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.

Of Gods Eternity.

1. What eternity is.

2. God is onely Eternal.

3. Some Quest. answered.

4. Applications to edifie.

First, What Eternity is.

[Sect. 1] THe Etymology sence, and meaning of the word is hard to finde; because the phrase is used and taken in a future relation onely; so 'tis used not fully, nor compleat, but rather synechdochially, a part for the whole: men speaking of Eternity, rather looke forward than backward; and 'tis more easie so to speake of Eter∣nity, because we guesse at something to be done, and en∣enjoyed when time shall cease; but are darke if wee looke to that part of Eternity which is before time: time parts Eternity in the midst: there is an everlasting,* 1.1 from which time issued; there is an Everlasting when time ceases; distinctions may helpe us, if we consider Eter∣nity and Time: Eternity is before and after time: Time hath a beginning and an end; then comes Eternity a∣gaine: by this we see, Eternity is not onely (in saeculum) for ever, or everlasting; but wee must looke both waies, as well to the part of Eternity that is before time, as that which is to come; all is one Eternity, onely 'tis parted by Time, which Time in the midst of Eternity, is as a sparke of fire in the midst of the vast Ocean.

Secondly, God is Eternall.

[Sect. 2] IN the largest sence being called, in respect of his E∣ternity before Time, the Ancient of dayes, Dan. 7.9.

There his Eternity is set downe to our capacity: Hee is said To be from everlasting. Psal 90.2. The God of An∣tiqui••y, or the eternall God. Deut. 33.27. A King of old. Psal. 74 12.

In respect of his eternity after Time, he is called The everlasting God. Rom 16.26. An everlasting King. 1. Tim. 1.17. To live for evermore. Revel. 10.6.

[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,* 1.2 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,* 1.3 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,* 1.4 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.* 1.5 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.* 1.6 'Tis eter∣nall in a future relation; it is prepared saith Christ, for the Divell, and his Angels: being prepared, fitted,* 1.7 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.

[Sect. 4] Fourthly, Vses to Edifie.

[Ʋse 1] 1. THis shewes us the difference of Eternity in Time. First, Time had a beginning, and shall have ending: Eternity hath neither beginning nor end.

2. Time is measured by ages, yeares, moneths, dayes, houres, minutes: Eternity hath no measure, nor portions, nor limits; it passes and out-strips the bounds of our thoughts; nor can our reason gage it, nor our understan∣ding fathom it.

3. Time is alwaies in motion, as the spring of a Watch, never stands still till it be consumed, and brought to an end: Eternity hath no motion, it ever stands still, its alwaies the same.

[Ʋse 2] Secondly, here we may gaine a glimpse of Gods ex∣cellency; he is Eternall, without beginning or end: Angels had a beginning, so had men, and the world; An∣gels and men shall have an everlasting being, after once they have begun to be from him that never began to be, who is the Eternall God.

Therefore, when we thinke or speake of Gods E∣ternity, we should conclude as St. Paul. To the King Everlasting, Immortall, &c, to him be glory for ever, Amen.

[Ʋse 3] Thirdly, we may in Gods feare learne two profitable

lessons; considering we have time, and are swittly pas∣sing to Eternity.

• 1. Consider the brevity of Time.
• 2. Take the opportunity of time.

1. The brevity; Time is short; whilst I am in thin∣king, some of it is gon: mans whole life is numbred by dayes; compared to a spanne, a bubble, to a winde that passes away, &c. If we could seriously alter our thoughts, to thinke more of the shortnesse of Time, it would alter our mindes to doe the second thing: which is;

2. To take the opportunity of time: Men may have time, yet want the opportunity: as sicke men, and old men: but we that have the opportunity of the Gospell, and of health, and Christian society, and other sweete and seasonable opportunities; to have communion with God, to exercise mercy, to further others in godlinesse: Oh, let us be wise for Eternity, and make an holy advan∣tage of the opportunities of Time as much as we can, and more than we have done.

[Ʋse 4] This should forcibly urge us to labour for humility; because he that dwels in the Eternity, dwels also with the humble, Isai. 57.15. And that we may be humble in∣deed and enjoy his presence:

1. Let us draw neare to him with our understanding, striving for clearer apprehension of him: This made Isai∣ah humbly to cry out, wo is me, I am undone, I am a man, of polluted lips:* 1.8 and Iob to abhorre himselfe; the sight of God made both of them humble.

2. In all the good we enjoy, of graces or naturall abi∣lities, or riches, to looke on both ends as well as on the middle; we are receivers, and must be accomptants; and great receipts must have great accompts: this well thought on will humble us.

3. Keepe a constant confession of sinnes daily, and often judge our selves, for our sinnes worthy to bee stript of all our excellencies,* 1.9 and to be cut off with infamy.

4. Carry about us in our mindes two, or three, or foure of the grossest sinnes that ever we committed in our lives; looke on them with their circumstances, & it will be a powerfull meanes to humb••e us.

5. Compare our selves with them which are more sound in judgement, soft in heart, poore in spirit; which are more spirituall in prayer, more heavenly in disposi∣tion, more zealous and diligent, and fruitfull in good workes. The Cloth that is fine compared with haire-cloth, or sack-clot••: is but course if ye compare it with Cambricke or Lawne.

[Ʋse 5] Lastly, let us direct our course with care and wise∣dome, the most compendious way to Eter••ity.

1. To encrease as much as we can in saving know∣ledge: for those that God brings to eternall life, he il∣luminates with his Spirit; so that those which were dead, beginne that life which ends in Eternity; or ra∣ther concludes, and is perfected in Eternity, Iohn 17.3.

2. Get the faith of Gods elect, so to lay hold on Christ, and rest upon ••im, that by beleeving we may come to eternall life. Iohn 3.16.

3. By patience to continue in well doing; learne pa∣tiently to forbeare sinfull pleasures and profits, and pa∣tiently beare oppositions, incombrances, and crosses; and doe well; looking to the rule, the manner, and our aimes: joyne to all constancy; then shall we have Glo∣ry, and honour, and Eternall life, Rom. 2.7.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 90.2.
• * 1.2

  There was a beginning.
• * 1.3

  Psalme 33.9.
• * 1.4

  Psal 2.4. 1. Kings 8.27.
• * 1.5

  Iohn 7.5.
• * 1.6

  Math. 25.41.
• * 1.7

  Iude 7. verse.
• * 1.8

  Isai••h 6. Iob. 24.
• * 1.9

  Ezek. 36.31.