The Incomparableness of God, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. God incomparable in his Attributes, in his Holineſs and Wiſdom.
II. GOd is incomparable (as in his Being, ſo) in his Attributes. The Attributes of God, are thoſe perfections in the Divine Nature, which are aſcribed to him, that we might the better underſtand him. They are ſo called (i. e. Attributes) becauſe they are attributed to him for our ſakes; though they are not in him as they are in Men or Angels. Vocantur Attributa quia ea ſibi attribuit Deus nostra cauſa, Zanch. de Attribut. lib. 2. cap. 12. Attributa Dei dicuntur quae Deo adſcribuntur in Scripturis ſacris, non tam ad eſſentiam naturam que Dei explicandam, quam ad declarandum nobis aliquo modo pro nostro captu illud quod de ipſo a nobis cognoſci potest, Polan. Syntag. lib. 2. cap. 6. There are ſome Attributes of God, which the School-men call Incommunicable, (which I have ſpoken of under the former Head) becauſe the Creature, as a Creature, is uncapable of them, and therefore they cannot be attributed to Man or Angels. It's impoſſible for a Creature to be independent, ſelf-ſufficient, eternal in a ſtrict ſenſe, infinite, &c. ſo that all will acknowledge God incomparable in thoſe excellencies. There are other Attributes of God which are called Communicable, viz. His Power, Holineſs, Wiſdome, Faithfulneſs, &c. becauſe they are communicated by him to his rational Creatures, and there is ſome ſhew or ſhadow of them in Men and Angels. For though it was the horrible Pride, and monſtrous preſumption of evil Angels, and Adam, at firſt to rival God in his Properties, that were incommunicable; to aſpire to be like him in his Independency and Soveraignty, (for their Sin was, that they would have cut off the Entail, and have held all of themſelves, as their own Lords and Maſters): And the Prince of Tyre, Ezek. 28.6. is indicted by God of inexpiable arrogancy, That he durſt ſet his heart as the heart of God: Yet it is the only godlineſs of the Creatures to be like God, in thoſe Attributes of his which are communicable: The new man is after God, Epheſ. 1.24. The re-impreſſion of his Image on the Creature. David is therefore called a man after Gods own heart, becauſe he was a man after Gods own Holineſs; yea, 'tis the perfection and felicity of the intellectual World, Pſal. 17. ult. 1 John 3.3, 4. in Heaven.
But even in theſe Properties, wherein Man reſembleth his Maker, he is exceedingly unlike him, and falls infinitely ſhort of him. That God is incomparable in his communicable Attributes, I ſhall diſcover.
1. More generally.
2. More ſpecially.
1. More generally, and here I ſhall enumerate ſome of thoſe Attributes, wherein Men and Angels are conformable to God, and in each of them ſhew that in thoſe in which they come neareſt him, they come far behind him.
1. He is incomparable in his Holineſs: Holineſs in general, is the moral goodneſs of a thing, or its conveniency or agreement with its rule. Holineſs in the Creatures, is their conformity to the will of their Creator, in the principle rule and end of their actions and motions: Holineſs in God is that excellency of the Divine Nature, by which he acteth from himſelf for himſelf, and according to his own will.
God is the holy One, Hoſ. 11.9. by way of eminency and excellency, becauſe he ſurpaſſeth all others in holineſs. He is the holy One of Jacob, Iſa. 49.23. The holy One of Iſrael, Iſa. 43.14. becauſe of their ſpecial intereſt and propriety in the excellent Being. He is holy, holy, holy, Iſa. 6.3. Rev. 4.8. His Nature is the onelyonly pattern of Holineſs, therefore he commands us to look on him as our Example; Be ye holy as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Man was made holy, Eccleſ. 7.29. i. e. According to the Image of God, Gen. 1.26. Epheſ. 4.24. His will is the onelyonly rule of Holineſs: Hence our holineſs is called a proving his good and perfect and acceptable will, Rom. 12.2. and our fulfilling the will of God, Acts 13. And a walking according to his Word (which is his reveal'd will) as our Rule, Gal. 6.16. He is univerſally holy in his Name, Luke 1.49. In his Nature, Pſal. 5.5, 6. Hab. 1.13. In his Works, Pſal. 145.17. In his Word, Rom. 7.12. Pſal. 119.140. He is the Original of all holineſs in Men or Angels; they are beholden to him that they are not as unholy as the Damned, as the Devils, James 1.17. Ezek. 37.28. Ezek. 38.26, 27. 1 Theſſ. 5.23. Now what Man or Angel is comparable to him in holineſs. May I not, with Moſes, make a Challenge, Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holineſs? Exod. 15.11.
