The Rule of Faith, Exegesis of Apostles Creed · Article 1 · Tenet 3
Almightie.
Reuel. 4. 8.
COncerning the omnipotency of God: Fiue things are to be conſidered:
1. The Proofes that he is Almighty.
2. The Senſe, in what reſpect he is ſaid to be Almighty.
3. Why Omnipotency is attributed to the father here only.
4. Whether there be any things God cannot doe.
5. That God onelyonly is Almighty.
1. That God is Almighty, theſe places of Scripture euidently and expreſly proue, Gen. 17. 1. & 28. 3. Luk. 1. 37. Reuel. 4. 8. & 19. 6.
2. God may be ſaid to be Almighty in diuers reſpects.
1. Becauſe he hath power and authoritie ouer all things: Omnipotent quia omnium teneat potestatem: Ruffin.
2. Becauſe all the might and power in the creatures was from him: all might from him: they hauehave no power but what they receiued of him.
3. Becauſe he can performe whatſoeuer he ſaith, promiſeth, or threatneth: nothing is too hard for him to do, Ier. 32. 17. 27. Luke 1. 37. Gen. 18. 14.
4. His Almightineſſe is magnified in Scripture, becauſe he is able to giuegive to all the men in the world recompence according to their workes, ſo as none can reſiſt his power, nor deliuer out of his hands, Ier. 32. 19. Iſay 14. 25. 27. Deut. 32. 39.
5. Becauſe he can doe whatſoeuer he will, Pſal. 115. 3.
6. Becauſe he can doe more then hee will: as he could ſend Chriſt many legions of Angels to deliuer him, but would not. He could raiſe vp children to Abraham of thoſe very ſtones, but he would not. And this Omnipotency is called the abſolute Omnipotence of God, by which he is able to create 1000. worlds if he would. The power to doe what he wils, is called his actuall power.
7. Becauſe he can doe wonderfull things without helpe or Meanes: as he made the World of nothing, and can effect what he will in heauen and earth without labour, onelyonly by his becke or word, Eſay 40. 28. Pſa. 33.
8. Becauſe he can do all things: there is ſimply nothing that can be, but God can doe it: he is omnipotent, becauſe all things are poſſible to him, euen things that are impoſſible to men and Angels, Mat. 19. Kings may doe many great things, but not all; ſome things they cannot doe. They can make many liuing men dye, but cannot make one dead man liue: which God can doe.
9. Becauſe he is mighty by his Eſſence, by nature of himſelfe: His Almightineſſe is his Eſſence, and his whole Eſſence is almighty, and therefore all in God is Mightie; and therefore his Mightineſſe muſt needes be infinite. He is not mighty in reſpect of ſome part or faculty as the Creature is.
10. Becauſe he is alwaies Mighty: great Princes may be wonderfull powerfull, but they may dye, or their power be diminiſhed; but God is almighty, yeſterday, to day, and foreuer, Reuel. 4. 8.
For the third point, Almightineſſe is attributed in the Creed to the Father, not to import that the Sonne and holy Ghoſt were not almighty; but becauſe, when the father is ſaid to be almighty, it muſt needs follow that they are almighty alſo; becauſe the father being the fountaine and originall of the perſon of the Sonne and holy Ghoſt doth communicate to them, his whole Nature, and all the Attributes of the Diuinitie: And the Father being firſt in the order of working, fitly is the power of working giuen to him in the firſt place.
For the fourth point: The things which God cannot doe may be referred to fiue Heads: for firſt, he cannot doe things that be falſe or ſinfull: Hee cannot lye, or denie himſelfe, or doe vniuſtly, as diuers Scriptures ſhew. Secondly, he cannot doe things that be contrary to his Nature, he cannot dye or be finite, or be ignorant of any thing, or be corporeall, or the like. Thirdly, he cannot doe things which hee cannot will, or are contrary to his will: Hee can doe many things more then he will; but he cannot doe any thing, which hee cannot will: for his will is as infinite as his power, nor can he doe any thing againſt his will, or contrary to his owne purpoſe or decree. Fourthly, he cannot doe contradictories, to make one and the ſelfe ſame thing to be and not to be at the ſame time, to make a Creature finite and infinite, in that wherein he is finite. Fiftly, he cannot doe things ſimply impoſſible; I ſay ſimply impoſſible, for many things are impoſſible to men and Angels, which in their owne Nature are not impoſſible: As it is impoſſible for vsus to make a Cable to goe through the Eye of a Needle, but it is not ſimply impoſſible in it ſelfe, and therefore God can doe it: God is therefore called omnipotent, becauſe he can doe all poſſible things. Neither doe any of theſe Dicitur omnipotens ſaciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult, Aug.things argue impotencie, but doe rather eſtabliſh his omnipotencie: Gods power is not leſſened becauſe he cannot deceiue or dye, &c. for it were impotency if he could doe theſe.
