The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock (1628–1680) is one of the standout works from the Puritan era. This is quite an accomplishment when one thinks of the hundreds of well-known books and discourses that emerged from the pens of those theological giants. Published two years after his death, it was regrettably not yet fully completed, with fourteen Discourses finalized but more planned.

There has been no shortage of praise for Charnock and his work since its publication. Historian Edmund Calamy (1671–1732) speaks of Charnock’s reputation as a theologian:

He was a very considerable scholar, there being scarcely any part of learning he was unacquainted with. He had a peculiar skill in the original languages of the Old and New Testament. His natural abilities were excellent. He had, what rarely meet, a strong judgment, and a lively imagination. He was a very eminent divine.

Erasmus Middleton (1739–1805) called him “one of the greatest men in the church of Christ, with respect to his depth, clearness, accuracy in true divinity.” He added, “He was the Author of those unparalleled discourses on the Existence, Attributes, and Providence of God.”

Anglican hymn-writer Augustus Toplady (1740–1778) similarly commented on the greatness of the Discourses: “Perspicuity and depth; metaphysical sublimity and evangelical simplicity; immense learning and plain, but irrefragable reasoning; conspire to render that performance one of the most inestimable productions, that ever did honour to the sanctified judgment and genius of a human being.”

Joel Beeke once remarked to me that Charnock’s magnum opus is the one “must-read” on the doctrine of God from the Puritan era, and he added that the Discourse on God’s goodness is “alone worth its weight in gold, and is unsurpassed in all of English literature.” Jerry Bridges, in reading the Discourse on God’s holiness, at roughly half a dozen pages in, found himself on his knees before God, overcome with his holiness. As he got up and started reading again, a few pages later he was again on his knees before God.

Left alone with only two books for the rest of my life, I would happily keep myself busy in the knowledge of God with the Bible and Charnock’s masterpiece!

Theology for the Pews

Perhaps to the surprise of some readers today, the Discourses are written chiefly for homiletical (preaching) purposes. While there would be some obvious editing to the sermons, we must keep in mind that the pages before readers today were meant to be heard in the pews of the church where Charnock ministered alongside Thomas Watson. (Incidentally, one can’t help but envy the hearers of two of the most gifted theological wordsmiths alive in Britain at the time.)

The sophistication of this work does not mean it is inaccessible to the lay reader. In fact, what makes this work a sort of classic is Charnock’s ability to take perhaps the weightiest doctrine (the doctrine of God) and write on it in a way that not only scholars and pastors can appreciate, but also Christian laypersons — though, in today’s age, it may require a great deal more focus than the average Christian book.

Each of the fourteen Discourses contains an exposition of a well-known Bible text. Charnock would often choose the locus classicus for each topic, usually in continuity with other Reformed treatments on the same subject (for example, Psalm 14:1 on God’s existence). This was a typical approach for homiletical discourses on theological doctrines. As one quickly notices, Charnock is concerned with the practical implications of who God is, which means practical atheism takes up a major part of his treatment on God’s existence.

While more people were beginning to doubt God’s existence in the latter part of the seventeenth century, the major threats to the doctrine of God’s existence in that period were, first, attacks upon a classical understanding of God and, second, the ever-present reality of failing to live as though God exists and cares about our thoughts and actions. Charnock’s work is a penetrating analysis of the extent of these problems, but he also offers many solutions to our practical atheism.

While Charnock’s work looks at the existence and attributes of God, we should not think he lacks a strong focus on Christ. Littered throughout each discourse are golden nuggets on how each attribute relates to Christ. In fact, some of Charnock’s best thoughts on Christ in relation to the divine attributes appear in the “uses” section of each Discourse. This is a crucial observation, for the simple reason that even in the application of the doctrine of God we see Charnock anchoring his Discourses in the person of Christ.

Lucid Sophistication

The “uses” (or “instructions”) sections in the Discourses show us just how practical the doctrine of God is for Christian living. Without his applications, the work would be like a beautiful car but without wheels. Today we still suffer to some extent from the idea that a theology book is not very practical, and a practical book should not be too theological. This concept is demolished by Charnock’s work, which is as practical as it is theological and vice versa.