Are Men holy as he is holy? nay, are the ſpirits of juſt Men made perfect, and Angels equal to him in holineſs? Behold, he putteth no trust in his Saints (the beſt on Earth) the Heavens (the holieſt there) are unclean in his ſight, Job 15.15, 16. As for man he is a Sink of Sin, a Stye of Filth, over-ſpread from Head to Foot with the Leproſie of Sin, Gen. 6.5. And therefore inſtead of comparing with God for holineſs, is bound to abhor himſelf for his unholineſs; yea Angels, who have nothing amiſs in their Natures, who never took one ſtep awry in their lives, who have ever continued Gods Loyal Subjects, and faithful Servants, obſervant of all his Calls, and obedient to all his Commands; whoſe obedience to him, and obſervance of him, is made the Copy for us to write after, Math. 6.10. are yet unholy in compariſon of God: The Heavens are unclean in his ſight. The Heavens, not onelyonly the place which hath a relative holineſs, in regard of Gods ſpecial preſence; but even the perſons in Heaven, perfect Spirits, who have no blemiſh in their Beings, or diſorder in their motions, are unholy to him, and unclean in his ſight. The holineſs of Angels, is but the holineſs of obeying a Law, Pſal. 103.20, 21. the holineſs of God, is the holineſs of being a Law, 1 Theſſ. 4.3. The holineſs of Angels is but a conformity to the pattern ſet them, the holineſs of God is the holineſs of ſetting them a pattern, and of being their pattern. The holineſs of Angels is but a derivative, Gods is an Original holineſs.
God is ſo incomparable in holineſs, that it's ſaid, He onelyonly, or ſolely, is holy, Revel. 15.4. Who will not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name, for thou only art holy. None is holy beſides him, becauſe none is holy like him; 1 Sam. 2.2. There is none holy as the Lord, therefore none holy but the Lord: Saints are holy, 1 Pet. 2.9. Angels are holy, Mark 8.38. But they are not holy as the Lord is holy. Without queſtion, the heavenly Hoſt who ſee him face to face, and are ſatisfied with his likeneſs, are glorious in holineſs, ſhine brightly with thoſe perfect beams, and that pure light which they borrow from the Sun of Righteouſneſs; but truly they are poor Gloworms to the Father of Lights. Even that Grace, that Holineſs, that Glory of Saints and Angels, which infinitely ſurpaſſeth the natural Heavens in all their beauty and brightneſs, is no Grace, no Holineſs, no Glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of that Grace and Holineſs, and Glory in God, which doth ſo infinitely excel.
2. God is incomparable in his Wiſdom (I ſhall not ſtand upon the critical diſtinctions which ſome give between Underſtanding, Prudence and Wiſdom): Wiſdom in general is a right underſtanding of things, and the ordering our ſelves and actions ſutable to that underſtanding. It appears chiefly in theſe three acts: 1. In diſcerning the nature, cauſes, effects, contraries, and conſequents of things, (of which we ſhall ſpeak hereafter); and this we call Science. 2. In propounding the beſt, and higheſt, and nobleſt end to our ſelves, in our actions and undertakings; and this is called Ʋnderstanding. 3. In ſuiting and fitting, and ordering the moſt proper means, as may be beſt for the attaining our ends; and this is called Prudence, which, as the Rudder of the Ship, ſteers, and directs and governs all. In all theſe reſpects God is incomparable in Wiſdom: He is wiſe in heart, Job 9.4. i. e. moſt wiſe, for the heart is the ſeat of Wiſdom. And to be fooliſh, and without an heart, is all one: Ephraim is a ſilly Dove, without an heart, Hoſ. 7.11. There are in God all the Treaſures of Wiſdom, Coloſſ. 1.19.
