God foreknew before all eternity for all things are of God and his ordering and hee being infinite his understanding admitteth no distinction of time he hath all objects alwayes present Gods knowledge is certaine and infallible so as it is not possible things should fall out otherwise than he knew for hee hath his knowledge from himselfe not from the creatures Gods fore-knowledge imposeth no necessity upon the events Gods vertues in respect of his will are bounty and justice Bounty is that by which out of love God procureth to every creature the good thereof and it is common and particular common bounty is towards all creatures even such as offend him directing them to their naturall good and sustaining them therein so long as justice suffereth Luk. 6.36 God cannot hate his creatures as his workes for so they carry a similitude of God the first cause and none can hate himselfe or his similitude for a similitude is something of himselfe Gods bounty to his creatures presupposeth not any debt or duty which implyeth imperfection and if God were bound to his creatures he should depend on them and be imperfect Gods bounty which is infinite giveth creatures good things of nature of soule and body and of outward things Such is Gods bounty as the creatures suffer no evill unlesse Gods justice require it or a greater good confirme it of this vertue God is called patient and long suffering Particular or speciall bounty is that whereby God loved some men in Christ fallen into sinne and furthereth them to eternall salvation Gods speciall bounty is the first beginning both of salvation and of the meanes thereto This bounty is no inherent quality in us but wee are the object of it it is a grace making us gratefull not finding us so Gods Justice is a vertue by which he executeth his love to reasonable creatures giving rewards to the obedient and punishment to the obstinate Gen 18.24 Gods Justice is essentiall and unchangeable as hee cannot of his bounty forgive the creatures punishment unlesse his justice be satisfied Gods vertue in respect of his understanding and will together is truth or veracity whereby he so manifesteth himselfe to the reasonable creature both by words signes and workes as indeed hee is Revel. 15.3 God hath in himself the patterne of all true things so that whatsoever in the creature is true is so because of the first truth in the mind of God Truth in God is essentiall and so unchangeable but truth in man is contingent and so changeable Seeing Gods truth is essentiall his testimony must needs be authenticke Hither of Gods vertue now follow their acts that is the exercise the applications of these vertues to the manifestation of his glory Gods actions are either the decreeing of things or the execution of the decree Gods decree purpose or counsell is his purpose of exercising operations about the creatures and of decreeing them unto their end God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Act. 4.28 Whatsoever God doth in time that hee did decree to doe from all eternity even as hee doth it The execution of the decree is an act whereby Gods counsell and purpose is shewed forth and applyed to the creatures by an effectuall operation Eph. 1.11 This is either first or arising of the first Gods first operation or execution of the decree is the creation of the world Gen. 1.1 Creation is the first perfect making of all things pure and good so the originall word importeth Gen. 1.1 Creation is of two sorts Immediate Mediate Immediate creation is the making things of meere nothing Heb. 11.3 Mediate creation is the making of things of some former matter but that matter so rude as that it is no better than nothing so God created man of the dust of the earth Gen. 2.7 Creation proceedeth from an infinite power and therefore excludeth all necessary matters for though God made man of the dust of the earth yet did he this not of necessity but could have made him also of nothing If God needed any matter to worke upon his power were not infinite but should depend on another thing and not be absolute The creation of the world was distinguished by the space of sixe dayes in respect of the effects and whole world created and for our better capacity And for as much as God is above all time and of infinite power it is to be thought hee created every thing particular in a moment saying Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 In the first day were created the heavens and the earth and matter mixt together and light Gen. 1.1 2. Angels Job 38.7 minerals and pretious stones In the second day was the out-spread firmament or heaven the division of waters above from the waters beneath Gen. 1.6 7 8. The heavens are threefold 1 The Aire wherein are the clouds and the fowles fly called thereupon the clouds of Heaven Dan. 7.13 and The fowles of Heaven Psal. 88. 