A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 17 (Question 4 cont.)
SERMON XVII.
IT would be advantagious, for our better enquiry into the Divine Attributes, to fix upon a ſutable Diſtribution of them. Here diverſe Divines have ſeveral Methods: ſome divide them into Negative, removing all imperfection from God: Relative, diſcovered by ſome relation that he bears to the Creature: Poſitive, aſcribing of ſeveral perfections to him. Others not differing from the former but in terms, aſcribe them to him, by way of Cauſality, Remotion, and Eminency. Others divide them into Goodneſs & Greatneſs: Others into the Attributes which ſhine forth by themſelves, conſidering God as the abſolute firſt Being, or ſuch as appear in his Works of Efficiency: To which I would chuſe to adhere, but that the method of the Catechiſm leads me to another. I ſhall therefore take up the Attributes in the Deſcription, and aſſign them their proper notion, as I paſs, with reſpect hereto; and for others not here named, they may be afterwards taken notice of, in their proper places. In this Deſcription we may obſerve three ſorts of Attributes. 1. A Genus is analogically aſcribed to him, a Spirit. 2. Divine Qualities negatively expreſt, which are three, Infinite, &c. 3. Divine Powers and Vertues, which are …ix; of each whereof the Divine Qualities are expreſſed. Theſe may be ſpoken to in order,
1. HERE is a Genus, analogically aſcribed to God; He is called a SPIRIT: not that God and any Creature do really participate in one common Nature, ſo as to be properly reduced to one head of diſtribution. The Nature of GOD and the Nature of Angels are Infinitely different one from the other: but becauſe he is the firſt being, he aſſumes to himſelf ſuch a title for the help of our Underſtanding: hence He is called a Spirit, Job. 4.24. Which is the moſt excellent Being among all ſecond Beings, and hath in it ſome of the neareſt ſhadows and reſemblances of the firſt Being. The word Spirit hath various acceptations in Scripture; among which it is concluded that the Glorious Angels are referred unto, when God is called a Spirit: who are ſo called. Pſal. 104.4. Heb. 1.14. It will therefore help us to ſomething of God, to conſider ſome reſpects in which he is reſembled by thoſe Spirits.
1. SPIRITS are Inviſible Subſtances, i. e. they cannot be ſeen by our bodily Eyes. Angels indeed have made themſelves viſible by aſſuming a body, or ſome groſſer parts of the Elements in Figure of an Humane Body: ſo have they appeared to Abraham, to Lot, to Manoah, & many others. That a thing be made Viſidium through which it is ſeen, or the viſive Spirits by the help whereof we diſcern things: but Angels are more fine and ſubtile Beings then either of th…ſe, and muſt therefore needs eſcape our ſight, and be Inviſible to us. Thus is God an Inviſible Being; theſe bodily eyes of ours are not able to diſcern him: hence that Attribute, 1 Tim. 1.17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, inviſible. He is therefore ſaid to dwell in Secret (Mat. 6.6.) not only hath he never been ſeen, (Job. 1.18.) but he cannot poſſibly be ſeen, 1. Tim. 6.16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the …light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee. Some have been ſo fooliſh as to think there are no Angels, becauſe we ſee them not: and on the ſame groundleſs arguing, have ſome concluded that there is no God; but this belongs to his Nature, that he cannot be ſeen by a Created eye.
2. SPIRITS are impalpable. As they cannot be ſeen, ſo they cannot be felt; and this upon the … reaſon with the former; for that which is felt, muſt be more groſs than the Spirits, with which we feel it. Now our ſenſitive Spirits are made of the Elements, which are of a coarſer matter, and not ſo fine as Angelical ſubſtances are, and hence they eſcape our touch or feeling. Therefore our Saviour by the argument of ſenſe convinced his Diſciples, that he was no Spirit. Luk. 24.39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my ſelf: handle me, and ſee, for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones, as ye ſee me have. And God is much more ſo; he cannot be approached, 1 Tim 6 16. In ſum, all the ſenſes are incapable of apprehending Spirits. Angels may be with us, and we have no manner of ſenſe of it: nor do men apprehend ſenſibly the Preſence of God, though in him we live, move, and have our being.
