them for the black Mantle of the night now all on a flame with flashes of Lightning and anon all in a Sea with the Bottles of Heaven sometimes rent in pieces with thundring Tempests and then made up again into serenity and clear as a molten Looking-glass This is the Fan of all Creatures breathing on the Earth and it self is fanned with various Winds This is the Inn where the visible Species the Imagery of the Worlds Beauty and Glory and the audible Species the multiplied progeny of Sounds and Voices lodge together This is the common Road where the influences of the Heavens and the vapours of the Earth the beams of the Sun and the sweet perfumes of Herbs and Flowers meet and embrace each other in their passage Within this is the massie Earth the Centre of the World hanging upon nothing inwardly boweled with rich Minerals and precious Stones and outwardly teeming with numberless births of Grass and Corn shaded with Trees and Woods and laughing with odoriferous Herbs and Flowers bubling with lively Springs and Fountains of Water and admirably enterlaced with gliding Streams and Rivers inhabited with strange variety of Beasts and lorded with Man And the Girdle of this Earth is the wonderful Sea swadled with Clouds swarming with Fishes lodged and locked up in the hollows of the Earth and from thence secretly winding and straining its moisture into the inward Veins thereof now swelling with the pride of Winds and Waves as if it meant to swallow up Heaven and Earth and then sinking down again into its Den as if it were afraid to be drunk up by the little Sands The third is the Mixt World the mariage or copula of the other two made up of Men whose Immortal Souls claim kindred with the World of Angels and whose Earthen Bodies are the Breviaries and Epitomes of the visible World virtually summing up the Elements in their harmonious Mixture the Plants in their Life the Beasts in their Senses and the Heavens with the Sun Moon and Stars in their Heads Eyes and beautiful Faces Now touching all this Catalogue of Beings I shall briefly demonstrate three things 1. That all these Beings had a beginning 2. That their beginning was from God 3. That it was from God as a free Agent and according to the counsel of his own Will 1. All these things had a beginning and this I prove three ways 1. I argue ex absur do if they had no beginning of being then every one of them is a God by Nature a Jehovah in Self-beingness and an Alpha in Primacy If they had no beginning of duration then are they all inmates in God's Eternity copartners in his Immutability and which is a step higher possessors of his Infinity and boundless Beings without any limits of Being For what imaginable limits of Being can they have which want a beginning which is the first limit of Being 2. The Motions of the Creatures evince this the Elements have their enterchanges the Earth its seasons the Sea its tides the Air its winds the Stars their courses the Moon her variations the Sun runs its race between the Tropicks the Heavens the common carriers of all the rest turn about with an uncessant Motion nay the immaterial Angels and rational Souls are never without some Motions in their Understanding and Will neither can they do any thing without a change because their being and their doing are two things Now what do all these Motions speak but a first Mover a beginning at some first point and a measure of time ever since Such moveable Beings cannot be measured with Eternity for that is unmoveable and unvariable but these are in motions and mutations that is instantaneous and simultaneous but these are under a flux of priority and posteriority in their motions and mutations wherefore it must needs be that these had a beginning 3. If these had no beginning then what shall we say of the Years Days and Minutes past Are they finite or infinite If finite then numerable and there was a beginning if infinite then how past Infinity cannot be passed over but and if it could then there are infinite numbers of Minutes past infinite numbers of Days past and infinite numbers of Years past and because there cannot be infinito infinitius by most necessary consequence there are as many Years past as Days and as many Days past as Minutes which is utterly impossible therefore these things must needs have a beginning 2. The beginning of all these was from God The Scripture speaks evidently In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. Of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. 36. He that built all things is God Heb. 3. 4. When we look upon the stately Palace of the World roofed with the glorious Heavens floored with the fruitful Earth chambered with the cloudy Air watered with the stupendious Sea and furnished with all variety of Creatures we cannot dream of any other Architect but God alone And because Job bids us speak to the earth Job 12. 8. and the Psalmist tells us that there is a language in the heavens Psal. 19. 1 2 3. and the Apostle asserts that there is a witness of God in the rain Acts 14. 17. therefore suffer me to parly their Original out of their own mouths Creatures whence came you Ex nihilo What ex nihilo How then came you over that vast infinite Gulf which lies between Nothing and Being Infinite Power filled it up to make our passage But since you came over where do you stand In a Being betwixt two Nothings Nothing negative and Nothing privative And who set you there at first The first and chief Being who is ipsum Esse suum Esse infinitum Esse infinitè elongatum à non Esse But whence had you all that truth and goodness which is in you Our truth is but a beam from his infinite Verity and our goodness the Redundance and Super-effluence of his infinite Goodness And whence came all these numbers and hosts of Beings Out of perfect Unity every one of us is numbred by our finiteness and composition and every Number is from infinite simple Unity Monas est principium radix omnium there is but one God of whom are all things But how came you into such ranks Why have not the Elements Life the Plants Sense the Beasts Reason and Men Angelical Perfections When infinite Power brought us out of nothing infinite Wisdom shut up every one of us within the bounds of his proper Being But your Beings being of such different sorts how came you to be so kind each to other the Clouds drop down Rain on the Earth the Earth brings forth Grass that feeds the Beasts and these serve for Man the Breviary of all and Steward of all All these and innumerable more links of Amity were made by the God of Order But if you be of God's own make shew me your tokens 'T
't was that he might succour the tempted Heb. 2. 18. Which way soever Satan turns himself still he is under God as the supreme Moderator But the spiritual world is not all the Material World is also under his dominions the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wheel of Nature is all turned about by his counsel the Heavens with all their Luminaries rapid Wheelings spinnings of Time and hovering indulgent influences are under his Ordinance his immense hand spans them Isai. 48. 19. at once twirling them about with an indefatigable Motion and squeezing out their quickning influences into the lower World 't is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 45. raises up the Sun to rule the day and the Moon and Stars to rule the night the Air with all its Meteors is at his command he maketh the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth Psal. 135. 7. and forms them into Clouds in an admirable and exact proportion the airy and watery parts ballancing each other Job 37. 16. These are the Bottles of Heaven when he breaks a Bottle down comes a refreshing showre when he turns and tosses a Bottle 't is by his counsel Job 37. 12. The Winds are all in God's hand Prov. 30. 4. and when he lets out any of them 't is by weight Job 28. 25. just so much and no more and 't is to fulfil his will Psal. 148. 8. and when one command is done it returns by its circuits to execute another Eccl. 1. 6. Thunder is God's majestick Voice and Lightning his glittering Arrow both are at his beck and say to him Here we are Job 38. 35. The treasures of Snow and Hail he purses up in the Clouds and those pay them out again according to his pleasure The stupendious Sea is but a little Babe in his almighty Arms Clouds and darkness are its swadling-band Job 38. 9. and the hollow of the Earth its Cradle there he rocks and rules it as he pleaseth if it cry and roar he stills and rebukes it till he lull it fast asleep in a calm The vast Earth is but instar puncti before him at his command are all the living Creatures the greedy Ravens were Caterers for Elijah untrained Kine faithful carriers of the Ark the dumb Ass a reprover to the Prophet clamorous Dogs moved not their tongues at departing Israel Laban's Cattle change colour to pay Jacob's wages Peter's Fish brought Tribute-money in his mouth and when proud Pharaoh said Who is the Lord an answer was sent him by wonderful hosts of Frogs and Flies Lice and Locusts proclaiming the sovereignty of their great Maker and Master In summ Man is the Epitome of all the rest and in governing him God governs all Man hath an inward Principality of Reason and Will yet still he is under the Almighty and All-wise Moderator who rules and disposes the hearts of men as he pleaseth 'T was but his touch on their hearts and Saul had a band 1 Sam. 10. 26. 'T was but his turning the key in Lydia's heart and the Gospel had entrance Acts 16. 14. Titus went to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. 17. a word importing high liberty yet God put it into his heart Ver. 16. The King's heart and who can be freer than he is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it whither he will Prov. 21. 1. he turneth it whither he will there is the sovereignty of Providence yet he turneth it as the Rivers of waters there is the salving of Humane Liberty For as when the Husbandman leads the Waters this and that way by Channels and Trenches they lose nothing of their natural fluency so when God turns the hearts of men to such and such Objects they part with nothing of their natural liberty God is infinitely greater than our hearts wiser than our reason and freer than our liberty therefore he is able and worthy to rule over us in our freest actions Lastly as his gubernative Providence is over all Creatures so 't is over all Events the greatest Events are not above it When Kingdoms are tossed and bandied up and down like a Tennis-ball Isai. 22. 18. not one Event can fly out of the bounds of Providence the smallest are not below it not a Sparrow falls to the ground without it not a hair but 't is numbred by it he is maximus in minimis the most natural Effects are but casual till his free concourse makes them certain The Iron with all its gravity is not sure to sink 2 Kings 6. 6. the Fire with all its fury is not sure to burn Dan. 3. 27. The most casual effects are not casual to him when the Lot is cast into the lap the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord Prov. 16. 33. When a Bow was drawn at a venture 1 Kings 22. 34. Providence sent it as a certain messenger of death to the King of Israel Thus far I have been surveying the hosts of Creatures and Events I now procede to demonstrate that God is the great and universal Governour over them all For 1. He hath an absolute Authority over all his just Title is King of kings and Lord of lords all the Sphere of Nature and World of Creatures was of his making he that ruled over Nullity it self in their Creation is worthy to rule over all Creatures by his Providence but because Authority is liveless without presence therefore 2. His presence is every where Creatures lie in the shell of Time and Place Angels have their definitive Ubi the Body of Christ which subsists in an infinite Person is circumscribed by a finite place but God is every where present he is higher than Heaven deeper than Hell longer than Time and greater than Place and who like him to be universal Governour If he were only on the Throne of Heaven how should the Footstool of the Earth be ordered If his hand only spanned the celestial Spheres what should the Sea do But he is every where where-ever any Creature is there is I AM supporting and governing it But because power is the Crown of presence therefore 3. He is Almighty the only potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. power belongs to him nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1. 19. a pleonasm of power such as can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3. 20. superexcessively above all thoughts of men No wonder then if the Omnipotent reign who should reign else he can call things that are not Rom. 4. 17. even a World of Creatures out of the barren Womb of Nullity and a Church of New-creatures out of the dead Womb of Nature He is a God doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. Wonders to us but none to himself for all things are easie to Omnipotence his Government can have no blemishes because his Power can have no obstacles But because Powers hands cannot be without Wisdoms eyes therefore 4. He is Infinite in Wisdom to manage all He is a God of knowledge 1
turned from God and God departed from Man and instantly the Captive appeared all in Chains of Sin and Wrath his Lamp went out in obscure darkness Satan ascended up into the Throne the fire of Lust rose up in the Sanctuary the Affections were all in a mutiny against the upper Powers and the whole Man became a Prisoner under Sin and Wrath and all this because he left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his original State of rectitude and holiness 2. Man fallen in opposition to fallen Angels When Man though but an earthen Pitcher fell from God the whole Trinity seemed to be moved at it the bowels of the Father yearned over him and as not content with inward compassions Grace breaks out at the Lips of the Son Unto you O men do I call saith the eternal Word Prov. 8. 4. and because words such as made a World could not do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 16. He catches hold of the Humane Nature and rather than fail he would live and bleed and die in it for our Redemption And lest after all this Man should not catch hold of his own Salvation out comes the holy Spirit to make sure work of it in an application of it unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome When Mankind fled and fled far from Christ he pursued and caught hold of it But when those Vessels of Gold the Angels dropt out of Heaven there was no such matter the Father's bowels though of immense largeness were shut up not a thought of mercy rose in his heart towards them the Son's Lips which drop sweet smelling Myrrh unto men let fall never a syllable of comfort unto them he saw them tumbling down from Heaven yet caught not hold of them the holy Spirit would not stir a foot to recover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their original Rectitude for them again that so they might be capable of staying in the holy Heavens but down they must into Chains of darkness such as for ever shut out every glimpse of Mercy But why a Philanthropy rather than a Philangely Why a Redemption for Men and not for Devils Here men give their conjectures Man say some sinned by seduction but Devils by self-motion In the Fall of Men say others all the Humane Nature fell but in the Fall of Angels all the Angelical Nature fell not Others alledge that the Sin of Angels was more damnable than Man's because their Nature was more sublime than his Others yet affirm that Men are capable of Repentance but Devils not because whatever they once choose they do immobiliter velle the Devil sinneth from the beginning 1 Joh. 3. 8. 't is not said he sinned but he sinneth because from his first Apostasie he sinneth on uncessantly But alas Who can limit the holy One Might not his boundless Mercy have saved the selftempted Devils What if his devouring Justice had broke out against devil-seduced Men nay against all the Race of Men Who should accuse him for the Nations that perish which he hath made and Sin hath marred Wisd. 12. 