against him Yea 2. His Design is broken for us men 1 Tim. 2.5 and 2 Tim. 1.10 even for Adam and all his Posterity inasmuch as through what Christ hath done and Suffered for us He hath so abolished Death the Death that by that Sin came upon us that it notwithstanding we may or might any man in his proper time during the Day of Grace Isa 55.5 6 7. Ezek. 33.11 2 Sam. 14.14 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Cor. 15.20 21. Rom. 5.18 John 5.28 29 25 11.25 26. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 be Saved and be brought back again to God in that Judgment and Death no man shall Everlastingly Perish but in a Second they that do Christ is the Resurrection and the Life out 〈◊〉 the First so speaking to the Dead in Spirit as to cause them to hear so as they may in hearing and listening to him Live And he will so speak to the Bodily Dead as that out of that Death All shall Live so as to be brought before him as their Soveraign Lord and Judge to be judged by him according as in their life-times they have accepted or rejected him So that notwithstanding their Sin Committed in Adam or their sinfulness thence contracted or the Death therefore ordered to them Prov. 1.22 23. Psal 95.7 8. Isa 45.22 55. 1 2 3 6 7. Rev. 22.17 Eccles 7.1 2 3 4 5. Psal 90.11 39. 4 5 6. John 5.24 Prov. 1.23 Rev. 22.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 22.3 4. any man in hearing the Voice of Christ as while it is called to day any man may Maugre all that Plot of Satan may be brought back to an happy Estate through Jesus Christ Yea this Death as now ordered through Jesus Christ affords exceeding great Motive and is of singular use to awaken men and provoke them to seek the Lord that they may live and being Justified by Christ as that is certainly to be met with in obeying his Voice any man may come to the injoyment of Fellowship with him in the restauration and glory of our Nature in him so as to have a better Paradise and Tree of Life a better Sabbath a better World even new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness with freedom from temptation and from danger of falling from it then ever Adam had or we in him 3. Yea 1 Pet. 5.8 Ephes 2.2 3. Rev. 20.3 Joh. 8.44 with ver 32 33 34 36. Rom. 10.11 12 c. Whereas Satan is yet busily Plotting though his Head be so broken in Christ as to his First Plot and the Jurisdiction got thereby seeking to draw particular persons into new Snares and to bring them to a new Condemnation by their personal voluntary and unnecessitated slightings and refusings of the Light and Truth or Voice of the Son of God even then when he is calling them and therein setting them free and moving them to listen and adhere to him and men are generally being weak in themselves and through the sweetness they feel Jam. 3.2 Joh. 3.19 20. 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Rom. 5.16 Isa 53.12 Luk. 13.7 8 9. Isa 55.7 or fancy in their selfish sinful ways apt to listen to him and in many things we sin all Christ is herein Preached and represented as the Mediator of God and Men the Propitiation for the Sins of the World in the Superabundancy of the vertues of his Death and Sacrifice in which He infinitely out-did the Sin of Adam and its demerit by his Intercession pleading for and obtaining patience and forbearance for men and forgivness ready to be given them for such Sins also upon their letting them go and parting with them whence it s said Let the wicked forsake his ways Ezek. 33.16 and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord for he is gratious and to our God for he will multiply to pardon And in the day that a man turneth all his Iniquities shall be forgiven him none of them shall be mentioned unto him Psal 103. 3 4 6. And with the Lord is plenteousness of Redemption More then meerly to free from the old Score of Sin that came in upon our First account of our sinning in Adam So that he is represented by vertue of that his Mediation the Forgiver of other Sins also Joh. 3.18 5.24 1 Thess 1.9 10. 1 John 1.9 10. the Saviour and Deliverer from the Second Death the Wrath to come Having also Authority and Power and Commission to cleanse us from our unrighteousness we confessing our Sins before him and turning to him so that Iniquity shall not prevail upon us to bring us into Bondage again and so to pull upon on us the second Death Luke 13.8.9 25. Matt. 25.31.35 41. Rev. 20.10 c. which yet he also hath power to leave men to and for their Rebellions against his Grace to Sentence them to and execute upon them and therein to Destroy them for ever with the Devil and his Angels In which his Head shall be forever broken too both in himself and all his Seed as Plotting together against Christ the Seed of the Woman in himself and his Members so as never more to be able to rise up against them SECT 6. How Christ is set forth in the Gospel as the Fulfilling and Fulfiller of the Promises and Prophecies that fore-went of him and of all the Types and Shadows YET further to shew what a compleat Saviour Christ is and how compleat we are in him We may note That he is as the Gospel sets him forth The Accomplishment and the Accomplisher in their due time and way of all the other Prophecies and Promises concerning our Salvation Acts 13.32 33. 1 Cor. 1.20 Col. 2.16 Heb. 10.1 and the body and truth of all Types Figures and Representations of him mentioned in the Scriptures As He is 1. That Seed of Abraham Gen. 18.18 26. Matth. 1.1 2. and of Isaac and of Jacob in whom God Promised That all the families and nations of the earth should be blessed which is accomplished in him Acts 3.25.26 Gal. 3.8 1 Tim. 4.10 1 John 5.11 12. Matth. 22.4 5 8. Luk. 24.19 23 24. Dead and Risen for them and become the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe for God hath in him given us eternal life even to us men so as in having submitting to and receiving Christ in his Light and Truth we may have it Now in Eternal Life is included Remission of Sins Righteousness and all things And these are made ready for all so as any in turning at his Reproofs may and shall certainly receive them none excluded by him till they exclude themselves nor but for so doing Prov. 1.22 23 24. and 9.1 2 3 4 5 12. 2. He is the Shiloh or Peace-maker Gen. 49.10 Eph. 2.13 14 15 16 17. Isa 11.10 11. Rom. 15.6 10 11. Matth. 25.31 32. who hath made Peace by the Blood of his Cross and hath Preached Peace to
Mr. Moor Sen ' hath well observed Vers 22. and was the first that I have ever heard of in that observation said Man was now become like one of us as one of the persons in the Trinity as considered in Christ who had stept in and vertually was become Man and this to before Man was turned out of God's Presence Isa 28.16 Hab. 2.3 4. Heb. 10.37 Gen. 3.15 16 17 18 19. that so 〈◊〉 and men generally might have him Christ in the Faith and Knowledge oâ— him as a Foundation under his Feet to bear him up and as a Staff in his hanâ— for his support that he might not sink under any of his after Miseries Temptations Tryals or Deaths that were through him now ordered to him and to be grappled with and undergone by him Yea thence the goodness of God is to All and his tender Mercies upon aâ— his Works Psal 149.8 9 10 17. Col. 1.23 the Gospel Preached in every Creature under Heaven yea we may say in the very Devils in that they have not their will upon Man to do to him what they please but are abridged and bound up by him Psal 75.8 though by them aâ— by many men to it is not Preached much less it is Preached to them Yea thence his Judgments are full of mixture though often with much severity and hereafter so infinitely heavy SECT 2. Of Two Covenants with respect to the Two Adams 2. WIth these Two Adams we may find some hints of Two Covenants or Two kind of Laws that is to say With the First Adam a Covenant of Works both as to him and us viz. That if He keep perfectly with God and in nothing Sin'd or disobey'd him he should injoy the Earthy Paradise and the great goodness of God confer'd upon him in his Creation his Favour and Fellowship c. and transmit Righteousness Innocency and so the same Privileges with himself to his Seed who also walking in that their Righteousness and Innocency should have continued in the same favour but he Sinning and Falling all should be Lost and Condemned in him as the Event declared and as is signified in Rom. 5.12 15 16 18. He being set as it were to keep Sin out of the World And of this Nature in some respect is the Covenant or Law of Works that finds us all Sinners Now that the First Adam is Fallen though as given since Gal. 3.19 20 21. Rom. 7.10 it was given in the Hand of a Mediator as other of God's Dispensations and dealings now are and so to gracious ends Heb. 10.1 even to Life thâ— in a killing convincing way and with additions of Types and Shadows pointing to Christ which were not of the Essence of the Covenant or any part of it as pertaining to Adam considering in himself and as the Natural Root of 〈◊〉 All nor should have been in such a way given or with such additions had not the Mediator stept in That Covenant as with Adam requiring in him and from him in us all personal Gal. 3.10 perfect and uninterrupted obedience and cursing Man even all iâ— Adam in case of his sinning and any man in their persons had he stood that should in their persons have sinned as he did In the Second Adam a Covenant of Grace to us is made Though we may say it was a Covenant of Greater Works to and with Christ as to himself in comparison of which the Covenant with Adam was but as a Covenant of Grace in regard of the easiness of the things required of him above what was put upon and required of Christ the condition of it being as to him Heb. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. Psal 40.8 9 10. Isa 58.10 11 12. 42.6 7 8 9. 49.5 6 7 8 9. That he should be made Flesh Suffer and Dye for us bear out Sins dâ— be made a Curse for us and offer up himself a spotless Sacrifice unto God for us and thereupon he should in the Nature of men and for men he Lord and Christ and have the power of Life and Death â—e the Saviour of all Men and especially of theâ— that Believe have all men in his own dispose Saved out of their former Obligation 2 Sam. 23.5 Isa 49.7 55.4 to Perish and made now capable of further Salvation Life and Glory so as by and through him To which end He should be their Light and the Salvation of God to the ends of the Earth And through him there is this Covenant of Grace to and with Men firm and sure in him yea He the very bond of it given for a Covenant to the People and to be held forth to and by them Viz. That any of the Race of the Lost Fallen Adam as all are looking to God by him and Believing in and through him through the Light Truth and Grace extended by him shall be accepted of God justified and have all Grace Administred to them in and with Christ for their coming to Christ leading guiding and preservation in Christ unto Eternal Life Yea an Everlasting Kingdom to be given them with him and that in case they sin against God after their Believing yet not continuing in Sin upon confessing it on convincement and returning to God from it by him they shall be forgiven cleansed and healed and through Christs Mediation of the New Testament be yet preserved in the grace and favour of God to the injoyment of the Promised Inheritance to which He hath called them Heb. 9.15 1 John 1.9 SECT 3. Of two kinds of Righteousness 3. SUitable to these two Adams also we have signified to us a twofold Righteousness In the first was a created righteousness spotless and pure and such as should have been continued in a spotless obedience of works Eccles 7.29 and so to have been propagated to his posterity by him had he stood But this is now lost and according to it there is none righteous no not one In the second Adam is a perfect Righteousness too not only as to himself but also for us To and in himself he had a Divine Eternal and Essential Righteousness as he was God but besides that 1 Pet. 3.18 2.22 2 Cor. 5.21 Heb. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. as the publick man he had and hath a perfect personal Righteousness standing in his performing what God required of him and perfectly fulfilling and accomplishing his will not only in his own personal conversation in the course of his life on earth but also and more especially in his bearing suffering and induring the Death and Curse imposed upon him to the Fathers utmost satisfaon testified in his taking him in the Resurrection from Prison and Judgement and exalting him to and at his own Right Hand His Obedience was his Righteousness and by his presenting himself as one that had so obediently performed his Fathers Will Rom. 5.18 19. 3.22 23 24. Jer. 23.6 1 Cor. 1.30 as a Lamb that was
purpose to work and do as to faâ— He purposed to make the World in suâ— Space and Form as he did make it 〈◊〉 purposed to make Man Upright and 〈◊〉 his own Image and give to him as 〈◊〉 did and do to him as he did and peâ—mit and suffer him to do as he did pemit and suffer him Yet by the way wâ— may distinguish of Permisson There 〈◊〉 a Legal Permission Gen. 2.16 17. 1. Cor. 9.5 6. a giving leave by thâ— Law to do things or not do them Sâ— God permitted Adam to eat of everâ— Tree of the Garden that of the Knowledge of Good and Evil excepted anâ— to the Apostles to Eat and Drink at otheâ— mens cost and to forbear Working anâ— nothing so permitted is Sin and Evil in 〈◊〉 Thus God never purposed to perâ—t nor did he permit Adam To eat of â—e fruit of the tree of knowledge of good â—d evil for then had he not therein Sinâ—ed But there is a Providential Permissiâ— a letting Men go at Liberty free from 〈◊〉 violent Coaction or Restraint to or â—om what is Commanded or Forbidden â—s a Magistrate that gives no leave by â—is Law to any to Steal or commit Adultry yet leaves Men at liberty not tying â—em up in Bonds or Chains or setting â—uards upon them to forde them to be â—onest so as they may have freedom of â—ction and be capable of obeying or â—obeying those Laws in which such â—ings are forbidden and accordingly of â—ceiving Reward or Punishment for â—beying ordisobeying In this sense God â—urposed to give and did accordingly give 〈◊〉 Adam liberty of chusing or refusing â—ting well or ill And this distinction â—f Permission is useful and to be minded â—oth in respect of Adams Sinning and â—ther Mens Yea and the Permission as â—od's Act and the Sinning as Man's Act â—e to be distinguished too And so to return to our Discourse about â—od's Purposes as they respected Manâ—ind Fallen We may say He purposed â—o do for us whatsoever the Gospel saith â—e hath done and will do for us accorâ—ing as therein is declared 2 Sam. 14.14 Job 33.23 And so he purposed to shew us Mercy and not to â—eal with us and leave us helpless as the Devil and his Angels but to save mâ— from the Death he would plunge himâ— into and call him back to himself agaiâ— and that not according to Works of Rigâ—teousness to be done by us but accordiâ— to the good pleasure of his Grace whiâ— purpose as the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. is manifeâ—ed what it was by the appearance 〈◊〉 Christ Abolishing Death and bringinâ— Life and Immortality to light by thâ— Gospel that is to say He purposed 〈◊〉 Save us by the free and undeserved senâ—ing forth of his Son and making hiâ— Flesh the Seed of the Woman and â—der the Law and by delivering him 〈◊〉 to Death for us all to make an Attonâ—ment for our Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to evacuate aâ— take away the Destructive power 〈◊〉 Death and by raising him up again 〈◊〉 our Justification and giving us Eternâ— Life in him And so he purposed to 〈◊〉 Sinners by his Free-Grace to the Life anâ— Immortality obtained by Christ for them upon the account Tit. 3.3 4 5. Prov. 1.20.21 22 23. Isa 61.1 42.1 Joh. 5.25 not of any good Workfore-wrought by them but of his Soâ— undertakings and performances for themâ— and by preventing them as with the lighâ— and power of his Spirit which to thaâ— end he purposed to put upon his Soâ— while yet Dead in Sins and Trespasses so as there-through they might hear and obey him Isa 49.12 53.10 11. 