3. SPIRITS are the moſt Agile, Active, or Nimble beings among Creatures. An Angel is very ſpeedy in his journeying: they are God's ſwift Meſſengers to do his will, and go poſt on all errands that he hath to employ them about. The ſwifteſt things among Elementary & corporeal ſubſtances are ſlow and dull compared with them. The Lightning is one of the nimbleſt things we diſcern by our ſenſes. The motion of the Primum Mobile is ſuch as ſome have conceived is very rapid; but all ſhort of Angelical Agility. One of them can travel from the Third Heaven to the Earth in a few hours. (Dan. 9.21, 22.) And God muſt needs be the moſt agile being, becauſe he is a pure Act. This is metaphotically expreſſed. Pſal. 18.10. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. And to this agility belongs unweariedneſs: Angels are never tired, no nor is God, Iſa. 40.28. Haſt thou not known? haſt thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary?
4. SPIRITS are the ſtrongeſt among created beings; they are mighty beings, Pſal. 103.20 Bleſs the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in ſtrength. … is oppoſed the weakneſs of fleſh. (Iſa. 31.3.) There is no other ſort of Creature, that is able to incounter and grapple with an Angel. One Angel hath ſtrength enough to bicker with a World of men, for which reaſon they are called Powers: and it belongs to their Nature; for even Devils, becauſe they have not loſt the Nature of Angels, are ſo called. Eph. 6.12. But GOD is moſt ſtrong: Power and Dominion are his, none ever reſiſted him and proſpered; none can ſtand before him. (Job 41.9, 10.) we may take a little proſpect of his wonderful Power, by obſerving how inferior, ſmall, and contemptible, he looks upon all the power of all the beings in the Creation put together, to be. Iſa. 40.15, 17. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the ſmall duſt of the balance: behold, he taketh up the iſles as a very little thing. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſs than nothing, and vanity.
5. SPIRITS are the moſt Incorruptible of Created beings: for being of ſo ſubtle and ſtrong a Nature, as we have heard, they have not the ſubjection to change and Corruption, which our beings have; becauſe they are not ſo paſſive: they cannot receive impreſſion from inferior beings, and therefore are only ſubject to a poſſibility of Annihilation, by him who made them. So is God moſt incorruptible; he is lyable to no ſort of change. Mal. 3.6. For I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye ſons of Jacob are not conſumed. Now that is one, when a Being may by corruption change from what it is at preſent.
6. SPIRITS are Rational ſubſtances, endowed with the nobleſt faculties of underſtanding and will: For this reaſon Philoſophe… call them Intelligences, becauſe they have clear knowlege, and a noble liberty which they do enjoy; they would not elſe be capable of thoſe Offices and Services, which they are employed in, which is to be Miniſters attending upon God, and ready to do his will be the managing of the great Affairs of the World; for which they muſt have a ready underſtanding, not lyable to miſtakes, and a prompt will haſtening them to their work. But God is the moſt Reaſonable Being; He hath an Underſtanding, that is Infinite, and a Will which is Irreſiſtible.
THESE are ſome of the ſhades, which we draw of him, from the Attribute of a Spirit▪ but every like is alſo unlike; and though God reſembleth himſelf to thoſe choiſe b…ings or natures, yet we muſt conceive him to be Infinitely more Glorious then they, and tranſcendently to exceed them. We may look on the moſt noble Perfections of the moſt noble Beings, and ſay them of God, but when we have ſo ſaid, we muſt remember that his Glory Incomparably exceeds them. Pſal. 148.13. Let them praiſe the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heaven. And reſpecting the preſent Attribute, let theſe things be obſerved,
1. SPIRITS are Creatures, but God is Increated: let us ſay as much as we can of the Angelical Perfections, we muſt ſtill remember that they are but created Perfections, which they enjoy: and created Spirits had a beginning, but God is without beginning: they are the Children of time, but he is the Father of Eternity: they are indeed the ſons of the morning, and the morning ſtars; time and they began in the ſame inſtant, but He was before all time, is from Everlaſting: they had their being from another; it was given them: but he had His from no other. His Being is His own.
2. HENCE Spirits have a paſſive power in them, whereas God is a pure Act. It is a diſpute among Pneumatiſts, whether Angels have any material Principles, or are pure Forms; it will not profit the Audience generally to debate it here, it is enough, their being Creatures aſſures us of their Paſſivity, or Potentiality in them; they did once paſs from not being into being, & they are capable of returning to nonentity again: yea, are capable of the impreſſions of happineſs & miſery; are mutable Creatures; ſome of them did fall; all which things reſult from their paſſivity. None of which are compatible with God: He is one and the ſame, and cannot be touched or any wars altered: He is happy, but cannot be made happy, nor can he ever be made miſerable: Hence called God bleſſed for ever.
