A treatise of divinity consisting of three bookes : The first of which handling the Scripture or Word of God, treateth of its divine authority, the canonicall bookes, the authenticall edition, and severall versions, the end, properties, and interpretation of Scripture : The second handling God sheweth that there is a God, and what he is, in his essence and several attributes, and likewise the distinction of persons in the divine essence : The third handleth the three principall works of God, decree, creation and providence / by Edward Leigh ...

CHAP. XV.

FRom all these before-mentioned Attributes ariseth the Glory or Majesty of God, which is the infinite excellency of the Divine essence, Heb. 1. 3. Exod. 33. 18. Psalm 29. 9. This

is called the face of God, Exod. 33. 20. and light inaccessible, 1 Tim. 6. 16. which to acknowledge perfectly belongs to God alone, yet the revelation and obscurer vision thereof is granted to us in this life by the ministery of those things which are seen and heard,* 1.1 the clearer in the life to come,* 1.2 where we shall see God face to face,* 1.3 1 Cor. 13. 12. Matth. 18. 10.* 1.4

God is and ever shall be exceeding Glorious, Exod. 15. 11. Deut. 28. 58.

Glory is sometime taken for outward lustre and shining,* 1.5 as one glory of the Sunne; sometimes for outward decking and adorning as long haire is a glory to a woman; but the proper signification of it is, excellent estimation by which one is pre∣ferred before others.

Glory is used metonymically for that which is the ground and matter of glory, as Prov. 19. 11. & 20. 29. Sometimes the glory of God signifieth the very essence and nature of God, as Exod. 33. 18. Sometimes it is used to signifie some of Gods At∣tributes, Ephes. 1. 12. that is, his grace and good will, by shew∣ing forth of which he makes himselfe glorious. Sometimes it is put for some worke of God which is great and marvel∣lous, John 11. 40. that is, the grace and powerfull worke of God in raising up thy brother Lazarus unto life againe, Exod. 25. 16. & 40. 35. that is, some extraordinary splendor, as R. Moses expounds it, which God created, thereby to shew forth his magnificence and glory.

Glory is taken essentially, as it signifieth the nature and attributes of of God; or else respectively, as it signifieth the acknowledgement and celebration of his Majesty, and this is called properly glorification; this may have more or lesse.

Or secondly, much to the same purpose, the glory of God may be taken two waies:

1 For the inward excellency and worth whereby he deserves to be esteemed and praised.

2 For the actuall acknowleding of it, for glory is de∣fined a cleare and manifest knowledge of anothers excel∣cellency;

therefore the glory of God is two-fold.

First, Internall, which is againe twofold.

1 Objective, that glory of God is the excellency of his Divine nature, for such is his Majesty and excellency, that he is infinitely worthy to be praised, admired and loved of all.

2 Formall, is his owne knowledge, love, and delight in himselfe; for this is infinitely more the glory of God, that he is knowne and beloved of himselfe, then that he is lo∣ved and praised by all creatures, Men or Angels, bec••use this argueth an infinite worth in Gods own nature, that an infinite love and delight is satisfied with it

God hath this kind of glory objectiv and formall, most fully even from all eternity; therefore when he is said to make all things for himselfe or his glory, it is not meant of this inward glory, as if he could have more of that.

Secondly, Externall; and that againe

1 By way of object, viz. when he made the Heavens and Earth, and all these glorious creatures here below, which are said to shew forth his glory, Psalm 19. that is, objectively, they are the effects of his glorious wisdom•• and power, and so become objects of mens and Angels praises of him; and as the glory of men consists in outward ornaments, so Gods glory consists in having such creatures, men and Angels to be his followers.

2 Formall, when men and Angels doe know, love, and obey him, and praise him to all eternity.

The Scriptures every where extoll the Majesty and glory of God.

1 Essentially, when it cals God Great, Most high, Glorious, Acts 7. 2. The God of glory, King of glory, Psalm 24▪ 8. Father of glory, Ephes. 1. 17.

2 Efficaciously, when it affirmeth that all the earth is full of the glory of God, Esay 6. 3. and propounds the glorious and wonderfull workes of God to be considered by us, Exod. 32. 18. He meanes he will shew him so much of his glory as it is possible for a creature to behold and live, we can not be∣hold the fulnesse of it.

