without intermission or abatement, and that for ever; this is called,
_Seeing him as he is_, 1 John iii. 2. and being _with him where he is,
to behold his glory_, John xvii. 24. And in order hereto, their souls
shall be made capable or receptive hereof, by the removal not only of
all sinful but natural imperfections, and shall be more enlarged, as
well as have brighter discoveries of the divine glory: and this shall be
attended with a perfect freedom from all the consequences of sin; such
as sorrow, divine desertion, and the many evils that attend us in this
present life; as well as from all temptations to it. So that their
happiness shall be confirmed and secured to them, and that with this
advantage, that it shall be impossible for them to be dispossessed of
it. This is certainly the most desirable end, next to the glory of God,
that can be intended or pursued by us.[5]
III. This leads us to consider the connexion that there is between our
glorifying God and enjoyment of him. God has joined these two together,
so that one shall not be attained without the other. It is the highest
presumption to expect to be made happy with him for ever, without living
to his glory here. For in as much as heaven is a state of perfect
blessedness, they, who shall hereafter be possessed of it, must be
trained up, or made meet for it; which is the grand design of all the
means of grace. How preposterous would it be to suppose, that they, who
have no regard to the honour of God here, shall be crowned with glory,
honour, immortality, and eternal life, in his presence hereafter!
Therefore a life of holiness is absolutely necessary to the heavenly
blessedness; and since these two are so connected together, they who
experience the one, shall not fail of the other; for this is secured to
them by the faithfulness of God, who has promised to give _grace and
glory_, Psal. lxxxiv. 11. Therefore, _he who begins a good work in them,
will perform it_, Phil. i. 6. and give them _the end of their faith,
even the salvation of their souls_, 1 Pet. i. 8.
From the connexion that there is between our glorifying and enjoying
God, we may infer,
1. That it is a very preposterous thing for any one to assign this as a
mark of grace, that persons must be content to perish eternally, that
God may be glorified. It is true, it is alleged in favour of this
supposition, that Moses, and the apostle Paul, seem to give countenance
to it; one by saying, Exod. xxxii. 32. _If thou wilt forgive their sin;
and, if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast
written_; the other, Rom. ix. 3. _I could wish that myself were accursed
from Christ, for my brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh_.
But to this it may be answered, that Moses, in desiring to be blotted
out of the book which God had written, must not be supposed to be
willing to perish eternally for Israel’s sake; but he is content to be
blotted out of the book of the living, or to have his name no more
remembered on earth; and seems to decline the honour which God had
offered him, when he said, Exod. xxxii. 10. _Let me alone, that I may
consume them; and I will make of thee a great nation_; he desires not
the advancement of his own family, if Israel must cease to be a people,
to whom God had promised to be a God.
As for the apostle Paul’s wish, it is either, as some suppose, a rash
and inconsiderate flight of zeal for God, and so not warrantable, though
in some respects proceeding from a good principle; or rather, as I
humbly conceive the meaning is, he could wish himself accursed from
Christ, so far as is consistent with his love; or he is content to be
under the external marks of God’s displeasure; or deprived of the
comfortable sensation of his love, or many of those fruits and effects
thereof, which the believer enjoys in this life: for I cannot, in the
least, think he desires to be deprived of a real interest in it, or to
be eternally separated from Christ, on any condition whatsoever.[6]
2. Since the eternal enjoyment of God is one great end which we ought to
have in view, it is no sign of a mercenary spirit to have an eye to the
heavenly glory, to quicken us to duty; seeing this is promised by God to
those who are faithful, thus, Psal. lxxxiii. 24. _Thou shalt guide me
with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory_. The like promises
we have in many other scriptures, which are designed to excite our
desire and hope of this blessedness; therefore the exercise of these
graces, from such motives, is far from being unlawful: yea, it is
commended in the saints, who are said, Heb. xi. 16. to _desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly_. And Moses is commended for having the
_recompence of reward_ in view, when he preferred the _reproach of
Christ_ before the _treasures of Egypt_, ver. 26.
