A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 33 (Question 8)
SERMON XXXIII.
QUESTION VIII.
HOW d…b GOD Execute His Decrees?
ANSWER.
GOD Executeth his Decrees in the Works of Creation, and Providence.
WE have heard, That the Decrees of God relate to ſuch things as come to paſs in Time; in this Decree therefore we are to conſider its Conſtitution, and its Exec…: … former hath been taken notice of under the foregoing Queſtion; the latter comprehends in it the whole Work of Efficiency; a Distribution of which out preſent Anſwer affords us; and gives us the occaſion to look into the thing it ſelf, whereof this Diſtribution is made, …e. God's Efficiency; of which take this Deſcription: IT is that whereby God worketh things, & …li in …l…bengs. What God fore-ordained in his Decree, that be brings to paſs in his Works; theſe therefore are of an equal latitude. Efficiency ſignifies the thorough doing of a thing. Every Being or Thing is a Work of God, and claim's Him for the doer of it.
I. CONCERNING the general Nature of Efficiency, take theſe Concluſions.
1. THE Efficient is a Cauſe from which the thing is. For he communicates his Vertue unto the Effect. As Chriſt once ſaid, Vertue is gone …t from me; ſo God, in all his Works, ſends out Vertue from Himſelf, and communicates it to the Creature; ſo that all things are vert… ally in Him as their Efficient cauſe; as, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and thro' him, and to him … all things—.
2. THE Work of the Efficient is to Prepare the Matter, bring in the Form, and Finiſh the Thing; ſo making it fit for the attainment of his End. Thus …s ſee in Artificial Works, as of the Carpenter in building an Houſe; &c. And thus God doth Work Artificially in all the things that be doth.
3. EFFICIENCY is not an Immanent Act remaining in God, but Tranſient, falling upon an external Subject, and leaving an Impreſſion or Change upon that. This Act leaves no Change in God; He is the ſame he was; it only adds a Relation to Him, which he bears to the Effect; the only Change is in the Subject, which by it paſſeth from Not-being, to Being; and ſo to ſuch a Being.
II. AS to the ſpecial Nature of Efficiency, take theſe two things, in the Deſcription.
1. IT is that whereby God Works All things. He Works all kinds of things, great and ſmall: His Finger is in every thing; there is nothing done in the World but he is the doer of it, Eph. 1.11. — He worketh all things —. If we look all ev… the World, and ſee any thing effected or made: any operation wr…g… or thing brought to paſs: we may ſay as the …g…ians once. This is the Finges of …nd. … had his …a…d in it, or it had never been done.
2. NOT only … but he Works Aſt … …l things: 1 Cor. 12.6. … the ſome God, which worketh all i… … i. e. The …ole Efficiency of all things Depends upon the Firſt Cauſe; not only as to their Subſtantial Beings, but alſo as to the real Circumſtances thereof, Iſa. 45.7. I form the Light; and create Darkneſs: I make Fence, and create Ex…l; I the Lord … all theſe things. All that concerns the Time, Place, Event, Succeſs, &c. are ordered and wrought by Him; He himſelf drives the great a… whoſe Trade of all the World; being the Cauſe of all Cauſes, and Firſt mover of every thing that moves; Acts 17.2…. In Him we live, were …nd have …ur being.
NOW that God is ſuch an Efficient is worth our proving, that ſo our Faith being ſend … upon it, may make ſutable Improvement of …o great and momentous a Truth: and this will …ppear if we conſider.
