The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · covenant · Question 25 · Commentary · Subsection 2
2. Who, and what God is.
We muſt acknowledge God to be ſuch as himſelfe hath manifeſted himſelf to be.WHen it is demanded, who is the true God: wee are to hold moſt firmly and ſurely, that he alone is the true God, who even from the beginning of mankinde did not only manifeſt himſelfe in the nature of things, but by the ſteps and prints of his divinity ſhining therein, but eſpecially in the Church, by his word delivered, and other famous teſtimonies of miracles, deliveries, and conſolations, whereby he plainly teacheth whom, and what he will be acknowledged and publiſhed by us to be, and that hee is not acknowledged or worſhipped of any but of them who think according to his word both of him and his will; neither is the true knowledge of him found elſewhere then in this word. The certainty of this poſition is hereof moſt manifeſt, for that all thoſe who imagine God to be other in eſſence, or nature, or will, then he hath teſtified himſelf to be in his own manifeſtations and revealings, do not imbrace and worſhip at all the true God, but another thing of their own framing in ſtead of the true God, according to theſe ſayings: Ye worſhip that which ye know not: wee worſhip that which wee know; Joh. 4.22. & 5.23.for ſalvation is of the Jewes. He that honoureth not the Son, the ſame honoureth not the Father which hath ſent him. Galat. 4.8.But then when ye knew not God, ye did ſervice unto them which by nature are not gods. Ye were at that time without Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.12.and were aliens from from the common-wealth of Iſrael, and were ſtrangers from the covenant of promiſe, and had no hope, and were without God in the world. Whom ye then ignorantly worſhip, him ſhew I unto you. Acts. 17.23. 1 John 2 23.Whoſoever denyeth the Son the ſame hath not the Father.
But againſt theſe things ſeemeth that to be, which Paul ſaith;Rom. 1.19, 20. That that which may be known of God is manifest alſo in men, eſtranged from Christian Religion: for that God hath ſhewed it unto them. For the inviſible things of him, that is, his eternall power and God-head, are ſeen by the Creation of the world, being conſidered in his works, to the intent that they ſhould be without excuſe. And,Acts 14.15. That God in former ages did not leave himſelfe without witneſſe, and that out of the whole nature of things: but chiefly by the minde of man and the difference of things honeſt and diſhoneſt; and by the puniſhments of the wicked, it may in ſome meaſure be gathered, not only that there is a God, but alſo what he is: and therefore many things are found to have been ſpoken truly by the heathen and others concerning the unity and nature of God. But to theſe objections we anſwer: that there are indeed ſome true things concerning God manifeſted otherwiſe alſo then by the word delivered to the Church; but by them notwithſtanding who is the true God cannot be ſhewed,Two cauſes why t…eglimſle of nature is not ſufficient to ſhew who is the true God and that for two cauſes: For firſt, Thoſe things by themſelves are not ſufficient: for to the knowing of the true God, it is requiſite that we know and profeſſe, not ſomethings only, but all things which he openeth of himſelfe, and would have known. Moreover, Theſe ſelfe ſame true teſtimonies of God alſo which remaine in mens mindes and in nature, all they, by reaſon of a naturall blindneſſe in them and pravity, doe many wayes corrupt, who in weighing them, follow not the light and interpretation thereof drawn from the word of God delivered to the Church, when as even of theſe which might be known by the help of nature, many things they do not know; many they faine of their own, which have nothing agreeing with the nature and will of God: and thoſe things which they doe retain, and in ſhew of words profeſſe, they farre otherwiſe underſtand then they are propoſed of God, and declared in his word, and in the Church underſtood: and ſo beholding and ſounding in their mouth true ſentences and ſayings concerning God, conceive nevertheleſſe and foſter falſe opinions of him in their mind. This anſwer S. Paul himſelf expreſſeth when he addeth,Rom. 1.20, 21. That they are inexcuſable, becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God.
The …o…ce of nature concerning God neither to be rejected no contemned, other in …eſned of ſufficiency, … …-conſtruing.Now albiet Philoſophicall wiſdome cannot therefore ſhew who is the true God, for that concerning the eſſence, nature, will, and works of God, ſo much as is neceſſary to be known it doth not teach, and is diverſly depraved by men, ſo that out of the Church remaineth no true knowledge of God; yet nevertheleſſe, that voice of the nature of things concerning God, ought not for theſe cauſes to be rejected as falſe, or contemned as fruitleſſe: for neither is that ſtraight wayes falſe in it ſelfe which is perverſly conſtrued of men, neither fruitleſſe for all things nor to all men, which availeth the reprobate nothing at all to everlaſting ſalvation. For God will alſo out of the Church bridle the lewd and diſſolute, by the teſtimonies which their conſcience and puniſhments give of his will, anger, and judgement, and according to them will he have the life and manners of men ruled. He will have mans corruption and his juſtice made more conſpicuous and cleer in puniſhing them who ſtubbornly withſtand the known truth. He will by naturall teſtimonies, mens conſciences ſhewing the imperfection thereof, have men ſtirred up to ſeek the true God in the Church, as it is ſaid, that men were therefore placed in the theater of the world,Acts 17.27. That they ſhould ſeeke the Lord, if ſo be they might have groved after him and found him. Hereof fee Dam…en i…. … orth… …id. Baſil. …o. 4. con…unom. Rultice Diacon… c. 3. …. Acephal. …. theſ… cap 1.…. … a. cap. 5. … Me…a… 12. c. 7 … ſom… Scip…oms.He will alſo have them who are converted to him, to be more confirmed by the conſent of nature and the word, as the often alledging of naturall teſtimonies in the Scriptures declareth. Laſtly, hee will, the imperfection of naturall knowledge being conſidered, have mens ignorance concerning God acknowledged, and his mercy magnified, who diſcovereth and openeth himſelfe in his word.