For the laſt, this alſo muſt be added, that God onelyonly is Almighty, this glory belongs onelyonly vntounto him: for the moſt powerfull creatures are finite, and cannot doe a world of things, and they receiued their power from God, and are or may be letted or reſiſted in things they can doe, and their power will ceaſe, if it be not renewed and confirmed by God, Ier. 32. 18. 19.
The conſideration of Gods omnipotency may firſt teach vsus diuers duties;
1. To ſtriue by all meanes to ſet out the praiſe of Gods wonderfull power and workes, that hath done ſuch great things in heauen and earth, Pſal. 15. 2. & 89. 11. 12. &c. Reuel. 4. 8.
2. To walke before him in all vprightneſſe, carefull in all things to pleaſe him, and to auoid all ſin, conſidering what power he hath to doe vsus good if we ſerue him, or to deſtory vsus body and ſoule, if we liue in our ſins, Gen. 17. 1. Mat. 10. 28.
3. It ſhould teach vsus in all dangers and difficulties, to beleeue in God and reſt vponupon him, ſo as when we know his goodneſſe or promiſe to vsus, though we ſee no meanes of deliuerance, or performance of good things, yet we muſt giuegive glory to Gods power, and reſt without wauering vponupon God, knowing that nothing is hard or impoſſible to him, as Abraham beleeued God concerning his ſon Iſaac, Rom. 4. 18. and as Ieremie was commanded to truſt God, when God inioyned him to purchaſe a field, at that time when he was to threaten the ineuitable captiuitie, Ier. 32. 17. 27. &c. So 1 Sam. 14. 6.
4. In the experience of all our weakneſſes, we ſhould runne to God for power to ſupport vsus: All might is in him, and therefore whither ſhould we runne for power but to him: To him ſhould wee lift vp our hearts for ſtrength, Eſay 40. 28.
5. It ſhould teach vsus to be patient in affliction when it is vponupon vsus, and to tremble at his grieuous iudgements when they are vponupon other; his dreadfull power when it is declared ſhould make vsus tremble, and be ſilent, and when his hand toucheth vsus, we ſhould not ſtruggle, for it is in vaine; what, can we reſiſt his power? Pſal. 39. 10. Eſay 30. 15. It is the Lord, and therefore be quiet, let him doe whatſoeuer he will.
6. The conſideration of his omnipotency ſhould be often thought vponupon, when we come to pray vntounto God, for ſpirituall or temporall things. Our Sauiour Chriſt in the Lords prayer gaue vsus three ſtaies, or mighty pillars to hold vp our faith in praying (to wit) Gods kingdome, and Gods power, and Gods glory, Mat. 6. 13.
7. Wee muſt hence be warned to take heed of deſpiſing weake Chriſtians, to reiect them as either paſt hope, or void of grace, or not likely to hold out, becauſe of their many frailties, and ignorance, for God can ſtabliſh them, Rom. 14. 4.
8. The Apoſtle Paul vrgeth the conſideration of Gods power, as an argument to perſwade to workes of mercy: becauſe God is able to inrich vsus, and to abound towards vsus in all recompence, both in ſpirituall and temporall things, 2 Cor. 9. 8.
9. It ſhould teach vsus to beleeue the power of God in the Sacrament, though the outward ſignes may make no great ſhew, yet our faith ſhould be built vponupon the inward operation of God, who will doe all that, which either the ſignes ſignifie, or the word promiſeth, Col. 2. 12.
10. It ſhould make vsus the more wonder at Gods goodneſſe and louelove ſhewed to his people, in that ſometimes he layeth chaines as it were vponupon his power, onelyonly in fauour to them. As for inſtance, God cannot deſtroy Sodome till Lot be gone; which yet is moſt eaſie for him to doe, but for his louelove to Lot, Gen. 19. 22. ſo God loues his people, that many a iudgement would fall vponupon wicked men in the places where they liue, yet cannot, becauſe of Gods affection to the godly.