A Treaſure denotes, 1. Preciouſneſs; an heap of Duſt or Coals is not a Treaſure, but of Silver and Gold. 2. Plenty; one or two pieces of things that are precious will not make a Treaſure, there muſt be an heap, or ſome quantity. In God there is the moſt precious Wiſdom, therefore called Counſell, the effect of ſerious and mature deliberation; and he is called The mighty Counſellor, Eph. 1.11. Iſa. 9.6. In God there is plenty of it, Treaſures; a Treaſure notes abundance, but Treaſures ſpeaks ſuperabundance, a redundance. In God are all the Treaſures, all kinds, all ſorts of Wiſdom, foreign, manifold Wiſdom; Eph. 3.10.embroydered Wiſdom, wherein is all variety, of rich and curious Contrivances. Theſe are all in God, He ingroſſeth them all in himſelf; therefore you read, With him is Wiſdom and Ʋnderstanding, Job 12.13. With him, as with its Maſter and Soveraign Lord; with him, as with its ſole Owner and Proprietor.
Some men are wiſe, Light and Ʋnderſtanding, and excellent Wiſdom was found in Daniel, Dan. 5.14. David was very wiſe, wiſer then his Teachers, then his Enemies, then the Ancient, Pſal. 119.97, 98, 99. Solomon was a wiſe man, he exceeded in Wiſdom all that were before him, and all that came after him: And God gave Solomon Wiſdom and Ʋnderſtanding, exceeding much, and largeneſs of heart, even as the Sand on the Sea ſhore: And Solomons Wiſdom excelled the Wiſdom of all the Children of the Eaſt-Country, and all the Wiſdom of Egypt. For he was wiſer then all men, than Ethan and Heman, &c. 1 Kings 4.29, 30, 31. But was Solomon comparable to God in Wiſdom? Truly, he that was wiſer then all men, was a ſtark Fool to God; The Wiſdom of man is fooliſhneſs with God, 1 Cor. 3.19. The ſubtilty of the Heathen (and, I may ſay, the greateſt underſtanding of the Chriſtian) is folly with God: The fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer than Man, 1 Cor. 1.25. If it were poſſible that there ſhould be any thing in God which might look like folly, or if it were lawful for us to conceive any action of Gods, which, compared with his deeper Contrivances, might have a ſhew of fooliſhneſs, yet even this were wiſer than the greateſt wiſdom of man: Angels are wiſer than Men. When the Woman would ſpeak David to be very wiſe, above the rate of Mortals, ſhe ſaith, My Lord is wiſe as an Angel of God, 2 Sam. 14.20. The excellency of their Natures ſpeaks the excellency of their Wiſdom, for it's the Underſtanding that is the chief diſtinguiſhing faculty. But are Angels like God in Wiſdom? No, they are Fools to him: Behold, he putteth no trust in his Servants, he chargeth his Angels with folly, Job 4.18. Though they never thwarted the Divine pleaſure, nor in any action manifeſted the leaſt imprudence; yet before him they are indicted of folly, and to him will be proved guilty of it. Though they are not chargeable with actual, yet they are with potential folly; though God doth not indict them of abſolute, yet he doth of comparative folly.
God doth ſo far exceed Angels and Men in Wiſdom, That he is ſaid onelyonly to be wiſe: To the onelyonly wiſe God, 1 Tim. 1.17. To God onelyonly wiſe, Rom. 16.27. None are wiſe beſide him, becauſe none are wiſe to him, Dan. 5.20. Wiſdom is his, his Peculiar, his Prerogative, his wholly, his onelyonly; ſo his, that 'tis none's but his.
