-04 Chapter 4. Of God, and his Essence.

1-04 Chapter 4. Of God, and his Essence.

1. In the former argument, we treated of Faith. Now order requires that we treat of God, who is the object of Faith. That it may be somewhat more exactly done, we will first speak of the knowledge of God.
2. God as he is in himself, cannot be apprehended by any but himself. 1 Timothy 6:16, Dwelling in that Inaccessible light, whom never man saw, nor can see.
3. As he has revealed himself to us, he is conceived as it were, by the back parts, not by the Face. Exodus 33:23, You shall see my back-parts, but my Face cannot be seen, and darkly, not clearly; that is, after a human manner and measure. 1 Corinthians 13:12, Through a glass, darkly, after a sort.
4. Because those things that pertain to God are necessarily explained after a human manner, that manner of speaking in these matters is frequently called, anqros popaqeia, 29 i.e., a figure of speech that attributes those things to God which are proper to men, such as human affections, senses, or members.
5. Because they are also explained after our measure, according to man’s capacity, many things are spoken of God according to our way of conceiving them, rather than from his Nature.
6. We cannot know him otherwise, so as to still live; nor do we have a need to know him otherwise, that we may live well, Exodus 33:19-20.30
7. That which is revealed of God is sufficient for us that we may live well. Deuteronomy 29:29, Those things which are revealed to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of the Law.
8. Now that which may be known of God is his Sufficiency and his Efficiency.31 Romans 4:21, being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
9. These two are the Pillars of Faith, the props of comfort, the incitements to piety, and the surest marks of true Religion, as provided by a previous verse, namely, Romans 4:11.32
10. The SUFFICIENCY of God is that whereby he himself has sufficient in himself for himself, and for us; hence he is also called All-sufficient, Genesis 17:1.33
11. This sufficiency of God is the first ground or reason for our Faith, why we believe him; namely, because he is able to give us life, Romans 4:20.34
12. The sufficiency of God is in his Essence, and Substance.
13. The ESSENCE of God is that whereby he is a being that is absolutely first. Isaiah 44:6, I am the first and the last; besides me there is no God.
14. This Essence of God is declared in his name Jehovah.
Now because the Essence of God is such, it follows,
15. First, that God is one, and only one. Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Mark 12:32; Romans 3:29-30.
16. Secondly, that God exists of himself; that is, he is neither from another, nor of another, nor by another, nor for another.
17. Thirdly and finally, it follows that he is void of that power which is called passive; hence he is unchangeable, Psalms 102:27-28, You remain; you are the same. Romans 1:23, the glory of the Incorruptible God. James 1:17, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning, or changing.
18. Now because this Essence cannot be sufficiently comprehended by us from one act, it is explicated by us as if it were manifold, namely by many attributes.
19. They are called attributes because they are said to be attributed to God, rather than properly being in him, if they are taken as the words sound.
20. These attributes in God are one most pure and simple act. Hence the nature of the Divine attributes may be rightly explained by these propositions as so many Consectaries, consequences, or conclusions.
21. First, all the attributes of God are truly spoken of God in the abstract, as well as in the concrete.
22. Secondly, those attributes which are of a sort that is common to God and the Creatures, in their substance they belong first to God, and secondarily to the Creatures; although the names are transferred from the Creatures to God, and so those first belong to the Creatures.35
23. Thirdly, the Divine attributes allow for no inward intention, extention, remission, or imparity.36
24. Fourthly, the Divine attributes are not contrary to one another, but agree very well together.
25. Fifthly, all Divine attributes are, as it were, Divine perfections; yet they are such that all imperfection which accompanies such a property in the Creature, is to be removed in its application to God; and its perfection is to be conceived with greatest eminence.
26. Sixthly, Divine attributes are in God not only virtually,37 and by way of eminence, but also formally 38 — although not in that same manner that qualities exist in the Creatures.
27 Seventhly, they exist in God as in a secondary Essence, because they are not part of the formal reason for the Divine Essence; for we must first conceive that God exists, before we can conceive of him as just and good.
28. Eighthly, they are distinguished from the Essence, and among themselves, not only in reason reasoning (as they say); but also reason reasoned;39 so that the foundation of the distinction is in God himself.
29. Ninthly, those attributes, which their formal respect include something proper to the Divine Essence, are altogether incommunicable [to the creatures]; such as Omnipotency, Immensity, Eternity, and similar attributes.