“If Calvin was known for ‘lucid brevity,’ I think Charnock should be known for lucid sophistication.”

Some of the more popular Puritan theologians, such as John Owen (1616–1683) and Richard Baxter (1615–1691), wrote extremely sophisticated treatises. Their learning was perhaps unparalleled among English-speaking theologians in the seventeenth century. And when you read the two of them, you sometimes need a “translator” of sorts — yes, for their works in the English language! But Charnock does not require a “translator.” He is simpler and clearer and has better turns of phrase than the other two. In other words, if any of these men belong on Twitter, it is Charnock (and Watson). If Calvin was known for “lucid brevity” (as he himself described his aim), I think Charnock should be known for lucid sophistication.

The beautiful turns of phrase used by Charnock are a result of putting his learning to use to bless God’s people in the pew. His metaphors and analogies are Christlike insofar as he possessed a remarkable grasp of the natural world (“consider the lilies,” Luke 12:27). He was a Renaissance man par excellence; and his medical training shines through in the metaphors, illustrations, and analogies that surface on most pages of his work. His insight into human nature is also a major strength of his expositions. One gets the impression that Charnock’s erudite understanding of God enabled him to peer deeply into the human soul and all the sinful peculiarities that beset us even in a state of grace.

Big Book on a Big God

Why should you read Charnock on The Existence and Attributes of God? Quite apart from what has been said above, we should remember that the twentieth century was not a great century for the doctrine of God. Christians today still entertain ideas about God that are unorthodox, perhaps unwittingly due to poor or inadequate teaching. The remedy begins in the pulpit, but it also includes our private and corporate study.

“You are entering a big world as you learn of a big God.”

With the recent reprint of Charnock’s Discourses, pastors can easily access a work that has stood the test of time and read a treatment on God that will illuminate their own preaching. J.I. Packer once remarked to me that the best compliment he could give Martyn Lloyd-Jones was that he “brought God into the pulpit.” When the “Doctor” preached, it was clear God was powerfully present. If pastors are going to bring God into the pulpit, it will not happen if they are not consumed with the same God that Charnock so eloquently writes about.

In addition, whether as a pastor or a layperson, when reading Charnock, you are not simply reading a singular Christian thinker, but someone who widely engaged the broader Christian tradition. You are encountering other thinkers that span many centuries and traditions (even pagan poets and philosophers). You are entering a big world as you learn of a big God.

It is quite an accomplishment to read a work of over 1700 pages, but it seems to me that anyone who thoughtfully and prayerfully tackles this work will never be the same again. This book truly is life-changing. And if you are somewhat intimidated by the size, consider, at the very least, reading the Discourse on God’s goodness, and prepare to fall on your knees before God in humble thankfulness for the manifold mercies that he shows to you each day (many of which you have likely ignored).

It was a pleasure to edit these two volumes by Charnock in the hope of meeting a pressing need in the church today for a more robust, more biblically and theologically informed view of God that will stir not only the minds but also the hearts of God’s people. In my mind, few books from the last several hundred years can quite help the church today like Charnock’s Discourses in the never-to-be-sufficiently praised Existence and Attributes of God.

Audio Transcript

What role do young Christians play in leading and guiding a local church? It’s a good question, especially in light of young Christians honoring older Christians. Here’s the email: “Pastor John, hello! I’m a young pastor in Missouri. Lately, I’ve noticed older Christians in the church appealing to 1 Peter 5:5. It has been used to silence younger believers in the church. What should be the role of younger members of the church in relation to older members in, say, church business meetings, when older members seek to shut down conversations and to avoid discussing uncomfortable topics? I would love your input on how to navigate through this sticky and confusing topic.”

It seems to me that most human cultures from around the world give evidence that something is written on the human heart to tell us that younger people should respect older people. Now, by respect, I mean accord them a certain deference, a certain honor, show a readiness to serve them, and give serious attention to what they say.

Honor the Old

I think that’s what the Scriptures say. For example, Leviticus 19:32 says, “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:32).

And Paul cautions Timothy in the exercise of his pastoral authority toward older members. He says, “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity” (1 Timothy 5:1–2). And I think that’s Paul’s way of saying, “Yes, young man, Timothy, yes, you have pastoral authority to guide and correct older people, but there’s a way to do it that shows a special respect for them as older.”

