The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · covenant · Question 25 · Commentary · Subsection 1
1. Whether there be a God, and whence it appeareth.
THe great miſery of mans nature cannot be ſufficiently thought upon, that whereas it was created to the bright knowledge, and even the very image of God, it is fallen ſo far, as not only it is ignorant who, and what God is, but alſo maketh diſputation,Three cauſes which have made men to doubt, whether there be a God. whether there be any God in heaven or no. The cauſes of this evill the Church alone doth underſtand: the firſt whereof is, The blindneſſe and corruption of mans nature after his fall: the next, The inſtigation of the divell, who would have the whole opinion of God razed out of the minds of men; unto which cometh the horrible confuſion of mans life and humane affairs, in that oftentimes the wicked flouriſh, and the godly either are oppreſſed by them, or while they perceive not the cauſes of theſe evils, and the ſecret government of God, they fall to doubting, whether there be any God who hath care over the world and humane affaires. But that there is a God,The reaſons which doe prove there is a God. is proved by many main arguments common to Philoſophy with Divinity. The arguments are theſe:
The beautifull order of nature.The beautifull and goodly order of nature beheld in the world; that is, the diſpoſing of every part of the world, and the continuall ſucceſſion of divers motions and operations therein, with conſtant and ſtrict obſervation of their ſtabliſhed and perpetuall laws, cannot be inſtituted and kept but of a wiſe, underſtanding, and omnipotent nature, which is God. This argument is enlarged, Pſal. 8.19.104.135.147.148. Acts 1. & 17. Rom. 1.
The excellency of mans minde.A reaſonable nature, having ſome cauſe, cannot derive his originall but from an intelligent and underſtanding nature, for that the cauſe is not worſe or baſer then the effect bringeth: But the minde of man is a nature indued with reaſon, and hath ſome cauſe: Therefore it hath his being from an underſtanding cauſe, which is God:Job 32.8. Pſal. 94.97. Acts 17.28. Surely there is a ſpirit in man, but the inſpiration of the Almighty giveth underſtanding. Yet they ſay, The Lord ſhall not ſee, &c. We are alſo his generation. The Minor of the precedent Syllogiſme is thus proved likewiſe by reaſon: Whatſoever hath a beginning, is from another, becauſe it muſt needs be from ſomething, and of it ſelfe it cannot have being or beginning, becauſe nothing is cauſe of it ſelfe: but mans minde hath a beginning: Therefore from another, which other muſt needs be God.
The general rules and principles naturally ingendered in the mind of man.The notions of generall rules or principles born in us, and with us, ſuch as are the difference between things honeſt and diſhoneſt, numbring, underſtanding of conſequences in diſcourſe and reaſoning, &c. cannot come by chance, or from a ſenſible nature common to us with brute beaſts, but are neceſſarily in-bred in us by ſome intelligent cauſe, which is God: whereupon wee frame this Syllogiſme; Notions are not engendred nor have their being but from a cauſe intelligent (for no man maketh another wiſe who himſelf is not wiſe:) But in men there are notions not coming by uſe, nor received from men: Therefore they are from God. Rom. 2.15.The Gentiles ſhew the effect of the law written in their hearts. Man is the image of God, &c.
This principle of it ſelfe naturally in-bred in man; That there is a God.The naturall notion of this principle, There is a God. Principles are true, becauſe they are divine wiſdome, and becauſe the contrary or oppoſite thereto being granted, nature is thereby deſtroyed. But, That there is a God, is a principle; Firſt, Becauſe every one hath private experience hereof in himſelf. Secondly, All wiſe men confeſſe it. Thirdly, All nations conſent in it: for no nation is ſo barbarous, but that it maintaineth ſome religion, and contendeth and ſtriveth for the advancement thereof, and ſuppoſeth that there is ſome God:Rom. 1.19. That which may be known of God is manifeſt in them (that is, in the mindes of men,) for God hath ſhewed it unto them.
The terrours of conſcience in the wicked.The terrours of conſcience which are ſtricken into the mindes of the wicked after they have ſinned, cannot be inflicted but by an intelligent Judge, which diſcerneth honeſt and diſhoneſt things, deteſteth thoſe things which are diſhoneſt, beholdeth the mindes and hearts of men, and exerciſeth judgement upon the minds: but in all the wicked is this torment:Iſa. 66.24. & 57.21. Deut. 4.24. Rom. 2.15. Their worm ſhall not die, neither ſhall their fire be quenched. There is no peace, ſaith God, to the wicked. God is a conſuming fire. They ſhew the effects of the law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witneſſe, and their thoughts accuſing one another, or excuſing.
