Christian religion: substantially, methodicalli[e,] [pla]inlie, and profitablie treatised

PSAL. 145.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. &c. to the end.

1 O my God and King, I will extoll thee, and will blesse thy Name for euer and euer.

2 I will blesse thee daily, and praise thy Name for euer and euer.

3 Great is the Lord, and most worthie to be praised, and his greatnesse is incomprehensible.

4 Generation shall praise thy workes vnto generation, and de∣clare thy power.

5 I will meditate of the beautie of thy glorious maiestie and thy wonderfull works,

6 And they shall speake of the power of thy fearefull acts, and I will declare thy greatnesse.

7 They shall breake out into the mention of thy great good∣nesse, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse.

8 The Lord is gracious, and mercifull, slow to anger, and of graat mercie.

9 The Lord is good to all, & his mercies are ouer all his works.

WHat doe you meane by this word thy Name?

In that the name of God is distinguished from God himself in this verse, the Prophet thereby setteth forth the things whereby God doth manifest

himself, amongst which the chiefe and principall are his properties.

What are the properties of God?

They are essentiall faculties of God according to the diuers manner of his working, which are vncom∣municable with the creatures, notwithstanding that there are some shadowes and glimpses of them in men and Angels.

How may they be considered?

Either in themselues as they are essentiall, or in their works or effects which are all perfect.

What are the principall prope•••••••• in God?

* 1.1Simplenes and infinitenes, a•• ••••••se which are not only vncommunicable themselues, but which make all other properties of God incommunicable.

What is simplenes in God?

* 1.2It is an essentiall propertie in God, whereby euery thing that is in God is God himselfe. Therefore vn∣compounded, without parts, inuisible, impassible, all essence: whereof it is not only called holy, but holi∣nesse; not only iust, but iustice, &c.

What learne you thereby?

Comfort vnto the faithfull, for strength of their weake faith: whilest they consider that the mercie and clemencie of God is in all perfection and with∣out change vnto them: as also terror vnto the wic∣ked, whilest they consider his wrath and seueritie against them to be in most full measure; the one and the other being God himselfe.

What doe you say of his infinitenes?

It is either in quantitie and greatnes, or in time and eternitie.

What is his infinitenes in quantitie and greatnes?

It is an essentiall propertie in God whereby hee containeth all things,* 1.3 and is contained of nothing that either is or may be imagined.

What learne you from hence?

That considering the infinite greatnesse of God, wee should be put in minde that nothing which is vile and base should bee offered vnto God, in the worship of him.

What is his infinitenes in time or eternitie?

It is an essentiall propertie in God,* 1.4 whereby he is the first and the last.

What learne you hereby?

Wee are stren••••••ned hereby not only in the im∣mortalitie of our soule, but also in the immortalitie of our bodies after the resurrection; considering that by his euerlastingnes he giueth continuall being, to such of his creatures as he is pleased to giue a conti∣nuall continuance vnto.

What is the life of God?

It is an essentiall propertie of God whereby he li∣ueth of himselfe, whereof he is said only immortall:* 1.5 1. Tim. 6.16.

What is the knowledge of God?

It is an essentiall propertie of God, whereby hee knoweth himselfe, and of, and by himselfe, all which is, and which is not.

Is not the knowledge or foreknowledge of God the cause why they are done?

No: but his will.

What is the will of God?

It is an essentiall propertie of God,* 1.6 whereby of himselfe most freely he approueth or disapproueth whatsoeuer he knoweth.

What learne you hereby?

First, that nothing commeth to passe by meere hap or chance, but as God in his eternall knowledge and iust will hath decreed before should come to passe.

Secondly, that whatsoeuer commeth to passe, though we know not the causes thereof, and that it be contrarie to our willes, yet wee should beare it pa∣tiently, and therein submit our willes to the good will and pleasure of God.

What is the power of God?

* 1.7It is an essentiall propertie in God whereby he is able to doe all things.

What instructions doe you dr•••• from the power of God?

First, that we should not despaire of the things that God doth promise, either in respect of our owne weaknesse, or in respect of the apparent weaknesse of the things, that God hath sanctified for our good.

Secondly, it serueth both for a spurre to doe well, considering that God is able to saue: and a bridle to restraine from euill, seeing he hath power to destroy.