55.5 And he purposed so to accompany and bless his Son in his Callinâ— Men and so to glorifie him that many of them should actually and eventually â—in after him and obey him And that â—hey whosoever that listen to and obey â—im in the grace and power in his Calls â—fforded them should be Justified and â—aved by him but those that then stop their Ears against him and reject him and so persist against all means and grace â—or their Repenting afforded them should â—e left and given up to themselves to stumble at him and fall against him to Destruction He purposed also 1 Pet. 2.7.8 That he would not onely Glorifie his Son to call Sinners and impower and authorise him â—o Save the Believers and to exercise Paâ—ience and Mercy mixt with Judgment â—ere toward the disobedient but also to â—end him again to Raise the Dead and â—o Judge all Men Believers and Unbeâ—ievers according to their Works according as in the Gospel-Doctrine is declaâ—ed And so the Gospel Eph. 3.11 is a Revelation of the Eternal purposes of God purposed in Christ Jesus from before the Foundations of the World and the Preaching of it is called the Preaching of the Decree and his purposes as so Revealed and Preached are all sure and certain and meet Psal 2.6 7. and good to be known of Men. Yea and are so far known as the Gospel is known and believed by us there being onely this difference between those his purposes and the Gospel-Doctrine as to the matter of them That the Gospel-Doctrine declares partly as acted and accomplished and partly as certain to be accomplished due time What as onely purposed and with God was neither accomplishâ— nor made known but hid and secreâ— SECT 2. That the purposes of God concerning Meâ— Ends in particular as to their Salvatâ— or Damnation are included in and 〈◊〉 sult from God's General purposes for mentioned NOW as to God's purposes of deâ—ing with particular Persons as 〈◊〉 his final dispose of them they are cleaâ— included in and result from his foreâ— General purposes concerning Mankind Christ Jesus and are in them onely to sought after and discerned As God â—posing to heal by the Brazen Serpent 〈◊〉 that being Stung would look up towâ— it it followed that it was his purpose thâ— this or that particular looking to it shoâ— be healed and it being his purpose not heal any of them otherwise it followâ— that it was not his purpose to heal this 〈◊〉 that person that neglected it So it beâ— the purpose of God in General so to gâ— his Son in love to the World that whâ—soever should Believe in him should haâ— Eternal Life it follows as a thing includâ— in it and resulting from it That Petâ— James John Paul c. through God giving his Son to and lifting him up 〈◊〉 the Salvation of the World being prevailed with to Believe on him shall have Everlasting Life And God having purposed That those who when Christ is lifted up and Light and Grace are brought to them by and through him shall be disobedient and reject him his Words and Counsels should be left to stumble at him and persisting therein to fall to Perdision It was therein included That Judas being then Disobedient should in and for so doing be
left to take offence at him and persisting therein against all light and warnings run himself into Perdition So God having purposed that those who when the Grace of God comes to them bringing Salvation to them do still remain ungodly and turn it into wantonness shall as a Punishment and fruit of that their Wickedness be given over to oppose the Truth and exercise the Saints thereby it follows as included therein That Hymeneus and Philetus or any the like particular so doing was therein fore-written to that Judgment or Condemnation of so opposing themselves against the Truth c. Even as God ordaining That it should rain Mannah six days and not the seventh on the Camp of Israel in the Wilderness and that whoever should go out and gather on the six days should find enough and on the sixth day enough for that and the seventh day but on the seventh day none it followed That this or that Person neglecting to gather on the sixth day for Two days and going 〈◊〉 gather on the seventh should then b◠vertue of that general Ordination fin◠none And all these purposes as to particular persons are respective purposes an◠after a sort Conditional not absolute◠determining and necessitating either th◠Faith and Salvation of this or that Ma◠precisely or as a Man or Sinner simply considered nor the disobedience unbelief or condemnation of this or that man as so precisesly or simply as a man or a◠a Man fallen in Adam considered but they respect Gal. 2.15 16. Act. 15.11 4.11 12. or take in this or that Man as under such a condition or in such a way as to which God hath generally appointed such Ends or Issues So as if Peter or Paul had not Believed they had not been Saved by force of any other precise purpose of God toward them as Personally considered Psal 109.4 5. with Act. 1.16 17 18. that in ver 25. To go to his own place respects not Judas but the Apostle to be chosen Act. 16.31 Joh. 6.40 3.14 15. And if Judas had obeyed Christ and timely put away his Covetousness he had not taken Offence and stumbled at Christ and run himself into Perdition by force of any precise purpose of God ordaining him as a Man precisely considered so to have done And upon this account it may be said to any man If thou wilt Believe on the Son of God thou shalt be Saved not as representing therein the Believing as a mark and token That God fore purposed such a Man's Salvation precisely considered as that particular Man but as representing the Believing in Christ as the way in which and condition unto which he hath absolutely purposed Joh. 8.24 Ezek. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 Act. 4.11 12. 1 Joh. 5.11 12. and promised his Salvation And upon the like account it may be said unto any man If thou wilt not Believe on the Son of God thou shalt Perish not as thereby signifying That such a Man 's not Believing springs from and is a token of God's precise purpose to Destroy such a Man as that Man personally considered but because of the General purpose of God and to signifie the firmness thereof That God will Save no man out of Christ but to Destroy those that wilfully Reject and Rebel against him And this apprehension of God's purposes of Salvation and Damnation to particular Men as included in and springing from his General purposes and respecting men as beheld or considered in such conditions agrees well with the renour of the Gospel which saith Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And not That God gave his onely Son that whosoever should have Everlasting Life viz. by force of some fore purpose pricisely and irrespectively Decreeing such particular persons to it should Believe in him and so attain it as some make the Gospel to speak making that Phrase whosoever believe nothing but a Collection of the several persons fore-appointed absolutely to Life and their Faith onely an evidence of their being so fore-appointed and not any general inducement to All to Believe or significatio◠of any desire on God's part that they should believe and be Saved SECT 3. That the Great differences between the Remonstrants and Contra Remonstrants spring from their different Apprehensions about God's purposes of Salvation and Damnation to particular persons what be their Apprehensions UPon this Hinge hangs all the Controversie between the Remonstrants and Contra-remonstrants even upon their Conceptions of God's purposes Joh. 3.17 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Rom. 5.12 18. 1 Pet. 1.20 21. with 1 Tim. 4.10 2 Cor. 5.11 Prov. 1.20.21 8.1 2 3 4 5 31 32 33. 9 1-7 Rom. 2.4 5. 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Act. 10.34 about Mens Final Estates For the Remonstrants conceive and believe That God purposed according as he hath declared he hath done to send his Son into the World to be the Saviour of the World to Dye for all Men and to Ransome them all thereby from the State of Misery and Perdition that he fore-see they would come into in Adam and through Sufferings to glorifie him to be the Saviour of All giving Man-kind in general Eternal Life in him and to afford such means to them through him as he pleas'd for their calling back to him and leading them to Repentance◠and that any one Believing in him through the means afforded and by his Grace therein and therewith given should live by him and that any one finally rejecting him should perish Rom. 2.11 16. 2 Cor. 5.10 Not purposing this or that mans salvation or damnation that have the means of grace and capacity to use them or seek God in them but as rewards of their works respectively or of their entertainment or rejection of that grace afforded them that is as they should through grace afforded believe in and obey him or reject the grace afforded not believing or obeying him The contrary Monster on the other side conceive that God absolutely and peremptorily purposed that certain particular persons should have Eternal Life and Glory considered as men simply or as fallen men and that the rest of men particularly and personally considered should be lest to sin and perish and no such grace should be afforded to them as should be sufficient for their salvation And accordingly that he purposed to give Christ to dye as some say only for those particular persons fore-purposed to Glory and not for the rest and that those particular persons should by and through him be brought infallibly and irresistibly to believe and be preserved in believing and brought to glory or as others say that Christ should dye for all men to ransom them into his own dispose but not intentionally that all might be saved by him but only that those should absolutely and inevitably be saved to whom he
had absolutely and particularly purpose life and that the rest shou◠be left to themselves and to the use o◠the means vouchsafed and receit of the grace in and with them insufficiently tendred or the refusal of it so as that they cannot come to salvation According to the former not men as men or fallen men simply considered are the objects of Gods purposes of Life and Glory to be estated upon them but men as in Christ or as believing on him through the grace of God afforded to them much less are men as men simply considered or as only fallen in Adam the object of his purpose of Dereliction Reprobation or Destruction but men considered as rejecting Christ or refusing to obey him unbelieving and impenitent men But according to the latter men considered either as to be made or as made innocent and unfallen or at most * Super Creatarians Superlapsarians Superlapsarians as fallen are the objects of Gods purposes of their eternal ends however as to the purpose of Eternal Life that is represented as without or in order of nature before the consideration of a Mediator much more without or before the consideration of their believing in him and as to the purpose of Everlasting Death his purpose of not affording sufficient grace such as might be effectual to their Salvation is at least conceived of by them as without the consideration of their fore-rejecting Christ that dyed for them and offered his grace to them and so in effect implies Gods absolute irrespective purpose of leaving them to ineffectual Grace that could not save them and if not the dying of Christ for them rejected as a falshood too yet made to no purpose for them with which latter frame of conceptions of Gods purposes many things appear to clash especially these 1. That it maketh Gods election of men to be out of Christ as being in order of nature before the consideration of him and his death and sufferings for men for in it Christ is considered afterward not as the ground or root of their election but only as a means ordained to bring about that to which before and without the consideration of him they were supposed to have been elected whereas the Scripture speaks of Gods purpose of Election as a thing that was in Christ before the foundations of the world Ephes 1.4 And speaks of him in his sufferings and glory Rom. 8.29 as the Prototype to which God had respect in his predestination of those that were foreknown by him for they were saies the Apostle predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son which plainly implies that his Son in that Image or Estate namely of sufferings and glory was in Gods eye or consideation as a thing preordained and so foreknown of him in his act of predestination Object To that in Eph. 1.4 it may possibly be objected that the Apostle by chosen in Christ may mean in Christ as the eternal word or God only as it 's said all things were created in or by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.16 Answ But to that it 's considerable that then we should be blessed too as in him Ephes 1.3 4. as he is God only for it is said we are blessed in him according as we were chosen in him but now evident it is that we are blessed in him as he hath redeemed us from the curse and is risen and ascended Gal. 3.13 14. and therefore in him as so considered we were elected or purposed to be chosen of God 2. That frame also as was before hinted infers a manifest change and alteration from the Scripture-language and more especially as to those of them that deny Christ to have dyed for all or say that God purposed absolutely to leave the greatest part of men as fallen in Adam without any serious desires of vouchsafements of means for their salvation to utter ruine and destruction for then should it rather have been said That God so loved a few or some part of mankind that he gave his only begotten Son that they might absolutely be brought to believe and have eternal life or that those who were precisely appointed to eternal life might believe and so enjoy it rather than that he loved the world and gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay it might as truly be said according to their frame of thoughts that God so hated the world that he would not have it saved nor afford any such grace to it as whereby it might in as much as they judge so concerning the far greater part of it which may rather challenge the denomination of the whole than the far lesser even as they say it doth when Christ says I pray not for the world Whence John 17.9 say they sure much less would he dy for the world and what is that in effect but that God did not so love the world as to give his Son for or to it c. 3. In that frame also the greatness of Gods mercy to mankind and the equity of his justice and judgement is more obscured than in the former while it both carries in the bottom of it no really merciful design in God towards the most and implies that he doth and will eternally punish men for what he never vouchsafed them any sufficient and efficacious grace for their avoiding of but ordered his government over them so as he knew must needs necessitate their perdition 4. It also drives the maintainers thereof inevitably upon making God so to design the destruction of most as to necessitate also their sins of which they stick not often either in plain terms or in words every way equivalent thereto to pronounce him the Author Worker Cause c. as Dr. Peirce hath also largely and learnedly proved Yea they some of them the Supralapsarians n◠only render him as one that hath pleasure in the death of the wicked rathe◠than that they should turn and and live contrary to his own Oath Ezek. 33.11 as all of them do but also as one tha◠had pleasure that the righteous should dye and therefore sin for all were righteous in innocent Adam where they represent God reprobating and purposing the damnation of the most To say nothing of their broad contradictions to many plain Scriptures that they oft run into their patronage of mens slothfulness in rendring it either needless to strive to enter the strait gate or impossible to do it to any purpose with many the like SECT 4. 1 Sam. 2.25 2 Chron 25.16 About Elies Sons and Amaziah considered as also something to Act. 13.48 IT is said in 1 Sam. 2.25 that the Sons of Eli hearkned not to the voyce of their Father because the Lord would destroy them and in 2 Chron 25.16 The Prophet sent to Amaziah to reprove him for his Idolatry being refused by him in and threatned by him for his message tells him