Now, I start my answer to this question that way, for this young pastor in Missouri, because I think this tone ought to color all our dealings in the church. I think older people in the church should be treated with a peculiar kind of respect that is different from the young people. Peter says, “Honor everyone” (1 Peter 2:17). Respect all men. And then he says with the same word, “Honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).

All people should be honored or respected as human beings, but that does not mean that all human beings should be respected in the same way. Similarly, all ages should be respected, but an 80-year-old is not to be respected only in the same way you respect a teenager.

Made Wise by the Word

But, having laid that foundation that is crucial for the culture or the ethos of a church, there is a clear and powerful stream in the Bible that warns us against assuming old equals wise. It doesn’t. It may.

An older person may be wiser because of his age. It often works this way. In fact, it should. The old men gave good counsel to Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12, and the young men gave stupid counsel (1 Kings 12:6–11). Oh my goodness, consider the centuries-long horrors that came from that stupid counsel. That’s the way it ordinarily works: young people don’t have wisdom yet, and older people do. But this is not always the case. A long life should be a good teacher, should produce wisdom, and long study of God’s word should yield a ripe mind and heart so that our older men ought to be the great repositories and our older women ought to be the great sages of the church. It should, and we ought to hope for it, expect it, look for it.

“There are some young men who have been shaped more deeply by the word than some old men.”

But it is the case that, often, there are arrogant, stubborn, foolish, lazy, ignorant old men, and there are humble, patient, wise, diligent, knowledgeable young men. We simply dare not equate age with wisdom or youth with folly. The Bible is very clear that is a wrong way to think. For example, Psalm 119:100 says, “I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.” That’s the reason why we dare not equate wisdom with age. The word of God makes the key difference, not the years lived. There are some young men who have been shaped more deeply by the word than some old men who have been very neglectful of the word all their lives. They are still in the church, but they are not as wise and mature as people thirty years younger.

Jeremiah

For example, Jeremiah was hesitant to speak God’s word because of his youth. And God got a little bit upset with him. He says in Jeremiah 1:5,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then [Jeremiah] said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” (Jeremiah 1:5–8)

That’s a strong word from God for a man who’s saying, “I’m too young.”

Timothy

Paul was just as concerned that Timothy would be cowed by his own youth as he was concerned that Timothy would be disrespectful of older people. So not only did he say to encourage rather than rebuke older men (1 Timothy 5:1), but he also said, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). In other words, do not let your youth keep you from ministering the word with power and courage to older people.

Elihu

In August of 1982, two years into my ministry at Bethlehem, I came back from vacation, and I preached a message titled “Let the Young Speak.” And I remembered it after all these years because I felt it was a risky message. “Let the Young Speak.” The church was made up overwhelmingly of older people — wonderful older people, in fact.

I was 36 years old, but newer, younger people were streaming to the church. And it would only be a matter of time till this church — at that time it was 113 years old — would see young names on the ballots and young people at the business meetings, standing up perhaps with something to say. I thought I should head off at the pass any notion that only older people have biblical maturity and wisdom. So I chose as my text Job 32, which is when Elihu speaks. Elihu gets ready to speak and rebuke Job. And he’s going to rebuke Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar because he thinks all of them have got it wrong.

And I think Elihu’s right. I argued in the sermon that Elihu’s a good guy; he’s not one of these bad teachers. And there are all kinds of reasons for that. But here’s what that text says:

Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men . . . [he] answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you. I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’ But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right. Therefore, I say, ‘Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.’” (Job 32:4–10)

“On any issue, we ask, ‘What does the word of God say?’ not, ‘How old is the speaker?’”

I concluded in that message that being old and being young is not decisive in who is qualified for office or who has the greater wisdom. The word of God decides, the Spirit of God decides what is wisdom. On any issue, we ask, “What does the word of God say?” not, “How old is the speaker?”

Clothed with Humility

It’s the same for the elders in 1 Peter 5:5. Those “elders” to whom the young are told to be submissive are not just older people; they are the same elders from 1 Peter 5:1. They are pastors, they are officers (pastor and elder are interchangeable offices in the New Testament). When the younger members are told to be subject to the elders, it means that they should show a special deference to the pastoral leaders of the church.

