THEO-POLITICA OR A Body of Divinity CONTAINING The Rules of the special Government OF GOD According to which He orders the immortal and intellectual Creatures Angels and Men to their final and Eternal Estate Being a Method of those saving Truths which are contained in the Canon of the Holy Scripture and abridged in those words of our Saviour Jesus Christ Go and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Which were the Ground and Foundation of those Apostolical Creeds and Forms of Confessions related by the Ancients and in particular by Irenaeus and Tertullian BY GEORGE LAWSON Rector of More in the County of Salop. LONDON Printed by J. Streater for Francis Tyton and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Three Daggers in Fleet-street MDCLIX THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader I Will not trouble thee with any tedious Preface or Epistle Dedicatory but onely in a few words acquaint thee 1. With the subject of this Treatise 2. The manner how it s handled 3. The use that be made of it I. The Subject is noble and excellent it is that glorious Kingdom and special Governmentt of the Supream Universal and Eternal King which is the principal if not the adoquate subject of the Holy Scriptures which were revealed from Heaven and without which neither Men nor Angels could have known much of it For as it is the Kingdom of God so the Word of God must inform us of it Angels Prophets Apostles and Christ himself spake of it and it was the principal matter of the Doctrine This Government was contrived before the World was and after time began it was one of his principal Works wherein once made known by Revelation we may read more of God of his deepest Counsels and of his perfections then in the vast Volume of Heaven and Earth The Doctrine thereof doth so much concern sinful Man that upon the knowledge thereof depends his Eternal Salvation This Kingdom should be the chiefest subject not onely of our most serious and retired Thoughts but of our Discourse that it might be made known to the following Generations till time shall be no more and it will be the matter of that Heavenly Musick and Melody which Saints and Angels shall make in the Temple of Eternal Glory For all thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bles thee They shall speak of the Glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power To make known unto the sons of men His mighty Acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations Psal. 145. 10 11 12 13. This Kingdom did commence upon the Creation of Angels and of Men whom both He governed according to different Rules especially after the Fall and Promise of a Redeemer for then He new-modelled the Government of Mankind and of that new Model there were three degrees The first continued from the times of Adam till the exaltation of Christ at His Fathers right hand The second which is more excellent began to be administred by Christ glorified and shall not determine till all Enemies even Death the last shall be destroyed The third which is most glorious shall commence upon the final Judgment and shall be of endless date This is the subject II. For the manner of handling of it the Language is plain and rather rude then polite and more Grammatical then Rhetorical for my desire was to be understood I had no design to please the curious but by plain Doctrine to inform the Vnderstanding by clear Method to help the Memory and by the divine and excellent matter rather than by excellency of words to work upon the affection and wind into the heart The very Subject being a Kingdom did dictate the Method and the Scripture furnished me with suitable Expressions I do not proceed by way of Dialogue or of Catechisms or of Probleme or of Systems or of Sermons I thought good and took the liberty to deliver positive Doctrine in a continued Discourse yet in a certain method and so to draw on the Reader from one head to another and from one part of this Government to another till he come to the beginning of that perfect and most glorious degree wherein God shall be all in all In some particulars I deliver my opinion yet with submission to the judgment of the more Learned and Judicious I desire no man to believe any thing delivered in this Treatise which shall not be found agreeable to the Holy Scriptures To seduce and mislead the meanest Christian would trouble me much If the more understanding discover my imperfections I desire him to pardon them if any passages be amiss to correct the mistakes and not too rigidly censure the Author We all have much of Man in us we are yet in the flesh and many are our imperfections and mine more then those of others And if every Reader shall remember himself to be a man as yet in the flesh I shall do well enough Let none impute to me the Errata of the Press though some few may be gross for I was for the time of Printing at a great distance Some things in this work I onely touch intending a more distinct discussion in another Book which is an Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews This for the manner of handling III. The use of it may be the same with that of other Systems and larger Catechisms What it may adde I leave to others for to judge It may serve to acquaint us more particularly with the nature of that Kingdom whereof many speak and which few do understand It may help to improve our Knowledge of the Principles to understand the Scriptures more clearly to direct younger Students who intend the Ministery to bring some Controversies to an Issue It may give occasion to men of more excellent gifts out of Scriptures to improve the Body of saving Doctrine And for the present it may testifie that notwithstanding all our Divisions and Alterations the substance of the Ancient and Apostolical Doctrine remains amongst us I desired to do some good unto this poor Church and if any good be done it is not I but the Grace of God in me who desired to serve in this as in other things the great and glorious Monarch of this Kingdom To whom be glory everlasting Amen Thine to serve in the Lord GEO LAWSON THE ARGUMENT AND CONTENTS OF The several Chapters LIB I. CHAP. I. THe Subject and Rule of the whole Treatise both in the First and Second Book CHAP. II. The Mind of God concerning His special Kingdom 1. Known unto Himself 2. Revealed 1. To Man immediately by inspiration 2. Communicated by Man to Man by Word and Writing and both Infallibly As written in Hebrew Chaldee Greek it makes up the Canon of the Scripture which is the most excellent Monument in the World and
Resurrection and last Judgment when God shall be all in all and Reign perfectly without any enemy without any opposition This we pray for here as that special and spiritual Kingdom which is distinguished from the civil government of temporall States opposed to the Kingdom of darknesse of Sin Sathan Death It 's called in Scriptures the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdom of Light the Kingdom of Christ the Kingdom of Grace the Vniversal and Eternall Kingdom The King is God § VIII not merely as Creatour and Preserver of the World but as Redeemer who since Christs Exaltation Reigns by him in Heaven and Earth as by his Administratour-generall Heaven is the place of his speciall residence his glorious pallace and his Royal throne His Territory is the World His speciall subjects men Redeemed by the blood of Christ His Lawes the Rules of the Gospel to direct mans obedience with promises and threats which are the standard of his judgments The eternall holy Spirit is his power His Judgments are spirituall and eternall rewards and punishments with temporall and bodily thereunto subordinate And because men are found in the Kingdom of darknesse and under the power of Sathan they are reduced by the word and spirit unto subjection Which is a work of great and most free mercy The word and Laws must be made known outwardly by man and then written in the heart by the Spirit In this government he doth exercise his severe justice his greatest power his choisest wisdome and his sweetest mercy in the highest degree This Kingdom comes unto a people when God graciously vouchsafeth to give them the word Sacraments Ministers and all the meanes of conversion with a promise in the word of his Spirit to make this used effectual He continues it with them whilst he continues these meanes and doth not take away his spirit and deliver them up to a reprobate mind so that the things that concern their everlasting peace are not eternally hid from their eyes It comes close and effectually when God by these meanes made efficacious by his spirit destroyes the dominion of sin and dispossesseth Sathan It 's then consummate when sin is wholly destroyed and the person made fully subject and perfectly obedient to his eternall Sovereign It 's consummate to the Universall Church upon the execution of the final judgment It 's principally with in us and established in our hearts by God when he there to Reigns as first to take away the Dominion then in the end the very existence as I may so call it of sin For it proceeds by degrees and sin doth first cease to Reign then to Be in us This government therefore is an act of God Redeemer in Christ giving all things doing all things necessary sufficient effectuall for our Conversion confirmation perseverance and consummation as he hath promised and by promise bound himself to us So that in this Petition we pray for and humbly seek of God his Word his Sacraments the Ministery of the Gospel Christian Sabbaths Discipline pious Magistrates the gifts and graces of the spirit the continuance and good successe of these the ordering of all things for the good of the Church the conversion of the Jews the reducement of all Nations to subjection unto Christ justification the continuance and perfection of sanctication the first fruits of the spirit of joy and comfort the destruction of the Kingdom of Sathan and Antichrist and all enemies of his truth and our salvation for the comming of Christ the Resurrection of the last judgment the execution of it in the eternall glorification of his Saints and perdition of their enemies That God by Christ hath thus far reigned in the World in this Nation in our hearts is a matter of thanksgiving and a benefit never to be forgotten The next Petition for spirituall blessings § IX is Thy will be done on Earth as it 's done in Heaven Wherein we have 1. Our Heavenly Father's Will 2. The doing of it 3. The manner and degrees of doing it By Will is not meant the essence of God nor his Decrees but the Lawes of his spirituall kingdom wherein he requires Subjection and Obedience Repentance Faith good works and these to be performed to him as Lord Redeemer by Christ Jesus To do this will is to be really and sincerely subject and obedient in avoyding all sins prohibited and doing all good Commanded by the Laws of his Kingdome having a speciall eye to the rewards promised and the punishments threatned The manner how this duty is to be performed is set down by prescribing a Pattern in Heaven It 's true that the Starrs of Heaven do continually and constantly in their motion observe their order fixed unto them in Creation Yet this is far short though something it be and they continually accuse us of disobedience and exorbitancy seeing they have followed strictly and precisely the rule of Creation from the first time of their Being but we are exorbitant and continually wander The will of God is done in an higher degree and more excellently by the Angels those blessed and immortall spirits who never sinned and are so confirmed that they shall never sin For they do his commandements Hearkening to the voyce of his Word Psal. 103. 20. They subject themselves wholly unto him Whose throne is in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all vers 19. They acknowledge Jesus Christ at Gods right hand to be their Lord. They performe an universall obedience to all his Laws and that 1. Most freely 2. Perpetually 3. In a degree of Perfection It must be our design desire endeavour to follow their example till we reach and attain their perfection And because we have no power to do this will in this manner we therefore in these words pray for Gods sanctifying assisting and confirming power accompanying his Word and that we may wholly subject our selves unto his power and be effectually and continaully inclined and enabled to do his Will in all things at all times with all our hearts The reason why this petition followes the former and is immediately subjoyned is manifest For except we subject our selves unto the power of this King and thus observe the Lawes of this Heavenly Kingdome we cannot be capable of have any right unto or enjoy the honour joy peace and happinesse of the same It hath very near connexion with the former petition and therefore we may desire of God some mercies which in both are the same but in different respects In the former we desire them so as they are such as without which he cannot Reign and give us everlasting peace We desire here the same things as necessary and without which we cannot performe our duty in observing his Laws which is the condition of the rewards promised By them we acknowledge our fall depravation inability the want of Gods divine Spirit to re-instamp his Image upon us and we earnestly desire his sanctifying grace to be given and continued unto
World to come According to it he must be judged and sent to Heaven or Hell and made eternally happy or miserable All errours and false notions contrary unto it must be rased out of the mind All inordinate affections and unruly passions must be subdued For we must lay apart all filthinesse and Superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the pure and genuine word of God which is able to save our souls Jam. 1. 24. And we must lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings and as New-born babes desire the Sincere milk of the Word c. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. We must make our minds like blank Paper and in our hearts we must be like little Children otherwise the Heavenly Doctrine cannot make so liâ—ely impressions upon us 2. When the heart is thus prepared we must hear and read attentively consider what is heard or read that we may understand it We must apply it and lay it close unto our own hearts and pray for the Spirit to make it powerful and effectual within us As it is Wisdom first to teach so it is first to learn the Principles and to understand them well and being once in these well grounded they will not be so subject either to be seduced or waveâ—ing in their judgment and it will be a great advantage to improve their knowledge And when once they understand the truth it will discover their woful condition to humble them and their Saviour to raise them up again It 's a part of the duty of every one that is a Scholler in this School not onely to understand the truth but also to endeavour the practise thereof out of an earnest desire of Salvation And if a man neglect the means use not the power that God hath given him and seriously intend the principal end it will be just with God to desert him and deny his grace unto him Practice must be the principal design and Knowledge so far as conducing thereunto If the man being taught § XVI be diligent and willing for to learn both to know and do that which is known and that with a prepared heart and desire of God's Blessed Spirit to teach him inwardly and effectually then God will remember his Promise and will give him a new Heart and a new Spirit he will put in him and will take the stoney heart out of his flesh and give him an heart of flesh He will put his Spirit within him and cause him to walk in his Statutes and keep his Judgments to do them Ezek. 36. 26 27. For this is a Promise of the Gospel and the New Covenant I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. And as man teacheth outwardly God teacheth inwardly yet he never writes his Word in an unprepared heart neither doth he write any thing within but that which is taught outwardly out of the Scriptures And as the Minister must teach so the People must hear and heed otherwise God will deny his Spirit Man cannot speak unto the Soul immediatly but by the outward and inward Senses God speaks immediatly unto the Soul pierceth deeply into it writes clear and lively Characters upon the mind and makes strong impressions upon the heart When the Ministers Doctrine is thus accompanied with the Power of God and brought home not onely unto but also into the Soul then the Teacher is a Minister not onely of the Letter but also of the Spirit and the Word is the Word of God indeed formally and properly when God thus speaks it immediatly himself and it will manifest it self by the Heavenly Light Power of Sanctification and Consolation following thereupon And then man knows the Word read or heard preached out of the Scripture to be from Heaven and God's Voyce and that upon better grounds then any Tradition possibly can be By the same Word we are begotten and born anew By the same we must grow and tend unto perfection the Spirit concurring with it And the Spirit by Divine Institution and God's Promise goes along with it except man by his neglect of the means or some other demeâ—it give caâ—â—e to God to deny it The sum of all this is § XVII 1. That the Doctrine of the Scriptures is the Rule whereby we are directed in the knowledge of God's Kingdome 2. This Doctrine was in the mind of God and known onely to himself before he communicated it to Men and Angels 3. He did make this known by immediate Inspiration to the Holy Prophets and Apostles 4. By them he communicated it to others both by Word and Writing in both which they were directed by him infallibly 5. The Originals therefore were immediatly of Divine Authority and most worthy to be believed and the Transcripts and Translations so far as they agreed with the Originals 6. The Tradition or Testimony of the Church may declare this yet as a Testimony it can satisfie no man fully 7. God communicates this Doctrine unto men by ordinary Teachers not immediatly inspired 8. The Scripture is the standing Rule to direct these ordinary Teachers And so far as they follow this Rule so far their Doctrine is good and no further 9. The people taught are bound to hear those Teachers with prepared hearts and in that manner as God requireth 10. If they hear in this manner God according to his Promise will make it effectual to convert justifie and comfort them 11. This Spirit testifying by real effects the matter of the Scripture to be Divine is not a private Spirit but the publique Spirit of Christ in the Universal Church and the thing testified by this Spirit is the Publique Doctrine believed and professed by the Vniversal Church It 's true that it 's testified to a private Man and in that respect it is not Publique 12 By this manner of ordinary teaching with the concurrence of the sanctifying Spirit God works ordinarily a Divine Faith in the hearts of men and not by the Vniversal Tradition of the Church 13. The Tradition of the Church so far as it may be known concerning the Divine Authority of the whole Canon is a ground of a probable Faith against which No rational man as rational can except CHAP. III. Concerning the ancient Creeds and Confessions and of Faith in general HItherto § I of the Original the Nature and Qualities of the Holy Scriptures which must be the Rule of the ensuing Discourse concerning God's Kingdom But before I proceed to the particular Explication of this excellent Subject it will not be amiss to enquire Whether the principal subject of the Scripture may not be reduced to a method or Whether some parts or passages of Scripture will not give a sufficient light and direction to this method if there be any such thing Many School-men and some Modern Authors of Theological Systems following the Rules of the great Philosopher have attempted to reduce the Doctrine contained in God's Book into
union with God the Father and Jesus Christ and the Saints they are become the Temples of the Holy Ghost and being washed in their Saviours bloud are the adopted Sons of God the Heirs of Glory come under the Divine Protection and have a general right to all those Mercies and Blessings which Christ hath purchased and God hath promised as shall more particularly be shewed hereafter For as this Subjection is virtually all obedience so it receives a right to all Blessings limited to the performance of several Duties And before I conclude this great Duty you must observe this one thing that this Subjection is that whereby we submit our selves to Christ and so to God not onely as King as some conceive but to Him as our onely Priest for expiation and intercession and also to Him as our onely Prophet to teach us not onely outwardly by the Word written but inwardly by the Spirit From this Subjection § XIV we understand what the nature of the Church as visible and of the Church mystical as consisting of real Saints is The Church in general is a Society or community of all such as subject themselves to God-Redeemer by Jesus Christ. The Church-mystical is the community of such as subject themselves sincerely unto GOD-REDEEMER So that this Subjection is the very essence of the Church To believe and subject to Christ to come and to Christ already come is accidental So to be National or Universal is To be under a Form of Discipline or to be without any setled outward Government is not essential nor to be militant or triumphant though it as such and such differs much is of the Essence To be Pilgrims and Strangers on this Earth seeking an abiding City in Heaven and to be militant fighting against the Devil the World and the Flesh is the condition of this Society in this life To obtain a final and full Victory over Sin and be secure of Eternal Bliss is in some measure an estate of triumph But to rise again be immortal and fully glorified in one full body after that all Enemies are totally and eternally subdued is the most perfect triumph And this is the Order that God hath decreed and established that first we must be militant obey and suffer in an estate of Humiliation till we prove finally victorious and after that we must except a reward and a Crown of Glory which in due time we shall certainly receive So Christ our Head was first humbled afterwards exalted and passed by the Cross to the Crown so must we His members do In this life we must be consecrated and in the life to come we shall be compleat Kings and Priests and reign with our Saviour and serve in the glorious Temple of Heaven These two conditions differ much and very much yet the difference is not essential but accidental Thus far the constitution of this Kingdom in the Soveraignty of God-Redeemer and subjection of sinful Man redeemed and called CHAP. V. Concerning the exercise of the Power of God Redeemer in the Administration of the Kingdome of Grace in general THis administration is the exercise of the power of God acquired by the humiliation of the Word § I made flesh in making new lawes and judging according to them This administration is to be considered 1. In generall and in respect of the generall affections accidentall to it 2. In the parts thereof which are 1. Legislation and 2. Jurisdiction This administration for the substance was the same alwayes and it began betimes even in the dayes of Adam after that promise of the seed of the Woman which should break the Serpents head Yet there was a great difference in the same in many things after that Christ was exhibited and glorified from that which was before Yet in all times God as Redeemer was the supreme Lord and King man sinfull the subject Faith and subjection to Christ the Law and the judgment was according to that Law And though the humiliation of the Son of God to be made man was yet to come and Christ onely present and represented in the promise yet as this humiliation was accepted from the beginning for the benefit of man so that power which was alwayes virtually in God was exercised by the word not incarnate and by the Spirit as though it had been acquired already That this administration began so early might be made evident from severall texts of Scripture rightly understood Neither was the promise of Christ made first to Abraham for this promise was passed in the sentence of the Devill The Sacrifices and offerings of Cain and Abel taught them and used before by their Father and instituted by God did witnesse the same That they were instituted by God the acceptation of Abel's Sacrifice doth prove For no service is accepted of God which is not instituted by God The Faith of Enoch whereby he pleased God was Faith in Christ otherwise he could not have sought God so as to have found him nor expected or received so glorious a reward but by the merit of his Saviour believed upon Without this faith Noah could not have been the heir of the righteousnesse which is by faith and partaker of that eternall deliverance which was typifyed by his deliverance from the flood This administration after the time of Abraham was more clear Yet God had his Kingdome and his Church long before yet he did administer the same without any Vice-gerent or President generall except some emineâ—t and principall Angel was his universal deputy as was hinted formerly Yet in the Church on earth God by his Word eternal and the Spirit in the Patriarchs and extraordinary Prophets did supply Christs propheticall office and by them at certain times made known the lawes and judgements of his Kingdom but ordinarily he used for this purpose ordinary teachers Yet besides these he gave the Spirit of Prophecy to the Angels and by them he instructed Patriarchs and other Prophets His Sacerdotall office was executed by the Patriarches the first born of the familyes and at length by the Leviticall Priests and they were typicall mediators between God and man The most eminent Priest lively Type of Christ both as King and especially as Priest was Melchizedeck who lived at Salem in the dayâ—s of Abraham He was a righteous King who by the just administration of his Kingdome procured the peace and prosperity of his subjects when the neighbour-Countryes were invalded and spoiled by War In this respect he did represent this King of perfect righteousnesse and eternal peace And as a Priest he had no predecessour from whom nor successour to whom he might derive his Sacerdotal power For he was not a Priest by birth nor did he transmit his Priesthood by death unto another as the Leviticall Priests did And in this respect he might be truly said to be without Father and Mother and descent so as to receive his Priesthood that way and without end of dayes and so was the