12 Could not the Blood of God have washed out the blackest spots of fallen Angels Was not the Almighty Spirit of Grace able to melt a Devil into Repentance Had we poor Worms been to dispute with the Devil about the Body of Christ as Michael did with him about the Body of Moses O how easily would he have reasoned us out of our Redeemer What would he have said shall the tender bowels of God be let down to you on Earth and restrained to us in Heaven Will the All-wise God repair his Clay-images in the Dunghil of the lower World and neglect his fairer Pictures once hung up in his own Palace of Glory May not the Son of God be a Redeemer at an easier rate without stepping a foot out of his Fathers house and will he travel down so far as an Incarnation How much better were it for him to spot himself with an assumed Cherubin than to take Flesh into his glorious Person But the great God hath neither given Angels a day to plead for a Redeemer nor Man a licence to pry into his Ark. Wonder then O Man at this astonishing difference made by the divine Will alone Angels must be damned and men may be saved golden Vessels are irreparably broken and earthen Pots are set together again Inmates of Glory drop to Hell and Dust and Ashes fly up to Heaven When I consider thy Heavens and the Stars glistering there Lord what is man that thou mindest him Psal. 8. 4 but when I consider thy Heaven of Heavens and thy Angels dropping from thence into utter darkness Lord what is man that thou savest him Misericordiâ Domini plena est terra quare non dictum est plenum est coelum quia sunt spirituales nequitiae in coelestibus sed non illae ad commune jus indulgentiae Dei remissionémque peccatorum pertinent as holy Ambrose expresses it Even so gracious Father because so it seemeth good in thy sight Thus having found the right Captive I pass on 2. To the Captivity and this I shall set out in three things 1. The Chains 2. The Prison 3. The Jailor As for the first I shall first touch upon the Chains themselves and then upon the distinct links thereof 1. The Chains themselves are no other than Original and Actual Sin 1. Original Sin is a very heavy Chain and here I shall view 1. The upper end of this Chain I mean that first Sin of eating the forbidden fruit called in the Schools Peccatum originale originans here there was truly magnum in parvo a vast World of Sin in a small Act. There was an Idol of self-excellency a framing and to adorn it a concupiscential stealth of the forbidden fruit and in this stealth a bloody Homicide a slaying of all Humane Nature at one blow and which is more a kind of Deicide too a slaying as much as in Man lay even of God himself the Pride of this primordial Sin snatching at God's excellency the Unbelief stabbing at his Truth the Rebellion fighting against his Sovereignty the Ingratitude trampling his Goodness under foot and the Presumption as it were daring out his Justice into warlike Arms and all this contra praeceptum tam breve ad retinendum tam leve ad observandum This is the upper end of this Chain and it reaches down to us all for in him we all sinned Rom. 5. 12. The sweetest Bonaventure cannot say In Adamo non peccavi For Adam was not here considered as a private person but as the Root and Head of Mankind Adam's person was the fountain of ours and his Will the representative of ours we were all in him naturally as latent in his Loins and legally too as comprized within the Covenant made with him therefore we all sinned in his Sin Omnes nos unus ille Adam saith one Father Genus humanum in primo parente velut in radice computruit saith
the holy Spirit drops some moral Vertues and Beams of light from whence have issued many excellent Sayings some of which the holy Spirit hath so far owned as to quote them in his own Book But the Father doth in a special manner love and the Son did in a special manner die for the Elect. Hence proportionably the holy Spirit works in them after more glorious strains of Power and Grace as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication he melts them into Repentance as a Spirit of Faith he makes them catch hold upon Christ for Righteousness and Life as a Spirit of Wisdom he unveils their hearts and makes the Light to shine out of Darkness as a Spirit of Liberty he unshackles and unbinds their Wills and makes them free indeed in the ways of God and as a Spirit of Truth and Holiness he leads them into Truth and by inward Law-engravings moulds and changes them into it Moreover the holy Spirit after such glorious workings on them comes and dwells in them and that intimately in the very secrets of their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwel in them saith he 2 Cor. 6. 16. there are two in 's to denote an intimate inhabitation as if God could never be near enough to them As in Christ Personal who is the Head there is God in the flesh by an hypostatical Union so in Christ Mystical which is the Body there is God in the Flesh by a gracious Inhabitation and to shew that he is there he cries Abba Father in their Devotions he is a Spirit of Love in their charities a Spirit of Power in their infirmities a Spirit of Comfort in their distresses and a Spirit of Glory in their sufferings Seeing then the holy Spirit who works in men more or less according to the Fathers Love and Sons Merits works in such a special way in the Elect 't is as clear as if it were written with a Sun-beam that the Father loves them and the Son died for them in a special way Hence we find these three folded and wrapt up together by the Apostle Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father through sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 2. And again The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all 2 Cor. 13. 14 If the Father's Love and the Son's Blood had respected all men as much as the Elect doubtless the holy Spirit who in Subsistence procedes and in Operations works from them both would have converted all as well as the Elect why then are not all men actually converted Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all or because the holy Spirit is resisted in some Is it because the holy Spirit works not equally in all I answer That the Spirit is sent forth from the Father and the Son and works exactly according as it is sent the inward impulsive Cause of pouring out the Spirit is the Father's Love and the outward meritorious cause of it is the Son's Blood Wherefore if the Father equally love all and the Son equally died for all the Spirit works equally in all for there can be no breach in the sacred Trinity Or is it because the Spirit is resisted in some I answer Their resistance is a grand Obstacle to the work but if the Spirit did roll away the Stone and new-mould the Heart and work the Will in all as he doth in the Elect that Obstacle would at last be removed out of the way 5. I argue from the Blessings purchased Christ's Death is more or less respective of men as it is more or less procurative of Blessings for them Christ purchased a Salvability for all but over and besides he purchased many choice Blessings for the Elect he purchased Repentance for them for he is a prince and a saviour to give repentance to Israel Acts 5. 31. He purchased a room for Repentance even for all men but he purchased Repentance it self for his chosen Israel he purchased Faith for them Unto you it is given for Christs sake to believe in him Phil. 1. 29. For others he purchased a ground-work for Faith but for them he purchased the very Grace of Faith he purchased effectual Vocation for them others have a Call by the Gospel but these have a Call by the Gospel coming in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance he purchased Holiness and Sanctification for them Indeed there is no man living on the Earth but if he did really believe he should have the rivers of living water the Spirit of holiness flowing in his heart Joh. 7. 38. but the Elect were destined and chosen in Christ to be holy Eph. 1. 4. and Christ sanctified himself in a special manner for them that they might be sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth actually truly Joh. 17. 19. Lastly he purchased Heaven and Glory for them others may have Heaven upon believing but these shall certainly arrive at it these are the sheep to which Christ gives eternal life Joh. 10. 28. these are the sons which without fail shall be brought to Glory Heb. 2. 10. Now seeing Christ purchased so many Blessings for the Elect 't is evident he died for them in a special way 6. I argue from the Intercession of Christ. Christ intercedes for men more or less proportionably as he more or less respected them in his Death for his Death is the foundation of his Intercession the very same Blood of Christ which as shed on Earth made Satisfaction as presented in Heaven makes Intercession Now how far doth Christ intercede in Heaven What doth his Blood speak there For all men it speaks thus Father let them all be saved on Gospel-terms but for the Elect it speaks thus Father let them have Repentance this the Apostle hints out Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince a saviour to give repentance to Israel Acts 5. 31. Israels Repentance on Earth comes from Christ exalted in Heaven for there he intercedes for it by his Merits and from thence he works it by his Spirit Again it speaks for them thus Father let them be made a willing people this I gather from the 110. Psalm where we find Christ sitting at the right hand of God Ver. 1. and sitting there he intercedes for us and from this Session and Intercession comes forth a willing people Ver. 3. Here 's the true original of spiritual willingness the right Hand of God which is a right Hand of Power works it in our Hearts and works it at the instance of Christ who sits and intercedes there for it Again it speaks for them thus Father sanctifie them with thy Grace preserve them with thy Power and crown them with thy Glory in Heaven Thus Christ in his sweet Prayer a little before his bitter Passion interceded for them for their Sanctification Sanctifie them
through thy truth Joh. 17. 17. for their Perseverance Keep them through thine own name Ver. 11. and for their Glory I will that they be with me where I am to behold my glory Ver. 24. And what he spake for them by his oral Intercession on Earth that he speaks for them by his real Intercession in Heaven Thus Christ doth in a special manner intercede for the Elect which proves that he died for them in a special manner because his Intercession is but the presenting of the Merits of his Death to his Father in Heaven 7. I argue from the Event following upon Christ's Death some men do believe when others draw back and whence comes this distinguishing Faith either it comes merely of Man's Free-will or of God's free Grace if we say the first 't is the very mire and dirt of Pelagianism 't is to set up Free-will as an Idol to cast lots upon Christ's Blood whether any one person in the World shall be saved thereby or not If we say the latter then God and Christ had a special eye upon some above others for God ordained that Christ should be the grand Medium to Salvation and that Faith should be the only way to Christ If then he gave Christ for all and Faith but to some it is because he did in a special way intend their Salvation and consequently Christ who came to do his Fathers Will had in his Death a special respect to them 8. I argue from the special Expressions in Scripture As the Death of Christ is set out there in words of universality so it is set out there in words of special peculiarity Christ died for the elect Rom. 8. 33 34. died for the children of God scattered abroad Joh. 11. 52. gave himself for the Church Eph. 5. 25. gave himself for a peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. laid down his life for the sheep Joh. 10. 15. sanctified himself for the given ones Joh. 17. 9. and 19. purchased the church with his own blood Acts 20. 28. redeemed a people from among men Rev. 14. 4. is a Jesus to his own people Matth. 1. 21. and a saviour to his own body Eph. 5. 23. And is there no Emphasis of Love Are there no strains of free Grace Is there no import of singular respect and affection in all these Expressions We cannot say so without dispiriting the Scripture Experience it self tells us that all are not Christ's Elect Children Church peculiar People Sheep given Ones Body redeemed Ones from among men wherefore when the Scripture saith that he died for these it imports that he died for them in a peculiar manner But you 'l say These Scriptures speak rather of the Application of Christ's Death than the Impetration and though the Impetration be equally for all yet the Application is proper to Believers only I answer that if those Phrases of dying for the elect or children of God giving himself for a church or peculiar People laying down his life for his sheep purchasing the Church with his blood and sanctifying himself for the given ones do not import Impetration I know not what can import it You will reply that these Expressions import not Impetration as it is barely and nakedly in it self but as it hath Application following upon it and this is the Emphasis of them But if these Expressions import Impetration with Application following upon it whether doth that Application follow upon Impetration as a fruit thereof or not if so then Christ merited that Application for the Elect and consequently died in a special manner for them if not then there is no Emphasis of special Love Grace in all those expressions of his dying giving himself sanctifying himself and laying down his life for them for there was no Merit in all this to procure the Application of his Death unto them But let us further enquire what these Elect Children Church peculiar People Sheep given ones and redeemed ones from among men were before or without the Purchase made by Christ were these Elect called and justified without Christ or not If so why did he die for them If not then he died for them that they might be so called and justified Were these children meritoriously begotten by Christ's Blood or not If so then that Blood did more for them than for others if not then they were not the Seed of Christ. Was that Church an actual Church before or without Christ's purchase or was it a Church in his Intention If an actual Church what need he purchase it If a Church in intention then the special design of his Death was to make it an actual Church Was that peculiar People such without the Merit of Christ's Death or not If so why did he give himself for it If not then he gave himself for it that it might be such Were those Sheep brought into Christs fold without his Death or not If so why did he lay down his life for them If not he laid it down to bring them thither Were those given Ones actually sanctified without the virtue of Christs Sacrifice or not If so then why did he sanctifie himself for them If not then he sanctified himself for them that they might be sanctified Were those redeemed from among men redeemed by Christ or not If so then he redeemed them in a special manner if not then they are the redeemed ones of their own Free-will But let the Texts themselves breath forth their own native strains of Love and Grace he so died for the Elect as to effectually call and actually justifie them Rom. 8. 30 33. he so died for his Children as to gather them together into one one Faith on Earth and one fruition in Heaven Joh. 11. 52. he so gave himself for the Church as to make it a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25 27. he so gave himself for his People as to make them his peculiar ones Tit. 2. 14. he so laid down his life for his Sheep as to bring them into his fold and make them hear his voice Joh. 10. 15 16. he so sanctified himself for the given ones as to sanctifie them through the truth Joh. 17. 19. he so redeemed his chosen Ones from among men as to make them first fruits to God and the Lamb Rev. 14. 4. In all these special Scriptures it evidently appears that Christ in his Death had a special respect to his Elect. Wherefore I will shut up all with that of an Ancient Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus est pro nobis tamen specialiter passus est quia pro Ecclesia passus est CHAP. IX Of the Work of Conversion HAving passed over Redemption I come to Conversion there we had Christ formed in the Womb here we have him formed in the Heart there we had Christ coming in the Flesh and working miracles on mens Bodies here we have him coming in the Spirit and working miracles in mens Souls there we had Christ