2 The higher place wherein are set the Sunne Moone and Starres Gen. 1.17 3 The highest heavens where Gods glory is most manifest and the Angels attend upon his Majesty Mat. 6.9 hereupon Paul mentioneth the third heaven 2 Cor. 11.2 This seemeth to be made the first day and the Angels the inhabitants therein Gen. 1.1 Job 38.6 7. The division of the waters was such that some remained below with the earth some as the watery vapors were lift up above the heavens that is above the lower region of the aire wherein they congeale and after dissolve into raine snow and dew In the third day was a twofold worke first gathering of the nether waters into one place or sea that the dry land might appeare Secondly the bringing forth of herbes and trees Gen. 1.9 10 11 12 13. In the fourth day was made the Sunne Moone and Starres to give light on the earth and to be for signes and seasons Gen. 1.14 In the fifth day was a twofold worke first fishes secondly fowles Gen. 1.22 23. In the sixt day was a twofold worke first beasts of all sorts secondly men Gen. 1.24 25 26. Man as touching his body was made of the dust of the earth to admonish him to humiliation his soule was imbreathed of God The woman as touching her body was made of Adams ribbe to admonish man and wife of their conjunction her soule being also imbreathed Man besides naturall gifts had also superiority and carrieth Gods Image whereof more hereafter This whole creation God hath so compact together as that it is one world environed about with the heavens neither have wee ground in Gods Word nor in reason to thinke there are more Worlds than this one The world is knit together by the severall parts the heavens to the fire the fire to the aire aire to the Water water to the earth so
Conditionall Absolute are things absolutely promised or spoken without condition on our part Conditionall when God willeth any thing of us but with condition as hee willeth that all men should be saved namely if they will beleeve in Christ Mat. 28.20 As God hath a determining will concerning his creatures so hee hath an appointing will unto them Heb. 10.5 6 7. Whatsoever God willeth absolutely and of it selfe is good Jam. 1.13 Psal. 119.12 God willeth sinnes not simply but by accident as hee knoweth and meaneth to bring good out of them Gods appointing will is wholly manifested in the law of nature and in the written law Gods appointing will pertaines to all men God would have all to beleeve as beleefe is a point of obedience and honour to him but as beleefe is a grace and a gift of God hee willeth not all men to beleeve but his elect God doth not onely know all things and prescribe his will but also his providence and determinate counsell reacheth unto all his creatures Jer. 10.23 Lam. 3.37 Gods providence extendeth even to the very least things Mat. 20.29 Prov. 16.9 Gods providence consisteth in conserving and governing his creatures which creatures are of foure sorts 1 some that have beeing as heaven and earth 2 some that have beeing and life as plants and herbes 3 some that have beeing life and sense as beasts birds and fishes 4 some that having beeing life sense and reason as men God conserveth in his creatures their existence or beeing and their vertues Gods conservation of their existence is the continuing of the substance of the creatures In him wee live move and have our beeing moving being not only locall bul the moving of the heart spirit reason will c. Gods government is the ordering and ruling and disposing of his creatures to his owne pleasure and glory Psal. 104. Esay 45.7 Job 12.10 Gods government in speciall is towards Angels and Men for in them first hee determineth and ordereth their actions secondly hee giveth them lawes thirdly hee executeth justice God determineth and ordereth the actions and inclinations of men moving them and directing them to their end Mans actions and inclinations hee moveth and ruleth effectually God ordereth them to the good of this life and of the life to come which is the chiefest good God ordereth sinne two wayes first by limitation and binding it that it shall goe no further than hee please Secondly by turning it against the nature and will of the sinner into good Gods providence is double mediate and immediate mediate is when he conserveth and governeth one creature by another as by instruments immediate is when he useth no meanes or worketh against means God useth not meanes of necessity but of pleasure these meanes are not to be excluded from Gods providence but included God can use evill instruments for good against their power and will The chiefe meanes to governe the world are Angels The end of all is Gods glory Deus vult gloriam suam necessitate naturae suae non libere The foundation of true glory is vertue or goodnesse Gods glory is spoken of two wayes 1 As an essentiall property of his 2 As the glorifying of himselfe so Gods glory consisteth in the knowledge of himselfe God when he had created the world saw all that he had made and lo it was very good but after God looked upon the earth and loe it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth It is then now to be minded how corruption and evill came into the world The corruption of the world is set forth by divers names in respect of truth it is called lying or falshood in respect of good it is called evill in respect of righteousnesse it is called iniquity or unrighteousnesse in respect of Gods law it is called unlaw sunesse or transgression of the law generally it is called sinne that is aberration or missing of the scope or marke in respect of duty it is called disobedience rebellion defection or apostasie disloyalty perfidiousnesse in respect of our first estate it is called a fault or ruine Evill hath no efficient cause but a deficient evill hath neither nature nor substance for all such are of God but so is not evill all such are