Puslapio vaizdai
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because there is no perfection imaginable, which God hath not, Whatever is infinitely perfect, must be infinitely great; as appears from this, because the greater a thing is, the more perfect it is of that same kind, as a great piece of gold is more excellent than a less and, therefore, from this perfection of Gód, it appears, that he is every where, he being all perfection. 3. As it is demonstrated from God's infiniteness and perfection, so likewise from his Almighty Power.

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God can create another world greater than this, even in that imaginary space, which we can conceive beyond this world: therefore, certainly, God is now existent there.

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14. God's omnipresence may be argued from the Eternity of God.

God was infinitely existent before the creation of the world; since he is eternal, and the world but temporal: the world hath stood only but some few thousands of years, and before the creation of the world there was nothing but God, and God existed eternally in himself: therefore, though beyond this world there be nothing, yet God will be there actually existing in that same imaginary space beyond this world, as he did exist in an imaginary space before this world was created.

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Thus I have done with the Propositions, and the confirmation of them by rational Arguments; those things, which relate to the philosophical part of the text, for informing the judgment in the notion of that stupendous attribute of God's Omnipre

sence.

III. I shall now come to answer some OBJECTIONS.

OBJECT. i. The first is taken from those Scriptures, where it seems to be implied, that God moves from place to place: as in Gen. xviii. 21. where the Lord saith, concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and, in Hab. iii. 3. it is said, God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran, &c.

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Now these places, which speak of going to and departing from places, seem to oppose God's ubiquity; because motion is inconsistent with God's omnipresence."

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I answer: These and the like Scriptures are not to be taken

properly and literally; but as accommodated to our capacity and conception: even as parents, when they speak to their little children, will sometimes lisp and, babble in their language; so God oftentimes condescends to us in speaking our language, for the declaring of those things which are far above our reach. But you will say, "How are such places to be, understood?" I answer: When God is said to come unto or to depart from any place or person, nothing else must be understood thereby, but a declaring or not declaring of himself to be present. As men, when they manifest themselves present, do it by moving hither or thither so God, to accommodate himself thereunto, when he manifests his presence any where, tells us, that he goes thither; and, when that manifestation ceaseth, he tells us he departs thence; though he was always there present, both before and after that manifestation. So that these expressions used in the Scripture, concerning God, though spoken after the manner of men, yet must be understood after the manner of God, that is, with a suitableness and conformity to his Infinite Essence.

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OBJECT. ii, The Scripture tells us, thats hereafter in heaven we shall see God as he is: but is not that impossible? If God be an omnipresent God, we shall not be able to comprehend him, because we shall not ourselves: be infinite in heaven: and, if man be still finite, how then can he comprehend what is infinite; since infinite is comprehended of nothing, but that which is infinite?"aboo to sledi, a ola .1

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I answer: Such Scriptures are not to be understood, as if the capacities of angels, much less of men, are or ever shall be wide and capacious enough to contain the infinite greatness of God: nos his omnipresence is not comprehended by angels themselves, nor shall be by man for ever. But they must be understood comparatively acour vision and sight of God, here, is but through a glass darkly:; but, in heaven, it shall be with so much more brightness and clearness, that, in comparison of the obscure and glimmering way, whereby we know God here, it may be called a seeing of him face to face, and knowing him as we are known by him; though, to speak in absolute propriety of speech, these things are not possible to any creature.

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OBJECT. iii." It may seem no small disparagement to God to he every where present. What!. for the Glorious Majesty of

God to be present in such vile and filthy places, as are here upon earth?"

To this I answer,

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1. God doth not think it any disparagement to him, nor think it unworthy of him, to know and make all these, which we call vile and filthy places: why then should we think it unworthy of him to be present there?

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2. God is a Spirit, and is not capable of any pollution or defilement from any vile or filthy things. The sun-beams are no more tainted by shining on a dunghill, than they are by shining on a bed of spices: no more can God be sullied by being present in filthy sinks, (to speak with reverence,) than to be in the glorious heavens; because he is a spirit, and his essence is pot subject to any taints from the creature.

3. The vilest things, that are, have still a being, that is good in their own kind; and as well-pleasing to God, as those things, which we put a greater value and esteem upon.

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4. It reflects no more dishonour upon God, to be present with the vilest creatures, than to be present with the noblest and highest; because the angels are at an infinite distance from God. There is a greater disproportion between God and the angels, than there is between the vilest worm and an angel: all are at an infinite distance to his glory and majesty. Thus much, for the Objections.

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USE i. Is God thus infinitely present every where, and thus in and with all his creatures? then WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT IS HERE UNTO PRAYER!

