Chapter 3. Of the Life of God.
WILLIAM PERKINS
Chapter 3. Of the Life of God.
Up to here we have spoken of the perfection of God's nature. Now follows the life of God, by which the Divine Nature is in perpetual action — living and moving in itself. Psa 42.2, My soul thirsts for God, even for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the presence of God? Heb 3.12, See that there is not, at any time in any of you, an evil heart to depart from the living God.
The Divine Nature is especially in perpetual operation by three attributes which manifest the operation of God towards his creatures. These are his
Wisdom, Will, and Omnipotence.
The wisdom or knowledge of God is that by which God — not by certain notions abstracted from the things themselves, but by his own essence; not successively and by discourse of reason, but by one eternal and immutable act of understanding — distinctly and perfectly knows himself, and all other things, though infinite, whether they have been or not.
Mat 11.27, No man knows the Son but the Father, nor the Father but the Son, and the one to whom the Son will reveal him. Heb 4.13, There is nothing created which is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and open to his eyes, with whom we have to deal.
Psa 147.5, His wisdom is infinite.
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God's wisdom has these parts: his foreknowledge, and his counsel.
The foreknowledge of God is that by which he most assuredly foresees all things that are to come. Act 2.23,
Him you have taken by the hands of the wicked, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, and have crucified and slain him. Rom 8.29, Those things which He knew before, he also predestined to be made like the image of his son.
This is not properly spoken of God but by reason of men, to whom things are past or to come.
The counsel of God is that by which he most straightly perceives the best reason for all things that are. Pro 8.14, I have counsel and wisdom; I am understanding, and I have strength.
The will of God is that by which he both most freely and justly, with one act, wills all things. Rom 9.18, He has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardens. Eph 1.5, Who has predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Jas 4.15, For what you should say is, if the Lord wills, and we live, we will do this or that.
God wills that which is good, by approving it; that which is evil — in as much as it is evil — by disallowing and forsaking it. And yet, He voluntarily permits evil, because it is good that there should be evil. Act 14.16,
Who in time past suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their own ways. Psa 81.12, So I gave them up to the hardness of their heart, and they have walked in their own counsels.
WILLIAM PERKINS
The Will of God, because of diverse objects, has diverse Names, and is either called Love and Hatred, or Grace and Justice.
The Love of God is that by which God approves first himself, and then all his creatures, without their desert
[deserving or merit], and takes delight in them. 1Joh 4.16, God is love, and whoever remains in love, remains in God, and God in him. Joh 3.16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, etc. Rom 5.8,
God sets out his love towards us, seeing that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The Hatred of God is that by which he dislikes and detests his offending creature, for his fault. 1Cor 10.5,
But many of them the Lord misliked, for they perished in the wilderness. Psa 5.5, You hate all the workers of iniquity. Psa 45.7, You have loved justice and hated iniquity.
The Grace of God is that by which he freely declares his favor to his creatures. Rom 11.6, If it is of grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is not grace. But if it is of works, it is no more grace. Tit 2.11, 12, The saving grace of God shined to all men, teaching us to deny impiety, etc.
The Grace of God is either his Goodness, or his Mercy.
The Goodness of God is that by which he, being in himself absolutely good, freely exercises his liberality upon his creatures. Mat 19,17, Why do you call me good? There is none good but one, even God. Mat 5.45,
He makes his sun to shine upon the good and bad, and he rains upon the just and unjust.
God's mercy is that by which he freely assists all his creatures in their miseries. Isa 30.18, Yet the Lord will wait, that he may have mercy upon you. Lam 3.22, It is the Lord's mercies, that we are not consumed, because
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his compassions do not fail. Exo 33.19, I take pity on whom I take pity, and am merciful on whom I am merciful.
God's Justice is that by which in all things He wills what is just. Psa 11.7, The just Lord loves justice. Psa
5.4, For you are not a God that loves wickedness.
God's Justice is in Word or Deed.
Justice in word is that truth by which He constantly and indeed wills that which he has said. Rom 3.4, Let
God be true and every man a liar. Mat 24.35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Hence it is that God is just in keeping his promise. 1Joh 1.9, If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. 2Tim 4.8, Hereafter is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day.
Justice indeed is that by which He either disposes or rewards.
God's disposing justice is that by which he, as a most free Lord, rightly orders all things in His actions.
Psa 145.17, The Lord is righteous in all his ways.
God's rewarding justice is that by which He renders to His creature according to his work. 2Th 1.6, 7, It is justice with God to render affliction to those who afflict you; but to you who are afflicted, releasing [or resting] with us. 1Pet 1.17, Therefore, if you call him Father, who without respect to person, judges according to every work, pass the time of your dwelling here in fear.
Jer 51.56, The Lord that recompenses shall surely recompense.
WILLIAM PERKINS
The Justice of God is either his Gentleness, or Anger.
God's Gentleness is that by which he freely bestows upon his creature, a reward. 2Th 1.5, Which is a token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. Mat 10.41, 42, Whoever receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophet's reward.
And whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive the reward of a righteous man. And whoever gives to one of these little ones, only a cup of cold water to drink, in the name of a Disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
God's Anger is that by which he punishes the transgression of his creature. Rom 1.18, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who withhold the truth in unrighteousness. Joh 3.36, He that does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
This much concerning the will of God. Now follows his omnipotence.
God's Omnipotence is that by which he is most able to perform every work. Mat 19.26, With men this is impossible; with God, all things are possible.
Some things, notwithstanding, are to be excepted here.
First, those things whose action argues an impotency, such as to lie, or to deny his word. Tit 1.2, which God, who cannot lie, has promised. 2Tim 2.13,
He cannot deny himself.
Secondly, those things that are contrary to the Nature of God, such as to destroy himself, and not to beget his Son from eternity.
Thirdly, those things which imply contradiction. For God cannot make a truth false; or that which is, when it is, not to be.
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God's power may be distinguished into an absolute and actual power.
God's absolute power is that by which he can do more than he either does, or will do. Mat 3.9, I say to you, God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Phi 3.21, According to the working by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself.
God's actual power is that by which he causes all things to be, which he freely wills. Psa 135.6, All Things which God wills, those he does in heaven and on earth, and in all depths.