The Incomparableness of God, Treatise · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. If God be incomparable, how monſtrous is their Pride who compare themſelves to the incomparable God.
THirdly, If God be ſuch an incomparable God, it informeth us, what abominable Pride and deſperate preſumption they are guilty of, who compare with, and prefer themſelves before this God. If he be ſo tranſcendently excellent in his Being, Attributes, Word, and Works; how deſperately ſaucy and impudent are they who put themſelves in the ballance with God? Behold all Nations to me are as nothing, yea, leſs than nothing, and vanity: To whom then will ye liken me? or to what will ye compare me? Iſa. 40.17, 18. To liken God to any is the groſſeſt Idolatry, and to liken any to God is the higheſt arrogancy. Babylon that ſets her ſelf in the Throne of God, and exalteth her ſelf above all that is called God, is the myſterie of iniquity, the man of Sin, in truth the dregs of the very Devil, 2 Theſſ. 2.9. It's a debaſing God, not to adore him, and admire him according to his excellent Majeſty, and vaſt immenſity; what a debaſing then is it of God to compare him to poor pitiful nothings, as all Men and Angels are to him? He debaſeth himſelf to open his eyes upon men, upon Angels, to behold things that are done in Heaven and Earth, Pſ. 113.5. But he will not debaſe himſelf to compare with Men and Angels, he ſcorneth to put himſelf into the Scales with them, he is infinitely above and beyond all Comparatives, all Superlatives. Compariſons (we ſay) are odious; but no compariſon that ever was, hath in the leaſt degree that odiouſneſs which this hath, for a Man or an Angel to compare with their Maker. The ſlime, and clay, and earth, may very much better compare with the Potter; both are narrow limited beings, both are earth and clay; yet the Potter would think it a great diſhonour to him, (who hath a body curiouſly wrought, and an Heaven-born ſpiritual immortal ſoul) and deſperate arrogancy in the clay and dirt which he trampleth on, to compare with him. And is it not greater pride in man to compare with God, when there is an infinite diſtance between them in all things? yet ſo ambitious and arrogant is man, that he dares to do this. Angels and Adam both aſpired to equal their Maker, they would needs be independent and ſelf-ſufficient, they endeavoured to cut off the entail, and to hold wholly and only of themſelves; but they ruin'd themſelves, and made themſelves baſer than beaſts, by aſpiring thus to raiſe themſelves to that impoſſible pitch of a Partnerſhip with God.
It's a favour, that Men and Angels may be like God in ſome rayes and beams of his holineſs and purity; but it's impoſſible for Men or Angels to be like God in the rich Jewels of his Crown, his independency, abſolute perfection, ſelf-ſufficiency, infiniteneſs and ſupremacy. He ſtampt ſome impreſſions of himſelf upon his creatures, but he took no impreſſions of his creatures upon himſelf; if they were made in his likeneſs, he was not made in their likeneſs; it is deviliſh impudency and blaſphemy, for the higheſt Creature to weigh with the Creator. This was Lucifer's pride, I will aſcend into Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars, I will be like the moſt High, Iſa. 14.13, 14. But his pride got a fall, and a ſhrewd one too. God cannot brook a Rival, he cannot bear an equal, there muſt be but one Sun in the Heavens. A Prince may take it kindly from his Subjects, if they endeavour to imitate him, in his mercy, juſtice, temperance, chaſtity, and in thoſe things that are general and common to him and them; becauſe hereby his Subjects honour him, (for by their imitation of him, they acknowledge excellency in him) but if his Subjects ſhall undertake to imitate him in his regalia, thoſe things that are proper to him as a King, ſhould they aſpire to make Laws, to make Peace and War, to wear the Crown, ſway the Scepter, and aſcend the Throne, he could not bear it, but would judge them Rebels guilty of High Treaſon, and worthy of death; becauſe hereby they extreamly diſhonour him, viz. in making themſelves equal to him, and robbing him of that Superiority which God hath given him: So God is pleaſed and delighted that Men and Angels ſhould reſemble him in thoſe perfections of his, that are common and communicable; as to be patient, and meek, and loving, and righteous, and heavenly, and holy; becauſe hereby they glorifie him, Math. 5.16. But if the creatures ſhould go about to be like him in the peculiar Cogniſances of the Deity, his Self-ſufficiency, Independency, Governing others at their will, Enacting Laws to oblige the Conſciences of others, exacting Worſhip from their fellow Creatures; ſo God cannot, God will not ſuffer it, for hereby they go about to rob him of his Supremacy, to dethrone and ungod him. How often doth God tell us in Scripture, to quel ſuch preſumptuous thoughts, that he is not mans fellow, mans familiar? God is not a man, Numb. 23.29. I am God, and not man, Hoſ. 11.9. He is not a man as I am, ſaith Job 9.32 v. Though God was pleaſed out of his infinite grace to become man, that man might once more be like God in thoſe communicable properties forementioned; yet he will not permit it, nay, it is altogether impoſſible, for man to become God, and be like him in the ſpecial prerogatives of the Deity: There is ſtill an infinite diſtance between the divine and the humane nature. They who prate of being Godded, and turned into the eſſence of the Deity (as ſome have impudently and blaſphemouſly written) are either intollerably weak, or deviliſhly wicked, or both. Now becauſe many are guilty of the ſtrange preſumption to compare with God, who little think it, I ſhall very briefly name two or three ſorts of men.