God is glorious in his nature, 1 Cor. 11. 7. his glory obscu∣reth all other glory, Esay▪ 6. 2. Gen. 18. 17. 1 King. 10. 13.

His glory is manifested

1 Extraordinarily in the cloud,* 1.6 in apparitions and visions.

2 Ordinarily in his word and workes.* 1.7 The Law sets forth the glory of his justice, and the Gospell that of his mercy, 2 Cor. 3. 8. it is called his glorious Gospel, Luke 2. 14.

All his workes set forth his glory, both those of creation and preservation or providence, Psalm 19. the whole creation must needs shew forth his glorious power and wisdome, the souud is said to goe over all the world, that is, al•• creatures must needs gather, that if the Heavens be such glorious Hea∣vens, the Sunne so glorious a Sunne, how much more must that God be a glorious God who is the authour and worker of them.

God is glorious in all his workes upon the hearts of belie∣vers, he puts a glory upon them, so that in this sence he is effectually glorious, Ephes. 5. a glorious Church, and Psalm 43. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; this glory is grace when God makes one holy, heavenly-minded, meeke, zealous; hereafter we shall have glorious bodies and soules.

God made all things for his glory, for of him and to him are all things, Rom. 11. All the unreasonable creatures are for Gods glory.

1 In that they are serviceable to man, for herein God is glorified in that they can accomplish those ends for which they were made, and that is for man, Gen. 1. the Sunne and Starres are for him as well as creeping things; these creatures are for a twofold use.

1 To give him habitation and to be meanes of his corpo∣real life.

2 To be continuall quickners of him, to praise Gods glo∣rious power and wisdome; God is said Acts 4. not to leave himselfe without witnesse; the reasonable creatures are made chiefly for his glory, because they know and love him.

That God is Glorious appeares

1 God hath made many of his creatures glorious, Dan. 10. 8.

so there is one glory of the Sunne, another of the Moone; the King clad with gorgeous attire, and being arrayed with the Ensignes of his Soveraignty is glorious, so Salomon.

2 This glory shall continue for ever because God hath it from himselfe, and derived it not from another. He is a perfect being, independent, all things are under him; the inferiour can not worke without the superiour.

There is a double glory in things.

1 Inherent in themselves,* 1.8 which is partly visible as that of the Sunne; partly intelligible, an excellency in a thing which affects the understanding.

2 From without, given by others; so there is a kinde of glory and excellency in some precious stones which affect a man with a kind of wondering; so in an Angell a great shi∣ning, as in that which appeared to Zachary; so in the vision that Paul saw, and when God appeared to Moses.

There is an inward glory standing in being worthy of high∣est esteeme, and an outward glory standing in being highly ac∣counted of; God is worthy to be esteemed above all, and is so by the holy.

The chiefest and highest cause of any benefit shewd to us, is not our selves, but the name of God, even his glory, and the cleare declaration of his owne excellencies, Ezek. 20 9. 14. 22. Psalm 25. 1. Ezek. 36. 22.

Reas. 1 The thing which induced God to make all things, must needs be the cause of all other benefits bestowed after the creation; now he made all things for himselfe and his owne name; for neither had they any being, nor could they have any before, and therefore could not be any moving cause to their owne creation, therefore neither to doe any other thing.

2 All creatures are nothing, and lesse then nothing in com∣parison of God, therefore he could not by them be moved to worke any thing, but doth it for his owne names sake. Things meane and triflng are not fit to be the highest end of an excel∣lent worke. God is most high and glorious, and all creatures are lesse then nothing before him, therefore himselfe must be moved by himselfe, not by them chiefly to doe any

thing for them. For as God hath no efficient, materiall; or formall cause at all, but is to himselfe instead of all these, be∣cause he is of himselfe, so neither can he have any finall cause but himselfe. For if he have any other end then himselfe, that is, his own glory, he were some way dependent upon some o∣ther thing which is impossible.