30. Tenthly, those that are said to be communicated to the Creatures are agreeable only in their likeness, and not altogether in the way they exist in God; nor yet are they altogether equivocally communicated. 40
31. The attributes of God set forth What God is, and Who he is.
32. WHAT God is, none can perfectly define, except what has the Logic of God himself. But an imperfect description which comes nearest to unfold God’s nature, and may be conceived by us, is such as this:
33. God is a Spirit having life in himself. John 4:24, God is a Spirit. John 5:26, The Father has life in himself.
34. He is called a Spirit, 1. Negatively, because he is not a body. 2. Analogically, or by a certain likeness, because there are many perfections in spiritual substances which shadow forth the Divine nature more than any bodily thing can.
35. He is said to be Living, 1. Because God most especially works of himself, not being moved by another. 2. Because the vital action of God is his very Essence. 3. Because he is the Fountain of all being, and the vital operation to other living things. Acts 17:25; Acts 17:28, He gives life to all, and breath, and all things; in him we live, move, and have our being.
36. He is said to live in himself, because he receives neither being nor life from any other, in any part.
37. Hence, the chief title of God whereby he is distinguished from all idols, is that he is the living God, Deuteronomy 32:40; Psalms 84:2; Jeremiah 5:2.
38. Hence our Faith, in seeking eternal life, rests in God alone, because God is the Fountain of all life, John 5:26; Psalms 36:9.
39. Those properties set forth to us who God is, and whereby he is distinguished from all other things.
40. Now those Divine properties show how great God is, and what a one he is.
41. Under the notion of Quantity, he is said to be 1. One. 2. Infinite. First inwardly, because he is unmeasurable. Secondly outwardly, because he is incomprehensible. 3. He is said to be eternal.
42. He is said to be One, not in kind, but in that most perfect unity which, in the Creatures, is usually called numerical, and individual.41
43. God is infinite, as he is void of all bounds of his Essence. Psalms 139:8, If I climb up to Heaven, you are there; or make my bed in the Grave, behold you are there.
44. God is unmeasurable, as he is void of all matter of dimension or measure. 1 Kings 8:27, The Heavens, and Heavens of heavens do not contain you. Isaiah 66:1, Heaven is my throne, Earth my foot-stool.
45. Hence Faith looks for no certain measure of blessedness to be communicated from God, but instead, unmeasurable glory.
46. God is incomprehensible, because he is void of any bounds to encompass him.
47. Hence he is present everywhere, because there is no place from which he is excluded, nor is he included anywhere.42
48. God is also eternal, because he is without beginning and end, Psalms 102:25-26; Isaiah 41:4; 1 Timothy 1:17.
49. Hence it is, that our Faith apprehends eternal life in God.
50. Those properties set forth what a one God is, by which he is said to work. To these now ought to be attributed all the properties of Essence, and quantity, simplicity, immutability, eternity, and immensity.
51. These qualities are conceived either under the reason of the faculties,43 or else conceived of the virtues by which those faculties are adorned.
52. The faculties are understanding and will, which is why Faith leans upon him who knows what is necessary for us, and is also willing to supply it.
53. The understanding of God is simple,44 without any composition, discourse, or representation of shapes. Hebrews 4:13, All things are naked and open to his eyes.
54. The understanding of God is unchangeable; he does not know otherwise, nor one thing more than another, nor more before than now, or now than before. Acts 15:18, known to the Lord are all his works, from before all ages.
55. The understanding of God is eternal; it neither begins nor ends. Ibid.
56. The understanding of God is Infinite, because he perceives all truths, and the reasons for all things. Job 11:8-9, The Wisdom of God is higher than the Heavens, longer than the Earth, deeper than the Sea. Psalms 139:6, Your knowledge is more wonderful than I can conceive it.
57. The nature of the Divine Will, ought to be conceived by us the same way also.
58. The will of God is single, and only one in God.45
59. The will of God is unchangeable, because he always wills the same, and in the same manner. Psalms 33:1, The counsel of the Lord remains forever.
60. The will of God is eternal, because he does not begin to will what before he did not will; nor does he cease to will that which before he willed. Malachi 3:6, I Jehovah do not change.
61. The will of God may be said to be infinite, because it has no outward limitation.
62. The affections which are given to God in Scripture, such as love, hatred, and the like, either set forth acts of the will, or they agree to God only figuratively.
63. A virtue is the perfection of the understanding and will, such as wisdom, holiness, and the like in God.
64. Virtue is attributed to God as it denotes a readiness to do; not with respect to a habit that is distinct from faculty and act.
65. But the virtues which in man arise from an occasion of sin and imperfection, do not agree to God, such as humility, chastity, shamefulness, and the like.
66. Out of all these attributes, results that perfection of God whereby he is called blessed, 1 Timothy 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:15.
67. Hence our Faith has a firm foundation, because it leans on God, the possessor and author of all perfection, blessedness, and glory.