nay 't is a Story higher than the Knowledge of all the unregenerate Rabbies in the World T is ' not a mere literal Knowledge a knowing of Christ after the flesh but a spiritual a revealing spiritual things in their spiritual Glory 't is not a dead Knowledge called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of knowledg Rom. 2. 20. such as is but a liveless figure or appearance but 't is a lively Knowledge called by the Wiseman a well-spring of life Prov. 16. 22. and by our Saviour the light of life Joh. 8. 12. 'T is not a Knowledge without Sense but such as hath Sense nay all the Senses of the inward man in it 't is a seeing of the just one Acts 22. 14. a hearing and learning of the Father Joh. 6. 45. a smelling and savouring the sweet odours of the Gospel 2. Cor. 2. 14. a tasting how good and gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. 81. a tactual knowledge a spiritual touching and handling of the word of life 1 Joh. 1. 1. here are seminally and virtually all those spiritual Senses which discern good and evil 'T is not a dark and duskish Knowledge but clear and lightsome 't is seeing with the veil off and face open 2 Cor. 3. 16 18. 't is the day dawning and the day-star arising in the heart 2 Pet. 1. 19. Here God shines into the heart and things are seen eye to eye as the expression is Isai. 52. 8. that is in a clear evidence of the truth 'T is not a Knowledge at a distance and afar off as Dives saw Abraham and as every natural man sees the things of Faith but a near and intimate Knowledge 'T is wisdom in the hidden parts Psal. 51. 6. 't is wisdom entring into the heart Prov. 2. 10. 't is a reason delivered over to the power of holy truths Rom. 6. 17. 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word engrafted or innaturalized in the mind Jam. 1. 21. Hereby the Truth approaches and presentiates it self to the Soul in so clear and near a manner as that it works a firm assent and perswasion thereof and that upon the divine Authority shining and sparkling out in the same This Principle saith Amen to all the Truths in Scripture by it we come to know truths in our selves Heb. 10. 34. and to carry the witness thereof within us 1 Joh. 5. 10. As Jesus Christ is the Amen the faithful and true witness who sealed the Truths of the Gospel outwardly by his Blood so the holy Unction dropping down fom Christ is an Amen a faithful and true witness sealing up those Truths inwardly in the heart And this clear and near Knowledge as it assures and perswades a man of those Truths is Faith in the Understanding for this sets to its seal that God is true in them 1 Joh. 3. 33. 'T is not a mere notional Knowledge floating in the Brain vaunting in the Tongue or flourishing in a leavy Profession but 't is a practical Knowledge influxive into the Will inflammative to the Affections and directive to the whole Life This is that Principle of excellent Knowledge whereby the Soul is enabled to see God as the only supreme End Christ as the only true Way and Sin as the only great Obstacle thereunto 2. As to the Will there is a Principle of Holiness and Rectitude such as makes the Heart pure and right such as sets the Will into a right frame and posture in a threefold Respect 1. In reference to the true End of Man 2. In reference to the right Means 3. In reference to the grand Obstacle 1. It sets the Will into a right posture in reference to Man's true End Man's true End is God alone for he is fontal Goodness Allness of Perfections the primum amabile and ultimus finis the great Alpha and Omega of Spirits perfectly able to still all the desires and fill all the crannies thereof Now this rectifying Principle in the Will as respective to this supreme End shews forth it self three ways 1. In that it is a desiring Principle Desire is the first-born of the Will the first opening of the rational Appetite and this Principle sanctifies it and sets it apart for God as its supreme End it enclines and disposes the Will to pant and thirst after God to faint and cry out for him to enquire and seek after him with all the heart Before the Will Cain-like did go out from the Lord's presence but now David-like it desires to dwell in his house and behold his beauty Before the Will lay dead in the Grave of Creature-deadness but now it hath the life of God in it quickning it to holy breathings after him before there was such a gravedo liberi arbitrii such Talents of Carnality upon the Will that it could in no wise lift up it self but lay among the pots and embraced dunghils but now it hath the wings of a Dove to elevate it self to God Here is the first resurrection of the Will here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascensions in the heart as the Septuagint hath it Psal. 84. 5. The nature of this Principle is to ascend up to God and leave all the World behind its back As the Principle of perswading Knowledge is Faith in the Understanding so this desiring Principle is Love in the Will in its primordial propensities there is spiritual Life in primoradio in its first Light and here is spiritual life in primo ardore in its first heat 2. In that it is a purposing Principle such as inclines and disposes the Soul to pitch by a serious determination upon God as its only happiness and to cleave unto him with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. This renders a man a true spiritual Levite who as his name imports is joined to the Lord become one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6. 17. And as the first-born were dedicated to God and afterwards the Levites so the desiring Principle first dedicates the Desires the first-born of the Will to God and then this purposing Principle makes a man a spiritual Levite consecrated to God by a holy Conjunction with him This is that Key of David or Love as David imports which opens the everlasting doors of the Will that the king of glory may come in Psal. 24. 7. This is that sweet voice of David or Love which upon mature deliberation is ready to break out Whom have I in heaven but thee whom on earth besides thee Psal. 73. 25. In Heaven there are glorious Angels and on Earth multitudes of good Creatures but none of them all are my end or happiness none none but God alone Were Heaven and Earth emptied of all their Furniture still I should have my end as long as I have my God who fills them both with his presence whilest he is with me there can be no such thing as Emptiness for he is all in all waving all the World I pitch upon him alone as my only end I
irresistible way I am for the Affirmative in a right sence A work may be said to be done irresistibly two ways either when there is no resistance at all thus the Apostle saith ye have killed the just and he doth not resist you Jam. 5. 6. that is not resist at all or else when there is no such resistance as to impede the work thus they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit of Stephen Acts 6. 10. there 's an irresistibility but what without any resistance at all No they disputed against him with might and main but because their disputes could not impede his work in propagating the Gospel therefore it is said that they were not able to resist him Thus when I say that Conversion is wrought in an irresistible way I mean not that there is no resistance at all for even in the Regenerate there is flesh lusting against the spirit the old Man and the new strugle in the same Faculties like Esau and Jacob in the same Womb but I mean that there is no such resistance as to impede the Work of Conversion In meekness saith the Apostle instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. here is a resistance but for all that the work will be done if God give repentance He went on saith the Prophet frowardly in the way of his heart but what saith God I have seen his ways and will heal him Isai. 57. 17 18. here was a great resistance but for all that God will heal him God works Conversion in such an insuperable way that notwithstanding all the opposition made thereunto it doth infallibly come to pass Now this I shall endeavour to demonstrate first in general and then in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion 1. I shall demonstrate it in general and that by these Arguments taken 1. From God's Election He hath chosen some before the foundation of the World chosen them to holiness as the Way Eph. 1. 4. and chosen them to salvation as the End 2 Thess. 2. 13. But if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way how doth the foundation of God stand sure 2 Tim. 2. 19 How is that golden Chain kept entire Whom he did predestinate them he called whom he called them he justified and glorified Rom. 8. 30 Were not these called ones who have Predestination going before them and Justification and Glorification coming after them called in an insuperable way If not the Chain cannot hold together The Apostle makes a plain difference between men he opposes those of the election of grace to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were blinded Rom. 11. 7. and those on whom God will have mercy to those whom he hardens Rom. 9. 18. But if Conversion be not irresistibly wrought this difference falls to the ground those of the Election may be blinded and those on whom God hath mercy may be hardened as well as others For my part I should as soon believe that a little Child may put up his finger and rowl about the Spheres as that the Will of Man may stay or turn aside the Influences of electing Grace 2. From Christs Redemption If we consider the preciousness of his Blood surely he must have a Body every little Seed in Nature hath a Body given to it and the Son of God sowing his Blood and Life cannot want one If we consider the Promise of God surely he must have a seed Isai. 53. 10. and what else is the Fulness of the Gentiles and the Conversion of the Jews but this promised Seed But if Grace be not wrought in an insuperable way Christ might sow his Blood and Life in a wonderful Passion and yet have no Body springing out of it nay God might engage himself in the Promise of a Seed and yet nothing at all come of it if the Grace of God be resistible lieve must be asked of Man's will that Christ's Blood may be fruitful and God's Promise Faithful 3. From the Spirit 's Work The three glorious Persons in the sacred Trinity shew forth themselves in three glorious Works the Father hath a special Shine in Creation the Son in Redemption and the holy Spirit in Sanctification In the first Work we have God in the World in the second God in the Flesh and in the third God in the Heart or Spirit When God came forth in Creation Oh! what an Heaven and Earth full of admirable Creatures and Harmonies issued forth When God came in the Flesh what out-breakings of Glory were there What sparklings of the Deity in Miracles upon the Bodies of Men The blind received their sight the lame walked the lepers were cleansed the deaf did hear the dead were raised and the Devils were ejected with power And when God comes in the Heart or Spirit what planting of a new heaven and a new earth How much of Glory and spiritual Miracle breaks forth in the Souls of Men Even here also the blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and the devil is cast out with power The very same Miracles which Christ in the flesh did do on the Bodies of Men in a visible manner the very same doth Christ in the Spirit do on the Souls of Men in a spiritual way This is the proper Work of the Spirit to sanctifie Mens Hearts the Spirit doth not appear any where in all the World so much as in a true Saint Look into a godly Man's Understanding there 's the Spirit of Revelation look into his Will there 's the Spirit of Holiness look into his Affections there 's the Spirit of Love and Joy look into hs Conscience there 's the Spirit of Consolation look into his Prayers there 's the Spirit of Supplication look into his Conversation there 's the Spirit of Meekness and all Righteousness Thus the holy Spirit shews forth its Glory and flows in Men as rivers of living water and this Glory and Out-flowing is so precious that before it came in Esse according to the rich Measures of Gospel-grace it is said of the eternal Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit was not yet Joh. 7. 39. as if the Spirits flowing in Men were a kind of second Being to it But now after all this if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way the holy Spirit may be barred out of every Heart and then how shall his work be done Where shall his Glory and spiritual Miracles appear The Father hath a World to appear in the Son hath Flesh to tabernacle in but possibly the holy Spirit can get never an Heart to inhabit in never a Temple to fill with his Glory the holy Spirit would tabernacle with Men but what if the Iron-sinew in the Will will not come out What if the Stone in the heart will not break Then the holy Spirit is robbed of his Glory But is this so strange
the Language of it unto this concerning which every one may judg as he pleases Truth is little concerned therein nor is it thereunto that I assign that perspicuity which appears in the main parts of this Discourse but unto the clear and distinct stating of the things themselves in the Authors mind which alone enables any to speak with evidence unto the understanding of others And hence it is that although he be forced to make use sometimes of Scholastick Notions yet he hath so expressed the matter intended as to make it obvious unto the meanest Capacity any whit exercised in the knowledge of these things Having said thus much of this Discourse which I hope God will bless unto good use and fruit I shall not need to mind the Reader of how great importance it is to have the Truths here pleaded for well vindicated and established the fulness and frequency of the Scriptures in the Revelation of them the great influence into our Faith Obedience and due Reverence of God with the eminent tendency unto the exaltation of his Glory and the debasement of the pernicious Pride of corrupt Nature which they have the Opposition made unto them by all sorts of persons for saking the Truth who however differing and fiercely contending among themselves as Papists Socinians Arminians Quakers and others yet all agree in contradiction unto the Sovereignty of God in his Decrees the special fruits of eternal Redemption by the Blood of Christ and the infallible Prevalency of Divine Grace do all sufficiently evince both the weight of these Truths themselves and the eminency of the Service which is done to the Church of God in their Vindication John Owen A Preface to the Reader concerning the Author of the Tract ensuing IT may well be reckoned among Problems or hard Questions whether it were better for those who write and print to publish their Names or conceal them because many things Pro and Cou might be argued upon that Subject especially about things Polemical when they are handled But when Causa Dei the Cause of God as our learned and famous Bradwardine intituled his Book when he wrote against the Pelagians comes to be treated of all Circumstances are duly to be weighed Quis Quid Quare Quando Quomodo c. Who What Why When and How Among those of this kind it 's very momentaneous to know for one that this Gentleman is one of the Sages of the Law an Oracle in the Country where he lives An Eirenarches well worthy of that Name and Place A Justice of Peace and not of Trouble according to the distinction which our unhappy times have made Conformable himself yet one who affects rather to be Orthodox and to mind the Power of Godliness more than the Form thereof I write this Testimony of him though be neither needs desires or knowes of it because I have bad knowledge of him à teneris from his Childhood and have been certified of his Domestical Piety and Exemplariness in all which appertains to the Practice of Piety Concerning the Book it needs not Patron or Advocate Let it speak for it self Aetatem habet It quickly shews Arma Virúmque the Spirit of the Man and his Weapons This pleases me above all the rest that though it treats of most intricate and mysterious Controversies yet that is done humbly reverently freely and with Candor I make not my self his Hyperaspistes or Second or a Party to his Opinion but because his Habitation is remote in a Corner of the Land his Converse more with Books than with Men he seldom sees London and is not yet in these parts any of our Anshe Shem noted or famous Persons Lest any Reader should cast him off with a scornful Ignoramus I know not the man I have presumed to prepare this little Lenitive that no offence should be taken in such respects as are herein mentioned I shall not conclude with Ecce hominem but ad rem Lazarus Seaman ERRATA PAg. 25. lin 27. read object p. 28. l. 24. betwixt Election and And insert 2. What the things designed p. 37. l. 8. r. Predefinition p. 43. l. 6. r. person p. 82. l. ult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. l. 28. r. forbearance p. 97. l. 3. r. nolition p. 148. l. 16. r. creaâ—rix p. 180. l. 8 for nail r. vail p. 204. l 22. r. agony p. 212. l. 3. after that Law add and that it was p. 272. l. 9. for Rom. 20. r. Acts 20. p. 291. l. 26. r. mea p. 295. l. 3. r. little p. 376. l. 11. r. vegetative p. 384. l. 7. for Creature-deadness r. Creature-comforts p. 433. l. 17. r. actively p. 456. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 470. l. 11. r. no object Chap I. That God is THat God is is a Primordial Verity from whence all other Verities derive their Original If God were not which is the highest Contradiction there could be Nothing but perfect Nullity because Nullity can never pass that infinite vast Gulf which lies between it self and Being without an infinite God If God were not he could not be a mere possible God is utterly impossible for a God he cannot be unless he be supreme Perfection a pure Act immoveable Eternity and eternal Necessity in suprema essendi vehemontia This glorious Truth that God is can no where be doubted of not in Heaven where his glorious face is opened to the blessed Spirits not in Hell where his righteous Breath as a River of Brimstone doth kindle the fire unquenchable nor on Earth whilest any glimpses of Heaven irradiate the godly or any sparks of Hell flame out in the guilty Consciences of the wicked whilest the Candle of the Lord shines within men or the Heavens and the Earth those Natural Preachers declare a Deity without and wonderfully render the invisible Power and Godhead as it were visible unto them Every Particle of being in heaven and earth leads us to the infinite Being of Beings every Motion within the Sphear of Nature and Grace draws us to adore a first immoveable Mover every breath of life in the old and new Creature tells us of the great Fountain of Life every beam of Light in the natural and spiritual World owns the high Father of lights every drop of Rain natural on the earth and spiritual on the heart witnesses a Deity This truth is so indubitable that none but a fool in his greatest folly can deny it Cur dixit stultus non est Deus cur nisi quia stultus est CHAP. II. That God hath a Will GOd's Being being laid down as a sure foundation I proceed to prove that God hath a Will Which may be evinced by these Reasons 1. God is an immense Sea of infinite Perfections or rather one infinite transcendent Perfection and a Will the fountain of Liberty cannot be wanting in him but there will be a Maim in his perfection Liberum Arbitrium saith Luther est nomen planè divinum solùm competit
filthiness Ezek. 24. 13. If he would gather and men are not gathered 't is because they will not Matth. 23. 37. If he spread out his hands and men come not in 't is because they are rebellious Isai. 65. 2. If he be patient and long-suffering and they repent not 't is because of their hardness and impenitent heart Rom. 2. 5. The Apostle calls the heretical Seducers in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as did turn or transfer the grace of God from its true end or scope Jud. ver 4. And what those Seducers did doctrinally that do all sinners practically so far forth as they live under the means and turn not they do thereby transfer and remove the means from their genuine end 3. God doth by a formal Decree will the Means with their tendencies All Ordinances are sealed by the Divine Will and go out in its name and are what they are from its Ordination Without this Means are no longer Means but mere empty names and vain shadows 4. Out of God's formal Decree of the Menas doth result his Virtual Will of mens Conversion That God who doth formally will the means with their tendencies even unto Reprobates doth virtually will their Conversion as the true scope and end of those Means Hence 't is said that Christ would have gathered the unbelieving Jews Matth. 23. 37. and God would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. viz. in respect of his Virtual or Ordinative Will Hence God is brought in wishing Oh! that there were such an heart in them Deut. 5. 29. Oh! that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments Isai. 48. 18. And what are these wishes Surely all the diffusions of Light promulgations of Laws expansions of Gospel Grace waitings of divine Patience and strivings of the holy Spirit are as I may so say God's O's after Conversion in as much as they have a tendency thereunto and God in willing that tendency doth virtually will mens return also Excellent is that of learned Ames Deus eminenter virtuali quâdam ratione eatenus vult salutem hominum quatenus vocat ipsos ad salutem Thus with this Virtual Will God doth will the Conversion of Reprobates But then you 'l say If so God's Will is frustrated for Reprobates are never actually converted I answer That God's Formal Decree is only of the Means with their tendencies and therefore is not frustrated but fulfilled in the actual exhibition of such Means And God's Virtual Will though it be of the Conversion of Reprobates yet in their Non-conversion is not frustrated because it is not an absolute but conditional Will nisi per ipsos steterit unless their own voluntary corruption do impede the Effect which in Reprobates it always doth But you 'l yet reply Then God's Will is conditional and by consequence imperfect To which I answer with the Judicious Bishop Davenant That Volitions merely conditional agree not with the perfection of the Divine Nature for that were to suspend God's Will for a time and then post purificatam conditionem to make it become absolute But mixtly-conditional Volitions that is such as are grounded on some absolute Decree may be allowed As for Example that mixt conditional Decree That if Cain or Judas believe they shall be saved is grounded on that absolute Decree that whosoever believes shall be saved Now this Virtual Will of the Conversion of Reprobates is not purely conditional but mixtly conditional for it results out of God's absolute Decree of the Means with their tendencies Wherefore notwithstanding these Objections I conclude That God doth virtually will the Conversion of Reprobates so far forth as the Means have a tendency thereunto These things being thus laid down I conceive that the thing decreed in Preterition or Non-election is the not giving or working saving Grace or thorough Conversion in Reprobates in such a sure and insuperable way as in the Elect. Reprobates have not such intimate in-shining efficacious drawing Law-engraving and heart-opening and melting Grace as the Elect. And this not giving or working Conversion in such a way clashes with neither of the aforesaid Wills Not with the Will of Complacence for still if a Reprobate did turn or convert he should be accepted with God nor yet with the Virtual or Ordinative Will of God for still Means are Means and Ordinances are Ordinances and their true end and tendency is to turn men unto God I say their true end for there is a vast difference between an infallible Ordination of means for the working of Conversion in men and a true Ordination of Means for the same purpose As to the Elect there is an infallible Ordination of Means thereunto and as to the Reprobate there is a true though not infallible Ordination of the same The perfection of the Non-elect Angels was truly ordinated to their Perseverance but not infallibly The integrity of Adam in innocency was truly ordinated to his continuance in Obedience but not infallibly Wherefore Non-election or Preterition though it stand not in conjunction with an infallible Ordination yet it carries no contradiction to a true Ordination of the Means Notwithstanding the Decree of Non-election or Preterition God may still expostulate with a Reprobate as the Apostle did with the Galatians Quis te impedivit Who hindred you from obeying the truth Gal. 5. 7 Have you not had many awakenings of Conscience thundrings from the fiery Law wooeings from the gracious Gospel strivings from the holy Spirit and long waitings of infinite Patience and Forbeance and all these to draw you to Repentance And what hindred you from turning unto me What but your own perverse rebellious heart How often have I called and you would not hear knocked and you would not open moved and you would not stir offered Christ and Heaven and you would not accept And why would you not Let Conscience say if it were not for some base indulged lust which when I had searched after you have hid it in the secret of your heart when I have stript and laid it naked before you you have sewed Fig-leaves and covered it when I would have slain and crucified it you have spared it and laid it in your bosom Well I can truly say Perditio tua ex te thy destruction is from thy self alone 't is not because thou hadst no means of Grace 't is not because those Means were not ordinated to thy Conversion 't is not because thy Conversion should not have been accepted with me no 't is merely from thy voluntary corruption 2. Another thing decreed in preterition is the not-giving of Glory unto Reprobates But this is not such a not-giving as if God would upon no terms at all give Glory unto them No for the Promise Whosoever believeth shall be saved doth both import God's Will and extend in general to all Reprobates as well as others but it is a not-giving Glory to them in such a sure infallible way as to the Elect. Heaven is
done good or evil Artaxerxes decreed that Jerusalem should not be built again because upon search of his Records he found that it had been a rebellious City Ezra 4. 19 21. Should God have founded his Decree of Preterition and Non-election on a Prescience of humane Rebellion the holy City of the Church had never been built nor the divine Image ever repaired therein All men had eternally lay as Sodom and Gomorrah in the dust and rubbish of Adam's Fall with a line of spiritual confusion stretched upon them Who is there that lives and sins not What man on earth hath not rebelled and vexed God's holy Spirit Even little Infants rebelled in voluntate Adae and besides Imbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens est non animus infantium Neither yet doth final Impenitency and Infidelity do it for there is no final Impenitency and Infidelity but such as is permitted and permitted it is not but out of the Decree of Preterition and Permission wherefore that Decree cannot be caused thereby Final Impenitency and Infidelity may be considered two ways either as being in actual existence or else as foreseen by the divine Prescience but neither way doth it cause the Decree of Preterition and Permission but presuppose the same Not as it is in actual existence for final Impenitency Infidelity come into being after Permission and Permission flows out of the Decree wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity coming after Permission are not the Cause of the Decree out of which Permission doth issue Nor yet as it is foreseen by the divine Prescience for the Decree of Preterition and Permission is that very Glass wherein final Impenitency and Infidelity are foreseen for had God made no Decree of Preterition and Permission he had seen all men repenting and believing as the fruit of his effectual Grace unto all had he made that Decree universally touching all he had seen no man repenting and believing Wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity as foreseen do not cause but presuppose the Decree In a word I conclude That the Decree of Preterition and Permission doth merely depend upon the supreme and sovereign Will of God Neither is there any colour of Injustice in all this for 1. Non-electio as Suarez hath it non est poena ut culpam praerequir at sed est quaedam negatio gratuiti beneficii quod Deus ut supremus Dominus negare potest God may do what he will with his own Election the primum indebitum is God's own therefore he may pass by whom he pleaseth the holy Spirit the fountain of all Faith and Repentance is God's own therefore it may breath only where it lists All Souls and Graces are God's own therefore he may infuse or not infuse Graces into Souls ad placitum Neither is it imaginable that God should be obliged to give restituent Grace to fallen Man when he was not obliged to give custodient Grace to the innocent Angels If Faith and Repentance are the gifts of God may he not suspend them If he be bound to give them why is there ae peradventure put upon some mens Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25 Why a cannot upon some mens Faith John 12. 39 Why a perhaps upon some mens Forgiveness Acts 8. 22 Why aforbidding upon the means of Grace Acts 16. 6 Why a manifestation to disciples and not to the world Joh. 14. 22 Why a Revelation to babes and not to the wise and prudent Matth. 11. 25 In short God's Election must be either arbitrary or necessary If necessary how is his Election free If arbitrary how is Non-election unjust The donation of Faith and Repentance must be Grace or Debt If Debt why is not the Veil off from every Eye and the Stone out of every Heart Why is not Grace as common as Nature and Saintship as Humanity But if Grace then where it is conferred it is freely conferred out of self-moving mercy and where it is denied it is justly denied out of unaccountable sovereignty 2. In the Permission of final sin there is much of Sovereignty but nothing of Injustice the great God is absolutus faber suae permissionis he could let legions of Angels at once drop out of Heaven into Hell he could let innocent Adam as rare a piece as he was break himself all to shivers by a fall and what may he not permit sinful Worms to do What are Creatures to him If they miscarry how many thousand thousand Worlds are there in the bosom of his Omnipotence If he suffer all Nations to walk in their own ways he doth but let a drop fall off the Bucket or a small dust fly off the ballance he doth but leave Vanity to its own lightness and a Quasi-nothing to its own nullity and defectibility If he suffer sinful Man to run into sin and that finally he doth but leave the Dog to his own vomit the Swine to his own mire the Viper to his own poyson a corrupted piece of old Adam to act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his own as the Expression is Joh. 8. 44. He doth but let the fountain of blood flow out the corrupt flesh putrifie the vitious womb of concupiscence conceive and bring forth and the depraved Will of man forge out its own iniquities and fetter and intangle it self with the cords and bonds of its own voluntary rebellions and what Injustice can be in all this especially seeing this Permission is not a subtraction of any inherent Grace but only a suspension of assistent Grace as de facto would impede sin If God be bound to afford such Grace where is the Charter of that engagement If he be not bound thereunto where is the Injustice of that suspension The Saints before a temptation cast down their Souls before God and cry out Nèinducas Lead us not into temptation and after a victory they cast down their Crowns before him and sing out Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ. Wherefore when sin is prevented God's free Grace is to be praised and when sin is permitted God's absolute Sovereignty is to be adored 3. Justice in God is agere juxta condecentiam bonitatis veracitatis suae therefore the Decrees of Preterition and Permission must needs be just because they cross not either his Goodness or his Truth Not his Goodness for that doth not necessitate him either to diffuse one drop of Grace unto fallen Man or to prevent one jot of sin in him nor yet his Truth for notwithstanding the Decrees of Preterition and Permission all the Promises in the great Charter of the Gospel are Yea and Amen not a tittle thereof fails or falls to the ground 2. As the Decree of Preterition and Permission is from God's Will as cloathed with Sovereignty so the Decree of Damnation is from God's Will as cloathed with Justice In the former God acts as supreme Lord according to his transcendent Sovereignty in the latter God acts as a Righteous Judge according to