If it be objected, how is it said then, that God doth this or that for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobs sake, as often Moses pres∣seth him in his prayers. The answer is, he lookes upon them still in subordination to his owne name, so that they are mo∣tives but in reference to his name, and no otherwise. He glori∣fieth himselfe, and aimeth at his own glory, in keeping cove∣nant and promise with them.

Gods glory is the end of predestination, both reprobation, Prov. 16. 1. and election, Ephes. 1. 5, 6. of the creation and ad∣ministration of all things, Rom. 11. 36. of all benefits obtained in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. and should be of all our actions, 1 Cor 10. 35.

Quest. Whether the infinite glory which God hath as God, be communicated to Christs humane nature.

Answ. That being a creature can not have that glory which is due to the Creator. It is true Christ is infinitely to be glori∣fied, because he is God and man, but not therefore his humane nature. Our Divines distinguish between a glory meerely di∣vine, and a Mediators glory, which is next to divine, far above all creatures.

Ob. Christ prayed for the glory which he had before the beginning.* 1.9

Sol. Christ had it in decree and predestination, and that was not Gods essentiall glory, which is a property, for he requires he may have it now, which could not be if he had it from eternity.

We glorifie God not by putting any excellency into him, but by taking notice of his excellency, and esteeming him ac∣cordingly, and making manifest this our high esteem of him. There is a twofold glory.

1 Essentiall, infinite, everlasting; this is called gloria, it

receives neither addition nor diminution by any created power.

2 Accidentall, finite, temporary, called glorificatio; this ebs or flowes, shines, or is overshadowed, as goodnesse or grace∣lesnesse prevailes in the world.

It serves

1 To shew the vilenesse and basenesse of all wicked men which oppose Gods glory,* 1.10 and strive to obscure it, dishonour this glorious God, setting light by him in their hearts, and blaspheming him with their tongues; a sinner in sinning lifts up himselfe above God, preferring his own wisdome before Gods, and his will before his; therefore David worthily con∣cludes the 104 Psalme with an imprecation against sinners, God will gaine glory of them in despight of their hearts by magnifying his justice.

2 We should labour to partake of Gods Image, that we might be partakers of his glory; we must earnestly desire that Gods glory may be communicated to us, that he would send forth his Spirit of glory to rest upon us, by which meanes we shall commend our selves to God, Christ, the Angels and Saints, and our owne consciences.

3 We must learne to contemplate the glory of God with admiration; by this one principally differs from a beast. He hath not a capacity to behold the excellency of God,* 1.11 the Saints in Heaven are even taken up and filled with beholding Gods glory; set your eyes round about to behold Gods workes and his glory in them, so as you may admire God, this will make your soules to enjoy God. Paul saith, In the mystery of the Gospell we behold as in a glasse the glory of God; be much in this exercise.

4 We must long to goe out of this world to behold Gods glory* 1.12 fully, Jobn 17. 24. raise up your hearts to heavenly de∣sires, wish earnestly to be in Heaven. Every one would be willing to goe to Heaven when he dieth, but we must desire to leave this life to goe thither.

5 This should comfort us

1 Against reproaches and contempt in the world;* 1.13 if God be glorified, we must sacrifice our names as well as our lives to him.

2 Against death, then we shall no more dishonour God.

3 The day of judgement should be longed for, because it is Gods glorious day, 2 Thess. 1. 10. we run to glorious sights on earth, as the Queen of Sheba.

6 We should ascribe all glory to God, the fountaine of glory,* 1.14 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12. Psalm 115. 1. God challengeth this from men, Give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glory due to his name. He is very jealous of his glory, and will not suffer the least part of it to be given to the creature.

7 Take heed of those Tenets which oppose Gods glory, as

1 The lawfulnesse of giving religious honour to images; the Popish Doctors have wearied themselves and wracked their braines to coine distinctions, how divine worship may be gi∣ven to Images, but the second Commandement forbids Image∣worshipping, and God acknowledgeth himselfe a jealous God, and saith he will not give his glory to another.

2 Attributing too much to our free-will or setting up our merits,* 1.15 this is robbing God likewise of his glory.

Let us first live to his glory, and doe all for his glory: 1. Because he intended it. 2. He hath joyned our happinesse and his glory together. 3. It is infinitely more worth then all the world. 4. It is his condescending, that he will take this for glory. 5. He will have glory of us against our wils. 6. The Creatures glorifie God in their way. 7. How much glory doe we give to things of an inferiour nature? 8. God will hereby give us glory.

