A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 18 (Question 4 cont.)
SERMON XVIII.
II. WE have God deſcribed by his Negative Qualities; three of which are here offered to us, and do now come to be a little explained to us. And,
1. GOD is Infinite: This is one difference between him and created Spirits, to whom he is reſembled; and this, with the two following, is expreſſed Negatively, becauſe the Divine perfections are ſuch as ſo far exceed our comprehenſion, that we can better tell what he is not, than what he is; and by removing of Creature-Imperfections from him, we put our ſelves into a way of admiring at his unſearchable glory. That God is Infinite, the Scripture fully aſſerts. And in our contemplation of this Attribute, we may enquire into three things. 1. What it is to be Infinite? 2. The evidence that God is ſo. 3. What other Attributes do diſcover themſelves in this?
(1.) WHAT it is to be Infinite? A. INFINITE is GOD of unlimited & unſearchable perfections. Such a Deſcription is given of God, in regard to this Attribute of his. Pſal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; and his greatneſs is unſearchable. Here,
1. INFINITENESS is GOD: it is one of thoſe perfections, which ſhine …ut in the Eſſence, conſidering God as the moſt abſolute firſt Being. New his Eſſence & Attributes are the ſame, only differenced in our Conceptions. It is therefore an In …aple perfection of God, it is his alone Prerogative to be Infinite. Some have thought the third Heaven to be ſo becauſe it hath nothing to circumſcribe it and hence to be in no place properly; but it is a great miſtake, for it is limited by its own Eſſence, and ſo is a finite being: the World cannot be of an Infinite Magnitude; for then it would have no parts, nor meaſures: God therefore alone challengeth it as his Propriety, and a flower of his Diadem.
2. BY vertue of this Attribute, God is of unlimited and unſearchable Perfectives: or he is without all limits or bounds of his Eſſence: all created beings are bounded by their Eſſences; the form acting upon the matter, limits it within its own confines; but God is unconfined. There can be no ſearching him out to perfection, Job 11.7, &c. and this unlimitedneſs is applicable to all that can be ſaid of him. Hence the Pſalmiſt attributes it to his Underſtanding. (Pſal. 147.5.) and our Anſwer before us, predicates it of all his other Attributes; for which we have ſufficient footſteps in the Scripture.
(2.) FOR the Evidence, or to diſcover wherein God appears to be Infinite, let us conſider,
1. GOD's Perfection is the higheſt perfection, and for that reaſon it muſt needs be Infinite. He is called the moſt high, Pſal 18.…0. Luk. 1.32. And what is Supre…m is neceſſarily Infinite. For let us conceive any thing tho' never ſo high, yet if it be within any degrees, there may be ſomething conceived higher than that, but God is ſo high, as to be above all glory and praiſe.
2. GOD's Perfection is ſuch as is not capable of receiving any addition: it cannot be augmented, or be greater than it is. Rom. 11.35. Or who bath firſt given to him, and it ſhall be recompenſed unto him again? It then muſt of neceſſity be Infinite: for we are capable of thinking, from degree to degree, and there may be an addition in our conception to every finite thing: there can be no ſtep till we come to infinite, and there we are loſt, for nothing can go beyond that, or be more infinite; for here are no degrees or ſteps at all.
3. GOD is Being it ſelf, and that moſt abſolutely; his Infiniteneſs is radicated in his Eſſence. Abſtracts are infinite; Concretes are Finite. A Being from another muſt needs be finite, but Being it ſelf is Infinite; ſuch is God; He is the firſt; had not his Being from any; is from Everlaſting; and what bounds can be aſcribed to ſuch a Being: if his Being were limited, it were not abſolute; Beings are therefore finite, becauſe they are derived; Hence an underived being is Infinite: ſuch is his.
4. ALL created perfections are derived from him, and therefore his muſt be Infinite: He that is the Fountain from whence all flows to the whole Creation, muſt be without banks or bottom: he that gives, is undoubtedly greater than they that receive: there are uncountable perfections of the ſeveral Creatures in their kind; and ſome of theſe are alſo, vaſtly great, as thoſe of the Angels but this muſt be greater, from whom every …e of theſe derives and is ſupplied & uphold continually: what can it be leſs than Infinite, and ſuch is God: ſo we read in, Rom. 11.2….3…. Or … into fo… given to him, and it ſta…l…c …mſexſed unto him space? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: it whom it glory for ever. Amen.
