A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
DEUT. 32.4.
Thou art a God of truth.
THE divine Eſſence is made manifeſt unto us, by certaine Attributes, and theſe. Attributes are of two ſorts; either incommunicable, or communicable: his incommunicable, were his ſimplenes, his eternity, &c. and of theſe we have ſpoken; the latter which are his communicable Attributes, we have ſpoken of ſome, and divers remaine to be ſpoken of; and firſt of his truth, for there is no wiſedome without truth, nor any will can be good without truth: but before we come to ſpeak of this, we will finiſh that we leſt the laſt day, concerning the will of God.
The will of the divine Eſſence, you have heard what it was, a communicable Attribute, whereby he did moſt freely &c. This deſcription was proved, and grounds given for every part; there alſo were anſwered divers objections, which we conceived were of two kindes; ſome as if God had changed his will, &c. but theſe were ſpoken of the laſt day; but now of one or two more, that may be made:
Object. And the next is, that God in declaring his will; Ezek 33.11. As I live ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of a ſinner: yet there are many thouſand ſinners that die for all this; therefore his will muſt be mutable.
Anſw. The anſwer to this, is taken from the conſideration of what kindes of ſinners the Lord ſpeaks; of ſinners, ſome be penitent, that ſee, and acknowledge themſelves ſinners, and ſorrow for, and turne from their ſinnes, and cry, and fly unto Chriſt for ſalvation; God doth not will the death of ſuch ſinners, neither ſhall they die: But he that confeſſeth and for ſaketh his ſinnes ſhall finde mercy; but others be obſtinate, and hardened in ſinne, that adde drunkenneſſe to thirſt, and rebellion to ſinne, without repentance; God will laugh at theſe, when their deſtruction commeth; ſo then, as long as God is pleaſed with repentance, and pardoneth the penitent, there is no alteration in God, though the impenitent periſh; nay, there would be alteration in him, if they did not periſh: or it may be ſaid, and truly, that God is better pleaſed with the repentance, then with the perdition of a ſinner; there is joy in Heaven, over one ſinner that repents.
Object. Againe it is objected, the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, in Tim. 2.4. That God would have all men ſaved: How ſhould it be then, that any ſhould periſh, unleſſe his will be changeable?
Anſw. Ambroſe upon this place of the Apoſtle, expounds it thus: God will have all men to be ſaved, but ſo as they come to him, he will have them ſaved; if they will ſalvation to themſelves; and if this ſenſe be admitted, there is no ſhaddow of change in God, though many be not ſaved, becauſe thoſe many that are not ſaved, doe not ſeeke ſalvation: Saint Auſtin, underſtands All; not collectively, for every ſingular man, but diſtributively, for ſome of all ſorts of men; in which ſenſe it is uſed, in other places of Scripture, and ſo the meaning may be, God will have all men ſaved; that is, all ſorts of men, Jewes, Greekes, bond, free, Kings, and Subjects, ſaved: and therefore praiers muſt be made for all ſorts of men, and in this ſenſe, there is no change in Gods will; though ſome of all ſorts periſh, becauſe ſome of all ſorts be ſaved; as in the Arke: God ſaved from the deluge all living creatures, not in the particular, but in the kinde; becauſe he ſaved ſome of every ſort: againe, Saint Auſtin, in another place, explanes it thus: God wills all ſhould be ſaved, becauſe all that are ſaved, are ſaved by Gods will; as a Phyſitian is ſaid to cure all, who cures all that are cured: and for this cauſe, the Apoſtle enjoines, that praiers ſhould be made to God for all; becauſe without God none can be ſaved: and if we ſo expound it, though many be not ſaved, yet there is no change in Gods will, who wills the ſalvation of all that are ſaved: As in Chriſt all are ſaid to be made alive, 1 Cor. 15.22. becauſe all that are made alive, are made alive by Chriſt: ſo in this place, in the ſame reſpect, may God be ſaid to will the ſalvation of all men: adde to theſe our faith, thus; God will have all men ſaved, he wills the ſalvation even of the reprobate, as a thing in it ſelfe good, and ſutable to the diſpoſition of a gracious God: but yet he doth not determine, or appoint it, and therefore though many periſh, there is no change in Gods will: this place ſhewing what God might approve of being done, not what he determined to doe; he wills it by an antecedent will, as in it ſelfe conſidered; but not with a conſequent will, and here is no change in Gods will; finally we anſwer, that by all, may be underſtood the, all, of the elect; not of the reprobate: as it is Rom. 5.18. The free gift came upon all men, to the juſtification of life: that is, in the verſe following, By the righteouſneſſe of one, many are made righteous; this, all, is many: ſo that when he ſaith, that God would have all to be ſaved, the meaning is, all that he purpoſeth to ſave; I determine nothing which of theſe interpretations ſhould be followed, but leave that to every learned and judicious readers choice; ſecure of this, that which ſoever is preferred, Gods will doth ſtill remaine Immutable, and without ſhaddow of change.