We should doe all we doe for him and to him,* 1.16 even to shew forth our apprehension of his name. Doing whatsoever good we doe, and leaving whatsoever evill we leave, that we may declare our high esteem of him, and make it appeare that we doe judge and repute him most wise, good, just, excellent, worthy all the service that we can doe, and more too. And whatsoever is not thus done with reference to the name* 1.17 of God as the motive and end of it, doth want so much of good∣nesse as it wants of this reference. Nothing is good farther then it hath reference to God the chiefe good. If we aime onely or chiefly and be moved onely or chiefly by temporall benefits and respects of this kind, looking to our selves, our deeds are hollow and seemingly good alone, not reall. If we looke to our selves alone even in respect of eternall benefits, and not above our selves to him and to his name, that also is but hypocrisie. But this is truth to make our ends and mo∣tives the same with Gods, and to have an eye still above and beyond our selves, even to Gods name, that we may cause it to appeare to him and our selves and others, that we know and confesse his great name. Omnibus operibus nostris coelestis inten∣tio adjungi debet, Aquinas.

God glorified himselfe, John 12. 28. Christ glorified him, his whole life was nothing but a seeking of his Fathers glory, John 17. 4, the Saints and Angels spend eternity in setting forth his glory, Esay 6 23. Reu. 4. 10, 11. & 7. 9, 10. all the creatures doe glorifie God in their kind, Psalm 145. 10. & 148. the worme is not exempted, therefore that man (saith Chryso∣stome) which doth not glorifie God, is baser then the basest worme. This is all the first table of the Decalogue, and above halfe of the Lords prayer. The three first Petitions concerne Gods glory, and the conclusion likewise hath reference to it. We should glorifie God in all conditions, in adversity as well as in prosperity, Psalm 50. 15. in all the parts of our bo∣dies

in our hearts,* 1.18 1 Pet. 3. 15. with our mouthes, Rom. 15, 6. in our lives, 1 Cor. 6. ult. Matth. 5. 16.

Let us often thinke of the personall glory and excellency which the Saints shall enjoy when they come to Heaven.

1 In Body. 2 In Soule.

The bodies of the Saints in Heaven shall be

1 Perfect, free from all blemishes and every way fit for the soules use.

2 Incorruptible, not liable to sicknesse, weaknesse,* 1.19 mor∣tality.

3 Spirituall, 1 In regard of state and condition, because they shall be upheld by the Spirit of God, without the use of meat, drinke, and sleepe. 2 In regard of quality and opera∣tion, active and agile as a Spirit, they shall move swiftly up∣ward, downward, any way at the command of the soule.

4 Glorious, the bodies of the Saints shall then shine as the Sun, and be like the glorious body of Christ.

The soule shall 1. be totally freed from all Spirituall evils,* 1.20 all reliques of sinne, and all possibility of sinne; the corruption of the understanding, will affections, conscience, shall be quite taken away. 2 From all apprehensions of wrath and eternall death.

2 It shall perfectly enjoy all Spirituall good▪ 1 The Image of God shall be absolutely perfect in every one of the glorified Saints, Every faculty of the soule shall have all grace that fa∣culty is capable of,* 1.21 and that in the highest degree. The mind shall have all intellectuall vertues, the will and affections all morall vertues, and that in the highest degree they are capable of 1 Cor. 13. 10. The understanding uno intiuitu shall know omne seibile, the will shall be fully satisfied with God, the conscience filled with peace,* 1.22 the affections of love and joy shall have their full content, the memory shall represent to you perpe••ually all the good that ever God did for you.

God is most Blessed, 1 Cor. 11. 31. Rom. 9. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 11. & 6. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 31. yea blessednesse it selfe, he is blessed in himselfe, and to be blessed by us.

Gods Blessednesse is that by which God is in himselfe, and of himselfe Al-sufficient. Or thus, Gods happinesse is that Attribute whereby God hath all fulnesse of delight and con∣tentment in himselfe, and needeth nothing out of himselfe to make him happy.