5. GOD's Perfections are incomprehenſive; this hath been already proved, that he cannot be known as he is in himſelf; and whence is it, but becauſe the underſtandings of men and Angels are finite! and that a finite faculty cannot comprehend the knowledge of the Being of God, muſt needs be becauſe (being Infinite he is too vaſt a Being for their Capacity. V…rſtius diſputes againſt the Infiniteneſs of God, becauſe he may be defined, and therefore is this Ind…d…; but we have heard that all our Logical notions are improperly aſcribed to him, and that he is not a Being properly, as we conceive of a Being; much leſs a portion of Being, as a thing which may be defined is; but he is above being, and all beings are nothing to him, Iſa…. 10.11. and why nothing, but becauſe there is an infinite diſtance between the firſt being, and all others; and therefore there is as great a diſtance as between him and nothing. Ten thouſand Worlds are nothing to him and therefore all the Nations of the World are leſs that nothing.
(3.) THERE are two other precious Attributes of God, which ſhine out and ſhew themſelves in God's Infinity.
1. THERE is Divine Immenſity; which is God, without all Dimenſions, or not to be menſured by the conceived meaſures, by which other beings may, ſuch as Length, Breadth, Heighth, Depth. This is excellently expreſs'd by Z…phar, in Job 11.7, 8, 9. Canſt th…u by ſearching find out God? can…t thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven, what can…t thou do? deeper than hell, what canſt thou know? The meaſure thereof is longer than the earth, broader than the ſea. Becauſe God's Eſſence & Perfection is unlimited, therefore he hath no proper quantity, nor is he the ſubject of any Mathematical notion: and this Attribute farther appears to belong to him,
(1) BECAUSE he is without any matter or parts, and ſo he muſt be without any extenſion. Hence when the Scripture aſſigns to him, Eyes, Ears, Hands, Feet, &c. they are not proper, but metapherical expreſſions, to ſignify thoſe eminent vertues in him, which are ſhadowed by ſuch things in the Creature. And being without matter, he is alſo without jo…m; which belongs to matter, and ſets bounds to it, and ſpins it out into length, breadth, and thickneſs. Theſe things he is a ſtranger to.
(2) BECAUSE God is not a Being by Participation, but Being in the Abſtract. Concrete beings have dimenſions, but thoſe that are Abſtract exceed all. Sweet things have their degrees, but ſweetneſs it ſelf is above all degrees; and hence this Conſectary ariſeth, viz. That God's perfections can neither increaſe, nor be diminiſhed; they can be neither greater nor leſs, but are the ſame everlaſtingly; and what he hath ever been to … is ſo ſtill. Augmentation, and D…mu…tion, are notions proper to quantity; and therefore inconſiſtent with the Being of God. He is as great, and as good now, as he was of old; and his people may confidently conclude from what he hath in times paſt diſcovered of himſelf to his Church, that he is accordingly to be truſted in now.
2. THERE is alſo his Incomprehenſible Omnipreſence appears in that he is Infinite; which is God without all limits of place, being no where ſhut up nor any where ſhut out. Place is properly the limitation of a Creature, within the bounds of quantity: but if God be Infinite, he is not then capable of any ſuch limitation: and this will appear,
1. BECAUSE that which can be contained in place, is faire, and both quantity: all place is finite, becauſe it bounds and limits the thing contained in it; that therefore which is Infinite, is incapable of place, it being contradictory to the Nature of a being that hath no bounds, to be bounded.
2. BECAUSE that which may be comprized in place, may be meaſured, and is figured, or hath ſome external form or ſhape: for place is properly a meaſure to what is in it; and nothing can be meaſured, but what hath ſome figure or other: but if God be Infinite, and ſo without any dimenſions, then he can have no figure; which is nothing elſe but the diſpoſition of the dimenſions of a thing into ſuch a mode: and hence appears his U…g…ty, or Omnipreſence, in regard whereof he is unconfined. For, 1. IF he were not Omnipreſent, he might be in one place and not in another: and then his Being would not be Incomprehenſible but limited. 2. HE muſt be Omnipreſent, becauſe all places are contained in him; and every other Being in the world. In reſpect of places, we have that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 139.7,—10. Whither ſhall I go from thy ſpirit? or whither ſhall I fire from thy preſence? If I aſcend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and d…l in the utter moſt parts of the ſea: Even there ſhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me. For we are not to conceive him to be in any of theſe as in a place, or as comprehending him in it. And for Being, that of Paul is clear, Acts 17.28. For in him we live, and move, and have our Being.
