First, Take the Acts of God in himself, and this is ⟨p. 152⟩true, the act of God is the Being of God himself, Gods Essence, and his act in himself, are alone: but now the act of God as the Creature receives it, is not the Essence of God, for the Creature is not capable of Gods essence, for then the Creature should be infinite. But the act of God as it is in himself, is God himself, and so it is infinite; there is no act as it is in God, but it is an infinite act because is is God. As now that which the Creature receives cannot be infinite. So the acts of God in himself, are all eternal, and there is no difference of time with God; there is not time past, present, and to come. Look upon the acts of God as he worketh in himself: whatsoever act there is in God, even the glorifying of the Saints; so far as Considered in God, is eternal; And there is no difference of time at all in the acts of God, as in himself; But if one consider those acts as the Creature receives them; then we must look at the difference of time, one, at one time, another at another, and another at another, received by the Creature. And you must take heed of too much boldness when we speak of God; when God sometimes manifesteth his workings as the Creature receives; we must not then think, that these are the acts of God as they are in himself, which are infinite, and to be conceived in an infinite manner, so as nothing but an infinite understanding is able to reach, and to conceive of. Therefore those men that think to fathom the arts of God as they are in himself, they are too too presumptuous; for only an infinite understanding is able to conceive of them; we must conceive of them as the Creature receives them, and so as they are revealed in the word; and this is the substance of what is revealed concerning Gods working towards us; namely; that from eternity, there was a transaction between him, and the Son in such an unconceivable manner as we know not of; and that in time the Lord did lay our sins upon his Son on the Cross, and that afterwards when his good time shall come to call a sinner to himself, then he doth justify him, and ⟨p. 153⟩pronounce a sentence of absolution. But first, he calls them; So the scripture saith those whom he hath called, he hath justified. The Scripture makes calling of a sinner to go before justification; therefore whatsoever is in God from eternity;
First, Take the Acts of God in himself, and this is ⟨p. 152⟩true, the act of God is the Beeing of God himself, Gods Essence, and his act in himself, are allone: but now the act of God as the Creature receives it, is not the Essence of God, for the Creature is not capable of Gods essence, for then the Creature should be infinite. But the act of God as it is in himselfe, is God himself, and so it is infinite; there is no act as it is in God, but it is an infinite act because is is God. As now that which the Creature receives cannot be infinite. So the acts of God in himselfe, are al eternal, and there is no difference of time with God; there is not time past, present, and to come. Look upon the acts of God as he worketh in himself: whatsoever act there is in God, even the glorifying of the Saints; so far as Considered in God, is eternal; And there is no difference of time at al in the acts of God, as in himself; But if one consider those acts as the Creature receives them; then we must looke at the difference of time, one, at one time, another at another, and another at another, received by the Creature. And you must take heed of too much boldness when we speak of God; when God sometimes manifesteth his workings as the Creature receives; we must not then thinke, that these are the acts of God as they are in himself, which are infinite, and to be conceived in an infinite manner, so as nothing but an infinite understanding is able to reach, and to conceive of. Therefore those men that think to fatham the arts of God as they are in himselfe, they are too too presumptuous; for only an infinite understanding is able to conceive of them; we must conceive of them as the Creature receives them, and so as they are revealed in the word; and this is the substance of what is revealed concerning Gods working towards us; namly; that from eternity, there was a transfaction between him, and the Son in such an unconceivable maner as we know not of; and that in time the Lord did lay our sins upon his Son on the Cross, and that afterwards when his good time shall come to call a sinner to himself, then he doth justifie him, and ⟨p. 153⟩prononce a sentence of absolution. But first, he calls them; So the scripture saith those whom he hath called, he hath justified. The Scripture makes calling of a sinner to go before justification; therefore whatsoever is in God from eternity;