The Hebrews call blessed Ashrei in the abstract, and in the plurall number,* 1.23 Blessednesses, Psal. 1. 1. & 32. 1. Because no man (saith Zanchy) can be called and be blessed for one or another good, unlesse he abound with all goods. Blessednesse is a state of life wherein there is a heape* 1.24 of all good things. The Greeks called blessed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one that is not subject to death, mi∣series. By the etymologies and significations of these two words, it appeares (saith Zanchy) that there are two parts of blessednesse, one to be free from all miseries, another to a∣bound with all goods, and so to abound with them that thou desirest nothing more. A third particle (saith he) is to be added per se & sua natura, and a fourth condition that he wel know his owne blessednesse. So that he is truly blessed (saith Zanchy) which of himselfe and from his owne nature is al∣waies free from all evils and abounds with all goods,* 1.25 perfectly knowing his own felicity and desiring nothing out of him∣selfe, but being fully content with himselfe, which description agreeth onely to God.

God is blessed essentially, primarily, originally, of himselfe such, and not by the helpe of any other thing.

Reasons.

1 He that is the fountaine* 1.26 of all blessednesse to others, how can he be but infinitely blessed himselfe. He makes all those things happy to whom he vouchsafeth in any sort to commu∣nicate himselfe. Wherefore as that which maketh hot and light, that is more hot and light then that which is made so; so must he exceede all other things in blessednesse, which makes all those persons blessed which have any part of blisse.

2 Either he hath blessednesse or there should be none; for if it be not found in the first and best essence and cause of all other essences, it can not be found in any other thing. All

men and things affect it, therefore such a naturall and univer∣sall inclination can not be wholly in vaine, as it should be if there were no blessednesse to satisfie it. The happinesse of every thing stands in the perfect enjoying of it selfe, when it hath all which it inclineth to have, and inclineth to have all and onely that which it hath, then it is fully satisfied and conten∣ted, and full contentment is felicity. Goodnesse filleth the reasonable appetite of mans soule, therefore must he needs be happy whose will is filled with good, for then he enjoyes himselfe, then is his being truely comfortable to him, and such as he cannot be weary of. Nothing is happy in enjoying it selfe and of it selfe, but God alone; all other things doe en∣joy themselves by helpe and benefit of some other things besides themselves. And if they enjoy themselves by helpe, favour, and communication of a perfect, lasting, constant, eternall and full goodnesse, then have they a reall, solid, and substantiall happinesse; but if by a vaine, short, momentany, partiall, de∣fective goodnesse, then have they but a shew and resemblance of happinesse, a poore, weake, feeble, imperfect, nominall happi∣nesse. The happinesse of a man consists in enjoying himselfe by vertue of the possession of the greatest good, whereof he is capable, or which is all one, by enjoying the greatest good; for enjoying it he enjoyes himselfe in and by it; and enjoying himselfe by it, he doth enjoy it, these are inseparably conjoy∣ned. So when a man is possessed of such a thing as doth remove from him all that may be discontentfull and hurtfull to him, and can fill him full of content, then is he happy, and that is when he hath possession of God as fully as his nature is capa∣ble of possessing him. Accordingly we must conceive Gods happinesse to be in the enjoyment of himselfe; he doth per∣fectly enjoy his being, his life, his faculties, his Attributes, his vertues. I say himselfe in himselfe and of himselfe doth per∣fectly enjoy himselfe, and this is his perfect happinesse. He li∣veth a most perfect life, abounds with all perfect vertues, sets them a worke himselfe in all fulnesse of perfection, and in all this enjoyes himselfe with unconceivable satisfaction.

Blessednesse or felicity is the perfect action or exercise of per∣fect* 1.27

vertue in a perfect life. The Lord hath a most perfect life, and perfect faculties, and also most perfect vertues, and doth constantly exercise those perfect vertues and faculties. He is blessed because he is strong, and enjoyes his strength, wise and enjoyes his wisdome, just and enjoyes his justice, eternall and enjoyes his eternity, Infinite, Perfect, and that without any dependence, reference or beholdingnesse to any other.

God is Happy.