1. Such as quarrel with the Precepts of God, as if they were too ſtrict, too preciſe, too pure, and that God commanded more than was needful, Pſal. 2.2. Rom. 8.7. This is a comparing with God, yea, a preferring our ſelves before God; and ſuch ſpeak as if they would be in Gods Throne to make Laws, and as if they would enact better Laws, more conducing to, and convenient for the welfare of mankind. Becauſe man hath vitiated his nature, and diſtempered all his faculties, he is angry at God for enjoyning him a ſtrict diet, and forbidding him what would feed his Diſeaſe. A foul Stomach loatheth the wholſomeſt food.
2. When men queſtion the Providences of God, as if they were not good, and wiſe, and righteous, theſe compare, yea, prefer themſelves before God; their voice is like Abſolom's, O that I were Judge, things ſhould not go thus at ſix and ſevens; See here is none to do juſtice to you; O that I governed the world, there ſhould be no ſuch diſorders as are now, no ſuch inequality amongſt men, The righteous ſhould not periſh, nor the wicked flouriſh as they do: Theſe wayes are not equal, Ezek. 33.13, 17. Theſe men contend with God for Soveraignty: Why ſtriveſt thou with him? Job 3.13. Theſe men accuſe God of folly, and think themſelves wiſer; but ſhall he that contendeth with God inſtruct him? Job 40.2. He that complains of Gods dealings, undertakes to teach God in what manner and by what means the world ſhould be better governed: Theſe men compare with God for juſtice; nay, condemn him of injuſtice, Job 40.8. Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be Righteous?
Gods wayes are often ſecret, his pathes are in the Seas, and his goings in deep waters, Pſal. 73.19. and becauſe men cannot fathom them, therefore they find fault with them. He writes his mind often in ſhort-hand, in dark Characters; and becauſe poor blind man cannot read them, therefore he wrangleth with them, Thy Judgments are a great deep, Pſa. 36.9.
3. When men tax the Decrees of God, as if they were unrighteous, partial, and ordered with reſpect of perſons, they then compare with God, as if, in caſe they had been at Heavens Council-Table when all things were debated and concluded, there ſhould have been more mild and moderate, more juſt and righteous reſolves and concluſions. Theſe men think and ſpeak evil of the things they underſtand not; and it would become them better to mind Faith and Repentance, and enſure their effectual Calling, than pry into or meddle with thoſe ſecrets of Heaven. No man hath a line long enough to meaſure God by; his eternal works and wayes are beyond all our underſtandings and apprehenſions, and ſo much fitter for our admiration than curious diſquiſition, Rom. 9.17, to 24.
4. Once more, Thoſe Princes, or Maſters, or Parents, which command what God forbids, or forbid what God commands, compare with God, and uſurp his authority; for their power to command, & right to be obey'd, muſt (in their conceits) be equal to Gods, or elſe why do they give Laws in oppoſition to his? or how can they expect to be obey'd? They who command divine worſhip to Bread and Wine, and places, or any creature, compare with and prefer themſelves before God: which is deſperate pride and preſumption, 1 Kings 21.9, 10, 11. 2 Sam. 13.28.