Nevertheless, when this respect to future blessedness is warrantable, it
must be considered as an expedient for our glorifying God, while we
behold his glory; and when we consider it as a reward, we must not look
upon it as what is merited by our service, or conferred in a way of
debt, but as a reward of grace, given freely to us, though founded on
the merits of Christ.
Footnote 4:
He who glorifies God intentionally, thereby promotes his own
happiness. Our enjoying God is glorifying him. The two objects
coalesce. Vide note on page 19.
Footnote 5:
The answer connected with this question makes the glorifying and
enjoyment but _one_ end; and thus the enjoyment is supposed to consist
in the glorifying God.
Footnote 6:
It is not probable that the idea of a _book of life_, which is not to
be understood literally, was at all in use in the days of Moses. The
term ηυχομην used by Paul is not hypothetical, but affirmative, and in
the past tense, _I did wish_, or rather _I was wishing_ to be
separated from Christ. The truth of this assertion no one, who is
acquainted with his history, can doubt; for he had been a persecutor.
Such a wish, made after he was a subject of saving grace, would have
been unnatural, irrelevant, impious and impossible. It has been
nevertheless, zealously contended by some learned and pious modern
divines that, “the benevolent person is disposed, and willing to give
up, and relinquish his own interest and happiness, when inconsistent
with the public good, or the greatest good of the whole.”[7] By
_benevolence_ they mean love to being in general, without regard to
any excellency in that being, “unless mere existence”[8] be such. In
this they place all virtue, and all religion. And that they may the
more clearly distinguish this species of love from that of
_complacency_ and _gratitude_, in which the party ever has his eye
upon his own advantage, they usually adopt the phrase _disinterested
benevolence_, yet not wholly discarding the idea of the party’s own
interest, but viewing it only on the general scale with that of all
other beings.
True holiness consists in a disposition, and suitable expressions of
it, in conformity to the _revealed will_ of God; so far as this
accords with the good of the whole, such benevolence will run parallel
with holiness; but every attempt to substitute any other rule of
action or ground of obligation than the authoritatively expressed will
of God, approaches the crime of idolatry. It is certainly a very high
stand we assume, when we profess to pass by all the amiableness, and
excellency of the divine character; and all his goodness, and mercy to
us; and to love his _being_ only together with created existences,
with the same independent, and dignified love of benevolence, which he
exercises towards his helpless creatures. All the displays of his
perfections and compassions seem designed rather to elicit the
affections of _complacency_ and _gratitude_. That the advantages of
religion in this world, and the next may be sought from selfish, and
mercenary views is a lamentable truth; but because carnal minds may
find their own destruction in aiming at the blessings which the
spiritual only can enjoy, this is no reason wherefore the saints
should not find their ultimate interest to accompany their duty in
every instance. Accordingly, for their encouragement, the blessings of
peace, and spiritual consolations here, and of eternal happiness, are
exhibited to their view in glowing colours. But this would not have
been done if it were essential to the character of their love, that
they should be willing to be _separated from Christ_. That we have by
nature a fearful propensity to earthly good, which is vain, illusory,
disgusting and debasing, must be acknowledged; and that we are
therefore required to _deny our_ natural _selves_ is known unto every
Christian. But it by no means results, that because we must turn away
from the temptations of _temporal things_, we may not aspire to those
blessings which are _spiritual and eternal_. God himself is eternally
happy in his _own self complacency_, and has encouraged us to expect
everlasting happiness from the same source. Jesus Christ, whose
benevolence towards us is an eternal appeal to our _gratitude_, which
supposes a regard to our own interest; in suffering death had respect
also to the joy which was set before him, and shall see of the travail
of his soul and shall be satisfied. Love is essential to duty, without
which it is forced, and cannot be deemed obedience in the view of him
who searches the heart. This has been noticed by the Saviour, but he
has omitted those distinctions, which are accounted so important in
modern times; yet his doctrines are _not less_ spiritual, than ours
after we have sublimated the gospel to the highest pitch of
refinement.