God cannot be defined; 1. Becauſe he is immenſe. 2. Becauſe his eſſence is unknown unto us: yet ſome way he way be deſcribed according to the meaſure which himſelf hath revealed of himſelf; and that ſo, that the deſcription of him ſhall comprehend ſuch attributes or properties, the perſons, and principall works of the Deity, as by them the true God may with halfe an eye be diſcerned from idols.
The deſcription of God according to Philoſophy. The deſcription of God according to the …u…es of Divinity.Philoſophically he is deſcribed on this wiſe; God is an eternall mind or intelligence, ſufficient in himſelfe to all felicity, moſt good, and the cauſe of good in nature. But Divinity hath taught the Church of God a more full and ample deſcription of him, which is in this ſort: God is a ſpirituall eſſence, intelligent, eternall, infinite, other from all the creatures, incomprehenſible, most perfect in it ſelfe immutable, and of an immenſe power, wiſdome, and goodneſſe, juſt, true, chaſte, mercifull, bountifull, most free, angry and wroth with ſin: which eſſence is the eternall Father, who from everlasting begot the Son according to his owne image: and the Son, who is the coeternall image of the Father: and the holy Ghoſt, proceeding from the Father and the Son: even as it hath been manifested from above, certaine word thereof being delivered by the Prophets, Christ, and the Apoſtles, and by divine teſtimonies, That the eternall Father, together with the Son, and the holy Ghost, hath created heaven and earth, and all creatures in them, and is alwayes at hand with them, to preſerve, guide, and governe them by his providence, and worketh all good things in all: and that in mankinde made after his image, hee hath choſen unto himſelfe and gathered a Church by and for the Sonne, that by his Church this one and true Deity may be according to the word delivered from above, acknowledged, celebrated, and adored in this life, and in the life to come: and lastly, that hee is the Judge of the juſt and unjust.
In what the former deſcriptions differ.This Theologicall deſcription of God which the Church delivereth, differeth from the Philoſophicall deſcription, 1 In perfectneſſe; becauſe the Church in her deſcription addeth many parts by nature unknown unto men, as of the Trinity, of Election, and of the gathering together of the Church by the Son, &c. 2 In the underſtanding and declaration of thoſe parts which, being known by nature, are common to both: for the Theologicall deſcription declareth them more certainly and fully. 3 In the effect or fruit; becauſe by Philoſophy or the light of nature, men are not able to be brought to the true knowledge of God:Two cauſes why men cannot by the light of nature attaine unto the true knowledge of God. both 1. Becauſe it is ſo maimed and falſe by mens corruption, that we can ſuck thence no true and ſufficient notice of God: as alſo 2. Becauſe when wee know every part, parcel, and particle thereof, it doth not ſtirre up our minds unto godlineſſe: that is, the love and fear of God.
The ſame Theologicall deſcription teacheth us how the true God, which the Church worſhippeth, differeth from the falſe counterfeit gods three wayes:A threefold difference of the true God from falſe idols. 1. In attributes or properties. 2. In the perſons. 3. In the works whereby the perſons are revealed: for God hath declared himſelfe by his works, that his nature is ſuch as his attributes import: Moreover,How in conceiving of the whole nature of God, he that is inſtructed by the Spirit, goeth beyond him whom nature informeth. he ſheweth that there are three diſtinct perſons in one eſſence of the Deity, ſith according to the works either of Creation, or Redemption, or Sanctification, hee receiveth diverſe names and titles, and every perſon hath his proper appellation. God therefore differeth from idols, In attributes. Mercy.In his attributes; becauſe they who are not of the Church, underſtand aright and fully no one property of God; they underſtand not what his mercy is, becauſe his Son is unknown unto them, or at leaſt the doctrine concerning him ſhamefully corrupted: they conceive not what his juſtice is,Juſtice. becauſe the impious and wicked ones beleeve not that God is ſo grievouſly offended and angry with ſin, that we ſtood in need of ſatisfaction for it, and redemption from thence by the death of his Son: neither what his wiſdom is,Wiſdome. becauſe the chief part thereof is expounded in his word, which the Gentiles have not: neither what his truth is, becauſe they are utterly ignorant of his promiſes:Truth. The like may be truly averred of all the reſt. Contrariwiſe, the Church attributeth and aſcribeth to God all truth, juſtice, goodneſſe, mercy, loving affection and kindneſſe towards men, which properties of God, other Sects are either utterly ignorant of, or, having a glimpſe of them, they wholly corrupt and deface them. God differeth from idols, In perſons.In perſons; becauſe Ethnicks and other Sects either know not, or acknowledge not three perſons in one divine eſſence: But the true Church acknowledgeth and maketh invocation to the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, one God conſiſting of three perſons, according as he hath manifeſted himſelf in his word. In works.In works; becauſe they which are without the Church do not wholly acknowledge or profeſſe the works of Creation, and the government of all things; for they do not think all things to have been created of nothing by the word of God only: they deny that all generally, and each in particular, even the leaſt, are adminiſtred powerfully by the omnipotency of God; but aſcribe very many to chance, fortune, and humane wiſdome: Much more are they altogether ignorant of the works of the Churches ſalvation, namely, the reconciliation of men with God, juſtification, ſanctification, and full delivery from all ſin and miſery by the Son and the holy Ghoſt. So then by theſe means God is diſcerned from idols, and the knowledge of God revealed to his Church in his word, is diſtinguiſhed from that which Ethnicks have derived from nature.