an everlasting Priest-hood and confirmed upon Him by a Solemn Oath For God sware unto Him and would not alter That He should be a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck So that now He is made Vniversal Supream Eternal King and Priest and as He is next unto God by Personal Union so He is by Power Ten dayes were spent in this Solemnity and the Preparation for the Administration of this Kingdom and upon the 10th day after His Ascension the Holy Ghost was sent down from Heaven upon the Apostles and the Son of God made Man having by Death acquired this Power and now received it began by the Holy Ghost to exercise the same After that Christ was exalted § IX and thus glorified the Administration differed much For Christ as King sends down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles and so makes New Officers new Laws and executeth judgment accordingly As Prophet reveals clearly and fully the great Mystery of the Gospel As Priest begins His intercession in Heaven He begins this Administration in Jerusalem and the first tender of Eternal Life by Him as Saviour is made to the Jew For the Rod of His Power must go out of SION So it was prophecied of old He abolisheth the Temple-Worship and for the sin of that People destroys the Temple and the City and both lye desolate to this day And He not onely took away the Customs and Rites of Moses but all mystical and typical Ceremonies and Sacrifices used from the times of Adam and also the Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passover The Levitical Priests and Ministers and all such as served in the Temple or in the Tabernacle He removed In stead of the Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passover He instituted the Sacrament of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Of Baptism as a Solemn Rite of Regeneration and admission into His Kingdom the Lords Supper as a Rite of Commemoration of the great Sacrifice of His Death and of the continuance of their subjection unto Him and communion amongst themselves His Territory is enlarged For He takes in the Gentiles and all Nations unto the ends of the Earth The Synagogue Woâ—ship in Word and Prayer and other Moral-Services remained yet this was to be performed unto God in the name of Christ glorified And now they were neither bound to worship in the Land of Canaan nor in Jerusalem nor in the Temple according to the words of our Saviour to the Woman of Samaria Believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father Joh. 4. 41. Therefore we may worship and pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. The Officers in stead of the former Priests and Prophets ordinary and extraordinary are Apostles Prophets and Evangelists Pastours and Teachers The extraordinary besides Prophets and Evangelists were the Apostles who being Universal Officers invested with transcendent power laid the Foundation of the Church-Christian not onely amongst the Jews but the Gentiles and finished the Canon of the New-Testament which is the perpetual â—â—le of Doctrine-Worship and Discipline unto the Worlds end To this purpose they were endued with extraordinary gifts of Knowledge Wisdom Languages power of doing Miracles and by imposition of hands of giving the Holy Ghost The ordinary Officers are Pastours and Teachers These succeed the Apostles in their ordinary power both of Teaching Praying Administration of the Sacraments and the exercise of Discipline so far as Christ hath left power in the Church For their Associates or Assistants and their Order and imparity in the use of the Keyes this is no place to speak of particularly So that now by Christ glorified all Laws are made and published all judgment exercised all Officers ordained By Him as a Priest all Petitions Thanksgivings Praises Doxologies Services are presented to the Father and to be performed in His Name Nay Glory and Worship are given by the Universal Church to God and the Lamb Rev. 5. 13. 7. 10. By Him all Pardons and Spiritual Blessings are dispensed and disposed of and all the Promises are performed by Him and in His Name and for His merit No man can come unto the Father but by Him nor any service be accepted but for His sake By Him we have access into His Fathers presence and by Him we come with boldness and confidence unto the Throne of Grace And this Administration shall not be altered but shall continue till Death shall be destroyed and then Christ shall deliver up this Commission and God shall be All in All. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Parts of the Administration and the Laws THE Administration in particular follows and it refers either to Enemies § I or Subjects In respect of the end of this Administration and the ultimate Effect it 's safety and preservation and the same in the end is full and everlasting Peace The Church which is the number and Society of God's loyal and sincere Subjects hath always had Her Enemies How else could she be militant And if not first militant how could she prove in the end victorious and triumphant The principal Enemy is the Devil the old Serpent ever since God put emnity between him and the Seed of the Woman His design is their Temporal and Eternal Ruine and his opposition is very terrible and so violently managed with such power and policy that nothing but destruction could be expected but that God is our defence and by Jesus Christ our General will not onely defend us but dash in pieces all his power His Instruments and Agents are wicked men without or Hypocrites within the Church The one are like Forreign the other like Domestick and Intestine Foes The one by Persecution without and the other by Heresies Schisms and Scandals within assault us Both these have a great advantage because of our corruptions in our Bowels The greatest hurt God suffers them to do us is to chastise us and exercise our Spiritual Graces and Heavenly Vertues And Death it self whether Natural because of the first sin or violent from them can but destroy our bodies for a time which God will raise again but they cannot take away our Eternal Estate nor deprive us of Eternal Glory Nay such is the Wisdom of God that He can order all their opposition so as it shall further and not hinder our Salvation and such will be His care of us out of His dear and tender love unto us that it shall actually tend unto and end in our everlasting peace And in the end all Enemies shall be subdued Death the last Enemy shall be destroyed The Devil and all his Angels with all his Agents shall be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone there to be tormented for evermore This shall be done in Justice and in Judgment And after this follows our Eternal Peace and Triumph and we shall be Kings and Priests and reign with God for ever This emnity and the
Heaven will serve the turn God must give it and this he hath done The Rule is at hand even the Holy Scriptures The Method therefore to be observed is 1. To man fest that these Holy Writings are a certain and perfect Rule And 2. To proceed to speak of this Blessed and Glorious Kingdom according to the same And the Lord of all Wisdom Truth and Mercy in Christ direct and assist me and incline mine Heart with all care and humility to follow his Directions AMEN CHAP. II. Concerning the Holy Scriptures THE Holy Scriptures are the Mind of God concerning his special Kingdom expressed in Writing To understand this more fully we must observe 1. The Mind of God concerning this Kingdom 2. The Expression of his Mind 3. The several Ways and Degrees of this Expression First § 1 The Mind of God are his Thoughts and Counsels concerning this Kingdom as known unto himself For the Wisdome of God contrived and model'd this Kingdom before the World was and his Will decreed it For God ordained these things before the World to our glory 1 Cor. 2. 7. These his Thoughts and Counsels at first were known onely to himself and to none other For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of Man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. Therefore before there can be any knowledge of them God must express himself and communicate his Mind unto Angels or Men who alone are capable and fit to receive the knowledge of his Minde made known to them This Expression and Revelation of himself out of himself is called The Word of God The Word of God is § 2 1. A Word 2. The Word of God The nature of a word is to express or represent the mind of the Speaker The end of it is to make it known to another to whom it is spoken For the end of my speech and so of speech in general is to communicate my mind unto others who know it not So the Word of God declares the Mind of God to Angels or Men who know it not God is the Speaker his Mind the thing spoken his speech is that whereby he expresseth and maketh known his Mind By Word I do not understand that Word which was in the Beginning and was with God and was God and by which the World was made Joh. 1. 1 2. For that Word was a clear and full expression of God himself to himself the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person This was the Word in himself But this Word is an expression of some part of his Mind out of himself There be § 3 First several ways Secondly divers degrees of God's Expressions 1. Several ways for he may and doth express himself by his Works and make his Works his Word For the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his Handy-work Psal. 19. 1. Not onely the Works of Creation but of Providence speak much of Gods glorious perfections as of his Wisdome his Power his Goodness his Justice his Mercy He may express himself by Representations by Angels by an audible Voyce to the outward Senses or by Impression upon the inward and common Sense or by inspiration immediatly unto the immortal Souls of Men. For as God at sundry times so he spake divers ways to the Fathers by the Prophets Heb. 1. 1 How he spake to Angels and Man at the first Creation we know not The Expression by Inspiration and immediate Vision is the most perfect and excellent For by that the persons inspired know not onely what the things spoken are but that it is God that speaketh He expresseth himself by Writing as he wrote the Ten Words or Commandements of the Moral Law in two Tables of Stone and at length in process of time caused the whole Body of his Doctrine concerning his Kingdom to be written And hence that Book with all the parts thereof concerning this Kingdom is called the Holy Scriptures which both in regard of the Author the Matter and the Contexture is the most excellent Book and Writing in the World But before I come to speak of them I must observe the several degrees of Gods expression and signification of his Mind to Man The several degrees of God's expression of his Mind § 4 in the matters of this Kingdom are reducible to Two 1. He spake Immediatly unto man 2. Mediatly by man unto Man For God spake unto the Prophets and Apostles before he spake unto others by them The Word of the Lord came to the Prophets before they could signifie and declare it to the people And the Matter and Doctrine of the Scripture was first communicated by Inspiration and Revelation before it could be infallibly communicated unto others either by Word or Writing The holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. For they must first be moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost before that they spake unto any man that which they received immediatly from God Paul received not the Gospel of man neither was he taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 12. And the mystery of Christ was revealed unto the Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes. 3. 5. In this respect it is said that all Scripture that is all the Doctrine of Scripture is given by inspiration of God 1 Tim. 3. 16. Thus God speaks immediatly to man § 5 and secondly mediatly by man to man And this he doth two ways 1. By infallible and extraordinary Teachers 2. By ordinary men not immediatly inspired yet both of these agree in two things 1. That God speaks by both to Man and both speak from God 2. That the matter spoken by both is the same For if the latter and ordinary Teachers do not speak the same things which the former did God did not speak by them And the Doctrine of the former ought to be the Rule of the Doctrine of the latter First he speaks by extraordinary men and these are Prophets and Apostles to whom he did reveal his wisdome not that they should conceal it but that they should declare it to others And these expressed the mind of God two ways 1. By Word 2. By Writing And they were infallibly directed in both to a Word to a Letter For the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost as before And so did write otherwise their Doctrine had not been infallibly true It 's said not onely that the Word but the Scripture all Scripture was given by inspiration of God And now § 6 at length we are come to the Scriptures That the Doctrine and Word of God should be written was no ways necessary in respect of God yet in respect of the frailty and corruption of man the Divine Wisdome thought it expedient if not necessary to express himself by Writing God could have supplyed all
defects of man 's Vnderstanding Memory Vtterance by immediate inspiration and direction as he did at first and will do in Heaven yet he thought good to make use of Writing which was a more certain and ordinary permanent way of continuing and propagating his Truth to many Generations for Writing is a lasting Monument and Record Whether the Word was written or any part of it upon Record before the time of Israels deliverance out of Aegypt we do not certainly know Yet this is certain that God spake unto man from the Beginning For Abel offered a better Sacrifice then Cain by Faith Heb. 11. 4. But where there is no Word there is no Faith And Enoch by Faith pleased God but this could not have been if he had not believed that God is and that he is a Rewarder of such as diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. yet this he could not believe without the Word of God If any should say that he knew all this by the Light of Nature The answer is 1. The Light of Nature is the Light of God 2. That God should reward sinful guilty man with eternal glory could not be known by Reason looking upon the Works of Creation but by Revelation from God himself or the instruction of man according to that Revelation The first Books and Writings of God's Kingdom now extant are those of Moses as the last is the Revelation of John the Divine And this Canon of the Scripture was finished within the space of Two Thousand Years or thereabout and the Authors and Pen-men of them were all the Posterity of Jacob if Luke the Evangelist be not excepted The several parts thereof were written as they were revealed at several times They are the most ancient Writings in the World known unto us They are either Historical or Doctrinal or Prophetical The Historical reacheth the Creation The Prophetical the dissolution of the World and toucheth upon Eternity to succeed They were written in Hebrew and Greek two Languages used in the midst and Center of the then known World That Moses and Malachy and all the rest of the Books should be written in the same Hebrew seems strange For that any Nation should continue their Language the same without alteration at least in the Dialect for so many Generations is not probable though possible Yet it may be God did so order it that it should be published in the Learned not the Vulgar Language of that People For the Learned Greek which is now in use amongst Schollers is the same which was used near Two Thousand Years ago Or it may be that Ezra or some inspired Prophet after the Captivity might gather them into one Body and Volum and turn them into the same Hebrew wherein we enjoy them The Old Testament which is the former part of this Canon was translated into Greek before the Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour and made way for the New Testament the second part and for the Gospel to be preached in all Nations The Original Copies are properly and primarily authentical Divines and infallible Transcripts and Translations secondarily and so far as they agree with the Originals and no further That is true of the whole body of the Scripture § 7 which the Divine Apostle affirmed of his Doctrine 1 John 1. 2 3 4. That it was most excellent 1. For the Subject 2. For the certain truth 3. For the end thereof and the great good it tended unto 1. For the subject it was most excellent even the Word of Life and that Eternal Life which was with the Father which was the life and light of men which was made flesh and now is glorified at the right-hand of the Father 2. The truth of it was certain and infallible For 1. It was manifested and manifested unto them the Apostles of that Eternal Word 2. Their apprehension was clear and certain For they had heard that which was manifested They had seen it with their eyes looked upon it and handled it with their hands 3. Their Declaration of it was agreeable to the Manifestation and their knowledge of it For that which they had seen and heard they did declare 〈◊〉 write and nothing else 3. The end was Fellowship with the Apostles themselves and their Fellowship was with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And they wrote these things that the joy of their Disciples might be full In like manner The subject of the Scriptures is the Kingdom of God and that Eternal Word which was with the Father The truth thereof is most certain and infallible in respect of God's Revelation the knowledge of the Prophets and Apostles and their Declaration of it in Word and Writing The end and ultimate effect thereof believed and obeyed is Full Communion with God and Jesus Christ and thereupon Full joy and everlasting glory These Scriptures are sufficient for all ends and purposes God intended them § 8 have their Divine Characters though no man should know or acknowledge them of Divine Authority and unquestionable perspicuous and intelligible in themselves as they came from God and were delivered by men inspired especially in all things generally necessary to salvation For their sufficiency in their times as a Rule of Faith and Life it cannot be doubted of by such as are intelligent and impartial For the Scriptures of the Old Testament in their time were able to save such as believed and obeyed them And aâ—ter the Canon of the New Testament was finished it was able to make men of those times Wise unto Salvation through Faith in Jesus Christ. Yet after the Gospel was revealed the Doctrine of the Old Testament was insufficient to this end The whole body is not onely sufficient but super-abundant For some part or parts of the New Testament though all the other were lost will sufficiently direct us to Eternal Glory For the Divine Character thereof something shall be said hereafter For the Authority and Credit of them that is true of all the whole which the Apostle affirmeth of one principal part concerning the coming of Christ into the World to save sinners That it was a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation For the perspicuity the entrance of his worâ—s give light and giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119. 130. And Timothy of a Child learned them In this extraordinary Communication of God's mind to Man by man § 10 I will pass by his manner of expression at sundry times and in divers manners by the Prophets to the Fathers and take special notice of his speaking to man by man in the fulness of time and in the latter days And I will consider 1. The persons by whom he spake 2. The matter spoken as it was strange and new 3. The confirmation of the Doctrine taught so far as it was new 1. The principal persons were Christ and his Apostles For in these last days saith the Apostle he hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath made Heir of all
things By whom he made the Worlds who was the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 2 3. He was more excellent then the Angels then Moses then all the Prophets He was the great Prophet acquainted with his Fathers secrets taught the Doctrine of Eternal Life confirmed the same by his Holy Life his glorious Miracles and sealed it with his bloud Besides God spake by the Apostles and especially after they had received the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven by Christ glorified according to his Promise These made up the Canon of the New Testament 2. They taught Doctrine that for the matter was new For besides the Morals formerly known and other Points revealed in the Old Testament they did declare and write by the infallible direction of the Holy Ghost That Jesus of Nazareth born at Bethlem crucified at Jerusalem was the Son of God was risen again from the dead ascended into Heaven made Universal King and an everlasting Priest makes intercession in Heaven That remission of sinnes and eternal life upon condition of Faith in him as glorified was promised and to be preached to all Nation 〈◊〉 the Jew first and then unto the Gentiles 3. Because these things though not contrary to Reason yet far above Reason were New and tended to the alteration of the former administration of God's Kingdom and many former Laws given by God unto the Fathers and the abolition of Religion that was then established in all Nations therefore it was confirmed by the new and excellent gifts of the Apostles the great and glorious miracles done in the Name of Christ the gifts of the Holy Ghost from Heaven upon such as heard and received this Doctrine by the conversion of Jews and Gentiles and this by mean and contemptible men These were special Works of the Supream and Eternal Providence and such as the like had not been done since the Creation nor ever since the times of those Apostles who could speak in the Languages of all Nations to whom God sent them so as the unlearned might understand them These taught first by word of mouth and then by Writing till the Canon of the New Testament was finished and the Originals of their Writings were kept in the Churches they planted and after composed in one body Thus far God spake to man § 10 by man infallibly inspired both by word of mouth and by Writing He speaks also to man by ordinary men who are not immediatly infallible but onely so far as their Doctrine shall agree with the former Inspirations and Revelations For the Word of God was always in the Church and his Divine Revelations were always the Rule of ordinary Teachers And in matter of Religion they had no Warrant to teach any thing but according to that Rule These ordinary Teachers were Fathers Masters of Families every Neighbour and Brother which had ability and opportunity Amongst the Jews the ordinary Prophets Scribes Lawyers who were learned in the Law of God Priests and Levites But the principal amongst these are the Learned who have taken that charge upon them according to a Lawful Call make it their chief business to whom maintenance by God's institution is due These in the New Testament are called Pastours Teachers Bishops Elders Ministers who take charge of mens souls This distinction of Teachers in the times of the Gospel may be grounded on that Text When Christ ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts to men And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers Ephes. 4. 8 11. The extraordinary were Apostles Prophets Evangelists The ordinary were Pastours and Teachers And these later as well as the former were given for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ ver 12. These also may teach the mysteries of God's Kingdom by word and by writing Yet neither their words nor writings were of equal authority with the words and writings of the Prophets and Apostles For the Authority of their Doctrine presupposeth that it is contained in the Holy Scriptures and that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God and that those which they affirm to be the Holy Scriptures are so indeed This gives occasion to examine what force may be in the Tradition of the Church to prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God This cannot be done to purpose except we know 1. What Tradition is 2. What the Church 3. What the Holy Scriptures be as most understand them in this point 1. Tradition in this particular is nothing but a Testimony which as such hath no force in it to prove any thing but that which is borrowed from the party testifying or the thing testified or from some other thing Therefore it is called Argumentum artificiale assumptum because it assumeth force from some other Reason or Argument A Testimony is either Divine or Humane For here I will say nothing of the Testimony of Angels The Divine Testimony is infallibly and necessarily true yet not as a Testimony but as the Testimony of God whose Veracity is such that he cannot dâ—â—ive or be deceived He is true and Truth it self The testimony of man may be and is many times false for he is subject unto Errour and may be deceived because his knowledge is imperfect He may also deceive for want of fidelity and integrity There is no necessary and inseparable Connexion between his testimony and the truth because he himself as testifying and truth are separable This is the reason why testimonies in judgment are confirmed by Oath And for this cause the Doctrine of the Apostles so far as it was new was attested from Heaven 2. The party testifying in this particular is the Church as a Collective Body By Church may be understood either a particular Church or Churches or the Universal made up of all the Particulars This Universal Church is either the present Universal Church or the same considered as successively continued since the time of the Apostles or as including John the Baptist Christ and his Apostles or the Church of all times since the Beginning Again the present Universal Church of any time may be considered either as properly Universal or as representatively such in a general Council 3. The thing testified is that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God And by Holy Scriptures we may understand the whole Body of the Canon and the several Books of the Old and New Testament and the same in such a certain number as to exclude or include the Books called Apocrypha And these may be considered either in the Original Copies or in Transcripts or in Translations or else we may understand the principal matters of the Scripture concerning Faith in Jesus Christ and obedience unto his Commands After this explication given some things are to be observed 1. Concerning the thing testified and to be believed 2. Concerning the
