A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 19 (Question 4 cont.)
SERMON XIX.
2. GOD is Eternal. This is another Divine Quality attributed to him, and is alſo his Propriety. In cleering up which Attribute, we may firſt inquire what Eternity is, and then make it evident, that God is Eternal.
[1.] WE may take up the notion of this Attribute in this Deſcription; Eternity is God, without poſſibility of beginning, ſucceſſion or ending of time. The word is ſuppoſed to ſignify, beyond any term. This is alſo an Attribute appearing from the Eſſence of God, conſidered as the moſt abſolute firſt being. This alſo is a Negative Attribute, aſcribing a perfection to God, by removing an imperfection from him. The difference between the perfections of God, and thoſe of the Creature, which are the moſt noble, is in one reſpect diſcerned, in that his are immerſurate, whereas theirs may be meaſured. Now there are two ſorts of meaſures that may be applied to Creatures, and by which they may be comprehended, viz. Quantity and Duration: the former whereof is meaſured by place, the latter by time. Both of theſe are to be removed from, or denied to God; and becauſe we cannot graſp in our narrow and ſhort underſtanding theſe perfections poſitively, hence we are neceſſitated to aſcribe them to him negatively. In regard to the former of theſe we ſay he is Infinite, of which already; of the latter we declare him to be Eternal, which is now under conſideration: and becauſe the Attribute is negative, it will help to our right Contemplation of it, to conſider the nature of Time, the contrary negative to what is Eternity, and is beſt known by denying all the notions of time to it. Time then, is properly the meaſure or limit of the Creatures Duration. It is not eaſy to expreſs the true notion of time; it hath not any Eſſence or Exiſtence of it's own, but is an adjunct, or in ſome ſenſe a quality that belongs to all ſecond beings: it is therefore no where to be found by it ſelf, but always adhering to the thing as it's ſubject: it is, as it were, the regiſter of the Creatures Age: it tells us how long it hath been, and when it ceaſeth to be. There are three things in which the nature of Time is conceived of by us: or there are two Terms, and a Medium, which appertain unto it; and all bear a reſpect to the Creature, as the ſubject of them: viz.
1. IT hath a Beginning. Time is that which meets the Creature at its Origination; that which was not, muſt have a date ſet to its riſe and entity: and that is the firſt Article of time; hence, when we read of a Creation, we alſo read of a beginning, (Gen. 1.1.) which proves them to be the offspring of time.
2. IT hath a Succeſſion. Time is a meaſured duration; hence the Creatures duration is meaſured by it ſucceſſively; time is not all at once, but it flows by degrees: time is not a ſtanding, but a moving thing, and it is always in motion, without any ceſſation: on this account we have thoſe partly natural, and partly civil Months, Years, which ſerve to compute how long it is ſince the beginning of ſuch things exiſtence, or action, or by which we keep its Annals.
3. IT hath an Ending too. This is the Periodicall term of time, in reſpect to the Creature, when it hath gone thro' the ſtage of Action, and puts off its being again, then its time is at an end, and when there is no more of the thing, it lays off this reſpect too. Time keeps the Creature company, as long as it keeps its being, and then it leaves it.
NOW from the conſideration of theſe revolutions of time, we obſerve a threefold reſpect with … up … the thing: from whence if … into paſt, preſent and to come. … the time which the thing hath ru… … Exiſtence till the point in which it … paſt thro', and left it behind it. Time … is the ſeaſon juſt before the Creature … or that Individual moment of Exiſtence, which is juſt now in being. Time to come is that which remains of the allotted duration of it, till the laſt ſand be run out, and it ſhall have no more to do with this being or exiſtence. In theſe reſpects we ſay of the Creature, that yeſterday is gone, to day is preſent, to morrow is to come; and we can in no ſenſe bring yeſterday and to morrow to commence with to day. Hence alſo things are ſaid to be either young or old, according to the number of days or years that have gone over them ſince they entred upon the ſtage. Theſe are the more obſervable conſiderations about time; the negation of theſe things will tell us what Eternity is, or at leaſt what it is not; and when we apply them to any ſubject, we therein declare it to be Eternal. In the Deſcription therefore of God's Eternity, we remove from him all thoſe notions that are applicable to time. Hence there are three things in the Deſcription, which will engroſs all that hath been ſaid, by way of remotion.