Vſe 1. The uſe is, that if the will of God be free, and no cauſe without God, can move him to will, then it followes, that they er re that thinke, and teach, that God is moved to beſtow ſome good thing on man, becauſe he foreſees ſome good thing in him: I ſay, this confuteth their error; for if this were ſo, then Gods will were not free; but it is free, therefore this is erroneous: Earthly Princes caſt their benefits upon thoſe that have no deſert; how much more doth God who is not, as earthly Princes; but much more great, and more free, in conferring of his benefits; more bleſſed, and glorious, then that he can be either engaged, or recompenced: and indeed, what could any man doe, before he was, to make God his Debtor, what workes could he doe that was not? Ob. But God might foreſee, he would worke. Anſ. If God did foreſee this, the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.32. would not have cried out, Oh the depth both of the wiſedome and counſell, of God: here is no place for Pelagians, and Papiſts, they cannot ſee the depth of his counſell, though they be ſo quick, and acute, that they can ſee that which the Apoſtle could not.
Saint Ambroſe preſſing this againſt the Pelagians; The Apoſtle (ſaith he) ſpeakes after this manner, Oh the riches of his mercy! then not of workes, then not for foreſeen workes: and indeed, ſaith Ambroſe, could he not well have ſaid, but of future workes, or workes to come; but he knew that the will of God was free.
Then to ſhut up this, Saint Auguſtine in a caſe of Infants, the one is baptized, the other not; the one is ſaved, the other not: I demand ſaith he, why God did ſave the one and deſtroy the other? will you ſay it was becauſe he did foreſee the one would be good, and the other evill? this would be injuſtice in God, to damne him for that he never did; ſeeing he takes them away, before they knew good, or evill.
Vſe 2. This teaches men, that if they have any ſenſe of Gods calling, and that they are elected of God, and made partakers of the grace, and mercy of God, not to be puffed up; becauſe it is the free will of God, that hath choſen them: the more any man hath received of God, the more indebted he is, and ſhould learn to be the more humble: let no man advance himſelfe againſt another; what haſt thou that thou haſt not received? and who hath cauſed thee to differ from another? thou art moſt proud, and boaſteſt moſt of thy ſelfe; boaſt onelyonly of that which is thy owne; it is vanity, to boaſt of that which is not thine, thou haſt nothing thy owne but ſinne; nothing is due to ſinne, but ſhame, and death; thou couldeſt doe nothing to helpe thy ſelfe out of this condition; if thou art delivered out of it, be not high minded, it is God that delivered thee, and not thy ſelfe, of his free grace, not according to thy merits.
Vſe 3. This teacheth us, that if a man have once aſſurance of election, and ſalvation, he may have it for ever; as he was choſe freely, ſo alſo immutably; God cannot change his will; ſo that here is the comfort of a man that hath any aſſurance; God is immutable, therefore I cannot periſh: So then, is any tempted from Sathan or from his owne weakneſſe, when he ſeeth ſo much rebellion in himſelfe, and when he heares great Doctors teach that a man may be good to day and nought to morrow? this may comfort him, God is immutable; this is that I ſtand upon, God is immutable, therefore none can reſiſt him; there is corruption enough in man, but God is not overcome by the wickedneſſe of man, but as he will puniſh thoſe that ſtand unreformed, ſo hee will bee good to thoſe that walke before him humbly.