of these are of any great force to such as are ignorant of them and know them onely upon the Tradition of others Neither is Universall Tradition the ordinary way whereby men are Converted For most who do believe to salvation hear onely one or a few teachers and the same not immediatly infallible and inspired and by their Doctrine contained in these Scriptures and the power of the Spirit attain to a Divine and saving faith For faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached immediatly unto them For so the place is to be understood Rom. 10. 17. And no man can prove that the immediate Proposer of saving truth should be infallible but that the Doctrine taught be infallibly true No rationall man can rationally reject any Doctrine much lesse this except he have some reason for it but there can be no reason of any moment ever alleaged against this Doctrine or any particular thereof rightly understood It seemes strange to me that any Christians especially such as do confesse the holy Scriptures in themselves to be Divine should make a question whether they can be believed to be the word of God any other wayes but by the Tradition of the Church It is indeed some advantage to the Bishop of Rome and his Associates and Vassals to make men believe that their faith and belief of the Divinity of the Scriptures depends upon the Tradition of the Church in their Sense For when all is well examined they understand by Church themselves and their own present Church Yet they cannot well agree amongst themselves what this present Church should be Whether the Pope in his Chair alone as the Visible head or he with a general Council Yet this Church is no wayes universall except so far as she professeth the universall faith as some of their Cardinalls have observed Neither is she any more infallible then other Churches be Yet men will believe that she is the Universall Church infallible and the onely infallible expounder and proposer of the Scriptures and can detain them and Seal them up in an unknown Language so as that the Vulgar shall neither read them nor hear them in a Language understood by them she will have some advantage For by this meanes the people are kept in ignorance and unity and so their unwritten Traditions Doctrines and Practises so directly contrary to expresse Scripture shall not be question'd but received by an implicit Faith This argument of Tradition well examined cannot advantage them of Rome nay it 's a Plain Disadvantage For their Tradition doth prove a Chimera and Some Protestant writers ascribe too much unto it and also speak too loosly and at random of it in this point especially But to return unto those ordinary teachers § XIII and especially the Ministers of the New-Testament Let us examine 1. How they acquire their knowledge 2. How they Communicate it to others 3. How the People must receive it Communicated 4. What God hath promised to do if both Minister and People perform their duty 1. They acquire their knowledge by such meanes which God hath given and ordained for that end They do not receive it by immediate inspiration as the holy Prophets and Apostles did God gives them naturall parts and endowments in the giving of them being and some of them from their Mothers womb are designed for this work But let their naturall parts and endowments be never so excellent yet they must at first be taught and instructed both in the Arts and Languages especially the originalls and after some foundation is layd they may much improve themselves by the Learned works of others their own industry Prayer and Gods blessing Lexicons Concordances Translations are great helps for the attayning the knowledge of the Originall tongues Expositions Commentaries Systems Treatises do conduce much for the understanding the matter of the Scriptures God hath done much for us in this kind but our neglect is great and many have not the benefit of good education and direction at the first And there is a great disparity between Ministers of the higher and lower forms yet no man is fit for this calling who is not furnished with so much knowledge and such a measure of utterance as to be able to declare to others the whole Counsell of God and â—each them all things necessary to Salvation Yet many will take upon them to teach before they have well Learned and will be Masters before they have bin Scollers And the most insufficient will pretend the Spirit to cloak their ignorance After these ordinary teachers have once stored up a treasure they consecrate themselves to Christ and engage to make it their work to do him service in this kind Being rightly qualified § XIV sent and called they begin to teach others and take the charge upon them yet so as that they may be probationers and assistants at the first They instruct others either by Learned Books or treatises of piety or by word of mouth and that severall wayes as by Catechisms Expositions Sermons and other ways The first work is to Catechize the Ignorant and teach them the first principles of the Gospel To this purpose they have our Saviours Creed of faith in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Commandements of the Moral Law contracted into the Love of God and our Neighbour The Lord's Prayer as we use to call it and the Doctrine of the Sacraments And these few understand yet the ignorant and unlearned and Children should know and that not onely the words but the true and Genuine sense according to their Capacity This though the foundation is too much neglected By Expositions they acquaint the people with the occasion Scope Method and Meaning of severall parts and portions of the Scripture By Sermons they explain and apply some Text of Scripture proposing out of the same some Divine axiom which once unâ—olded and made plain they apply by way of Instruction in the truth Confutation of errour Reproof of the guilty Consolation of the dejected stirring up to duty by exhortation restrayning from sin by Dehortation Their Doctrine should be the Pure word of God made plain dispensed wisely delivered out of an heart sincerely desiring and intending the Salvation of the People and ought to be confirmed by the Teacher's example and the Principall matter must be the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom § XV This is the duty of Teachers which performed by them God exâ—pects also certain Performances from the Persons taught which neglected the word of God cannot enter into the immortal-soul so as to work effectually and be manifested to be the Word of God indeed For 1. The heart of man must be prepared and that 1. With an high conceit of the Doctrine of the Scriptures taught that it is the word of God revealed from Heaven out of great love and mercy to man that it highly and very much concerns him upon the knowledge and observance whereof depends his eternal estate in the
the form of an Art or Science as some use to speak They determine the Subject of it to be Man Quatenus Beatificabilis as capable of Spiritual and Eternal Happiness The Object of it must be Deus quatenus Beatificans God as the Fountain and Cause of Eternal Bliss And the end is to direct the Spiritual Acts and Operations of the Immortal Soul so that by them well regulated and fixed upon their due Object man may tend unto and in the end attain the full fruition of that Eternal Being in whom he shall be for ever blessed According to this determination some reduce the Doctrine of the Scriptures to Truths Promises Duties yet this is imperfect Others make three Heads of this Doctrine 1. The first is the Being and Perfection of God in himself 2. The second the Works of God 3. The third His Commands Yet this as the former proves defective and no ways exact Others tell us that the Scriptures represent God to us 1. As to be known And 2. As to be worshipped And so make the Parts of this Divine Doctrine to be 1. Knowledge 2. The Worship of God And this hath much affinity with that Distribution of Theologie into Faith and Obedience that is the Rule of Faith and Obedience These conceive all things in the Scripture especially conducing to Salvation to be credenda or agenda The things to be believed the Object of Faith the things to be done and performed the Object of Obedience For this they think that they have a sufficient ground in the Mandate and Commission of our Blessed Saviour Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Math. 28. 19 20. And that of the Apostle seems to confirm this Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 13. I will not examine these distinctions now but onely say this much That Faith and Obedience or Observancy as some call it according to the intended sense of these two places are onely Duties to be performed by sinful man Redeemed and Called according to the Commands of their God-Redeemer and so do not reach the utmost bounds of this Heavenly Doctrine And even in this respect they refer to Government and belong onely to that One Head and part thereof The Commands and Laws of God Redeemer requiring obedience And Faith it self is but one part of this obedience as it is a Duty So that these things may be some ways true but no ways accurate and perfect And if they may be allowed mine intended method I hope may pass without any harsh censure For I know no reason to the contrary seeing it's evident that the Principal if not the adaequat subject of the Holy Scriptures is the Kingdom and Government of God The Doctrine whereof is methodically contracted in ancient Creeds and Confessions which take in the Agenda or things to be practised as well as the Credenda things to be believed Of these ancient Confessions it may be observed that 1. Though they differ in words and expressions § II as may appear by the several forms thereof some more brief some more large especially in Irenaeus and Tertullian yet they agree in the matter and the principal method 2. That divers of the Ancients inform us that the first Planted Churches received the Forms of Confession though different in some words and expressions yet the same for matter and the general and principal method from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ Christ from God Thus amongst others Tertullian 3. They were received from Christ 1. In that Mandate and Commission to the Apostles Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2. By Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 4. In those Words we have 1. God the Father Almighty making Heaven and Earth by his Word 2. This Word and Son made flesh redeeming sinful man 3. The Holy Ghost by whom Christ was conceived and anointed the Prophets inspired the Church sanctified unto Eternal Glory For so the Ancients understood it being directed by the Apostles 5. This Form thus understood was 1. A Tradition unwritten and of Divine Authority as taught by Christ and his Apostles before it was written But 2. Being written and more fully explained in the Canon of the New Testament it can be no longer an unwritten Tradition And whosoever reading the New Testament doth not find and that in several places both the matter and method of the ancient Confessions understands little 6. No particular form of Confession considered as a Tradition of the Church since the time of the Apostles can be of equal authority with the Scriptures 7. That which we call the Apostles Creed which we find in the Works of Cyprian and Russinus with an Exposition is no more nor so much the Apostles Creed as some ancient Creeds in form differing from it 8. Those words of our Saviour and his Rule of Doctrine concerning the Father Son and Holy Ghost with the three glorious Works of Creation Redemption Sanctification is a divine and wonderful Abridgment of all the Doctrine of the Scripture especially of that which is necessary to Salvation The Confession and Creed of the Patriarchs § III in particular of Enoch was thus God is and he is a Rewarder of them who diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. For they believed That there was one God most glorious and blessed in Himself who by his Wisdome and Power made preserved and governed the World and especially Mankind For to Reward is an act of judgment Judgment presupposeth Laws Laws a Governour a Governour Subjects made and to be governed So that in their ancient Creed we have God considered 1. In Himself 2. As a Governour of the World made by him and especially of Men and Angels and that by Laws and Judgments The obedience to these Laws is to seek God diligently according to the direction of those Laws and the reward of this Obeâ—ience is Eternal Life as the punishment of Disobedience is Eternal Death And after the Fall of Man no man in himself was capable of this Eternal Liâ—â— because all were guilty Therefore they sought this glorious Reward by Châ—iâ—â— to come whom all their Ilastical Sacrifices did typifie as they sought their God by Him The ordinary Analysis of that which we call § IV The Apostles Creed as delivered by more understanding Catechists and Authors of Theological Systems is this God being the Subject of that Confession is considered 1. In himself as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. As in his Works 1. Of Creation 2. Of Providence Providence preserves and governs all things created especially Man Man made righteous holy happy 1. Falls 2. Is restored He is restored by Redemption and the Application of it The Redeemer for Person is the
Word and Son of God for his Natures God and Man for his Offices Prophet Priest and King His Work of Redemption hath two Parts 1. His Humiliation 2. His Exaltation in his Resurrection Ascension Session at his Father's right-hand and investiture with all power in Heaven and Earth whereby he is made Lord and Judge of the World The Application whereby we are made partakers of the Benefits of Christ's Redemption is made by the Spirit and Word working Faith whereby sinful men are made Members of Christ and of the Universal Church which is the society of Saints The benefits of this Redemption applyed and whereof the Church is partaker are Remission of sins Resurrection and Life Everlasting Amongst many other Forms of Confessions § V and Creeds delivered by the Ancients I thought good to pitch upon one in Tertullian especially that in his Prescriptions against Hereticks where we read thus REgula est autem Fidei ut jam hinc quod credamus profiteamur illa seilicet qua Credimus Vnum omnino Deum esse nec Alium prater Mundi Conditorem qui universa de Nihilo produxerit per Verbum Suum primo Omnium â—missum Id verbum Filium ejus appellatum in Nomine Dei variè visum Patriarchis in Prophetis semper auditum Postremo delatum ex Spiritu Dei Patris et virtute in Virginem Mariam Carnem factam in utero ejus et ex eâ natum Hominem et esse Jesum Christum exinde Praedicasse Novam Legem et Novam Promissionem Regni Coelorum virtutes fecisse Fixum cruci Tertiâ Die Resurrexisse In Coelos ereptum Sedere ad Dextram Patris Misisse Vicariam Vim Spiritus Sancti qui Credentes agat Venturus cum Claritate ad Sumendos Sanctos in Vitae aeternae et Promissorum Coelestium Fructum et ad Prophanos judicandos igni perpetuo facta utriusque Partis Resusâ—itatio ne cum Carnis Resurrectione Haec Regula à Christo ut probabitur instituta The reason why I propose this § VI is because its the most full and perfect form of Confession both in Irenaeus and Tertullian Concerning which several things are observable 1. That it agrees with all the rest for Matter and Method 2. It 's most exactly Consentaneous to plain and clear Scripture 3 The Method is grounded upon our Saviours Creed 4. It more fully and perfectly out of the Scriptures informs us of the Person and Natures of Christ and so of his Incarnation For that Word by which the World and so man was created was made flesh 5. As in it we have God the Father creating the World by his Word and the same Word by the Spirit assuming flesh redeeming man so we have the same God by his Spirit sanctifying man more expresly delivered then in any of the rest 6. We may observe that that Word which was first uttered and spoken in the Creation before any thing could be created was uttered and produced from everlasting as a lively Representation of God himself to himself 7. That as the Spirit so the Word was in the Prophets as Prophets as without neither of which they could have been Prophets 8. The Government of God Redeemer is therein more expresly declared then in most of the other Forms For the Government of Creation being presupposed 1. The manner of acquiring a New Power by the Humiliation of the Word made flesh 2. His Investiture with this Power in his Exaltation 3. The Exercise of it 1. In giving the New Law with a Promise of Heaven's Kingdom 2. In adjudging men either Prophane to everlasting fire or Holy unto the enjoyment of Life everlasting upon the Resurrection of both in the last and Universal Judgment are in these few Words delivered plainly and clearly 9. This Form was received by the Church from the Apostles and by the Apostles from Christ. 10. That not any but Hereticks did question any thing in this Creed 11. Seeing these Hereticks professed themselves Christians and did acknowledge Christ and this had continued from Christ and the Apostles Universally and without controversie before these Hereticks did arise therefore it did sufficiently prescribe against all Heresies which different from it did arise afterwards The Analysis of these Creeds § VII and Confessions according to the ensuing Discourse intended takes in the matter and method in general of the former yet is delivered in other expressions To understand it the better you must observe 1. That it presupposeth the principal Subject of the Holy Scriptures to be the Kingdom of God and that the Doctrine thereof is contracted in the Ancient Creeds and Forms of Confession 2. That in a Kingdom or Government there must be a King or Governour invested with Power which is 1. Acquired 2. Exercised It 's exercised 1. In constituting a Common-Wealth 2. In the Administration of the same The Common-wealth is administred by Laws and Judgments Laws determine the Duties and Dues of men Judgment renders the Dues of Rewards or Punishments according to the observation or violation of the Laws These things observed We have in this Kingdom 1. The KING 2. His Government The King is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who alone is worthy of all honour glory power and dominion for evermore His Government presupposeth his Power which is 1. Acquired 2. Exercised It 's acquired by Creation as it is continued by Preservation For immediatly upon the Creation he became the Supream Universal and Absolute Lord and continues so for evermore by his perpetual Preservation For seeing he made all things even Men and Angels of nothing and they do always for ever wholly depend upon him therefore he must needs have an absolute full and perpetual Propriety in and Dominion over them and they must needs be his Servants and Vassals This Power thus acquired began to be exercised immediatly upon the Creation 1. In the general Government of all things 1. By a constitution of an Order amongst them 2. By a Direction of them according to that Order to their ends 2. In the special Government of the immortal and intellectual Creatures who alone were capable of Laws Rewards and Punishments These speciall Creatures were Angels and Men. Amongst the Angels he 1. Established an Order 2. According to that Order he doth govern them and exercise his Power 1. In giving them Laws 2. In judging them according to those Laws Some of the Angels continued loyal and obedient and were confirmed in perpetual estate of Holiness and Happiness which was their Reward The disloyal and Apostate Angels were cast down from Heaven and reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Jude v. 6. This was their Doom and the judgment of God upon the Angels The Government of Men is two-fold The first of Justice The second of Mercy Of Justice in the first Adam of Mercy in the second In the first after God became his Lord and Man his Subject in a special manner he
Instincts Vertues Operations Multitude Variety Order and use of things oreated and the universal extent of their Administration As the Creatures are many and to us innumerable and very various according to their Forms and Characters imprinted upon them so their Instincts Vertues Operations are many and various as their effects also be And whereas this Multitude and Propriety might be a cause of Confusion and turn them into their Old Chaos and also would distract and perplex all the Wit and Wisdom of Men and Angels to prevent it yet this Administration is such that they are all and every one by it kept in order Every one severally and all joyntly have their rule keep their place observe their order and by the Eternal Power and Wisdom of God are governed with ease as though they were but one single Creature The use of all this is to make them all and every one subservient to the main end to minister unto man to be Instruments in the Execution of the Judgments and Collation of the Benefits which the great and everlasting King doth distribute in that higher Administration of his special Kingdom and to manifest that there is a supream intelligent Agent who makes moves orders all things Yet we take little notice of this but look upon the Works of God like Children or rather irrational Brutes Otherwise we might see the hand of Heaven in every thing even in the least much more in the greatest and most of all in the whole Body This Providence extends not onely to some few things § III or to the greatest and most noble and excellent but to all and every one For are not two Sparrows sold for a Farthing and one of them shall not fall upon the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are all numbred saith our Saviour to his Disciples Math. 10. 29 30. For he that makes and preserves all and every several thing must needs order them and all events even the least and also those which are ascribed to Chance and Fortune come under the Regulation and Limitation of this Providence Yet God's care of the Whole is greater than of the Parts and of the most noble than of the meanest Creatures CHAP. X. Of the special Government of Angels AFter the general Government of God § I or Exercise of his Power follows his special Administration and Ordination This special Government differs from the general in the Subject the Rules the End The Subject is the intellectual and immortal Creature endued with Free-will and considered in his Moral and Spiritual Capacity The Rules are properly Laws binding to obedience or punishment The End is a more eminent Manifestation of the Divine Perfections in the Rewards and Punishments not onely Temporal but Eternal of those noble and most excellent Creatures Therefore it may be described to be An Ordination of God whereby the Intellectual and Immortal Creatures are directed or ordered to an Eternal state of Felicity or Misery Government properly so called according to some is an Order of Superiority and Subjection And to govern is a Moral Act and presupposeth a Superiour invested with Power and certain persons subject to this Power The general nature of this special Government is Ordination and herein it agrees with the former Providence This Ordination necessarily required that an Order should be established and then observed The subject of this Ordination is the intellectual and immortal Creature endued with Free-will as he is such For the subject must be intellectual or else he cannot understand a Law and must be Immortal or else he cannot be capable of an immortal and eternal estate And must be endued with Free-will or else he can neither voluntarily submit unto a Superiour Power or so obey or disobey as to be capable of Punishments and Rewards The Rules of this Ordination are Laws binding to Obedience which is the condition of Reward promised or unto Punishment upon Disobedience threatned The Rewards and Punishments are rendred by a just Judgment upon certain Evidence of the Violation or observation of the Laws This Government is of Angels § II Men. For these onely are Intellectual and Immortal and capable of an Eternal Estate The first is that of Angels whereof the Scripture speaks little as being revealed and written for man In this Government the power of God was exercised both by the Constitution of some certain Order and observation of the same The Constitution delivers and determines that Fundamental Law of his own Soveraignty and the Angels subjection As by Creation God acquired a Properiety in them as well as in other Creatures and a power of Dominion over them and by it they were absolutely subjected to him as intellectual Spirits This subjection was natural and necessary for God could not create them independent upon his absolute Power because then they had not been Creatures yet he might make them subject unto himself and not bind them to subjection upon some positive Penalties as he might bind them unto it without any promise of Reward Again he might by Law bind them to obedience or punishment without any solemn Contract or Covenant wherein they should engage themselves by a voluntary submission to his Power yet it 's very likely as in all Government the first thing is the establishment of the Soveraign Power of the Prince or Governour and the Allegiance and Fealty of the People so it was here This was the order which God observed in the Constitution of the Polity of Israel They must enter into a Solemn Covenant and promise subjection and obedience unto him as their Lord and God before he publish his Laws Exod 19. 8. This Fealty they likewise promised unto Joshua before he took upon him to command them Josh. 1. 16 17 18. So likewise Saul and David though both designe by God yet must first before they can resign be acknowledged by the People And it 's most suitable and agreeable to the Government of intelligent and free Agents That the subjection which doth arise and result naturally necessariâ—y and immediatly from the Creation did not make them liable to though deserving of punishment if they should do something that was not just seems to be impâ—yed by that of the Apostle The Law worketh wrath For where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4. 15. Where we may observe 1. That Wrath is punishment 2. That Punishment is from transgression going before 3. That there can be no Transgression where there is no Law This Establishment and Determination of the Soveraign's Power and the Peoples subjection is the Foundation of all Government and might be called The Fundamental Rule and Law After the Constitution § III followed the Administration which word I take in a large senâ—e so as to signifie and include not onely Jurisdiction but Legislation too Whether this be the common signification of the word in most Authors I do not much weigh seeing I have given mine own sense In