1. THAT all Beings or Things are l…e… …tical, they can do nothing without the conco…ſe of His Power & Efficiency. If we ſpeak of them, as Not being; (and once they were not) what can, what could the thing. (having no Exiſtence, not any remote principle of Eſſence,) contribute to its own Being, then it never thought of it ſelf, not was any thing; not having ſo much as a Material Cauſe, out of which it might be made? Or if we ſpeal: of the Creatures … ready Made, being now is Act; there is a firſt Mover and Cauſe of their Actions and Operations about themſelves without which they can do nothing: All Creatures are dead Cyphers, of no ſignification, except the Influence of God adds a Figure to them; if He mov…s them not, they ly dead, and cannot ſtir; they are as Pictures and Idols, that can let out no Efficacy, except he acts upon them. Sometimes the Sea flows not, and Sun ſhines not, the Fire doth not burn: and the Reaſon is becauſe he withdraws His Efficacy from them; they are all nothing and vanity; Iſa. 40.17. All nations before him are us nothing, and they are courted to him ſeft than nothing, and vanity.
2. IF we conſider His Sovereign Acting and Oratring of every Motion of the Creature, and that whether Natural or Moral. Here mind two things:
(1.) HE can Interpoſe & Prevent the Motion of the Creature, when He Will. That he doth ſo, ſhews that he can; & we have Inſtances ſufficient for it; See for this, Job 9.7. He commandeth the Sun, and it riſeth not; and ſea…eth up the St…s. Pſal. 106.9. He rebuked the Red Sea elſe, and it was dryed up. Many ſuch Acts as theſe have been done at the Exerciſe of the Faith of his People; divers whereof are montioned in Heb. 11. particularly v. 33, 34.
(2.) THE Creatures, when they do act, are always at His Command. They do juſt what He bids them, and no more, or otherwiſe: Pſal. 78.26. He cauſed on east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the ſouth…ind, &c. He is therefore ſaid to be the Father of all theſe Effects, Job 38.18, 29. Hath the rain a father? or who bath begotten the drops of the d…? Out of whoſe too…b came the Ice? and the hoary froſt of heaven, who bath gendred it? And they all are at his Word, and fulfill it, Ver. 31. Pſal. 148.8. And how can this be aſcribed to Him, but in regard of His prevalent and predetermining Efficiency? He who doth this, muſt needs be acknowledged the Firſt Mover.
3. IF we take a particular Account of things, we ſhall diſcern that this Efficiency is in them all, and that their whole Dependance is upon it. And this will appear, hoth,
1. IN the Production of all things. Whatſoever is made, He made it. All things are the Workmanſhip of His Hands, Effects which he hath produced by the Word of his Power, Gen. …1.1 Iſa. 40.26. & 41.4. He made us, and not we ourſelves. If we were made, we had a Maker, and there was none could make the Creature but He; beſides whom there was none, when the Creature was not. And,
2. IN the Ordering of Management of the things that are produced by Him. In all the carrying on of the Affairs of the whole World, He is All in All; and his Hand is in every thing:
(1.) IN the very Smalleſt things that are. There is not ſo much as a Sparrow falls to the ground, but it is according as He diſpoſeth it, it is not without Him; and the very Hairs of our head are all numbred by Him Matth. 10.29, 30 There is not a Goard grows, nor a Worm that eats it, but it is according as he Orders it; Jonah 4.6, 7. He hath an Hand in the very Birds building their Neſts, and diſpoſeth thereof as he pleaſeth. Pſal. 104.17, 18
(2.) IN the Greateſt things that are. As the Leaſt are not beneath Him, ſo the Greateſt are not above Him: All the high Wheels in the World are turned about by his Hand. All the tranſlations of Kingdoms, deſolations brought upon Dominions, and ruefull verſions of Thrones, are the work of his Pleaſure; He doth all this; Jer. 27.5 6, 7. Dan. 4.32.1 Sam. 2.5, 6. All the riſings and fallings of great Men are done by Him; Iſa. 40.20, 23. Pſal. 76.12. He ſhall cut off he ſpirit of Princes, He is terrible to the Kings of the earth.