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"Thou canst not say, "Alas! I now pray; but how shall God hear? He is in heaven above, and I am on earth below, many thousands of miles distant from his presence: how then shall my weak whisperings, that can scarce reach the walls of mine own closet, ever be able to reach his ear?" No, God's essential presence is with thee, wheresoever thou art, 'as he is in heaven itself; and God is all ear: he can understand the silent motions of thy lips everywhere: yea, he can understand the secret motions of thy heart. When Hannah prayed for her son Samuel, Eli, the priest of God, thought her gesture did

proceed from a distempered head, and not from a holy heart: but God was present with her lips; and that prayer, which was thought by the priest of God to be but a dumb shew, yet to God himself was powerful rhetoric and as loud as thunder in his ears. The Scripture generally intimates, that all our prayers shall be directed to God in heaven: so Solomon prayed, 1 Kings viii. 32. Then hear thou in heaven, &cs and it is again expressed, in the 30th verse: so, that most excellent composure, which Christ taught his disciples, in the beginning of it, Our Father, which art in heaven, gives our thoughts a lift to heaven.^** Now this doth not imply, that God doth nowhere hear our prayers, but only in heaven.

But how, then? Why is this phrase used? For these Two

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1. Because heaven is the most glorious place: there God, especially, hath established his Throne of Grace, and sits upon it.

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Now, because it is most glorious and majestic, and since God is there to hear the suits and receive petitions which are tendered up by all his servants here on earth, therefore the Scripture directeth us to that most glorious and celestial place: Hear thou in heaven. Hence we have that expression, Acts x. 4. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Certainly, if our prayers should not be heard till they come to heaven, they are so weak and faint, that they would be out of breath by the way, and not be able then to speak for themselves. But, yet, God speaks in us by his Spirit, and keeps alive the sense of his majesty upon our hearts, that he would not have us think it to be a mean and trivial thing to have our prayers heard therefore he represents himself to us arrayed in all his glory.

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2. Our prayers are directed to God in heaven, because, though he hears them wherever they be uttered; yet he nowhere hears them with acceptation, but in heaven only.al

Our prayers are accepted by God, because they are heard in heaven. Thy prayers are not accepted by God, because God hears them upon earth; as they are heard in thy closet, or as they are heard in thy heart; but only as they are heard in heaven: and the reason is, because prayers are acceptable, only as they are presented before God in the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ: he must mingle them with the incense of

his merits, before they can ascend up before God as a sweet savour. Now Christ performs his Mediatory Office nowhere but in heaven: for though, as God, he be everywhere present, as the Father is, and therefore hears your prayers wheresoever they be put up; yet, as Mediator, they are only heard in heaven by him; and he hears no prayers, but the prayers of his people, as he is Mediator: and, therefore, it is no comfort to you, that Christ hears your prayers, as he is God only, for so he doth and cannot but do it; unless he hears your prayers, likewise, as he is Mediator. Now Christ, as he is Medjator, is GodMan; for, as he wrought out our salvation in both natures, so he still continues to mediate for us in both natures: and, since the human nature is only in heaven, therefore it follows, he performs the mediatory office only in heaven. Now it is the mediatorship of Christ alone, that makes all our prayers and duties acceptable to God himself; therefore it concerns us still to pray, "Lord, hear us in heaven. It is in vain, that thou hearest me on earth, unless thou hearest in heaven too. My prayers cannot be heard acceptably, unless thou hearest them twice. Thou hearest my prayers on earth; not a word of my tongue but thou hearest; but what will it avail thy servant, unless thou hearest my prayers a second time repeated over to thee in the intercession and mediation of Jesus Christ in heaven?" And therefore, saith Solomon, 1 Kings viii. 34. Hear thou in heaven, and forgive: when God shall only hear on earth, he wil be so far from forgiving, that he will be avenged; but, when he hears our prayers in heaven, through the mediation of Christ, then he is inclined to forgive and pardon us. Hence we find, that the Jews prayed towards the temple, which was a type of heaven; and the altar and incense and mercy-seat in this temple were types of Christ, who is now in heaven: and therefore Daniel, when in Babylon, prayed, his window being open towards Jerusalem, towards the temple; as if no prayer were acceptable to God, but what was heard in heaven: so Jonah, when he was in the belly of the whale, Jonah ii. 7. My prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple: Jonah was a strong orator, when he was in the slimy paunch of the whale; yea, but God was there, and God heard him there; but yet his prayer would have been as filthy as his person, if God had not heard him elsewhere than in the belly of the whale: My prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple; that is, God

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