and made a shew of them openâ—y triumphing over them Col. 2. 17. For by his Death and Resurrection he brake in pieces the Power of Sathan acquired a right to all flesh and received strength to rescue man out of his hands and to give eternall liâ—e to as many as his Father had given him By him the Prince of the World was cast out Joh. 12. 31. For this end he was partaker of flesh and blood with his Brethren that he might destroy him that had the Power of death that is the Devil Heb 2. 14. And for this end the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. And so profound was the Wisdom of God that he turned the power and policy of Sathan to his own ruine For whilst he did bruise Christs heel and put him to death he overthrew his own Kingdome and gave Christ a glorious Victory And by him having foyled the Devil in his Power all the Saints overcome the Devil and obtayne a final Victory yea are more then Conquerours Other Places of Scripture give us so much light as to understand these Words in this manner which certainly Adam and Eve understood better then we can do Yet this enmity and glorious Conquest was expressed in few Words and some what darkely because the full Knowledge of this great Victory was reserved till the Son of God was glorified and the Gospel revealed This was that dreadfull sentence passed upon the Devil all his Angells and his wicked brood which began to be executed then and shall be Consummate when the Devil Death and Hell shall be cast into the Lake of fire where they shall be tormented for ever The Sentence § V passed upon Woman followes And her proper punishments besides those that are Common to Man and Woman are two 1. God determines to multiply her sorrow in conception In sorrow she must bring forth her Children 2. Her desire must be to her Husband and he must rule over her Both these are cruel punishments For many times the birth and life of the child is the death of the Mother after that she hath suffered many paines in conceiving and bearing and most cruel pangs in her Travaile Sometimes the safety of the Mother is the death of the Child The latter is the more grievous because of the Proud cruel and domineering Spirits of crooked and unfaithfull Husbands and by the wickednesse of both partyes that society which should have been most comfortable proves most miserable If woman had never sinned she must have brought forth Children yet without paine and bin subject to her Husband but without any discomfort Women should remember this sentence acknowledge Gods great displeasure against sin and humble themselves Yet they must not despair but hope for eternallâ—life by Jesus Christ their Saviour and be thankfull to God who mitigates the rigour of his justice and in these two things many times shewes great mercy The sentence passed upon Adam is the last And his Poenalties are many The ground was cursed for his sake in sorrow He must eat of it all the dayes of his life Thorns and Thistles it must bring forth unto him He must eat of the Herb of the field In the sweat of his face he must eat bread till he return to the ground For out of it he was taken and being Dust unto Dust he must return The sum of all is Misery and Mortality He must be in misery and suffer many afflictions in this Life and soul and body must part at death and death will turn his body in the end to dust These penalties are fearfully inflicted upon many yet with many God deales mercifully and removes or prevents many of them and in the end by the Resurrection gives a full and finall deliverance from all After Sentence follows Execution § VII at least in order though many times they go together so that the Sentence and execution are all one though the execution is not finished at the first but continues afterwards This execution began instantly with the Sentence Gods word was his deed For the Serpent instantly was accursed and began to suffer all the penalties denounced So likewise the Devils did The punishment of Woman began to be executed in her first conception bearing bringing forth of Children man became instantly miserable and mortal as the earth was presently accursed for his sake and he found a great alteration and a 〈◊〉 change in his Body his Soul the Earth and others Creatures which were subject unto him and made for his good The execution done upon the Serpent shall continue whilst there shall be any Serpents upon the earth The Punishment of the Devil continued until the Incarnation of Christ and upon his Death and resurrection his head was broken but it shall be Consummate at the Last Judgment The Punishment of the Woman shall not determine till the last child be born And The Punishment of Man and Woman shall not be totally removed till the Resurrection and finall Glorification of all the Children of God And Here severall Particulars are considerable 1. That this was A Generall Assizes wherein passed Judgment upon Beasts Millions of Angels and all mankind 2. In the Sentence passed upon the Devil CHRIST was promised and by that promise The Government of mankind was altered And God did new-model his Kingdom For thereupon followed A New Constitution New Laws and Judgment did proceed afterwards in a New Manner 3. By this promise the Covenant of Works was made voyd and the Law as promising life onely upon condition of Perfect Personall and Perpetuall obedience without any Promise of Pardon of any the least sin was repealed And the Positive Law of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil did cease 4. Though the Law of works was repealed yet the Sentence passed upon man for the sin he Committed against that Law of works as unrepealed stands in force and shall in part continue unto the Resurrection 6. Though the Law of Works as a Condition and only condition of life be repealed yet the pure Morals continue in force to bind man to obedience or punishment in generall but not to obedience perfect as the condition of life or to punishment as no wayes removeable To argue that because the matter of the morall Laws continues in Precepts and Prohibitions therefore the Law continues is vain For it may continue yet in another manner and to an other end and both the manner and the end far different To say that man is under the Law of works as Adam was at the first until he be in Christ is very false It 's true that he is under the execution of that sentence which passed upon man for his sin against that Law both morall and positive given to Adam and he cannot passe from death to life from the State of Damnation to the State of Salvation till he be in Christ by a true and lively faith And
Attribute which God did exercise § III and manifest in this Judgment passed upon man was his Mercy which is his free love of man who had made himself unworthy For after that he had sinned and made himself miserable though his misery were an object of compassion yet his sin did provoke to anger and deserved vengeance God looking upon man in this condition was more willing to pitty him then to punish him to remove the sin then to destroy the sinner He was unwilling all Mankind should perish as they must needs have done if he had proceeded in strict justice against them The sin in it self was no fit subject of mercy yet seeing that Woman was deceived by the subtilty of the Devil and Man by Woman his dearest Wife brought into transgression God took occasion to pitty them yet there could be no mercy for them except it issue out of the abundant goodness of God who is slow to anger and so much inclined to compassion and willing in this particular rather to manifest the glory of his mercy then of his justice Man had made himself unworthy and liable to eternal misery and God might have eternally punisht him and that justly too yet mercy kept justice back mitigated the rigour of it and confined it in a narrow compass to inlarge her self more abundantly This mercy was the Fountain from which issued the Promise of Christ the ruine of Sathan's Kingdom the Redemption of Mankind the Relicks of God's Image the means of Conversion the patience long-suffering bounty and clemency of God the gifts of the Spirit the remission of sin and eternal life And that God might be placable Sin pardonable Man saveable he accepts Christ's propitiation reverseth the Law of Works as requiring and that strictly perfect and perpetual obedience as the condition of life and makes a new Law and Covenant which determines Faith to be the condition of life and that condition to be performed by the power of the Spirit merited by and restored for Christ's sake This mercy did appear in this great Judgment many ways § IV 1. God sentenced the Devils in the first place and that without any mercy and for this very cause even because they had attempted the eternal ruine of man which upon the success of their damned Design had proved unavoidable and the recovery of man impossible if God should not have done some extraordinary work to prevent it Upon this fiery indignation of God against these Liars and Murderers of Mankind expressed in this Sentence it did appear 1. That the punishment to be suffered by these cursed Fiends was grievous unavoidable and unremovable for ever 2. That God was highly displeased at their malice shewed against and the mischief done to Mankind in that he takes so fearful vengeance upon them 3. That there was some pitty in God towards poor man trembling at the Bar of God for though their folly was inexcusable yet their condition considering the temptation was lamentable 2. This mercy was manifest in an high and extraordinary degree and measure in that in this Sentence he promiseth or at least implies a most certain promise of Jesus Christ a Saviour and Redeemer It 's true that this great promise was folded and wrapt up in a few words and the same very mysterious as we read them in Moses Gen. 3. 15. But those very words inform us 1. That the Redeemer should be the Seed of the Woman that Woman whom the Serpent had so deluded and who now stood guilty before God's Tribunal 2. That this Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and so be the ruine of his Kingdom and Dominion over Man 3. That he should not obtain this Victory without Blood for his Head must be bruised and he put to death And there is not onely an Emphasis but a Mystery in those words The Seed of the Woman The Emphasis is in this That God doth not say an Angel or Spirit or some man more excellent then Adam whom he should create instantly but the Seed a Child a Mortal Man born of that sinful Woman though now contemptible and miserable should encounter the Devil with that power and policy as to foil him The Mystery seems to be this That it 's not said the Seed of Man nor the Seed of Man and Woman but the Seed of the Woman signifying though darkly that Christ should be the Seed and Child immediate of a Woman but of no Man For as he was Man he had an immediate Mother who conceived bare him brought him forth but no immediate Father Upon these words as the condition of Man and Woman became more comfortable so the Kingdom and Government of Mankind began instantly to be altered and a second Adam was appointed their Head to redeem them as the first Adam had undone them We must needs think that our first Parents being sinful guilty and convicted before the Supream Judge of Heaven and Earth stood with sad and heavy hearts expecting their doom and condemnation to Eternal Death until they heard these words The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head Then their Despair was turned into Hope and their sinking-dying-hearts began to revive For to them these were words far above all expectation of sweetest comfort Never better words spoken never better heard 3. This mercy was evident in that God did not send the Spirit of Despair nor of Slumber and Security upon them § V nor deliver them up to a reprobate mind as he might justly have done and so made their condition desperate and irrecoverable nor presently execute his judgment Eternal upon them either by taking away their lives in their sin or making their bodies immortal to punishment in body and soul for ever Neither did he take from them the Light of Nature and the sense and power of Conscience but gave them the saving-light of the Gospel and the means of Conversion with the promise of the Spirit All this is evident by the promise of Christ the ruine of Satan's Kingdom a final Victory after a Bloody War in this Sentence of the Devil and it doth further appear by the Education of Cain and Abel and especially in the Faith of Abel That the means of Conversion have been denied several persons whole Tribes many Nations and the greatest part of the World howsoever it might be deâ—erved by this sin of Adam yet usually it 's the punishment of Apostasie as of the generality of mankind before the â—lood of the Gentiles before Christ's incarnation and of the generality of the Jews and many of the Gentiles since the preaching of the Gospel to all Nations And the very Gentiles were not delivered up unto a Reprobate mind before they abused the Light of Nature Yet the very outward means of Conversion were a gift of Free grace for the merit of Christ who was promised of pure and abundant mercy The Sentence of Justice past upon them was allayed § VI and tempered with great mercy
too For he doth not say to our first Parents Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels But you shall suffer Temporal punishments yet so that through my Grace and sanctifying Spirit they shall be Corrections and Chassisements for Humiliation Mortification and Reformation and you shall be banished out of Earthly Paradise and from this Tree of Life that you may more earnestly long after and seek the Paradise and Tree of Life in Heaven For you shall know that it 's a bitter thing to forsake your God and disobey his Command Yet this was the great punishment that the Spirit of Sanctification and Comfort was departed and no ways to be recovered but by Jesus Christ the great Redeemer as a gift of Free-grace And now consider all Mankind in Adam as innocent and obedient they are innocent and obedient Consider them in him as sinful guilty convicted they are sinful miserable convicted and in a lost condition Consider them in him as receiving the Promise of Christ they are in a possibility of Salvation and Deliverance And all such as are born in the Bosome of the Church and under the means of Conversion are in a better condition then such as are strangers from the Covenants of Promise as all Children or Apostlates are Yet we must understand and take special notice of it that after the Fall there is not any thing in man tending either to holiness or happiness or the abatement of sin or misery but from the mere mercy of God which doth shine forth most clearly in two things The first is the giving of Christ or the Promise to give him and this was not upon any merit no nor of Christ himself And howsoever all other Spiritual Mercies may be promised and given for and in respect of the satisfaction and merit of Christ yet the gift of Christ was from purest love without any respect to any merit at all The second is in calling wherein he prevents both by giving the means of Conversion and the grace of his Spirit to make them effectual Therefore the Scripture so much magnifies God's abundant love and free grace manifested in both 1. For the first it 's said God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son Joh. 3. 16. And God commendeth his love towards us in that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners Rom. 5. 8. And in this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely Begotten Son into the World that we should live by him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. For some mercies we receive from God loving us before we love him as these two Some after we begin to love him 2. For the second we read that God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace we are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together with Christ Jesus in Heavenly places Eph. 2. 4 5 6. Yet this latter is merited by Christ. Besides the manifestation of these Attributes it 's remarkable that God exercised his transcendent and absolute power above his Law For to reverse the Law of Works to require and accept satisfaction and the same made by another even Christ and not the Delinquents and thereupon to promise Pardon and Eternal Life upon condition of Faith were acts of Him as above his Law and dispensing with it in his judicial proceedings For if he had according to his ordinary power made the Law of Works requiring perfect and perpetuall obedience as the onely condition of life the rule of judgment he could have done none of the fore-mentioned Acts but must have condemned man unto Death and punished him according to the demerit of his sin which if he had done neither Adam nor any Son of Adam could have had the least possibility of Salvation So that in this Judgment the Foundation of the second Government of greatest mercy was laid and then even then God began to constitute another Form of Government over Man and to administer the same And the former continued but a little while and the latter hath continued long and shall be An everlasting Kingdom The Second Scheme Acquired by the Word made Flesh by His Conception Birth Anointed King Priest Prophet in His Humiliation taking upon Him the form of a servant being obedient unto Death which presupposing His former Holiness and Obedience was an act of Obedience unto the great Command of His Father accepting Him as the Surety and Hostage of Mankind laying on Him the iniquities of us all a Sacrifice offered to God as Supream Judge to expiate the sin of Man and being accepted did satisfie Divine Iustice offended merit for Himself Eternal Glory and Power sinful Man immediately the Abrogation of the Law of Works Covenant of Grace Power of the Spirit to enable Him to keep it These Effects formally include exclude no person mediately upon the Covenant observed Iustification Glorification Exercised in the Constitution which determines the Sovereign God-Redeemer Administrator-General Christ at the right hand of God Enemies Devils Men Rebels Apostates Subjects men who being reduced by Vocation according to Predestination do voluntarily submit and that sincerely to God-Redeemer their Soveraign Administration considered in general according to the degrees alterations from the time of Adam till the Commencement of that glorious Reign wherein God shall be all in all special in giving Laws which being Moral considered as given to Adam Innocent continued to Gentiles Iews Christians with the different Obligations thereof determines man's duty to God Creator Redeemer Man Positive in Ceremonies especially Sacrifices Ilastical Eucharistical Sacraments of the Law extraordinary ordinary Gospel Baptism Eucharist an Examination by whom to whom How these may be admiâ—â— are a rule of Man's duty in Precepts Prohibitions God's judgment in Promises Threatnings Iudgment particular in Punishments Temporal Spiritual in this life upon single persons Societies Ecclesiastical Civil after Death before the Resurrection Rewards Temporal Spiritual in this life Conversion Iustification begun continued in the state thereof after Death before the Resurrection Universal determining and rendring the Eternal Punishments Rewards of Men Angels THE DOCTRINE OF The Kingdom of God OR The Government of God-Redeemer The Second BOOK CHAP. I. Concerning the Power of God-Redeemer and by whom it was acquired WHen the first Government did determine § I the second did begin For after the Fall of two of God's most noble Creatures there followed a great alteration in the World and such that if God had followed strictly the Rules of his former Government all Mankind must needs have perished But this his Mercy could not suffer therefore his Divine Wisdom contriveth a way how to recover Man fâ—llen and began to govern him according
Propitiation of Christ makes no man absolutely but upon certain terms pardonable and savable so it was never made either to prevent all sin or all punishments For it presupposeth man both sinful and miserable And we know that the guilt and punishment of Adams sin lyes heavy upon all his posterity to this day And not onely that but the guilt of actual and personal sins lyes wholly upon us whilst impenitent and unbelieving and so out of Christ and the regenerate themselves are not fully freed from all punishments till the finall resurrection and judgement So that his propitiation doth not altogether prevent but remove sin and punishment by degees Many sins may be said to be remissible by vertue of this sacrifice which never shall be remitted In this sense it may be understood that some deny that Lord that bought them 2 Pet. â— 1. For Christ by his death acquired a right unto and so a power over all flesh but so that he must give eternall life onely to such as his Father gave him For one immediate effect of Christs death was to make God placable and sin pardoned yet he never merited that any sin should be actually pardoned but upon such terms as his heavenly Father should prescribe It may also in a sense be said that Christ dyed onely for the elect That is that onely they shall obtayn actual pardon Yet they who thus affirm must give us out of the Scriptures the true notion of Election and of the Elect and not seek to obtrude upon us their own false Conceits For the Elect as the elect in decree are no subject capable of actual Remission as such for they are no subject at all because they have no actual existence though they may be and are an object or Logicall subject of Gods decree And after that they have actual being yet they are not immediately capable of actual pardon before they are called and actually believe And whereas some affirm that Christ dyed onely for the Elect in their sense it cannot be proved Because they presupposing an order in the decrees of God take it for granted that the decrees of Election and Reprobation are antecedent to the decâ—ee of Redemption and â—o by these very decrees formally exclude the greatest part of mankind and include the rest which cannot stand with the plain texts of Scripture which signifie that we are predessinated to be conformed to the image of Christ That we are elected in Christ and predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Câ—rist unto himself The 4th and last thing in this discourse of Christs death § IX is to consider the attribuâ—es and perfections which were principally manifested in this work of Redemption For bâ—sides his absolute power by which he acted in this work above the lâ—w of Creation many of his perfections did most gloriously appeare And first his Wiâ—dom For this was one of the highest designes of God and this work of redemption was contrived and ordered in the highest degree of Wisdome that God did ever exercise out of Himself The Apostle determined to know nothing amongst the Corinthians but Christ Jesus and him crucified And though this Doctrin of the Crosse seem'd foolishnesse to men devoyd of the Spirit yet when he preached it he spake Wisdome to them who were perfect the Wisdome of God in a mystery evâ—n the hidâ—en Wisdome which God ordayned before the world was to our glory 1 Cor. 2. 2. 6 7. And by the preaching of the Gospel was made known to Principalityes and powers in heavenly places the manifold Wisdome of God Ephes. 3. 10. And the Doctrin of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow thereupon was such and so excellent for Wisdome that the very Angels desired to pry or look in it 1 Peter 1. 12. That Wisdome must needs be wonderfull which contrived such glorious things For the seed of â—rayl Woman deceived by the Devil and now guilty before the tribunall of God must bruise and break the head and power of the Devil and shake his Kingdome over mankind in pieces The Word and eternal Son of God must be made flesh as though mortality and eternity had been united together Weaknesse must vanquish strength Mortality must be away to immortality Death to eternal life the most cruel paines to full and everlasting pleaâ—ures the moâ— bitter sorrowes to the sweetest joyes the lowest humility to the highest honour and the greatest shame to the most excellent glory And which is strange that the Devil himself must use his utmost strength and policy to overthrow himself And his deepest Counsels must be the cause of his own ruine These are the wonderfull wayes of Gods unsearchable Wisdome discovered in the humiliation of the Son of God The Holinesse § X and Justice of God appeares in this work many wayes For though he be slow to anger inclined to forgive abundant in mercy and delighting in kindnesse and doing good unto his unworthy creatures and resolved to give his Son to remit sin and to save sinners yet he will not free any man from the guilt of sin nor yield that any sin should be pardonable without expiation be made his divine justice satisfied and the honour of his law violated be vindicated He will admit of no reconciliation except propitiation be made by blood to declare his righteouâ—nesse that he might be just and the justifier of him that beleeveth on Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 25. And this propitiation must be made by the Word made flesh Therefore he sends his son his dearly beloved his onely begotten son whom he esteemed above all men and Angells He smites him wounds him and layes on him the iniquityes of us all He must not only suffer but suffer death the death of the Crosse and he must for a time be a servant and lay aside 〈◊〉 his shining Robes of Glory be content to want the joyes and pleasures of Heaven and be deprived of God's sweetest comforts be exposed to the malice of the Devill and his malicious enemies ly under the pressure of most bitter pains sorrows and anguish and suffer and that from basest wretches the basâ—â— indignityes that ever any suffered And thus though he were a son must he learn obedience by suffering and before all these things were endured his Soul seperated from his Body and his Body layd in the Grave he must not rise again to Glory And he makes an unchangeable decree that whosoever will not be willing to deny himself take up his Crosse be obedient not onely in doing good but also in suffering evill even death the most cruell and tormenting death and that with patience for his sake shall derive no benefit from his Saviour who did not only expiate sin seal the Truth with his blood but also give us an example of most eminent humility patience meeknes charity obedience all other heavenly virtues that we might follow him if we will be saved And sinful man must know