Vegetables are preserved in their Individuals but 't is by means and but for a time and lest the kind should perish with the individuals Generation is a supplement to their Mortality and the ruler in all this is the Will of God As for Preservation by means it is God who bringeth food out of the earth Psal. 104. 14. and when 't is in our hand we cannot eat thereof unless God give us an heart Eccl. 6. 2. and when we do eat thereof 't will not be the staff of life to us without the word of his blessing Matth. 4. 4. without this we may eat and not be satisfied drink and not be filled Hag. 1. 6 9. Every Creature saith The blessing is not in me but in the Will of God As for the Periods of Preservation they are all fixed in the divine Decree there the days of men are determined their months numbred and their unpassable bounds appointed Job 14. 5. Hezekiah had fifteen years added to his days but there was no addition to the divine Decree Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days Psal. 55. 23. yet they live out all the days set down in the divine Decree If a Sparrow fall not without God's Will Matth. 10. 29. much less can a man do so if our very hairs are all numbred Matth. 10. 30. much more are our days As for the preservation of kinds all propagations are from that primitive Benediction Crescite multiplicamini which dropt from the divine Will Vegetables multiply but 't is God who gives to every seed his own body 1 Cor. 15. 38. Men and Beasts generate their like but 't is God who sows a land with the seed of man and the seed of beast Jer. 31. 27. The man written down childless in God's Book must be without the blessing of posterity the Member unwritten or left out in that Book must never be extant in Nature When Monsters are brought forth there is an abertation in the particular Nature but none in the Will of God when Bastards are generated which cannot be without a moral Monstrosity the sin is Man's but the Creature is God's In brief If we run through all varieties of Preservation either as to the Being of Creatures or as to the Adjuncts of order beauty goodness and truth we must resolve all into the Will of God Alas what is the mutable Being of Creatures unless fixed by the Will of the Necesse esse What are all the Orders and Harmonies of things unless kept in tune by the counsel of his Will By him all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 17. not only subsist in their Beings but consist in their Orders His Will is the Virtus unitiva which glues and tacks the whole System of Heaven and Earth together or else all would unframe and fall asunder in a moment What an empty nothing is Creature-beauty unless shined upon by his gracious pleasure 'T is he that reneweth the face of the earth Psal. 104. 30. or else the Spring would lose her fresh complexion nay and the face of Heaven too or else all the Starry Beauty-spots would drop off What is all the Goodness in the Creature unless supplied from the great Original 'T is but as water in a broken Cistern soon running out and never to be gathered up again What is all the Truth in the Creature but an Impress made from his Ideal Truth The Impress the Creature can no more preserve in it self than it could at first stamp it there Wherefore the Will of God is that vas conservativum which preserves and conteins all things within their Beings and modes of Being or else they would immediately run into nullity 2. Preservation is but continuata Creatio if Creation had been natural so must Conservation have been too but seeing Creation is voluntary such also is Conservation hence the Twenty four Elders attribute both to God's pleasure for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4. 11. they were by his Creation and are by his Conservation and both were and are for his pleasure 3. Whatsoever God preserves he preserves rationally and for some end as he made all for himself so he preserves all for himself The Heavens and the Earth are by God's word kept in store 2 Pet. 3. 7. his Word that is his Will is the great Storier which treasures up the World with all its furniture for its own ends God preserves all rationally and by just consequence freely also Thus far of God's Conservation but to procede 2. God's Gubernation is also to be considered by us Now here I shall touch on two things 1. That God rules and governs all Creatures and Events 2. That God doth it according to his Decree 1. God rules and governs all Creatures and Events He is King of Kings 1 Tim. 6. 15. his kingdom ruleth over all Psal. 103. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd. 14. 3. he steers the Ship of the World and all the passengers in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd. 12. 18. he orders the great House of the World and all the Families of Creatures therein All the hosts of the Universe are ruled by him the spiritual World is ruled by him the holy Angels are still a doing of his Will sometimes they are guarding the godly sometimes destroying the wicked sometimes transporting souls to heaven sometimes striving with Devils but they are always beholding God's face Matth. 18. 10. waiting for his imperial Command as their perpetual rule These have a great share in turning about the Wheels of the World when these stand still the Wheels stand also when these go the Wheels go too but these go not one step of their own heads but whither the Spirit of God goes they go Ezek. 1. 12. and when they go they go straight on to the period of their work and then they return Ver. 14. that is to the face of God for a new Commission and till that come they let down their wings Ver. 24. listening to his voice and adoring at his footstool all that they do is subordinated to his pleasure Nay not only the good Angels but the Devils will they nill they are subject unto him They lost their obediential Wings in their fall and since that he never trusts them to go without their Chains Hence without his divine sufferance these though Princes of the Air cannot raise a storm though Gods of the World cannot enter into a Swine though Rulers of darkness cannot inject a temptation indeed they would undermine the Fathers Election cheat Christ of his purchased Possession and murther all the new Creatures made by the holy Spirit but they cannot get off their Chains and when their Chains are a little loosened yet their actings fall under Providence An evil Spirit troubled Saul but 't was from the Lord as a righteous Judge 1 Sam. 16. 14. Satan afflicted Job but 't was with a Commission to try his Graces the Devil tempted Christ but
Sam. 2. 3. seeing the thoughts afar off even from the high Arch of Eternity He hath Treasures of Wisdom such as cannot be told over Sapientiae ejus non est numerus Psal. 147. 6. and who should rule but the only wise If we cast our eyes on the millions of Creatures Angels above and Men below Stars in Heaven and living Creatures in Earth and Sea and all these pouring forth millions of Acts and falling under millions of Events that from the morning to the evening of the World surely nothing less than an infinite Understanding can comprehend all these and reach à fine usque ad finem Wisd. 8. 1. If we ponder the beautiful Timings harmonious Orders and sweet Compaginations of things The heavens hear the earth the earth hears the corn and the wine and the oil and these hear man Hos. 2. 21. Surely it must be an all-wise Artist who made these golden Chains and stands at the uppermost link ordering all I will hear the heavens saith he or else all the Creatures would turn a deaf ear to one another He guides every Wheel in Nature and when there is a wheel within a wheel never so much intricacy and crossness of motion yet the wheels are full of eyes Ezek. 1. 18. directing them to their journeys end and those Eyes are always open to perpetuate that direction St. Austin derides the Gods in the Roman Capitol Dii dormiebant Anseres vigilabant but divine Providence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye that never slumbers nor sleeps his waky Wisdom claims an universal Government over all But that which makes up his Imperial Crown is 5. His perfect Unity His sovereign Authority glorious Omnipresence almighty Power and infinite Wisdom are his Crown-jewels but that which completes and makes up all these into a Crown is his Unity he is Unus nay Unicus nay Unissimus his Singularity cannot bear a Compeer nor his Simplicity a Compound if there were either of these what would become of the Government of the World Suppose a Compeer then one Omnipresent might resist the other one Almighty counterwork the other and one All-wise counterplot the other Suppose a Compound then his Power might go one way his Wisdom another and his Presence might withdraw from both But now he being one God one in Singularity so that there is none else and one in Simplicity so that his Presence Power and Wisdom are but one Essence in him he and only he is worthy to govern all Omnis multitudo revocanda est ad unitatem and perfect Unity is no where to be found but in him alone Thus much for the first point but to go on 2. God rules all according to his Decree he works all things according to the counsel of his own will Eph. 1. 11. he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and in earth Psal. 135. 6. That which escapes the pleasure of his Will must first fly out of the Sphere of Nature Now this I evince by these Reasons 1. All those rare Jewels of his Imperial Crown cemented in his perfect Unity do shew forth their lustre according to his Will because his Will put forth a World out of nothing therefore doth his sovereign Authority give Laws to it and his glorious Omnipresence fill and cherish it his infinite Wisdom ministers to the making of his gubernative Decree and his Almighty Power ministers to the executing of it There are infinite Orders and Congruities lying in Wisdom's breast but his Will chuses out of them all what it pleaseth and so makes up its decree there are infinite possibles within Powers Arms but his Power only exerts it self according to his Decree Wherefore it is plain that God governs all according to his Decree 2. The various ways of Government set forth the freedom of the Governour all things are not ruled in the same way Matter is ruled by Forms Bodies by Spirits inferiour Bodies by celestial the visible World by invisible Angels Angels and Spirits immediately by God himself Neither do the same things always keep the same track in Joshua's time the glorious Sun did make a stand in Daniel's time the Fire did not burn in Elisha's time the Iron swam as if it had forgot its Centre in Moses's time the floating Sea stood up as a Rock and the flinty Rock flowed as a Sea In Christ's time oh what excesses of Nature what actings by Prerogative what Epiphanies of Divine glory How many wonderful ways did the divine Will triumph over the Order of Nature evidently demonstrating that the supreme Order of all was in it self alone If the God of Nature did govern naturally all the Wheels would move one way and in one road wherefore the variety of Motions doth display the liberty of the first Mover or Governour 3. The Government of all things is no other than the efficacious Direction of them by congruous Means to their supreme End and that is done by the divine Will alone the End of all is the manifestation of his Glory and this his Will freely embraceth I say freely for the All-sufficient God was under no necessity to manifest himself the congruous Means are all of his own choice and that out of the infinite Mass of Wisdom in himself and the efficacious Direction of all by those Means to that End is according to his Decree God had designed preferment to Joseph but first he lay bleeding under the murderous intentions of his Brethren then he was sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites afterwards he was wretchedly accused by his Mistress rashly imprisoned by his Master and ungratefully forgotten by the chief Butler and yet after all these windings and turnings of Providence this is the worshipful Sheaf the Ruler over Egypt and the wise preserver of Jacob and all his posterity in the famine There are millions of Creatures which know not what an End means but a divine Intelligence conducts them thither millions of Events casual as to us but the divine Will hath fixed them millions of Acts free as to us but the divine Liberty is above them millions of Confusions dark as to us but the divine Decree orders them In all God is Alpha and Omega the first Mover and the last End the wise Contriver and sure Moderator of every thing for his own Glory according to the Counsel of his own Will O thou divine Will the tender Nurse and sweet Disposer of all thou bearest up the Pillars and turnest about the Wheels of the Universe the Guide of every Creature to its journeys end is thy wise Ordination and the safe conduct of it thither is thy gracious Preservation The swiftest Angel cannot fly out of thy Dominions and the poorest Worm hath a safe abode within them Thou hast an Eye in every Wheel an Order in every Ataxy and a Line in every Confusion without thee all Beings would moulder into Nothing congruous Means prove vain abortions and Natures Harmonies jangle into sad confusions Without thee the Breath
God Tit. 2. 13. not an under subordinate God but over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. not a God by office but a Jehovah Jer. 23. 6. a God by nature though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to his Subsistence yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to his Essence Gods name is in him Exod. 23. 21. One great Letter of that Name is Eternity and his going forth was from everlasting Mic. 5. 2. another is Immutability and he is yesterday to day and for ever the same Heb. 13. 8. another is Omniscience and he knoweth all things Joh. 21. 17. another is Omnipotence and he hath all the power in heaven and earth Matth. 28. 18. another is Immortality and he hath life in himself Joh. 5. 26. another is Immensity and he whilest on earth was in heaven Joh. 3. 13. and though long since ascended to heaven is still on earth Matth. 28. 20. All these golden Letters are graven on the Godhead and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him Col. 2. 9. all these shed forth a divine Glory and Majesty he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of divine glory Heb. 1. 3. and what need we any more witnesses of his Deity His Name is wonderful Isai. 9. 6. far above all Creatures his Generation is unutterable being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper Son of the Father Rom. 8. 32. not as Creatures made ex nihilo but as a proper Son begotten out of his very Substance his standing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the essential form of God the very divine nature Phil. 2. 6. and his special Ubi there is the Fathers bosom Joh. 1. 18. and from thence together with him he breathes forth the holy Ghost His Works are divine and all one with the Fathers Joh. 5. 19. He sat in counsel with him in framing his Eternal Decrees and since wrought with him in making first a World of Creatures and then a Church of Saints and still he works with him in the preservation and gubernation of both Lastly his two Testaments which face each other as the Cherubims upon the Ark by their sweet glances and respective aspects upon each other do disclose his Deity For in the Old Testament 't is said that Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt Exod. 20. 2. in the New Testament 't is said that Christ did it Jude 4. and 5. Ver. in the Old Jehovah circumcises the heart Deut. 30. 6. in the New Christ doth it Col. 2. 11. in the Old Jehovah poured out the Spirit Joel 2. 28. in the New Christ Acts 2. 33. in the Old every knee bowes to Jehovah Isai. 45. 23. in the New to Christ Rom. 14. 11. in the Old miracles were done in Jehovah's Name 2 Kings 2. 21. in the New in Christ's Acts 9. 34. in the Old Jehovah is the first and the last Isai. 44. 