that he knew God had determined to destroy him because he had done that and had not hearkned to his Counsel Which may haply seem to some to imply that Gods purposes of mens ends are previous to the consideration of their ways and that therefore some are left to sinful ways because fore-determined to such an end as destruction as others are therefore made to believe because fore-ordained to Life Everlasting Act. 13.48 And so that mens disobedience or obedience are but evidences because effects fruits infallible and necessary consequents of those fore-determinaons of their ends To which instances it is to be noted that God indeed who is the supream Governour and Disposer of all things is able both to save and to destroy and the power of ordering this Creature to life by aâ—act of mercy or that to destruction by an act of severity is only with him as the Soveraign Disposer and Judge of all And he acts all his Acts of Mercy or Judgement not according to any Rule imposed upon him or proposed to him by any Creature but according to the counsel of his own Will And so as he purposed to harden and destroy the Angels falling but to shew mercy to fallen man so to sinners for whom he gave his Son and to whom he hath made known his Mind and Will in some measure and they are disobedient thereto and deserve his anger again he shews mercy in affording yet more grace for their conversion thereby incouraging sinners to repentance or else gives them up to and hardens them in their sins and corruptions that they might be admonitions to others to stand in a we him according to his pleasure accoâ—ing to that in Rom. 9.16 18. He 〈◊〉 have mercy on whom he will have meâ— and whom he will he hardens and so a cording to his good pleasure he gave 〈◊〉 and hardned Pharoah sinning and do 〈◊〉 evilly against his people and had merâ—on sinning Israel when they had maâ— their molten Calf and still shewed futher savour to them in the preservation 〈◊〉 them or many of them to the land 〈◊〉 Canaan So he withdrew his mercy froâ— Saul rebelling against him and yet hâ— mercy on David and Solomon sinning anâ— left them not to â—eir hardness but gavâ— repentance to them So he hardned thâ— Jews when they had crucified Christ anâ— rejected his Gospel and shewed mercâ— to the sinful Gentiles in opening a doâ— of Repentance and Conversion to them And doubtless as he did enact in time 〈◊〉 he purposed in the Counsel of his Wilâ— to act and do toward them And so wâ— may say to the instances concerning Eliâ— Sons and Amaziah that God willed tâ— destroy them and therefore gave theâ— up and hardned them against the reâ—proofs given them that they might go on in the ways of ruine But then it s to be noted too that that was neither his purpose concerning them as simply considered as either his creatures made in Adam or as only fallen in Adam but as sinners against the grace of God shewed â—em through Christ as persons that reâ—sed to take his yoke upon them and â—o Sons of Belial that knew not the Lord â—hough the Lord was so made known amongst them that he might have been made known by them Yea that concerning Amaziah may be so read and understood as rendring the reason not so much of the Prophets knowing that the Lord had determined to destroy him as of the determination it self that God therefore determined to destroy him because he had done that and had not hearkned to his Counsel And such he hath purposed according to his pleasure to give up and harden and destroy and then their refusing good Instructions and Counsels that tend to their conversion and escape from Judgement may be and is a consequent to and sometime to some discerning persons a discovery of Gods purpose to make those persons examples of his Judgments and just severity and so it agrees with what was said above Sect. 2. though to some such as deserve such judgements sometimes he may give repentance to the escaping the wiles of Satan and recovering themselves out of his snares as 2 Tim. 2.25 26. according to that prerogative and power in the dispose of his creature that he keeps in his own hand and as in his wisdom he sees fitting for which cause the servants of God unless they discern the mind of God as the Prophet did concerning Amaziah that their sin is unto death are with meekness to instruct such and patiently to wait to see Gods mind and pleasure concerning them Those in Acts 13.48 ordained to eternal life and believing were instances of Gods mercy and grace afforded to sinful and undeserving persons after and notwithstanding their abuse of and sinnings against former means and mercies to whom yet God afforded such grace in his call of them that they were thereby ordained ordered ranked marshalled or disposed as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies unto or for eternal life or else as some understand they were worshippers of God before as such there were scattered up and down amongst the Gentiles to whom this further grace was therefore now afforded that they believed also the tidings of the Gospel but however that says nothing of any ordination of them to or purpose of eternal life to them Previously to the consideration of Christ appointed to dye for them as if some were first purposed to life and then for them Christ was purposed to be sent forth no nor of any fore-purpose of causing them absolutely to believe or to bestow eternal life upon them infallibly and inevitably considered simply as men or fallen men for neither are the words fore-appointed or fore-ordained to eternal life But speaking of the efficacy the Gospel had in them viz. that they believed Vers 46. Vers 48. that is held fast the word of God in distinction from those that either rejected it as the Jews or only rejoyced in it for a time as divers other Gentiles it shews the reason or ground of it and says they were ordained ordered set or disposed for eternal life which may also be looked upon as the efficacy of the word of God in them making them as good ground that therefore received and retained the seed and brought forth fruit to perfection And though God doubtless purposed to afford that grace to them that he did then actually afford for the enabling and bringing them eventually to believe according to the counsel and good pleasure of his will yet that was purposed in through and with respect to Christ and their end the having eternal life was no otherwise purposed to them to be their portion than as by that grace purposed to be afforded to them and accordingly in time afforded them they were set for disposed and ordered to it and so believed held fast and retained the message sent them So that these purposes or rather dispensations of the Providence and Government of
entring his Kingdom here in its Spiritual State is We cannot enter his Kingdom but by being born of God nor further enter into it to be under the Regiment Power and Priviledges of it then as we are born of God namely of God as objectively discovered to us and looked to or known by us they that know thy Name will trust in thee and as efficiently and efficaciously working by his Power and Spirit in us And so Regeneration contains in it Healing Confirming and Conforming too or they may in the place above quoted be referred to the words after it and denote the time when they should receive their Honour and Reward viz. In the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory that is In the time of the Resurrection and so it signifies That the Regeneration is not compleated till the Resurrection when the Body also shall be changed and be found in the Spirit and Glory of Christ But here I do as usually men do in speaking of Regeneration speak of its First Acts Of making a man in Christ The overcoming of the Heart to close with and believe in God and Christ and depend on him and so the infusing the Spirit and Principles of new and heavenly Life into him And so I distinguish it from healing conforming Operations and it 's sometime included in Conversion as the end or ultimate acts in it as Conversion is usually meant of the Souls first turning to God for otherwise Souls after Regeneration falling into actual Sins or sinful frames must be Converted from them but as I said before it properly follows upon the heart turned to behold or look upon God and Christ as presented in his Gospel and it stands in the framing strengthning and overcoming the heart to close with rest in and rely on God in Christ in and through which his Spirit and Power Framing and Creating it in Christ doth enter into it possess and act it for and towards Christ Ephes 2.10 Numb 21.9 2 King 5.14 And this is by a certain creative Power whence that Phrase We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Somewhat like the healing of the Israelites in their looking to the Serpent of Brass or the healing of Naaman washing in the waters of Jordan and it hath in it 1. A Spiritual quickening or inlivening of the Soul Psal 36.8 in its listening and looking to Christ to living affection to and likement of him and so desire after him through the presentation of the excellency of him as made known to and apprehended by the Soul as Phil. 3.7 2. A Spiritual quickning and strengthening of the Soul through the same Seed of the knowledge or word of Christ cast into the heart to a fleeing or betaking it self for refuge and rest to him and so to close with and hope in him and in God through him Heb. 6 18 19. Psal 9.10 3. A certain Spiritual inlivening of the Soul in him and upon him his mercy Gal. 2.20 goodness power faithfulness love c. and so to an acting in that life infused and put into it both towards God and towards man which the grace seen and believed by it operates works and begets yea and preserves and carries on in it and it unto and in It is set forth in Ezekiel 36.25 26. By the making the Heart and Spirit new by his Spirit and then putting in his Spirit into the Spirit made new the begetting a new judgment bent and disposition in the Soul and a new heart desire love affection toward God and Christ a new will purpose and resolution for him and then a putting his Word Power and Spirit into that Heart and Spirit renewed to live in it feed act and animate it in and for God according to his mind 4. His healing operations are a kin to those Regenerating operations and may be co-incident with his comforting operations too in part they are spoken of as fruits and consequents to Conversion Matth. 13.15 Least they should be converted and I should heal them but by comparing that with Mark 4.12 It includes or stands in the Remission of Sins at least as the necessary mean to it or womb put of which it proceeds for there for healing it is and their sins should be forgiven them Which by way of Metonomy may signifie and take in the consequents of forgiveness also such as 1. The speaking peace to them c. so the quieting pacifying and comforting of the Heart and Conscience in the sight and view of his goodness and knowledge of his love and favour towards it and of the forgiveness of Sins and hope of Happiness in which the heart-broken and disquieted with convincements reproofs and fears is healed 2. A renewing and rectifying the whole man in mind judgment will and affections and conversation sanctifying of him throughout filling him with right wholsome apprehensions and thoughts of God and Christ and himself and all things with right affections to God healing those distempers before in his heart and affections in their out-running after yanities and doting upon Idols taking offence at God and his Truth hateing what should be loved and loving what should either absolutely or comparatively be hated and so healing the passions fears cares anxieties and griefs of mind c. 3. A removing and taking off Wrath and Judgments that might formerly be inflicted on them for their rebellions or stubbornness against him yea and by degrees and in due time taking off altogether the Disease and Judgment that came upon us in Adam and through his Fall the power of natural Corruption â—nd dominion of Sin and the bodily infirmities and Death too in the Resurrection 5. Comforting Operations are in and through his Word or Truth as it is in Christ and by his hand power and spirit working therein and therewith in shewing help and remedy in Christ and in God and causing the Soul to apprehend and see it even suitable helps to all its needs and Exercises and by begetting lively hope in God and Christ for the receipt of that help both under its afflictions and in due time out of them all and by shewing the gracious and good end of God in his afflicting denying crossing suffering or ordering evils to it the lifting up reviving and chearing of the heart and spirit and maintaining the chearfulness and comfort of it in God as in John 14. He comforted the hearts of his Disciples by and through presenting to them God and his goodness towards them as an object therefore worthy to be believed in by them and himself as a constant lover of them that as well went away from them for their good as came and staid with them even for their helpfulness and salvation that he would send them another Comforter who also and more fully should comfort them by leading them into the Truth causing them to understand the Truths he now spake to them and giving them to
Affection to consume us from off the Earth out of which he took us yea we were hereby made obnoxious to the Wrath of God upon our Souls and Bodies and exposed our selves to the Devils rage and malice to Tyranize over us 13. Man being fallen into this misery was altogether helpless 2 Sam. 14.14 both in respect of himself and of any or all other Creatures He could do nothing to recover himself from it or from any part of it Psal 49.6 7 8 9 10. nor could any one man help or redeem his Brother for tho God might as afterward he did Gal. 2.21 3.10 21. propound some holy and righteous Law to him yet could he not be made Righteous and live thereby Psal 40.7 8 9 10. For neither could any such Sacrifice be propounded to Man to offer to God as might countervail the demerit of his Sin and Offence Heb. 10.1 2 6. 7.19 neither could any work or service be done by him that might be acceptable to God Isa 64.6 Rom. 3.10 11 19 20. Psal 143.2 Rom. 5.12 18. Ephes 2.1 2. John 5.25 He being fallen under a double Death one by way of Penalty as rendring him dead at Law and another in himself and his own powers rendring him like a lifeless breathless stinking Carcase unable to do or think any thing holy spiritual and acceptable unto God which yet could he have done had been but his duty and could not satisfie for his former sin Mic. 6.6 7 8 Nor could any other creature be able to give a price sufficient for him being too low and finite to satisfie the justice of an infinite Majesty offended and goodness abused All these things the Gospel-Faith supposes and takes for granted and often intimately and sometimes occasionally expresly mentions and every of them is true in it self and concerns all men so as they may be propounded as Truths to them whither they be propounded or no and are meet being propounded to be believed being Truths whether they to whom they are propounded believe them or no. SECT 3. Of Gospel Truths properly such touching Gods Affection to and provision of a Saviour for fallen Mankind and of his Person and Sufferings for us and Exaltation from them BUt now these forementioned Truths are not Gospel or Glad tidings nay rather taken by themselves and were there nothing further of Truth to be declared to or for any men they would be a very terrible Doctrine to such men importing nothing but Ruine and Misery to them But Gods Doctrine which he hath ordered to be Preached to every Creature Mark 16.15 Luke 2.10 11. 1 Tim. 2.15 or in the whole Creation is Gospel or Glad-tidings tidings of great joy to all the people true and good for every one and therefore to be believed by every one to whom it is declared 1 Tim. 4.10 and worthy to be believed by every one to whom it is declarable according to Gods Form and Order containing other Truths yet which represent God the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe in and diligently seek him As these that follow 1. That God notwithstanding the great folly and Fall of Man 2 Sam. 14.14 Rom. 3.19 20 21 22. and his own Law and displeasure against him though such was his Righteousness Purity and Holiness such the stedfastness of his Word and such our sin sinfulness and filthiness that he could not admit us fellowship with himself approve justifie or delight in us but banished us from him Gen. 3.15 John 3.16 17. and condemn us to Death and misery yet such was his love and mercy as he did not yet cease to love us and be graciously affected toward us but even without our seeking it of him yea when we ran from him 1 Pet. 1.20 3.18 he devised and found out as upon fore-sight hereof he had fore-provided and purposed a way for our recovery that we might be saved from this so miserable a case and might in listning to him be brought again into his Presence 2. That that way devised by him Gen. 3.15 Gal. 4.4 5. 