The wiſeſt Men and Angels ſtand in need of a Maſter to teach them, and a Tutor to inſtruct them; and were it not for the onelyonly wiſe God, they would be as unwiſe as the wild Aſſes Colt, as fooliſh as Idiots, Pſal. 94.10. But God is above all Teachers, all Tutors: Job 21.22. Shall any teach God knowledge. Some perſons are uncapable of teaching, becauſe of their extreme weakneſs; Ex quoris ligno non fit Mercurius, their parts are ſo very low and mean, that they cannot be taught. But God is uncapable of teaching, becauſe of his immenſe Wiſdom: His abilities are ſo high, that they are above and beyond all inſtruction: Iſa. 40.13, 14. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his Counſellor hath taught him? The wiſe Solomon had his Privy-Counſellors; the wiſeſt Princes and States have their Council-Tables, and there is reaſon enough for it, becauſe two Heads are better then one (as we ſay) and two Eyes ſee more then one: Two are better then one, Eccleſ. 4.9. And in many Counſellors there is ſafety. But God who is all Head, all Eye, all Underſtanding, needs none to adviſe or counſel him. Two Candles indeed are better then one, becauſe the light of each is little and ſmall, and capable of increaſe; but one Sun is better then a million of Candles, becauſe its light is (after a ſort) boundleſs, and uncapable of the leaſt addition, or increaſe by millions of Candles: Verſe 14. With whom took he Counſell? (with what Angel, with what Man, with what Politician did he ever conſult,) who instructed him in the Paths of Judgment? (taught him what was juſt, what was unjuſt, what to do, what to forbear; how to govern and order the Affairs of the World, in what manner and meaſure to cut out and carve every ones portion.) Who taught him knowledge, and ſhewed him the way of understanding? Where is the Creature that can ſay, He obliged God, by giving him directions in any caſe? Where is the Man, the Angel, that can ſpeak it, that he ever taught God one Leſſon, or told him one Letter? If any ſuch be, God will pay him well for his Learning: Rom. 11.34, 35. Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſellor? Who hath given to him, and it ſhall be recompenced to him again? We may know the mind of God for our inſtruction, but we can never know the mind of God for his inſtruction, 1 Cor. 2. ult.
3. God is incomparable in his Power: Power is that ability or force by which we act; Power in God is that Attribute by which he effecteth whatſoever he pleaſeth. In this he hath no equal; Who is a ſtrong God like unto thee? Pſal. 89.8. Where is the Being that is like him in ſtrength? God is not onelyonly ſtrong, but mighty in ſtrength. Job 9.4. Not onelyonly powerful, but excellent in Power, Job 37.23. Job hath a notable expreſſion, Job 9.19. If I ſpeak of ſtrength, loe he is ſtrong, i. e. As 'tis ordinary with us, when we would lift a man up to the height of praiſe for any quality in him, to ſay, If you ſpeak of Wealth, there's a rich man. If you ſpeak of Learning, there is a Schollar for you: So here ſaith Job, If I ſpeak of Strength, loe he is ſtrong. If I ſpeak of ſtrength and ability to contend and fight, loe, behold, wonder; here is one that is ſtrong indeed, that never contendeth, but he prevaileth; who never Combats, but he Conquers: He is ſtrong indeed, He is ſtrong to purpoſe, with effect. He can offend, and there is no ſtanding before him; Dan. 4.35. He doth whatſoever he will, and none can ſtay his Hand. He can ſtop the motion of the ſtrongeſt Creature in its fulleſt ſwifteſt career, but none can ſtop or ſtay him in his Actions. Many have preſumption enough to oppoſe him, but none have Power enough to overcome him. He can defend, and there is no ſtriving with him; Iſa. 43.2. When thou paſſest through the Waters (be they never ſo boiſtrous, ſo tempeſtuous, ſo deep, ſo dangerous,) I will be with thee, and they ſhall not overflow thee. The Floods of the ungodly may be very fierce and violent, but they ſhall never over-flow, or over-come, thoſe whom God is pleaſed to protect. It muſt be a ſtrange and ſtrong Arrow that can pierce ſuch a Sheild, Gen. 15.1. of defence.
