THE next Attribute is, God is Eternal, Psal. 90.2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. The Schoolmen distinguish between Aevum & Eternum, to Explain the Notion of Eternity. There is a threefold Being, 1. Such a Being as had a Beginning, and shall have an End. So all Sensitive Creatures, the Beasts, Fowls, Fishes; these at Death are destroyed, and return to Dust, their Being ends with their Life. 2. Such a Being as had a Beginning, but shall have no End; as the Angels and Souls of Men; they are Eternal, à part post, they abide for ever. 3. Such a Being as is without Beginning and without Ending, and that is proper only to God. He is semper existens, viz. from everlasting to everlasting; it is God's Title, a Jewel of his Crown. 1. He is called, The King Eternal, 1 Tim. 1.17. 2. Jehovah, a word that properly sets out God's Eternity; a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore used another word Adonai, Lord. Jehovah contains in it Time past, present, and to come, Rev. 1.4. [Greek or Hebrew], which is, and which was, and which is to come; it interprets the word Jehovah. Which is] He subsists of himself, having a pure independent Being. Which was] God only was before Time. There is no searching into the Records of Eternity. Which is to come] His Kingdom hath no End. His Crown hath no Successors; Hebr. 1.8. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaohs Dreams did. I shall prove that God only could be Eternal, without Beginning. Angels could not, they are but Creatures, though Spirits; they were made, and therefore there beginning may be known; their Antiquity may be searched into. If you ask, When they were created? Some think before the World was; but not so. For what was before time was Eternal: the Angels first Rice and Original reacheth no higher than the beginning of the World. 'Tis thought by the Learned, that the Angels were made that day on which the Heavens were made; Job 38.7. When the Morning-stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy; St. Hierom, Gregory, venerable Bede, understand it of the Angels. When God laid the Foundation Stone of the World, the Angels being then Created, did sing the Anthems of Joy and Praise. The Angels could not be before time; for what was before Time was Eternal.
THE next Attribute is, God is Eternal, Psal. 90.2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. The Schoolmen distinguish between Aevum & Eternum, to Explain the Notion of Eternity. There is a threefold Being, 1. Such a Being as had a Beginning, and shall have an End. So all Sensitive Creatures, the Beasts, Fowls, Fishes; these at Death are destroyed, and return to Dust, their Being ends with their Life. 2. Such a Being as had a Beginning, but shall have no End; as the Angels and Souls of Men; they are Eternal, à parte post, they abide for ever. 3. Such a Being as is without Beginning and without Ending, and that is proper only to God. He is semper existens, viz. from everlasting to everlasting; it is God's Title, a Jewel of his Crown. 1. He is called, The King Eternal, 1 Tim. 1.17. 2. Iehovah, a word that properly sets out God's Eternity; a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore used another word Adonai, Lord. Iehovah contains in it Time past, present, and to come, Rev. 1.4. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, which is, and which was, and which is to come; it interprets the word Iehovah. Which is] He subsists of himself, having a pure independent Being. Which was] God only was before Time. There is no searching into the Records of Eternity. Which is to come] His Kingdom hath no End. His Crown hath no Successors; Hebr. 1.8. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaohs Dreams did. I shall prove that God only could be Eternal, without Beginning. Angels could not, they are but Creatures, though Spirits; they were made, and therefore there beginning may be known; their Antiquity may be searched into. If you ask, When they were created? Some think before the World was; but not so. For what was before time was Eternal: the Angels first Rice and Original reacheth no higher than the beginning of the World. 'Tis thought by the Learned, that the Angels were made that day on which the Heavens were made; Iob 38.7. When the Morning-stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy; St. Hierom, Gregory, venerable Bede, understand it of the Angels. When God laid the Foundation Stone of the World, the Angels being then Created, did sing the Anthems of Joy and Praise. The Angels could not be before time; for what was before Time was Eternal.