good but so is not sinne Evill is an accident cleaving unto natures substance actions Rom. 7.21 The creatures were made of nothing and being of themselves not able to sustaine themselves have an inclination to come to nothing if God do not uphold them so evill is caused of nothing Evill began in Heaven amongst the Angels and so spread into other reasonable creatures as men is called sinne their fall and is the privation of Gods Image in them God himselfe cannot do evill or be tempted thereto and he onely hath this priviledge men and Angels want it The Angels therefore being subject to temptation were tempted of their owne motions and willingly gave place to their evill thoughts and being not sustained of God did fall Jud. 5 6. Though wee know not how many yet there were many that fell from their heavenly estate of those many that fell one seemeth to be the chiefe and others drawne by or accompanying him called therefore his Angels Mat. 25.4 Being falne they could not of themselves rise againe neither did God minister any grace or helpe unto them therefore they added sinne unto sinne and so doe continue sinning still extremely untill the appointed time of their damnation The Angels that are falne have divers names to denote their evill condition sometime they are called evill Spirits lying Spirits uncleane Spirits Devill that is a calumniator Mat. 25.41 Sathan that is adversary or fiend Job 1.6 demons of their knowledge Mat. 9.34 wasters or destroyers Deut. 32.17 rugged satyrs of their horrible hew Lev. 17.7 dragon and serpent of their craft and venemous nature Rev. 12.9 the Tempter Mat. 4.3 the Malitious one 1 Joh. 3. the Enemie Mat. 13.28 Roaring Lyon 2 Pet. 5.8 the Strong-armed one Mat. 12.29 Prince of the World Job 12.31 that ruleth in the aire Eph. 6.12 2.2 Beliall the unruly or without yoke Mans first sinne is fitly called disobedience or fall for the Law was significatively given to testifie man to be subject to Gods Law and his obedience And whereas before man walked with a steady foote in Gods ordinance by this fact hee stumbled and fell from the seat of integrity The efficient immediate cause was man himselfe of his owne free will without any necessity inward or outward transgressing the Law The efficient cause remote and mediate was the Devill tempting man to sinne The instrumentall cause was the serpent whose tongue the Devill abused to frame arguments to beguile with The arguments or causes to move inwardly were first directly perswading for good that they should be as Gods Secondly perswading from feare of punishment Adde to
himselfe and us 2 Glory 3 The taking of the Kingdome 4 The administration of the Kingdome 5 The resignation of the Kingdome to his Father Victory is whereby Christ overcommeth the devill and sinne and death and subdued them under him and his Heb. 2.14 1 Cor. 15.54 57. Glory is the exaltation and glorification of Christ and that of the whole person but in divers respects for his divine nature was exalted not by increase of essence or of glory his humane nature was exalted both by increase and manifestation Glory is the Kingly dignity consisting of three things 1 Putting off infirmities 2 Glorification of the humane nature 3 Triumph over enemies Putting off infirmities was when Christ was delivered from all weaknesse of body and mind which for our sakes hee tooke upon him as death paine hunger thirst sorrow Rom. 6.9 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Glorification of the humane nature is its perfection by assuming new habits and powers Joh. 7.39 Christs body was glorified in that it was made incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.33 firme strong nimble spirituall splendent 1 Cor. 15.43 Mat. 17.2 3. His soule was glorified by the perfection of the understanding such as in his base estate hee knew not even all things in all places and times so farre forth as a created mind is capable of and by perfection of will and all vertues that a created will is capable of Triumph over enemies was his resurrection and manifestation after Psal. 68.1 This arising againe was the restoring of the humane nature unto life and the glorious and powerfull lifting of it out of the grave As by Christs sufferings and death hee wrought satisfaction and justice for his elect so by his resurrerection as the principall cause hee conferreth the effectuall application of justice and satisfaction The efficient cause of Christs resurrection was God the Father Act. 2.24 the Sonne Joh. 17.18 the Holy Ghost Rom. 18.11 The end of his rising is the glory of God the Father Rom. 6.4 of the Sonne Act. 3.15 to fulfill prophesies and figures 1 Cor. 15.4 to confirme the legall covenants Do this and live to justifie us by applying benefits Rom. 4.25 The benefits and fruits wee have by his resurrection are these 1 A full assurance and certainty of faith touching him 2 Full satisfaction for us as our surety and our applied justification Rom. 4.25 and 8.34 4 The gift of the Holy Ghost to quicken us from sinne Rom. 6.4 Eph. 2.5 5 Assurance of our last resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 20 22. 1 Thess. 