Footnote 7:
Dr. HOPKINS.
Footnote 8:
President EDWARDS.
Quest. II.
QUEST. II. _How doth it appear that there is a God?_
ANSW. The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare
that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only, do sufficiently
and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.
Before we enter on the proof of this important doctrine, let it be
premised, that we ought to be able to prove by arguments, or give a
reason of our belief that there is a God.
1. Because it is the foundation of all natural and revealed religion;
and therefore it must not be received merely by tradition, as though
there were no other reason why we believe it, but because others do so,
or because we have been instructed herein from our childhood; for that
is unbecoming the dignity and importance of the subject, and would be an
instance of great stupidity, especially seeing we have so full and
demonstrative an evidence thereof, taken from the whole frame of nature;
in which there is nothing but what affords an argument to confirm our
belief that there is a God.
2. There is a great deal of atheism in our hearts, by reason whereof we
are prone sometimes to call in question the being, perfections, and
providence of God. To which we may also add, that the Devil frequently
injects atheistical thoughts into our minds; which is a great affliction
to us, and renders it necessary that we should use all possible means
for our establishment in this great truth.
3. The abounding of atheism in the world, and the boldness of many in
arguing against this truth, renders it necessary that we should be able
to defend it, that we may stop the mouths of blasphemers, and so plead
the cause of God, and assert his being and perfections against those
that deny them; as Psal. xiv. 1. _The fool, who saith in his heart there
is no God._
4. This will greatly tend to establish our faith in those comfortable
truths that arise from our interest in him, and give us a more solid
foundation for our hope, as excited by his promises, which receive all
their force and virtue from those perfections which are implied in the
idea of a God.
5. This will make us set a due value on his works, by which we are led
to conclude his eternal power and Godhead, and so to admire him in them,
Job xxxvi. 24. _Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold._
We shall now consider those arguments mentioned in this answer, by which
the being of a God may be evinced; as,
I. From the light of nature in man, by which we understand that reason
which he is endowed with, whereby he is distinguished from, and rendered
superior to, all other creatures in this lower world, whereby he is able
to observe the connexion of things, and their dependence on one another,
and infer those consequences which may be deduced from thence. These
reasoning powers, indeed, are very much sullied, depraved, and weakened,
by our apostacy from God, but not wholly obliterated; so that there are
some remains thereof, which are common to all nations, whereby, without
the help of special revelation it may be known that there is a God.
But this either respects the principle of reasoning, which we were born
with, upon the account whereof infants are called intelligent creatures;
or the exercise thereof in a discursive way, in the adult, who only are
capable to discern this truth, which they do more or less, in proportion
to their natural capacity, as they make advances in the knowledge of
other things. Now for the proof of the being of a God from the light of
nature, let the following propositions be considered in their respective
order.
1. There hath been, for many ages past, a succession of creatures in the
world.[9]
2. These creatures could not make themselves, for that which is nothing
cannot act; if it makes itself, it acts before it exists; it acts as a
creator before it exists as a creature; and it must be, in the same
respect, both a cause and an effect, or it must be, and not be, at the
same time, than which nothing can be more absurd; therefore creatures
were made by another, upon which account we call them creatures.
3. These creatures could not make one another; for to create something
out of nothing, or out of matter altogether unfit to be made what is
produced out of it, is to act above the natural powers of the creature,
and contrary to the fixed laws of nature; and therefore is too great a
work for a creature, who can do nothing but in a natural way, even as an
artificer, though he can build an house with fit materials, yet he
cannot produce the matter out of which he builds it; nor can he build it
of matter unfit for his purpose, as water, fire, air, &c. All creatures
act within their own sphere, that is, in a natural way: but creation is
a supernatural work, and too great for a creature to perform; therefore
creatures cannot be supposed to have made one another.
4. If it was supposed possible for one creature to make another, then
superiors must have made inferiors; and so man, or some other
intelligent creature, must have made the world: but where is the
creature that ever pretended to this power or wisdom, so as to be called
_the Creator of the ends of the earth_.