Object. I, but ſay they, Gods ſalvation ſtands upon condition; and being upon condition, therfore is changeable.
Anſ. To this I anſwer; that the faith and repentance of them which have it, is mutable in them, and may in it ſelfe be loſt; but it is God that wrought it, it is God that will not forſake his owne worke; it is God by whoſe power we are kept to ſalvation, and have not our faith, repentance, life, ſalvation in our owne keeping: A man of himſelfe may fall away, but God gives him perſeverance: Auſtin ſaith, This guift of perſeverance may be humbly ſought of God, and when a man hath it, he ſhall not with Caine be caſt out; for God is ſo good, that he will never ſuffer a man to goe ſo farre as that he ſhould cut himſelfe from him: and what is the reaſon? for the ſeed of God abideth in him.
In the firſt converſion, a man is unwilling and retains grace unwillingly, but God gives him grace to make him willing; ſo that the grace he hath, and the eſtate he hath, he holds it not by his owne will, but ſo that God keepes it; for otherwaies the heart of man, would ſoone goe from God; whereupon it followes, that God and his will are immutable.
The next queſtion is:
Queſt. What is the truth of the Divine Eſſence?
Anſw. It is a communicable Attribute, whereby he knowes all things certainely without any ignorance, or error, ſpeaking and working, indeed, and in truth, without fraud and diſſimulation, and performing conſtantly, whatſoever he hath ſaid. To explane theſe: Firſt, I ſay, it is the truth of God, (not truths, though there be many) yet the Scripture ſpeakes, but of one, Iohn 14.6. I am the truth.
Secondly, I ſay, it is a communicable Attribute, becauſe that howſoever truth is in a ſpeciall manner Attributed to God; yet it is by proportion in man, whereby he knowes all things without error; for it is a generall ſpeech, he is a true man that knowes all things without any ignorance, or error; ſuch is the truth of God, without any ignorance, and error, he cannot deceive, nor be deceived, he knowes all things whatſoever; he cannot deceive, Iohn 16.7.13. He tells the truth, the ſpirit leads into truth, he cannot be deceived. All things are naked, and bare before him, with whom we have to doe.
Againe whatſoever he hath ſpoken, and wrought is in truth, and indeed without faining, and diſſimulation; ſo that there is no active falſitie in his waies, he deceives none in any of his words, or in any of his deeds.
The truth of the word is, when the words are anſwerable, and agreeable to the truth of the minde: for when a man ſpeakes otherwaies then he knowes, is to lye; the old deſcription of a lye is, for a man to tell a thing contrary to his owne minde: Now then whatſoever is in God is true, and ſo the Apoſtle ſpeakes; let God be true, and every man a lyer; and againe, when we came to you, our words were not, yea, and nay, but yea; that is, a certaine truth: Pſal. 111.7. The works of God are true: Pſal. 119.51. The lawe of the Lord is true, and this might be ſhewed in all the works of creation, regeneration, and ſanctification: they are all true works.
Againe, conſtantly performing whatſoever he ſpeakes, this is made manifeſt in his promiſes, and threatnings; whatſoever he hath promiſed or threattened, ſhall come to paſſe. A man is a true man when he hath done that he ſaid he would doe: Pſal. 89 33.34.35. I never falſifie my truth, I have ſworne, and looke what I have ſayd I will performe; heaven and earth ſhall paſſe, but not one jot, or tittle, of my word ſhall paſſe: Pſal. 119.19. Thy word endures for ever: Iſai. 40.6. All fleſh is graſſe, but the word of the Lord endures for ever: God will accompliſh, and doe all thoſe things that he hath promiſed, 2 Cor. 1.20. All the premiſes are, yea, and amen, in Chriſt.