redeem and save man so he gave this power to Christ and set him not in the Throne but at the right hand of the Throne of Glory and by him and his Spirit doth exercise this power and will exercise it to the worlds end which Exercise shall be the subject of the discourse following CHAP. IV. Concerning the Exercise of the Power of God-Redeemer and the Constitution of His Kingdom AS God acquired this Power unto Himself § I so He doth exercise it Himself For He both constitutes this Kingdom and doth administer it Yet in the Administration which was always by the Word and Spirit he useth the Ministery of Angels Men and other Creatures Angels and Men are made by Him not onely Instruments but many of them are Officers Some whereof are ordinary and some extraordinary and some trusted with a greater some with a lesser power And in this Exercise of his power he always had a special charge of the Church and made use of Angels in reveasing his Word in the protection guidance deliverance of them and the destruction of their Enemies His most eminent Officers amongst men were Priests and Prophets After Jesus Christ was exhibited and had finished his Humiliation he was made the universal Officer and invested with a supream Power next to that of the Deity aâ—d was Lord of Angels and all Creatures Whether before the Incarnation Michael the Arch-Angel or any other did represent him as having the primacy of dignity and power is not so evident but that he had both Men and Angels who both were types of him and did represent himâ— is clear enough In this respect he is said many times to have appeared to the Fathers and that the Israelites tempted him in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 9. Some think that the Angel which appeared to Abraham Isaac Jacob who brought the Israelites out of Aegypt and conducted them in the Wilderness was at least a Type of Christ whom they tempted not onely as the Word but as represented and typified by some Angel This Power is exercised § II either in the constitution or the administration of this blessed and glorious Kingdom A Kingdom must first be constituted and have the form and essence of a Kingdom before it can act and move or do any thing as a Body Politick The constitution is the laying of the Foundation and the Laws and Rules thereof are called the Fundamental Laws These Laws determine the person or persons to be invested with the Supream Power and the manner how it resides or is to be exercised by him or them and also defines who are Subjects with the manner and measure of their subjection and who shall be accounted strangers and who enemies In this Constitution God is the Supream Lord invested with supream universal and absolute power to be acquired by the Conquest over the Devil and reducing sinful Man and chiefly by the humiliation of the Word made flesh In which respect he is Lord and Monarch not merely as Creatour and Preserver but most properly as Redeemer This Power so resides in him that he communicates some measure of it unto Angels and Men but chiefly and in the highest degree to Jesus Christ if once exhibited This Government therefore is Monarchical yet rather Regal then Despotical though his Power be absolute and arbitrary and as such he might exercise it The Subjects are all Creatures in a large sense but strictly sinful Man in respect of his Spiritual Estate And all men that have not subjected themselves to him as Redeemer by Christ are strangers at least if not enemies Those are Subjects and to be admitted as such who renouncing the Devill the World and the Flesh submit themselves to him as Lord not onely Creatour but Redeemer and after that Christ was manifest in the flesh such as should acknowledge him to be the Son of God and the Prince of Salvation For being consecrated He became the Author or Prince of Salvation to all that obey him The perpetual Enemy with whom there must be Eternal feud is the Devil with His Agents Yet this Constitution will be better understood by the Administration Yet § III because the Law of Subjection is Fundamental and belongs unto the Constitution I will take liberty in this place to speak more largely of the same By Subjection in this place I understand a voluntary submission and the same a Moral Duty required by God and to be performed by Man and that unto God as Redeemer For we must not confound passive subjection with this voluntary submission All Creatures at all times were subject that is under the power of God as Creatour and Preserver and amongst the rest the Devils themselves though Revolter and Rebels are not exempt from His Dominion So that its one thing to be actively another to be passively subject unto God God-Redeemer hath power and is Lord of all yet He acquired a special Right unto and Propriety in Man and a peculiar power over him in respect of His Spiritual Estate and therefore a special subjection is due from him unto His Saviour And the Angels and all things were subjected unto Christ upon His Exaltation yet this was not by reason of Redemption as though He had bought and redeemed them but upon another account For their Service and Miniâ—â—ery was very useful in the administration of His Kingdom Though in the Constitution of this Kingdom the proper Subjects are men and God as Redeemer by Christ hath a special right unto all and every of them yet there is not any one of them admitted as a Subject of this Kingdom so as to receive Protection of the Soveraign the Priviledge of God's people and have an actual right unto the Eternal Glory of the same before his voluntary submission be made And if any submit though not fully and after that fall away and prove Apostates they yet remain under His Dominion The reason why this submission is due unto Him as Redeemer by Christ is because man wholly depends upon Him for Spiritual Being and Happiness ever since he lost Righteousness and Life by the Fall of Adam and God required it since He promised that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head And seeing God is not Redeemer but by Christ either promised or exhibited therefore whosoever submits to God as Redeemer must submit unto Christ and whosoever submits to Christ submits to God who sent Christ. This submission pre-supposeth necessarily requireth a firm and Practical Belief of the Redemption by Christ and by none else Which Belief was first implicit and after the Revelation of the Gospel more explicit according as the Revelation of this Mystery was less or more clear and full And for the more orderly proceeding in this point I will declare 1. The Nature of it 2. The manner and means how we are reduced Where I shall take occasion to speak briefly of Calling and Predestination 3. What our condition is upon this Duty performed
for an Act of Divine Power as it is a cause of subjection which must â—o before admission To understand this we must consider the Subject of it and that is Man as sub alienâ potestate under the power of Sin and Sathan and so out of God's Kingâ—om and as an Alien to this Heavenly Common-wealth and such is every one by Nature as he is out of Jesus Christ. Yet there are degrees of this distance some are further off some nearer to this Kingdom This is evident from the condition of Jews and Gentiles in former times and always especially since the times of the Gospel Because all men are either in the visible Church or out of it And men may be out of the Church two ways 1. As never admitted into the same Or 2. Such as being in the Church prove Apostates The Gentiles once were not Gentiles For their first Apostate Fathers were in the Church and the Jews in former times were God's people but for their unbelief are cast out and continue LO-AMMI none of God's people and this shall be their condition till such time as the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And we must distinguish of such as are in the visible Church for some are sincerely subjected unto God-Redeemer according to their Allegiance Some are Subjects onely by Name and Profession and by their ignorance unbelief disobedience are little better then Heathens and Aliens Some are subject in some measure but come short of that degree which is required to admission All these excepting one sort are out of this Kingdome as it consists of reall Saints and living members of Christ. Apostates shall never be called much lesse admitted if they be personally and wilfully such For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins Heb. 10. 26. and if no more Sacrifice then calling is in vain and to no purpose Yet the posterity of Apostates may be and have been called And if once God vouchsafe the meanes of conversion to Idolators who have forsaken not only God as their Redeemer but as Creatour and Preserver he requires of them to renounce the Devil and turn from their Idols to the living God first and then unto him as Redeemer by Jesus Christ. They which have forsaken Jesus Christ or deny him as their Saviour and yet acknowledge and worship God alone as the Creatour of Heaven and Earth the Preserver and Governour of the World as Turks all Mahumetans and the unbelieving Jews do at this day are bound to acknowledge Christ as their Saviour and Redeemer and sure his incarnation and glorification as already come into the World The case of the Jew in the times of Christ and the Apostles was singular For the sincere Proselyte and Jew had onely this to do to believe in Christ already come as before they believed in him to come and so they became compleat members of the Church Christian and perfectly subjects of the Kingdome of Christ glorified The Ignorant and Prophane as also the Hypocrits must forsake their wicked wayes and sincerely submit themselves Yet none of these things can be done without a power from Heaven and a Vocation which is a gracious work of God Redeemer wherein he by his Word and Spirit reduceth man to subjection so that he is fitted to be a subject of his Blessed Kingdome For by Calling we are delivered from the power of darknesse and translated into the Kingdome of His Dear Son Col. 1. 13. Therefore said to be called out of darknesse into his marveylous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. And upon this they who were not a people are made the people of God verse 10. For God will put his lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts and thereupon He will be their God and they shall be to him a People Heb. 8. 10. In all these Passages and many more it 's evident 1. That by nature and as born of sinfull Adam we are in darknesse out of Gods Kingdome none of Gods People 2. That we passe out of darknesse into light and into Christs Kingdom 3. This is not a work of our own merit or power For it 's God that delivers us translates us writes his lawes in our hearts and this of his free mercy and by his great and wonderfull power 4. By this we become Gods people and subjects of Christ's Kingdom And all this is said to be by calling For he called us out of darknesse into his marvaylous light All these particulars are expressed or implyed in those words of the Apostle who signifies that God would send him to the Gentiles to open their eves and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive remission of sins and as inheritance among them which are sanctifyed by saith in Christ Act. 26. 17 18. This Vocation § VII as it is an act of power and great mercy and free grace for by grace we are saved so it s a work which is effected by the Word and Spirit For as we are regenerate so we are called and we are regenerate 1. By the Word 2. By the Spirit By the Word For of his own will he begat us with the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. By the Spirit For except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. In the Word God commands and promiseth The command binds man to submit The promise is a motive to enforce the performance of the precept This we maâ— understand and observe in the Call of Abraham For 1. He is commanded to get him out of his Countrey and from his kindred and from his Fathers house unto a land that God would shew him and to perswade him God promiseth to make him a great nation and to blesse him c. But the principall promise was that in him all the familyes of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12. 1. 2 3. This precept implyes that man is under the domiâ—ion of sin and Sathan and therefore commands him to forsake his sin and Sathan and turn from Satan unto God In this God makes use of the Doctrine of the fall of Adam and the Morall Law as given unto him and binding him to perfect and perpetual obedience and upon disobedience threatning Death And by the precept is discovered mans sin and by threatning his misery to humble him break his heart make him weary of sin and desirous of deliverance and willing upon any termes to accept a Saviour Yet this gives him no Comfort nor any Power to do that which is his duty though God make use of it to prepare mans heart The first dutyes commanded are 1. A sight of sin as sin in our selves whereby we are miserable The 2. Is saith whereby we believe that God being satisfyed and attoned by the blood of Christ will be mercifull and pardon sin This faith
calleth Acceptatio ad Prosecutionem may be and is Free I passe by the Philosophical Speculations â—oncerning the nature of the Will which few know concerning the naturall and necessary actâ— thereof and also concerning those that are free and what the naturall liberty of the Will is and in what acts and in respect of what acts it is free Concerning the positive acts Velle and Nolle and the negative Non Velle Non nolle and concerning the liberty of contradiction and specification It 's farr more profitable for all such as are so blessed as to live in the Church and enjoy the meanes of conversion diligently to use the meanes and exercise that power which God hath given them and also earnestly and constantly pray for the regenerating Spirit which God hath promised to them that seek him in an orderly way For upon this done Regeneration will follow and by the Divine and Spiritual power given them together with Gods speciall assistance and concurrence after all necessary preparations they shall freely determine and the Will shall wholly and most willingly submit to God Redeemer which is the ultimate product of Divine Vocation The parts whereof are the outward Word and the inward power of the Spirit which go together according to the promise of the Gospel and make up the essence of it Though its true that for the circumstances and accidentalls the calling of particular men and severall persons may vary much Some are called sooner some later some in an ordinary some in an extraordinary way some with lesser some with greater power Some with many afflictions and long tryalls some otherwise some speedily submit some stand out long In all this the divine wisdome ordereth and disposeth all things so as shall be most congruous and fitting to this work and the persons called Yet this congruity which many talke of is nothing without the Word and Spirit Both wâ—ich are alwayes in the Church so that though many are called and few choâ—en yet those that are converted cannot ascribe any thing to themselves but all to God and such as are not converted and yet enjoy the meanes shall be deepâ—y guilty not for the omission of that which they could not do but for the neglect and abuse of that power God had given them And we must not thinks but God calls and that seriously all those to whom the Gospel is preached and is ready to communicate his grace and by his Spirit works some preparatory effects which are the same with those he workes in them which are converted others call them Common graces And we cannot find in Scripture that God denyes his Spirit to such as heare his word till they give God cause either by their neglect or perversnesse or Apostasie from that degree of grace they have received to withdraw the same By all this we understand that Christ findeth his subjects to whom God hath given him a right to be enemyes and he enlargeth as he beginneth his Kingdome by a kind of spirituall conquest dashing in pieces all such as will not submit and are bound to submit with his Iron Rod irresistible strength reducing the rest unto subjection after some time of standing out Therefore God said unto him Rule thou in the midst of thine enemyes Psal. 110. 2. and Ask of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal. 2. 8. 9. This work of calling is done by publishing the Laws of this Kingdom wherein he manifests his title declares his just and gracious commands threatneth eternal Punishment and promiseth eternall protection and rewards And this publication of his Lawes is accompanyed with a wonderfull power of his Spirit whereby together with the word of the Kingdom he pierceth the mindes of men and breaks their stony hearts in sunder as an hammer doth a Rock In this respect the Lord saith Is not my word like as a fire and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock asunder Jer. 23. 29. Because by this Vocation § IX the Decree of Election begins to be put in execution in which respect Vocation is called Election This therefore gives occasion to speak of Election and Predestination And 1. I will enquire into the signification of the words 2. The Nature of the thing signified And 1. I will not take Predestination to be the Genus of Election and Reprobation as many do for so it 's not used in Scripture It 's true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to determine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a determination of the Will and in this general signification Predestination may signifie a Pre-determination or Decree to Elect or Reprobate But thus we do not find it used in the Book of God 2. Predestination in Scripture doth signifie a Decree and Determination of God's Will concerning the Eternal Estate of sinful Man wherein He decrees to bring him in a certain Order by certain meanes unto Eternal Glory And this Decree was made though not executed before the Foundation of the World 3. This Predestination is in Christ to Eternal Life not to Eternal Death as used in the New Testament 4. Predestination and Election are sometimes if not for the most part taken for the same 5. When they are differenced Election is a Decree to Call Predestination a Decree to adopt justifie glorifie 6. Election is sometimes the same that Calling is sometimes a Decree of Calling 7. Sometimes Election the purpose according to Election and Fore-knowledge and Fore-knowledge alone are taken and used for the same We read that all things work together for good to them that love God the called according to purpose For whom he did fore know he also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that He might be the first Begotten amongst many Brethren Moreover whom He did Predestinate them He called whom He called them He justified and whom He justified them He glorified Rom. 8 28 29 30. Where we may observe 1. That there is a Calling according to a purpose and decree and that is such as upon it follows Conversion Admission Justification 2. That in this place Fore-knowledge is distinct from Predestination and signifies not onely an Act of the Understanding whereby God doth fore-know particular persons before they did exist for in that respect it 's called Fore-knowledge Nor also what they would act or do under the means of Conversion but an Act of the Will whereby He did approve love elect them freely not for any merit of their own but out of His mere good-will To KNOW in this place is to elect or chuse and seems to be taken from that place of Amos 3. 2. Thee have I KNOWN of all the Families of the Earth To know according to the Chaldee-Paraphrast and Vatablus following him is to Chuse You have I chosen And so likewise yra
that we shall rise again to glory For if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in us He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodyes by his Spirit that dwelleth in us Rom. 8. 11. The manifestation was full and clear § VI and for this end he stayed 40. dayes on earth after his resurrection His body was now become spirituall and could appear when and to whom he pleased And he appeares 1. To Mary Magdalene 2. To two Disciples going to Emaus 3. To Cephas 4. To the twelve 5. To 500 Brethren together 6. to James 7. To all the Apostles and that severall times Thomas must not onely see him but with his hands and fingers feel the print of the nailes and the scars of his wounds They eat and drink with him receive instructions and commissions from him and see him taken up into Heaven Steeven Paul and John the Divine see him after he was ascended into Heaven The Souldiers who were set to guard the Sepulcher are forced to be witnesses as of death so of his resurrection The comming down of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles the miracles done the gifts of the Spirit received in his name the Faith of the world in him do testifie the same So that there can be no reason in the world to doubt of this Resurrection The persons to whom he most of all appeared were the Apostles to whom he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40. dayes and speaking of the things pertayning to the Kingdome of God Act. 1. 3. And the reason hereof was this that they might be witnesses to him both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth verse 8. And its remarkable that he severall times appeared on the first day of the week as though he intended not onely by his Resurrection but his several apparations to consecrate and honour that day After that Christ was risen § VII and had continued fourty dayes on earth he takes with him to Mount Olivet his Disciples gives them commission to go to all Nations promiseth the Spirit blesseth them and in their sight from that place ascends into Heaven in a cloud For the Angels which appeared unto them in the likenesse of two men in white apparell told them that he was taken up into Heaven Act. 1. 10 11. This Ascension added nothing to his power though it might be a part of his Glory and Honour The place from whence he ascended was the Mount of Olivet at the foot whereof he suffered so much in his bitter Agony where he was betrayed apprehended deserted The place to which he did ascend was Heaven the highest and most glorious place in the world For he ascended far above all Heavens to fulfill all things Eph. 4. 19. The manner of this Ascension was glorious and by way of Triumph For accompanied with Angells he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men Psal. 68. 18. And no doubt hee made open shew of the Principalityes and Powers of Hell which he had conquered It was the greatest and most stately Triumph that ever was in the World Great was the joy of Angells and the Honour of that day wherein the Son of God mounted in his triumphant charior a bright and glorious cloud ascended into that glorious place where in his Fathers presence he after his biter sufferings hath fullnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more Where he hath taken possession of those blessed mansions of eternall rest not onely for himself but in our behalf And Oh that our minds were lifted up above the world and our affections so placed that we might seek those things above where he sitteth at his Fathers right hand that we might have a certain hope that one day he would descend from that holy place and take us with him that we might be where he is and so behold his Glory and be eternally freed from all sin and sorrow And surely if we believe him it was expedient he should depart and leave this Earth not onely for his own Glory but for our comfort that he might send down his Spirit to sanctify comfort and guide us into all truth Daniel saw in his Night-Vision behold one like the Son of man came in the clouds of Heaven and approached to the ancient of dayes and the Angells brought him neer before him This Vision was fulfilled in this Ascension Dan. 7. 13. The Heaven of Heavens was the fittest place not onely for his enjoyment of eternall pleasures but it was a stately Pallace from whence he might exercise his universall Power and administer his eternall Kingdom and be ettended and guarded by the heavenly powers For the Chariots of God are twenty thousands even many thousands and he is in the midst of them as in Sinai even in the holy place Psal. 68. 17. There he as a Priest for ever liveth to make intercession for us and continues our Advocate to plead our cause and make it good before his Fathers Tribunal After that Christ ascended into Heaven § VIII God set him at his right hand For God said unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool To sit at God's right Hand is to reign as King So the Apostle expounds it 1 Cor. 15. 25. Therefore by those words we understand that the highest degree of Honour and Power next unto God was solemnly conferred upon him and he was instantly to begin to exercise the same The Angells and all things were subjected unto and put under his power and he became Administrator-Generall of this spirituall and everlasting Kingdom This Power was given him before For he said that All Power in Heaven Earth was given him whilst he was on Earth Yet now in Heaven he receivs full Possession and was solemnly crowned and enthroned before all the Angells and the Host of Heaven by vertue of these Words Sit thou at my right Hand He was made Law-giver and Judge and could bind men to obedience or punishment and judge them accordingly and determine of their final and eternal estates so as to give them eternal rewards or afflict them with eternal punishments This was part of Daniel's Vision For when one like the Son of Man was brought neer before the ancient of days there was given Him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve Him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The success and issue of His Administration was a final Victory over all Enemies and a total subduing of all opposite and contrary Powers and also the Eternal Peace and Felicity of His loyal and obedient Subjects As upon His Entrance into the glorious place of Heaven His everlasting Kingdom was established in His hands so His Priest-hood was made
5. 26. As there cannot be two Kings in full power in one Kingdome So there cannot be two Gods in one heart at one time To us Christians who make the Gospel the rule of our Worship it 's not sufficient to acknowledge God as Creatour Preserver and Governour of the World For so Turks Mahumetans and Jews do we sin if we do not acknowledge him and Him alone as our Redeemer by Christ exhibited and glorified Therefore to deny Christ thus represented unto us or to acknowledge another Christ with him or besides him or to give any expiating power to any Sacrifice but his or make any other Sacrafice the same or equall with his or to make any other our Advocate in Heaven and the propitiation of our sins is against this law evangelically understood For to us Christians there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8. 6. Neither is there Salvation in any other For there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we can be saved Act. 4. 12. In this respect all Jewes and Mahumetans and such as Worship God and not by Christ are offenders Yet not onely they but all such to whom the Gospel is preached and yet receive not Jesus Christ for their Lord and Saviour or receive him and proâ—esse him and not fully and sincerely with their whole heart as God requireth are guilty and can in no wise be excused from the Transgression of this Commandement Hitherto is to be referred all Positive unbelief of those to whom Christ hath been sufficiently manifested by the light of the Gospel For he that receives not Christ and refuseth to submit unto him refuseth to receive and submit to that God who sent him Impenitency as it is an obstinate continuance in sin against the meanes and Motives to repentance is reducible to this head Because all such impenitents deny to return unto their God as mercifull in Christ. These are Enemyes and Rebels against the Supreme Monarch The Idolatry of such as depend upon or have compliance with or give any Honour to the Devil is most heynous § VII Because he not onely is no God but the grand enemy unto God Thereâ—ore Charmers Sorcerers Wizards and especially Witches and Conjurors who have familiar Spirits and contract with them must needs be great Transgressours And such as seek unto them or depend upon them cannot be innocent Of this sin of worshipping Devils the Idolatrous Gentiles were guilty For the things they sacrificed they sacrificed to Devills and not to God 1 Cor. 10. 20. The Apostate Jewes also sacrificed their Sons and Daughters unto Devills Psal. 106. 37. And so in one Act made themselves guilty not onely of Idolatry but unnatural murther Apostacy whether from God the Creatour once acknowledged or from Jesus Christ once received comes in here And such Apostates as turn Persecutors are the most to be abhorred of all others Under these two heads of Atheism and Idolatry all Pride Prophane contempt or neglect of the Divine Majesty distrust disobedience are concluded And the habitual predominancy of any one sin is inconsistent with the Evangelical obedience unto this Commandement The Affirmative part of this Commandement presupposeth § VIII or rather pre-re-quireth a Knowledge and belief of one onely supreme Lord and Soveraign God Blessed for evermore And the principall dutyes are 1. An acknowledgement of him as such against Atheism and subjection to him alone as our Supreme and onely Lord. And though we be subject unto him and depend upon him though we should never thus voluntarily submit yet by this Voluntary submission we freely yield our selves unto him as his Servants and his Vassals This is the great law of Fealty and Allegiance which is first promised and after that really and continually to be performed In performance of this duty we wholly give and resign up our selves even our very hearâ—s unto him so that we are nothing in our selves all in him And we who are Christians must subject our selves unto him not onely as Creatour but Redeemer Therefore that faith whereby we so receive Christ as our onely Redeemer so that we are ready to forsake all things to gain him is reducible to this Commandement as Evangelically understood This subjection includes and implyes many dutyes more particular § IX The object and ground of it is his supreme power or dominion which presupposeth many yea all his perfections and also many of his glorious Works His truth revealed requires assent and belief His goodnesse and love manifested requires love His Lawes obedience His dignity and excellency Adoration with humility and Reverence His Benefits thankfulnesse His threatnings of temporall and eternall punishments fear His glorious perfections of Wisdome Power Justice c manifested Praise His promises hope Prayer confidence and desire His communication of himself unto us in mercyes and blessings for our safety deliverance happinesse joy So in other respects other dutyes are to be performed Without all these as occasion requireth this subjection is imperfect Yet this is so to be understood that we may Believe Love Fear Worship Obey others by commission from him as they shall some wayes represent Him or derive some Particle of power or excellency from him And all these are to be performed to him 1. As supreme 2. In the highest degree 3. To him alone as supreme in the Highest degree He is the highest and most excellent object of all our powers and facultyes and the ultimate end of all our Operations This Commandement is purely and primarily moral and must be observed in Heaven And all other vertues and acts required in other Commandements are so far just as they do agree with this Love of Father Mother Dearest relation Life it self if once they come in competition with this are no dutyes are unjust We may exceed in the love of any thing but in the love of Him we cannot He deserves infinit Love yet he alone can infinitely love himself Therefore though he deserve it as infinite yet he requireth it not of his Creature which being finit cannot love infinitely To love him in the Highest degree and above all is sincerity yet not perfection For though we may love him above all yet we may and must love him more But love him so perfectly as this law requires we cannot till we see him face to face know him fully and are fully sanctified Yet the highest degree of love in Angels and the glorified Saints is but finite To conclude the explication of this Precept we must know that not onely the highest degree but all Honour Service Subjection is due onely unto God â—n proper and strict sense For in respect of him Men and Angells are equaâ—â— and but â—ellow Subjects one with another And to them as such no Subjection Honour Service can be due Yet seeing by Commission from God some of them may
