so by him then were all men saved from the imputative damnation of Adams transgression wherefore in this respect all mankinde is the heele of Christ in this relation But from this relation Satan drawes us in our remissenesse by lying vanities to forsake our own mercies and so to perish not for Adams transgression but for our owne against this grace in Christ and so are bruised by Satan for thou shall bruise his heele Secondly as God is the Saviour of all men from Adams imputative damnation so more especially hee is the Saviour of them that beleeve and that in two respects First by pardoning their owne personall transgressions against this universall mercy Secondly by estating them in that eternall life by Faith in Christ which they lost by their owne sinne and in Adams for saith Christ he that beleeveth in me hath eternall life and is past from death unto life And because these men by beliefe of truth set to their Seales that God is true in his guift of Christ and his righteousnesse imputed and in the perfection of parts in some degree of inherent righteousnesse witnesse Gods truth against Satans lies or lying vanities Therefore Satan by tentations and other envyous operations as by Cain to Abell doth bruise this heele of Christ or but his heele for this company of the Faithfull here Militant in comparison of that with Christ triumphing in heavenly glory is but the heele of Christ and thou shalt bruise his heele Thirdly because the second Adam did apply all the power of his pure Naturalls of holinesse and righteousnesse a meanes witnessing Gods word of truth for good and evill opposing Satans lyes therefore Satan by himselfe or men adhering to him did by envious operations as he did by Cain to Abel crush Christ himselfe yet it did not extinguish his Faith and love to God and his Neighbour in the least degree but drew it out the more as in due place it will appeare Yet all these envious operations being but extended to the affliction of his body and soule being his nature humane the lowest nature in his Sacred Person therefore it was but his heele as it was foretold thou shalt bruise his heele Fourthly againe as if God should say to Satan true it is that in the first Adams faithlesse fall from me thou didst devour all both heele body and head but against this the second Adam whom I wil raise up in the nature of all men of the seed of the woman to him doe thy worst yet thou shalt but bruise his heele at the most and thou shalt bruise his heele So much for opening of this first out-breake of the object of Faith once given to the Saints in this fourth estate of man Gen. 3.15 As Adams traÌ„sgression and the guilt and punishment was from the justice of the Covenant reckoned or imputed to al mankind in the fall even so by Gods mercy in the free guift of Christs righteousnesse reckoned or imputed to all was that sinne guilt and punishment removed from all and therefore noÌ„e ever perished for that transgression for although Adams eat ng the forbidden fruit and the demerit of it was not any mans indâ—vidually but Adams yet God in the justice of the Covenant did reckon or impute it to all and every individuall of mankinde as if it had bin their own act and demerit even so although Christs righteousnesse and merit of it was his own onely and alone individually considered yet that righteousnesse and merit being to satisfy Gods justice in behalfe of the world it was therefore by Gods free guift in mercy reckoned or imputed to all and every individuall of man generally and to man beleeving more specially as is declared but what this righteousnesse is which was so imputed see the end of the 8. Chap. Againe Rom. 5.18 the Apostle saith for as by the offence of one judgement came upon â—ll men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free guift came upon all men to the jâ—stification of life from these words I will make these briefe observations following First that in the next verse before this Christs righteousnesse is called the guift of righteousnesse but in this Text it is spoken as if Christs righteousnesse were the procuring cause of the guift of it selfe as imputed to come upon all men and the truth is so it was for had not Christs righteousnesse in the figurative lamb to the justice of the Covenant in every respect answered the imputative unrighteousnesse of Adam the righteousnesse of Christ could not imputatively by free guift have come as it did upon all men to the justification of life for till the justice of the Covenant was so satisfied although God was willing to impute it to life yet he could not for as God cannot lye so he cannot deny his truth but all mankinde must certainly have dyed according to Gods-word that death in the day that Adam did sinne Secondly here note that this free guift of Christs imputative righteousnesse came at this time on all men unfought for or unthought on by them for when God brought this guift to them Adam runne away from him therefore here God waâ— found of them which sought him not Thirdly here observe that this free guift of righteousnesse came upon al men when there was not any d) See this justification before mans faith and without faith cleared in the answer to the 10 Objection in Chap. 4. Faith in man for we by Adam faithlessely betray'd Gods truth and at this time as in our naturall roote in his loynes runne from the God of truth Therefore Faith foreseene was now no cause or instrumentall meanes of all mens salvation or election from Divells in Adams imputative damnation 4. Againe observe that this guift of imputative righteousnesse conferred upon all men viz justification for saith the Text It came upon all men to justification Therefore mans Faith can be but the receptive instrument of this justification and justification with Faith or justification without Faith is all one except that in the last mans receptive instrument is of use and this presents unto us two things first a definition of Iustification what justification then was men having not as yet the guift of Faith Secondly what it was not And first in a word this justification by Chriâ—ts impâ—tative righteousnesse was this the pardon and the removall of the imputative sinne guilt and punishment due for Adams transgression as farre as the East is from the West and so gave man a gracious acceptance and at this time this was the justification of all men Secondly mans owne works of righteousnesse was not his justification nor no good works foreseene for as now man by the fall his works were onely so euill as the Divells so all mens works but Christs works in this fourth estate of Restauration at best are but in the perfection of parts by reason of the Serpentine seed which hereditarily runnes down in the
be on an eighth day by his bodies resurrection and therefore then on an eighth day precisely Infants were to be admitted visible members of Christs mysticall body on earth in the Kingdom of grace implying their right by him to his glory (b) Then Infants have much more right to be â—eceived into the Church Militant by Baptisme triumphant in Heaven From which ground when people brought little Children to Christ that he might blesse them hee was angry with the Apostles which kept them from him and commanded them to suffer little (c) Notwithstanding the males onely were admitted to be visible members of Christs body by circumcision yet not onely the women but all the female Infants were then members of Christs body though they received not the seale of the Covenant they being not capable of it in their flesh yet the Grace of the Covenant in Christ received them to be visible members and the ground why that signe of the Covenant was precisely related to the males was to figure that the Lambe of God of the seed of the woman was not to be a female but a male therefore this hinde eth not but that the Infants of believing parents under the Gospel much more may be admitted visible members by baptisme and from the beginning of the world as appeares in the practice of the ten fathers before the flood they esteemed their Infants visible members of Christ for in their infancy they stablished upon their persons by their names the conveyance of the Oracle of life or the object faith once given to the Saints variously to ensuing posterities as appeareth at large in the fifth Chapter of this Treatise Children to come unto him and renders this as a reason of his command for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven therefore so departing this world they ascend to that Kingdome which so belongeth unto them Quest Now the question may be whether circumcision was onely intended to mankinde as in Infancy Answere It was not onely intended unto mankind as Infants but also to men as capable of reason as is Baptisme now for to them it did not â—nely prefigure that the nature of Divels became not totall and the imputed damnation of the Covenant was cut off by Gods mercy in Christ but also to men capable of reason it did prefigure that they submitting in beliefe of truth to receive Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed theâ—r sinne should not onely be cut off in the habite of sinne in them against Christ weakned in this world and in the next world none (d) Hence it is God adding the law to the promise gave this one law viz. that the Paschal Lambe must be eaten with sowre herbs Exod. 12.8 to remaine but also that they in glory with Christ should ever remaine therefore God to Abraham called the sharpe cutting of the fore-skin of the member of Generation his Covenant meaning that to man believing truth that sharpnesse was a seale of Christs imputed righteousnesse which they received by faith including their vivification and mortification and the ground of all happinesse for so it was to Abraham being circumcised at a full age as Rom. 4 And therefore saith Christ hee that believeth in mee hath eternall life Againe although God cut off the fore-skin of the Member of generation yet but the foreskin for hee left the next innermost skin uncut off this implicitly told men capable of reason that although the grace of the Covenant did cut off the serpentine nature yet hee left a seed to remaine to let men understand that as Abraham could not be justified by workes having this serpentine seed remaining in him therefore in this life man must submit to God guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed as did Abraham for justification and his rule for imitation therefore saith the Apostle being justified by faith meaning men capable of reason we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.1.2 But the question may be here Quest whether mens