David tells us, God hath ſpoken once, yea twice have I heard thee, Pſal. 62.11. (It was ſome ſpecial extraordinary thing certainly that David uſhers in, with ſuch a Preface, that God ſpake ſo ſolemnly, and he heard ſo attentively. But what was it?) That Power belongeth to God, as his proper peculiar Excellency, as his Crown and Scepter.
God is not onelyonly Mighty, but Almighty; Not only the Mighty God, Iſa. 9.6. but the Almighty God, 2 Cor. 6.18. He is a God that never met with a Difficulty, much leſs with an Impoſſibility: Nothing is too hard for God, Gen. 18.14. All things are hard to Men, and many things too hard for Men or Angels, but nothing is too hard for God: I know that thou canst do all things, Job 42.2.
Men are ſtrong, they may have a natural ſtrength as Men, a civil ſtrength as Magiſtrates; they may be too ſtrong in themſelves for other perſons, and too ſtrong in their Armies and Militia's for other Kingdoms and Countries; but are they ſtrong enough for God? ſurely No, 1 Cor. 1.25. The weakneſs of God is ſtronger then Man; Ʋbi Deus virtutem ſuam occultando infirmiter agere videtur, robuſtior tamen illa quae putatur imbecillitas, quares hominum virtute, Calv. in Corinth. Not that there is any weakneſs in God, (for ſhould any think ſo, he ungods him,) but in thoſe Actions wherein God is pleaſed to conceal his Power, and ſeemeth to act infirmly; even that ſeeming infirmity excells all Humane power and ſtrength. Hence it is, that God throweth down the Gantlet to Job, Job 40.9. Hast thou an Arm like God. (By Arm, is meant Power and Strength, becauſe the Arm is that member of Man by which he exerteth and exerciſeth that power and ſtrength which he hath, ſo Job 35.9.) i. e. Job, though thou haſt had a ſtrong natural Arm, and a ſtrong civil Arm, as the greatest man in the East, and a King in the Army, Job 1.3. Job 29.25. Yet haſt thou an Arm like God; Canſt thou make and unmake, kill and make alive, caſt down and lift up at thy pleaſure, as I do? Is thine Arm as long to reach all thine Enemies, and as ſtrong to break and bruiſe them in pieces with a blow; Haſt thou an Arm like God? Canſt thou brandiſh and wield a Sword with thine Arm to the terror and horror, to the confuſion and deſtruction of all that oppoſe thee? God hath a mighty Arm, ſtrong is his Hand, high is his right Hand, Pſal. 89.13.
Angels are ſtronger then Men: The evil Angel is call'd The ſtrong man, Luke 11.21. They are ſtiled Principalities and Powers, Epheſ. 6.12. Roaring Lyons, 1 Pet. 5.8. Red Dragons, Rev. 12.9. which denote their Power to be far ſuperiour to Mans. The Devil is the Prince of the Powers of the Air, Epheſ. 2.2. Can command Storms and Tempeſts, and with a puff of his mouth blow down Houſes and Cities. Good Angels (probably) are ſtronger, one of them in a night deſtroyeth 184000 men. They are ſo ſtrong, that they are ſaid to excel in ſtrength, Pſal. 103.20. And indeed, the ſpirituality and purity of their natures ſpeaks their Power. Man's weakneſs is partly from his Fleſh, which is a phraſe whereby the Prophet deſcribes the impotency of the Creature: They are Men, and their Horſes are Fleſh, and not Spirit, Iſa. 31.3. (And when the Holy Ghoſt would deſcribe the ſtrength of a thing, he oppoſeth it to Fleſh, 2 Cor. 10.4. Our Weapons are not fleſhly or carnal, but mighty,) partly from his moral filthineſs, his ſin, which being a real Diſeaſe, doth debilitate and weaken the powers of man: Hence to be a Sinner, and to be without ſtrength, is all one, Rom. 5.6, 8. and Holineſs is called The ſtrength of man, Rev. 3.8. But Angels are Spirits, not Fleſh; He maketh his Angels Spirits, Pſal. 104.4. And good Angels are free from ſin, therefore called holy Angels, Mark 8.38. Yet notwithſtanding all their Power as Spirits, as ſinleſs Spirits, they are weakneſs to God. As 'tis ſaid of Leviathan,Job 41.27. He eſteemeth Iron as Straw, and Braſs as rotten Wood. So I may ſay of God, He eſteemeth the ſtrength of evil Angels as Straw, and of good Angels as rotten Wood. Evil Angels are fettered, whereever they go, in the Chains of his Anger and his Power, which they cannot break aſunder, but muſt bear as intollerable as they are. And good Angels own and acknowledge his might and ſtrength above all other, Revel. 4.8, 11. The Power of God hath no Fellow, no Paralel. There is no Rock (i. e. no ſtrength, Rocks being ſtrong natural Fortifications, Vide 1 Sam. 14.4. Judges 6.16.) like our God, 1 Sam. 2.2.