wherein it must originally reside and also by which it must be exercised must be determined this once done it presently appears who are subject unto this power and in what degree The partyes who are trusted with the exercise of this supreme and publick power make Lawes constitute Officers for peace and warr and execute the Lawes manage publique businesse and affairs and use all meanes to promote the publique good procure the peace and safety of the Whole and defend the Body from violence without and protect the just from injuries within The Subjects severally and jointly submit themselves and promise fealty and obedience There be many common-wealths and they differ one from another in the manner of their constitution and administration If the power be disposed in one it is called a Monarchy which may be Despotical when it 's absolute and unlimited in one person or Regal when that one is trusted with the administration and the executive power If the power be absolute in some few it 's called an Aristocrasy and so it is if they be onely trusted If it abide in the whole body yet wisely disposed it may be called a free State if so that the basest as well as the best have power of administration especially in highest businesse it 's a Democrasy Tyranny Oligarchy Ochlocrasy are corruptions of these constitutions In a common-wealth thus constituted we have higher powers § XIV and the duty of Subjects is to be subject loyall faithfull and acknowledg them as their Governours under God for the matters of this life For every soul must be subject or submit unto the higher powers which are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. And they must submit themselves to every ordinance of man that is to the government of man over man and the higher powers for the Lords sake Whether it be to the King that is for those times the Emperour as supreme Or unto Governours that is Officers as unto them that are sent that is commissioned by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well For this is the end of all civill government as ordained of God 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. This subjection differs from that of Wives to Husbands Children to Parents Servants to Masters for it 's an higher and publick power of the supreme Governours of a State as such And they must be subject not onely for fear but for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. This fear is not only that of Reverence which is the unto them in respect of their honour and dignity but it 's a featr of violating the Lawes or rebelling against the power because the higher powers do not bear the sword in vain They must obey their just Lawes For Titus must put in mind the Christians of Creet to be subject to principallityes and Powers to obey Magistrates and to be ready to do every good work Tit. 3. 1. Yet this obedience unto man is limited and is so farr due as it is agreeable to the Lawes of God They must also pay Tribute Custome and whatsoever Charge shall be justly imposed For seeing they watch over us and take care of the Whole and we enjoy the benefit of their care prudence and pains it 's fit we should maintaine them and be willing to erogate so much as shall be needfull for the preservation of the State For the publick good and safety is the good and safety of every private person They must also be willing and ready to assist their Governours with their persons states and lives for the safety of their Country And this many Princes included and required in their forms of fealty and allegiance And this Fealty if regular and rational is due first unto the State and then unto the Governours To the Kingdom first and then to the King Out of the words of the Apostle § XV 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. we may observe that goverours are supreme or subordinate and amongst the subordinate there be many degrees according to the severall degrees of power derived unto them for their severall imployments in the distinct and different acts of administration And subjection honour obedience are due unto these according to their measure of power and Authority This subjection and obedience unto the higher powers and Magistrates is limitted not onely by the Lawes of God but the constitution of every severall State These Officers are for peace of Warr by Sea or Land and may command those under them and they must be faithfull and obedient I will not in this place enlarge and declare the duties of souldiers nor debate the Question Whether a souldier in pay and yet in Quarters in his own country when there is no visible Enemy be exempt from the power of the civill Magistrate or no It 's certain that the power of Admirals and Captaines by Sea and Generals and Commanders by Land respect souldiers properly as souldiers and is regulated by Martiall Lawes which are different from the civill Lawes for the administration of Justice in a time or place of peace The duties of souldiers as such are to be faithfull and obedient to their Commanders vigilant in their places resolute in service orderly and quiet in their Quarters contented with their pay The Sins of military men except they be kept in order by severe discipline are to be cowards mutinous treacherous Revolters and likewise to plunder murther commit Rapes and many other kind of Villanies Commanders should be faithfull valiant prudent skilfull in Martiall affaires carefull of their Souldiers The Dutyes of higher powers are § XVI to protect their Subjects make good and wholesome Lawes constitute able and just Officers administer Justice and execute the Laws to have a care of provide for the good education of the people in trade learning husbandry to regulate trade and commerce to found Schools Colledges Universityes Corporations and by all lawfull meanes procure and promote the peace safety welfare and prosperity of the People They should be Fathers and such as tender the good of their Subjects as of their Children As they are called gods and are in God's place so in the administration and ordering of their severall Dominions they should be like God in Counsell Wisdome and Integrity And happy are the people to whom God shall vouchsafe such Governours For it is a great mercy Which if any people shall enjoy their duty is to blesse God for them pray for their happinesse and honour them according to their deserts And so much the rather should we do this because it 's so heavy a Judgment and cruell curse to be subjected and exposed to the pride folly oppression Tyranny of wicked Rulers It 's a sad condition when those who hate us rule over us The Sins of Subjects are § XVII secret Treason and Conspiracy open Rebellion Sedition disobedience to the Lawes contempt of the Power and Persons of their Princes murmuring and complaining of Oppression when there is no cause falsely traducing
sense as they are a Petition and so usually taken we must first consider the meaning of the words Wherein we have 1. The Name of our heavenly Father 2. The Hallowing of it 3. Our Petition that it may be Hallowed By Name is meant the Majesty and the supreame and universall and eternall power of God whereby he is King of Kings Lord of Lords and the onely God to whom alone all Glory Honour Praise and Worship are for ever due from all both Men and Angels and that in the highest degree For his Name is above all Names and there is an infinit distance between him so far above and all other things even the most excellent so far below This Name and this Power this Excellent Majesty and Supreme Dominion doth presuppose his glorious perfections and his eminent acts The Hallowing of this Name is not to make it more Holy or excellent then in it self it is For that cannot be done There is no degree above the highest no addition to that which is infinite To Hallow it therefore must be something else And it is to know and acknowledge it to be such as it is This cannot be done except it be manifested and it 's manifested in his glorious works and especially in his blessed word To know it thus manifested and to acknowledge him the onely supreme Lord with all humility and reverence and to subject our selves as nothing in our selves wholly unto him is to hallow glorify and magnify the same For all these words signify the same thing For to sanctify is to acknowledge Him to be excellent to glorify is to acknowledge him as glorious to magnify is to acknowledge him as great Yet it 's not sufficient to acknowledge him as excellent glorious great but he must be acknowledged as most excellent most glorious and the greatest and we must wholly submit our selves to him as such not onely as Creatour and Preserver but Redeemer To petition for this Hallowing of his Name is to request 1. That as he hath already so he would continue to manifest his name more and more not onely unto us but unto all others not onely by his word revealed from Heaven and by his former works but by new and glorious works so that his very enemies may acknowledge that he alone is God and that his name is most excellent and that he rules in Heaven and earth His name hath bin manifested to others it hath bin manifested to us and may be manifested to them that are unborn It hath bin manifested much it may be manifested more It hath bin Hallowed by others and much too We pray it may be Hallowed by us and by us more and more It 's manifest to all by the works of Creation and preservation and generall government of the World but not by his Gospell and the Work of Redemption as it is to us Yet many do not know his name though manifested many know it but imperfectly and not as they should and might do Many know it more then others yet do not acknowledge it as they should do and submit unto it And they who in this life know it most do not acknowledge it and submit unto it perfectly Therefore there is great need to pray continually that this Name may be Hallowed by us by all and that perfectly which duty will not fully be performed by us till we see him face to face in glory Yet in this vale of teares we may cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come and cast our selves and lye at his Throne giving all Glory Honour and Power to Father Son and Holy Ghost for evermore In this we pray for the confusion of Atheists Idolaters which either do not acknowledge him at all or not alone and of all Men and Devils which shall usurp this power and glory and arrogate it to themselves The second petition is § VII Thy Kingdome Come wherein that Gods Name might be the more Hallowed and Glorified we pray that he would exercise his supreme and universall power especially in the Spiritual government of mankind that all his enemies may be subdued and his Loyall and obedient subjects may obtain full and everlasting peace and safety For this is the principall end of the comming of his Kingdome and his Kingdome comes when he Reigns This Kingdome is not that generall providence of God whereby he orders all things to their ends nor the civil government of mankind in their severall Common-weales though both be subordinate unto this but the speciall government of God-Redeemer in Christ by which man is ordered to his finall and eternall estate This Kingdom and Reign of God began betimes even presently upon the fall of Adam and was still coming unto that very day when our Saviour did teach his disciples to pray Thy Kingdome Come It was come before and a great part of this Reign was past but for the most eminent and most excellent manner it was then to come John the Baptist Christ himself his Apostles and Disciples by his direction did preach that the Kingdome of God was at hand which did imply that the more eminent degree and glorious manner was not yet come though not far off And when he had finished his work of humiliation was risen again ascended into Heaven and set at the right hand of God invested with an Universall Regall power and confirmed in his everlasting Priesthood then this Kingdome was come and he began to Reign gloriously and God in and by him began to order and administer his spirituall and eternall kingdome so as he never did before Then the rod of his Scepter went out of Sion and he Reigned in the midst of his enemies he enlarged the borders of his Dominion and he made all nations his territory This is the Kingdom of the Messias so much spoken of by all the Prophets so much desired so much longed for so long expected by Kings and Prophets who lived not to see it This is the Kingdome in a Speciall and strict manner which they were then taught to pray for and in such a manner as that neither we now not they after Christ began to rule at his Father's right hand could pray for Yet because Christ did onely then begin to Reign and He must Reign till his enemies be made his foot-stool and all his adversaries even death the last be subdued and destroyed and this is not yet done therefore they might then after Christ's exaltation and we must now pray that he would continue to Rule by his word his spirit his speciall power till that which was promised be accomplished that so that great design of God which was the totall and perpetuall ruine of Sathans Kingdom and the full and finall deliverance of his Saints might take effect There be three degrees and Periods of this Reign The Frist Commenced upon the Fall of man The 2d Upon the exaltation of Christ. And the 3d. Shall follow upon the
us as without which we can do nothing Upon this account Austin made use of these words to prove against the Pelagian the necessity of grace The fourth petition § X which seeks from God temporall blessings is Give us this Day our Daily Bread The order is clear For we must first seek spirituall then temporall blessings the one as more excellent and necessary to eternal life the other is not necessary nor so excellent The prayer is agreeable to our Saviours doctrine For He that taught us to pray first for spiritualls then for temporalls taught us first to seek the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse and then Food and Rayment should be added These Earthly things were given to preserve this bodily life that enjoying health Peace Food Rayment we might not be distracted in the service of our God but chearfully seek eternall life in Heaven Earthly things are given to seek Heavenly and the seeking of Heavenly blessings first is the right and ready way to obtain Earthly Therefore to seek temporalls fust and more is preposterous and a perverting of the order prescribed by our Saviour both for our practise and our prayers By Bread which is the staffe of life is meant all kind of necessaâ—y food rayment lands houses Cattel seasonable times health peace good government Civil and all things necessary for a comfortable life that we may seek a better It 's opposed to famine nakednesse sicknesse poverty war captivity unreasonable times and all such things as make our life uncomfortable and miserable And we are taught by this word not to desire or seek riches daintyes or superfluities This bread is called Our daily Bread because we need it every day it 's suitable to and agreeable to our bodily nature and fit to nourish us and is to be desired in a competent measure between poverty and abundance The word is thus understood by divers learned Authours By This Day we may understand the present time For we must not distract our minds by seeking these earthly things immoderately or inordinately We seek them immoderately when we seek abundance or seek them too eagerly or take into our thoughts too much of future times which are uncertain and both beyond our knowledge and our power We seek them inordinately 1. When we seek them not of God 2. When we trust not in him 3. When we use any unjust meanes to acquire them 4. When we seek not Gods Kingdome and spiritualâ— first and chiefly This dayly bread to day is the thing we must petition foâ— And by these words Christ doth direct and limit us The Petition is in these words Give us which implyes that we have all earthly succour and sustentation from our â—eavenly Father and that by way of Giâ—t. For as you heard in the 8th Commandement the absolute and totall propriety of all things is in God And though they may come to us by occupation donation purchase inheritance labour or any other way yet they are from God who by â—hese meanes doth give them unto us and can take them away at Will and pleaâ—ure and when he hath given them Therefore it 's he and he alone that must continue them ours and blesse and sanctifie them unto us For otherwise all our labours cares forecast are in vaine Our daily bread is no bread unto us without his blessing it cannot seed us And these words imply further that we have a Father in Heaven and if we serve him he will provide for us and will not see his Children want bread This bread must be ours not others justly acquiâ—ed and given us so as to be ours not onely by the laws of men but God This doth not forbid us to take paines be prudent frugal and use just meanes to aâ—quire and keep them Yet we must not set our hearts upon them or abuse them to drunkennesse pride gluttony or any wayes mispend them or in our abundance forget our God After supplication § XI follows depâ—ecation which is sometimes joyned with fasting weeping confession complaints lamentations and other humiliations The matter of it is some evil which either lyes upon us or we are subject unto For since the fall of Adam this kind of petition is needfull The evils which we deprecate arise from many causes and are all reduced to the evils of sin or affliction The evil of sin is either of guilt or of temptation for it 's either past and so the guilt lyes upon us or to come and so we are in danger of it may be tempted to it and so overcome And first we are taught to deprecate the guilt of sin past in these words Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespasse against us In Mathew Forgive us our Debts In Luke Forgive us our Sins That we may understand what we in these words are taught to ask of God we must know 1. What the evill is 2. What it is to forgive 3. To whom the evil is forgiven The evil is sin which makes us guilty in making us such Sin as you heard before is a disobedience to Gods law it displeaseth God who hates it and makes the party sinning both liable to temporall spiritual and eternal punishments For he that shall offend God as a Law-giver may justly be punisht by him as a Judge Sins are called Trespasses because God by them may be said to suffer dammage and his glory due to him from his subject is impaired though not in it self yet in respect of us and if satisfaction be not made we must suffer The expression is from the Chaldy and Syriack languages in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chôb signifies to sin to offend God to do wickedly and sometimes to contract a debt And whosoever sins instantly and immediately he becomes a debter and owes a punishment unto God which he is bound to suffer and must suffer when it pleaseth the supreme Judge to inflict it if it be not some wayes prevented The substantive of this verb doth sometimes signifie debt but often sin and guilt One Evangelist as you heard calls it debt another sâ—n yet by sin is meant guilt whereby a man is a debter and bound to punishment The Socinâ—an not digesting and approving Christ's satisfaction takes occasion from the word debts used in Mathew to assert that sins are debts and the obligation contracted by them is obligatio credita whereas 't is obligatio criminis as may easily appear from the whole tenure of the Scripture and even from this place Whether they do this ignorantly or wilfully I know not but if ignorantly they are grossely ignorant For though sins are called debts and such debts as arise from contracts and may be remitted by a free acquittance yet they are but so called Metaphorically Yet no man can prove out of this place that they are so called in that sense but rather the contrary if we throughly examin the words To forgive or remit sin is to take away the guilt
transgress the just and holy Laws of this Spiritual Kingdom That we may he better understand the words of this Petition we must enquire 1. What Temptation is 2. What it is to be â—ed into Temptation 3. What we pray for in these words Temptation morally and strictly taken may be said to be any thing which unduceth and moveth us to sin as of it 's own Nature tending thereunto For we must conceive Temptations as in themselves tending directly to pâ—oduce or cause actual sins Yet because many times they are not onely resistâ—d but overcome they are like Attempts Assaults Endeavours which aim at sin yet do not always take effect They may be actual causes of sin yet sometimes are not sometimes are essicients thereof A Temptation may be called not merely a thing but an act Binsfield the Sâ—ffragan of Triers defines it to be Assimulatio Boni ad fallendum His meaning is that it is a Representation of a thing as good though it be evil to incline us to it or of something that is good as evil to restrain us from it And the end of it is to deceive the party tempted For because the Will of Man is so created of God that it neither can be forced or necessitated to sin not approve like chuse desire love consent unto anything represented and apprehended as eâ—il therefore every Tempter goes about to delude the apprehension pervert the Judgment corrupt the Will and so entice incline and incite it freely unto evil The great Tempter is the Devil § XIV an implacable and eternal Enemy to the Subjects of God's Kingdom And if he can perswade them to sin and to transgress the Laws of their Soveraign he knows he doth them a mischief Because upon their obedience depends their Eternal Peace and Welfare He knows our Constitutions Inclinations Frailties and Imperfections He observes our security and negligence and takes all advantages against us as being active restless subtile strong vigilant raging and malicious ever seeking not onely our Temporal but Eternal Ruine The danger from him is the greater because of his boldness in that he durst attempt our Saviour the Son of God and of his success in that he prevailed not onely against Sampson David Solomon Peter and other great Worthies but also against Adam Innocent He tempts man sometimes immediately and that either invisibly or visibly by some Form or Bodily Shape assumed wherein he appears to Man as once he abused the Serpent to deceive Eve Yet often he doth his cursed Works by others mediately and his most effectual Instruments are the wicked of the world who by their evil example bad Custom false Doctrine pernicious Counsels impious and unjust Laws perverse Judgments Perswasions Menaces Promises Persecutions Gifts Allurements and other ways restraining thousands from doing good stirring them up and inclining them to evil He also takes advantage from the Sensitive Part from the Ignorance of the Understanding the Depravation of the Will the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and rebelling not onely against the Dictates of right Reason but the Illuminations and Motions of the Spirit and from the Violence of our Passions and Vehemency of our inordinate Affection The more of Flesh and Lust is in us the stronger he is against us because we carry in our Bosome nay in our Bowels a treacherous Enemy ready to confederate with him and betray us unto him and so makes our selves to tempt our selves For Man is tempted of himself when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed Jam. 1. 14. Thus you understand in some measure what Temptation is and that the parties tempting us without are the Devil and the World and within us the Flesh and Corruption But what is it To be led into Temptation It 's not merely to be tempted for so have many been and have not onely resisted but overcome the Tempter and that sometimes with ease And no Temptation except entertained and in some measure consented unto can do us any hurt And whatsoever God by His Almighty Power may do yet neither Man or Devil can necessitate us to sin To be led or brought into temptation therefore is so to be tempted as that there is great danger we shall be overcome For if we be surprized found neither watching nor armed nor any way prepared for Defence or if we be weak and the Temptation violent and above our strength or if we be deserted and left destitute of help and sufficient assistance or if Divine Providence leave us circumvented so that there is no ways to escape then are we led into Temptation and shall hardly escape The thing § XV therefore prayed for is Not to be led into Temptation It 's not that God would not suffer us to be tempted at all at any time but that He would be pleased when He sees us weak and not able to stand either to divert it or delay it and so for the time to prevent it Or if that it be His Will that we must be tempted that He would not desert us and deny His assistance or not suffer us to presume or despair or that He restrain the violence of the Tempter and abate the strength of the Temptation or proportion it to our strength and our strength to it lest it prove Superiour so that though the Temptation be continued long be violent and extraordinary we may have great and extraordinary power and assistance not onely to resist but conquer or that He would make a way to escape and that He would never suffer us to be secure but stir us up that we may be ever watchful In a word we pray for clearness of Understanding soundness of Judgment integrity of Heart a great measure of Confidence and Prudence in Heavenly Things and all the Graces of the Spirit strong Resolutions against Sin constancy in the profession and practice of His Truth power over Passions and Affections Noble and Divine Affections so that we may be above the fears and desires of the World whereby men are intangled in the snares of Sathan his continual care and assistance until the very hour of Death and that in our hardest and extream Conflicts He would stand at our right hand perfect stablish strengthen settle us and shortly tread Sathan under our feet that so we may obtain a final Victory and the state of safety and security wherein we shall never be in danger of sin and temptation any more We ought to be the more earnest and fervent in this Petition because we know our own weakness the strength and violence of temptation the sad condition of such as are foyled the glory joy and comfort of the Victory And this is our great advantage that Christ hath overcome the World cast out the Prince of Darkness and being tempted and that violently himself He pities us the more and hath the greater care of us Yet Importunity will little avail us except we stand continually upon our Watch strongly armed with the compleat