sins which themselves commit be against the law naturall as supernaturally related to Gods Covenant with the first Adam I answer no for in the second Adam onely after the fall Answ this law of nature in it's perfections was inherent and was related as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end and then given to us imputatively for justification in him and a rule for imitation for us and therefore all our sinnes are against that law of righteousnesse so manifested to us in him by the Covenant of grace and not as the law was in the first Adam a Covenant of workes and man capable of reason stands bound so to receive it by beliefe of truth in Christ Iesus or the rejection of this rule cuts him from Christ for be that believeth not is condemned already and that by just consequence because he that is guilty of sinne in one is guilty in all for hee that rejects it in point of justification rejects it also as his rule in point of sanctification and from this ground Moses pronounced that man accursed which did not doe all things contained in the Law that is as not intentionally ayming to doe all things contained in that Law as leading to Christ as hereafter in due place will appeare Yet if man did then or now doth but at least intentionally respect this object of Faith as the truth is in Iesus hee is guilty of none although hee actually sinne in many things wherein we offend all Iam. 3. â— and the ground of the point is this that in Christs righteousnesse imputed and by beliefe of truth received as the truth is in Iesus this man wants no righteteousnesse which in heart hee desires to have in Christ nor is guilty of no sinne which in heart hee desires to be freed from Rom. 7.22.25 and Rom. 8.1 Quest Againe another question here to be resolved will be this that in regard Gods mercifull imputation did remove from all mankinde that imputed damnation of the Covenant for Adams sinne then how farre forth doth it also extend to take off the guilt and punishment of mens owne sinnes individually committed against the Law of grace as it is in Iesus Christ Answ It extends exceeding farre in this case also even to any man submitting by beliefe of truth to receive this gift of righteousnesse as the truth is in Iesus for then it takes off all manner of sinne committed against him one sinne onely excepted for saith Christ All manner of sinne and blasphemy against the Sonne of man shall be forgiven unto men but the sinne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Mark 3. And the ground why God thus foreappointed Christ before the world was to be ready as the Ram in the bush in that point of time to enter the worke of the Covenant to take off the just
he did although hee knew that from Caines exemplary concision the wickednesse of man was great in the earth yea every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evill continually then it * God is said to repent not in any respect of his internall divine glory for in his unmeasurable perfections he is one intire serene stilnesse but God is said properly to repent according as hee doth dâ—aw backe that good or ev ll which he communicates to man by that second definitive rule of truth mentioned ca. 8. by which he ordinarily wills his glory to â—eturne to himself from man repented the Lord that he had made man in the earth and yet all the said time of Noahs preparing the Arke before their eyes God did by it excitively draw them implicitly telling them yet there was mercie for them But this mercy they despise minding onely earthly contentments agreeable to sense as the bruit as is further implyed by the words of our Saviour Fâ—r saith hee in the dayes of Noah that were before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noah entred into the Arke And that all this time God did excitively draw them to returne to him by Christ is witnessed by Saint Peter for saith hee God in the spirit of Christ preached to them who sometimes were disobedient when as once the long suffering of God wayted in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was in preparing and as I said before this grace they despised wherefore God spared not the old world of the ungodly but brought in the flood c. Mat. 24.38 1 Pet 3.19.20 2 Pet. 2.5 Yet here we must not judge that all that perished in this temporall judgement perished eternally For godly men sometimes in Gods generall judgements are swept away for their great remissenesse to Gods great mercies extended to them and yet passe through that shade of death to eternall life as did good old Eli and as did meeke Moses whose carkasse fell in the wildernesse amongst the rest yet God let him see the terrestriall Canaan a figure of the celestiall felicity as a pledge of his sure passage through that shade of death to eternall life so also all in this flood who perished being Infants or in childhood or naturall Ideots or the like passed through this dreadfull flood to eternall felicity Therefore O Lord thou punishest unwillingly nor grievest the children of men to crush under thy feet all the prisoners of the earth Lam 3.33 Againe where Saint Peter referres salvation to Noah saying that Noah the eighth person was saved hee meaneth not but the other seven in that Arke which was the figure of Christ were also saved in it from the stood But in the number eight another thing is meant namely as an eighth day was to be the promised seed his resurrection day therefore here the number of eight as referred onely to Noah implyed that although the other seven were saved from that flood in the Ark ye Noah only then was saved in it as risen with Christ by faith in the object of justification by which he built the Arke to the saving of his house by which he condemned the world and became heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith Hebr. 11.7 figuratively implying that God in Christ is the Saviour of all men from Adams transgression and more to live in this day of Grace to receive by faith his free guift of life in glory yet his salvation is more speciall to them that believe as here in Noah wee see and as before is noted Cap. 4. Againe God having in the Arke saved both man and beast at least paires of all kinde At their comming out of the Arke then Noah that by faith rested onely upon the pillar of truth and object of life for the good of this life and a better hee no sooner comes out of the Arke into the world but hee refreshed his heart by faith in the seed of the womans satisfactory righteousnesse as the only ground of all blessednesse Genes 8.20 In Adam puâ—e naturalls man had a naturall â—ight to the creatures and the good of theâ— afterwards by the Covenant not onely that but also a right to the Creatures in a supernaturall relation and then that right in the fall being lâ—st then the second Adam as the first-borne of every câ—eature opened the womb of all perfection towards which it doth travell til now and then God by gâ—ft conferred upon all mankind divine right of this life and that to come so likewise when by the universall apostasy of man that right was deservedly to be cut off yet then God established by Châ—ists satisfactory sacrifice to man a right as to the world to come so to the creatures till time shall be no mo e as here wee see therefore all mankind have a divine right to the Creatures Wherefore God manifested to all of them that on it hee rested also fully contented and satisfied towards the world yea although now God did fore-see the concision of the hearts of the children of men for future times against him as it precedently was in Caines posterity yet upon Christs satisfactory righteousnesse he now ratifies to all mankind this worlds good till time shall be no more to be mans day of Grace to receive Gods guift of eternall glory for saith Moses Iehovah smelled a Savour of rest and Iehovah said in his heart I will not againe curse the earth any more for mans sake for the imaginations of mans heart is evill from his youth neither will I any more smite every thing living as I have done while the earth remaineth Seed-time and Harvest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and day and night shall not cease vers 21.22 And accordingly in the next Chapter God againe renewes his mercifull production of mankinde for This is the third production of mankind given by God the first before the fall Gen. 1. the second by Christ the second Adam and restorer of all Gen. 3.16 the third is this mercifull restauration saith Moses God blessed Noah and his sonnes and said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth Also he gave man right over the Creatures and a Law to eate flesh letting out the blood thereof also a law against murthering of mankind Verse 2.3 And commands them to consider all this to be the renewing of his Covenant of Grace universally to all mankind For saith Moses God saith unto Noah and his sonnes with him saying And I behold I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you for ever and with every creature that is with you v. 8. Also God gave them the Rain-bow as a witnesse of this mercy to perpetuall generation Verse 13. and Vers 16. saith God the Bow shall be in the cloud I will looke upon it that I may remember the everlasting Covenant betweene God and every living creature of