Againſt the beaſts of the world, who think the doctrine of God to be but a cunning device of the wiſer ſort to keep the ſimple people in order.And hence is apparant the impudency of Epicures and Academicks, who deem all religion to be devices of ſubtill men, coyned to this end and purpoſe, that the reſt of the common people might, through fear of a ſuperiour power, be kept in good order. For firſt, if through deceivableneſſe other men beleeve that God is, and dread him; Why then are theſe men themſelves, who will ſeem by their ſharp in-ſight to eſpy the guile, moſt of all tormented with the conſcience, and privie acknowledgement both of this their blaſphemy, as alſo of other miſdeeds? Moreover, the ſole and bare aſſeveration and word of a few could not have been ſufficient, neither to perſwade all mankinde, neither to maintain the perſwaſion once brought in, to all ſucceeding ages: neither doth that lighten the force of thoſe arguments which are deducted from this notion, That there is a God; and from the conſcience, in that they ſay, There are many found who neither beleeve there is a God, neither are moved with the conſcience of their ſins: for although they covet never ſo much to perſwade themſeves that there is no God, yet is their conſcience alwaies againſt them. And therefore it is moſt falſe that theſe men imagine, that any one of the wicked is free from the gnawing of his conſcience: for how much the more every one deſpiſeth God, and all religion, and endeavoureth to repreſſe the pricks of conſcience; ſo much the more is he tormented, and at every mentioning and ſignifying of God, he trembleth and ſhaketh with horrour: and how much the ſlowlier, with ſo much the more ſevere dolour and paine is his ſecurity ſhaken from him. Whereupon wee ſee thoſe whoſe whole life was profane and ſecure for the moſt part, when they are oppreſſed with the terrour of Gods judgement, to periſh in deſpaire.
Now that which is ſaid, The ungodly is ſo proud, that he careth not for God: Pſal. 10.4. & 14.1. & 53.2.neither is God in all his thoughts. The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God: that this hath not this meaning, as if the wicked were void of all knowledge and feare of God, or doe not confeſſe that there is a God: but that framing unto themſelves another then he indeed is, who hath manifeſted himſelfe; to wit, one that careth not for mens affairs, defendeth not, nor delivereth the good, and puniſheth the wicked; they place an idoll in room of the true God; David himſelfe doth ſufficiently declare, whenas he deſcribeth the ſame profaneneſſe of the wicked in theſe words: For he hath ſaid in his heart, Pſalm. 10.12.Tuſh, God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face, and he will never ſee it.
The puniſhments of the wicked: Which puniſhments are not to be imputed to the Magiſtrates ſeverity and wiſdome, for two cauſes.From the puniſhments of the wicked which they ſuffer beſides the torments of conſcience: for the events of all times conſtrained men to confeſſe, that their ſins are puniſhed with grievous puniſhments in this life; and contrariwiſe, the lot and end of the good to be more pleaſant. Wherefore, there is a mind or underſtanding power, which diſcerneth honeſt things from diſhoneſt, judge of mankind, puniſhing the wicked, and defending the good. And that this may not be aſcribed to the wiſdom or ſeverity of Magiſtrates or other men, this withſtandeth and hindreth: 1. For that it muſt needs be that this naturall inſtinct, whereby men judge that offenders are justly puniſhed, muſt proceed from ſome minde which is enemy to wickedneſſe. 2. For that oftentimes by marvellous, and unexpected and unlooked for means, they are drawn to the justice and puniſhment of the Magiſtrates, whoſe ſins before had been privie, or who ſeemed to have been able by their own power or ſubtilty eaſily to eſcape their hands: and that eſpecially, for that many, who, through either the negligence or white-liverdneſſe of Magiſtrates are not puniſhed by them, yet run into calamities, and have allotted unto them ruefull ends. And when tranſgreſſions and ſins increaſe too much by their impunity, whole nations and common-wealths, with horrible and manifeſt examples of Gods wrath, periſh, as the world in the deluge, Sodom by fire caſt from heaven, Pharaoh in the red ſea, the Jewes and many flouriſhing kingdoms by moſt lamentable overthrowes. That theſe things cannot come to paſſe by chance, neither any other way then by the judgement and power of him who is Lord of mankind and nature, both Gods comminations and threatnings, and the conſcience of every one, and the order of juſtice, whereby theſe follow and enſue upon impiety, and