1 Formally in himselfe, which implies 1. that there is no evill of sinne or misery in him, neither is he lesse happy because men offend him. Secondly, that he abounds with all positive good, he hath infinitely himselfe and after a transcendent manner the good of all creatures; this is implied in that name, when he is called a God Al-sufficient; he made not the Angels or the world because he needed them.

3. That he is immutably happy because he is essentially so. Happinesse is a stable or setled condition; therefore Saints and Angels also are happy but dependently, they have it from God.

Gods happinesse is more then the happinesse of any crea∣ture. The creatures are happy by the aggregation of many good things together, they are happy in their knowledge, in their love, joy, and these are divers things; but now God is happy by one act which is the same with his essence. A man here on earth is happy, but it is not in Act alwaies, it is sometimes in habit.

2 Those Acts by which Angels are happy are successive, they have one act of understanding,* 1.28 one of love, one of joy after another; but Gods happinesse can be no more multiplied then his very nature or being can.

3. He is happy effectively, he makes his children happy, Deut. 28. 3. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. He can

blesse the conscience with peace though Hell and divels rage, the soule with grace, he is the authour of all blessednesse, all the blessednesse in Heaven is from him.

4. He is objectively blessed, God the onely object and good thing, which if a man have, he must needs be blessed.

God is also to be blessed by us, which blessing addes nothing to his blessednes, but is therefore required of us that we may somewhat enjoy his blessednesse. The reasonable creature ought to blesse God, that is, to observe and know his blessed∣nes, and for to doe two things to him.

• 1 To applaude it.
• 2 To expresse and acknowledge it.

In Scripture-phrase to blesse signifieth two things.

1 To praise a person for those things which are praise∣worthy in him, as Gods name is said to be above all blessing and praise, Blesse the Lord O my soule, and all that is within me blesse his holy Name.

2 To wish well to it, that my soule may blesse thee before it die, pronounce and wish thee blessed. We cannot pronounce any blessing upon God,* 1.29 nor bestow any benefit upon him. He is too excellent to receive any thing by way of promise or performance from us, but we must performe these two things, viz. wish well to him, speake well of him. Wish well to him, that is, acknowledge his exceeding happinesse, and will that he may be ever what he is, as we know he ever wil be. For to wish a thing continue being that is, is possible, and to wil Gods eternall, blessed, and glorious being, that is one of the most excellent acts of the creature, and in doing so we blesse God so much as a creature can blesse him.

Perfect happinesse is not to be had here,* 1.30 but so much happi∣nes as can be had here is to be had in him, he can give him∣selfe to those which seeke him in some degrees, and then are they in some degrees happy; he can give himselfe to them in the highest degree, and then they are in the highest degree hap∣py, according as he doth communicate himselfe to us more or lesse, so are we more or lesse happy.

1 We have little mind to wish well to God,* 1.31 or rejoyce in his welfare, or to acknowledge and speake of it.

2 We should stir up our selves to blesse God, and say, how blessed art thou, and blessed by thy Name. We should set our minds and our tongues aworke to set forth to our selves and others his exceeding great excellencies. When we see and know excellent abilities in any man, we cannot but be oft talking with our selves and others of his great worth: so we seeing and knowing the infinitenesse of God must be often telling our selves and others what we do know by him, thereby to stirre up our selves and others more and more to know him, and we must declare before the Lord his goodnesse, and his lo∣ving kindnesse to the sonnes of men.

3 We must learne to seeke happinesse where it is, even in God, and in his favourable vouchsafing to be ours, and to give himselfe to us. It is not possible for the creature to be happy and enjoy it selfe, unlesse it enjoy the best and greatest good, whereof it is capable, and which will fully satisfie all the longings and inclinations of it. We should 1. see our misery, that being alienated from God must needs be miserable till this estrangement be removed. 2 Set our selves to get true blessednesse by regaining this union and communion with God the fountaine of all blisse,* 1.32 and hate sinne which onely separates between God and us, and hinders us from enjoying the Blessed God. 3 We should place all our happinesse in him,* 1.33 and in him alone, for he is not onely the chiefe but the sole happinesse; we should use the world, but enjoy him, Psalm 16. 11. we should use the meanes which may bring bles∣sednesse, Psalm 1. 1. Matth. 5. 3, to 12. if we live holily we may looke for happinesse. All the promises in the Scripture belong to godly men, they shall be blessed here and hereafter who serve God in sincerity. We must expect and looke for hap∣pinesse onely in our union with and fruition of him. Austin alledgeth out of Varro 288 severall opinions of Philosophers