1 John 3.5 8. 4.9 10 1â— He also revealed and promised from the Beginning and hath now actually manifested to be The sending forth his own onely begotten Son made of a Woman and so the seed of the Woman and the delivering him up to suffer and dye for our Sins Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 1.21 Heb. 5.9 7.25 Joh. 6.40 and so to ransome and make attonement for our Souls and the raising him up for our Justification and glorifying him in the Nature of Man for our Salvation to the utmost so as that whosoever believe in and obey him might not perish in that misery that either hath befaln him or further may but have Everlasting Life 3. That Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.26 27 31 32 35. Rom. 1.1 2 3 4. Luk. 2.1 2 3 6 7. Act. 2.22 23 24. Luk. 3.1 2 21.22 23 4 5 6 c. Matth. 27.18 16.15 16. Act. 9.20 John 20.31 1 Joh. 5 1-4.5 of the Stock and Lineage of David after the Flesh in the Town of Beth-lehem in the Land of Judah in the days of Augustus Caesar and lived and conversed among the Jews Preaching the Word of God his Father and working many glorious Miracles amongst them for the manifestation of Himself and confirmation of his Doctrine to them till they being moved with Envy did according to God's determinate counsel take him and Crucify him in the Days of Tiberius Caesar was and is that onely Begotten Son of God whom he had purposed and promised before and did then accordingly in the fullness of time raise up and send forth to be the Saviour and Deliverer of poor fallen Man 4. That Joh. 1.1 2 3 14 that Jesus of Nazareth was in the Beginning with God according to his Divine Being Heb. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.16 17. Philip. 2.6 7. The Word and God by whom God made all things in Heaven and Earth Visible and Invisible in the Form of God the brightness of his Glory and the express character of his Person before he was made man And that Eternal Word was in the fulness of time made Flesh a very and real Man Heb. 2.14 15 16. 2 Cor. 8.9 Isa 53.1 2 3. Rom. 8.3 Heb. 4.15 in the form of a Servant a poor and despicable man that had no worldly form or excellency amongst men to commend him to Men but was found in the likeness of sinful Flesh in all points tempted and subject to weaknesses as other men sin onely excepted to which low and despicable form out of grace and love to mankind and obedience to his Father he did willingly and readily yield and abase himself makeing himself who was infinitely rich to be poor for us Isa 1.14 Matth. 1.21 Act 20.28 1 Joh. 3.16 that we through his poverty might be
3.21 John 1.49 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 Matth. 28.20 Heb. 2.18 5.10 7.1 2 Ephes 5.25 26. Luk. 22.29 30. not onely Lord of all Men and Creatures but also King of the Nations general and of the Saints peculiarly The Law-giver to Men and to take the care of all ordering the Kingdom of God amongst and for them as best stands with his wisdom and their good while it is a Day of Salvation to them But especially as a King over his Subjects to take care of protect govern and defend them supplying all grace to them who hear his Voice as the Great Prophet and submit to his Kingdom Support them in Temptations and Afflictions Subdue their Enemies Fight their Battels hear and grant their Petitions subdue their Corruptions sanctifie them by his Spirit raise them from Death and give them glorious Kingdom and Inheritance 3. To be the Great High Priest Heb. 2.17 and 3.1 7. 1 Tim. 2.5 1 John 2.2 Luk. 24.46 47 48. Act. 17.30 31. Heb. 10.19 20 21. Psa 68.18 19 20. Isa 53.12 Luk. 23.34 Psal 119.4 to which by the offering up of his mo◠precious Body a spotless Sacrifice and by the Oath of God he was Consecrated and therein to be the Great Mediator 〈◊〉 God and Men the standing Propitiation for the Sins both of those that believe 〈◊〉 him and of the whole World That so to the world in general during the day of his Grace and Patience towards them respectively that door of Life opened and liberty for their Repenting and going back to God and opportunity in so doing of finding Mercy and Acceptance with him with means mercy and grace preventing them to inable and lead the◠thereto procured by his Death and Sacrifice for them might by his presentation of the same unto God his Father and Mediation or Intercession for Transgresson in the Vertues thereof made by him be kept open and continued to them so a◠that they not speedily listening to hi◠Voice as the Great Prophet and obeying him as the King and their sinning against the grace and goodness of God extended to them by him might not pull down Wrath upon them to the Reprobating and destroying of them But God might yet be patient toward them and be yet calling reproving striving with them by his Spirit using means and waiting with much long-suffering and goodness for their Conversion with respect to which Psal 68.18 he is said having led captivity captive to have received gifts in the man not onely for men as men simply considered in their First Fallen Estate but for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Whence they also are yet laded with Benefits and meet with manifold Salvations and Deliverances He as the Propitiation for them Gen. 6.3 Eccles 3.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Rom. 2.4 5 6. Psal 68.21 covering them from the wrath of God so as their sins are not so minded before him as that he therefore casts them away and destroys them which Propitiation I say he is for them so long as he pleases that a day of Grace should be afforded them there being for every purpose an appointed time A time to love and a time to hate a day of grace and a day of vengeance to those that go on still in their trespasses till the day of grace be expired As appears in the Parable of the barren Fig-tree Luk. 13.6 7 8 9 c. Let it alone saith the great Vine-dresser this year also till I dig about with Chastisements and dung it with renewed benefits and if it bring forth fruit well but if not then afterwards thou shalt cut it down For Believers 1 John 2.1 2. Col. 1.21 22 23. Heb. 7.25 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 8.3 4 5. Heb. 5.1 2 3. 9.15 Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1 John 1.7 9. He is the Propitiation and Advocate to present them in himself as Righteous and to make their persons acceptable unto God obtaining for them the Dispensation of the Forgiveness of their Sins and whatever favour or Blessing may be fit and good for them even Grace and Glory Perfuming their Prayers and Praises with the odour of his own Sacrifice and so offering up Sanctifying and making acceptable their Gifts and Sacrifices taking away the Iniquities of their holy Things so as that through his Mediation no failings in their Faith and Love no mixtures cleaving to their Services no follies or failings of theirs through Temptation repented of may deprive them of the promised Inheritance 4. He is also appointed Judge of Quick Acts 10.42 2 Cor. 5.10 John 5.21 22 23. Rev. 1.5 3.7.19 and Dead All Authority is given him to Execute Judgment also both here to Absolve Acquit and Justifie from Sin and Condemnation even due to Men for and deserved by such Sins as they have committed against God's grace and goodness extended to them He hath power to unloose upon their Repenting such Bonds and take off such Punishments as they had brought upon themselves by their so sinning as also to bind or retain their Sins and order and inflict what Punishments he pleases upon them until they Repent and that both upon the Unconverted World that Believe not and upon his own Subjects that Sin against him Job 33.16 17 28 29. Lam. 2.33 Psa 75.8 Isa 1.4 5. 9.13 27.9 1 Pet. 4.16 17. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. But the Judgments now ordered through and by him who is Mediator are during the day of Grace to all full of Mercy the cup in his hand is full of mixture and tend to drive men home to God and to keep back their Souls from going down to the Pit by breaking their Enterprises and hideing Pride from them though yet some of them be smarter and sorer than others Rev. 21.2 Luke 13.9 24 25 26. 2 Thes 2 10 11 12. Jam. 4.12 Rom. 14.9 John 5.28.29 Matt. 25.31 34 41 46. 16. 27 28. 1 Thess 4.14 15 16 17. 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. Rev. 20.11 13 14. 21. 22. 1 6. Matth. 8.29 Jud. 1.6 for he hath power to let loose Satan upon men to bind harden or otherwise to buffet or affright and vex them and to let out evil men too one against another or against his People that Believe to judge exercise and try them Yea he hath Power for mens Rebellions persisted in to cease mediating for them and so to turn the Keys of the Kingdom against them put an end to his Patience give them up to strong Delusions and to Destruction For he is able to Save and to Destroy as seems good to him And so also Power as Lord and Judge over the Dead too to raise them up and finally Judge them at the Last Day both by Pronouncing Sentence upon them and Executing it also when Pronounced To which purpose he is appointed to and shall come again from Heaven in the glory of the Father with all his mighty Angels to
them that were nigh and to them that were afar off and is the Peace between God and Men and between Men and Men to them that accept him and are found in him to whom is and ought to be the gathering of the People To him Believers are now gathered by his Grace and they that are not gathered now shall hereafter be by his Power gathered to be Judged by him 3. He is the Great Prophet Deut. 18 15 18. Act. 3.21 22 23. raised up out of the Jews like to Moses yea above him both in immediateness of receipt of his Commands from his Father and in giving Laws and Doctrines binding to all people and in Meekness Faithfulness Miracles c. yea One Greater then He Numb 12.6 7 8. John 3.34 Matth. 11.27 John 1.18 Heb. 3.1 2 3 4. John 20.30 31. 21.25 Act. 2.22 in asmuch as Moses was but a Servant in God's House but Christ the Son in his own House To him therefore all ought to listen and he that refuseth him shall be destroyed by him 4. He is the Great King and Shepheard of Israel that God promised to raise up to David out of his Seed or Loyns To whom God hath given the Everlasting Kingdom both over All Men and over Israel or Believing Men in special which he also is Anointed to Govern and Order till he shall deliver it up to the Father and God become all in all Psal 2.6 7. John 10.11 1.49 with Psal 89.2 3 19 20 c. Luk. 1.33 34 35. 1 Cor. 15.24 Matth. 3.17 17.5 Acts. 3.22 23. Isa 11.1 10 11. 4.2 with Rom. 15.9 10 11 12 13. Dan. 9.24 25 26. John 1.41.45 25 26 27. 5. He is the Root of Jesse The Branch of the Lord. The Fruit of the Earth The Ensign for the Nations to flock to whose Rest is Glorious The Messias or Anointed One who was the Messias in Scripture is found in him Luk. 24.27 44. 6. Yea all things in Heaven Ephes 1.10 Rev. 3.14 Col. 3.8 9 10 16. Eph. 2.10 or Earth by which God represented Himself his Grace or Salvation to Men are gathered together and sum'd up in him and in the Spirit of them are to be met with by men in and through him as to instance He is the Beginning of the Creation of God in and by him and his Truth God Creates Men to be a People for himself as well as by him He Created all things at the First He is the True Sabbath bath or Rest Isa 28.12 Matth. 11.28 Isa 42.1 Rom. 15.12 13 14. John 1.14 16. Coll. 1.19 Prov. 3.15 16 17. Col. 2.8 9 10. Rev. 22.1 2 14 1 Pet. 3.20 Acts. 4.11 12. Isa 28.14 15 16 17. 42.6 49.6 7. Col. 2.10 11. Phil. 3.3 Gall. 5.24 Gen. 17.10 13. Matth. 16.24 25. Luke 14.25 26. Exod. 12.4 5. with Joh. 1.29 Isa 55.4 John 6.40 14.1 15 16 17 25. Mat. 21.44 John 8.12 12.48 1.14 Heb. 9.11 12. John 14.8 9 10. in whom the weary labouring Souls have Rest given them and may in coming to him find it The Garden of God's and Man's delight where man may meet with and converse with his Maker and find all variety of Grace Blessings and Satisfaction good for him The Tree of Life giving Immortality to them that Eat of Him The River of living Waters affording living Influences to them that come and Drink of Him Joh. 4.14 and 7.37 38. The Ark of safety where alone we may be preserved in the midst of the over-flowing Deluge of Miseries that over-top all the Mountains of this World and destroy those that stay thereon The Governant God hath given to the People in whom we may have him our God and become a people to him in whom also we have the true Circumcision or cutting off of the foreskin of the Flesh i. e. all confidences in the Flesh with the corrupt Affections and Lusts thereof which we must needs submit to if we will be in Covenant with God through Christ He is the true Passover slain and sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.9 The cloud of God's Protection over us Isa 4.4 5 6. in our marchings after him our Leader and Commander out of the Spiritual Aegypt of the Worlds state and condition in him God Protects and guides us and looks upon the Enemy to disperse and destroy them The Pillar of Fire to give us Light in all our Marchings and consume the Rebels The Tabernacle which God hath pitched Isa 63.9 John 16 33. Eph. 6.11.14 15. Heb. 9.14 15. Rom. 3.25.1 John 2.1 2. Isa 56.7 8 9. Rev. 8.3 4 5.1 Pet. 2.5 John 1.4 5 9. 12.46 6.32 33 43 51.35 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Ephes 2.10 Isa 56.8 with Heb. 10.5 6 10. 2.17 5.1 5 10. Acts 3.22 23. Isa 55.4 5. Matth. 11.28 29 30. Heb. 12 2. Rev. 1.11 22.13 Heb. 3.2 3 4 5 6. 5 4 5 10 4.6 8 9. Isa 33.22 and in which he dwells and walks amongst his People The Ark of his strength and presence in and with which he walks before us divides the waters of affliction drives out our Enemies and brings those that are faithful to him into the Possession of the Eternal Kingdom The Mercy-seat or Propitiatory through faith in his blood The Altar of Incense perfuming the services of those that come to and worship God by him The Golden Candlestick in whom the true Light is held forth to us yea the true Light it self lightning every Man that comes into the World but chiefly those that believe in him The Bread of Life the Laver of Regeneration the Sanctification and true Washing by whom believed in we are cleansed from our Sins The Altar of Burnt-offerings and the Sacrifice it self that makes the Attonement for the Sins of the People and obtains Peace and Reconciliation Yea the Priest of God the Great High Priest that offers up Gifts and Sacrifices for us especially for the Worshippers by him The Prophet and Leader of the People The Redeemer out of Bondage and the Bringer of them into Rest who faithfully follow him The Alpha and Omega The Beginning and the End the Author and Finisher of the Faith Greater than Moses or Aaron or Joshua Yea answering to all of them being both the true Law-giver Act. 4.11.12 10.42 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. John 4.10.14 7.37 38 39. High-priest Saviour and Judge the Deliverer from Sin World and Satan the Preserver Leader and Guide in the way to Happiness and the Possessour of us to it The Heavenly Manna or Bread from Heaven John 6.48 The Water out of the Rock or rather the Rock that being smitten for us gives forth the Living Waters of Life even the knowledge grace and spirit of God to us to refresh and satisfie us John 3.14 15 16 17. 6.40 The Antitipe to the Brazen Serpent in looking to whom we may be healed of all our wounds even of those also which we