4. God is incomparable in his Juſtice: Juſtice in general, is the giving every one their due. In God it is that Attribute, whereby he diſpoſeth all things according to the Rule of Equity, Deut. 32.4. Pſal. 11.5. And rendereth to every man according to his works, without reſpect of perſons, Pſal. 62.12. Job 34.11, 19. Gal. 6.6, 7. God is poſitively or affirmatively juſt; Eph. 3.5. The just Lord is in the midst thereof, he will not do iniquity. He is eminently the just One, Acts 7.52. He is ſuperlatively moſt just; Job 34.17. Wilt thou condemn him that is moſt just? altogether juſt; or as ſome read it, Juſtice, Justice, without the leaſt mixture, tincture or ſhadow of injuſtice, all over juſt and juſtice. He is moſt juſt, juſt in the higheſt degree, juſt beyond all degrees. He giveth to all their due, without fear of evil, (He ſtandeth in awe of none for their power or greatneſs, His day of Vengeance is againſt the Cedars of Lebanon, and the Oakes of Baſhan, and all the high Mountains, Iſa. 2, 13, 14.) without hope of gain, (men are unjuſt for Bribes, Hoſ. 4.14. and love with ſhame give ye; but Riches prevail not in the day of his Wrath, Prov. 11.4. Ezek. 7, 19. He is no taker of Gifts, 2 Chron. 19.7.) and without reſpect to any, for their nearneſs or relation to him, or Honors, or outward Excellencies; Jer. 22.24. He will pluck the Signet from his right hand in the day of his Juſtice: Iſrael were a People near to him, Deut. 4.7. Pſal. 148. ult. Yet he doth not ſpare them, when they rebel againſt him, Pſal. 74.1, 2, 3. Pſal. 44.10. to 15. Jer. 7.12. Read the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and you will find his ſeverity to them, notwithſtanding their near relation to him. Adam and Angels were great & excellent Beings, yet when they ſinned, he made them to ſuffer: He accepteth not the Perſons of Princes, nor regardeth the Rich more then the Poor, Job 34.19. He acteth according to Law moſt exactly, and according to a Law publiſhed, and according to a moſt righteous and juſt Law, Rom. 2.12, 13, 15, 16. Rom. 7.12. therefore is moſt juſt: Surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment, Job 34.12. Surely the Almighty cannot do wickedly, neither can God pervert Judgment: Men may do juſtly, God muſt do juſtly, he cannot but do juſtly; and that becauſe his Will is his Law, and the moſt exact Plat-form and Rule of all Juſtice and Righteouſneſs. Whatſoever he doth is juſt, becauſe he doth it who is the great Soveraign and Supreme of the World, Job 34.12, 13.
