ſeen, nor can, ſee 1 Tim. 6.16. It is ſaid, Heb. 11.27. That Moſes ſaw him that was Inviſible: that is, He ſaw God by the Eyes of his Mind, who was not to be ſeen by the Eyes of his Body. But it is ſaid of ſome, That they have ſeen God face to face, as in Gen. 32.30. Numb. 14.14. In theſe, and the like places, we muſt underſtand, by the Name God, an Angel that did repreſent him. This appears by comparing Gen. 32.30. with verſ. 24. and Hoſ. 12.4. Thus Manoah ſaid to his Wife, concerning him whom he knew to be an Angel of the Lord, We ſhall ſurely die, becauſe we have ſeen God, [Elohim.] Judg. 13.22. There is a ſeeing of God wherein our happineſs lies, and is attainable only in another World. Mat. 5.8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart; for they ſhall ſee God. Then the Sons of God ſhall ſee him as he is, and face to face, 1 Joh. 3.2. 1 Cor. 13.12.]
Q. What do you conceive that God is, from this ſhadow of him the Spirit of Man?
A. Although we cannot know here, what God is, as he is: yet may we here have ſuch a knowledg of what he is, as is ſufficient for us; and this from the ſhadow of him, the Spirit of Man, conſider'd in its natural Powers, and acquired Vertues.
Q. But are we after the ſame manner to conceive of the Divine Nature, as of the Powers and Vertues of an humane Spirit?
A. No, in no wiſe; for in all we muſt conſider God, as Almighty, Eternal, and Happy or Bleſſed, and as one whom we cannot here know as he is.
Q. What after this manner may we conceive of God, from his Shadow, the Spirit of Man?
A. The Powers of a Man's Spirit, endowed with their proper Vertues, may be conſidered in a reſpect to inward and outward Actings, and ſo the eternal Power of God may be ſhadowed forth thereby.
Q. What are thoſe Powers of an humane Spirit, which as reſpecting inward Actings, and which as endued with Vertues, may ſhadow forth unto us the Nature of God?
A. Theſe Powers are thoſe which we commonly call the Underſtanding and the Will.
Q. What do you conceive concerning God, from that in the Spirit of Man, which we call the Ʋnderſtanding?
A. I conceive thence, that God who is Eternal and Almighty, hath Knowledg and Wiſdom, wherein he excelleth all others, as being perfect in both, and having no Inſtructor nor Counſellor with him, but is the giver of all Knowledg and Wiſdom.
[God hath Knowledg, Wiſdom, and Underſtanding. He is a God of Knowledg, [or Knowledges] 1 Sam. 2.3. See Pſal. 139. & Pſal. 103.14. With him is Wiſdom and Strength; he hath Counſel and Underſtanding, Job 12.13. Rev. 7.12.
God excelleth all others in Knowledg and Wiſdom, for he is perfect therein, Job 37.16. There is no ſearching of his Underſtanding, Iſa. 40.28. O the depth of the Riches both of the Wiſdom and Knowledg of God! Rom. 11.33. He knoweth all things, 1 Joh. 3.20. He knoweth the Hearts, and the ſecrets thereof, 1 Chron. 28.9. Acts 15.8. Pſal. 44.21. & 94.11. Luke 16.15. Times are not hid from the Almighty, Job 24.1. He knoweth not only things preſent, but alſo things paſt, having them in remembrance, Pſal. 105.8. Yea things to come, Iſa. 43.22, 23, 26. & 44.7, 8. & 48.3, 5, 6, 7, 14, &c. God hath no Inſtructor nor Counſellor with him; that is, the Knowledg and Wiſdom of God are from no other, Job 21.22. Iſa. 40.13, 14. All the Knowledg and Wiſdom that others have is from God, Eccleſ. 2.26. and elſewhere.]
Q. What do you conceive concerning God, from that in the Spirit of Man, which we call the Will?
A. I conceive thence, That God who is Eternal and Almighty, hath a Will, and ſo, that he can purpoſe, intend, love, hate, and the like, and ſo only as he who is the only Wiſe, Holy, Good, and Righteous God.
[A Will, and the Act of Willing, is aſcribed to God, Gal. 1.4. Heb. 2.4. The Scripture mentions the Intents of his Heart, Jer. 30.21. and he is often ſaid to purpoſe, to love, to hate, &c. He can no otherwiſe purpoſe, and the like, &c. than according to his own Nature, who is the only Wiſe, Holy, Good, and Juſt or Righteous God. Rom. 16.27. Rev. 15.4. Mat. 19.17. Iſa. 45.21. He is Light [that is, moſt Pure, Holy, and Righteous] and in him is no darkneſs at all, 1 John 1.5. He is Love, that is, moſt Loving, 1 John 4.8.]