have procured by our former slightings of him as the Spiritual Manna and food of Life Psal 2.1.6 with Act. 4.27 10.38 John 1.50 2.20 21. Col. 2.9 Luk. 4.18 19. Isa 61.1 2 3. Zech. 4.6 7 9. Eph. 4.5 5.25 26. 1 Pet. 2.5 lifted up by God's Will that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life Yea He is the Anointed of the Lord the King The Temple the Restorer of our Breaches The Returner of our Captivity The Builder of the House of God His hands have laid the Foundation and his hands shall finish it bringing up the Top-stone with shootings and crying grace grace to it Yea He is the orderer of God's House and Service The Master of the Musick the tuner of our Hearts that they might make sweet Melody in the Ears of God Coll. 3.16 being filled with Grace In a Word He is All and in All in the New Creature 7. Nay all the Excellencies of the Creatures as well as All the Ordinances of the Law are but shadows to him Col. 3.9 10. Mal. 4.2 3. Rev. 22.16 Psal 84.11 Rev. 5.5 6. Gen. 22.8 John 1.29 Psal 18.1 2. Deut. 32.4 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Isa 28.16 Zech. 3.2 Verse 8. 6.12 Isa 11.1 10 11. Jer. 23.5 6. Cant. 2.2 3 4 5. John 15.1 Psal 52.8 106.2 He is the Son of Righteousness The bright and the Morning Star A Sun and Shield that will give Grace and Glory c. The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The meek and Innocent Lamb even the Lamb of God which he hath found and provided for himself for a Burnt-offering to take away the Sins of the World The Rock the Fortress the Stone of Strength graven by the Lord. The one Stone upon which are seven Eyes graven for the removing of the iniquity of the Earth and laid as a sure Foundation in Sion The Branch The Root of Jesse and Branch of Righteousness and Plant of Renown The Apple Tree amongst the Trees of the Wood full of Fruit and fragrancy and pleasant of Shadow The true Vine The Olive Tree in the House of God always green and flourishing c. Yea who can set forth all his Praises which according to the Gospel and what it asserts as done and suffered by him and received as the reward of his Sufferings to furnish him for our Salvation are to be ascribed to him Isa 55.1.2 Rev. 22.17 Such things the Gospel declares of him as true in themselves and the benefit of them open and free to and for all Men so as that whoever will may come and partake of them in submitting to and believing on him CHAP. III. Of things further contained in the Gospel-Faith and thence observable as implyed and signifyed therein SECT 1. Of the Hope of the Gospel SUch is the Doctrine or Faith of the Gospel as hath been said in the former Chapter and it is true in it self and praedicable as truth to all Men. The Everlasting Gospel of God neither is 〈◊〉 less true for mens not hearing or believing of it nor the more true for their heating and believing it But besides There is something contained in that Doctrine that is called the hope of the Gospel Col. 1.23 As the Covenant and Promises of God so far as yet future to any man Indeed all that is declared in the Gospel as done and accomplished in Christ in his Personal Appearing Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension was to the Fathers before Christ as to Abraham Isaac Jacob David with whom he is said to have made his Covenant and so to the Prophets and Holy Men matter of Hope because as then not actually performed but now as accomplished and declared to us they are to us matter of Faith onely and the Foundation of the things to be hoped for which is that of God's Covenant or Promises as yet unaccomplished to any of us which as the Promises partly concern the time of this Life partly and most properly and fully the Life to come I shall instance God assisting in either of them briefly 1. For this Life The Gospel declares as matter of hope 1. That God will so hear and help Christ and through him his Servants making him in their faithful Ministration of and through all means of his appointing so a Light to the Gentiles and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth that through the dispensations of his Spirit with the means to Men they may be put into a capacity of hearing turning at his reproofs and seeking after him according to God's Promise to Christ Isa 49.7 8 9. And Christ's Prayer for and Promise to his Disciples John 17.9 18 Psal 95.8 Heb. 3.7 20 21 22 23. Matth. 28.19.20 Whence it is said To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as implying That during the day of Grace God in Christ will not be wanting to speak to men so as they may hear him if they will not stop their Ears and harden their Hearts But this is a matter of daily Dispensation from Christ and as well matter of Faith to as of the hope and expectation of his Servants for men therefore I wave it and shall speak to it under that Head of Gods operations in Men. 2. That whosoever in Christs preventing them with his Grace and Calling do hear and turn at his reproofs Prov. 1.22 23. Ezek. 33.16 Act. 10.43 13.37 38 39. John 1.12 Eph. 2.14 18 19 20. 1 Pet. 2.9 and seek and close with him for them the Gospel Promises and accordingly it is matter of hope and expectation by and for them that God will forgive and pardon all former Iniquities and Trespasses to them and graciously receive and own them and put them amongst his Children give them the priviledges and favour of being a people nigh to him of his Houshold yea his Sons and Daughters As the Gospel Preaches The forgiveness or not imputation of Sins through Christ to men as a thing verily true and extended to them before their Believing so far as that them notwithstanding he is Administring his Grace to call and enable them to listen to him that they might Believe 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 6.1 2. Luke 24.45 47. so it also promises and gives well grounded and assured hope of the forgiveness of them in the further sense above mentioned so as to the justifying of them from them accepting and owning of them and making them his Sons and Heirs the Subjects of his special grace and favour in their returning in that grace afforded and believing on him Yea and also that he will have more choice care of theirs Acts 16.31 Gen. 17.5 6 7. than of theirs that reject him till any of them also do reject him 3. To the Believer Prov. 1.23 33 2.1 5 6. Matth. 13.11 12 13 15. yet further the Gospel propounds this as matter of hope and expectation That God in his owning him will further
in their raised and immortalised bodies they shall appear Matth. 13.40 41 42 49 50. 16.26 27. 25.41 46. 3.12 when he shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance even armed with the power and wrath of God in unspeakable unconceivable terror with an innumerable company of mighty Angels attending on him ready to execute his commands against them and then shall he utterly destroy the Rebels sentence them to be everlastingly companions with the Devil and his Angels that seduced them Rev. 20.10 12 13 14. Isa 30.33 Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. and whom they chose to adhere and cleave to rather than to folfollow the Lamb in his Light and Grace wherewith he prevented and followed them And then he shall execute the Doom also upon them Rev. 14.9 10 11 12. Isa 66.24 thrusting them down with the Devil and his Angels into an ever-burning Lake of Fire and Brimstone into the Rivers of the wrath of God to be perpetually kindled upon them by the power of that Spirit that came to them and convinced them and being obeyed would have saved them which Spirit being infinite and eternally wise and powerful Oh! how infinite eternal and unbearably great must needs be the wrath executed upon them by him when their bodies being immortal and insepaâ—able from their souls again they shall be capable of enduring it endlesly and being separated from God and all his Creature-comforts too they shall have pure wrath without mixture no dram of good or ease or comfort afforded with it The fire of his wrath shall torment them perpetually and the Conscience of their own willing sinnings against him and despising their Saviour and his salvation when freely offered them and made attainable to them shall perpetually grieve and confound them and as a Worm that dyes not for ever gnaw them All the good they had from God Luk. 16.23 24 25. and might have had for ever had they hearkned to him being evermore before them on the one side and the remembrance of it infinitely dolorous to them and on the other side the several wickednesses committed contrived thought and acted by them in word and deed Jonas 2.8 with the aggravations of them as for what foolish trivial sorry and vile things and against what checks warnings faithfull means of preventing them they have made the forfeiture and sustain the loss of that eternal glory that others have and they might have had in their obeying Christ in the light and truth offered them shall add unconceivably to their everlasting woe and horror and lamentation Rev. 14.8 10 11 12. and yet no ease after inconceivable times or duration nor no way or possibility of Redemption such the terror of the Lord in that day even such as his goodness abused by men in this day and the good the grace the glory trampled under foot by them the worth of the person and sufferings of Christ sin'd against and the greatness of the glory and majesty of God contemned and 〈◊〉 at nought 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Tit. 1.2 2.13 Matth. 11.29 30. 1 Joh. 5.3 2 Cor. 5.11 and that for vile things inâ—nitely below them deserves to be reveâ—ged with The faith exceeding true and precious The hope firm and infinitely glorious The obedience required exceeding reasonable and not grievous because he is ready at hand to effect it in us and therefore also the Terror and Torment upon the refusers exceedingly and incomprehensibly Dolorous SECT 4. A Digression about the Endlesness of the punishments mentioned in the Gospel-Terrors AGainst this Doctrine of the Terrors of the Gospel and endlesness of the torments or punishment to which Christ will at the Great Day adjudge his enemies Some may object that sure it cannot be consistent with his love mercy and goodness to adjudge his Creatures for any cause whatsoever to such endless misery Probably Mr. Hobbs Yea there is an Anonymous Author that hath put out a Discourse on purpose to prove the the Doctrine of Hell torments false and fabulous Therefore I shall add some Considerations here briefly for confirmation of the truth already said thereabout Yet not by way of particular Answer to that Book which I have also otherwise answered to some Friends for indeed it is so monstrous in its assertion and so self-contradictory that I hope none that give credit to God and are able in any measure to judge of things will be snared by it for it saith Sin is only punisht in this life no greater punishment of it than death quite contrary to the words of Christ that tell us John 5.29 That some shall be raised out of their Graves at the last day to condemnation and Dan. 12.2 That some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt yea that after the Resurrection some shall be adjudged to a second death a lake that burns with fire and brimstone Rev. 20.13 14 15. True the said Author also confesses a second death but he makes it but the same with the first save only as it is judicially executed for he asserts that Adam and all men should have died had they not sinned but now the death that should have been otherwise natural is now judicially executed and so a man that is hanged for murther or the like he makes to dye there in the second death But how cross this is to the Scripture who is so blind as not to see Seeing the Scriptures plainly make the second death to be a death adjudged to some men after their Resurrection from the first as in Rev. 20. before quoted yea the same nameless Author would perswade men that God works in them their sins wills their sins and falls before they will them that Gods will is the womb in which all the actings of men at first conceived that he was never displeased or unsatisfied with the Being oâ—sin and divers the like monstrous assertions that I suppose none but Atheisâ— or Ranters can easily digest and which indeed could they be proved true would render it unreasonable to conceive that God can or will inflict any punishment upon men for sin at all either in this life or after it much less endless Though indeed it might as reasonably be thought that God will punish his creature with endless torments Psal 5.4 5. Habbak 1.12 though their sins deserve them not as that he can or will be the Author Willer and Worker of their sin seeing sin is more directly contrary to his purity and holiness then the inflicting of Pain or Torments upon his Creature is or can be But not to trouble our selves with the several reasonings of the said Author in the said Book which also broadly enough contradicts it self while sometime it represents God as a punisher of sin in this life only sometimes tell us the wicked shall be burnt up with the earth and that shall be their punishment and sometimes that God was never unsatisfied with the being of Sin and so
it cannot signifie in our Saviours use of it that very place and fire or any such external punishment in this life as the above-mentioned Author would insinuate but a perpetual and everlasting punishment of the damned is evident 1. By our Saviours implying that God only can cast men into it and that after men have killed the body whereas if it were that very punishment or such like men might as well cast the body into it Matth. 10.28 Luke 12.5 Matth. 18.8 9. Mark 9.44 45. or the whole man while alive as kill the body 2. And by his saying God is able to cast the soul also after the body is killed into it as well as the body As also 3. By warning his Disciples and Hearers in general to pluck out the right eye where it offends c. rather than to be cast into that fire but to be cast into that Valley of Hinnom litterally or into any such like external punishment in this life we are not in any great danger of by retaining our lusts and corruptions Psa 73.3 4 5 6 Job 21.8 9 12 13. seeing we be very far remote from that place and many that live in their lusts live and dye in prosperity No nor yet doth it signifie any internal punishment here both because it 's a punishment after the body is killed and because it 's perpetual and everlasting as appears by other expressions joyned with it by which also it 's called as 2. It 's called the fire that shall never be quenched so Mark 9.43 to 49. 3. A Lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second Death Re◠20.15 4. Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 those expressions of the Worm not dying an◠Fire that is not quenched are borrowed from Isa 66.24 which speaks of the punishment of the wicked in the time 〈◊〉 the new Heavens and new Earth ver 22. which is the time after the Resurrection and the Judgement Rev. 20. and 21. and it 's to be minded that not only that fire is said to be quenchable which may be extinguished while the combustable matter lasteth but also that which goes out of it self for want of matter to feed it it being all consumed for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to be quenched and of the which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated unquenchable is derived is used of the lamps of the foolish Virgins which went out for want of Oyl to feed them Matth. 25.8 And therefore if the fire of Gods wrath in which the wicked shall be burned shall end and go out as wanting matter to work upon they being thereby annihilated and their being totally destroyed as the said Author evades those sayings then could it not be called unquenchable And if the wicked should be annihilated in that Judgement must not their Worm needs dye having no subject to subsist in Those expressions therefore joyned with Gehenna as the others also which we have mentioned both signifie the being of such severe torments and punishments after the Resurrections as the worst of punishments here imaginable are but shadows of and also their perpetuity and endless duration which is also expressed in other phrases As 5. Everlasting punishment Matth. 2.46 and everlasting destruction 2 The◠1.7 8. That in Matth. 