5. If any creature could make itself, or other creatures of the same
species, why did he not preserve himself; for he that can give being to
himself, can certainly continue himself in being? or why did he not make
himself more perfect? Why did he make himself, and other creatures of
the same species, in such a condition, that they are always indigent, or
stand in need of support from other creatures.
Or farther, supposing the creature made himself, and all other things,
how comes it to pass that no one knows much of himself comparatively, or
other things? Does not he that makes things understand them? therefore
man could not make himself, or other creatures.
6. It follows therefore from hence, that there must be a God, who is the
first cause of all things, necessarily existing, and not depending on
the will of another, and by whose power all things exist; _Of him, and
through him, and to him are all things_, Rom. xi. 36. _In him we live,
and move, and have our being_, Acts xvii. 28.
Thus much concerning the more general method of reasoning, whereby the
light of nature evinces the being of a God; we proceed,
II. To consider more particularly how the being of God may be evinced
from his works. The cause is known by its effects; since therefore, as
was but now observed, creatures could not produce themselves, they must
be created by one who is not a creature.
Now, if there be no medium between God and the creature, or between
infinite and finite, between a self-existent or underived, and a derived
being; and if all creatures exist, as has been shewn, by the will and
power of their Creator, and so are finite and dependent; then it
follows, that there is one from whom they derived their being, and on
whom they depend for all things; that is, God. This is usually
illustrated by this similitude. Suppose we were cast on an unknown
island, and there saw houses built, but no men to inhabit them, should
we not conclude there had been some there that built them? Could the
stones and timber put themselves into that form in which they are? Or
could the beasts of the field build them, that are without
understanding? Or when we see a curious piece of workmanship, as a
watch, or a clock, perform all its motions in a regular way, can we
think the wheels came together by chance?[10] should we not conclude
that it was made by one of sufficient skill to frame and put them
together in that order, and give motion to them? _Shall the clay say to
him that fashioned it, What makest thou, or thy work, He hath no hands?_
Isa. xlv. 9.
This leads us to consider the wisdom of God in his works, which
demonstrates his being. This the Psalmist mentions with admiration,
Psal. civ. 24. _O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast thou
made them all!_ When we see letters put together, which make words or
sentences, and these a book, containing the greatest sense, and the
ideas joined together in the most beautiful order, should we not
conclude that some man, equal to this work, had put them together? Even
so the wisdom that shines forth in all the parts of the creation, proves
that there is a God. This appears,
In the exact harmony and subserviency of one part of the creation to
another, Hos. ii. 21, 22. _I will hear, saith the Lord; I will hear the
heavens, and they shall hear the earth. And the earth shall hear the
corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel._ One part
of this frame of nature ministers to another. Thus the sun, and other
heavenly bodies, give light to the world, which would be no better than
a cave or dungeon without them; and afford life and influence to plants
and trees; and maintain the life of all living creatures. The clouds
send down rain that moistens the earth, and makes it fruitful; and this
is not poured forth by whole oceans together, but by small drops, Job
xxxvi. 27. _He maketh small the drops of water; they pour down rain
according to the vapour thereof_; and these are not perpetual, for that
would tend to its destruction. The moist places of the earth, and the
sea supply the clouds with water, that they may have a sufficient store
to return again to it. The air fans and refreshes the earth, and is
necessary for the growth of all things, and the maintaining the life and
health of those that dwell therein. This subserviency of one thing to
another is without their own design or contrivance; for they are not
endowed with understanding or will; neither doth this depend on the will
of the creature. The sun doth not enlighten or give warmth to the world,
or the clouds or air refresh the earth at our pleasure; and therefore
all this is subject to the order and direction of one who is the God of
nature, who commands the sun, and it shineth, and the clouds to give
rain at his pleasure. It is he that gave the regular motion to the
heavenly bodies, and, by his wisdom, fixed and continues the various
seasons of the year, summer and winter, seed-time and harvest, day and
night, and every thing that tends to the beauty and harmony of nature;
therefore these curious, and never-enough to be admired, works, plainly
declare that there is a God. This is described with unparalleled
elegancy of style, Job xxxvii. 9, &c. _Out of the south cometh the
whirlwind; and cold out of the north. By the breath of God, frost is
given; and the breadth of the waters is straitened. Also by watering he
wearieth the thick cloud; he scattereth his bright cloud. Dost thou know
the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect
in knowledge? How thy garments are warm when he quieteth the earth by
the south-wind?_[11]
But that we may farther evince this truth, we shall lay down the
following arguments to prove the being of a God, which appears,
I. From those creatures that are endowed with a lower kind of life than
man.