NOW this Ubiguity or Omnipreſence of God, is wont to be expreſſed by Divines, according to the Scriptures in theſe particulars.
1. THAT he is … where execluded, but wholly within, and together with every place; ſo that there is no place where he is not. The light of Nature diſcovers this, and therefore the P…t could ſay, J…vis omnia plena. He is nearer to, and more intimate with us, than we are with ourſelves. Acts 17.27. That they ſhould ſeek after the Lord, if h…ly they might feel after him, and find him, though h… be not far from every one of us. And for this reaſon he knows us better than we …. 1 Joh. 3.2…. …pan…. G…d is greater than …ur ears, and kn…th all things. He is not partly in Heaven, and partly in Earth, as ſome, but his whole enti…e Eſſence influenceth all places; and tho' he ſhews more of his glory in Heaven, yet he is no more there eſſentially, than he is on Earth, and in Hell.
2. THAT he is no where included or ſhut up; for becauſe he contains all place in him, and is placed no where, but is preſent every where without relation to place, as his Subject; therefore no place can poſſibly include him Acts 17.24. God that made the world, and all things therein, ſeeing that he is Lord of heaven & earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. If there were ten thouſand worlds, he would be entirely preſent with them all.
3 THAT he is altogether without any motion, or local mutation: becauſe of his Infinite preſence, his eſſence is not placed more in heaven, than here below; nor doth he leave one place to go to another; but tho' he be every where, yet he reſts unmovable forever: ſo that when the Scripture ſpeaks of his rending the heaven, and coming down; of his looking from heaven the habitation of his holineſs, of his riding upon a Cherub and the wings of the wind, and ſuch like expreſſions; they are modes of Speech accommodated to our conceptions, and are to be interpreted of his ſpecial manifeſtations of himſelf in the works of Providence.
4. THAT he is preſent every where, without filling of any place: for if he be without quantity, and dimenſions, and have no body, he doth not then fill up any place, i. e. his being there doth not exclude the Creature; two created beings cannot occupy the ſame place in the ſame inſtant, but one muſt give way to the other: but God is as much where the Creature is, as where it is not, for that indeed is in him.
5. THAT his Being is beyond all place. Place indeed is nothing elſe but a limit of created beings: hence the utmoſt bounds of place reach not beyond the Convex of the third Heaven, which tho' it be wonderfully vaſt, yet it is circumſcribed: but we are aſſured that this large room, which graſps all ſecond Beings in its Con…e, doth not engroſs the whole Eſſence of God, nor is it able to contain it; ſo he acknowledgeth, 1 Kings 8.27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee how much leſs this houſe that I have builded? And theſe are ſome ſtammering notions about the Infiniteneſs of the great GOD.
USE 1. THIS tells us what a glorious Object for …aith, JEHOVAH is. How ſutable an one he is for the Souls of men to place their affiance upon. He that is Infinite in his Eſſence, and unlimited in his perfections, that is Immenſe and Omnipreſent, muſt needs infinitely outdo every other Object whatſoever: whatſoever vain men put their truſt in is a finite good, but he is Infinite; a meaſurable good, but he is Immenſe; can be but in one place at once to help him; but he is Omnipreſent. Who then would not make choice of God to be his portion, and relirquiſh all others for him; how happy are they who have ſo done. Pſal. 144. ult. Happy is that people that is in ſuch a c…ſe: ye…, happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord Unlimited goodneſs is the portion of all thoſe: others may meaſure & ſum up their eſtate, but theſe never can
USE 2. HENCE God is greatly to be praiſed for this Attribute by all his People: It is the Pſalmiſts inference from his Obſervation, Pſal. 145.3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; and his greatneſs is unſearchable. We ſhould dwell upon the contemplation & acknowledgment of God's greatneſs. Great Princes uſe to have Panegyrick Orations made in commendation of their greatneſs; who are but poor inconſiderable things to him: and ſo doth the Prophet of him, Iſa. 40.15, 16, 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. And Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof ſufficient for a burnt-offering. All nations before him are as nothing, &c. One gloſſeth thus on the text, Were this great GOD ſacrificed to proportionably, all the Beaſts in Lebanon would not ſuffice for a burnt offering, nor all the Wood thereof for a fire to offer it on, nor all the Men in the world for a Prieſt! And it is good food for our faith to inſiſt much in contemplation of God's infinite greatneſs, and our intereſt in it.