25.41 is with a◠Emphesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the everlasting fire The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated everlasting is indeed used in the Old Testament to signifie of a long continuance and sometime of an age but that is not its usual if ever its signification in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles but everlasting or never ending Matth. 25 46. it 's the same word that 's used to signifie 1. The lastingness of the life glory and happiness of the righteous and everlasting punishment is opposed to everlasting life as signifying a like duration of the one as of the other even as the fire of the Valley of Hinnom probably burn◠perpetually so long as the old Jerusalem was standing so those torments shall be of equal duration with the new Jerusalem the joy and glory of the Righteous even for ever 2. The duration of the honour and power ascribed to God himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too everlasting 1 Tim. 6.16 Yea. 3. The everlastingness of the being o◠God and Christ Rom. 16 2◠Isa 9.6 than which what can be more significant of never ending And yet not only that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting is used to this purpose but 4. It 's said the smoak of their torment ascends up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ages o◠ages even for ever and over Rev. 14 9 10. an Expression used to in the Glory and Honour ascribed to God and Christ and to set forth the Eternity of God and of his Living Rev. 1.6 and 4.9 and 5.13 14. So that the Scriptures are very Pregnant in laying down this Assertion and therefore it 's to be believed and dreaded and diligence is to be given in looking and yielding up to Christ to be accounted worthy to be delivered therefrom 2. As for the Reasons and Grounds of God's so Punishing they are by the Scriptures signified to be such as these 1. The Greatness and Majesty of God sin'd against and despis'd Deut. 10.17 Matth. 10.28 Luk. 12.5 Isa 27.31 Men Punish Traytors against their Life and Majesty with Bodily Death but God both Body and Soul in a Death as much beyond that of the Body as He is greater than Man that is sin'd against and despis'd Such great Punishment is but answerable to his Greatness as his other Works be 2. The Greatness Unspeakableness Deut. 32.5 6 7 8 9 21 22. Isa 1.2 3 4 5 24. Gen. 1.26 27. Psal 8.3 4 3. 49.12 and Infiniteness of the Love and Goodness of God in and by Christ toward Men that Rebel against him it notwithstanding He not onely inconceivably honoured us in raising us up at the first out of the Dust of the Earth and making us in his own Image Lords of his Works and capable of knowing and having Fellowship with himself but also when we were utterly lost was pleased so to set his heart upon us Joh. 3.16 17. Gal. 4.4 5. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom 4.25 1 Pet. 1.21 24. Philip. 2.6 7 8 9. 1 Tim. 2.6 Isa 45.22 Psal 81.9 10 50.1 2. Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. Joh. 16.7 8 9.10 12 13 14 15. Gen. 6.3 Rom. 2.4 5. Psal 68.18 19 20. Job 33.16 29 Psal 68.21 Rom. 2.5 Heb. 6.6 7. 10.26 29. Jonas 2.8 as not to spare his ow◠Son but give him up to the Death the Death of the Cross to Redeem us again and impowred him to Save us and bring us to endless and infinitely Glorious Happiness His Son that was in his Form infinitely Glorious with God his Father was pleased also in Love to abase himself and lay
Finisher of the Faith And therefore this is the Hope of the Gospel and of the Saints the thing looked and waited for by them 2. But between these Two Comings Joh. 14.19 16.16 17. Heb. 9.24 10.12 13. 12.2 3. and Appearings to Men in the World there is a disappearance here of his Person as to any outward discovery and visibility of it but yet in this mean time He appeareth in Heaven for us in the presence of his Father to whom he is gonâ— up and where He abides and is set down at his Right Hand Invested with and Estated in all his Fullness of Glory and Power Acts 5.31 And his going up and appearing there 1 Tim. 4.10 is for Salvation to He is Exalted a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance to Israel to Rebellious Ones and Remission of Sins And so he is the Saviour of all Men especially of them that Believe He and God in him having saved all Men out of that Sentence of Condemnation that by and through Adam fell upon All by his first appearing is now to the Saviour upholder preserver of all Men bringing his Salvation near to them even the tenders of further Saveing them that so they might be led to Repentance Psal 36.6 7 8 9. 68.19 20. Rom. 2.4 5. 2 Pet. 3.9 15. and to trust under the shadow of his Wings and be specially Saved And those that do therethrough trust or believe in him are Saved by a special Protection succouring and delivering them from Sin and Satan even so as to fit them for the Salvation ready to be Revealed at his Second Appearing 1 Pet. 1.6 7 8 9. He Appears 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Isa 53.12 Luk. 13.7 8 9. 23.34 Joh. 17.21 23. 2 Pet. 3.15 and Mediates with God for All Men for the means and Mercies He sees good for leading them to Repentance and Faith and for Patience and Forbearance when they have forfeited former means till He further dig about them and dung them which forbearance also is to be accounted Salvation And these things He obtains for and dispenses to them to such ends but for those that therethrough do Believe He mediates 1 John 2.1 2. Heb. 7.25 9.15 Psal 36.8 9. and 65.4 and obtains the Dispensation of choise Mercies even the Blessings of Life and Righteousness presenting them in himself Just and Righteous before God feeds them with the Fat things of his House even of his Holy Temple His First Comeing and Appearing then amongst men as to its main End Joh. 3.17 12.47 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. Isa 28.16 Act. 5.31 1 Tim. 4.10 was for all Men to Save them by way of Ransome without limitation or difference of persons as also to obtain into himself Power for further Saving them His appearing now in Heaven with God is for all to and to be the Saviour of All in their several Ages respectively but with difference Heb. 9.28 Luk. 19.27 and specialty for Believers His Second Coming and appearing to Men is for the utmost Salvation not of all Men but of all his Elect and that Believe on him the rest that here rejected him finally shall there be rejected of him 1 Tim. 2.6 In the first He Saved by price paid for Men by which also he obtained his Power of further Saving in the other Two In the Second Luk. 13.7 8. Heb. 12.24 Phil. 3.21 2 Thess 1.8 9. by his improving the Vertues of that Price his most Precious Blood with his Father by way of Intercession and by his Power as exercised for over and upon Men. In the Third onely by the exercise of his Power for and in behalf of those that were his and looked for him and so the Gospel teachâ— us to distinguish of his Appearings and of his Saving 3. Gen. 6.3 Prov. 1.20 21 22. 1 Pet. 3.19 Joh. 1.10 11. There are other Spiritual and Providential Comings of Christ to Men distinct from those his Personal and Visible Appearances As 1. His Addresses of Himself to Men by his Spirit in the means as so He came often to Jerusalem and would have Gathered them and came to his Own and they Received him not even before he was made Flesh And 2. In his more gracious discoveries of Himself to the Hearts of those that Believe on him of which is meant Joh. 14.21 23. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them Rev. 3.20 he it is that loveth meâ— and I will love him and manifest mine own self to him and we will come unto him c. and If any man hear my voice and open to me I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me 3. In his taking more special view of and executing Judgments upon men in Afflictions and Death As Repent saith he Rev. 2.5 3.3 and do thy first works or I will come unto thee and take away thy Candlestick c. And if thou watch not I will come to thee as a thief and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee And so some understand many things spoken about his Coming in Matth. 24. to aim at and be meant of his Coming to execute Judgment on Jerusalem But because these things appertain to his Dispensations to Men and operations in Men they mind me of applying my self at length to that other Branch of the Distinction at first mentioned and therefore I shall not further inlarge here on them CHAP. V. Enters upon the other Branch of the Distinction and speaks briefly of the Purposes of God PAss we now to the Second Member of the Distinction And therein let us first take into Consideration the Purposes of God and see how they may be said to agree with or be distinguished from the Gospel-Doctrine the Object of Divine Faith to be Preached by us to Men that they may Believe and to be believed by Men being Preached to them that they may be Saved About which purposes this may be premised That they are in themselves as such secret incomprehensible and unknowable by us further and otherwise then they be in God's Works or Words made manifest and revealed to us And therefore they are with the more sobriety to be inquired into and spoken of by us taking heed to the Word of God as our guid in all things And because what is said in the Wâ— about them is in somethings more struse and hard to be understood as a because some others have spoken mâ— largely to them Tho. Moore Sen ' in his Testimóny of Christ I intend the greater bâ—vity in what I shall say of them SECT 1. Of God's more General Purposes coincidâ— with the Contents of the Gospel and theâ— in by the way something of his Permâ— on COncerning the Purposes of God 〈◊〉 Ephes 1.9 3.11 〈◊〉 may say in General That as Goâ— hath wrought and done for us and haâ— declared That he will assuredly do so dâ— he
space 700. years according to Bishop Vsher 717. SECT 8. Of the Age of Christ his Incarnation and Manifestation in the Flesh to men and thenceforth to the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and so on WHat should I need to speak of the times of Christs appearance and since when the day-spring looked down from on high and visited us more gloriously than ever and what was all along pointed to before as to come was it self brought forth and as to the works of his coming in the Flesh accomplished Surely then God gave forth the truth yet more abundantly And yet we may consider some diversity in his Dispensations then with reference to divers times 1. Immediately before the appearing of Christ his Birth and manifesting amongst men there was given certain notice to some that he was about to come as also by the Writings of the Prophets there was ground to expect him and he was expected about that time but more particularly notice was given to Simeon Luk. 2.26 an holy and devout man and as some write one of Sanhedrim or Great Council of the Nation that he should not 〈◊〉 before he had seen the Lords Christ 〈◊〉 Zachary the Father of the Baptist 〈◊〉 revealed that he should have a Son 〈◊〉 his Wife Elizabeth Luk. 1.13 14 17. that should be 〈◊〉 forerunner and go before his face according to what was prophesied by Malachy Luk. 1. To the Virgin also that she should conceive and bring him forth And both by the Virgin and Zachary and Elizabeth was he witnessed to before his Birth After his Birth he was made known to 2.10 11 12 13 14 17 27 28 29 30 36 37 38. and by the Shepheards by Simeon also and Anna a Prophetess as also to and by certain Wise Men or Magi that came out of the East Country to seek and worship him Matth. 2. Before his being manifested by way of ministration to the people John the Baptist was sent of God to bear witness to him who also did clearly testifie of him and point to him as a person then born and amongst them Behold John 1.5 6 7 15 16 29 30 31 32 33 34. Matt. 3.16 17. saith he to them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World witnessing that he had seen the heavens open upon him when he was baptized by him and that the Holy Ghost in a visible form like a Dove as it was fore-given him of God as a sign to know him by descended and sat upon him and God himself out of Heaven witnessed to him that he was his well-beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased so that God vouchsafed to John and by him to the people a clearer discovery of him than 〈◊〉 or by any of the Prophets that went before him with respect to which it is said That amongst those that were born of women there had not arisen a greater then John the Baptist Matth. 11.12 2. In the time of Christ's Personal Appearing and Manifesting Himself to and amongst Men from the time of his Baptisme to his Ascention he Ministred the Knowledge of God to Men by his Personal Preaching and Miracles and gave himself a Ransom for many accomplishing by his Death and Resurrection the Prophecies in that behalf going before concerning him Therein both by Words and Works he made manifest the way of Life both to the World and to his Disclples more especially to whom it was given to know The Mysteries of the Kingdom even such Mysteries as many wise Men and Prophets had desired to see and saw not and to hear but heard not they being blessed with a sight and knowledge of these things which were peculiar to that Age even to be Eye-witnesses of the Sufferings and Glory of Christ and to have familiar Converse with him their Eyes feeing and their Ears hearing and their Hands handling of the Word of Life that was before Promised from the Beginning but then was Manifest in the Flesh and Conversed therein with them of which the wise and prudent of the Jews and the greatest part of the People deprived themselves by not seeing what they see and 〈◊〉 hearing what they heard but closeing the Eye least they should see and stopping the Ear lest they should hear and understand with their Hearts and be Converted and Healed by him Matt. 13.11 12 13 14 15 16. For before them also his Doctrine and Miracles were such as might have convinced them that he was the Christ But to his Discipls he opened all things they see and followed him in his Temptations see his Sufferings and Eat and Drank with him after his Resurrection till he was taken up into Heaven of which also they the Apostles especially were Eye-witnesses But yet 3. In the times after his Ascension was the clearest manifestation of the Mystery that ever was vouchsafed by his pouring forth his Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and power into and upon those his Apostles and Disciples giving them to see into and understand the Mystory of his Will even the ends and vertues of and the grace of God to Mankind in all those things of Christ done and suffered by him and the meaning of his Words and Doctrine delivered to them by him by which also they were furnished being thereto before his Ascention Commissionated to open the Mysteries and grace of God to all Men to Jews and Gentiles according to the utmost opportunities thereto given them And they also during their continuance upon Earth reased not faithfully and fully to declare the mind and Testimony of God to men and to endeavour to make them see the fellowship of the Mystery God mightily bearing Witness to them by many Signes and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost to the filling the Earth with the Knowledg of him and of his Salvation so as that by that time Jerusalem was Destroyed and their Nation dispersed and carried Captive they had sounded forth the word of Truth in and unto most if not all Nations so as that though they were but an handful of Corn in the top of the Mountains yea their Fruit shaked like Lebanon as was fore-told Psal 72.16 Yea and afterwards too the word they had sowed up and down the world took Root and sprang up and filled the world with Fruit till through many Persecutions and Cruelties endured by those that Believed and by the Blood of the Lamb and Word of their Testimony they leavened the face of the World so as that the Emperours and Rulers of it imbraced the Profession of it also and their Word and Doctrine they the Apostles also delivered in Writing to be transmitted to Posterity which even to these times yet remaineth with us Though it is true that 4. In the succeeding times the Watchmen being not so Vigelant as Satan the envious One the Tares of false Positions or Doctrines and of loose and evil Live◠too presently began to be sown in the World after
Unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs as to mind them of their hasty departure from Aegypt that they could not stay till their Bread was Leavened and of the bitter Afflictions they there sustained so also to signifie That we ought to keep the remembrance of the Grace of God in Christ without retaining our Corruptions either the Corruption of our Natures 1 Cor. 5.7 8 9. which we are to be putting off and laying aside as our old Leaven or much less the Leaven of Wickedness Guile and Malice contracted by a wilfull or willing Disobedience to Christ but to walk in the Truth and in truth and sincerity of love to Christ and one another even as he hath sincerely loved us but yet to remember the grace of Christ Zech. 12.10 11 Ezek. 16.61 20.43 with a mindfullness of our own Sin and sinfullness and bewailing our piercings of him with our unkindness as also with a taking down what ever bitter Reproofs or Afflictions attend the Preaching of or Believing on Christ Crucified 16. â—ers 43.45 No Stranger might Eat of it oâ— Servant bought with Money till Circumciled the Foreiner and hired Servant might not eat of it Which might signifie and instruct us That as Men cannot be in Covenant with God or be in Christ 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Ezek. 14.3 6 7. 20.3 whom he hath given for a Covenant to the People c. but they must thereto put off their confidence in the Flesh and its Priviledges so neither may or can any feed upon Christ live by the Faith of him and enjoy his Consolations though in Service or Office in the Church but in and by Suffering that grace brought in by him to Crucifie him to himself and that none may expect freedom from the Wrath to come that abuse this grace of God and turn it into wantonness not suffering it to Circumcise their Hearts and conform them to him no Stranger to the grace of God nor Mercenary Professor of it while such may be made partaker of his Consolation 17. vers 46. It was to be Eaten in one House To signifie That God loves and requires Unity and agreement in Faith and Confession in them that Communicate with and live by the Faith of his Son Psal 133. Eph. 4.3 4 5. that they should not make rents and schisms amongst themselves and one from another but endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and that out of that Unity we cannot be pertakers of Christ 18. vers 46. Not a bone thereof was to be broken which was fullfilled in Christ even in his Sufferings Joh. 19.36 As also to imply God's care of the Members of Christ that Believe in him Psal 34.20 19. vers 47. All the Congregation were to keep that Ordinance To signifie That all that are drawn to God by Christ are to have their spiritual Life and feeding in and upon Christ and therefore are to mind him None of them thinking themselves too bad nor none too high or good to have their Life by the Faith and Rerembrance of him and his Sufferings for them 20. If any Stranger would keep it vers 48. All his Males must be Circumcised and so he might Eat of it Which may surther hinâ— That God likes and requires it that not onely we our selves should submit to Christ but also indeavour what in us lies to subject and disciple all under our care and dispose else come we not so heartily to him or with so good allowance nor can expect such Blessing from him Such was this Ordinance of the Passover and the Ordinances and Rites appertaining to it and it was the First Instituted of God by Moses and though a little before the giving of the Law yet was one of those Laws given by Moses and was Confirmed again afterward Exod. 23. â—vit 23.5 c. And therefore may be counted an Ordinance of the Law and 〈◊〉 was of continuance in the Church of the Jews holding forth to them Chrisâ— and the Grace promised and prepared 〈◊〉 Christ and the way of partaking of thâ— Grace and living by it till the time 〈◊〉 the Actual Sufferings of Christ when in the Night in which he was betrayed having desirously eaten it with his Disciples he Instituted another bearing great Analogy and Proportion with it Of which afterward when we shall have considereâ— other Ordinances that intervened For SECT 6. Of the Sabbaths Festivals Purifications and other Ordinances of the Tabernacâ— and Temple OVer and above the Ordinance of the Passover we find many more given to the Jews all Types of Christ and Instructing to him as the Apostle plainly says Coll. 2.15 16. Heb. 10.1 2. We cannot look into them all particularly I shall here together briefly mention the chief of them As 1. They had divers Sabbaths and days of Rest appointed them as their Seventh Day or Weekly Sabbath their Yearly Sabbath Seventh Year Sabbath and their Seventh Seventh year or Year of Jubilee Of which briefly 1. The Seventh-day Sabbath was first Instituted in Paradise unless Moses speaâ— of it by way of Prolepsis or Anticipa◠〈◊〉 That the Sabbath was afterward appointed for that cause or reason amongst â—hers because God on the Seventh-day â—ted from all his Works that he had â—ade but however as it was appointed before the Fall so it falls not under our Consideration but as it was anew renewed by Moses for from the Creation to Moses we read nothing of the Observation of it But as so given it had in it and that too in common with the rest two things considerable The matter of 〈◊〉 as it were and the Form of it That is it may be looked upon as it was a certain seperate time and as it was a time seperate to some peculiar use 1. As a time of God's Worship and had in it the Number of Seven The seventh-day as in others the seventh-year and seventh seventh So it with those other Sabbaths signified and appointed out Christ the Perfection and Fulness of Time or that in the fulness of Time after many Labours and Changes he should bring in the Grace promised as to the open Revelation and Dispensation of it yea and as some think the perlect Rest from Misery Labour and Toyl brought in by Sin to be brought in by him in the Seventh thousand Year or seventh-day a thousand Years for a Day of the World or upon the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 10. 2. As to its Use It with others was appointed for Rest as the Word Sabath also signifies The seventh-day sabbath that 〈◊〉 and Beasts might Rest from their Laboâ— The Seventh year and year of Jubâ— was for the Resting of the Land And so they Typed out Christ to be and 〈◊〉 bring in the true Rest from Labour aâ— Sorrow to the spirits of men now through the grace of his first Appearing Matth. 11.28 Heb. 4.9 Isa 28.12 and to both Bodies and Spirits
God Self Sin or the like And 4. A causing the Mind or Spirit of a man to view or reflect upon the Objects discovered as upon the sinfulness weakness worthlesness discovered in themselves in and by that light or truth discerned the sinfulness of their ways and works the bootlesness or unprofitableness of their righteousness the unsafety of their conditions c. which are more properly his judgings and reprovings of them in and by that Light The Light at once both representing or discovering the Nature of things and passing judgment or causing the Mind to pass judgment the judgment of Truth upon them either by way of approving what is commendable and excellent or of reproving what it discovers as empty and evil whence it 's said The Gentiles not having the law are a law to themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another Rom. 2.14 15. 2. In and by the same light truth and spirit judging and reproving or convincing men God is also affording his â—erting operations yea those conâ—cements tend to Conversion and are â—ered to that end that men might be â—verted from the Evils they are conâ—ced of and reproved for to God 〈◊〉 those good things they are convinced 〈◊〉 and that are evidenced and commendâ— to them as may be seen in what our â—iour and the Apostle Paul say of men 〈◊〉 smother those convincements They 〈◊〉 closed or winked with their Eyes Matth. 13.15 Act. 28.27 〈◊〉 they should see with their eyes and hear 〈◊〉 their ears and be converted c. â—plying That the things presented to â—m in those convincements and reâ—oss the Grace set before them which 〈◊〉 had some capacity afforded them to â—re seen and heard and to have under 〈◊〉 would have converted them it 〈◊〉 to such ends and Purposes and they â—d some perception of it and fearing â—h a thing least it should draw them 〈◊〉 from their Lusts and Idols they supâ—st it turned from it and refused to See 〈◊〉 and Understand it which also is â—plyed in that wisdome in her reprovâ— adds Turn ye in or at my reproofs 〈◊〉 1.23 The goodness of God thereâ— evidenced leading to Repentance 〈◊〉 2.4 And this is joyned in Act. 26. 〈◊〉 With the opening of the eyes of 〈◊〉 blind viz. the turning them from darkâ— to light and from the power of Satan 〈◊〉 God And it hath in it over and 〈◊〉 what is mentioned in his convincings though in them this always too 〈◊〉 vouchsafed viz. 1. A more intimate or express hintinâ— or discovering some better Object thaâ— what our hearts are set upon and posseâ— with some better good to be sought oâ— imbraced than we are imbracing or seeking after as God or Christ some righter way to walk in for seeking them then that in which men walk Prov. 1 2â— Joh. 15.26 27. with 16.7 12 13 14 15. 2. An exerting some Divine Power or stretching forth the hand thereby drawing the Heart and Soul off from those â—nities discovered and reproved to or â—ter that better Object represented and 〈◊〉 the representation whereof the other vaâ— and evil things are reproved Prov. 1 2â— Hos 11.3 Yea and often a kind 〈◊〉 driving men off from what is reproveâ— to what is â—ommended even from the Idols to the living and true God by hedâ—ing up as it were the way of the Soâ— with Thornes so as not to suffer it to fiâ— any thing but rentings and prickings aâ— pains convincements and horrors in 〈◊〉 following after Prov. 23.29 33. Luk. 15.16 pursuing or retaining own thoughts ways and enterprises in Hos 2.6 7. and 6.5 and therewith alâ— 3. A bending bowing and inclinâ— the heart to let go the vanities discovâ— and reproved Hos 5.15 and 6.1 Act. 26.18 28. Matth. 21.30 and to turn to God Christ exalted and commended Psal 1â— 36 Though oftentimes the heart 〈◊〉 sulting with flesh and blood recoyls agâ— and withdraws like him that said I go Sir and yet went not thence that complaint of Ephraim that was brought to â—ay Come let us return to the Lord c. 〈◊〉 Ephraim what shall I do to thee thy goodness is as the morning cloud and as the â—arly dew it goeth away Hos 6.1 2 3 4. And I drew them with the cords of a man with the bands of love but they refused 〈◊〉 return Hos 11.3 4 5. But then 4. In the bowing and inclining of the â—art God-ward there is also a strengthing helping incouraging and furthering of it as in the Father of the Prodigal being him afar off and running and meeting him and bringing him home to himself even to his House Luk. 15.20 25. And as is asserted 2 Cor. 6.1 2. In the excepted time I have heard In the day of â—ation I have helped thee Of which â—ore in Sect. 5. Such his Converting perations 3. Then there are Renewing Regeâ—rating Operations which though they 〈◊〉 initially in the converting operations â—nd the convincing operations tend to â—em too yet are more properly found 〈◊〉 the Converted Soul though it may be â—uly said too That the Soul is further â—onverted in them and they may be imâ—ed in that sanctifying by Faith in â—rist mentioned in Act. 26.18 As a â—nsequent of the being turned unto God 〈◊〉 very effecting the Faith in Christ and 〈◊〉 sanctifying therethrough may be as I conceive included therein for the Soul wrought upon in the Converting Operations to look toward God and Christ as presented to the Soul in that beholding him to which in the Converting Operations also it is moved and begotten by the power of the same grace it is strengthned begot and framed to close with believe in and depend on God in Christ in which it s made a New Creature as to its State with God and as to its receipt of new Principles of Spiritual Life in which it lives and acts from to and for God being acted by the Grace and Spirit of God that takes Possession of it Indeed Regeneration fully is the begetting and bringing forth the whole Man to God by the Spirit and Power of God and so is a continued work in which men go on gradatim step by step and is not compleated till the Adoption be in the Redemption of the Body in the Resurrection of the Dead As appears in Matth. 19.28 Ye that have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of his glory shall sit on twelve thrones c. Where those words in the Regeneration are so placed as they may either be referred to the words before Ye that have followed me in the Regeneration and so it signifies That Regeneration is a progressive work as the following of Christ also is a thing as daily in doing a thing in which Christ is to be followed that it may be donâ— more and more in us even as also seeing and
only by arguments and motives provoking and moving men to what he would work in them or have them work c. 2. And so understanding it I conceive his workings which are all Supernatural are neither simply of the one kind nor of the other but of a mixed Nature for as I apprehend 1. His framing of the heart by his preventing Operations are more of a Physical nature in the sence last mentioned then of a Moral some what like a mans awakning another out of a Dead Sleep not by arguing and reasoning him awake but by some so loud noise or some so forcible action as somewhat opens his senses and removes the obstructions of them and give him a capacity to heaâ— and speak or like the putting life into a Dead Man so as he is capable of Stirring Moving Hearing Seeing The Dead hear the voice of the Son of God this is somewhat a kin to a Physical yea is that they understand by that phrase of a Physical Operation God in his prevenâ—ing men by his grace so stretches out his hand or puts forth his power as to effect or create in men Capacities of hearing seeing and minding the things hâ— sees before them whence it s compared to an opening the blind Eye or unstopping the deaf Ear as is implyed Ezek. 1â— 2 3. Rebellious people are said to have eyes to see and yet see not ears to hear and yet he or not 2. But then having thus prevented men and given them such capacities by his creative power He by his Light Truth and Grace is reproving counselling exhorting allureing and by diverse arguments and motives is perswading or moving men to see and hear and awake and exercise themselves to such things as he is propounding to them as to behold him behold him Isa 65.1 To listen to his Son and turn at his reproofs in the power and strength and ability that he withall gives them supernaturally and so as it were to feed and soment and use meanes to preserve even by the meanes he gives them too the life or quickning or senses he had infused into them And this is evident in all the Scriptures God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your soul shall live Isa 55.2 3. And he that bears namely when made to heal listens shall live John 5.25 Turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit unto you I will make known my words Ye set at nought all my counsels ye set at nought all my reproofs ye did not chuse the fear of the Lord the turning away of the simple slays them but whoso hearkens to me shall dwell safely c. Prov. 1.23 25 31 32.33 All which and multitudes more imply Gods counselling exhorting mourning by arguments and so inclining the will made in some measure at liberty to obey and follow him And thence it is that menâ— may resist the Holy Ghost and vex and grieve him and rebell against him as also they are capable of listening obeying inclining to him and so God works as a man would do upon one awakened by him he may perswade him jog him stir him and perswade him by arguments to awaken more and listen to him and as such a one seeing such a person so awaked wilful in stopping his Ear and resusing to hear him yea using all means to compose himself to sleep again may be provoked by such Rebellion and Obstinacy not to exercise or use all the power he hath to make him keep awake and hear him or seeing a man inlived by him if such a thing might be wilfull in refusing means to preserve or foment