concerning felicity. Blessednesse is the enjoying of the Sove∣raigne Good, now what that is, we must judge by these two Characters* 1.34, it must be 1. Optimum the best, otherwise it wil not sistere appetitum give us content, we wil be ever longing. 2. Maximum the most compleat, otherwise it wil not implere appetitum, we shall not be satisfied therewith; God is Optimus Maximus. Happinesse it the summe of all our desires, and the ayme of all our endeavours.

Perfect Blessednesse consisteth in the immediatea 1.35 fruition of the chiefe, perfect, and al-sufficient good, even God himselfe. The good to be de••ired simply for it selfe is God onely, who being the first cause of all things, the first, essentiall, eternall, infinite, unchangeable and onely good, must needs be the chiefe good, and therefore the last end intended by man, given by God, who being not onely desired but enjoyed, of necessity must fully satisfie the soule that it can goe no further, not onely because the subject is infinite, and so the mind can desire to know no more, but also because fulnesse of all good that can be wished is to be found in God. Therefore our happinesse is compleat and perfect when we enjoy God as an object wherein the powers of the soule are satisfied with everlasting delight.

This may suffice to have spoken concerning Gods Essence and Attributes, by which it appeares, that God is farre different both from all faigned Gods, and from all creatures. The consi∣deration of the Divine persons followeth, for in one most sim∣ple nature of God there are distinct persons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay 6. 1.
• * 1.2

  Ez••k. 1. 28.
• * 1.3

  Numb. 12. 8:
• * 1.4

  Exod. 33. 23.
• * 1.5

  Non perceperunt vim gloriae qui eam def••••erunt n••titiam claram cum laude; nam si ita se res ha∣beret, ne ita quidem Deus gloriosus esset, volo dicere prae∣ditus gloria, nam Latin•••• glorio∣sus superbus est. Cameron. de Ecclesia. Gloria quasi cla∣ria, saith Aquina•• it is the mani∣festation and shining forth of Excellency. God is said to glorifie him∣selfe, when he manifesteth his unspeak∣able and in∣comprehensi∣ble excellency Num. 14. 21. Psalm 72. 19. Levit. 10. 3. Angels and men glorifie him when they extoll his greatnesse and testifie their acknowledgement of his glory, Esay 6. 3. Psalm 29. 1, 2. Luke 2. 14. Rev. 4. 11.
• * 1.6

  Exod. 16. 10. Ezek. 1. 28.
• * 1.7

  Exod. 9. 15. Fearfull in prai∣ses, because Gods Majesty is so excellent, that even with trembling we are to praise him, but espe∣cially because he workes such mira••ulous de∣liverances and sheweth his terrible power.
• * 1.8

  Salomons glory was in part vi∣sible, the shi∣ning of his Throne, his glittering ap∣parell, but his wisdome and understanding were not; God perceives his owne glory, and that it shall continue for ever; the Apo∣stle beheld the glory of Christ as of the onely begotten Son.
• * 1.9

  John 17. 5.
• * 1.10

  Consectaries from Gods glory.
• * 1.11

  Those that doe not take notice of Gods name▪ lose the chiefe fruit of his workes.
• * 1.12

  It is said of Fulgentius when he came out of Affrica to Rome, that he said, Quan∣tum fulget C••lestis Hierosolyma, cum adeo splendet ••••••estris Roma?
• * 1.13

  It is a comfort to Gods peo∣ple when they goe to him fo•• any favour: Let them not be out of heart because they finde nothing in themselves upon which to ground their prayers or faith. There is enough in his own Name, the Lord doth not looke upon any thing in us, but upon himselfe for argument of doing good to us. His name is the more magnified by how much we are more vile.
• * 1.14