and the same therefore men meerely Moral and of a civil life must beware left they perish eternally by this deceit for man may not be farre from the Kingdome of God and yet fall short thereof as Mark 12.34 Therefore because you stick in the letter to you the Law is but a dead letter revealing sinne and wrath because you reach not the sense and scope of the Laws prefigurations and significations for the truth is acceptation with God is not of works therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed implying Gods gift of Christs imputed righteousnesse is the only stable ground of felicity in it selfe for man and also so to man rightly believing truth for man may beleeve divine Testimony as divine Testimony and yet not beleeve justifyingly as chap. 10. Againe their election to inherit the Temporall felicity of Canaan as the figure of eternall felicity could not be a debt due to the worth of their works and to the imputed righteousnesse of Christ too for these are contraries Wherefore saith the Apostle if the election be by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be by works then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Rom. 11.6 Againe the worth of their works by the Law did tend to overthrow the Foundation of the salvation of the world because it makes voyd the object of Justification and also the use of Faith to that object in a justifying relation and therefore saith the Apostle if they of the Law be heires Faith is made voyd and the promise of none effect Rom. 4.14 Againe this conceited worth of works to the Law put a nullitie to the Sonne of God his glorious expiration of his life for the completion of all righteousnesse to the salvation of the world for saith the Apostle if righteousnesse come by the Law that is as they would have it then Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe he gives them to know the Law is not of Faith his meaning is not to any living man on Earth but only to Christ as bound to believe and do the perfection of the Law in every tittle as their Doctrine of works did import for in this respect hee only and alone is the man that could do them and did live in them as a perfect man to take off the cursednesse from all that believe his righteousnesse imputed Gal. 3.11 12 13 14. Againe when Christ is manifested by the Apostles Doctrine without the prefigurations of the Law yet now this People would believe in Christ his righteousnesse for salvation but would then joyne their righteousnesse in the obedience of the Law to his as necessary to their salvation and by this they runne upon a two-fold Rock at once First they binde themselves to observe all the Laws from which now by Christs perfect obedience they were freed Secondly by this they made a nullitie to themselves of all happinesse by Christ as saith the Apostle Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for I testify againe to every man that is Circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law yee are farre fallen from Grace And Rom. 7. hee shewes that this error of theirs is as if one should joyne a dead Corps to a living man and as if a woman should esteeme her selfe bound to the Law of her Husband when he is dead we are saith hee now delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we are held that we should serve him in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter from verse 1. to the 6. Againe although Christ by the Apostles Ministry was now manifested without the authority of the Law it being abolished yet Rom. 3.21 22. hee grants to the Law and the Prophets still this honour that they witnesse to this righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ that it only is it which is man Justification to salvation wherefore verse 27. saith hee where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works Nay but by the law of Faith Therefore we conclude saith hee that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law That is without such deeds as their erronious Doctrine of works did import Quest But here may rise a queâ—â—â—on namely In what sense Moses laws are of perpetuall use to Christ his Church on Earth Answ First so farre forth as they precedently were figurative shaddowes of Christ to come they now all are of no use but as a dead letter and without that Spirit or life that they precedently had because they all ended their efficatious force in the satisfactory righteousnesse of Christ sealed with his blood to the expiration of all the Law and the Prophets Secondly as the Morall laws expiration is in Christ Iesus so it is of a double use First we are to receive by Faith the Morall laws perfections in him as given of God imputatively to justification and so to receive the remission of sinnes and salvation Secondly we are to apply our selves to it as our rule of imitation in love to God and our Neighbour and having done our best continually to submit to his as imputed for our continued acceptation here and for eternall life hereafter Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. And the ground why the perfections of the Morall law onely in Christ Iesus doth free man beleeving truth from the law of sinne and of death so conveying to him eternall life by salvation is this because the Morall law originally in its pure naturalls was instituted by God a meanes in the Covenant to a supernaturall end in the first Adam as is proved wherefore no sooner did the Morall law in Christ his sacred person by his birth in the promise subsist in him as the spotlesse Lambe but in that instant of time it was ingaged in him being the second Adam as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end by perfect love to God and his Neighbour and therefore it was immediatly put upon all mankinde freeing man from the law of sinne and of death because it came upon all men to justification of life for it removed Adams imputed damnation which was to passe according to the justice of the Covenant and so it removed the totall nature and prevalency of sinne and obtained the foresaid dispositions of Amity to God and enmity to Satan as also the good of this world to be mans day of grace to receive in Gods gift the day of eternall glory Againe I say it must be by beliefe of this truth in the object of Faith or the object of Justification And the ground why man capable of the use of reason must receive all blessednesse by beliefe of this truth is First because as
good heart but in opening the first point before I define what justifying beliefe is I will shew what beliefes are not this beliefe as First to be induced to follow the object of Faith onely because occasionally by it wee receive our corporall support this is not so much as beliefe in it in any kinde but onely a following of sense much like the first sort of ground which from the seed of life received onely a glance of the object of life and no more Ioh. 6.25 26 27. Secondly to believe the object of life or oracle of justification onely because it is of good report of those with whom we live This is not to believe divine testimony and divine as divine testimony but to believe it meerely upon humane testimony as did the misbelieving Iewes say they doe any of the Rulers believe in him implying their beliefe of the Oracle of God was onely grounded upon the Rulers respect or credit which they gave to it So this was but the second sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed wanting roote in time of temptation fell away Iohn 7.48 Ioh. 4.28 Againe to believe the Oracle of God from Gods owne testimony as Gods Oracle in severall respects is not this justifying beliefe for the divells believe the Oracles of God as Gods Oracle of truth in his gift of Christ to the world and from thence tremble at the certainty of their full damnation when God shall judge the world by the seed of the woman to the finall bruise of Satans power So some men believe the (a) Thus although the foolish virgins have not the internall lampe of justifying faith which onely hath in it the right reception of Christs imputed righteousnesse yet they have the internall lampe of beliefe of divine testimony as divine testimony as here wee see Oracle of God as Gods owne Oracle and from beliefe in God produce great miracles and (b) These men by the Scriptures are stiled virgins together with the wise virgins because in the judgement of charity the Church judgeth them visible members untill they discover the contrary glorifie God by the confirmation of the object of Faith and yet may be as some have beene voyd of love to God Therefore this is not this justifying beliefe 1 Cor. 13.2 Matth. 7.25 Likewise some men may and doe believe with consolation the Oracle of life to be Gods true Oracles and from thence in the spirit of prophesie powre out blessings upon men of an honest and a good heart as from the Starre of Iacob * But these kind of prayers are strivings to bring Gods wil to mans and not mans will to Gods will desiringly crave or pray for that blessednesse to themselves yet not rightly submitting to the reception of that righteousnesse in the object of justification as imputed by God to a sinner because in heart they are lifted up either to the esteeme of their owne personall operations or terminate their happinesse too much in terrestriall blessednesse as foolish virgins so perish in the way of Cain and wages of Balaam being the third sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed as upon Cains spirit it was and choked with the cares and pleasures of this life bringing fruit but not to perfection wanting the * Here wee see why the foolish virgins wanted oyle right reception of Gods gracious oyle of mercy running downe from Christ the head wherefore this is not that justifying beliefe in men of an honest and good heart Mat. 25.1 2 Numb 9.10.19 Numbers 24.2 16 17.23 Genes 4 And now I come to define what beliefe is justifying faith and then to define what the perfection of this justifying faith is yet before I can do either I must briefly open the point of justification in foure particulars First as before is declared Gods instrument is the word of truth by which hee conveyes the object of justification to the minde of man as from the beginning till now in the word of promise to Adam by tradition conveyed by the ten Fathers down to Abraham then that word being renewed with him it came downe to Moses and by him committed to writing and now by the Apostles writings extant to the end of the world So much for the instrument Secondly The object conveyed or reached unto man by that instrument is Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed or counted to the world in generall and to man believing truth more specially So much for the object so conveyed Thirdly Mans necessary instrument by which he receives this guift of righteousnesse from God is his beliefe of Gods instrument his word of truth as aforesaid by which God reacheth to man that object of justification as is formerly described The reasons moving man to apply his instrument of beliefe to Gods instrument to receive his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed are these First because he conceiveth God in that guift is (a) Here maâ—â— understanding lookes at truth unfained therefore he sets to his seale that God is true in the testimony he gives of his Sonne Ioh. 3.33 Secondly because he conceives that in this righteousnesse so imputed or counted to be mans is conferred the removall of misery and conveyed all (b) Here mans will lookes at goodnesse felicity 1 Iohn 5.19.20 Thirdly because hee conceives his own (c) Man which out of sense of his sinne and misery looks to God as mercifull hath a right aspect towards eternall felicity Luke 18.13.14 Matth 5.3 Rom. 10.10 Rom. 4.6.7 poverty or need of that imputed righteousnesse so commodious to him that therefore he applies his hand of beliefe to receive that object for righteousnesse to justification and remission of sinnes to salvation So that in men of honest and good hearts justifying beliefe may thus be defin'd (d) justifying faith defined Namely it is mans heart in beliefe of Gods faithfulnesse submitting to the receiving his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed (e) The oyle whâ—ch the â—oolish â—irgins waÌ„ted is Christs imputed righteousnesse as received by faith which is the right issue of Gods most speciall grace to sanctification justification A definâ—tion of perfection of justifying saith as the only ground to remove all his misery and convey all happinesse upon him And thus did Abel submit as Chapt. 4. and as many as by faith thus submit they then are received and adopted Sonnes in Christ and because Christs elect Spouse did not thus submit to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10 3. she was cast off And so much for the definition what justifying beliefe is Secondly the perfection of justifying Faith is no more but this the heart of man adhering to Gods unfeyned gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed for the removall of all misery and the conveyance of all felicity so firme and so farre as to worke up to God in that object through all interposing difficulties And I will in briefe prove this second definition by the perfection