Secondly, this doctrine of Gods omnipotency, reproues many men for ſinning againſt the power of God. Now men tranſgreſſe againſt the omnipotency of God diuers waies;
1. Such as plead his power, for the effecting of what is either contrary to his nature, or will, or ſimply impoſſible; as many prophane perſons doe, that will needs beleeue that God can ſaue them, though they liue in their ſinnes, quite contrary to his word. And as the Papiſts doe about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, beleeuing that Chriſts body can be in many places at once, and ſo in the Sacrament to be eaten locally and orally, it being ſimply impoſſible, for a body remaining a body, to be in many places at once, in the ſame manner and reſpect, as it is alſo without word or promiſe of God and Scripture.
2. Such as will not vſe the lawſull meanes appointed vntounto them either for preſeruation or deliuerance, reaſoning moſt fooliſhly, God can keepe me without meat, therefore I will not eat; or can deliuer me without meanes, therefore I will vſe none: neuer conſidering that Gods Almightineſſe is ſhewed by working in the Meanes, as well as without, and that God commands vsus to make vſe of his power, by the meanes he hath ordained to worke by.
3. Such as by fearefull Imprecations and Curſes, awaken Gods power, to bring vponupon them ſuch fearefull things, as they asked, but did not expect; as the Iewes, that wiſhed the bloud of Chriſt might be charged vponupon them and their children.
4. Such as diſhonour Gods power by putting their truſt in Creatures.
5. Such as through vnbeliefe reſt not vponupon God, but thinke it is impoſſible ſuch and ſuch bleſſings ſhould be obtained, or ſuch dangers or euils auoided, Gen. 18. 14. Eſay 50. 2. Ier. 32. 24. 25. 27. 28. &c.
6. Woe vntounto the wicked that liue in their ſinnes: the Lord will plague them, and none ſhall deliuer out of his hand, or reſiſt his wrath, Deut. 32. 39. The iudgements God will bring vponupon them cannot be auoided, Eſay 14. 25. 27.
Laſtly, the conſideration of Gods Almightineſſe is wonderfull comfortable: firſt to the godly, and that many waies; for firſt, they neede not feare any wants, for they hauehave a father that is almighty; and beſides, they neede not feare any aduerſaries, for the gates of Hell ſhall not preuaile againſt them, Mat. 16. 18. and they ſhall ouercome all aduerſarie power, becauſe he is great that is on their ſide, 1 Iohn 5. 4. though they ſhould walke through the valley of the ſhaddow of death, they neede feare no euill, Pſal. 23. 4. and for ſpirituall enemies they neede not feare, becauſe God is able to keepe their ſoules which they hauehave committed to him, 2 Tim. 1. 12. and we ſhall be kept by his power to ſaluation, 1 Pet, 1. 5. Againe, it may be a great comfort to them in prayer, becauſe God is able to doe aboue all that they can aske or thinke, Epheſ. 3. 20. 21. and further, Gods power may ſettle them and eſtabliſh their Faith and Ioy, in thoſe great workes of God propounded and promiſed in his word; ſuch as are the forgiueneſſe of all ſinnes, the reſurrection of their bodies, and eternall life, 1 Cor. 6. 14. Moreouer that God their father is Almighty, may comfort them in this reſpect, becauſe then by his power they alſo may doe all things. What is it a Chriſtian cannot doe, that hath the vſe of Gods power: Paul can want and he can abound, &c. by the power of Chriſt in him, Phil. 4. 13.
But that theſe comforts may bee effectuall wee muſt often pray that GOD would open our eyes to ſee the exceeding greatneſſe of his power to them that belieue, Epheſ. 1. 19.
Secondly, euen grieuous ſinners may conceiue comfortable hope from this doctrine alſo: I meane ſuch as hauehave liued a long time vnderunder the power of ſtrong corruptions, ſuch as are, ſwearing, whoredome, drunkenneſſe, and the like; and therefore now feare, that they can neuer be fit for the Kingdome of God. Theſe muſt remember Pauls argument for the Iewes that had liued ſo long vnderunder the power of vnbeliefe (viz.) God is able to ingraft them in againe, Rom. 11. 23. ſo ſhould they hope that they alſo may be conuerted and ſaued, becauſe God is able to reſtore euen them alſo if they be weary of their ſinnes, and would be rid of them. And therefore they ſhould goe to God, as the Leaper did to Chriſt, and ſay, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane, Mat. 8. 4.