  We should a∣scribe unto his Name all the mercies we en∣joy, giving all the praise from our selves wholy to him. God for his Names sake hath made and redeemed us.
• * 1.15

  Hereby we may judge which is the true Religion, what Doctrine is sound, pure, and of God, and what corrupt and from men. That Doctrine which setteth forth the praise of God commeth from Heaven, but that which is from men advanceth the power, pride, and merit of man.
• * 1.16

  John 7. 18. Ephes. 1. 6. & 2. 4. Rom. 3. 21.
• * 1.17

  Duobus modis refer••i aliquid ad Dei gloriam dicitur. Primum formaliter & explicitè, quando aliquis cogitat cum animo, hoc sibi agendum esse, quia nomini divino sit glori∣••sum. Deinde virtualiter & implicitè, cum quis divinae stu∣dens gloriae eoque nihil facere de∣cernens, nisi quod legi congruat, & ad hoc gratiam Dei quotidie exposcens, boni quippiam facit, de universali fine actu non cogitans; sed solùm particularis finis bonum intendens. Voss••us in Thesibus. Though we can not actually intend Gods glory alwaies in every thing, yet we should virtually.
• * 1.18

  To glorifie is to manifest ones excellen∣cy as appeares John 17. 4. compared with verse 6. See of glori∣fying God, Church his miscelanies, p. 11. to 18.
• * 1.19

  1 Cor. 15. 42, 43.
• * 1.20

  There is (say the Schooles) beatitudo obje∣ctiva, so what∣ever is the chiefest good of the soule is the soules bles∣sednesse.
• * 1.21

  2 Formalis, when the soule and its beati∣fying object are united, as the fruition of God.
• * 1.22

  The soule is here united to God remorely and imperfect∣ly, there im∣mediately and perfectly. 2 Sam, 22. 47. 1 Kings 1. 48. Paul intitleth him, God blessed for ever, the onely blessed Potentate▪
• * 1.23

  Vide Amesium Psalm 1. 1.
• * 1.24

  Beatitudo sta∣tus est omnium bonorum aggre∣gatione perfectus Boetius de consol. Phil.
• * 1.25

  1 Tim. 6. 15.
• * 1.26

  He that is the cause of all welfare to o∣ther things, and makes them in their severall kinds happy, he must needs be there∣fore most hap∣pie himselfe. God is the au∣••••our of all blessednesse, Psalm 132. 1, 2.
• * 1.27

  Aristotle.
• * 1.28

  Happinesse is taken two waies. 1 Octjectively, for the object wherein one is happy, as Gods infinite essence is the object both of Gods, Angels, and mens happinesse. 2 Formally, for those acts whereby we possesse that object. God is happy formally, because he knoweth, loveth, and enjoyeth himselfe; therefore it is said, our goodnesse extendeth not to him; so Angels and men are formally happy, when they know and enjoy God.
• * 1.29

  We should praise God, 1. Intensivè Psalm 36. 10. & 103. 1. 3. Extensive, with all praise, Psalm 9. 14. and for all mercies, Psalm 71. 7, 8.
• * 1.30

  Dicique beatus a••te obitum ne∣mo supremaque funera possit.
• * 1.31

  Consectaries from Gods Blessednesse.
• * 1.32

  The happinesse of man consists in the enjoy∣ing of God.
• * 1.33

  All other things are no otherwise means of hap∣pinesse or helpes to it, then as we see and taste God in them. We must ac∣count our selves happy in this thing wholy and onely in that God is ours. Happinesse is the enjoyment of good commens••••ate to our desires.
• * 1.34

  Bish. Lake.
• a 1.35

  Man in the state of bles∣sednesse can not see God absolutely as he is in him∣selfe; for that which is In∣finite can not be comprehen∣ded of that which is limi∣ted. Visio beati∣fica est cognitio non comprehen∣siva sed quid∣ditativa. But God doth manifest himselfe so farre forth as a creatu••e is able to know him▪ As a vessell may be filled with the water of the Sea, but it can not containe all the water in the Sea. The Apostle saith, we shall know God even as he also is knowne. But as is not a note of equality, but of likenesse. As God knoweth me after a manner agreeable to his infi∣nite excellency, so shall I know God according to my capacity.