(1.) THAT he is without Beginning, Succeſſion, or Ending of Time. His duration admits of none of theſe limitations, but excludes them all.
1. HE had no Beginning. As there never was a time when he was not, ſo neither could it ever …e …d that he began to be…. He is without Original; he never was a poſſible being, but was ever in Act: he never was in a ſtate of non-being, from whence he was to paſs into exiſtence, and for this reaſon is he called the Ancient of Days.
2. HE hath no Succeſſion. Their have no times paſſed over him, but he enjoys himſelf in an everlaſting NOW. Years, Months, Days and Hours cannot be aſcribed to him; it cannot be truly ſaid of Him, that he was, but that he IS: hence his name, I AM, and that of Chriſt, Joh. 8.58. Jeſus ſaid unto them, verily verily I ſay unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. He hath lived as many thouſand Years as he hath Days; for which reaſon the Scripture tells us, that with him there is no difference between one day and a thouſand years Pſal. 90.4. For a thouſand years in thy ſight are but as yesterday, when it is paſt, and as … …atch in the night. 2 Pet. 3.8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day. He hath in himſelf a full and perfect poſſeſſion of Everlaſting and interminable life, all at once, and hath no ſucceſſion of thoughts, notions, or viſions, but drinks up all his felicity at once and eternally.
3. HE hath no Ending. There never will come a time when his being will ceaſe; but he will be the ſame after Infinite Ages; hence he is ſaid to be from Everlaſting to Everlaſting, Pſal. 90.2.
AND from hence it follows further,
1 THAT there is nothing in him, that is paſt, preſent, or to come. For theſe are only the Aſpects of time upon the ſubjects of it; all things are therefore ſaid to be preſent before him. Eternity admits of no diviſions; it is a ſtanding thing: things fleet in reſpect of themſelves, but in reſpect to him, he ſees them in the ſame Everlaſting Inſtant; he looks neither backward nor forward; things paſt are preſent with him, and ſo are things to come; and therefore, as the notion of preſent hath regard to Succeſſion, it is not compatible to him
2. THAT he is before, after, and in all time. I confeſs theſe notions are improper, but they ſerve to hint ſomething of his Eternity to us: he is before time, for he made it; hence he is called the King of Ages, 1 Tim. 1.17. He is in all time; not as a ſubject of it, becauſe he co-exiſts with it; tho' it makes no Parentheſis in his Eternity; his being having no dependence upon it. Hence thoſe things are improperly aſcribed to him, Rev. 1.4. Which is, which …eas, and which is to come. And is after it, Iſai. 44.6. Thus ſaith the Lord,—I am the LAST.
3. THAT he cannot wax old. For what is it that denominates a thing old, but that it hath continued for a great tract of time? But God is never more ancient than himſelf, nor is he otherwiſe, than he was when he made the world; for he had then been from Eternity. The Scripture indeed ſometimes calls him the ancient of Days, and ſaith, there is no end of his years; but it is to ſute our Conceptions, which are incapable of thinking of Eternity, but only under the notion of an Infinite Time; but he who is not a ſubject of time cannot be old, becauſe age is meaſured by time.
(2.) THAT he is without poſſibility of Beginning, Succeſſion, or Ending of Time. And this is ſomething more than to be ſo: he not only lives forever; but he cannot dy: he is without any potentiality, or paſſive power; and ſo Chriſt came under the revolutions of time: which will be fully exhibited in the next particular.
3. ETERNITY is GOD, i. e. It is his alone Prerogative to be Eternal. It is a title which belongs to none but the Firſt Being: all other things are the offspring of time. But for our right underſtanding of this, we muſt a little diſtinguiſh of the different uſage of the word [Eternity] in Scripture. Sometimes it is uſed for a ſet period of time, which is of long continuance, but yet hath its date; ſo the word forever, and everlaſting, are uſed often in the Old Teſtament. He that ſerved till the Year of Ja…e, is ſaid to ſerve forever, (Exod. 21.6.) the Ceremonial ſtatutes are ſaid to be forever, (Numb 10.8.) and therefore, ſometimes a proper Eternity is diſtinguiſhed by the reduplication of theſe words, as forever & ever, and from Everlaſting to Everlaſting. Again, There are ſome Creatures, which are made for endleſs continuance, and are accordingly made without any ſeeds of Corruption in their Conſtitution: ſuch are all conſtant natures, as the Third Heaven, Angels, and the Scars of men: which, becauſe they ſhall actually abide forever, and have natures incapable of …ing, either by outward Created face, or any inward inclination to di…lut…ns, are therefore in a ſenſe ſaid to be Eternal, as being indeed actually Everlaſting. Yet there is a vaſt difference between the Everlaſtingneſs of theſe, and the Eternity of God. For,
1. THEY all of them had a beginning: They received their being by Creation. (Gen. 1.1.) of all ſecond beings it may be ſaid, that once they were not: Angels themſelves, as glorious as they now are, once were nothing, they are indeed full as old as time; time and they began at the ſame inſtant: hence they are called Suns of the morning: but follow them up by the meaſures of time, and you ſhall come to that moment when they firſt brake out of the womb of non-entity, and ſo are not properly eternal, which denies any Original.