his life unto a more perfect state of living might be provoked to leave him and let him die so do men by their Rebellious refusings of life provoke God not to exercise all his power or more power for their good but to leave them to their own will and ways and so to ruine But 3. Men in the power of the grace they are prevented with by the power of that grace set before them and striving with them being willing to look upon or listen to God in Christ in what he sets before them or not obstinately and rebelliously refusing and turning from him he then further exerts his creature power and infuses into and begets in them not new substances but new Principles dispositions yea his divine seed or word and Spirit and so creates them in Christ Jeâ—s to good works to walk in them reâ—enerates renews them and makes them â—e before him Which proceeds not â—â—om their willing and listening to him 〈◊〉 from him and his grace speaking to and working in them whence they are â—d to be born of God and of water and of the Spirit the word knowledge 〈◊〉 grace of God and his power working therein and we are said beholding as 〈◊〉 a glass the glory of God to be changâ—â— into the same image from glory to â—ory as by his Spirit and to be begot 〈◊〉 by his will in the word of truth c. which may be illustrated by the healing of the strung Israelites and Naaman and the blind man at the Poole of Siloam only whereas they had eyes and legs by the â—eative work of God in the womb and 〈◊〉 by natural birth we here say the spiâ—ual or inward faculties and capacities of seeing hearing and discerning Spiritual things and so of coming to them by willing chusing and loving them are given by the preventing grace of God coming to and upon them But as their power of looking going washing being given of God by a certain power and then he affording and presenting to them objects to look to go to and wash in wrought upon their wills by moral perswasions which were resistible and some of the stung Israelites possibly might resist or disobey but then they by them being perswaded and obeying looking going and washing as was prescribed and continuing so to do God by his creative power gave them healing cleansing and sight Even so is it here as hath been expressed I need not inlaâ—gâ— to add that God in some measure having created in Christ regenerated and renewed men affords still means of preserving and maintaining what he hath created and renewed and gives Moral arguments and Motives to make use of them And in their so doing goes on yoâ— further to câ—eatâ— them in Christ renew and regâ—ate them till they be made complear and perfect in the day of Jesus Christ as is also 〈◊〉 illustrated by Naamans washing seven times in Jordan that he might have perfect healing of which had he sailed in doing that he would have missed Search the Scriptures and see if what is here said suit not with them SECT 4. That God so works in Men that they also are said rightly to work sometimes the same things though with some formal difference between what is his and what their working FUrthermore
even by his own Death and sufferings which concludes against all flesh yea against the ability of all creatures to have helpt us much more against our own sufficiency to have helped our selves for if there had been a law that could have given life then doubtless God would have spared his Son and righteousness should have been by that Law if either our sins had not been infinitely displeasing unto God but that he could have passed them by without any great satisfaction to his truth and holiness and to his righteous law Or if we or any other creature for us could have helpt us or given the satisfaction requisite he would not have taken such a course for our deliverance But in this glass iâ— seen at once both sins hainousness and mans helplesness yea Gods infinite power love and goodness toward us yea and further our deadness in our selves to help or animate our selves and so the falseness of that conception that man hath free will by nature to any Spiritual good or that such a conceit or opinion springeth from the bowels of such a doctrine as makes Gods good will to be towards all men and Christs Death for all is hereby plainly discovered also for if we by nature had or have any such sparks or principes of life and liberty to what purpose was it that Christ dyed for us to procure into himself for us in the nature of man the power and Spirit of God that living therein he might call and quicken us and cause the dead to hear his voyce that in hearing they might live John 5 25. So that no doctrine so clearly bears witness against man that he is dead in sins and trespasses by nature and hath no sufficiency of himself as of himself so much as to think a good thought as that doth upon which the odium of the contrary conception is usually but falsely fastened we thus judge not as the denyers of those truths infer that if one dyed for all then all must needs be eternally saved but with the Apostles that if one dyed for all then were all deâ—d 2 Cor. 5.14 3. The unspeakableness and certainty both of the happiness of all those that accept of this Grace of God Submit to him and seek their Righteousness and Salvation in and through Christ seeing he hath done so much for all while Sinners that men through him might be Saved And his Son is such a Mighty Merciful and Compleat Saviour as hath been shewed set up on purpose that whosoever Believes in him might assuredly be saved and have everlasting Life John 3.14 15 16 17. and 6.40 Rom. 5.9 10. and 8.32 33 34 c. And also of the Misery and Destruction of all that after all this done for them reject and rebel against him and persist so doing till the day of Grace be out with them In as much as they despise the riches of God's goodness and forbearance that is leading men to repentance and after their impenitent hearts treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath c. Yea are guilty of treading under foot the Son of God counting the Blood of the Covenant shed for their sanctifying an unholy thing and do despite to the Spirit of Grace And therefore as on the one hand if being enemies he hath reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son Faith leads us to reason or infer how shall we not much more be saved by his life so on the other hand it leads to say How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation And of how much forer punishment than Death without mercy as the Law inflicted on the despisers of it shall he be counted worthy of who hath trampled under foot Christ and done such indignities to God and to his Grace as were before mentioned Rom. 2.4 5. and 5.9 10. Psal 68.19 20 21. Heb. 2.3 4. and 10.26 27 28 29. and 12.25 c. Vse 2 2. Again It may move provoke and incourage us to many things As 1. With thankfulness and gladness of heart to receive the tydings of so great Grace and acknowledge it and bless God for it and for all procured for us and streamed forth to us Acts 8.8 Psal 100. and 117. 1 Tim. 1.15 2. To betake our selves to him in Christ to seek him wait upon him hope in him yeild up our selves to him in the obedience of faith and love required of us by him Be reconciled to him Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts living soberly righteously godly in this present evil World living to him that dyed for us and rose again both in our bodies and spirits which are his being bought with so great a price as the Death and Blood of his Son to glorifie and serve him with all chearfulness and faithfulness pressing after the hope set before us in him and taking heed that we incur not those terrors or terrible judgments of the Lord prepared for scorners that that Doctrin presents us with to warn us of sin and arm us against and deter us from sin Isa 55.1 to the 7th Psal 100. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 15 19 20 21. and 6.1 2. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Heb. 12.15 16 17 25 28 29. 3. To exercise Love and Charity to others both as it evidenceth such love and goodness in God towards our selves more unworthy of it from him than any others can be of love from us and as it evidences them loved and pitied of him even when yet sinners and unconverted and in a possibility of salvation So it leads us to be followers of God pitying the ignorant and those out of the way and indeavouring their helpfulness as he hath and doth pity help us and hath provided help for them and is graciously extending means of it unto them also embracing and owning those that embrace and own him as we our selves and they are embraced by him doing good to all but chiefly to those of the houshold of Faith and not to retain such a selfish and Cainish disposition as to say Am I my Brothers keeper So be it I know Christ dyed for me what need I care for knowing whether he dyed for my neighbour as if my neighbours welfare pertained nothing to me yea and furnisheth us with matter of truth and goodness to propound to them in all cases both for instructing them in knowledge what to believe and how to walk and for incouraging them in the way of faith and obedience by minding them what they may expect and shall meet with therein and for comforting them in distress and admonishing and warning them of and reproving them for sin and wickedness propounding Gospel Terrours to them without turning them to the Law of Works 1 Joh. 4.9 10 11 12. Eph. 5.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 14 15 16 19 20 21. Prov. 22.17 18 19 20. And so Vse 3 3. It is also a good Directory to Preachers what to hold forth to the People both for matter of and motive to Faith
in reason should not punish men for it any where at all let us see what may be briefly noted for confirmation of what we have before delivered about the said Doctrine And first let that be noted Matth. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. That God is not to be known of and by us and by consequence nor his will concerning us or purposes for rewarding or punishing us but by his own discoveries of himself to us For as no man knows the things of a man but the spirit of man that is in him even so the things of God his nature love goodness and the things consistent therewith his rewards and punishments that he will adjudge men to knows no man but the Spirit of God and they to whom by his Spirit they are revealed whence it follows that it is not safe for us waving his revelations of them to us by his Spirit to conjecture and rest in our conjectures concerning them and measure his love hatred rewards or punishments by our narrow shallow finite and corrupt apprehensions about them Jer. 10.14 especially we being all since our fall by our own knowledge bruitish and our understandings not fit to be leaned upon and trusted to Now God having by his Spirit revealed himself and mind as to these things most fully and plainly in the Scriptures it behoves us there to seek and receive our knowledge of and accordingly to believe and judge concerning them The foresaid Author to take off men from this would perswade his Reader that the Scriptures are so corrupted and uncertain we having not the very Original Copies written at first by their holy Penmen and because some Copies in some things by the caâ—lesness and oversight of some Transcrâ—bers have some misreading in them that there is no credit in this point to be given them But in that as in all things else almost he shews his unreasonableness and Atheism for by the same argument we should not believe the Scriptures in any thing they say as that there was such a person as Jesus Christ that he dyed rose ascended shall come again c. seeing all Copies may as rationally be conceived to be corrupted in all those matters too as in this in hand Nay we should not believe that in any Printed Books 〈◊〉 read their Authors minds for as much as they be not their original Hand-writings Matth 10.29 30. 5.17 18. But who that believes Gods providence and his care over the good and salvation of men or that considers how many Copies there are of the Scriptures amongst the Churches of Christ in all parts of the world and how dearly both Jews and Christians many of them in all ages have loved and carefully kept their Scriptures so that even those that disobey them John 5.39 have sought life in their respect to and reverence of the Books of them 〈◊〉 who I say that considers these things can believe either that God would permit such an universal corruption of all Copies or that it could possibly or at least probably be effected that so many persons in all parts of the world should conspire together to alter the Copies of the Scriptures especially seeing the things about this point as about many others are unanimously by all Copies that I have either ever read or heard of delivered to us Luk. 10.25 26. John 5.39 Matth. 22.29 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 2 Pet. 3.2 3. Heb. 3.3 4. To wave that conceit therefore as openly Atheistical and Impious let it be held fast by us that it 's out safest way to believe and hold for true in this â—nd in all points of faith what the words and sayings of God delivered in the Scriptures and formerly confirmed by many Miracles Signs and Wonders wrought by him to be his propounds unto us which being premised let us nextly see 1. What God in the Scriptures plainly asserts and implies touching this point and 2. By and upon what grounds and reasons there also delivered And so we find 1. That the Scriptures mention in Heâ—ew a Sheol in Greek Hades which â—metimes we translate Hell though someâ—mes the Grave because in its largest use comprehends the whole disappearing â—ace of the dead good and bad and the â—aces of their receptacles as Bishop Vsher â—d others also have well noted but â—ough the Scripture uses those words ofâ— of the Grave or Common State of 〈◊〉 Dead yet sometimes they attribute it sorrows pains and torments and those too most exquisite and bitter aboâ—â— all others Job 3.12 13 14 15 16 c. which cannot agree to 〈◊〉 Grave and the State of the Body there which then and there is at rest beiâ— void of sense and therefore must need betoken some worse state and place 〈◊〉 the wicked deceased as to their foul That the Scriptures do speak of sorrow and torments in Sheol Hades or Hell 〈◊〉 clear in those passages Psalm 18.5 and 116.3 where David either in his owâ— person or with respect to Christ doth 〈◊〉 express the greatness bitterness and dâ—stressingness of his sorrows even urginâ— him in some measure to a kind of despair as in Psalm 116.10 11. call them thâ— pangs and sorrows of Sheol or Hell anâ— our Saviour implies the same more expresly and significantly of Hades or Hell in Luke 16.22 23. where he says thâ— wicked rich man after his death was iâ— Hell in torments where he though some what parabolically informs us that meâ— that live wickedly here in prosperity shalâ— after death go to torments of which hâ— implies that Moses and the Prophets havâ— admonished us in their writings that wâ— might take heed of them and surely such an Hell was signified and meant bâ— David Psalm â— 17 when he saith That the wickeâ— shall be turned into Hell end all the naâ—ons that forget God For if there he shoulâ— mean but the Grave that were to threâ— ten them with nothing worse than is alsâ— the portion of the righteous The like meant when David blesses God for delivering him from the lower Hell Psalm 86.13 Yet it is to be minded that the word Hell as signified by those words Sheol and Hades is not used in the New Testament to signifie the state of the wicked and place of their punishment after the Resurrection but of that which is between their Death and Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.55 Act. 2.27 31. Rev. 20.14 1.18 2. The Scriptures do evidently speak of a punishment of the wicked both in bodies and souls after the resurrection and sets it forth in divers terms signifying the severity and endlesness thereof As 1. It is called Gehenna and Gehenna ignis translated also Hell and Hell-fire or a Hell of Fire The word Gehenna is given it by way of allusion to the Vally of the Son of Hinnom a place near to the earthly Jerusalem where they used to cast out their unburied Carkases Rubbish and Raggs and burn them in a fire continually burning But that