The Incomparableness of God, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Preface and meaning of the Text.
IT is certain, that our happineſs in the other World will conſiſt in part in our perfect knowledge of the bleſſed and boundleſſe God: When we ſhall know him as we are known of him, we ſhall be bleſſed as he is bleſſed; and when we ſhall ſee him as he is, we ſhall be like him in purity and felicity; we ſhall be fully ſatisfied with his likeneſs and his love. Rich muſt be the delight which the moſt large and noble faculty of man his underſtanding ſhall receive, in its intimate acquaintance with, and clear & full apprehenſion of the higheſt Truth. And it is as certain, that our holineſs in this World doth not a little depend upon our knowledge of him, whoſe Name alone is excellent. None wander from him, prefer the Fleſh and World before him, and in their whole lives walk contrary to him; but from their ignorance of him. They are eſtranged from the life of God (i. e. a ſpiritual heavenly converſation) through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their Hearts. Eph. 4.18.Dark corners of an Houſe are filled with Duſt, dark Cellars with Vermine, and dark Hearts with curſed Luſts: None are enlarged in deſires after God, or raviſhed with delight in God, or can caſt their Souls and all their Concerns on God; but thoſe that are acquainted with him. They who know his beauty and bounty, cannot but love him, and they who know his power and faithfulneſs, cannot but truſt him: They who know thy Name, will put their truſt in thee, Pſal. 9.10. Whence comes it to paſs, that Believers can trample on the Riches and Treaſures, and Wealth of this beggarly World, that they can lay their white and yellow Earth, their Silver and Gold at the Apoſtles Feet, that they can ſuffer the ſpoiling of their Goods (not onelyonly patiently, but) joyfully; Heb. 10.34.but from the knowledge of him who is true riches, Luke 16.11. Subſtance, Prov. 8.21. an enduring Subſtance, Job 10.34. A bottomleſs Mine of unſearchable Riches, Eph. 3.8. Whence is it that they can refuſe to be called the Sons of Kings Daughters, that they can contemn Honours and Preferments, ſpurn Crowns and Scepters under their Feet, but from the knowledge of him who is their Crown of Glory, their Diadem of Renown, and the praiſe of all his Saints, Heb. 11.24, 25. That which to the ſenſual Worldling is ſo glorious, hath no glory in the Believers Eye, by reaſon of the Lord of Glory, who doth ſo infinitely excel. Whence is it, that they can hate Father, Mother, Wife, Child, Liberty; yea, Life it ſelf, and leave all at the Call and Command of their Maker, but from the knowledge of him who is (as Elkanah ſaid to Hannah) better to them then ten Sons, then all Relations, then the whole Creation. Thoſe Stars vaniſh and diſappear, when once this Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſeth: How quickly, how quietly, without any heſiſtancy or reluctancy, will Abraham leave his Country and Kindred, and Fathers Houſe, when once the God of Glory appeareth to him, Acts 9.2, 3, 4. In a word, whence is it, that they eſcape the pollutions of the World (in which others are mired, drown'd and deſtroyed,) but through the knowledge of God. 2 Pet. 2.20. Well may our Lord Jeſus ſay, It is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. To know God affectionately, as our chiefeſt good, ſo as to give him our ſuperlative eſteem, and intenſeſt love, is ſpiritual life here, in the habit or principle, as alſo in the act and exerciſe of it; and it is the beginning ſeed, preparation & way of our eternal life hereafter. But who can know that being which infinitely paſſeth all knowledge: He that would know God fully, muſt be God himſelf; and he who would tell you what God is in any meaſure anſwerable to his excellency, had need to know him as he is known of him. And ſuppoſing I were able to ſpeak of the perfection of God, as one that, like the great Apoſtle, had been caught up into the third Heavens: I queſtion whether, if I had a Tongue to ſpeak of him after that manner, ye had Ears to hear of him, or Hearts to underſtand what I ſhould ſpeak. But though I am not able to ſpeak, nor you to hear of God, according to his perfection, yet through the aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt ſo much may be ſpoken and heard of him, as may tend to our preſent Sanctification and future Salvation. Though we cannot ſee him as he is, yet we may ſee him as he is not; though the height of his being be above the reach of our Underſtandings, we may get ſome-what nearer to him (and indeed we have no other way while we are here then) by climbing upon the ſhoulders of all created excellencies, and there proclaiming, That none in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord, that none among the Sons of the Mighty is like unto the Lord.
In the words, the Pſalmiſt compareth God with, and prefereth God before the higheſt, the greateſt in Heaven and Earth.
In the words we have a Compariſon and a Praelation.
1. A Compariſon, and this is between God and thoſe that are moſt excellent in Heaven, and the mightieſt on Earth.
2. A Praelation, or preferring God before whatſoever is excellent in Heaven or Earth: The Interrogation is a ſtrong negation, as is frequent in Scripture, Prov. 20.9. Who can ſay I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin; i. e. None can ſay I have made my Heart clean, or am pure from my Sin. So Exod. 15.11. Who is like to thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes, doing Wonders; that is, None is like Thee among the gods, none is ſo glorious in Holineſs, ſo fearful in Praiſes, ſuch a wonder-working God as thou art. Thus the Pſalmiſt underſtandeth the Text, For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord? Who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened to the Lord; i. e. None in the Heavens, none among the Sons of the Mighty on Earth is comparable to Jehovah.