Armour of God use the strength God hath given us take all opportunity to do good avoid the causes and occasions of sin not presume upon our own power humbly rely upon God be patient and continue fighting defend our selves and resist the Enemy unto Death and if we be sometimes worsted and wounded presently renew our Repentance and Faith return unto the Fight again with greater Care and stronger Resolutions make no Truce with the Enemy give him no respight never faint nor intermit the War till Sin be fully and finally subdued in us The words of this Petition do seem to imply that God doth lead us sometimes into temptation and the expression seems strange For God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth He any man Jam. 1. 13. Therefore we must understand the words so As 1. In no wise to think that God doth or can move or induce any man to sin for this cannot any ways stand with His purest Holiness nor with His most Holy Law 2. Yet because nothing can be done or come to pass without His Divine Providence either effecting or permitting or ordering therefore God may be said to lead into temptation because He either permits us to be tempted and neither restrains the Tempter nor prevents the Temptation For if a Sparrow fall not to the ground much less is Man tempted without His Will and Providence 3. God doth put a Man in such a condition as wherein He shall be tempted and the condition it self is such as no ways in it self tends unto sin yet through Man's Negligence or Corruption may be a great occasion of Temptation And so He may be said to tempt per accidens An estate of Peace and Wealth is good yet such is the subtilty of Sathan and the corruption of Man that few in that condition but are tempted and overcome 4. God may be said to lead us into temptation when He for some just canses denies us deliverance from and out of the same For desertions denial of assistance strength and a competent Superiour Degree of both are many times just Juâ—gments of God 5. God many times brings his own Children into an estate of Temptation on purpose to try their Faith and excellent Vertues and so gives them a glorious Victory Yet we must know that God necessitates no Man to sin and if in temptation we be overcome it 's not His but our own fault The last Petition is § XVI Deliver us from evil Some understand this as a branch of the former Petition as indeed it may be in some sense For suppose it to be meant of the evil of afflictions yet even these are called Trials and Temptations Jam. 1. 2. and Satan from these takes occasion and sometimes advantage from them to tempt us Job's afflictions as from Sathan were temptations Some understand by that word Evil Sathan that great Enemy and terrible Adversary Some say that that Evil is the evil of Sin as though we should say unto our Heavenly Father Though thou suffer us to be tempted yet deliver us from the evil of temptation which is Sin Yet the evil of Affliction Tribulation Persecution and the Misery of this life is not in it self sin though Satan and wicked men may seek by these to draw us to sin And whether they be punishments according to the fifth Petition for former sins or chastisements and corrections for future Reformation or Trials of our Faith and Patience yet we must pray that God would sanctifie us in them sanctifie them unto us and wholly and for ever deliver us from them seeing God hath promised to wipe away all tears and make all things new For they are not good in themselves though He by His Wisdom turn them to our good But we cannot be fully happy till wholly freed from them After the Preface and the Body of the Prayer wherein our Saviour teacheth us by whom for whom to whom in what manner for what things we must pray and give thanks follows the Conclusion in these words For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory Concerning these words § XVII divers things are to be noted 1. That as Grotius and divers others have observed they are not found in the most ancient Greek Copies in Matthew as they are not mentioned in Luke 2. Yet they are found in the Arabick Syriack and Vulgar Latine Translations whereupon He conceives those Translations to be made after the Liturgies of the Churches were brought unto a certain Form 3. Some understand these words so as to contain certain Reasons whereupon we ought to press our Petitions before the Throne of Grace and so move Him to give them For His is the Kingdom which they desire to come His Power alone which can effect these things and the granting of them tends unto and will end in His Glory We may observe in the Prayers of the Scripture that God's Saints did urge and press their Petitions upon God'â— Mercy His Justice His Power and Glory His place of Universal Judge His Promise and Covenant the Justice of their Cause the Iniquity and Cruelty of their Enemies their misery and sad condition their joy and comfort which would follow upon their Deliverance their Relation to Him His former Favours and such like And with these they added Solemn Vows of Reformation Praise and Thanksgiving 4. They may be understood as a Doxologie with which the Apostles and the Church did use to conclude their Prayers And hereof we have many Examples especially in the New Testament and in ancient Liturgies following the Scriptures And as the Preface and the words thereof spoken unto God with humble Aâ—oration is a fit Salutation of our Heavenly Father upon our entrance into His Preâ—ence by it to make way for our Prayers so a Doxologie is a very fit Valediction when we have ended our Prayers and depart as it were from His Presence 5. This Doxologie doth agree in general with others in the Scripture but it 's not to distinct and particular as many of them be which offer and ascribe praiâ—e and glory unto God either in the Name of or by Christ as Ephes. 3. 21. or unto Christ 1 Tim. 6. 16. or to God and the Lamb Christ Jesus Revel 5. 13. That Doxologie Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. was very agreeable to the Scriptures very ancient the Epitome of all other Doxologies and so a Doxologie that it was a Confession of our Faith in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost This seems to be essential to Prayer and to be either implyed or expressed in every Prayer The word Amen is the Epitome of the Prayer summing up the whole and praying it oveâ— again and repeating our desires jointly in one word and in publike Prayers it 's to be uttered by the people by way of answer not onely to signifie the former act of praying all again in one word but also their consent 1 Cor. 14. 16. And it may be
And this without any Salvô or exception But the Law of Redemption saith Except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13. 3. They give hope of Pardon upon condition of Repentance and do not look at sin merely as sin but as sin unrepented of The one faith the sinner shall dye the other the sinner not repenting not believing shall dye They may be distinguished in respect of the end For some are for destruction some for correction and amendment and the lesser are threatned and inflicted to prevent the greater and the temporall to turn away the eternall Some are exemplary to warn others some are not So likewise in respect of the sins committed they may be distinguished for some are for one sin some for many sins jointly together Some are for personall sins personall others for the sins of others as when Children become liable to punishment for the sins of the Parents Subjects for the sins of the Soveraign and such like They may be differenced according to the measure which is alwayes proportionable to the sin Some are threatned to be inflicted in the same kind by way of reâ—aliation as when a man suffers in that wherein he sins They may be distinguished according to the severall distinctions of the Subjects For some are directed against single Persons some against Families Some against whole Nations Some against the whole World Yet this is a good and true observation made by many that neither the promises nor mercies promised are merited or deserved by sinfull man though he repent and believe yet the punishments threatned are fully deserved by man and God in punishing never did exceed but rather abate and when he afflicts most severely yet he doth it rather â—itra Condignum For we may justly and fully deserve the highest degree of punishments threatned but not the lowest degree of mercies promised We must all say with good Jacob I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant Gen. 32. 10. I forbear for the present further to inlarge in the doctrine of promises and threats and to descend to particulars because I shall have occasion in my discourse of Gods judgment to speak more particularly of rewards and punishments which are the matter of promises and threats which fully inform man of his destiny and doom and what in judgment he must look for to his own misery or happinesse CHAP. XX. Of the Judgment of God REDEEMER in Rewards and Punishments and of the Object Obedience or Disobedienco to the Laws of God Redeemer and in Particular of Punishments AFter the Laws of God as a rule of mans obedience in the precepts § I and prohibitions and of his judgment in the promises or threats follows the consideration of the judgment of God-Redeemer And it may be described to be An act of the jurisdiction of God-Redeemer whereby he renders to every man according to his workes as agreeable or disagreeable to the Laws of Redemption punishment or rewards In these words we may observe 1. The generall nature of it 2. The speciâ—icall form and difference The generall nature is this 1. That it is not an attribute but an Act of God 2. An act of God Redeemer 3. An act of Juridiction It s not an act of acquiring Power nor of the constitution of his kingdome but of the administration and it s not an act of Legislation but of jurisdiction The power of jurisdiction God acquired as you heard by the humiliation of the word made flesh It was exercised first before the word incarnate by God without any Administratour-generall But after that our blessed Saviour was exalted to the right hand of Majesty He committed all judgment to the Son John 5. 22. To whom he had given all power both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 27. 18. Yet in the excercise and execution of this jurisdiction both before and since the exaltation of Christ there is use made of Angels Men and all Creatures This jurisdiction is supreme Universal Spirituall Independent yet exercised according to Law The subject upon which this jurisdiction is exercised is man even all men and every person from the first Adam unto the last Child that shall be born The act of it is retribution of something for nothing of good for good of evil for evil The Object of this act is the doings or Works of man as man endued with understanding and Free Will For it considers not the acts of man naturall as he is Vegetative or Sensitive which are meerely naturall and agreeable to the acts of Beasts and other Creatures These works are not meerely deeds of the executive power but words of the mouth and the inward acts of the Soul and not onely the acts but the moral habits and dispositions whether naturall or acquired but especially acquired and dependent upon free acts These works are an object of this act of jurisdiction as they are agreeable or disagreeable to some Law and especially to the Laws of God Redeemer and according to these works Man is the formall object of this retribution and so of this judgment The Retribution is twofold 1. Of punishments 2. Of rewards For as mens works are so their retribution shall be If their works be good and they found obedient God will render a most glorious and excellent reward in the end and many other inferiour besides If their works be evil and they prove disobedient their Retribution shall be punishment according to their disobedience both in quantity and quality It shall be Malum triste propter Malum turpe or Malum incommodi propter malum injustitiae Yet we must know that no reward spiritual or eternal is rendered but as merited by Christ for such as shall be rightly qualified and capable thereof And because supreme Judges were never bound to formalities and this Judge is present in all places at all times knows all things even the most hidden both fully aâ—d clearly we need not here in this discourse bind our selves particularly and severally to declare the acts of convention examination testimonyes conviction sentence and execution as though these were alwayes observed distinctly and severally and that actually Hence we may easily understand the perfection of this judgment from the perfection of the Judge For. 1. There can be no question of the jurisdiction because the Judg is Creatour Preserver and Redeemer and his title is most clear 2. His power is universal and none can be exempted from his jurisdiction all are his subjects and his Vassals 3. It 's supreme and there can be no appeale lye from his Tribunall to a Superiour 4. As he is Omnipresent so he is Omniscient and knows all mens works and hearts even the hidden things of Darknesse and every ones Conscience shall acknowledge every charge to be absolutely true 5. He is most just and essentiall justice and cannot possibly judge unjustly Shall not the Judge of all the World do right saith Abraham
and severall degrees thereof but do not proceed to perfection and sincerity Some will hear the word but not receive it into their minds to understand the very principles and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom Their punishment is that as they will go no further with God so God will go no further with them but denyes unto them the Spirit of illumination leaves them blind as he found them and suffers Satan to take the Word from them Luke 8. 12. Some receive it so far as to understand it but are not willing to do it Their punishment is this that God will not make it further effectuall to promote their spirituall happinesse and they are left as the former to Satan to take it out of their hearts lest they should be ieve and be saved And though these may receive the Spirit of illumination yet they receive not the Spirit of Conversion Some receive if onely into their understandings but not into their hearts so as to delight in it and to do something commanded and obey it in some degree but either for fear of adversity or love of the World and the Cares of this life they bring no fruit unto perfection but either deny the truth or receive it not into an honest heart Their punishment is this That the Spirit of conversion sanctification and Adoption is denyed unto them whilst they are such but they remaine under the Power of Satan the dominion of sin and in the state of Damnation Some continue for a longer or a shorter time in this imperfect condition and in the confines of these Kingdomes of life and death and though God be patient and calls for an honest and good heart yet they deny it and at length the time of grace allotted by their Saviour is expired and then the things which belonged to their peace are hid for ever from them and the gates of mercy and eternall life are shut against them Luke 19. 42. The last sin is Apostacy of such as have received the knowledge of the truth have been convinced of the same escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust have tasted some joy and comfort in their Saviour yet turn back to their Vomit and Wallowing in their former sins or deny the Lord who bought them or do not only deny him but blaspheme him and persecute him in his Members The punishment of these is that God suffers the unclean Spirit with seven other spirits worse then himself to enter and keep possession and so the end of that man is Worse then the first Math. 12. 45. And it had been better for them never to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandement delivered to them 2 Pet. 2. 21. There remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10. 27. They cannot be renewed to Repentance Heb. 6. 6. So that they make Repentance and Salvation plainly impossible to themselves Such is the Punishment of them who blaspheme the Holy Ghost Though many of these may live a while in worldly Peace yet their case is miserable and so miserable as no Tongue of man can expresse and God delivers them up unto security till they suddainly sink into Hell or before their end awakes them and they become desperate and the â—lames of Hell begin to kindle and rage in their hearts and so intolerably that some with Judas murther themselves The Sins § VI deserving these Punishments formally considered are Impenitency and Vnbelief Impenitency is a continuance in Ignorance or Errour or other sins against the meanes and motives of Conversion and it 's the same with Blindnesse and Hardnesse of Heart which admit of many degrees according to the meanes greater or lesser or continued a shorter or a longer time or according to the Malignancy of the Heart which may be more or lesse Unbelief is a reâ—usal to receive Christ upon those terms God doth offer him After a time of Mercy wherein God calls us to Repentance mispent Impenitency and Unbelief which before were Sins may become Punishments The Punishment of these Sins is deniall of the Spirit either sufficiently to prepare them or convert them and so justifie them From some of these he takes the Word To some of these he continues the Word and denies the Spirit To some he grants the Spirit for some degrees of Preparation but not of full Conversion From some he takes away the Spirit wholly and delivers them up to Satan And this deniall of the Spirit is the heaviest Judgement that God inflicts or man can suffer in this life when men shall hear and not understand see and not perceive to have their Hearts made fat their Eares heavy their Eyes shut lest they see with their Eyes and hear with their Eares and understand with their Hearts and convert and be healed Esa. 6. 9 10. and Act. 28. 26 27. As the State of impenitent Sinners § VII upon their death doth alter so their Punishments different from the former do begin and they suffer in another kind and their condition being miserable becomes unalterable The day of Grace with them if not before as it is with many yet surely then is past No place for Repentance will be found No Prayers Tears Intercession of Saints and Angels or any other meanes can do them any good Their Conversion and Salvation become irrecoverable and impossible Death which in it self is a Curse yet by the Wisdom and Mercy of God in Christ to the faithfull is a door to Eternity of Blisse and an end of all their Misery is the beginning of their greater Woe and though it doth not wholly take away their Being yet it deprives them of all hope of a better Being Their Bodies are laid in the Grave or left upon the Surface of the Earth for a prey to Fowles Dogs wild Beasts or hurled into the Deep or howsoever dissolved and turned into dust are reserved for greater Torment Their Souls departed from their Bodies are forsaken of God not received by Christ not guarded by Angels nor carried into Abraham's bosome and are left as a prey unto the Devils and into whatsoever dismal Lodging they are brought or in whatsoever woeful Region they wander as in this life they had no faith in God no Union with Christ no heavenly Consolation of the Spirit so now they are destitute of all peace and joy And it 's not the least Torment to remember that once there was a day of Mercy and Grace an Opportunity of obtaining pardon or at least a power to have lessened Sin to lessen the Punishment yet now that day is past and that Opportunity neglected is for ever lost They are in the same condition with the Devils and reserved as it were in chains unto the Judgment of the great Day This certainly known and continually remembred continually torments In consideration of which
wofull estate it highly concerns all and every one of us whilst it is said to day if we will hearken to his voice not to harden our hearts lest God swear in his wrath that we shall never enter into his Rest. We that live in the last dayes and enjoy the Ministery of the Gospell have not onely many a fair Warning but many a fearfull Example represented before our very eyes These are the Punishments of the unregenerate § VIII which they suffer before the Resurrection There are also Punishments which God's own Children after their Regeneration and beginning of the estate of Justification suffer in this life For as they have their Negligencies Ignorances Failings and sometimes their grievous Sins So they have their Punishments accordingly For the most just God who is most holy and of purest Eyes will in no wise allow of Sin in his own dearest Children For though his greatest design is to save the sinner yet he will punish and destroy the sin As the greater their diligence care and zeal shall be the greater their peace joy and comfort shall prove So if they offend be negligent carelesse cold the lesse Communion they shall have with their God and the greater their doubts feares troubles griefs shall be And these spirituall Desertions of their God and the withdrawings of the Spirit are sad and heavy Judgments How great must their discomfort needs be when God doth hide his face Christ standeth at a distance and the Spirit doth not appear This is evident from the many dolefull complaints and lamentations of God's Servants and dearest Children They suffer many temporall Afflictions in their Persons Goods Families Children near Relations besides For they are many times chastened of the Lord that they should not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11. 35. The Sword departs not from David's house and his Children wrong and murther one another for his crimes of Adultery and Murther Yet these though grievous were not his most grievous and greatest Punishments The sting of sin and guilt thereof doth deeply pierce and torment his Soul the sanctifying and sealing Spirit was abated and in a great measure withdrawn as his divine Vertues so his blessed Comforts were almost reduced to a spark raked up in the ashes and if God had not in due time out of depth of Mercy revived it What had become of him What his case was we may easily understand by Psal. 51. at large especially by that earnest Petition Create in me a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit that is Comfort me with the Spirit of Adoption Psal. 51. 10 11 12. This Punishment Peter felt tormenting his Soul when he reflected upon his Sin in denying his Saviour And surely to find the Power of Sanctification and spirituall Consolation to abate in our Hearts and the Vigour of it for present extinct is an unvaluable losse and an intolerable Punishment to God's Saints Therefore we are advised not to grieve or offend the Spirit of God whereby we are sealed unto the day of Redemption Ephes. 4. 30. and exhorted to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. For the more diligent waâ—chfull zealous constant we are in the Practise of holy Duties the more our sanctifying power shall be increased the â—â—ronger our Hope the greater our Assurance and the more abundantly our Consolations will â—low Otherwise God being light will not communicate himselfe to men that live in darknesse nor to his own Children but as walking in the Light It 's strange that Saints and Martyrs in the midst of flaming fire and whilst under most cruell and most exquisite Torments should rejoyce with unspeakeable joy and in these Desertions should be so fearfully dejected Yet the cause is God will not abate the least Jot of his Justice when he shews the greatest Mercies After the Punishments inflicted by this most just Lord § IX and King upon single Persons declared briefly something must be said of the Punishments rendred to Persons associated as such These are considered either in a civill Capacity making up the body of a civill State or in an Ecclesiasticall and spirituall Capacity constituting a Church The Punishments of civill States and Kingdoms we may read and understand in sacred and humane Stories And so great are the Motions Shakings made in these great Bodies throughout the World in all times that we may easily understand that there is an universall and supreme Lord and that there is one most high whose Throne is in Heaven that ordereth the Kingdoms of men and disposeth all things in it according to certain Rules of Justice and Wisdome It 's a great Mercy of God to affoord us civill Government and to preserve the same And though the benefit thereof be generall and extends to all Mankind yet in the ordering and establishing Common-weales God hath a speciall care of the Church and the Society of Pilgrims and Strangers here on earth who seek eternall peace in Heaven as Subjects and Citizens of an eternall State This he continues protects and ordereth aright by his almighty hand and profoundest wisdom in the midst of all the Tumults Confusions Ruines Dâ—solations of the Kingdoms of the World These have their Beginning Increase Corruptions Alterations Ruines and fatal Periods not according to any certain Numbers or revolution of times nor the motion and influence of heavenly bodies and Aethereal lights nor from the power or weaknesse the imprudence or policy of man but from God according to the eternall rules of Justice and Wisdom determined and observed by him Yet he doth all things in number weight and measure most exactly and in the execution of his Judgments â—â—th the ministery of Angels Men and other Creatures When States that professe not the Gospel shall govern negligently imprudently unjusâ—ly and shall be corrupted and Corrupters and especially Persecutors of the Church and when States professing knowledge of the true God and the faith of Jesus Christ shall not onely violate the Lawes of Nature but neglect to protect the Church persecute the power of Godlinesse under what pretence â—oever become superstitious idolatrous prophane administer Injustice Cruelty be imprudent negligent unmercifull vitious and degenerate then the Punishments both of the one and other shall be Famine Pestilences Seditions civill Wars forreign Invasions Captivity Poverty Desolations many other Miseries and many times change of Government or the Translation of the Power Civill from one People to another and sometimes Anarchy and a totall dissolution of all order God useth the Governours to punish the People the People to punish their Princes and sometimes the Sword of a forreign Prince to punish or destroy both And when no Justice can be had from men on Earth he executes Vengeance in some extraordinary manner from Heaven Thus