6. in the New Christ is Alpha and Omega Revel 1. 11. in the Old there is Deus absconditus Isai. 45. 15. in the New Deus manifestatus in carne 1 Tim. 3. 16. All which do most pregnantly prove the Deity of Christ unto us Nevertheless proud Reason will be babling How can the Father beget the Son ex propriâ Substantiâ Can any part of the Divine Essence be discinded in such a Generation Or if not can the whole be given to the Son And if so how is it retained to the Father I answer The Father gave unto the Son the whole Essence non alienatione sed communicatione non generatione emanante sed immanente the Father so begets the Son as that he still possesses him Prov. 8. 22. the Son so goes forth from the Father as that he still abides in him his eternal egress Micah 5. 2. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by defluxion but immansion I am in the Father and the Father in me saith Christ Joh. 14. 10. Indeed if we speak accurately the Father begets the Son out of himself rather in Essentiâ divinâ than ex essentiâ divinâ Hence the entire Essence is in the Father and the entire Essence is in the Son too and what if it could not be thus in a finite Essence yet why may it not be so in an infinite What if Reason cannot fathom it must therefore Faith reject it I conclude then that Christ is very God and as God hath a right to redeem us his Creatures 2. Jus Idoneitatis as the Son of God he was most fit to be our Redeemer what can be more perfectly congruous than Reconciliation by God's beloved one Adoption by his Natural Son Reparation of his gracious Image by his substantial a shine of Favour by the brightness of his Glory beams of Light by his Wisdom Restitution of Life by the Prince of Life and Mediation between God and Man by the middle Person in the sacred Trinity There be three great goings forth of God into which all others may be resolved the first is that fundamental one of Creation and upon Sins Entry which is but an Apostasie from Creation in comes the second viz. Redemption and out of this as out of a Fountain flows the third and that is Sanctification these hang in order one upon another Unless there had been a Creature and that Apostate there had been no place for Redemption and unless there had been a Redemption there had been no room for Sanctification for God would never have reimplanted his Image of Holiness in a Creature left under the eternal stroke of his Justice nor have plucked away the spot of Sin there where the guilt of Sin is left behind Now albeit it is a most sure Rule that Opera Trinitatis ad extrà sunt indivisa yet among Divines Creation is in a sort peculiarized to the Father as the first Redemption to the Son as the second and Sanctification to the Spirit as the third Person in the Glorious Trinity Thus in these three goings forth of God each person in the Trinity hath his special Shine and that in the very Order of his Subsistence wherefore it was very congruous that the Son of all the Persons in the Trinity should be out Redeemer 3. Jus Conjunctionis he that redeems a Captive must be Persona conjunct a with him and so was Christ with us in a threefold respect 1. Conjunctione naturali he was our Goel Isai. 59. 20. that is our next kinsman by his Incarnation and our Redeemer by his Passion he assumed our Nature into himself that he might redeem us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great God a sucking Child regens Sydera yet sugens Ubera he that ruled the Stars sucked the Breasts The word was made flesh Joh. 1. 14. and a strange making it was all other Creations are as it were extra Deum but here was a Creation in the very person of God The glorious Trinity in the very instant of drawing the Humane Nature exnihilo interweaved
it with the Person of the Son so that it never was any where but there all other Creations stand under the Roof of Providence and Preservation but here the Humane Nature is an Inmate in the very same Person with the Divine all other Creatures have their proper sutable seats and Ubi's in the Sphere of Nature but here 's the Sackcloth of an Humane Body cast upon and the Rush-candle of a Reasonable soul lighted up in the Sun it self The glorious Son of God espoused Flesh and Blood and the Bride-chamber where the knot was tied was the Virgins Womb there was he made of a Woman consubstantial with us as to his Humanity who was consubstantial with the Father as to his Divinity O how great is this Mystery God manifest in the flesh O Domine quà m admirabile nomen tuum non modò mundi hujus staturam admiror non stabilitatem Terrae non Lunae defectum incrementum non Solem semper integrum laborem ejus perpetuum Miror Deum in utero Virginis miror Omnipotentem in cunabulis miror quomodo Verbo Dei caro adhaeserit quomodo incorporeus Deus corporis nostri tegumentum induerit in caeteris aliquae satisfaciant rationes hîc solus me complectitur stupor God never came so near to us as in this wonderful Conjunction In the Creatures we see God above us in the Law we see God against us but here we see Immanuel God with us he is one with us by a natural Conjunction but that 's not all for being in our Nature he became one with us 2. Conjunctione Legali he was our Sponsor or Surety and so in Law one person with us his Stile is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surety of the covenant Heb. 7. 22. and the Covenant being mutual on both parts from God to Man and from Man to God he is in both respects a Surety of it a Surety on God's part that his Promises should be performed to us and a Surety on our parts that our Debts should be paid to God We were double Debtors to God as Rational Creatures we owed perfect Obedience and as Sinful Creatures we owed eternal Sufferings the first is a debt to God's Holiness and the second to his Justice Now Jesus Christ was our Surety for both a Surety to fulfil all Righteousness for us and the Fidejussorial Bond which he gave for this was his Circumcision for he had no sinful flesh to be cut off but would become a debtor to the whole Law for us and in Circumcision he signed security for it with his own Blood and also a Surety to take our Sins on him Hence the Righteous God who cannot but judge according to truth charged our iniquities upon him Isai. 53. 6. and he as our Surety accepted the charge and those words my sins are not hid from thee Psal. 69. 5. are as St. Jorom thinks spoken ex personâ Christi for he was though not commissor yet susceptor delictorum our Flesh and Blood was taken into his Divine Person and our Sins which could by no means enter in there were yet cast upon him and being cast upon him God exacted satisfaction of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was exacted and he answered Isai. 53. 7. Satisfaction was exacted from him as our Surety and he answered for us and what was his Answer Why I 'le lay down my Life I 'le pour out my Soul saith he let all the Wrath due to those Sins be squeezed into one Cup and I 'le drink it up to the bottom let the Fire of God's Anger drop down from Heaven and I 'le be the Paschal Lamb roasted in it Thus Jesus Christ was a Surety nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the noblest of Sureties putting his Soul in our Souls stead to bear our Sins and God's Wrath and for this very purpose was he one with us in Nature that he might be one with us in Law too But neither is this all for both these Conjunctions are crowned with a third and so he is one with us 3. Conjunctione Mysticâ Christ is the Head and the Church is the Body and both together make up one mystical Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. the Head in Heaven and the Body on Earth and the spiritual Continuity between both is one and the same holy Spirit which is on the Head without measure and on the Members according to measure If the Jew ask us where is Christ we can truly answer He is at the right hand of God in Heaven and on Earth loc here is Christ and there is Christ living and breathing in his Saints every Saint is a piece of him and all together are his fulness Eph. 1. 23. so that he doth not count himself complete without them This Conjunction is so near and full of spiritual Sense that a poor Member cannot suffer on Earth but instantly the Head in Heaven cries out of Persecution Acts 9. 4. and even the suffering Member reckons himself sitting in Heaven as long as his Head is there Eph. 2. 6. Thus our Redeemer comes very near unto us in a threefold Conjunction and in each Conjunction there is a rare Condescention In the first he came down into our Natures by a stupendious Incarnation in the second he came down into our Hell by a Fidejussorial Passion in the third he comes down into our Hearts by the Spirits Inhabitation the first opens a way to the second the second is the purchase of the third and the third as in design was a Motive to and as in existence is a Crown upon the Work of Redemption 4. Having considered the Redeemer I pass on to the Price and here I shall reduce all to three Questions 1. What this Price is 2. What manner of Price it is 3. For whom it was paid 1. What this Price is and this is the Humane Nature of Christ as subjected to the Law When the Son of God came forth to redeem us he was made of a woman made under the Law to redeem us that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. Made of a Woman there 's his humane Nature made under the Law there 's his subjection to the Law and the End of all is our Redemption Christ through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God Heb. 9. 14. and that in a way fully answering the demands of the Law The Law demanded of the Captives two things perfect Obedience from them as rational Creatures and penal Suffering from them as sinful Creatures and Christ gave up his Humane Nature a price both ways in doing and in suffering he gave himself that is his humane Nature for us an offering and a sacrifice Eph. 5. 2. an Offering in his Active Obedience and a Sacrifice in his Passive and both these together were the entire Price of our Redemption 1. Christ gave up himself in his Active Obedience That holy thing his humane Nature as soon as it came out into the World fell a breathing forth
three Reasons 1. Because he fulfilled his Active Obedience not merely for himself but mainly for us he was our Surety and so received the Obligation of Obedience on himself Hence he would be baptized because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it became him to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. it became him not as for himself for he was the spotless Lamb and needed no Baptism at all he could baptize with the holy Ghost and needed no Water-baptism but it became him as our Surety to be subject to Gods command even in this And so in all other his Active Obedience For the impletion of the Law was by God translated upon him What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 3 4. Here all the Obligations of the Law are cast upon Christ as our Surety we could not satisfie for our sins Christ did it we could not fulfil Righteousness Christ did it But you 'l say this place only concerns his Passive Obedience for it speaks of condemning Sin and that was done in his Passive only I answer that this place extends to all Christs Obedience Active as well as Passive and this seems clear by the first and last part of the words compared together the first are What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh and what was that Could it not curse the Sinner Yes undoubtedly And here the flesh that is Sin was the strength of the Law but for want of perfect Obedience it could not give life Gal. 3. 21. and here the flesh that is Sin was the weakness of the Law Now Christ the Power of God came to supply this weakness but how doth he do it The latter words tell us Sin was condemned in his flesh that is his humane Nature and it was condemned there not only by his Passive Obedience but by his Active too Every Act thereof did as it were sit in judgment on Sin even as every knock of Noah on the Ark condemned the old World Sin was so condemned that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us the Law hath its rightful demands one whereof is perfect Obedience the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us that is for us in our stead and room Wherefore Christ's Active Obedience being fidejussorial and on our behalf must needs be part of the Price But you 'l say Christ's Active Obedience was not fidejussorial for it was the debt of his humane Nature as a rational Creature and therefore being due as for himself it could not be paid down as for us I answer that Christ's humane Nature was but a Creature and so its Will could not possibly be supreme but indispensably subject to the Will of God yet nevertheless his Active Obedience was paid down for us and was part of the Price and this will appear if we view it in these four particulars 1. As to the Spring of it 't was freedom his humane Nature was necessarily subject to the Will of God but it was freely assumed into the Person of God Christ as Man was bound to the Law but as God was not bound to become Man As he freely took a Body with its circumscriptive dimensions so he freely took a Soul with those legal Obligations which are as it were the moral Circumscriptions of it he freely assumed the Humanity and with it all incident Duty 2. As to the Circumstances of it 't was unobliged Christ was bound by the Law as Man but he was not bound to perform it in such a debased manner for such a space of Time in such a place as Earth unless as our Surety for he might have carried up the humane Nature into Heaven in the first instant of its Assumption 3. As to the end of it 't was for us it points at the same end with the humane Nature to which it was incident As he was made Man for us to us a Son is born Isai. 1. 9. 6. so his Active Obedience was for us Hence the Apostle joins both these together he was made of a woman made under the Law and then superadds as the end common to both that he might redeem us Gal. 4. 4 5. 4. As to the Value of it 't was infinite a finite Righteousness may serve for its single performer but Christ's Righteousness stamped with his Deity amounts to an infinite Sum enough for himself and a World besides Hence the very same Righteousness is Christ's Rom. 5. 18. and ours too 1 Cor. 1. 30. St. Bernard sweetly expresses it Domine memorabor Justitiae tuae solius ipsa est enim mea nempe factus es mihi tu justitia à Deo nunquid mihi verendum nè non una ambobus sufficiat Non est pallium breve quod non possit operire duos Justitia tua in aeternum me te pariter operiet quia largiter larga aeterna Justitia To sum up all in one word though Christ as Man were under the Law yet his active Obedience performed in an humane Nature freely assumed and in a way as to that Nature unobliged perioding in our Redemption and elevated into a kind of Infinity by his Deity was paid down for us and was part of the Price 2. Because Christ's whole Obedience Active as well as Passive being fulfilled for us makes us righteous before God famous is that place Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous But you 'l say the Passive Obedience is only meant there but if so why doth the Apostle oppose it to Adam's Actual Disobedience and why doth he say Obedience in general and when he says so who may pare off ought and say it was not all but some Why doth he call it Christ's righteousness Ver. 18 and where are his Sufferings alone so stiled in Scripture or what is so properly such as his Active Obedience Nay further he speaks of such a Righteousness as brings justification of life Ver. 18. The Promise of life was Do this and live and Christ's Active Obedience fully answered the terms of it wherefore Christ's Active Obedience is within this Text and jointly with the Passive makes us righteous and consequently is part of the Price But here it will be objected That if Christ obeyed the Law for us so as to make us righteous then we need not obey it in our own Persons To which I answer two things 1. This Argument presses as much upon those that are for his Passive Obedience only as upon those that are for his Active also for they assert that the Passive alone purges away all sin as well of Omission as Commission and consequently makes us as Righteous before God as if we
