Miscellanea philo-theologica, or, God, & man A treatise compendiously describing the nature of God in his attributes, with a lively pourtraiture of his wisedome in ordering, and disposing of the celestiall, and terrestriall bodies. Containing much variety of matter ... and apt applications singular for brevity, and perspicuity. By Henry Church.

[Sect. 3] Thirdly, Questions answered.

[Quest, 1] WAs not the World eternall, as some Philoso∣phers have held in opinion?

[Answ.] No; it was made in the beginning of Time: When there was no Time, there was no World. Gen. 1.1. In the beginning God made the Heavens,* 1.1 and the Earth: Before that time nothing did appeare. Heb. 11.3.

[Object.] They say, Of nothing comes nothing: therefore the World was eternall?

[Answ.] Of nothing comes nothing in Mans worke, because he cannot worke without materials. Of nothing comes all things in Gods worke,* 1.2 because he is a Creator, and his Word gives a being to that which had no being: and his command produces substances, and reall things; so they appeare, and are in being, though they were form'd of nothing.

[Quest, 2] Were not the highest Heavens eternall, and the dwel∣ling place of the Lord?

[Answ.] The maker thereof is God. Heb. 11.10. It was made without hands. 2. Cor. 5.1. Heaven is a glorious and excellent place, yet a created place: 'Tis called Gods dwelling,* 1.3 because he is manifested there in glory: Yet the Heaven of Heavens, the most excellent Heavens cannot containe him. He had glory & excellency before Heaven or t e World had a being: Himselfe is eternall, who had no beginning.* 1.4 The Heavens are not eternall, which had a beginning.

[Quest, 3] Are not the Angels eternall, of whose Creation 'tis not spoken of in Genesis?

'Tis spoken of inclusively, though not so plainely: [Answ.] Gen 2.1. The Heavens and Earth were finished, with all their Hoasts. In the Hoast of Heaven the Angels are not excluded: for elsewhere they are called the Lords Hoast, Gen. 32.2. So Ps. 103.20, 21. Praise the Lord yee his Angels, praise the Lord yee his Hoasts. And that the Angels were created, read Psal. 148.2. Praise the Lord yee his Angels: vers. 5. For he commanded, and they were created. Col. 1.16. By him were all things made, things visible, and invisible; whether Thrones, or Dominions; Principalities, or Powers. Angels are not eternall, but were created, and had a beginning.

[Quest, 4] Saint Iude speakes of eternall Fire; Iude vers. 7. Had that Fire no beginning, as it shall have no ending?

[Answ.] It had a beginning; that which Saint Iude calls eternall, Christ calls Everlasting fire. Math. 25.41.* 1.5 'Tis eter∣nall in a future relation; it is prepared saith Christ, for the Divell, and his Angels: being prepared, fitted,* 1.6 and made ready, proves it had a beginning. Note, that E∣ternall, and Everlasting, one word is used for both.

[Quest, 5] What is the reason, that men knowing that on this moment of time depends their eternall estate, yet are carelesse for Eternity, and minde so much the present time?

[Answ.] The Reason is, from the great subtilty of Sathan, that separates betweene end, and meanes: If wee thinke of eternall fire, hee will labour to race these thoughts out of our mindes; yet provoke us to sinne, which is the meanes, hiding the end. In good things hee will keepe us from the meanes, as Repentance, Prayer, Holinesse; yet gull us with a fooles hope, we shall have the end as well as those that are most painefull, and vertuous.

[ 2] 2. Temporall things are next us, and wee are too much led by Sence and Appetite; like Esau, wee will

have the present pottage, with losse of the future blessing

[Quest, 6] By what Arguments can you prove Gods Eternity?

[Answ.] 1. That which is the first Cause of all Causes, must be eternall, which is God: He that gives the being to al•• creatures, must be an eternall being.

2. He that had glory before there was a World, and decreed, and purposed before the foundations of the World were laid, must be eternall: But God had glory before the world, Iohn 17.5. 2. Tim. 1.9. and purposes and decrees before the world; Ephes. 1.4. and therefor is eternall.

3. He that can give eternall rewards, must be eternall; But he can give eternall rewards: Rom. 6. last vers. ther∣••ore is eternall.

4. To be eternall, is to have no beginning, no muta∣tion, no end. God had no beginning, with him is no shadow of change, nor possibility of end.

[Quest. 7] How is Christ th•• eternall Sonne of God?

[Answ.] In respect of his God-head, Hee was before the moun∣taines: (a Synechdoche) a part for the whole; Moun∣taines put for the World. Prov. 8.25. And for the fu∣ture, None can declare his age: Esay 53.8. For hee li∣veth for ever. Rev. 1.18. The Heavens have a durati∣on without life: The devils have an everlasting being without joy: The Angels have an everlasting joyfull be∣ing, but their being is dependant, and by participation, and their joy successive. The Saints in Heaven have a blessed everlasting being, but not perfect till the Day of Judgement: But Christ is eternall, and hath with his eternity and everlastingnesse life, joy, perfection, fulnesse at once; so that he is eternall as God.

[Quest. 8] Shall Judgement be eternall in pronouncing, will the great Sessions last for ever? 'Tis Heb. 6.2. called E∣ternall Iudgement.

[Answ.] Eternity follows the Sentence; an eternall God jud∣ges, and he gives an everlasting Sentence; pronouncing

to the Elect eternall life, and to to the reprobate eternall destruction.

2. 'Tis Eternall judgement, in opposition to tempo∣rall judgements here; then time is out, and we have no∣thing to doe with it: all wee have to doe, is about E∣ternity.

3. As a Malefactor, when he goes to the barre, wee say he hath received his death; notwithstanding the ex∣ecution followes after: so then men receive their eter∣nall sentence: 'tis eternall judgement.

Notes

• * 1.1

  There was a beginning.
• * 1.2

  Psalme 33.9.
• * 1.3

  Psal 2.4. 1. Kings 8.27.
• * 1.4

  Iohn 7.5.
• * 1.5

  Math. 25.41.
• * 1.6

  Iude 7. verse.