Queſt. Why is it ſaid truth, as ſpeaking of one?
Anſ. Becauſe though there be many truths in words, and works of men, yet all flow from one truth: as all light comes from one ſunne, ſo all truth comes from one God, he is the truth: as his goodneſſe is the cauſe of all good, ſo his truth is the cauſe of all truth.
Truth, is either morall, or metaphyſicall; and this either in the minde of God, or in the minde of the creature, or in the things that exiſt: Truth in the mind of God, is that certaine and diſtinct knowledge, and Idea of the nature of things, according to which they are created in time: Truth in the minde of the creatures, Angells, or men, conſiſts in the apprehenſion, and knowledge of things, as they are in themſelves: Truth in the things that exiſt, is their exiſtens it ſelfe, ſutable to their Idea in the minde of God: The truth in the minde of God, is that which the Schooles call exemplar is, or the patterne truth, and is but one, and firſt is in God, and from thence conveighed to the things, and mindes in which it is. Truth is in things, and the mindes of men formally, as the Schooles ſpeake; and ſo there are many truths, but all derived from the firſt truth, in the minde of God; and they are firſt in the things knowne, and then in the underſtanding, that knoweth: Truth in the mind of God, meaſures the truth in things, and minds of men, but is not meaſured by them: Truth in things, meaſures the truth in the mindes of men, and is meaſured by the truth in the mind of God: Truth in the minde of man is meaſured by both thoſe truths; and is not the meaſure of them. And thus we ſee truth is but one, becauſe all flowes from one; there is no truth in things, which God implants not in them, nor in the minds of men, which the ſpirit of truth doth not lead into: No man can ſay, that Jeſus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghoſt: Saint Ambroſe ſaith, whatſoever truth is in any man, is from God; and all lies are from the divell, he is the father of them: when the Saints and holy men have lied, it came from the Divell: when wicked men ſpeake truth (as Cayphas ſpeaking of the death of Chriſt) it came from God.
Queſt. Why ſay you, he knowes all things certainly without error?
Anſw. Becauſe he is of infinite wiſdome: his wiſdome is infinite as himſelfe: Pſal. 147.5. A finite wiſdome may erre, becauſe it doth not know all things perfectly: but infinite wiſdome apprehends all things perfectly: therefore it cannot erre.
Queſt. Why ſay you he ſpeakes and workes truth without faining and diſsimulation?
Anſw. Becauſe he is the chiefeſt good, into which no evill can fall: God is the chiefeſt good; then diſſembling cannot befall God: there can be no darkneſſe in him, becauſe he is light it ſelfe: then no falſhood fals into God, becauſe he is truth it ſelfe. Moreover, faining and diſſembling is the corruption of the underſtanding, this cannot fall into God.
The workes of Sathan, when they are good works, are diſſembling: as when he teſtifieth of Chriſt, that he was the Sonne of God, it was a lying ſpeech; becauſe whatſoever he doeth, he doeth it to deceive: for if men will beleeve him in one thing, he hopes they will in another: and ſo all the works of Sathan are lying works: but on the other ſide, all the works of God are good, and ſo certain and true without faining, or diſſimulation.
Queſt. Why doth he conſtantly performe whatſoever he hath ſpoken?
Anſw. Becauſe he is faithfull, and juſt to performe whatſoever he hath promiſed or threatned. Promiſes he any thing? he will performe it, becauſe he is true: and this is verifyed by the holy Ghoſt, Pſal. 90.12. Deut. 7.8. That thou mighteſt know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God, that will keepe covenant and mercy. Mercy makes him promiſe, but truth makes him performe Promiſes. Juſtice makes him threaten, and truth makes him recompence, his enemies to their face. Thus Saint Auguſtin ſaith, God hath made himſelfe our Debter by promiſes: and Bernard, that man ſhould pay that he promiſeth, becauſe he makes himſelfe a debter: and if the Lord keepes his promiſes with thoſe that are unworthy, will he not much more keepe them with thoſe he hath made worthy in his Sonne?