Glory 1. As to the World of Nature Christ procured two things 1. The Standing of it 2. The Deliverance of it 1. The Standing of it and that in a threefold respect 1. The Standing of it in Being Sin filled it with so much spiritual stench and rottenness that the Power of the holy One would not have endured to have been there supporting and bearing it up in Being if the Death of Christ had not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sweet-smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. to perfume and sweeten it the World was as it were new founded by the Cross or else Sin that abomination of desolation would have dashed it down about the Sinners Ears Justice if unsatisfied would not have spared so much as the Stage whereon Sin was acted but hurled it down into its first Nullity Christ upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. Before Sins entry they stood merely by the word of his Power but since they stand not without the blood of his Cross. Redemption is the great Buttress of Creation as it rears up the little World after its fall so it keeps up the great World from falling 2. The Standing of it in Order When the Prophet describes God's Judgments he speaks as if the old Chaos were come again Loe the earth was without form and void Jer. 4. 23. All the Orders and Harmonies in Nature were at first set by the Wisdom of God and afterwards cemented by the Blood of God or else Sin would have unframed all By Christ all things consist Col. 1. 17. not only subsist in their Beings but consist in their Orders 3. The Standing of it in its Usefulness to us Sin was the blast and forfeiture but Christ is the Purchaser and heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. and in and through him all are as it were new-given to us We became such wretches by Sin that the Earth would not have bore our persons if Christ had not bore our iniquities the Sun in the Firmament would not have lighted the material World if the Sun of Righteousness had not appeared in the spiritual these lower Heavens would not have spun out a day for us if Christ had not purchased the upper ones of Glory the Blood of Creatures should never have been shed for the life of our Bodies if the Blood of God had not been poured out for the Life of our Souls Under the Law before Harvest began the Passeover was killed at Harvest a Sheaf of the first-fruits was brought to the Priest to be offered to God and after Harvest there was the Feast of Tabernacles to bless God for the Fruits of the Earth which by the Jews was kept with Booths and Hosannahs Had not Christ our Passeover been sacrificed for us there would have been no Harvest of Creature-blessings at all and now that there is one the praise of every Sheaf must be brought to Christ the high-priest of good things and in and through him offered up to God therefore there is a spiritual feast of tabernacles under the Gospel Zach. 14. 16. Whilest we sit under the Booths of the Creature we must sing Hosannahs to the Son of God who tabernacled in our flesh and in it merited all comforts for us Every bough of Nature hangs upon his Cross every crum of Bread swims in his Blood every Grape of blessing grows on his Crown of Thorns and all the sweetness in Nature streams out of his Vinegar and Gall. A right-born Christian is the best Philosopher for he sees the Sun of Righteousness in the Luminaries of Heaven the waterings of Christ's Blood in the fruits of the Earth the Word incarnate in Creature-nourishment and the Riches of Christ in all the Riches of Nature All are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's 2. Christ by this Price procured the Deliverance of it God made the House of the World for Man and whilest there is Sin in the Inhabitant the Curse-mark is on the House the Heavens wax old as if there were Mothes in them the Stars have their malignant Aspects the Earth hath its Thorns and Thistles and the whole Creation groans and travels with an universal Vanity the Sun groans out his light on the Workers of darkness the Air groans with Vollies of Oaths and Blasphemies and the Earth groans forth its Corn and Wine into the lap of the Riotous and as Sin grows heavier so the Creaturegroans wax lowder every day But at last in and through Christ there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. the Balm of his Blood will perfectly heal all the stabs and wounds in the Body of Nature the groaning and traveling Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption Rom. 8. 21. there shall be new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. and all the steps and traces of the old Curse shall be razed out of the World Thus Christ hath purchased the World of Nature but this as appears by the Purchaser's own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 6. 33. is not the main bargain but the casting in or overplus thereof therefore 2. Christ by this Price purchased the World of Grace Grace may be considered two ways either as it is in the Map or Charter of the Gospel or as it is in the Subject or receptacle of the Heart and both ways 't is Christ's purchase 1. Grace in the Map or Charter is the Covenant of Grace comprized in the Promises called the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2. 12. In this Covenant there are Promises reaching down as low as the World of Nature and Promises reaching up as high as the World of Glory and betwixt these two run the Promises which water the World of Grace and these are either Promises of Grace such as those I will give an heart to know me Jer. 24. 7. I will circumcise the heart to love me Deut. 30. 6. I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. I will give a new heart and a new spirit I will take away th◠stony heart and give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. or else they are Promises to Grace such as those God will justifie the believer Rom. 3. 26. beautifie the meek with salvation Psal. 149. 4. dwell in a broken heart Isai. 57. 15. comfort the mourners fill the hungry and be seen of the pure in heart Matth. 5. 4 6 8. Now all these Promises are the purchase of Christ and the whole Covenant made up of them is the New-testament in his blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. Without his satisfactory Blood there would have been no room for Promises no not for the least twinkling of a Promise to the sons of men for unsatisfied Justice would have hurried all to Hell All the Promises issue out to us in and through Christ the Rivers of Life gushed out of the true Rock the Gospel-wine run forth from the true Vine if
to darken the Sun of Righteousness damm up the Well of Salvation and trample the Blood of the Covenant under foot at which every sober Christian cannot but tremble Therefore I conclude my second Quaere thus Faith is a prime and excellent Grace wrought by the Spirit and purchased by the Merits of Christ. 2. Christ hath purchased all other Graces for all Graces are the fruits of the Spirit and the Spirit is shed on us through Christ. But in stead of proving let me parly with the Saints Speak O ye excellent ones whence came your lovely Meekness your undissembled Love your untired Patience your holy Unction your melting Compassions your broken Hearts your repentant Tears your Law-engraven Spirits and all your sweet-smelling Perfumes of Grace Speak for the Glory of Christ. Methinks I hear them all with one consent cry out Thus O thus it is all our Meekness came from the Lamb our Love from the beloved one our Patience from the Captain-sufferer our Unction from the Christ of God our Compassions from the bowels of Christ our broken Hearts from a broken Christ our repentant Tears from his bleeding Wounds our Law-engravings are the Epistle of Christ and all our sweet-smelling Graces are the powders of the merchant Cant. 3. 6. even of Jesus Christ who bought them all with his sweetest Blood The Church is the House of God made up of lively stones floored with Humility roofed with Knowledge cemented with Charity warmed with the fire of Zeal and filled with the spiritual Glory of heavenly Graces but Christ is the chief corner-stone which bears up all all the Churches Humility is from Christ's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-emptying all our Knowledge from Christ the Sun of righteousness all its Charity from the Hyperbole of his love all its Zeal is from a coal of his Altar and all the spiritual Glory which fills it comes by the way of the East Ezek. 43. 2. even from Jesus Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the East or day-spring of all graces Luk. 1. 78. 3. Christ hath purchased all the Crowns of these Graces I mean such as are set on the Saints head in this life the Believers shall be justified but 't is by the righteous Christ the Meek shall be beautified with Salvation but 't is because of the Lamb the broken Heart shall have God dwelling in it but 't is for the Merits of a broken Christ the Mourners shall be comforted but 't is by the consolation in Christ the Hungry shall be filled but 't is from the fulness of Christ the pure in Heart shall see God but 't is through Christ the brightness of his Glory all the Crowns of Grace must be cast down at the feet of Jesus Christ the great Purchaser of them Thus Christ hath bought the World of Grace but yet we are not at the top of the Purchase For 3. Christ hath purchased the World of Glory that is the none-such the World of Worlds to which all Natures Glories are but a shadow and the Churches Graces but a Portal there are Plenitudes of Joy Crowns of Life Weights of Glory Treasures of Bliss and Oceans of Sweetness and all of Christ's purchasing All the Mansions of Glory are of his preparing Joh. 14. 2. all the Wine in Heaven is for his marriage-supper Revel 19. 9. his Blood is the Key to open the holy of holies Heb. 10. 19. the pure River of Life clear as Crystal issues out of the throne of God and of the Lamb even out of Gods Grace and Christs Merit Rev. 22. 1. Christ on the Cross purchased a Heaven for us Christ in the Gospel proffers it unto us and Christ in the heart gives us an actual hope thereof Had it not been for Christ we could never have entred into such a place as Heaven where the Walls are Pearls the Rivers Pleasures the Hills Frankincense the Air Purity and the Light Life Love and all in all God himself Now Christ did not only purchase Heaven for us but purchased it in a way completive of the Law The old Promise of the Law was Do this and live and that seemed quite blasted and withered by our sins but Christ by his perfect Obedience made it revive and bud again with life God would not give eternal life but upon a Do this and Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us and by that Righteousness we come to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justification of life Rom. 5. 18. such a Justification as is crowned with eternal Life But you 'l say that old Do this required Obedience in our own persons and therefore Christ could not fulfil it in our stead and so purchase life for us I answer that God did here also interpret his Law in an equitable way the divine Sanction Do this on which Life did depend was not precisely determinate that we must do it in our own persons for then a Sureties obedience should have been totally excluded neither was it precisely determinate that we should do it in our Surety for there was a Do this in the state of Innocency where there was no need of a Surety but the Sanction was general Do this and two interpretations lay before God the first that it should be done in our own persons the second that it should be done in our Surety the first a rigorous and literal the second an equitable and merciful interpretation Now these two interpretations lying before God he as supreme Law-giver takes the equitable interpretation had he taken the rigorous one there would have been no room for a Surety nor life for the Sinner but in rich mercy he takes the equitable one and so through a Surety's Obedience eternal Life is purchased for us These two interpretations of the Law seem to me to be figured out by the double making of the Tables the Law in the rigorous interpretation is like the first Tables which were broken For as the Law was first written in those Tables so the rigorous interpretation firstly rises out of the Letter of the Law and as those first Tables were broken so Sin made such a breach upon the Law that the Apostle puts a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it Rom. 8. 3. it could not give life according to the rigorous interpretation And the Law in the equitable interpretation is like the second Tables which were put into the Ark for as those Tables were kept inviolate in the Ark so the Law was kept inviolate in the equitable interpretation and as the Mercy-seat covered the Tables in the Ark and from the Mercy-seat so covering them God manifested his presence so Christ the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mercy-seat did by his perfect Obedience cover the Law all over and in and through him so covering it God manifests his presence not only his back-parts on Earth but his face in Heaven Thus by the admirable Wisdom of God Heaven was purchased and yet the Law established the Do this turned upon the
all on the Cross may be offered to all in the Gospel there is no Pagan in the World to whom Christ may not be offered And if there were but one great Ear or Organ of Hearing common to all how would Christ's Ministers always be filling it with Gospel But it follows not that Christ shall be preached to all for the Gospel is God's own and he may do with his own as he pleaseth and Christ who purchased for all the Being of the Gospel as far as the general Promises go yet purchased not for all the publication thereof In a word the Pagans have some glimmerings of Gospel and may be saved on Gospel-terms which shews that Christ so far died for them and that they have not the express knowledge of Christ is a deep Abyss much fitter to be adored than dived into by us Object 3. If Christ died for all men then he intercedes for all but he intercedes only for the Elect therefore he died for them only I answer that Christ doth in some sort intercede for all men and this I shall clear several ways 1. From the Nature of Christ's Intercession that is not a formal Prayer but an appearing in the Holy of Holies before the face of God as an Advocate and there presenting his Blood and Righteousness in their freshness and endless life of Merit with a Will that all the Grace purchased thereby may be dispensed to the sons of men therefore Christ even in Glory stands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one slain Rev. 5. 6. shewing his bleeding Wounds to make Intercession with God Hence it follows that his Intercession being a kind of celestial Oblation perfectly answers to his Oblation on the Cross he is an Advocate above so far as he was a Surety here below his Blood speaks the very same things in Heaven as it did on Earth and his Will stands in the same posture towards Sinners there as here Now how far was Christ a Surety for all Surely thus far that all may be saved if they believe else either they cannot be saved at all which is contrary to the truth of the Promise or they may be saved without a Surety which is contrary to the current of the Scriptures But if he were so far a Surety for all then he is so far an Advocate for all for he appears an Advocate in Heaven for all those for whom he appeared as a Surety on the Cross. Hence the Apostle saith in general If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. he saith not strictly if the Elect sin but at large if any man sin we have an advocate and as the true ground-work of this general Advocation he adds he is the propitiation for the whole world Ver. 2. So far forth as he was a Propitiation for the World so far forth he is an Advocate for it And another Apostle affirms that Christ is a Mediator between God and men 1 Tim. 2. 