perfections rightly disposed to operate according to that estate so that Adam might truly say to God of his workmanship in him I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy workes and that my soule knowes right well Psal 139. verse 14. Secondly God rendered to him by the whole perfections of the creation a continued supportation of his Personall perfections and therefore hee made all first and man last Gen. 1.26 implying man could not subsist one minute * It is true man now subsists but not perfect in nature but as the creation is subject to vanity so is the body of man in his Personall perfection out of it Therefore as the spangled skie with Lamps of light in their order was of his House but the seiled roofe so also the earth with it's most perfect fragrancie and ornaments was but the pavement of his habitation And as the creatures vegetable being his appointed food rendering their spirit or life to his nutrimentall support so also the virtuall force of the celestiall and terrestriall globe in a mutuall efflux did not onely with their most sweet imbreathings internally maintain that compound of Adams sweet anâ— subtill life in his Personall perfections but also to his body externally naked by their mutuall touch was to it rayment not onely comfortable but also honourable and glorious for saith the Text They were both naked the man and the woman and were not ashamed implying the foresaid support as needing no other Gen s 2. verse 25. Thirdly an onenesse or selfenesse with the parts of the whole Creation It is true Earth Ayre Water and Fire were not the nature of Adam yet every one of their natures was in his as the principles of his Elementary body and so were to him as himselfe Againe the nature and lives of vegetable Plants and Trees was not the nature of Adam yet their kind of natures and lives were resident in his as in the growth of his bodily stature the nayles of his fingers toes and other parts as parts of himselfe Againe the nature and lives of sensitive Creatures were not the nature of Adam as in the Beasts and Birds and other of that generall nature yet their kinds of nature was in his as in his touch taste hearing smelling and seeing as parts of himselfe but the womans nature was his and his hers as flesh of his flesh aâ—â— bone of his bone and so the most proper roote to produce their owne kinde And from this universall onenesse or selfenesse of natures did naturally * The first originall of the second Table of the morall law spring in the mind of Adam in his pure Naturalls the second Table of the morall Law namely To love thy Neighbour as thy selfe As for the Essence of Adams reasonable soule although he knew it farre more then we doe ours yet he knew it not but by it's effects So also the intrinsecall formes of all creatures although hee knew them by their effects more then we can and in that respect saw a kinde of selfenesse of the soules of all creatures with himselfe farre more then wee can yet in respect of their specificating forme which internally gave this thing to be this and that to be that This to him was invisible as was his owne reasonable soule which was his intrinsecall forme primarily specificating him from other creatures And the reason why the internall forme or soule or being of all creatures even to the being of a stone is invisible is this because mans reasonable soule being involved in an Elementary body although perfect is clouded to perceive his owne nature or the like For as Gods essentiall perfection by reason of his unmeasurable perfections is removed farre from sense and weake reason and therefore unperceiveable and invisible to man so also is the manner knowne onely to God how all things subsist in him and receive the continuation of their subtile lives and beings individually And the universall ground of this selfenesse betweene all creatures and Adam in the creation is this because the whole creation consisting of many parts was but one effect or off-spring of God as his Generation yet not by any derivation of his Essence essentially but by his powerfull production by creation wondrously As first from a meere nothing to a formlesse masse and from thence to that perfection which then it was and so now all things subsist and continue in him but the manner how is invisible and unperceiveable to man if to Adam in his innocency much more now to all mankinde but we must believe it because God hath said it Acts 17. vers 28. Fourthly the perfections of the whole creation led Adams reasonable soule by his senses to a perfect union of love in God which was his most proper blessednesse in the state of creation for although the soules infusion was the best o his being yet it was no part of his blessednesse for that was but the uniting of two created natures to make his personall being which a man may have and be accursed But this was the union of the creature with the Creator by perfect love in a mutuall concordance for as God created Adam fitly and rightly disposed to operate to God as his chiefest good so also God did excitively draw him to this union by leading him from the effect to the cause from the creation to the Creator as from the drop to the Ocean For God to Adam was not onely transparently agreeable by the perfection of the creation to his senses but also to his understanding and his will first to his understanding by the truth of that perfection and secondly to his will in the perfection of goodnesse For first to his understanding by all his senses was conveyed the truth of Gods power and wisdome in the wonderfull composure of all creatures in their severall shapes natures kindes qualities and vertues harmoniously amyable but chiefly Adams personall perfections so beautifull and his reasonable soule the mirror of Gods worke of power and wisedome and all joyntly together gave Adam a concludent proofe that God in himselfe was infinitely beyond all this that he had communicated to the perfection of the creation and therefore this demonstrative Principle of truth was agreeable to the naturall property of his understanding which naturally lookes at truths Secondly also to his will was an agreeablenesse in goodnesse First in respect of the things themselves all good yea very good by Gods owne testimony Secondly to Adam as an Ocean of good universally terminating all their forces and vertues of their perfections to his harmonising support as before is declared Againe Adam himselfe being both in nature and authority over all creatures as their Lord and King under God so that by his senses to his understanding and will was declared the good will of God to him in all by all and above all creatures Therefore here was an agreeablenesse universally to his will which naturally look'd
enters not this rest and then with reference to this point saith God spake in a place of the seaventh day on this wise that God rested the seventh day from all his works The reason why Moses in the 2. of Gen. doth bring in all Gods works as made on the seventh day ver 2. is because all which was made perfect on the sixt day and lost by Adam was as it were made anew by Ch ists satisfactory righteousnesse imputed and so declared the seventh day morning to Adam by the Creations putting forward its first step towards perfection to which it travailes untill now and then saith hee there remaines a rest for the people of God meaning by Faith here and in glory hereafter Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.3.9.19 And from this ground the number of seaven in holy Scriptures is a figure of perfection as in the seaventh of yeares namely the Jubiles and the seaventh yeares of the Lands rest and in the seventh months rest and this seventh daies rest c. and in Enoch the seventh from Adam by ascending into eternall perfection in Soule and Body joyntly together figuring out the Angelike glory intended to man in the * In the 12 Ch. and â—3 Object you may see this Covenant defended Observation Covenant by the worke of the first Adam but now given to the world in the righteousnesse of the second Adam imputed So much for the Proofe of the fift generall point namely that the second Adams first entrance into the worke of the first Adam put on the whole Creation travailing together with man believing truth to that perfection it lost in Adams fall Hence observe because the imputative damnation of Gods Covenant through Adams transgressions was fully removed and taken off by the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse imputed as ours by Gods free guift upon all men to justification of life so as none of mankinde ever perished for that transgression as precedently is proved Then consequently all mankinde which in Infancy or childhood depart this world they ascend to eternall life in Heaven to Angells glory notwithstanding originall sinne which is in them for that running sore of originall sin in which they are conceiv'd and brought forth doth but fit them successively to receive the salve of salvation in Christ to their eternall felicity for if they had not bin conceived and borne in that seed of sinne and but a seed then they had bin in their production Divells in dispositions totally according to the justice of the Covenant and so capable of no good but evill only or else they must have bin by production conceiv'd and borne in their pure naturalls of holinesse and righteousnesse in an Estate of perfection according to the