The Actions of God are often mysterious, but ever righteous; Pſal. 145.17. The Lord is holy in all his Wayes, and righteous in all his Works; When his Pathes are in the Seas, and his goings in deep Waters, Pſal. 77.19. That none can fathom them, or find out the reaſon of them, even then all his wayes are Judgment, Deut. 32.4. Not as Judgment is oppoſed to Mercy, but as Judgment is oppoſed to injuſtice. When Clouds and Darkneſs are before him, (i. e. when his Providences are ſuch hard Texts, that none can expound them; and ſuch dark Riddles, that none can unfold them, even then) Righteouſneſs and Judgment are the habitation of his Throne, Pſal. 99.2. His diſpoſing and diſtributive Power moves alwayes within the Sphere of Righteouſneſs.
Men may be juſt, Math. 1.19. Joſeph was a juſt man; Noah, Gen. 6.9. John, Mark 6.20. Cornelius, Acts 10.22. But ſhall mortal man be more juſt then God? ſhall man be more pure then his Maker, Job 4.17. The Expreſſion is a denial of all compariſon between God and Man: It's the higheſt preſumption for Man to prefer himſelf before God, Iſa. 14.13, 14. Yea, it's monſtrous impudency for Man to compare himſelf with God. We ſay amongſt men, That compariſons are odious, but this is the moſt odious compariſon of all, for Enoſh, a weak frail Creature, to compare with Elchah, the Mighty, Almighty Creator; for crookedneſs to compare with ſtraitneſs, and Darkneſs to compare with Light: The moſt juſt man compared with God, is unjuſt; His Righteouſneſs is as a filthy rag: In his ſight can no Fleſh be justified, Pſal. 143.2. Though in the ſight of men, a man may be juſt, yet in the ſight of God he is unjuſt: Compare a Star with a Candle, and 'tis ſomewhat; but compare it with the Sun, and 'tis nothing; it muſt hide its head for ſhame. Compare a godly man with a wicked man, or one not ſo good as himſelf, and he is ſomebody; but compare him with an Angel, he is no body: what is he then, if he be compared with a God? Job 9.2, 3. How ſhould man be just with God? (ſpeak the way, declare the means, the manner, how man ſhould be righteous before God,) If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand; Not to one Queſtion of a thouſand which God can put to him, not for one Action of a thouſand which himſelf hath wrought. Alas, is he juſt, who is ſo far from ability to juſtifie all he doth, that he cannot juſtifie one act of a thouſand that he doth.
Angels are juſt, they are righteous in their natures, have no ſpot; in their lives have no Error, Pſal. 103.20. But are they righteous to God, or before God? No, Job 4.16, 17, 18. Angels are nothing in juſtice to God; though they are juſt to Man, they are unjuſt to God: They are in a poſſibility (conſidered in themſelves) of actual injuſtice, which God is not; he is incapable of being unjuſt. Again, the Law or Rule of Angels Righteouſneſs is without them, and dictinct from them, (and thereby they are the more capable of ſwerving from it) but the Law or Rule of Gods Juſtice is within him; yea, 'tis himſelf, he is his own Law, his own Rule, and therefore 'tis impoſſible for him to recede, or err from it. When the Workman and his Rule are different, there may be fear of wandring from his Rule; for though the Rule be ſtrait, yet the Man may, through the miſtake of his Eye, or ſhaking of his Hand, draw a crooked Line; but when the Workman and his Rule are the ſame, there is no fear: God's Will that acteth all things, is the Rule by which he acteth; and therefore every Line muſt be ſtrait, and every Action juſt. He can never err in any thing he doth, whoſe Will is the Rule of all he doth; nay, whoſe Actions are their own Rule. Such is the Creatures weakneſs, that he may wander out of his way; but ſuch is the Creators Power and Perfection, that he cannot poſſibly wander, becauſe he is his own way; Dan. 4.35. I Nebuchadnezzar bleſſed the moſt High, who doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth. Obſerve, who doth according to his Will, that is his eſſential eternal Rule: God doth ſo much ſurpaſs Men and Angels in Juſtice, that he is ſaid to be the Habitation of Juſtice; Jer. 50.7. They have ſinned against the Lord, the Habitation of Juſtice; as if Juſtice dwelt no where, had no abode but in him and with him.