(3.) IN the moſt Eventuous things that be. Things which ſeem to us to be moſt Caſual, and to have no pre-diſpoſal, He is the determining Agent in all theſe. We may inſtance in Lots; Men caſt them, and there is a Contingency in them; as to any thing in ſecond Cauſes, there is no Diſecretion of the Creature in the direction of them; yet are theſe wiſely over-ruled by Him, and he makes them Decide matters juſt as he had before Purpoſed; Prov. 16.33. The Lot is caſt into the jap, but the whole diſpoſing thereof is of the Lord. Thus the Lot fell upon …chan, upon Saul, &c. And this alſo is eminent in the Determination He puts upon things that are done without Counſel, to make them ſo fulfill his Counſel; thus in the Arrow that ſlow Abah, 1 Kings 23.34. God is ſaid to deliver a Man into his hand, that kills another accidentally, …xed. 21.13.
(4.) IN all the Evils that do befall the Children of Men: God challengeth this to himſelf, Amos 3.6. Shall there he Evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? And the things that are moſt Eventuous in themſelves, yet they are Purpoſely and Deliberate y done by God; and He Connected all the things which produce ſuch an Event. If a Tile fall from a Houſe, and ſlay a Man, God brought him thither in the inſtant. And indeed, it all theſe things are fore appointed by God, … we before heard proved; then He hath an hand in the fulfilling of his Purpoſe; & this Joh gives Him the free Acknowledgment of, in every thing that he met withal; Joh 23.14. For … performeth the thing that is appointed for me.
(5.) IN the diſpoſing of the freeſt Actions of the freeſt Creatures, viz. Angels and Men. Theſe are Cauſes by Counſel, of their own Actions; they have a free Will of their own, but yet He doth all here too. He preſerves this Will of theirs, or elſe it could not exert it ſelf at all; and He inclines it too, to be ſure to all that is Good; there is never a good motion in it, but He put it in, Pſal. 119.33, 34. Yea He hath an hand alſo about Sin, though with out Sin: He hardens the heart, and blinds the Mind; Exod. 14.8. and Rom. 11.8. God ha… given them the Spirit of ſlumber, Eyes that they ſhould not ſee. He uſeth them as Tools, or Inſtruments, to Work his Pleaſure by, in the World, and makes their Wrath ſerve his Praiſe &c. Pſal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee—. They mean one thing, and He another; and whilſt they purſue their own Deſigns, they only Accompliſh His; Iſa. 10 6.1. I will ſend him againſt an hypocritical nations and againſt the people of my wrath will I give h… a charge to take the ſpoil, and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the ſtreets. Howbeit, be meaneth not ſo —. And if all theſe Works belong to God, then needs muſt Al-ſufficiency belong to Him; He muſt be Acknowledged to Work all, and in all. And it is … be obſerved, that in all things, God keeps His Eye fixt upon His Decree: Efficiency is nothing elſe but His executing of that; it doth neither more, nor leſs, nor otherwiſe. He is ſaid to do whatſoever he willed or pleaſed, which Will or Pleaſure of His is not an occaſional thing, as Men's Pleaſures are: but it is Himſelf, from Eternity, Fixed, and Immutable; which is His Decree.
NOW our Anſwer given us a full, general Diſtribution of this Efficiency, giving us the two Heads, to which all that can be mentioned, as relating to it, muſt be reduced. All the External Works of God belong hither; God gives a le…ng to all things that are; and having made them He takes Care of them, and Provides for them, Orders and manageth them to the Ends and Porpoſes they were made for. The Creature could not make it ſelf; a meet Nonentity could not reduce it ſelf into a Being, but muſt have remained Nothing for ever, if he had not given it Exiſtence: and when it is made, it is as little able to Maintain its own Being; the ſame hand that produced it, muſt ſet a ſecond hand to it, or elſe it will return again into Nothing; and under theſe two we ſhall find all the Works of God. A diſtinct inquiry into each of theſe will be afforded us in purſuance of the following Queſtions; which will afterwards come under our conſideration.