But the most important exhortation is probably the second half of verse five, which says, “Clothe yourselves, all of you [that means young and old, officers and laypeople], with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). So the older people and the younger people should clothe themselves with humility.

Looking back on those early days of ministry as a 35-, 36-, 37-year-old, surrounded by very old people, that’s what they were like. It was just wonderful. I think we both labored to clothe ourselves with humility toward each other. And I think that means that, in the church, both older and younger will make every effort to submit their wills to the word of God. It’s not age and it’s not youth that is decisive in settling what is true and what is wise; it is the word of God.

When it comes to confessing our sins, many Christians fall into one of two errors — both of which steal joy, disrupt peace, and undermine assurance.

On one side are those we might call non-confessors, Christians who rarely confess specific sins to God. Maybe the reason is theological: “Christ has already covered all my sins, so why keep confessing them?” Or maybe, having a thin grasp of grace, they cannot endure the exposure and shame confession brings. Or maybe they simply don’t take the time to pause, examine themselves, and bring their sins before God. Either way, they seldom say anything like, “Father, I have lusted” — or gossiped, envied, overeaten, fumed — “and I am sorry. Will you forgive me?”

On the other side (a side I know well) are those we might call repeat confessors, Christians who bring the same moment again and again before God, repeatedly asking for forgiveness. They sin, they feel conviction, they confess — yet they still feel unforgiven. So, they confess again a little later, and then again, perhaps three or four (or more) times, just to be safe and sure. As often as not, however, their repeated confessions do little to blunt the sharp blade of conviction. Their guilt is a demon only time can cast out.

To both kinds of Christians, Psalm 32 speaks a needed and blessed word. “Confess,” it says to the first group, “and receive again the gift of God’s pardon.” “Confess once,” it says to the second group, “and listen for the shouts of God’s mercy.”

Following the psalm, we might describe healthy confession in four parts: Heed God’s hand. Name your sins. Receive God’s forgiveness. Be glad in him.

1. Heed God’s Hand

Day and night your hand was heavy upon me. (Psalm 32:4)

Psalm 32 sings of sins forgiven and guilt forgotten, of a King who reigns in grace and welcomes sinners with favor. But early in the psalm, David also laments the sorrows of those who, for whatever reason, refuse to walk through the only door that leads to such joys: confession. Looking back to his own season of unconfessed sin, David writes, “I kept silent” (Psalm 32:3). And what a miserable silence it was.

David doesn’t share his specific sin with us, nor does he say how long his silence lasted. But he does tell us that his unconfessed sin began sabotaging both soul and body, turning his bones brittle and sapping his strength, dogging him by day and lying down with him at night (Psalm 32:3–4). The Lord’s hand lay heavy upon him.

You likely know something of the feeling. A shameful comment escapes your mouth, maybe, or a twisted thought tempts you into dark places, or a session of scrolling sends you spiraling into jealousy or self-pity. For an hour, a few minutes, even a moment, you turn away from your God. Then guilt rises — but you immediately smother the feeling. No, you say to yourself, that wasn’t sin. Or maybe Yes, it was sin, but let’s just move on. But you can’t move on. Time passes. Conscience presses. Attention fails. Sleep flees. “Your hand was heavy upon me” (Psalm 32:4).

And then you remember: this hand, this heaviness, is mercy. Your offended God has not left you alone, has not handed you over and allowed sin to sear your conscience. He disturbs you because he loves you. He disrupts your peace to remind you of your disrupted communion with him — and to invite you back. He calls you to confess.

“Confession is God’s own gift for restoring communion with God.”

Some, to be sure, suffer from an overactive conscience that smites them when God does not. For such Christians, distinguishing between God’s hand and their own hand (or Satan’s hand, for that matter) takes wisdom and counsel from others. But many of us, especially those who confess sin less often, can learn from David to heed God’s hand, however lightly or heavily it rests upon us. And we can let that hand lead us to what David does next.

2. Name Your Sins

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” (Psalm 32:5)

David may have remained silent in his sin for far too long, but once he opens his mouth, he does not hold back. In a single verse, David uses three groups of three to press upon us the honesty and earnestness of his confession.