3. ANGELS are limited by their own Eſſence. That they are limited beings is beyond diſpute, for to be a Creature, and to be finite is reciprocal: how they are ſo limited, is a debate, which the curioſity of wits may exerciſe their reaſon in, but can form no Article of faith about: whether by any ſpiritual matter, or otherways, it is ſure they are Eſſence, and their own Eſſence limits their being within the confines of finiteneſs; ſo that one Angel fills not all places at once, nor is in Heaven & Earth at the ſame inſtant: but the Divine Eſſence is unlimited, and Infinite.
4. ANGELS are under the Dominion of Another; they owe ſubjection to him who made them; the very name of Angel which they bear upon them carries this intimation in it; for this reaſon they are called Miniſtring Spirits, Heb. 1.14. But God is above all Dominion, it belongs to him as his Prerogative; he is ſupream, and Angels themſelves are at his command in all things.
5. IN Spirits their Eſſence and their Act are two things, they are diſtinct the one from the other: but in God his Eſſence & his Act are one and the ſame thing: hence we ſay, Whatſoever is in God, is God; but we cannot ſo ſay of a created Spirit or Angel: hence they are capable of ſeveral diſtinct principles & powers in them, and not only in our Conception, which cannot be affirmed of God.
IN a word, God and Angels are expreſſed by one and the ſame general Name, viz. Spirits, only to help us with ſomething which may guide our Conceptions, in the notion which we take up of him; but when we have ſaid all that we can about it, we muſt remember that he is a thouſand times more glorious than all Spirits, or ſecond Beings tho' never ſo excellent, that can be named: but becauſe Rational Beings are more noble than Irrational, and becauſe Spiritual Beings have a peculiar excellency above Corporeal, and the higheſt created perfections are to be found in the Heavenly Angels, and we are to give the beſt of our thoughts and conceptions to God, we are pointed, by ſuch a compariſon, to ſee ſomething of his praiſe worthy excellence, but ſtill remembring that he is above all glory & praiſe.
USE 1. THIS tells us ho… ſutable an Object God is for our Spirits to cloſe withal. It is requiſite for joy & delight, that the Object and Faculty be ſutable one to the other, for without an adequate or ſuting Object, there can be no ſatisfaction; but ſuch is God; being a Spirit, altho' infinitely above us, yet ſutab…e for theſe Souls of ours to cloſe withal. And herein the happineſs of Believers above other men appears, becauſe their Spirits have communion with this uncreated Spirit; his better part therefore is fully provided for, & there is no other man that enjoys this advantage. All other things are in Scripture, by way of oppoſition, called Fleſh, and for that very reaſon are they incapable of affording Felicity to ſuch as rely upon them; Iſa. 31.3. Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horſes fleſh and not ſpirit; when the Lord ſhall ſtretch out his hand, both he that helpeth ſhall fall, and he that is holpen ſhall fall down, and they all ſhall fall together. That is the reaſon why there can be no true confidence put in theſe things; but how beyond conception happy are they, whoſe Spirits are united with him, who is the Father of Spirits.
USE 2. HENCE how very unſutable is it to repreſent the Divine Nature by any Corporeal ſimilitude: I mean in Pictures or Images, of any viſible & bodily ſubſtance, and that whether it be for civility or devotion, i. e. either meerly as Ornamental, or as ſome pretend, to encreaſe devout Affections in any; how is it poſſible rightly to ſhadow a Spirit? who ever was able rightly to decypher the form or ſhape of a being which is inviſible! it is folly to pretend to afford us the Portraicture of an Angel, but it is a madneſs & wickedneſs to offer at any Image or Repreſentation of God: How many ſolemn cautions did God give his people againſt this by Moſes, beſides the expreſs forbidding of it in the second Command; and God declares it to be a thing Idolatrous. For any to entertain or fancy any other Image of God, but thoſe reverend impreſſions of his glorious Perfections that are engraven upon his heart, is highly to diſhonour him, and provoke him to Jealouſy.
