The Incomparableness of God, Title page – Table of contents
A TREATISE OF THE Incomparableneſs of God In his
BEING,
ATTRIBUTES,
WORKS and
WORD,
opened and applyed.
By Geo. Swinnocke, M. A. Sometime Preacher of the Goſpel at great Kimbell in the County of Bucks.
Vera cognitio Dei, est virtus p…r quam non modo concipimus eſſe aliquem Deum, ſed etiam tenemus quod de eo ſcire noſtra intereſt, ut eum recte colamus. Polan. Syntag. Theolog. lib. 9. cap. 7.
foreign, John. 17.3.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt, and are to be ſold at his Shop, at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheap-ſide, near Mercers Chappel, 1672.
TO THE WORSHIPFƲL Henry Aſhhurſt, Junior, Eſq; And to the HONOƲRABLE LADY Diana Aſhhurſt HIS Religious CONSORT.
S Ʋch is the excellency of the Soul of Man, that the very Heathen, whoſe Souls were almoſt wholly immerst in greaſe and ſenſuality, and ſerv'd but as Salt, to preſerve their Bodies for a time from putrefaction (according to the Opinion of one of the most ingenious among them) have acknowledged it a Divine Plant, a drop of the Ocean of Beings, a Ray of a Deity; and the Body but the Caſe or Cabinet of this Jewel. The dim Ruſh-light of Nature hath enabled ſome of them to diſcern the ſpirituality, quick, comprehenſive, ſelf-reflective motions, and immortality of (their ſpecifical forms as they called) their Souls, and thence to conclude their worth and nobleneſs: But the clear Sun-light of Scripture advantageth unto a fuller diſcovery of its excellency. It ſhews us its Original, that it is of Celestial extraction, created immediately by the Father of Spirits, a beam of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, a bubble of the Fountain of Life, of a much higher deſcent then the Houſe of Clay, and earthly Tabernacle the Body, Gen. 2.7. Heb. 12.9. Zach. 12.1. It acquaints us with its duration, that it runs parallel with the line of eternity, and ſwallows up Years and Ages, and Generations, and thouſands of thouſands, and millions of millions, as ſmall drops and minutes, and nothings in the bottomleſs Ocean, and endleſneſs of its abode and continuance. When the Body, like the Sacrifice, falleth to the Earth, and is turned into aſhes; the Soul, like the Flame, aſpireth and aſcendeth to God, Eccleſ. 12.7. Philip. 1.23. Math. 10.28. Math. 22.31, 32. It manifesteth the Souls capacity, how no Being is excepted from its conſideration, all are within its compaſs and horizon; It can view every with its intellectual Eye. It is not bounded with corporeal Beings, nor limited with material Objects, nor circumſcribed with created Eſſences; but is capable of apprehending the firſt Cauſe, the Being of Beings, the Original of all things. It is able not only to retroſpect upon its own motions, and to ſurvey the ſeveral parts, and ranks, and orders, and rarities, and delicacies, and excellencies of the Earth, and this ſublunary World; but alſo to aſcend to the highest Heavens, and behold the beautiful Face of the bleſſed God, till it hath lookt it ſelf into the very likeneſs, and thereby rendred it ſelf fit and meet for his deareſt Love, and eternal Embraces.
The excellency of our Souls doth eminently appear in its receptiveneſs of the Divine Image: (Great Princes do not ſtamp their Image on mean things, as Braſs and Pewter, but on the moſt excellent metals, as Silver and Gold,) Eph. 4.23, 24. Coloſſ. 3.10. Gen. 1.26. And its capableneſs of enjoying immediately the bleſſed God. To ſtand before Kings doth both ſpeak and make a perſon honourable and worthy.Prov. 22.29. Iſa. 43.5. God alone is the Fountain of Honour, and the Standard of Excellency; Every Being is his Coin, and he ſtampeth on it the rate it ſhall go at. The Holineſs and Happineſs of the rational Creature conſisteth in theſe two: His Holineſs, in conformity to God; his Happineſs, in communion with him: And theſe two have a dependance on each other. They onelyonly who are like him, can enjoy him: If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lie, and the Truth is not in us, 1 John 1.5. Holineſs, or the Image of God, is not onelyonly an indiſpenſable condition, without which no man ſhall enjoy God, Heb. 12.14. John 3.3. But withall an abſolutely neceſſary diſpoſition, without which no man can enjoy God, Coloſſ. 1.12. 2 Cor. 5. And as Conformity diſpoſeth for Communion, ſo Communion increaſeth Conformity; Viſion cauſeth aſſimulation in Nature, Gen. 31.38, 39. Grace, 2 Cor. 3.18. And glory, 1 John 3.2.