the very hugeneſſe, weight, and greatneſſe of things doth convince. Wherefore it is ſaid, The righteous ſhall rejoyce when he ſeeth the vengeance, Pſal. 58.9, 10.he ſhall waſh his foot-ſteps in the bloud of the ungodly. Pſalm 9.16.So that a man ſhall ſay, Verily there is a reward for the righteous; doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth the earth. The Lord is known to execute judgement. Now, albeit the wicked flouriſh often for a while, and the godly are oppreſſed; yet nevertheleſſe examples, which are fewer in number, doe not weaken the generall rule unto which moſt events agree. But if it were ſo, that fewer of the wicked did ſuffer puniſhment; yet thoſe ſelf ſame examples, though but a few, would teſtifie that God is, and that he is diſpleaſed with the offences of others alſo who ſeem to be leſſe puniſhed. But this is not true, no not of any of them, that they are not puniſhed in this life: for all thoſe who are not before the end of this life converted to God, if puniſhment do not ſooner overtake them, yet at length they die in deſpaire; which puniſhment is more grievous then all the evils either corporall or ſpirituall, and is the beginning and teſtimony of everlaſting puniſhment. Now in that this puniſhment is not ſufficient, it doth therein agree with all, even the moſt tragicall caſes of the wicked: and therefore we are taught by the doctrine of the Church, that Gods le…ity which he doth not ſeldome uſe in this life towards the wicked, and his ſeverity which he ſeemeth to ſhew towards the godly, doth not at all weaken his divine providence and juſtice, but rather declareth his goodneſſe, whiles by deferring of puniſhment, he inviteth the wicked to repentance; and by exerciſing the godly with chaſtiſements and croſſes, he perfecteth their ſalvation: and alſo it confirmeth the certainty of judgment after this life, wherein perfect ſatisfaction ſhall be made by the wicked to Gods juſtice.
Common-weales wiſely ordered.A body politick wiſely ordered by good and wholeſome laws, could not be decyphered unto mens underſtanding, but by ſome intelligent mind approving this kind of order: and becauſe the divell with the whole rabble and rout of wicked ones purſue with deadly hatred theſe ſocieties with their diſcipline, it muſt needs bee God that hath thus long protected and defended it:Prov. 8.15. By me kings reigne, and princes decreee justice.
Heroicall and noble inſtinct of minde.Heroicall inſtincts; that is, wiſdome and excellent vertue in undertaking and atchieving thoſe works which ſurpaſſe the common capacity of mans nature, ſuch as is the felicity and happineſſe of noble artificers, and governours, in ſearching or poliſhing arts, and in finding out devices and counſels: likewiſe the couragiouſneſſe of minde in performing the actions of vertue, and in managing matters; ſuch as was in Achilles, Alexander, Archimedes, Plato, and others: All theſe give evidence, that there is ſome ſuperiour cauſe which ſtirreth up theſe motions and inclinations. Moſes ſaid of Joſhua, The Lord himſelfe will goe before thee, Deut. 31.8. Ezra 1.1. Jude 14.19.hee will be with thee. The Lord ſtirred up the ſpirit of Cyrus. The ſpirit of the Lord came upon him.
Certain and evident fore-tellings of events.Certain and cleer ſignifications of future events, which neither by humane ſight or perceivableneſſe, neither by naturall cauſes or ſigns, could have been fore-known; as the prophecies of the deluge, of the poſterity of Abraham, of the coming of the Meſſias, &c. are neceſſarily known by his revelation alone, who hath both mankind, and the nature of all things ſo in his own power, that nothing can be done but through his motion. Now this is God only; as himſelf alledgeth this as his work alone, for proof of his divinity againſt all forged and fained gods, Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that wee may know that you are gods. Iſa. 41.13. Ezek. 12.21.That thing which I have ſpoken ſhall be done, ſaith the Lord.
The ends of all things.The ends and uſes of things have not their being by chance, or from a nature brutiſh and only endued with ſenſe, but from ſome nature which is wiſe and omnipotent, which is God alone. Now all things are moſt providently ordained to their ends, and thoſe alſo certaine.
The conſtant order of efficient cauſes.The order of cauſes and effects is finite, and it cannot be, that the proceſſe and race of efficient cauſes ſhould be of an endleſſe and infinite extent. Wherefore there muſt be ſome firſt and principall cauſe, which may either mediatly or immediatly produce and move the reſt, on which alſo other cauſes may depend: for in every finite order there is ſome beginning and principall.