USE 3. HENCE we ought to be very fearfull of committing ſecret Sins. The Infinite God is Omnipreſent. When a Heathen Philoſopher asked of a Chriſtian, Where is your God? His Anſwer was, Let me firſt underſtand from you where he is not. He is not only by his Power and Providence, but alſo by his Power and Providence, but alſo by his Eſſence Omnipreſent. It muſt therefore be a ſecret principle of Atheiſm in men, that makes them dare to commit that in ſecret, which they dare not do openly. Heathen have cautioned againſt it, becauſe Conſcience ſtands by; but here is that which may ſerve to put a greater awe upon our hearts, 1 Joh. 3.20. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. If Conſcience be as much as a thouſand Witneſſes, God is more than ten thouſand Conſciences: and God warns us againſt thinking him afar off, Jer. 23.23, 24. Am I a God at hand, ſaith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places that I ſhall not ſee him? ſaith the Lord: do not I fill heaven & earth? ſaith the Lord. Let every place we are in be a Bethel to us: think, God is in this place of a very truth! And let that make us very wary to our ſelves, what we think, ſpeak, or do, it all ſtands in the light of his Countenance, and he can bring it into open light, and lay it forth before the Sun.
USE 4. THIS alſo ſhould encourage ſecret duties. They cannot be loſt, the Infinite God being every where preſent, he ſtands by you when you pray in ſecret, hears every groan, regiſters every ſigh, bottles every tear: never fear being ſo private & retired as to be ſequeſt…ed from him: did we more credit, or more think of this Attribute of God, It would make us more active & cheerfull, in moſt cloſe and retired Services of God, and out of doubt this would be a bleſſed way wonderfully to promote intimate Communion between him and us.
USE 5. HENCE their miſery muſt needs be great, who have this God for their Enemy. As the man is, ſo is his ſtrength; to have the Infinite and Omnipreſent God engaged againſt a man for his ruin, is an infelicity that cannot be computed: as Infinite Mercy is the portion of thoſe that love him; ſo Infinite Wrath muſt fall upon all thoſe that hate him And this ſhould be a loud and awakening call to all, and you young ones in particular, to make haſte, and get as far as you can out of this danger, by ſeeking an Intereſt in Chriſt, and ſhrouding your ſelves under his ſhadow: till when, you ly open every moment to this wofull hazard, being by nature Children of wrath. Think then ſolemnly and frequently, what it is to fall into the hands of the Infinite GOD, Infinite in preſence, and Infinite in power, and I finite in revenging Juſtice; and can the danger you go in be leſs than Infinite?
USE 6. GOD's People ought then to expect to receive great things from him. Iſa. 45.11. Thus ſaith the Lord, the holy One of Iſrael, and his maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my ſons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. God loves to do all things like himſelf, to diſplay his Infinite greatneſs in all his works for his People. Have you this God for your God? Be not afraid to put up great Petitions, to ask great deliverances; and having ſo done, to expect and wait for great Salvations. Be not afraid of exhauſting his treaſures, or putting him beyond his ability: None ever could poze an Infinite God; be wary then of limiting the great GOD, do not ſet bounds to him, his People have ſometimes done ſo, and it hath provoked him; Pſal. 78.41. Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the holy One of Iſrael. They ſet him bounds who hath none, and that offended him: when Satan, or your own miſgiving hearts offer to undermine your faith, and make you to call in queſtion the poſſibility of the performance of any good word, that he hath given you to hope in, ſilence all again with this conſideration, It is not a finite Creature, but an Infinite God, that I have placed my hope upon.
[MAY 21.1689.]