Note, first, the threefold repetition of my: “my sin . . . my iniquity . . . my transgressions.” Whatever the extenuating circumstances, and whoever else may have been guilty as well, David knows that his sins are his, and so he owns them without excuse. In an echo of Nathan’s rebuke, he says before God, “I am the man” (2 Samuel 12:7).

Second, consider the three words he attaches to his deeply personal guilt: sin, iniquity, and transgressions. David would not (as we so often do) call sexual immorality “stumbling,” or hatred “irritation,” or lies “mistakes.” He takes biblical words upon his lips and names his guilt as God does. Many have described confession as agreeing with God about our sin — and so David does here. Each word is blunt, humbling, unvarnished, and true.

Third, observe the three ways David describes his speech toward God: “I acknowledged . . . I did not cover . . . I will confess.” He does not mumble his “I’m sorry”; he does not address God distractedly. Instead, he fully, freely, and thoughtfully exposes his heart before God.

A confession like David’s might be short or long; it might take many words or few. The specifics will depend, in part, on the severity of our sin and the length of our silence. But whether short or long, the key is to look our sin full in the face and confess its ugliness outright. David deals seriously with his sin here. And he discovers, as Charles Spurgeon once said, “When we deal seriously with our sin, God will deal gently with us.”

3. Receive God’s Forgiveness

You forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

David has now confessed. He has ended his stubborn silence, bowed his weary head, and named his sins before God. And then, into the quiet of his confession comes a response as stunning as it is simple: “You forgave.” God forgave — just like that? Just like that the heavy hand was lifted? Yes, just like that. David may have waited to confess; God did not wait to forgive.

We know from David’s other psalms (like Psalm 51) that some time may pass before we feel fully forgiven. We also know from David’s life that God’s forgiveness does not always remove deeply painful consequences (as with Bathsheba and Uriah). But in this psalm, David would have us remember and embrace the promise almost too wonderful to be true: God is ready to forgive as quickly as we confess. He needs no long penance; he requires no probation. Our confession and his pardon belong in the very same verse (Psalm 32:5).

The brief end of verse 5 — “you forgave the iniquity of my sin” — pithily stresses the point. But for those prone to linger in guilt even after earnest, open confession, David captures God’s forgiveness from several other angles as well. Indeed, as varied as Scripture is in its vocabulary of human evil (sin, iniquity, transgressions, and more), we find just as many descriptions of divine mercy.

“David may have waited to confess; God did not wait to forgive.”

If we feel burdened, heavy laden with guilt, he forgives (a word that means “to carry away”). If our sin seems to stand boldly before us, he covers it (Psalm 32:1). If we cannot forget our former failures, he pledges not to count them as we do (Psalm 32:2). When we feel exposed, he is our hiding place; when endangered, he preserves us; when besieged with accusations, he surrounds us with shouts of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

We have no guilt for which God has not a corresponding grace. For in Jesus Christ (the Messiah David hoped in but didn’t yet know by name), God has forever out-mercied our sin.

4. Be Glad in Him

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalm 32:11)

David, freshly forgiven, ends his psalm with a shout of joy. And anyone who has felt deep guilt wiped clean can understand why: the forgiveness of sin brings a greater freedom than any prisoner has felt upon release, even if confined for life. Yet consider David’s final line closely, and you will see that his highest joy comes from something even greater than forgiveness.

A forgiven husband rejoices not simply in the absence of guilt but in the restored presence of his wife. A forgiven friend gives thanks not only for those words, “I forgive you,” but for the ensuing days of lost friendship found. And a forgiven Christian sings not merely of a clean conscience but of a reconciled God. We are “glad,” David says — in forgiveness, yes, but far more deeply “in the Lord” (Psalm 32:11).

Confession, in other words, is God’s own gift for restoring communion with God. Confession is a doorway out of misery, the prodigal’s path home, a river that looks black as death but lifts us onto brighter shores.

If we believe as much, then we will quickly heed the hand of God that bends us to our knees. We will name our sins, starkly and thoughtfully and without excuse. We will receive God’s forgiveness, believing him to be as good as he says and as kind as he promises. And we will be glad in him, the God who condemned our sin at the cross and now delights to cast it from us as far as east from west.