What is Gods goodnesse? vers. 7.

* 1.8It is an essentiall propertie in God whereby he is infinitely good, in, and of himselfe.

Is nothing then good but God?

Nothing of it self; howbeit by him, and from him doe come good things,* 1.9 which haue not their good∣nesse of themselues.

What learne you hereof?

That whatsoeuer he doth is good, yea it is perfect∣ly good whatsoeuer men iudge of it: yea that by this goodnesse of his hee vseth all things well: and that

seeing God is good to vs, wee ought to be good one towards another.

What is his iustice?

It is an essentiall propertie in God, whereby he is infinitely iust in himselfe and of himselfe.

What is the rule of this iustice?

His will: for because he willeth it,* 1.10 therefore it is iust, not because it is iust therefore hee willeth it: and these things may be applied to other the properties of God?

What is the graciousnes of God? vers. 8.

It is an essentiall propertie, whereby he is of him∣selfe most gracious and amiable.

Is he only gracious?

Only, in and of himself: for that whatsoeuer is gra∣cious and amiable it is from him.

What learne you from this?

That we ought to loue and reuerence God aboue all. For seeing gracious and amiable men doe winne loue and reuerence from others, in whose eyes they appeare gracious and amiable: who is able more to winne this at our hands then God, who is the foun∣taine of all graciousnes and amiablenes?

What is his loue?

It is an essentiall propertie in God, whereby he lo∣ueth himselfe aboue all, and others for himselfe.

What learne you from hence?

That we should loue him dearely, and other things for him.

Seeing his mercie followeth of his loue, what is his mercie?

It is an essentiall propertie in God, whereby he is meerely ready of himselfe to helpe.

Why adde you this word [meerely?]

To put a difference betweene the mercie of God, and that mercie that is in men: for their mercie is not without some passion, compassion, or fellow-feeling of the miserie of others; but the mercie of God is most perfect and effectual, ready to help at all needs.

What is his holinesse? vers. 21.

Holinesse is an essentiall propertie in God, as he is full of truth, iustice, mercie, &c. and is a generall attri∣bute of God in respect of all the speciall proprieties of his nature. For this holinesse hee most iustly lo∣ueth, liketh, and preferreth himselfe aboue all.

What learne you from hence?

First, that as euery one commeth neerer vnto him in holinesse, so they are best liked and loued of him; and consequently it should breed a loue in our harts, of holinesse and hatred of the contrary.

Secondly, that this ought to kill in vs all euill thoughts and opinions which can rise of God in our heart, seeing that in him that is holinesse it selfe, there can be no iniquitie.

What properties of God arise from all these before spoken of?

* 1.11Perfection and Happinesse.

What is perfection?

Perfection is an essentiall propertie in God, wher∣by whatsoeuer is in God is perfect.

What learne you from hence?

That hee is to seeke his owne glorie, and not the glorie of any, in all that hee willeth or willeth not, doth, or leaueth vndone.

What gather you thereof?

They are confuted, that thinke God is moued to

will or nill things in respect of the creatures: as men that seeing a miserable man are mooued to pitie; whereas God of himselfe and in himselfe,* 1.12 is moued to saue or reiect, to receiue some, and to cast away others.

What else?

That all which he doth is perfect, howsoeuer hee deale with vs.

Hitherto of the perfection of God: what of his feli∣citie?

It is the propertie of God whereby hee hath all fulnes of delight and contentment in himselfe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioh. 4.24.
• * 1.2

  Exod. 33.19.20.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 139.7. Iob 11.7. Esay 66.1. 1. Kings 8.17. Esay 40.12.
• * 1.4

  Reuel. 1.8.11. Esay 44 6. Psal. 90.2. 1. Tim. 1.17.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 36.9. Iohn 5.26. 1. Tim. 6.16.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 139.11. Heb. 4.13. Ioh. 21.17. 1. Tim. 6.16.
• * 1.7

  Iob 42.2. Luke 1.37.
• * 1.8

  Marke 10.18. James 1.17.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 1.
• * 1.10

  Ephes. 1.11. Psal. 115.3. Matth. 20.15.
• * 1.11

  Gen. 17.1. Psal. 50.12. & 16.2. Rom. 11.35.36.
• * 1.12

  It is to be vn∣derstood of re∣probation, not of condemnation.