tendencie of the Covenant and then they had not bin capable of eternall life in Christ by salvation for the whole need not the Physitian but the sicke But because the Serpentine seed is derived to Infants in their conceptions and births and in them reduc'd but to a sâ—ed by grace in Christ because God put the foresaid principle of enmity betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent therefore this running sore of originall sinne in them implicitly pleads for the salve of salvation in Gods free guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to ascend by it to eternall felicity Therefore all mankinde departing this world in Infancy or Childhood ascend by death through him to eternall life Againe the passage of all Infants from the misery of this world by the sharpe separation of Soule and body is to them * Likewise so is the sharpe separation of Infants from their Mothers bowels in their birth so notwithstanding that sharpe travell the mother shall be saved if she continue in beliefe of the object of justification and in the inseparable companion of that beliefe namely inteâ—nall holinesse issuing it selfe into externall sanctification as is proved by the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.15 Therefore Circumcision precedently was as the dipping or washing in Baptisme now is viz. a witnesse that Gods Covenant in Christ reacheth Infants that cannot by Faith reach him wherefore they were and are received into the visible Church by cutting and washing theâ—eby witnessing that the grace of the Covenant gave to the whole nature of man in the promised seed immediatly upon the fall a meetly disposed nature in all to receive eternall life as saved creatures but man remisse passeth by this witnesse and the like mercies but so did not the Queene of Sheba although excluded from the residence of the like mercies from her Kingdome but an implicite tast by a figure of Adams imputed sower herbs of punishment for sinne to relish Gods sweet imputed mercies in Christ the Paschall Lamb to Gods praise in him by the salvation of them to all eternity therefore all mankinde dying in Infancy or childhood ascend through death to glory for ever Againe these sower hearbs by this Separation of Soule and body of all Infants which departed this world before Christ came by it they then were but a figure of him then to come as saith the Apostle Rom. 5. the 14 to tast not only of this Separation which is but a shaddow of death but a figure of him as he was an imputed sinner to tast of death for all men in the substance according to the justice of that Covenant and more therefore it being but a figure of him it was only a passage to them to eternall life by him Againe when God the second time renewed his promise of the Seed of the woman with Abraham to the universall mercy of the Apostate world as will afterwards appeare hee then instituted Circumcision namely to cut off the foremost skin from the member of generation of Infants implying his only mercy in the promised seed was it that cut from the Nature of mankinde the nature of Divells though not totally So fitting them to receive their Eternall felicity by Christ therefore they do enjoy it to all eternity Againe * But they which attribute so much to baptisme as that no baptisme no salvation it is bâ—t to assume the more seeminâ— suâ—e stitions sanctity to draw fâ—om the people the more respect to their aspired Antichâ—stian Priesthood also the Male Infant was precisely to be cut the eighth day after his birth this implicitly told their (a) So baptising of Infants now is an outward seale to the Church that although mans nature at once was totally d abolicall yet the reduction of it to a seed by Christ is the Principle of mans new birth Baptisme further implyes the spirit of Gods helpe to bring it to perfection in his owne way that is to the peâ—fection of parts in this woâ—ld and to perfection of degrees in the next parents that Gods mercifull infusion by putting the foresaid principle of enmity into the nature of all men was the originall principle of mans new birth as risen with Christ whose first step to glory was to
destruction of the world and to state it thus to travell together with man-believing truth to it 's desired felicity was onely this namely Gods love to the world for God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Therefore the world must be onely considered as an object agreeable to Gods will because it was to him an object of love for the truth is God did so consider it and that in a two-fold respect First in all that good which God communicated to the world by creation as involved in the Covenant to it 's ultimate perfection and all this as issuing from himselfe was his owne effect as the off-spring of God and therefore a good every way agreeable to Gods will and an object of love to him But if the justice of the Covenant had passed to execution then God had proceeded to annihilate all this good not onely in part but totally and eternally but this went against his mind therefore hee so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. That glory which was to result to God out of all the good of the creatures according to the spire of perfection of the Covenant by Adams supernaturall operation was Gods finall end for which he made all namely his glory and this was to God the object of good in the highest respect But if God had in the justice of the Covenant proceeded to execution then this his finall end had beene separated from him and he might in the ruine and destruction of the creatures to all eternitie have glorified himselfe But from the creatures good his glory could never have returned to him in any degree much lesse from the highest spire of perfection intended in the Covenant as was Gods desire but this was contrary to his mind therefore God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne as his Lambe to take away the sinnes of the world by regaining his glory in the redundancie thereof to the eternall praise of his mercy Is it so that by this second Adam Observation his satisfaction of Divine justice God in mercy gave to all mankinde alike the meanes and end namely Eternall life and that the good of this world is a remote meanes to the same end as here wee see Then hence observe that all men either poore or rich which desire or indeavour to attaine the good of this world for them and theirs and not as a means to this end they then in their imaginations and all their labours are but a mere lye and vanity whence rightly saith the Psalmist Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye Psal 62.9 Againe is the good of this world Gods gift in Christ Observation a comfortable and remote meanes amongst many to leade man to Christ to receive in him eternall life then take this rule for a direction not to be dismaid to see some in want for their chastisement and some for triall and some to abound for those men which terminate their rests in wealth and in the pleasures and delights of this world shall attaine but a brutish rest here and never receive eternall rest in Angells glory hereafter for this is but a meanes and a remote one too therefore hee that sits downe in this meanes must needs lose the end and so perish eternally Here follow some Objections made by a Reverend Divine which are accordingly answered and the Objections made by others are answered in the twelfth Chapter Object 1. If Adams omitting to eate of the tree of Life were a Sinne and that Sinne of omission brought on her Sinne of commission shee was not the first occasion of his Sinne but first Sinne a rose intrinsecus Answ Neither in this page nor in any other is it said his omitting to eate of the tree of Life was a sinne nor is it said he did omit to eate the fruit of this Garden or of the tree of Life but it is said hee was remisse of the different end from his former Estate why he was to eate of these fruits as a meanes thereunto and his remisnesse to eate these fruits as such a meanes brought his sinne of omission and that brought on his sinne of commission Because of the naturall liberties of their wills therefore sin might arise from within Also because their righteousnesse and holinesse did spring from naturall causes internally and externally as Chap. 1. therefore righteousnesse and holinesse being not their nature they might mutually turne to good or evill Againe why might not sinne in both of them arise from within this second Estate being so farre different from the former Estate of creation if their understandings were not carefully applyed to Gods rules in the Covenant to keepe them from evill and their wills to God as a good more fully to be communicated to them then by the perfections of the creation and the truth is from the remissenesse of them both it was that shee was the first in the transgression with Satan by the Serpent and he the second in the same by her Object 2. * Pag. 21. Where you say all mankinde were in reprobation if you meane the case of reprobates or guilt of damnation it is true but if you meane of Gods decree it crosseth the doctrine of Election Answ I meane as it is explained in the page namely that in the fall of Adam all mankinde alike were reprobated under the guilt due punishment of eternall condemnation joyned together with reprobate divells as opposed to our conjunction with elect Angels in eternall glory by vertue of the intended end of Gods Covenant with Adam Againe I deny any such decree and in the prosecution of the sixth point I have as I believe explained those Scriptures which reverend Calvin and you I suppose doe thinke doe prove that decree and case of Reprobates and as for that doctrine of Reprobation the Scripture proves it no more then it doth that word Decree which neither in the old Testament or the new is so much as mentioned with reference to the point of Election and Reprobation as I suppose you meane Object 3. Pag. 22. The judgement was executed that very moment that Adam eat of the forbidden fruit in that instant he was dead in sinne and mortality seized upon his body and hee stood guilty of eternall damnation Answ True it is judgement was executed the very moment that Adam eat the forbidden fruit yet not upon the first Adam but onely upon the second Adam as his Saviour and ours as pag. 24. and 25. figuratively in the blood of the Lambe or if not how or why was he as Saint Iohn affirmes the Lambe slaine from the worlds foundation Rev. 13.8 Or how was it that as by one offence judgement passed upon all men to condemnation even so by one righteousnesse the free guift came on all men to justification of life as Saint Paul affirmes Rom. 5.18 and as
