God

In this section on the eternity of God, Charnock develops a thorough outline of his subject. His primary concern here is the extension of God’s duration. In typically Puritan style he concludes the treatise with a section on the “use” of the doctrine, which is as valuable as the foregoing exposition because it shows how God is interested in applying doctrine to the life of the believer. Charnock points out, for example, the great psychological value of this doctrine, turning man’s attention from temporal materialistic values to eternal verities.
Stephen Charnock, who was born in London, in 1642 entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and there was converted. His public ministry began in Southwark, London, after receiving his B.D. from the university. In 1650 he earned a fellowship at New College, Oxford, where he associated with Thomas Goodwin and John Howe. He became chaplain in 1655 to Henry Cromwell, governor of Ireland. He earned his reputation in Dublin, where his preaching without notes greatly impressed his listeners. With the coming of the Restoration, he lost his position and lived in London in semi-retirement until his death. For a short time he was joint pastor with Thomas Watson of the church at Crosby Hall.

Charnock published only one sermon in his lifetime, his greatest works being published after his death. A Discourse of Divine Providence was published in 1680 and followed in 1682 by On the Existence and Attributes of God. His complete works were published in nine volumes in 1815 with a biography prefixed by Edward Parsons. Charnock’s style was lofty and sublime. He wrote of God’s attributes in a declarative, nonspeculative manner. He set forth the divine attributes as qualities (not impersonal abstractions) observable in God’s dealings with men. He was grave without being dull and thorough without being wearisome.