5. he saith not betwixt God and his Church but betwixt God and men and the following words give the true reason of it Christ gave himself a ransom for all Ver. 6. he is no less a Mediator for all than he was a Ransom for all Christ's Blood shed on the Cross spake thus far for all men that they might have their pardon on Gospel-terms and afterwards being carried to Heaven it speaks the very same language for them for the voice or speech of that Blood is its Merit and that Merit is of an indeficient virtue Hence that Blood cannot be speechless because it cannot be meritless and so far on Earth as it merited for all so far in Heaven it speaks and intercedes for all Moreover as Christ's Blood speaks the same things for them in Heaven as it did on Earth so Christ's Will in Heaven stands in the same posture towards them as it did on Earth wherefore in a sort he intercedes for all 2. From the Patience of God which waits on men even such as at last perish If Christ did not stand with the Incense of his sweet-smelling Merits between the living and the dead between the reprieved Sinners on Earth and the damned Spirits in Hell the Patience of God would not wait one moment upon them 3. From the working of God's Spirit for as Christ is our Paraclete or Advocate in heaven 1 Joh. 2. 1. so the holy Spirit is Gods Para. clete or Advocate on earth Joh. 16. 7. Surely if the Advocate in Heaven spake nothing for the Non-lect the Advocate on Earth would not wooe them to salvation if the Blood of Christ did not at all plead for them the Spirit of Christ would give no touches at all upon them much less such touches as to make them taste the powers of the World to come 4. From the liberty of Prayer Simon Magus even whilest in the gall of bitterness was commanded to pray Acts 8. 22. but what without a Mediator No surely that sinful man who hath no Mediator in Heaven must not presume to pray on Earth I see no reason why a man merely mediatorless should have more lieve to pray than a Devil who is therefore without hope because without a Mediator The Apostle commands men to pray every where 1 Tim. 2. 8. but a little before he lays down this as the ground-work there is one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all Ver. 5 and 6. The Mediation of Christ opens the door to Prayer Wherefore as to this Objection I answer thus Christ intercedes for all men in such sort as he died for them I say in such sort for there is a vast difference between his general Intercession for all and his special Intercession for the Elect For as Christ by his Blood shed on the Cross merited for all in general that they might be saved on Gospel-terms and merited for the Elect in special that they should believe and be saved so by the same blood presented in Heaven he intercedes for all that they may be saved on Gospel-terms and intercedes for the Elect that they may believe and be saved And thus he is the complete Mediator of the Covenant as the general Promises extend to all so answerably he intercedes for all and as the special Promises point only at the Elect so proportionably he intercedes for the Elect. Object 4. If Christ died for all men then he was a Surety for all and satisfied for the sins of all and consequently God hath a double Satisfaction one in Christ the Surety and another in the persons of the Damned which is against the nature of his Justice In this Argument are two consequences to be weighed 1. If Christ died for all then he was a Surety for all satisfied for the sins of all 2. If Christ so satisfied for the sins of all then God hath a double Satisfaction which is against Justice As to the first consequence I admit it as a
Flame or as it is in the Original the Flame of God Cant. 8. 6. kindles upon the heart and makes it burn with true love to Christ Oh! says the Soul this is he who made the Robe of Righteousness for me and how much love was there in every thread of it This is he who drunk off the Cup of trembling for me and how much wrath did my sins squeez into it When on Earth he bore my sins upon the Cross and now in Heaven he bears my name upon his heart his Person is all desires his Blood all preciousness his Righteousness all glory his Love all heights and depths and breadths surpassing knowledge and who can chuse but love him There is no high Priest or Sacrifice but himself no Balm or healing but in his Wounds no Intercessor above but his Blood and Righteousness no Beauty or Glory in all the visible World like that in his Cross and how can the heart refuse his Espousals This is a Principle of sweet closure with Christ this makes the Soul breathe after nay approach to Christ and when it hath a being in him such is the holy aspiration of this Principle that still it desires to be more perfectly and intimately in him no embraces near enough there 's too much distance in every union When the Soul is brother and sister and mother to him still 't would be nearer nothing less than one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. and when 't is so in some measure still it presses hard after more oneness with him Oh! that the Veil of darkness were quite off that the remnants of separating Corruption were quite out Oh! for more gales of Faith and Prayer to blow up this holy Fire for more effusions of the holy Unction to feed and enflame it Thus this Principle is hiatus Voluntatis the opening or thirsty gaping of the Will for more and more of Christ and all that it may dwell in God who is Love it self 3. Take him as a King this Principle sets the Heart right towards him Hence a man becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a fit posture towards the kingdom of God Luk. 9. 62. and that in a threefold respect 1. This Principle is a Principle of Faith God made Christ a King Faith owns him as such God gave him all the power in heaven and earth and Faith gives him all the power in the upper and lower Faculties of the Soul This Principle rests upon him as a King able to put all his enemies under his feet Are there strong holds of Sin in us this Principle rests on him as the power of God to cast them down Are there Armies of temptations round about us this Principle rests on him as the Captain of salvation to scatter them As soon as this Principle is in the Soul the Soul is no longer where it was but translated into the kingdom of Christ Col. 1. 13. Before it was in a region of Darkness but now in a place of marvellous Light its native soil was spiritual Sodom and Egypt where Sin is a Law but now it is in the Dominions of Christ where the Law of the Spirit frees from the Law of sin and because after the Law or Reign of Sin is broken the remnants or reliques of Corruption are still in us therefore this Principle doth in a wonderful manner rest upon Christ for a more thorough purging out thereof 2. This Principle is a Principle of Love disposing the Soul to love Christ as a Melchisedek a king of righteousness and to kiss his sceptre as a sceptre of righteousness This Principle desires and delights above all places to dwell in Immanuels land and by a holy acquiescence under his Law it sits down as it were in the kingdom of God Hence the Heart is willing that Christ should reign over it that all his Enemies should be made his footstool even those that dwell in its own bosom if he come search for darling Lusts there this Principle will open every fold and unlock every secret place of the Heart to discover them If he come and slay them with the Sword of his mouth this Principle will be consenting to their death and pray So let all thine enemies perish O Lord even all the remainders of Corruption lying in my Heart 3. This Principle is a Principle of Obedience and this is no other but the two former Principles of Faith and Love conspiring together to do the Will of Christ. Christ is at the right hand of God and the Soul by Faith and Love is at the right hand of Christ Psal. 45. 9. ready to hear and do all his pleasure Ver. 10. Faith hath two Eyes whilest one is upon the propitiatory Cross the other is upon the holy Crown of Jesus Love hath two Hands and whil'st one is thrust into his side and bleeding Wounds the other is busie in keeping his righteous Laws and Commands No sooner doth a Command drop down from him but Faith catches it up Oh! says Faith this comes from the King of Kings and must be done and this great King says Love obeyed for me even to the Cross and how can I do less than obey him His commandments are all right his yoke easie his service freedom and his love constraining 3. This Principle sets the Will into a right Frame in respect of that great Obstacle Sin Sin separates between God and the Soul but this Principle separates between the Soul and Sin and this in three respects 1. As it is a Principle of Evangelical Sorrow Sin is contracted with pleasure and must be dissolved with sorrow and this dissolution will not be kindly unless the Sorrow be Evangelical Legal Sorrow is a preparative to Conversion but Evangelical is an essential ingredient in it in Legal sorrow the Heart breaks under the Fears of Hell and Death but in Evangelical it thaws under the Beams of free Grace it melts for the exceeding sinfulness of Sin it bleeds over the bleeding Wounds of Christ it grieves at the grievings of the holy Spirit it blushes and shames it self for the stains cast upon Gods Glory it is offended full fraught with displicency at its many great offences of the divine Majesty This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God 2 Cor. 7. 10. Sorrow for Sin as Sin such as God would have This turns the sweet morsels of Sin into bitter herbs and the pleasant streams of lust into blood hereby Sin is in some degree loosened out of the Heart 2. As it is a Principle of hatred enclining the Will to hate every false way The Scripture sets out Sin as a very odious thing 't is the poyson of asps Rom. 3. 13. the dogs vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. a menstruous cloth Isai. 30. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the superfluity or excrement of all evil Jam. 1. 21. enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. the abominable thing which God hates Jer. 44. 4. and that with great hatred
gracious Principles 3. The Perfection of the new Creature cannot stand without them The new Creature is a new men all over new new in its Desires as well as in its Intellectuals 't is a perfect man in Christ perfect in all its parts it hath a Heart as well as a Head Should the Will want gracious Principles the new Creature must want a Heart the old Heart will not serve the turn the new Man is but half a Man without a new heart There was put into the Breast-plate of Judgment the Urim and the Thummim that is Lights and Perfections both were in it or else it had not been perfect The full substance of this Type was only in Christ who was full of all Grace and Truth but there is a measure of it in every true Christian who puts on the breast-plate of faith and love 1 Thess. 5. 8. Faith is a kind of Urim in his Understanding and Love a kind of Thummim in his Will and both together make up his complete Breast-plate But if there were no gracious Principles in his Will he should have an Urim without a Thummim Light in the Mind without Integrity in the Heart and by consequence he could be but one half of a Christian. Object 2. This Thesis overturns the Liberty of the Will for if the Will be determined by the Understanding how is it free and if free how determined I answer There are three things which well weighed give a perfect Solution to this Objection 1. This Objection carries in it a great Absurdity 2. This Objection stands upon a false Notion of Liberty 3. This Objection vanishes by the true stating of Liberty 1. This Objection carries in it a great Absurdity If the Will being determined by the Understanding lose its Freedom then it loseth its Freedom by an adhesion to the Root of its Freedom and it cannot be free unless it can turn Brute which is a great Absurdity You 'l say Is this so absurd Doth not the Will turn Brute in closing with sensual Lusts and doth not the Scripture call men Beasts upon that account I answer that the Will in closing with its sensual Lusts is brutish as to the Matter of its choice but not as to the Manner of it because it hath an humane Unstanding though corrupt going before it but if it can turn away from the Understanding it can turn Brute even as to the Manner of its Acting for then its Act hath no Understanding at all at the bottom of it no more than the Act of a Beast which is very absurd in a rational Appetite 2. This Objection stands upon a false Notion of Liberty viz. That the Liberty of the Will doth essentially consist in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an aequilibrium or indeterminate Indifferency whereby it may will or not will a thing for why according to this Objection is the Will not free Why but because it is determined And why is it not free if determined Because its Freedom doth consist essentially in such an aequilibrium as cannot stand with any determination but what is merely from it self Now that this is a false Notion of Liberty doth appear many ways For 3. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency then what shall we say to Jesus Christ on Earth Had not he as Man all the Essentials of Liberty Was not all his Obedience perfectly free and yet did not his humane Will indeclinably follow his divine Was there a posse peccare in that spotless Lamb Could that humane Nature conceived by the holy Ghost and inseparably united to the God-head could that also transgress Surely it could not I do nothing of my self faith Christ Joh. 8. 28. nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I can do nothing of my self Joh. 5. 30. nothing in such perfect dependance was his humane Will upon his divine not the shadow of an aequilibrium there and yet the substance of perfect Liberty 2. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency what say we to the blessed Saints in Heaven Have not they all the essentials of Liberty Are those Spirits made perfect in every thing else but that Is that the thing that is wanting in Heaven No surely glorious Liberty cannot but be there and yet what of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There God is All in all and the Saints cannot take off their Eyes from him for ever his Will is perfectly triumphant over theirs and their Will is perfectly determined by his so determined as not to glance aside from it to all Eternity And yet in this Determination Liberty is not destroyed but perfected the Will is not in straits or bonds but in a Sabbath of Rest and Joy Here 's nothing of an aequilibrium that kind of Liberty is so magnified on Earth that it shall never be glorified in Heaven and if it be not glorified there sure 't is no Essential here 3. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency then how shall the divine Prescience be salved God knoweth all the free Acts of men even the Thoughts afar off from the high Tower of his Eternity But if the Will be in aequilibrio its Acts before they come into Being must be mere Contingencies and without any determinate Verity at all in them and how then are they knowable as Certainties to know Contingencies as Certainties is to erre and not to know 4. If Liberty do essentially consist in such an Indifferency then what becomes of divine Providence Providence hath a Kingdom over men's Hearts We find in Scripture God touching the heart 1 Sam. 10. 26. stirring up the heart 2 Chron. 36. 22. opening the heart Acts 16. 14. enclining the heart 1 Kings 8. 58. and turning the heart whithersoever he will Prov. 21. 1. And after all this is the Will in aequilibrio If not where is the supposed Liberty If so where is the divine Providence All its touching stirring opening enclining and turning the Heart signifies litle or nothing Infinite Wisdom and Power seem to have posed themselves in making such a Creature as they cannot govern or at least not govern without destroying its faculties the infinite Spirit hath then nothing to rule over but the brutal World and the rational is lost out of his Dominions Men must subsist like Creatures and yet may act as Gods their Being is within the Realm of Providence and their Acting without it In a word when we read of God over all we must ever except the rational Creature Wherefore that is no true Notion of Liberty which is so opposite to the Sccptre of divine Providence 5. I shall add but one thing more Every Man is born under a Futurition of all the Acts which he will produce or else those Acts should be present in Time which never were future which is impossible and every Futurition implies in it a necessity of Immutability or else that which is future might cease to be such