is explained in pag. 32. Or how was the worke of a perfect rest in Christ by Faith and in fruition by hope finished from the foundation of the world as the Author to the Hebrewes affirmes Hebr. 4.3 and as is explained pag. 25. To the second part of the Objection true it is by Adams default hee was as is described pag. 30. dead in sinne farre more deepe then I suppose you meane for man being dead in sins and trespasses against the universall grace of God in Christ is farre different from that in Adams fall as to be twice dead and pluckt up by the roote is different from them both as in the prosecution of the sixth point will clearely appeare To the third part of the Objection true it is mortality seized upon his body but it is also as true that by mercy in the blood of the Lambe mans body came but thus to be mortall for this mortality doth but at most separate the soule from the body which is but the shadow of that death intended in the Covenant for us in the fall of Adam as is described pag. 21. 22. 23. and as will more appeare by the death of the second Adam in the eighth Chapter following Object 4. Your observation is refuted Rom. 5.12.13 c. Are all Infants that die saved if not what is the cause of their condemnation Answ To the first part Rom. 5.12.13 the Apostle to the praise of Gods universall grace parallelling the first Adam to the second Adam hee there layes downe a double Argument the first that although by Adams sinne sinne entred into the world that is originally as the cause of all mens perishing when they were dependant on him in the Covenant for afterwards hee was as are all men Christ only excepted but a private man cap. 5. So that Adams sinne as now it is is but the occasion of mans sinne by his owne default to his eternall destruction and their owne sinne is the onely cause thereof as committed against Christ and the ground thereof is exprest by the Apostle in the 18. verse following Secondly it is further implyed in these two verses that that mans sinnes now so committed that is against Christ to whom all power is given and to whom all stand related for good and evill that the prevalency of their sinne against him doth increase the prevalency of the shadow of death unto them namely the frequency of the separation of the soule from the body and also of death in the substance namely mans separation from God his chiefest good in this relation and united to the contrary evill and by his owne remissenesse being ignorant of all yet then God in mercy to the promise added the Law to reveale to reckon or impute mans sinne unto him that he might see how hee runne on his owne misery wherefore in the 20. verse rightly saith the Apostle The Law entred that the offence as the spring of misery might abound that where sinne abounded grace might much more abound that as sinne had raigned unto death even so might grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Iesus Christ verse 21. Therefore my observation is confirmed by the Apostle in these verses and not refuted See these verses further explained in cap. 9. to the second part of the objection yes all Infants are saved and therefore I can shew you what once was the cause of their condemnation namely Adams one offence when he was a publike person and the signe of it now onely remaines in their nature to meet and dispose them as fit subjects successively to receive salvation in the universall grace of God by Iesus Christ as saved creatures namely the poyson of the Serpent as reduced but to a seed the foresaid infusion flowing from the estate they are now in namely Gods universall mercy in the promised seede imputed righteousnesse as is further described pag. 36. 37. Object 5. If Adam fell the ninth houre of the sixth day Pag. 25. how did God in the end of that day see all his workes to be very good Answ I demand of you how he did see all his works the sixth day very good in the end of that day seeing it is not mentioned so in the Text and Moses saith expresly that on the seventh day God ended his workes which he had made and therefore it remaines for you to prove that God said so according to your inference at the end of the sixth day and in what sense Moses meanes that God ended his worke on the seventh day see pag. 34. Object 6. The exposition of the particle Put Pag. 28. savours of Semipelagianisme so doth the phrase of internall disposition infused universally Answ If that exposition which tends to demonstrate God onely in Christ Iesus an unversall good to man and that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and so in all things Christ must have the preheminence to communicate even the least good to man as a meanes to his chiefest good and all restored by Christ then surely if this doctrine savour of Semipelagianisme it becomes you and I to be not onely halfe or almost but altogether Pelagians And that this doth so demonstrate God in Christ besides the maine scope of this whole Treatise see in cap. 6. cap. 12. in my answer to the tenth Objection cap. 12. the which doth most clearely prove the point Object 7. The last clause is false Pag. 30. Answ It is not so untill you have proved it so Object 8. The universall election is false Pag. ibid. Pag. 31. Object 9. Men perish for Adams transgression and their owne Answer to both Objections Both these Objections are answered in my answer to the 21. and 22. pages precedently Object 10. That justification without Faith Pag. 33. is against the current of Scripture Ans That this text nominates justification I am sure is true Rom. 5.18 and that the Apostle relates this justification without relation to mans receptive instrument of beliefe is as true for here the Apostle relates this justification to man as meerely passive when God was found of us that sought him not even when wee as Adam received this imputation to life and glory when God came to seeke and to save that which was lost not imputing out sinne to Adam according to the justice of the Covenant Therefore this justification as opposed to the ordinary reception of it by mans instrument of beliefe called justifying * Mans beliefe receiving this justification is therefore called justifying faith Faith was extraordinary and therefore although not according to the current of Scriptures yet according to the Scripture as for example that light which was before the Sunne was made in an ordinary course to communicate light unto the world was true light so this truth is truth though not according to the current of Scriptures in an ordinary course But as for this justification as related to mans receptive
all flesh that is upon the earth c. And in the next place Moses tels us the manner of the proceedings betweene God and this new Generation Chap. 11. Verse 1. He tells us the whole earth was then of one language and also in processe of time whither they journed and at length setled For he saith it came to passe as they journied from the East they found a plaine in the Land of Shynar and they dwelt there Also hee tels what they said and what they did with an unanimous consent They said one to another Goe too let us make bricke and burne them throughly and they had bricke for stone and slime had they for morter And they said goe too let us build us a City and a Tower whose top may reach unto Heaven And then hee tels us to what end and purpose was this great building set up by all these great Counsell cost and labour namely that their owne imaginations and the worke of their owne hands might get them an immortall Name and Fame on earth For they said Let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole Earth This implies they all were now in this plaine Resident and also their apostasie universally from God in the Pillar of truth in which Oracle was wrapt up the gift of mortall and immortall good for from it wee see upon Noahs sacrifice he conveyed to them and theirs all happinesse present and to come So here you see the manner of the proceedings of this new generation towards God for all his gracious mercy by the promised seed his satisfactory righteousnesse Againe it followes in what manner God proceeded for this to them saith Moses Iehovah came downe to see the City and the Tower that the children of men builded and Iehovah said the people are all one and they have all one language and this they begin to doe and nothing will restraine them from that which they have imagined to doe These words imply two things first that this building to the foresaid end was very offensive to God secondly that they were so farre gone in this transcendent mischiefe as no ordinary meanes could restraine their desired purposes and therefore God resolves upon an extraordinary meanes to divert them For saith the sacred Trinity Goe to let us goe downe and there confound their language that they may not understand one another and this did effect it For saith Moses Jehovah scattered them from thence abroad upon the face of all the earth and they left off to build the City therefore is the name if it called Babel because Jehovah there confounded the language of all the earth And in the tenth Chapter Moses relates in what parts of the world these scattered families did first settle and then concludes saying These are the Families of the sonnes of Noah after their generations in their Nations and by these were the Nations divided after the flood And so much for the first part of the time of Gods impartiall proceedings to mankind from which precedent premisses observe these particulars First from whence all heathenish Paganisme or Gentilisme did originally spring namely from Gods just punishmenâ— of this peoples universall Apostasie from the Pillar of truth and Oracle of life and glory descending so famously to them by tradition from Adam by Noah and renewed to them by Covenant from God therefore for this universall apostasie hee left them universally to walke in the vanity of their owne mindes as without God in the world about eighteene hundred yeeres Secondly observe that for mans turning from God in this object of Justification therefore the sacred Oracle was three times confin'd to narrow bounds First when Caine had killed Abel then it was confined to Adam and Evah and so downe to the Families of the ten first Fathers before the flood Secondly then confin'd in the Arke to Noah and his Family when God drowned all the off-spring of the ten Fathers together with Caines Posterity being partakers in apostasy from truth to lying vanities so by punishment in wofull miseries Thirdly confin'd now at Babel when God cast off all the Nations for casting away him in his truth and speciall mercies