2. THEY have a Succeſſion in their being. Their duration hath it's meaſures; they do not, cannot enjoy an Eternal …e; but it muſt be a continuing now. Being finite beings, all their adjuncts or qualities muſt have their meaſures, and conſequently their duration: hence ſome Divines have diſtinguiſhed of Eternity, and Eviternity; aſcribing the former to God, and the latter to theſe ever enduring Creatures; different from the former, in that it hath a succeſſion, which the other hath not: for tho' the Sun ſhall ceaſe to be, by whoſe revolutions we are wont to count up the preſent Ages, yet the continuance of the Creatures duration not ceaſing, its everlaſtingneſs muſt needs be progreſſive.
3. THEY have a paſſive power, rendring them capable alſo of an End: for tho' they have no tendency to mortality in their Natures, nor can the whole force of the Creation make any ſuch impreſſion on them, as to deſtroy their being; yet they are ſubject to him, who made them; and that God who created them, can alſo annihilate them; they are dependent Beings, and continue at the meer pleaſure of their Creator: who, as he ſpake the word, and they were made, ſo can ſpeak them back into nothing: yea, that they do not return to their nothing, is b… they are upheld by the word of his power, (Heb. 1.3.) And in this reſpect it is ſaid that he any hath Immortality. (1 Tim. 1.16.) they live on his Courteſy.
[2] FOR the evidencing of this Attribute, or making it appear that God is Eternal. Tho' Scripture-Teſtimony is enough to eſtabliſh an Article of Faith, (in which beſides, Pſal. 90.2. 92.8. 102.27. Joh. 8.78. there are many more) yet there are other Cogent Arguments, to evince it. God muſt needs be Eternal.
1. BECAUSE God is an abſolute and neceſſary Being, and with at all C…ſ…. Abſolute Being is Eternal: that which once was not, & now is, muſt have an Efficient to give being to it, it could not be its own Author; and hence all timed beings are Cauſate. Hence … his Eternity from his Abſolute being. Joh. 8.58. Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily verily I ſay unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
2. BECAUSE he was before time. and there was nothing before that but Eternity. If He was when no Created being was. He was before time; for this as we heard, is the menure of the Creatures duration, and is therefore inſeparable from it. God was before the World was, yea before that …bing or privation which was before it. Pſal. 139.16. Thine eyes did ſee my ſ…ſlance yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my members were w…ten which in continuance were ſa…i…d, wh…n as yet there was none of them. He ſaw the Creation in its non-entity, Prov. 8.23, 25, 26. I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. Before the meani…ins were ſettled; before the bills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the felds nor the higheſt …art of the duſt of the world. And ſhould it return to its nothingneſs again, he would be after it.
3. BECAUSE God made Time, and all the things that are the ſubjects of it. The Creator muſt needs be Eternal; for in Creating things, he created time; which is but an Adjunct of them, and the maker is before the thing that is made: all times are therefore ſaid to be in …s b…d, Pſal. 31.15.
4. IF He be Infinite, he muſt be Eternal, that he is ſo hath been already proved. That an Infinite being ſhould be of a finite duration is a contradiction; for what is Eternity but (if I may ſo ſay) an Infinite Time, or a continuance without Bounds.
5. IF he be Unchangeable, he muſt be Eternal. That he is ſo, will come nextly to be made good. This he cannot be except he be Eternal; for what greater change can there be than that which is from not being, to being: which he muſt have undergone, if he were not Eternal?