4.14 6 Certainty of our perseverance in faith Rom. 6.9 Gal. 2.20 7 Confidence of our hope and eternall life Col. 1.18 Rom. 8.17 5.10 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The forme and manner of Christs resurrection was first his soule returned to the body secondly the time was the third day thirdly the earth trembled for joy as for horrour at his death As hee died the sixth wherein Adam was made and fell so hee rose the first day wherein the world began to be created he rose in the dawning Mat. 28.1 2. so he was the Sun and light of the world As the Angels served him at his birth Luk. 2. so did they at his resurrection Christ was the first that should rise from the dead Act. 26.23 1 Cor. 15. Object But some rose before him raised by the Prophets Answ. Their resurrection was actuall and imperfect for they died againe afterward but Christs was perfect never dying more nor subject to mortality Act. 13.34 The manifestation of his resurrection was his glorious appearing to his Disciples forty dayes to confirme their faith and teaching them things pertaining to the Kingdome of God Act. 2.3 Testimonies of his resurrection were 1 Angels Mat. 28.3 4. Luk. 24. 2 The watchmen Mat. 28.4 11. 3 His Disciples to whom hee appeared oftentimes as to Mary Magdalen at the grave Mat. 28.9 To Simon Peter to two Disciples in the way to Emaus Luk. 24.13 To the company of Disciples Joh. 20.19 To Thomas Joh. 20.26 To his Disciples at the sea of Tiberias Joh. 22.1 To James 1 Cor. 15.7 To his Disciples on the mount at Galile Mat. 28.16 To more than 500. brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 To his Disciples on mount Olivet when hee ascended into Heaven Another testimony was the bodies of the Saints which arose and prophesies of the Scripture Luk. 24.25 26. Mat. 27 52 53. Christs taking of his Kingdome was 1 By ascending into heaven 2 By sitting at Gods right hand Dan. 7.13 14. Christ in his naturall body glorified went up in a cloud through the aire or orbes into the imperiall heavens by his ascension he also made way for us and is an assurance that we also shall come thither Heb. 10.19 Joh. 14.3 Also by his ascension hee furnisheth his Church with gifts of the Holy Ghost Joh. 7.39 Christs sitting at his Fathers right hand meaneth a dignity next unto the power of God and is the highest degree of exaltation whereby hee fully occupieth his kingdome gotten by his battell by repressing his enemies and conserving his Church Psal. 101.1 Cor. 15.1 This sitting at Gods right hand in respect of Christs Godhead was the restauration of the glory which hee had with the Father before the world was in respect of the manhood it is the glorification of him with the glory he never had before above all other creatures Christs Kingdome may be considered absolutely or specially His absolute Kingdome is the rule which he hath over-all creatures whether they obey or not and it may be called the Kingdome of power 1 Pet. 3.22 His speciall Kingdome is his rule over the Church which may be called the Kingdome of Grace The nature of this Kingdome is spirituall not of this World the limits of this Kingdome are the ends of the earth Psal. 2. Administration of Christs Kingdome is 1 His giving lawes 2 By executing them His giving of Lawes are outward or inward Outward propounded by the Word and Ministry Inward by the Spirit opening the conscience and giving power to do them Act. 1.3 Executing Lawes is by rewarding good deeds and punishing evill Rewards are 1 Spirituall 2 Temporall Spirituall are remission of sinnes victories over temptations justification sanctification Temporall are the things of this life with the condition of the Crosse in the next life joyes of Heaven Matt. 25. Punishments are inward and outward Inward are griefes feares and torments of conscience Outward are paines sicknesses diseases and in the next life damnation The course of administration in all ages are the opening of the seales sounding of the trumpets shedding of the vials discovery of Antichrist The great and last worke of his Kingdome is the last Judgement the day as hee knew not on earth so neither wee the manner will be glorious with innumerable companies of Angels and flaming fire The resurrection of the just and unjust the change of the living the
that it is not possible to find any empty place The figure of the world is round The perfection of the world consisteth in the parts and degrees perfection of parts is such as God sufficiently furnisheth the world with variety of creatures for his glory perfection of degrees is such as that all creatures have such force and vertue as may serve to Gods glory conservation of the world and use of man The beauty of the world is the wonderfull propertie shape and colour which appeareth in all things the perpetuall succession of things by generation that plants and living things dying are yet continued The causes of creating the world were first his love towards us Secondly the shewing forth of his glory Thirdly the fulfilling of his decree The end that God may be knowne and honoured of his creatures The use for men generally all specially the elect The seaventh day God made a Sabbath of rest and of it are to be noted three things 1 Gods resting from creating 2 His blessing it above other dayes 3 His sanctifying it for the use of the Church Chiefest creatures which God created were Angels and men in whom hee imprinted his owne divine Image Angels were created of God Psal. 148.1 5. Col. 1.16 Although it be uncertaine what day they were created yet it may be probably supposed on the