then was the object of life and glory confin'd to the Family of Shem impleyed Gen. 11. from the 10. verse to the end of the Chapter by Moses recording Shems Genealogie in the Booke of Life and none else mentioning their births their dayes of life and their particular deaths Thirdly observe how that righteous Noah lived and saw the apostasie of the old world and their punishment his own off-springs apostasie at Babel and their punishment the apostasie of Shems Family and so left this world and that family languishing so farre as worshipping the Idol Gods of the Heathen Iosh 24.23 And saith Broughton in his consent of Scripture Noah died but two yeeres before Abraham was borne therefore hee lived to see all this Fourthly observe that notwithstanding all these apostasies yet by tradition God upheld the Oracle of life in the world to this time For Shem now personally continued constant in the truth figuratively personating Christ as King of Peace and Priest of the most high God after the power of an endlesse life although man unbelieving descends downe to endlesse death Therefore Gods proceedings in this first part of time was to all mankinde alike without respect of persons as hee originally said to Caine If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted But if thou dost not well sinne lies at the dore as precedently is explicated CHAP. VI. Opening the second part of time namely from the time that God called Abraham to the time that he called the Gentiles by Christ in the Gospel VVHereas all Families of the earth at this time were cut off from the Oracle of life and Shems Family to which it was last confin'd by apostasie lay now perishing in their owne corruptions yet then comes God and renewes his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to come upon all men to justification of life for now hee predestinated all mankinde to life and glory the second time to enjoy this day of grace namely this world as a day of grace to receive by beliefe of his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed the day of eternall glory This extraordinary mercy thus universally renewed by this second pr destination not onely proves the sufficiencie of Christs imputed righteteousnesse as the Fathers gift for the salvation of all all alike but also Gods willingnesse to have it effectuall as to a reasonable creature to bring him to happinesse according to his kinde not onely in an ordinary way but sometimes extraordinarily as appeareth in the 9. 10. chapters I say all for I meane both Shems Family and all the Families of the Earth which at this time comprehended all mankinde none excepted and for proofe of this point Gen. 12. saith Moses concerning this Predestination Iehovah had said unto * The
time God in Christ with Abraham by covenant thus predestinated Iewes and Gentiles to glory yet called not the Gentiles till about eighteene hundred yeeres after but called the Iewes to inherit this glory in the birth of Isaack Hence observe the onely ground why the Iewes were first in this honour in respect of time was because God for his owne names sake was pleased then to begin the execution of that blessed predestination and from â—his ground Christ gave them the priority commanding the twelve saying goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into any of the Cities of the Samaritans enter yee not but goe yee rather unto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Mat. 10.5 Likewise at Antioch Saint Paul and Barnabas rendred the same priority to them saying It was necessary the Word of God should first have beene spoken unto you Acts 13.46 c. But when Christ in the expiration of all righteousnesse upon the crosse had made open the way to bring in the Gentiles so making both one generall assembly and Church of the first borne inroll'd in heaven Hebr. 11.25 Yet our Saviour in a Parable foretelling the Iewes of this joyning the Gentiles to them implies his proceeding in this generall assembly shall be without all respect of persons choosing and refusing as betweene Cain and Abel for hee concludes his discourse saying Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 10.14 Further implying notwithstanding the extraordinary fluxe of grace and truth which was then to be powred out upon all flesh yet if they did not apply themselves therein to receive his righteousnesse imputed to be their wedding garment for acceptance they should not be respected Fourthly is it so that the second Adams faith and obedience is the alone condition of the covenant of grace which by mercy brought eternall life to all mankind alike Hence observe that the fruition of that eternall life in Heaven is to all alike without degree of glory to one more then another although here the degrees of grace are different some more and some lesse as they apply more or lesse their talents to Christ as the object of Justification Yet the fruition of that glory depends onely and alone on Christs righteous workes which is mans by free gift therefore that glory is enjoyed there by al alike without degrees Christ onely excepted who in all things must have the preheminence for one mans reasonable soule is not more uncapable then anothers in it's essentiall faculty simply considered but all the difference of capacities ariseth from error transgression and sinne or the effects of sinne but in the fruition of that glory all this for Christs his righteousnesse sake is removed and not remaining consequently their capacities being then alike their enjoyment of that glory is all alike without degrees to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Yet it is not so on the contrary to mankinde in eternall death because their sinne abides upon them so that they descend to eternall death not for anothers workes as men ascend to eternall life but for their owne despising Gods grace leading to eternall life Therefore as they more or lesse were in sinne consequently Justice requires more or lesse punishment for despising eternall felicity Gods way Fifthly observe it stands all mankind hereupon to beware of remissenesse to God in his way by Christ Iesus for their eternall felicity for as wee all in Adam by remissenesse to Gods Covenant fell so low in misery as never any meere creature could raise us from thence as Chapter 3. Likewise in this last Chapter wee see Christs elect Spouse by her remissenesse to her felicity by Christ Iesus brought upon her selfe a connexion of causes necessitating her selfe to unavoydable rejection from Christ as a fugitive remarkeably despicable here on earth this sixteene hundred yeeres and more Sixthly Is it so that the Law was added because the off-spring of Abraham did transgresse the object of Justification given in the promised seed to Adam and renewed to them with Abraham Hence observe how rightly speakes the Apostle that the Law was not given to the righteous man that is as unto Abraham who terminated his operations by beliefe of Truth and Love to God and man by a right relation to God in the object of Justification for here in this Chapter wee see Moses law added to the Promise to schoole Abrahams lawlesse off-spring to Christ because they precedntly transgresse the promise Seventhly although God did communicate to the world with the first Adam naturall perfection by creation and celestiall perfection by the Covenant yet here observe that God never restores any of that to mankinde but by mercy ever turning his eyes onely upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse for as before the world was it was appointed for all alike in him by redemption so accordingly upon the fall in him hee chose us to life and glory from perishing with reprobate divels to whom in respect of our selves we were unrecoverably joyned So likewise when with Noah hee renewed this mercy to the second world it was by turning his eyes only upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse so likewise when with Abraham he predestinated both Iewes and Gentiles to life and glory from being fit vessels of wrath as lying in their owne apostasie from the grace of God yet then onely in the promised seed God turned his eyes in mercy to the world in the precedent predestination as in this Chapter clearely appeareth So much for the second part of Time I now should come to the third namely the calling of the Gentiles but here will arise a necessary question viz. In what estate for eternall life stood the Gentiles from the time they were scattered at Babel untill they were called to mercy in Christ but by Gods help I will answer it in the next Chapter CHAP. VII Shewing in what estate or condition were all the families of the earth from the rejection at the Tower of Babell to their call to Christ in whom they were elected ANswer In respect of the Object of Justification they were excluded not to have it resident amongst them and therefore in that respect they lived as without God in the world and so the day of grace in this world was to them not as a day of grace being left to walke in the vanitie of their mindes they wanting the pillar of truth or Oracle of the promised seed and so remained under wrath about 18 hundred yeares This text Ephes 2 3. no way excludes infants departing this world from eternall life See the last Observation in the 7 Chapt. and therefore when some of those Gentiles by the Gospell were returned from their Apostacie and received life in the object of Faith The Apostle saith unto them yee were the Children of wrath even as others therefore they were so under wrath throughout all those precedent generations Ephes 2.3 But it may here be objected God threatned to visit the sinnes