Q. You having now ſhewed, That the Eternal Power of God, may in ſome manner be ſhadowed forth, by that Power which the Spirit of Man hath for inward Actings; Now what do you conceive of God, from that Power which the Spirit of Man hath for outward Actings; for it is the Spirit that gives Life to the Body; and this hath a Power over the Body, and is the principal cauſe of its motions?
A. I conceive thence, that the Eternal and Almighty God, hath a Power whereby he is able to do whatſoever he pleaſeth.
[Of this Power the Scriptures often ſpeak, as in Mat. 22.29. 2 Cor. 13.4. Exod. 9.16. Rom. 9.17. Luke 12.5. Epheſ. 3.20. And it is there called, The Word of God, the Breath, or Spirit of God, the Hand of God, the Arm of God, and the like, as in Iſa. 55.11. Zech. 4.6. Pſal. 89.13. Iſa. 50.2.
By this Power God is able to do whatſoever he will, Dan. 3.17. Mat. 3.9. Rom. 4.21. Epheſ. 3.20. Heb. 5 7. & 11.19. For God is excellent in Power, Job 37.23. O Lord God of Hoſts, who is a ſtrong Lord like unto thee? Pſal. 89.8. None is able to withſtand him, 2 Chron 20.6. The Breath of the Almighty hath given me Life, Job 33.4. In the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength, Iſa. 26.4. My Counſel ſhall ſtand, and I will do all my Pleaſure, Iſa. 46.10.]
Q. What have you further to ſay concerning God, from this ſhadow of him the Spirit of Man?
A. I am taught to add no more, but to conclude, That this God who is a Spirit, is the Living and true God.
[God is often called the Living God, Pſal. 42.2. Mat. 16.16. The living and true God, 1 Theſſ. 1.9. Now becauſe the confirmation of this, That God is ſaid to be a Spirit, in alluſion to the Spirit of Man, was reſerved for this place, I ſhall therefore here perform it: And although my Diſcourſe thereof will be contracted to that brevity the Tract in hand does require, yet I hope it will give ſatisfaction to all that are unprejudiced and conſiderate.
In this ſaying, God is a Spirit; the term Spirit muſt be udderſtood either properly or improperly; not properly, for ſo it denoteth Wind, or rather a Blaſt (to wit) of Wind, as the word anſwering it in Hebrew is rendred, 2 King. 19.7. And thus it is uſed John 3.8. The Wind bloweth where it liſteth. In an improper ſenſe 'tis not imaginable how it ſhould be accepted, unleſs metaphorically. And thus it cannot be taken immediately from its primary ſignification; and therefore muſt have reſpect, either to thoſe incorporeal Beings, which from their Office are commonly called Angels; or the principal and more noble part of Man, both which are named Spirits or Ghoſts, as bearing ſome reſemblance in reſpect of inviſibility and might to Blaſts, or Ghoſts, or Guſts of Wind. Now it is altogether unlikely, that our Saviour, eſpecially in ſpeaking to a Woman of Samaria, ſhould in this term Spirit, allude to Angelical Spirits, it being a matter much to be doubted, whether theſe Creatures were at this time known to any in the World (unleſs a few) by the name of Spirits. But however this is certain, That ſuch a Metaphor or Compariſon would have been, when uſed by our Saviour, of little or no uſe at all in the World; for that there were any ſuch Beings, that were Spirits or incorporeal Subſtances, was a thing not generally known in the World, and denied by a conſiderable Party among the Jews themſelves: for, as we read Acts 23.8. The Sudduces ſay, That there is no Reſurrection, neither Angel nor Spirit; That is to ſay, no Angel which is a Spirit, or incorporeal Subſtance: For 'tis not imaginable that the Sadduces, who owned the five Books of Moſes, ſhould deny that there were any Angels, there being in thoſe Writings ſo evident and frequent mention of them: but 'tis eaſily conceivable, that they might deny Angels to be incorporeal, in that the Hiſtory of Moſes does often ſpeak of their appearance with Bodies, like unto Men: But that which fully and clearly determines the Matter, is that which follows in the Text; namely theſe words, but the Phariſees confeſs both. Whence it appears that the preceeding words contain in them no more than two things denied by the Sadduces, which cannot be, unleſs my Interpretation be admitted: for they muſt needs be three, if we diſtinguiſh betwixt Angel and Spirit, as different Subjects; as any may reckon that can but tell three; for Reſurrection, Angel, and Spirit, muſt needs be three. My Expoſition may alſo be defended from that which follows in verſ. 9. and from the Abſurdities which will follow the denial of it. But to return, I ſay, That if our Saviour, by the term Spirit, intended an alluſion to Angels, the word would import little or nothing at all; For what could Men conceive thence concerning God? That he is not corporeal? Be it ſo. Notwithſtanding this is certain, that ſome would not thence ſo conceive; and that at leaſt the