1. No creature can produce a fly or the least insect, but according to
the fixed laws of nature; and that which we call life, or the principle
of their respective motion and actions, none but a God can give; so that
his being is plainly proved, from all living creatures below man, which
are subservient, many of them, to one another, and all to man, and that
not by our ordering; therefore this is done by the hand of him who is
the God of nature.
2. The natural instinct of living creatures, every one acting according
to its kind; and some of the smallest creatures producing things that no
human art can imitate, plainly proves a God. Thus the bird in building
its nest; the spider in framing its web; the bee in providing
store-houses for its honey; and the ant in those provisions which it
lays up in summer against winter; the silk-worm in providing cloathing
for man, and in being transformed into various shapes, and many others
of smaller sort of creatures, that act in a wonderful way, without the
exercise of reason or design, these all prove the being of God.
3. The greater, fiercer, or more formidable sort of living creatures, as
the lion, tiger, and other beasts of prey, are so ordered, that they fly
from man, whom they could easily devour, and avoid those cities and
places where men inhabit, that so we may dwell safely. They are not
chased into the woods by us; but these are allotted, as the places of
their residence by the God of nature.
4. Those living creatures that are most useful to men, and so subject to
them, _viz._ the horse, camel, and many others, these know not their own
strength, or power, to resist or rebel against them; which is ordered by
infinite wisdom: and there are many other instances of the like nature,
all which are very strong arguments to prove that there is a God, whose
glory shines forth in all his works.
II. From the structure of human bodies, in which respect we are said to
be fearfully and wonderfully made; this, if it be abstractedly
considered without regard to the fixed course and laws of nature,
exceeds the power and skill of all creatures, and can be no other than
the workmanship of a God, and therefore is a demonstration of his being
and perfections. No man ever pretended to give a specimen of his skill
therein. The finest statuaries or limners, who have imitated or given a
picture, or representation of human bodies, have not pretended to give
life or motion to them; herein their skill is baffled. The wisest men in
the world have confessed their ignorance of the way and manner of the
formation of human bodies; how they are framed in their first rudiments,
preserved and grow to perfection in the womb, and how they are
increased, nourished, and continued in their health, strength, and
vigour for many years. This has made the inquiries of the most
thoughtful men issue in admiration: herein we plainly see the power and
wisdom of God, to which alone it is owing.
Here it may be observed, that there are several things very wonderful in
the structure of human bodies, which farther evince this truth. As,
1. The organs of sense and speech.
2. The circulation of the blood, and the natural heat which is preserved
for many years together, of which there is no instance but in living
creatures. Even fire will consume and waste itself by degrees, and all
things, which have only acquired heat, will soon grow cold; but the
natural heat of the body of man is preserved in it as long as life is
continued.
3. The continual supply of animal spirits, and their subserviency to
sense and motion.[13]
4. The nerves, which, though small as threads, remain unbroken, though
every one of these small fibres performs its office, and tends to convey
strength and motion to the body.
5. The situation of the parts in their most proper place: the internal
parts, which would be ruined and destroyed if exposed to the injuries
that the external ones are: these are secured in proper inclosures, and
so preserved, Job x. 11. _Thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh, and
hast fenced me with bones and sinews._
6. All the parts of the body are so disposed, that they are fitted for
their respective uses, as being situate in those places which render
them most fit to perform their proper actions.