Though the motions of the Ʋnderstanding and Will are in ſome reſpect circular, yet the Ʋnderstanding is the first mover, and the leading faculty, and ſo the knowledge of the bleſſed God is both antecedent to, and productive of this Image. Though the knowledge of Creatures puffeth up, polluteth, and ſo debaſeth and deſtroyeth the Soul, (ſinking it the deeper into Hell; as a Veſſel laden with Silver and Gold, and the most precious Commodities, when it miſcarrieth, ſinketh the deeper for its weight and burden,) 1 Cor. 8.1. Luke 12.47, 48. Yet the Knowledge of God is humbling, advancing, purifying and ſaving, Job 42. 2 Peter 3.18. John 17.3. The incomparable excellency of the boundleſs bleſſed God, is the Subject of this Treatiſe which I preſent to you both, as a Teſtimony of the Honour and Service I owe to you, and of my deſire to be instrumental for your ſpiritual and eternal good. The Subject is the higheſt imaginable; and though the manner of handling it be plain and ordinary, and infinitely below and unbecoming the Divine Majesty, (For who can expreſs his noble Acts, or diſplay all his Praiſe, Pſal. 108.2.) yet the matter of it doth deſerve, and may prevail for your acceptance of it.
If Knowledge be the excellency of a Man, and differenceth him from a Beast; ſurely then Divine Knowledge, or the Knowledge of God in Christ, is the excellency of a Christian, and differenceth him from other Men. Our awe of, love to, and truſt in the Divine Majesty, are founded in the right knowledge of him. Creatures, the more they are known, the leſs they are eſteemed; but the more the bleſſed God is known, the more he is prized, deſired and obeyed, Pſal. 73.25. Pſal. 76.7. Pſal. 90.11. Pſal. 9.10. Our hatred of Sin, and contempt of the World, proceed from our acquaintance with God: He onelyonly hath hateful thoughts of Sin, and ſelf-loathing apprehenſions becauſe of it; who hath ſeen the great and glorious, the good and gracious God, whoſe Authority is contemned, whoſe Law is violated, whoſe Name is diſhonoured, whoſe Image is defaced, and whoſe Love is abuſed by it, Job 42.6. Iſa. 6.5. He onelyonly lives above this preſent evil World, and all the Riches, and Honours, and Pleaſures thereof; who can look beyond it, to the infinite God, and thoſe unſearchable Riches, and Weights of Glory, and Rivers of Pleaſures, that are in and with him. That which was rich and glorious, and pleaſant to a Soul before, hath now no worth, no glory, no pleaſure, by reaſon of that wealth, and glory, and pleaſure which doth ſo infinitely exceed. When the God of Glory appeared to Abraham, he quickly and quietly left his Country and Kindred, and followed God, not knowing whither he went, Gent 12.1, 2. Acts 7.3. If the God of Glory appear to your Souls, you will ſoon wink upon theſe withering Vanities, broken Cisterns, and gilded Nothings, and count them all but Dung and Droſs, for the excellency of the Knowledge of him in Christ.
You have begun well, go on and perſevere in well-doing: I ſhall give you the ſame Counſel which the Holy Apoſtle giveth to thoſe of whom he was perſwaded, that they had thoſe things which accompanied Salvation, Heb. 6.9. Take heed leaſt there be in you an evil heart of unbelief, whereby ye ſhould depart away from the living God, Heb. 3.12. Look diligently, leaſt ye ſhould fail of the Grace of God, Heb 12.15. When falſe Coin is common abroad, we are the more careful what Money we take; when much falſe Grace is up and down amongst us, and ſo many pleaſe themſelves with their Profeſſion, or ſpiritual Priviledges, or ſacred Performances, or ſiding with this or that Party, & form of Worſhip, or the reſpect and repute they have with others: It concerns you to be the more ſuſpicious of your Selves, leaſt you ſhould fail of that Grace of God, which conformeth the Heart to the nature, and the life to the Will and Law of God.
SIR,
YOu are deſcended of a worthy, ancient, and religious Family: Your Grand-Father (as I have heard) was eminent for Holineſs: Your Father is noted, and honoured, for one that feareth God above many; you have hereby the more encouragement, advantage and engagement to exerciſe your ſelf to godlineſs. Tamerlane made it his practice to read often the Heroick Deeds of his Progenitors (not as proud of them, or boaſting in them, but) as glorious Patterns, to inflame his Soul with a love of their Vertues. Man is a Creature that is led more by the Eye then the Ear, by Patterns then by Precepts; and no Patterns are more prevalent, then of thoſe whom Nature and Grace oblige us to eſteem and affect. Theſe examples, above all others, as flaming Beacons on an Hill, call us to a ſtout defence of Vertue, when it's invaded by its Enemies. Alexander finding one of his Name cowardly, charged him to change his Name, or to become valiant. When one of the Scipio's (deſcended of Scipio Affrican) became diſſolute: The Roman Senate order'd him to put off that Ring, which he wore as the Badge of his Noble Family, becauſe, by his vicious Life, he was a Reproach to it. The truth is, a wicked Son of a godly Father (as Uriah) carrieth Letters of his own condemnation about him, cauſing the Patterns and Precepts of his Family to be Auxiliaries to his own reproach and infamy; whilſt the light and luſtre of his Anceſtors renders his works of darkneſs the more groſs and palpable. I mention not theſe things, as ſuſpecting your integrity; but to provoke and quicken you to the greater care and circumſpection in your carriage and converſation.