it was in the beginning of civill States and it shall be so unto the end of the World God will have it to be so To all these Punishments must be added the losse of safety peace plenty and all other Blessings and Comforts which God doth usually give to men by good Government In the Execution of these Judgments the great Lord respects no Persons He punisheth many as well as few the mighty Monarchs of the World as well as the meanest Subjects The ruine of so many royall Families of so many large and potent Empires and Kingdomes might teach the Princes of the World to do Justice and to fear this everlasting Judge As there be civill § X so there are spirituall and ecclesiasticall Societies which as such have their proper Sins whereby they make themselves liable to those Punishments which God from Heaven inflicts upon them This Church which we call a spirituall Society began in a Family the first Family in the World of Adam and Eve being penitent and believing in that Seed of the Woman which should break the Serpent's head which was Christ. It encreased and was enlarged in that Family by their Children especially Abel first and then Seth and as mankind was multipled so it multiplied And at length there was a separation of the Sons of men from the Sons of God which Sons of God were in processe of time so degenerate mixed and polluted and the former Worthies and Sons of God translated into a better World that it was reduced again to that one Family of Noah Yet the greatest part of the Posterity of that Family who peopled the Earth did so apostate that a great part of Mankind was ejected and excommunicated out of this blessed Society And out of this great Body God calls Abraham and renews the Promise of Christ unto him more particularly and explicitly then formerly he had done He continues his Church in a more speciall manner in his Family and entailes the great Promise upon his posterity Isaac and Jacob and then in his Children who being multiplied into a Nation he brings out of Egypt and settles them in the Land of Canaan and encloseth them from all Mankind makes them his peculiar People continues the great Promise unto them trusts them with his Oracles and gives them Lawes and Statutes sends them Prophets and takes speciall charge of them till the Son of God was exhibited and incarnate Yet these with the Proselytes had their sins and according to their impenitency besides their temporall their spirituall Punishments But when Christ was once come into the World had finished the work of Humiliation was exalted to the right hand of Glory had powred down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles God calls the Jewes first then the Gentiles and by them commissioned to go into all Nations he begins to gather a Church Christian For they preach the Jewes and Gentiles bear believe professe their faith and so are admitted as Subjects of God's spirituall Kingdom of Grace As Disciples and Professours were multiplied in any City or Country the Apostles or their Assistants and Commissioners appoint Elders and Ministers of the Word over them to take care of their Souls for to conform the converted and build them up and perfect them that were converted and convert others for to enlarge Christ's territories The Officers of Christ were extraordinary and ordinary and some did plant and some did water but God gave the increase And the Elders and ordinary Officers were trusted with the Word and Sacraments for to dispense the one and administer the other according unto their Commission After that not onely People but Ministers were encreased and severall Congregations setled under severall Ministers they begin to associate and combine for Discipline according to their Vicinities and other conveniences This was the beginning of outward Ecclesiasticalâ— Poâ—â—ties Christian The end of this discipline was to preserve the severall societies in unity and Purity of Doctrine an worship to promote Piety to prevent Errours Heresies Schâ—mâ—s Scandall 〈◊〉 erâ—â—â—tion and Idolatry and so preserve them pure according to the first plantation of the Apostles and institution of Christ. The power of this outward discipline was 〈◊〉 Virtually in the whole body of the Church whether greater or lesse associated into one body but delegated for the exercise thereof in an orderly way unto such persons as should be judged most fit and able for that businesse This power did extend to the making of Canons constituting Officers exercising Spirituall jurisdiction in binding and loosing on Earth which should be made good in Heaven All the particular Churches of the World on Earth at one time make up one body § XI and community Spirituall subject unto Jesus Christ their Monarch I say as one Universall body its subject onely to Christ. For as for outward discipline we cannot find that Christ Instituted any Vicar-generall or erected any Court supreme in any one City or place of the World As God never made an Universall King so He never made a Catholick or Vniversall Bishop Men may fancy such a thing But it 's only a fancy not a reall truth nor ever can be proved to be so In the Church of Christ there are some living members Reall Saints who haâ—e a reall communion with their head and derive Heavenly blessings and comforts from him and these make up that which we call the Mysticall Church of which no Prophane or Hypocriticall Wretch can be a member But in the Churches severall which we call Visible and Instituted there are good and bad sincere Believers and bare Professours and Hypocrites And of these visible societies I now intend to speak when I declare the judgments of God inflicted upon the Churches When Ministers and People begin to neglect the duties of worship are remisse in discipline as the Church of Ephesus Corinth Laodicea and many others were fall from their first Love Purity Piety abate in devotion and the fire of their zeal is quenched Tâ—heir punishments spirituall besides their temporall are Persecutions from without Schism and Heresy from within By the one the body is torn asunder and by the other the members are poysoned And as they abate in their duty God abates in the powerfull and comfortable Workings of the Spirit And if they continue in their sins God in the end will wholly take away his spirit and remove the Golden Candlestick as He once threatned the Church of Ephesus and in it all other Churches in the like case And He will send his Word and Messengers unto another People and will let out his Vineyard unto other Husbandmen which shall render him the fruits in their season Thus He dealt with the Jew Many times God brings in upon their Cities an their Countries where they professe the Gospel but not Practise it Cruel and Barbarous enemies Thus He gave the Northern and Western Churches and Nations to the Goths and Vandals who like a mighty deluge overflowed them and like an
infinite but know him infinitely we cannot so we may know that this Reward is great but how great we cannot know as yet We believe it because God hath revealed it we hope for it because Christ hath merited it and God hath promised it We seek it because we hope for it and we shall attain it because the Spirit doth sanctifie us and prepare us for it Our Conceits and Notions of it in this Life are poor and very imperfect for we see but darkly as through a glass And if God had manifested it fully as it is so narrow is our capacity we could not have understood it The more we know it in this life the more effectually we are moved stirred up unto obedience For it 's a mighty motive thereunto For what would not an understanding and considerate man do or suffer to gain so glorious an estatâ— It 's an unspeakable mercy of God that he will give us some glimpses now and then even in this life of this Eternal Light and some taste of these sweetest pleasures For these refresh and revive us much in this Wilderness of our weary Pilgrimage and stir up in us a longing and vehement desire of a full fruition and cause us with greater diligence to press towards the enjoyment of this excellent Reward And though we may think the time long yet certainly he that shall come will come and will not tarry Surely says Christ I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus For till thy coming our hearts will never be at rest The punishment of the Unrighteous shall be contrary to this Blessed Reward § IV The very sight and presence of this Judge will appale them much the Summons appearance more the Sentence and Execution most of all For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on all them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. They shall not onely lose the comforts of this life but the Eternal joy and glory of Heaven which was promised in the Gospel and shall suffer the contrary evils and that for evermore Their bodies indeed shall be raised again and shall be immortal and they shall ever live that they may ever die and ever suffer Their Souls shall be stripped of all holiness and comfort and both Body and Soul shall be cast into utter Darkness and everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels where their Worm shall never die and their Torment shall be extream without any intermission without any abatement without any end The dismal place and cursed Company will add no little to their misery and there is nothing which man fears abhors and detests but they shall suffer there God § V by his Word and other ways hath made known these things to mortal men hath promised these glorious Rewards and threatned these horrid and external Punishments Yet though his Ministers and Messengers by Command from him â—et Eternal Life and Death before mens eyes yet these seem but Dreams Fancies unto Profane and Atheistical Wretches and are not seriously considered by many who profess the Truth Few do really believe these things fewer do effectually desire or seek the great Reward or fear the dreadful Punishment God's Blessed Word makes no lively Impression upon their Hearts Promise Heaven they are not much affected with it Threaten Hell they are not much afraid of it The Jews had Moses and the Prophets Christians have them with Christ and his Apostles yet men will hearken unto none of thâ—se and so sink into the place of Torment and are undone for ever God hath done much to save us but we do all to damn our selves and our destruction is of our selves God need not have promised Heaven but that He would stir us up to seek it neither need He have threatned Hell but with this intention that men might escape it Oh cursed Wretches who for a little Vanity lose the Eternity of Bliss Oh! that men would hearken unto God betimes and not delay their Repentance till it be too late when no Tears nor Prayers nor any other means that Men or Angels can use can do him any good And this will not be the least of the Torments of the Damned to remember that once they had an opportunity to have escaped these Eternal Punishments and yet they let it pass and must needs acknowledge they suffer justly who contemned the expence of Christ's most precious Blood the greatest love of God and would not obey the Precepts nor trust in the Promises of the Gospel Thus have I § VI according to my Talent declared out of the Scriptures that Special and Eternal Kingdom of God according to the Laws and Judgments whereof Man is ordered unto his final and Eternal estate The Rule of this Doctrine is the Word of God revealed from Heaven The King is God who is most perfect and glorious in Himself and by the Work of Creation acquired an absolute Dominion over all Creatures especially over Men and Angels and continued it by Preservation This Power acquired He did exercise in the Constitution of His Government over Men and Angels and in the Administration of the same by Laws and Judgments Many of the Angels obeyed and were confirmed Many of them disobeyed and were condemned to Eternal Punishments All men in the first man sinned and so became liable to Death Yet the Supream Judge in passing Judgment upon the Tempter promised Deliverance by a Redeemer This Redeemer is the Word made Flesh by whose Humiliation unto Death a new power over man is acquired and the same exercised first in the Constitution and New-Modelling of His Kingdom of Grace and Mercy and in the Administration by Laws and Judgments The Laws command Obedience forbid Impenitency and Unbelief promise Temporal and Eternal Rewards threaten Temporal and Eternal Punishments and as Men shall obey or disobey so they shall be rewarded or punished And these things are declared not onely that men may know them but do God's Commandements that so they may live for ever and not howl and curse and gnash their Teeth in Hell but serve their God in the Temple of Heaven and there sing an Eternal Hallelujah to Him who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb To whom be Praise and Glory and Thanks for ever And let all Saints and Angels say AMEN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS †As quoreâ— Camer acensis †But the devils can make no application to themselves because they were not made to them but to Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— VI. â— IX a lib. 4. c. 41. b Conceptui humano â— X. †So some call it though it was neither a general or a lawful Councel â— XV. §. 〈…〉 b This word is used by the Syriack Translator
as consecrated unto God were apt to represent Christ sanctified and set apart to be our Saviour and deliverer The bread was fit to signifie his body and the Wine his blood the bread broken his body crucified the Wine powred out his blood shed and both separated and given a part did resemble his death the virtue of both to preserve life the vertue and power of Christ dying to give us eternal life The eating of the one and drinking of the other our participation of Christ for remission of our sins and our Eternal Salvation The actions in the use of these Elements are either common to both joyntly or § XIV proper to them severally The common are 1. Blessing 2. Giving 3. Taking 1. Blessing which some call Consecration was by Word and Prayer For as other Meats are sanctified by Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. so these were blessed and sanctifyed in a peculiar manner by Word and Prayer The Prayer was 1. A Thanksgiving 2. A Petition A Thanksgiving for the Bread and Wine as Blessings of God given us for the preservation of our bodily life and for Christ the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven The Petition was for a Blessing upon our use of these Elements in this Sacrament for our Spiritual Comfort and Happiness It 's written that our Saviour gave thanks and blessed But what form of words He used is not related by any of the Evangelists Therefore we are not bound in this act of Consecration to any set-form of words yet our words must be such as are agreeable to the Scriptures and proper to this Sacrament The Prayers used in most Liturgies are such and agree not onely with the Scriptures but are suitable to the Sacrament The next common act is Giving and that some make to be twofold 1. A giving to God as Grenaeus and some others at least seem to intimate an offering of the Bread and Cup to God though it 's certain that the whole Service taken together and being a part of Divine Worship is an Offering made to God 2. A giving of both unto the People who are called Communicants The 3d Action is the taking the Elements given The Actions proper are 1. The Breaking of the Bread and the Powring out the Wine 2. The Eating of the Bread and Drinking of the Cup. The first is fit to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ. The second the participation of the benefit thereof by Faith These Actions may be orderly distinguished into 1. The Acts of the Party Administring which are 1. The Blessing 2. The Breaking 3. The Giving And 2. The Acts of the Communicants which are 1. Taking 2. Eating 3. Drinking They are reducible to Three 1. Consecration 2. Distribution 3. Participation The words are the last § XV and they concern either the Participation as Take Eat Drink or the things participated and they are concerning 1. The Bread 2. The Cup. In both we may observe 1. The great Work of Redemption 2. The Covenant both which are represented by the Elements and the use of them The Redemption is signifyed by the words My Body broken and My Blood shed For these inform us that Christ dyed and offered Himself a Sacrifice unto God offended by the sin of Man to propitiate Him by satisfying His Justice and meriting His Favour This was the Foundation of the Covenant and Man's Salvation For it made Sin Pardonable and Man Save-able That His Body was broken and being broken was given it informs us that He suffered Death and offered Himself dying That this Offering was propitiatory it 's implyed in that Bloud was shed for Remission In the words of the Covenant we have 1. The Promise 2. The Precept 1. The Promise in the words This is my Body broken and given for you and This is the New Covenant in my Blood which was shed for the Remission of Sin For though remission of sins and Salvation were merited and purchased by Christ's Death and Sacrifice and so trusted in his hands yet they are conveyed in the Covenant by a Promise or Grant Yet the Word is turned A Testament and if we follow that metaphor that which is called a Promise is a Bequest Yet though the Expressions may be different yet the thing is the same and informs us That it is the Purpose and Will of God for and in consideration of the Death of Christ suffered for our sins to give man remission and eternal life And this His Will He hath signified in His Promise whereby He hath bound Himself upon certain tearms unto sinful Man Upon which tearms Man may challenge them as due unto him And whereas we read in Luke and Paul This is the New Testament or Covenant in my Blood and in Matthew and Mark This is my Blood of the New Testament You must understand 1. That the words are taken out of Exod. 24. 8. 2. That Matthew and Mark follow the Hebrew and Septuagint more expresly then Luke and Paul 3. That the Sense of both is the same For to be a Covenant in the Blood of Christ is to be a Covenant confirmed by the Bloud of Christ and to be the Bloud of the Covenant is to be the Bloud whereby the Covenant is made firm and so both teach us that by the Death of Christ the Covenant of Grace was made for ever unalterable as you heard before out of Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And the Covenant was sounded upon Christ's Death 4. That this Covenant is called the New Covenant to distinguish it from the Covenant of Works and that Covenant that was made and confirmed with Israel Exod. 24. 8. 5. That as Christ's Bloud did merit so the New Covenant did convey the Benefits merited by the Death of Christ. This is the Promise The Precept is in these words Do this in remembrance of me That is As I dyed for thee gave my Body for thee shed my Blood for thee So eat thou this Bread drink thou this Cup in remembrance of my Death suffered willingly out of the greatest love for thee This Remembrance must be practical And as the thing remembred is Christ's Death for our Sins it requires 1. A Confession of our sins a Sense of them an Hatred a Desire to be pardoned and Purpose to forsake them 2. A Belief that Christ dyed for the expiation of those sins and that His Sacrifice was accepted of God as a sufficient Satisfaction 3. An acknowledgment of God's wonderful Love and the great benefit of Redemption and desire to be for ever Thankful Thus far the Rites § XVI wherein the Elements were chosen in Excellent Wisdom the Actions ordered in an admirable manner the words though few yet very comprehensive of much and weighty matter expressing the mystical and hidden part concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God the Glorious Work of Redemption the Blessed Covenant of Grace wherein we have the Laws and Constitutions of this Glorious Kingdom whereof we discourse The
second thing that follows is the confirmation of the continuance of this Covenant and that is in these words This is my Body c. This is the New Covenant or Testament in my Blood c. The thing confirmed is the continuance of the Covenant of Grace in the Bloud of Christ. The Confirmation and so the Solemn Engagement is two-fold 1. On God's part 2. On Man's part 1. On God's part by giving the Blessed Bread and Cup to be eaten and drunken 2. On Man's part by taking and eating the Blessed Bread and drinking the Blessed Cup. By Giving God doth testifie and assure man that He continues the same firm in the Covenant and is ready to give a further increase of Graces and a greater measure of Mercy for the merit of Christ dying and upon the same tearms the Covenant was made and confirmed at first For the Condition then was not onely to begin but continue Faith and Obedience and God by this Sacrament doth renew His Promise that man may renew his Faith Man presupposed to continue in this Covenant doth solemnly by receiving and eating this Bread in remembrance of the Body of Christ broken and offered and by receiving and drinking the Cup in remembrance of the bloud of Christ testifie and engage himself to continue in thta Covenant expecting Remission and Eternal Life upon no other tearms but Faith in Christ dying for him Yet because a Mist is cast upon these words This is my Body This is my Blood I must clear them that this Confirmation may be the more evident To this end I must shew 1. What is meant by THIS 2. How THIS Whatsoever it be may be said to be the Body of Christ And how the second THIS may be affirmed to be the Bloud of Christ. By THIS in the former place is meant Bread the blessed and consecrated Bread For 1. It was Bread that Christ took 2. It was Bread Christ blessed 3. It was Bread Christ broke 4. It was Bread Christ gave 5. It was Bread which Christ cmomanded them to take and eat 6. The Apostle calls this Bread three several times 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. But How is this Bread Christ's Body It 's not the Body of Christ by Transsubâ—antiation nor Consubstantiation For both these are contrary to Reason to Sense to the Nature of all Religious Rites and Sacraments to all Miracles For there never was Miracle that did delude the Senses For the Water turned miraculously into Wine appeared to be Wine and tasted as Wine and was Wine indeed as it appeared That many of the Fathers seem to affirm it to be the Body of Christ is nothing for as many call it Bread and a Sign and Figure of Christ's Body To this purpose you may read the Learned Dr. Crakenthorpe against Spalatensis in the Controversie of Transubstantiation where ye shall find a multitude of Councels and Fathers exactly quoted to this purpose The word Transubstantiation was not known till latter times The thing signified by it cannot be certainly defined For the greatest School-men and subtilest Wits differ amongst themselves both in the Definitions and the Explication of their Definitions Besides there is some reason to think many of them do not believe it For some of them amongst us have refused to take it upon their Salvation that after a due Consecration according to their Rules any such change of the Elements is made But suppose the change and that it 's certain to what end doth it serve For it 's confessed that wicked men may receive the Body of Christ in the Eucharist and yet be damned neither doth it profit any man who receives it without Faith THIS therefore that is said to be Christ's Body is Bread and at the first Institution it must needs be so for then Christ's Body was not broken neither did Christ then give it The second Question therefore is How Bread may be said to be Christ's Body if not really and by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation or some such way The Answer is That it 's His Body 1. By Representation because it 's a Sign and Figure of his Body as many of the Ancients expresly affirm and if any of these say it 's Christ's Body in proper sense as they of the Church of Rome would make us believe they do then they must needs contradict themselves And this is proper to all Religious Rites to signifie something invisible and many times the name of the thing signifyed is given to the Sign it self As Circumcision is said to be a token of the Covenant Gen. 17. 2. and afterwards it is called the Covenant My Covenant shall be in your flesh ver 13. whereas it was the token of the Covenant that was in their flesh The reason of this expression is the similitude and agreement between the sign and the thing signifyed In this respect Christ calleth His Flesh Bread not that it was Bread but because it was like to Bread And that place of John the 6th where He calls Himself and His Flesh Bread is alleadged to proveâ—t is change yet if the Expression and Predication were proper that place might prove that Christ's Body was changed into Bread and not Bread into His Body as will easily appear to any Intelligent and impartial Reader Yet to be a bare Sign is not all but to be a Sign so by Divine Institution as to confirm the Promise of the Covenant and assure the worthy Receiver that as certainly as He gives him that Bread so certainly will God give him the benefits merited by the Death of Christ. By this time we may understand what is signifyed by these words This is my Body But what is meant by the latter words This is the Covenant in my Blood and This is my Blood of the Covenant For the sense of these there can be no doubt but by THIS is meant 1. The Cup For 1. Christ took the Cup. 2. Said This Cup is the New Testament or Covenant 3. It 's called three times by St. Paul the Cup. 2. By cup is meant the Wine in the Cup. 3. This Wine blessed and consecrated according to Christs institution This Cup is said to be the new testament that is the sign whereby it 's confirmed in this Sacrament and as it were a pledge given by God and received by man of remission of sin merited by the blood of Christ and for his sake promised to us Whereas Mathew and Mark relate that Christ said This is my blood it 's meant that the Wine in the Cup was a token and sign of his blood given and received to confirm the new Testament or Covenant Thus Circumcision was a Sign and Seal of the Righteousnesse of faith to Abraham as this Cup is a sign to signify and a Seal to confirm the righteousnesse of faith and remission of sins in the blood of Christ. As for the real presence of Christ in this Sacrament it 's certain that his glorifyed body is in Heaven Yet he