USE 3. HENCE learn that ſpiritual Service muſt needs be moſt acceptable to God. This is to pay him a ſervice ſutable to his nature, and muſt needs therefore be the moſt grateful to him; Chriſt himſelf draws this inference, Joh. 4.24. God is a Spirit, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth. The heart and ſpirit in man are the ſame thing in Scripture ſenſe; and this is it that God requires, Prov. 23.26. My ſon, give me thine Heart. It is not all the ſpecious & outſide ſhew of duty, that he takes any content in at all, where the ſpirit is wanting; if the heart be gone ſomewhere elſe, all the reſt is a burden to him; we ſee what eſtimate he makes of it, Ezek. 33.31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, & they ſit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs. And was not this the reaſon why he blows ſo upon their ſervices, Iſai. 1.11 To what purpoſe is the multitude of your ſacrifices unto me? ſaith the Lord: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beaſts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of …e-…oats. Nor is it poſſible to cheat or put him off with any ſuch trifling things, tho' never ſo modeſtly attended; for, being ſuch a Spirit, he cannot but be intimately acquainted with our Spirits. He challengeth it as a Prerogative belonging to him, to try the Spirits, to ſearch the hearts of men. This therefore ſhews us,
1. THE extream folly of all Hypocrites. They take a great deal of pains to dreſs up duties with a very fair out-ſide, and give much attendance to the ſeveral performances of Religion, who read, hear, & make long prayers, keep Faſts frequently, and give many Alms but all theſe Sacrifices are without an heart, they have no ſpirit in them; God finds dead mens bones, rottenneſs & ſtench under all this paint and varniſh, and it is unſavoury to him. Iſai. 66.2, 3. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite ſpirit, and t…embleth at my word. He that killeth an ox, is as if he ſlew a man; he that ſacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck, &c. See, Pſal. 51.17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit: a broken & a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe.
2 THE extream danger of formal Worſhip. Whatever elſe may be ſaid to the unlawfulneſs of impoſing upon men ſtinted forms of prayer and publick ſervice to God, becauſe indeed it is not to God, but againſt him; there is this one thing that would perſwade a ſerious Chriſtian that deſires to hold Communion with God in all his ſacred duties, to be afraid of it, viz. That of its own Nature it hazards his being formal in it, and the reducing him to a ſpiritleſs frame in his attendance upon it and thereby, inſtead of pleaſing God, to provoke him to anger againſt him, and ſerving him in vain: a man may be heartleſs and perfunctory in the other, but in this way he can hardly be otherwiſe.
3. THE great care, which is incumbent on God's Children, to watch their hearts in all their duties to God. They, whiles on earth, have too much of fleſh in them, and thro' Satan's Subtlety, and the carnality of their own minds, are too ready to let their hearts go, and be without ſpirit in what they do; either to be dead & wandring in their performances: let it then counſel and quicken us to look to our ſelves, and whatſoever frailties there may be attending of our duties, make ſure of this one thing, to pay God ou… Spirits in them: and to excite us here-unto Conſider,
1. HE who is ſuch a Spirit, deſerves our ſpirits: He is the God of the Spirits of all fleſh; we ow… to him our hearty ſervice; for he made our hearts; He is a ſpirit from whom all other ſpirits do Originally proceed, (Eccl. 12.7.) and he hath a right to them by Redemption. Jeſus Chriſt hath bought our Souls with a price, and therefore we ſhould glorify him with them. 1 Cor. 6.20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your ſpirit, which are God's.
2. HE knows our ſpirits. Heb 4.13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight: but all things are naked, and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. He hath an inſight into the bottom of our ſouls and he ſees all the corners thereof, and therefore there is no deceiving of him: as he accepts no other but ſpiritual Services, rejecting all others, ſo he knows when they are ſo, and can tell us when we come before him with a lie in our right hand.
3. SPIRITLESS Service. are both falſe & fruitleſs; (Spiritual ones are only true, & have a great reward;) he counts thoſe to compaſs him about with lies, and they ſhall reap the Eaſt …nd; Chriſt puts Spirit & Truth together as inſeparable. (Jo…. 4.24.) and becauſe all his rewards are of Grace, we can expect none without his acceptance of us Let us then conſecrate our ſpirits to him, and devote them to his Service, always ſet our ſelves in his Preſence, as a God, who ſear…heth our hearts; and knowing the wofull Carnality, which is remaining in us, let us be conſtantly praying to him, that he would fill us with his own Spirit, and ſo make and keep us ſpiritual in our whole Converſation.
[APRIL. 23. 1689.]