first day Angels are spirits finite and compleat they are finite as all other creatures are and so differ from God the infinite and uncreated spirit and they are compleat and full and so subsisting of themselves and therein differ from the soules of men which are incompleat and Essentiall parts of man Angels are in nattre more excellent than men and therefore the most excellent creatures they are called the sonnes of God therefore were created in holinesse and truth the Image of God The bodies wherein Angels sometimes appeared were not essentially united with them as mens bodies be but were assumed for a time though it be uncertaine whereof they were made The end why they were created was first to praise and celebrate Gods glory Psal. 148.2 3. Job 38.6 7. Secondly to execute his Commandements Psal. 103.20 Thirdly to observe and conserve the creatures Psal. 91.11 Therefore Angels are mighty Psal. 103.20 they are swift and nimble and so fly in their administration they execute Gods will with all readinesse and cheerfulnesse They are wise of great understanding 2 Sam. 14.20 they are by nature mutable can change from good to evill as they that sinned are an example Jud. 6. Man the excellentest of all earthly creatures was made both male and female in the image of God Gen. 5.1 2 3. Gods Image in man was the understanding and mind of man so as he had the full right cleare and orderly knowledge of all things created of God and of God himselfe so farre as concerned mans happinesse this is manifest by Adams naming of all creatures and by the restoring of Gods Image in us by Christ which is in all wisedome and spirituall understanding Col. 1.9 Gods Image was in the will the perfection whereof was such as it had a right inclination and appetite to that which was good and a free execution of the appetite or a free will without impediment inward or outward Eph. 4.24 God Image was in the affections as the sensitive desires of nature eating drinking generation in love hatred that these are mere conformable to truth reason and holinesse Eph. 4.24 Gods Image was in the body of man in that it was perfectly framed and disposed in the parts not subject to death or disease his stature upright his proportion most exact his colour amiable have nothing whereof to be ashamed these admirable parts and members also shadowing Gods vertues as the eye Gods all-seeing the tongue Gods Word the hand his Almighty power The soule carrieth an image of the unity of the Godhead and trinity of persons in that there is one soule with three faculties of understanding will and memory the whole man carrieth Gods Image in that he had the rule and soveraignty over all the earth Gen. 1.28 Psal. 8. The end of the Image of God in man was the glory of the Creator and the unseparable joy and delight of man in his owne similitude and union with God Psal. 17.51 Gen. 2.25 19.20 The place where man was set with this image of God upon him was the Garden of Eden or of pleasure commonly called Paradise Gen. 2.8 This Garden seemeth by the description thereof and the rivers therein to have beene about Mesopotamia or Babylon Gen. 2. In this Garden watered with a goodly river God caused to grow every tree pleasant to the eye and good for meat Gen. 2.9 The tree of knowledge of good and evill was forbidden man to eate upon the paine of assured death by eating whereof man should know the difference betweene evill and Good and how heavie a thing it was to disobey the Commandements of God The tree of life was a Sacramentall tree confirming and assuring man of Gods grace favour and conservation in life for ever Gen. 2.9 Rev. 2.7 In all likelihood this Garden of Paradise which is now no where to be found was defaced by Noahs flood untill which time it was kept and warded by Cherubins that men may seeke the paradise which is in the highest heavens Gen. 3.24 2 Cor. 12.4 Luk. 23.43 In the Paradise man was imployed first to serve God his Creator procure his owne eternall blisse whereunto hee was fitted with freedome of will for perfect obedience according to the tenor of the covenant of workes Secondly to dresse and till the garden This covenant of workes graven in mans heart as may be gathered by Gen. 3.8 4.6 Rev. 2.14.16 was sealed with two Sacramentall trees the first the tree of life assuring life and glory if hee obeyed the second of knowledge assuring death if hee transgressed hitherto of the creation of the world now followeth the conservation and government of the same Unto the conservation of the world pertaineth first the knowledge of God which is such as he exactly and fully discerneth all things what they are of what sort what they can doe and what shall become of them in the end for from the beginning of the world he knoweth all his workes Gods knowledge is not onely in generall but of every particular and of their severall actions words and thoughts Psal. 139.2 3 4. It reacheth to smallest and vilest creatures Mat. 10.30 As God knoweth so he willeth and appointeth all things concerning the creatures Jer. 25.5 6 7. Gods Will and appointment extendeth also to beasts and the vilest creatures Mat. 10.29 God manifesteth not all his will concerning his creatures and his dealing with them Mat. 24.36 so then Gods revealed will and his secret will are not opposite but onely members and degrees of will Gods will is 1 Absolute 2