Attributes of God by Charnock (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Conclude Chapter 5 (Eternity of God).
Now we look at the last of Charnock's four points about God's eternal nature: the 'use' of the doctrine.
(i) Christ is God;
(ii) God knows all things present;
(iii) how bold and foolish it is for a mortal creature to censure the counsels and actions of an eternal God;
(iv) what a folly and boldness is there in sin.
The second use is comfort. If God be eternal then:
(i) his covenant will be eternal;
(ii) his covenant is an eternal good and possession;
(iii) the enjoyment of God will be as fresh and glorious for eternity;
(iv) here is a strong ground of comfort against all the distresses of the church;
(v) God has as much power as will to be as good as his word.
The third use is exhortation:
(i) to something which concerns us in ourselves;
(ii) to something which concerns us with respect to God.
The whole section grabbed me - Charnock was truly brilliant! So hard to pick a favourite part.
But this quote was perhaps the finest among the fine: 'The happiness of our souls depends upon his other attributes, but the perpetuity of it upon his eternity. Is it a comfort to view his immense wisdom ; his overflowing goodness ; his tender mercy ; his unerring truth? What comfort were there in any of those, if it were a wisdom that could be baffled ; a goodness that could be damped ; a mercy that can expire ; and a truth that can die with the subject of it? Without eternity, what were all his other perfections, but as glorious, yet withering flowers ; a great, but a decaying beauty ? By a frequent meditation of God's eternity, we should become more sensible of our own vanity and the world's triflingness ; how nothing should ourselves ; how nothing would all other things appear in our eyes ! how coldly should we desire them ! how feebly should we place any trust in them ! Should we not think ourselves worthy of contempt to dote upon a perishing glory, to expect support from an arm of flesh, when there is an eternal beauty to ravish us, an eternal arm to protect us?'
Amen! Meditate much upon the eternity of God.
(Note: This post was originally made on 24th Jan 2011, but the date of the post has been changed to 13th April 2011 to reflect the order of chapters given in the full edition, not the abridged version that was used initially)
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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