The interpretation of the words.I ſhall firſt give you the meaning of the words, and then lay down the Doctrine, which will be the foundation of my Diſcourſe on the Subject.
For this cauſal Particle gives the reaſon why Saints and Angels ſhould joyn together in the praiſe of God. The Heavens ſhall praiſe thy Wonders, O Lord, Verſe 5.thy faithfulneſs alſo in the Congregation of the Saints: For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord. By the Heavens Calvin underſtandeth the holy Angels, who rejoyce in the Churches welfare, and bleſs God for preſerving his People, and performing his Promiſes to them; and 'tis apparent by the Apoſtle, that Angels are preſent in the Congregation of the Saints, 1 Cor. 11.11. And ſo this Text addeth another Ground for their admiration of the great God, viz. his incomparable excellency. His high and matchleſs Perfections, call for high and matchleſs Praiſes. Others take the Text as a ground for the confirmation of the Pſalmiſts Faith in the Covenant God had made with him, mentioned Verſe 3, 4. namely, God's Superiority over Angels in Heaven, and Men on Earth; therefore they cannot hinder him in the accompliſhment of his Word, being infinitely inferior to him.
Who in the Heavens? Who in the Skie? Ainſworth reads it. In the Clouds (in Nubibus aequabitur), is to be equal'd (ſaith Calvin) to Jehovah, Quis enim in ſuperiore nube par aeſtimetur Jehova. Who in the higher Clouds is equal to Jehovah, ſo Tremell. reads it.
Who in the Heavens? i. e. ſay ſome, in the Starry-Heavens, among the Coeleſtial Bodies, Sun, Moon or Stars; which were adored as gods, not onelyonly by the Perſians, but alſo by ſome Idolatrous Jews, becauſe of their brightneſs and beauty, their luſtre and glory. Which of all thoſe famous Lamps, and heavenly Luminaries, is to be compared to the Father of Lights, and Sun of Righteouſneſs? They may gliſter like Glowormes in the Night of Paganiſme, among them who are covered with the Mantle of Darkneſs; but when this Sun ariſeth, and day appeareth, they all vaniſh and diſappear.
Who in the Heavens? i. e. ſay others, in the Heaven of Heavens, the higheſt, the third Heavens, among the Coeleſtial Spirits, Cherubims and Seraphims, Angels and Arch-Angels, Principalities and Powers, Thrones and Dominions? Who among the innumerable company of Angels? who among thoſe pure, thoſe perfect Spirits (who are the ancienteſt, the honourableſt Houſe of the Creation) is to be compared to the Father of Spirits?
Though Angels are glorious Creatures conſidered ſimply, and in themſelves, in reſpect of their Power, Wiſdome, Purity and Beauty; yet if they be conſidered comparatively with the bleſſed God, I may ſay of them as the Apoſtle doth of the Jewiſh Worſhip (which was glorious, by reaſon of its Divine Inſtitution,) in compariſon with the Chriſtian Worſhip, 2 Cor. 3.10.) Even that which was glorious, had no glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of the Glory that excelleth.
Is to be compared to Jehovah? Is to be likened to Jehovah? Is to be equal'd to Jehovah? Is to be put in the Scales, and worthy to be weighed with Jehovah, that Being of Beings, that God of Gods.
To Jehovah? This name Jehovah is the chief and moſt proper name of God: It is derived from Haiah fuit, and ſignifieth that Being which was, is, and is to come; which is alwayes the ſame, and the cauſe of all other Beings, Rev. 1.4, 6. Pſal. 102.28. Acts 17.28. and which gives a being to his Word and Promiſes. In Heaven there is among glorious Angels no ſuch Being.
Who amongst the Sons of the Mighty? Inter filios fortium. Who among the Sons of the ſtrong, Jun. reads it. Among the Sons of the Gods, ſaith Calvin, ſo the Seventy read it, and underſtand (with the Chaldee Paraphraſe) Angels, who are called Sons of God, Job 1.6. and Job. 38.7. But we having underſtood Angels, the beſt and higheſt in Heaven, by the firſt interrogation, Who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord? It may be moſt convenient to underſtand in this place, by Sons of the Mighty, the beſt and higheſt on Earth, the greateſt and moſt gracious Princes and Potentates, who are higher by head and ſhoulders then others. Theſe are called Gods, and Sons of the most High, or Almighty, Pſal. 82.6. And hereby the Prophet challengeth both Worlds, Heaven and Earth, to bring forth any that may equal or compare with Jehovah.
Can be likened to the Lord? Is ſuch a Being as he is, can ſpeak or act as he doth, is in any reſpect worthy to be named with him.