USE 1. HENCE, It is a ſafe and good way to root Arberſm out of our hearts; and confirm us in the Belief that there is a God, to ſtudy much the Dodrine of Efficiency. The Apoſtle tells us, That the inviſible God, is ſeen and known by viſible things, i. e. Acts of Creation and Providence, Rom. 1.19, 20. And the Pſalmift read the Declaration of His God-head in His Works, Pſal. 86 10. For thou art great and …oeſt wondrous things: thou art God alone. There are glorious, mighty and powerful Works wrought which claim no leſs Wiſdom and Power than that of a God to bring them about. The Production of. World, ſo framed and made; ſo great, ſo many, and ſo curious Beings produced, and all out of Nothing; the great Revolutions and Changes in the World, the wonderful ſecret movings of thoſe great Wheels; the Concurrence of all things to the bringing about Eternal Projects: Did but the Atheiſt read theſe things over in his mind, and well conſider of them, he muſt ſay, the Finger of God, (not Nature, nor Chance, but the God of Nature,) is in all theſe things; and the hearts of Chriſtians would be greatly ſetled againſt all the Temptations to doubt of the Being of God by this Conſideration.
USE 2. HENCE There is much of God to be ſeen in all the Works which we daily ſee done in the World. Something of God appears in all; there is no Work which He is not in, no Action which he Orders not; and that, not as a bare Spectator or Superviſor, but an Agent in all. We ſee and hear of many wonderful Providences, ſtrange Changes that are brought about, ſtupendous Effects which non-plus our Underſtandings in the enquiry after the Cauſes of them: Now, who, or whatever be the Inſtrument, He is the Efficient; and this is to be obſerved in every Paſſage, whether of Kindneſs ſhewn us, or Injury done to us, it is the Lord, he bids Shimet to Curſe David; and this may teach us to Adore and Worſhip Him in all, and to ſit down quieted under whatſoever befalls us, ſaying with him, Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, I opened not my muth, becauſe thou didſt it.
USE 3. LEARN hence, That it is the Chriſtians Duty to dwell much in the Contemplation of the Efficiency of God. Pſal. 66.5. Come and ſee the works of God. Pſal. 77.11.12. I will remember the works of the Lord: ſurely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate of all thy works. Gods Works help his People to Work, in the reviewing of them: And this will ſerve both to keep the Mind in a Spiritual frame, admiring at the Glory of God, declared in His Works; and to help them to carry it reverently, and fearfully before Him, keeping up an high eſteem of Him in their hearts: (All low and mean thoughts of God, proceeding from a want of conſidering his Works,) and keeping their Souls humble, when by diſcovering His Infinite Greatneſs, in the great things that he hath done, they are effectually convinced of their own Littleneſs, yea Nothingneſs; that humbled Job, Chap. 38. with 40.41. & 42 5, 6.
USE 4 HENCE God is to be ſought to, to work all our works in us, and for us: We, alas! can do nothing of our ſelves; and yet we have great Duties lying upon us, but are without Strength; our Operations depend upon him; Phil. 2.13. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleaſure. Joh. 15.5. — Without me, ye can do nothing. He muſt ſet our Wheels on going, elſe they ſtand ſtill.
USE 5. HERE is the Reaſon, why the Saints ſhall never fail in their Works; becauſe they have an Intereſt in, and Aſſistance from Him, who works all things according to the Counſel of His Will. Chriſt, who is all, and in all, dwells in them and helps them; the Spirit, who is God, hath made them his Temple, how then ſhall they fail
USE 6. LET this then encourage Faith in God, for the accompliſhment of every Promiſe, and direct us to give to God the acknowledgment of all the Performances of them. When God would eſtabliſh His People's Faith. He leads them hither, Iſa. 45.11, 12. Thus ſaith the Lord, the Holy One of Iſrael, and his Maker, ask me of things to come, concerning my ſons; I have made the Earth, and Created Man upon it, &c. And when Paul would draw us to give God all Praiſe he points us to this, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and thro' him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
[AUGUST 12. 1690.]