Woman of Samaria, and others of the vulgar ſort, could hardly, if at all, find any ſuch document in the ſimilitude. But what elſe could Men from this Metaphor learn concerning God? Little elſe upon any clear and undoubted evidence, the nature of theſe Spirits being ſo little known by the wiſeſt of Men. Surely our Saviour intended in this Metaphor, a clear and plentiful inſtruction concerning God, and for the uſe of the vulgar ſort. Whence I conclude, that Jeſus has not reſpect here to Angelical Spirits in this Compariſon, but to the Spirit of Man. In this ſenſe the Compariſon is ſuited to vulgar Capacities: for there is no Man but experimentally knows that he has a Spirit. And there is nothing vulgarly known in the whole Creation of God, that does excel, or may be equal to humane Spirits. And moreover, this noble part of Man paſſeth commonly under this name of Spirit. How fruitful of inſtruction the Similitude is, as thus underſtood, hath already in ſome meaſure been ſhewed. It only remains, that I ſhew how well this ſenſe of the term Spirit agrees with the Context. This in as few words as may be, thus:
To what the Woman of Samaria ſaid, verſ. 20. Our Fathers worſhipped in this Mountain, and ye ſay, that in Jeruſalem is the place where Men ought to worſhip. To this, I ſay, our Saviour replies in verſ. 21, 22, 23, 24. In this reply we have both a prophetical and doctrinal diſcovery. For in verſ. 21. he foretells the deſtruction of both Temples, that in Jeruſalem, and that alſo in Samaria, and the removal of the Jews and Samaritans out of their own Countries: So that they ſhould not worſhip in the places about which they contended, what mind ſoever they might have thereunto. Woman, ſaith our Saviour, believe me, the hour cometh when ye ſhall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jeruſalem, worſhip the Father. In the next place our Saviour teacheth the Woman divers things of no mean importance. For in reſpect of former times, and the time preſent he informs her, that in the Controverſy now mentioned, the Jews had Truth on their ſide, and the Samaritans were in a wrong Opinion, and that not only in reſpect of the place of Worſhip, but alſo in the manner of worſhipping. This Jeſus aſſerteth thus, verſ. 22. Ye worſhip ye know not what; or, ye know not after what manner ye worſhip; that is, ye Samaritans have no good reaſon or ground for your way of worſhipping, but we Jews know after what manner we worſhip, having a good ground for worſhipping at Jeruſalem, by offering Sacrifices there, and for the way of worſhipping. Then our Saviour thus confirmeth it: for Salvation is of the Jews; that is, the Doctrine teaching Men ſo to worſhip God as to pleaſe him, and obtain Salvation, is from Prophets that are of the Jewiſh Nation. In verſ. 23, 24. our Saviour informs the Woman, as to the future time, which was now at hand, theſe two things.
1. That there muſt be a new kind of Worſhippers, whom he calls True Worſhippers, becauſe typified by, and more excelcellent than legal Worſhippers; and a new way of worſhipping, to wit, in Spirit and Truth; that is to ſay, in ſuch a manner as is different from the legal way, and was typified by it, and which therefore is more excellent. This Worſhip the Doctrine of the New Covenant teacheth: for this Doctrine abrogates the legal Form, and does introduce that Worſhip, which the legal Worſhip was a type and ſhadow of. This new Covenant Doctrine is upon this account called Spirit and Truth, as the Moſaical Doctrine, in relation to it, is called the Letter; and is ſaid to have the ſhadow of good things to come, 2 Cor. 3.6, &c. Joh. 1.17. Heb. 10.1.
2. Our Saviour ſhews, why ſuch Worſhippers, and ſuch a way of Worſhip muſt be: This he does firſt barely expreſs in theſe words, For ſuch the Father ſeeketh to worſhip him, verſ. 23. Then he briefly explains it, verſ. 24. where he diſcovers;
1. Why the Father ſeeketh ſuch to worſhip him. God is a Spirit. Therefore now at length, having a mind to diſcover himſelf more clearly than in times paſt, he will no longer be worſhipped after the more groſs and carnal way of the Law, but in a more ſpiritual and excellent way, yet in ſuch as was prefigured by the Law. This is to worſhip in Spirit and Truth, i.e. in ſuch a way, as being compared with the legal, does as much differ from it, and excel it, as the Spirit, that is, the ſignification of a Letter differs from, and excels the Letter it ſelf. The like may be ſaid of a Shadow and its Body; ſee Rom. 3.29. & 7.6. Col. 3.3.
2. What it is for the Father to ſeek ſuch to worſhip him. To ſeek, is, to command, which is here ſignified by the moral neceſſity that Men have of worſhipping the Father in Spirit and Truth. And therefore they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and Truth.
Now let the Reader judg.]