6. IF God were not Eternal, then muſt he be Originated, and that muſt be either by Creation or Gen…ration: in either of theſe ways he muſt have an …ſſ…i…nt, or ſome Author that muſt give him his being: but he is beholden to none. Rom. 11.35. Or who hath firſt given to him, and it ſhall be recompenſed unto him again? yea THAT would be God and not HE. Yea, ſo he would be a ſubject capable either of Annihilation, or Corruption, which is the Imperfection of things created or generated; but God is neither way expoſed, but is a ſtanding Being: for his Name is, I AM. Gen. 2.14.
USE 1. HERE we ſet what a vaſt diſproportion there is between God and the Creature. Of him, and him only can it be ſaid, From everlaſting to everlaſting then art God! He gave beginning to all things; himſelf alone is without beginning: The beſt of Men are but of Yeſterday, and know not where they ſhall be to morrow, (Job 8.9.) all Creatures had an Original: all but ſome few ſhall have a diſſolution: and how infinitely diſtant muſt he, who is the Father of Eternity, be from them that are the Children of Time?
USE 2. SEE here the reaſon why the Church of God ſtands in all Ages. It is becauſe they have a God who is Eternal, who hath undertaken for them: This therefore is declared to be the happy Priviledge of his People in Deut. 22 27. The eternal God is thy refuge—. For, becauſe he is, therefore all his Perfections are Eternal, Iſa. 59.1. their refuge therefore abides, and as long as their r…k lives, how can they be miſerable? becauſe their God can never ceaſe to be, they can never want a refuge.
USE 3. LEARN hence how fearful a thing is muſt be for any to have this God for their Enemy. When the Apoſtle would ſet forth their woful infelicity, he mentions him under the title of the living God, Heb 10.31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Living intends his Eternity When God himſelf ſpeaks of taking Vengeance on Sinners, to make the threatning the more amazing. He puts them in mind of this Attribute. P…al. 32.40. For if he be eternal, then muſt their Plagues be endleſs. For as long as he and they abide, they muſt expect to have him for their Enemy. And this may well put Sinners into Conſternation, and make them to ſay as Iſa. 33.14. — Who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting be…rnings? And let this be a loud and awakening call to ſuch as are in their natural ſtate, to make haſt to get their Peace made with this God, left you fall under the Impreſſions of his Wrath, which when once it is kindled into a fire againſt you, will never go out again, but being blown up by the breath of an Everlaſting God, will burn without end; beware of falling into his hands, except you would have eternal Miſery to be your portion.
USE 4. THIS may teach us whither to go for Eternal Life, and ſhew us the great folly of all thoſe who go for it elſewhere. Here is an Object eternally good, and eternally great. Well might the Diſciples ſtay with Chriſt for this reaſon, when others went away from him, Job 6 All other Objects of truſt are temporary, and for that very cauſe muſt ſooner or later fail to crown the expectations of thoſe that rely upon them; they are … …roduct of time, and can give no title to Eternity: how then can they be ſuitable and ſufficient for the felicity of the children of Men. Remember, you have an Immortal Subſtance in you, and were made for an Everlaſting duration; and if you have not … Object what … …b…e forever, your hope and happineſs muſt expire, & endleſs Miſeries abide you: Make haſt then to get a title to the Love and Favour of this God: and remember it muſt be done now. Young ones, you ſtand on the brink of Eternity, the leaſt touch will put you over into it, make ſure then before it he too late, that …e is yours, ſo ſhall everlaſting mercies be your Inheritance.
USE 5. LET me here Congratulate the Admirable happineſs of all thoſe who have made this God their truſt. It is a poor …elicity that is ſpun out no farther then the thread of a frail life, and greater is not to be had among all creatures; for they cannot beſtow that which they have not: but they whoſe faith is …u…t upon jehovah, have eternal happineſs: He wi…l ſave you with an everlaſting Salvation; he hath everlaſting ſtrength to perform it for you, Iſa. 26.4 — In the …ord Jehovah in everlaſting ſtrength. And he hath everlaſting love to beſtow upon you, Jer. 21.3. — I have loved thee with an everlaſting love. And he hath everlaſting mercies to conferr, Pſal. 103.17. — The mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him — Rejoice then in your portion, becauſe being infinite you can feel no want in the fruition of it, ſo being everlaſting, you can never be deſerted by it, nor will it ever fail, how then can you choſe but be bleſſed by it forever, even world without end!
[JUNE 18. 1689.]