MADAM,
YOur Birth is†Daughter to the Right Honourable the Lord Paget. Honourable, but ſuch Honour without Holineſſe extends not beyond the Meridian of this World; Grace onelyonly is eternal Glory. That Honour which is woven in the fineſt Tapestry of earthly Priviledges, will loſe colour, and fade away; but the Knowledge of God is a poſſeſſion for ever. Nobility by Parents is but Nobility by Parchment, and that is but skin-deep at moſt, and will waſt with time. Godlineſs alone is that Nobility which no Age can conſume, and which will run paralell with the line of eternity.
The whole Earth hath not a pleaſanter ſight, then Greatneſs joyn'd with Goodneſſe. Greatneſs it ſelf is venerable, but Goodneſs joyn'd with it, addeth a new Splendour and luſtre to it; as a ſparkling Diamond ſet in a Gold-Ring, it attracteth the Eyes, and challengeth a greater reverence and reſpect from all. Evil Greatneſſe is a ſwelling Dropſie, a Diſeaſe of the Body Politick, as intolerable a burden as the Earth groanes under; but Grace and Vertue are the more excellent and amiable by the greatneſſe of the Perſon in whom they dwell. It will be your Crown and Credit to prefer God before the World, to esteem Holineſſe as the onelyonly Beauty, and a Title to the Covenant, as the onelyonly Riches of your immortal Soul.
Ye have both near and dear Relations, whoſe Hearts will rejoyce in your perſeverance and progreſs in the wayes of God's Commandements: That you may be helps to each other in the beſt things, provoke one another to love, and to good Works, live long together on Earth, and for ever together in Heaven, is the prayer
Of your Servant in the Lord, Geo. Swinnocke.
The ſeveral CHAPTERS IN THIS TREATISE.
CHapter 1. The Preface and Coherence of the Text, Page 1.
Chap. 2. God incomparable in his Being, pag. 11.
Chap. 3. God incomparable in his Being, as from himſelf, for himſelf, and wholly independent on any other, pag. 17.
Chap. 4. God incomparable in his Being, as it is abſolutely perfect, univerſal and unchangeable, pag. 23.
Chap. 5. God incomparable in his Being, as it is eternal, and without compoſition, pag. 33.
Chap. 6. God incomparable in his Being, as it is infinite and incomprehenſible, pag. 40.
Chap. 7. God incomparable in his Attributes, his Holineſs and Wiſdom, pag. 51.
Chap. 8. God incomparable in his Attributes, in his Knowledge and Faithfulneſs, pag. 76.
Chap. 9. God incomparable in his Mercy and Patience, pag. 88.
Chap. 10, God incomparable in his Attributes, as they are from him, as they are his Eſſence, as they are all one in him, as they are in him in an infinite manner, pag. 99.
Chap. 11. God incomparable in his Works, Creation and Providence, pag. 106.
Chap. 12. God incomparable in the Work of Redemption; He can do all things, pag. 124.
Chap. 12. God incomparable in the manner of his working: He worketh irreſiſtibly, arbitrarily, pag. 133.
Chap. 13. God incomparable in his working: He doth it with the greatest eaſe, and without any help, pag. 141.
Chap. 14. God is incomparable in his Word, in its Authority, Condeſcenſion and Efficacy, pag. 154.
Chap. 15. God is incomparable in his Word, Purity, Myſteries, Phopheſies, pag. 165.
Chap. 16. God incomparable in his Word, as it is converting, affrighting and comforting, pag. 174.
Chap. 17. How great is the malignity of Sin, which contemneth, diſhonoureth and oppoſeth this God, pag. 182.
Chap. 19. Shewing how great is the madneſs and miſery of impenitent Sinners, pag. 193.
Chap. 21. How moustrous is their Pride, who compare themſelves with the incomparable God, pag. 209.
Chap. 22. Incomparable Worſhip and Service due to God, pag. 217.
Chap. 23. Motives to acquaintance with the incomparable God, the knowledge of whom is ſanctifying, ſatisfying and ſaving, pag. 237.
Chap. 24. Means of acquaintance with God; a ſenſe of our ignorance; attendance on the Word, ſervent Prayer.
Chap. 25. Exhort to chooſe God for our Portion.
Chap. 26. Give God the glory of his incomparable Excellency, with ſome Conſiderations to enforce it.
Chap. 27. Comforts to thoſe that have this incomparable God for their Portion.
PSALM 89.6.
For who in the Heavens can be compared to the Lord? who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened to the Lord.