hath the Iew or what profit is there of circumcision that is of all their peculiar and glorious priviledges To this he answers much every way because unto them was committed the Oracles of God for what if some of them did not believe that is Gods Oracle to be true in the seed promised shall their unbeliefe make Gods object of Faith or Gods faithfulnesse to man in that object of none effect God forbid yea let God be true and every man a lyar yet verse 9. he concludes the Iewes by reason of their proud Apostasie to be no better generally then were the Gentiles as it is written saith he there is * This must needs be understood of all for the most part and not that none did understand aright nor that none were righteous for then there was a time when God had no Church nor Christ no Spouse in this world and that is unpossible for Christ till time shall be no more will in this world be a Priest after the order of Milchizedech to continue a Church on earth see ca. 10. none righteeus no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way c. But it will be here objected that the Apostle contradicts himselfe because that as in this Epistle to the Romans he affirmes man by nature doth the things contained in the Law of Christ to eternall life but in his Epistle to the Corinthians he saith the contrary namely that the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corinth 2. verse 14. Answer There is no contradiction at all for in his Epistle to the Romans by nature hee meanes as not having the Oracle of life as it was among the Iewes but onely the foresaid internall principles in their nature and the voyce of God speaking implicitly by Christ in the creatures but to the Corinthians he meanes men naturallized in the spirit of Satan according to the course of this world for they esteemed the wisedome of God in the creatures as leading to God and especially the Apostles Ministery in the Gospel to be foolishnesse and therefore the Apostle saith to those of Corinth where is the Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisedome of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 Therefore here 's no contradâ—ction but Gods proceedings also in this narrow way to eternall life is according to the first modell if thou dost well shalâ— thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinnes lies at the dore Observat 1 The first Observation If the vertues of the best of the Gentiles or Heathens having not the Oracle of life did thus by nature obtaine the circumcision of the heart and spirit hence observe that the vertues of the best Heathens were not shining sinnes but of the same nature and kind as are the most holy men on earth Secondly is it so that when the way of life was so narrow that few did finde it yet some did find it without the Oracle of God by retaining the truth of God in their knowledge consequently so might all the rest Observat 2 Hence observe how just that sentence of the Apostle upon them is namely that they are left without excuse Rom. 1.10 Observat 3 Is it so that when the way to life was thus narrow as is described and yet some of them did finde it and consequently so might all the rest by retaining the truth of God in their knowledge and not having the Oracle of life and light Hence observe how just that other dreadfull sentence is which the Apostle applies to all mankind saying Christ in flâ—ming fire shall come taking vengeance on them which know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes 1.8 Observat 4 Is it so that by the apostasie of the world of Iâ—wes and Gentiles from the object of life the way to eternall felicity at Christs comming into the world was as it were extinguished Hence observe that well might the Lord of glory then affirme and exhort mankinde saying enter in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Matth. 7.13 Againe here observe although God doth visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children through many generations yet hee doth not extend that visitation to their unavoydable damnation but hee onely shewes his type and just displeasure against their apostate parents for contempt of his gracious mercy by making narrow and strait the way to eternall life to them and theirs yet a way is here we see and those children are not delivered up from Gods universall grace mercy nor from receiving his more speciall mercy to life in that narrow way except for their owne detaining that truth in unrighteousnesse wherefore righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes and merciful in all thy workes CHAP. VIII Being an Introduction to the third part of time in which the Gentiles were called to life and glory I Call it an Introduction because as Christ being slaine figuratively in the Lambe in the point of time that Adam fell his righteousnesse being committed or imputed to to the world then made way for all blessednesse to man So now also being slaine in the truth and finished all righteousnesse it being in mercy imputed to the world this second time it then brake downe the partition wall of the Moysaicall Ordinances which before excluded the Gentiles and so made an open way to bring in the Gentiles to inherit with the Iewes the blessing of Abraham Therefore it is requisite I should now first show how the Sonne of God did this great worke of restoring the world and so come to shew the calling of the Gentiles to that blessednesse And first take notice that God not only led Adam before the fall and Christs elect Spouse to Eternall felicity by Allegories but also Christ himselfe For as the first Adam was by God assign'd his place for the improvement of his perfect Excellencies to Gods glory for the Supernaturall felicities of the World namely the Garden of Eden with its prefigurations So likewise the second Adam by God for the Improvement of his perfect excellencies to the said end had his place assign'd him namely the Land of Canaan figured first by Gods assigning the particular Place where Isaack the promised seed in the Type was to be Sacrificed that is onely in the Land of Canaan which God appointed Abraham Secondly It was likewise prefigured in this that the Land of Canaan was entail'd to Isaack the promised Seed in the Tipe Likewise the Intaile descended figuratively to Christ as he was the Sonne of King David therefore
the breadth of this Land is thy Land O Emanuel as saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 8. ver 8. Thirdly this was likewise Typified to Christ in that all Sacrifices in the Type were excluded from all places in the world and included only in this Land of Canaan neere the Temple restrictively to expire their lives in the Type Therefore in this Land was the Lord Iesus Christ in the truth Personally to performe the worke of the redemption of the world the which accordingly hee did Againe Christ the Sonne of God as he was man was borne under five relations to this worke First by promise the Sonne of Adam as the seed of the woman immediatly upon the fall and therefore bound by the Law of Nature to relieve his Parents in their Lapsed condition Secondly by promise borne the Sonne of Abraham and therefore bound to the Law of circumcision figuring his cutting off the powers of Satan that is of sinne and the consequences thereof for the Covenant was that all the Sons of Abraham must be circumcis'd in their generations therefore hee was borne in subjection to that Law Thirdly hee was by promise borne the seed of David therefore borne under the Law of the Typicall Mediator as added to the law of circumcision therefore bound to love God with al his heart al his strength his Neighbour as himself in the work of the redemption of the world Fourthly as the Sonne of David so hereditarily to the crowne of the Terrestriall Canaan figuratively leading him by Faith to his eternall Throne in the Celestiall Canaan Fiftly at last all these relations meet in one issue by being borne of the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother for when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal 4.5 Sixtly he was the Sonne of God also by eternall generation the second person in the sacred Trinity and so personally God man and therefore bound to the fulfilling of all the law and the Prophets to the regaining of Gods glory by restauration of the world by redemption as it was said it shall breake thy head the truth is and so he did for as we first in Adam magnified Satans lies for truths and nullified Gods truth for lyes so likewise at that time when hee came to this worke all the world This definition is an answere to Pilates Question viz. What is truth Ioh. 18.38 For Christ as he was the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes did undoe what he had done and so destroyed the works of the Divell but Satans finall bruise shall be at the day of judgement in â—wo paâ—ticulars first when Satan and all mankinde which from the beginning have refused mercy to adhere to him shall receive by the seed of the woman the sentence of their full damnation in immediate execution to all eâ—ernity Mat. 25.41.46 Secondly by rendring up to God all mankinde from Satans power which from the beginning hath died in infancy and that through all Generations haâ—h adheâ—ed unto Christ in right beliefe of truth and so God by Christs ministeriall ordinance shall be all in all that is fully glorified to all eternity according to the simple and plaine meaning of his truth in the eternall life of the one and in the eternall death of the other and as Christs ministeriall Ordinance shall therein terminate so then shall all Creatures be subjected to him as Iudge of quick and dead and so all knees in Heaven and Earth and under the ea th shall bow and bend to him for ever Rom. 14.10.11 both Jewes and Gentiles generally had made God a lyer as much as in them lay for they were all Apostates from Gods guift of Christ his righteousnesse imputed which came upon all men to the justification of life not believing it but following lying vanities so forsaking their own mercies and the truth is the work of Christ was to witnesse Gods truth which wee thus betrayed wherefore of himselfe hee saith to this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the truth 1 Ioh 3 8. and for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that hee might destroy the works of the Divell Iohn 18 37. And in briefe that truth which Christ made good as the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes may be thus defin'd namely that God never intended his glory upon mâ—nkinde to all eternity but according to two generall Rules First according to the Covenant made with the first Adam a Covenant of works Secondly but according to the Rules of that Covenant as now it is turned by Gods guift of the second Adam into a Covenant of grace and mercy and to the last Christ is the most proper witnesse in Gods behalfe to his glory by the salvation of mankinde as Iohn 3.16 saith hee God so l ved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting l fe And he saith God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved Also he saith He that believeth is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because hee beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God Implying that although sinne simply as sinne did not at that time of grace condemne them yet their persisting in their precedent Apostasie from that grace now light and life is manifested unto them this would be their Condemnation wherefore he saith This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and Men lâ—ved darkenesse râ—ther then light because their deeds are evill And of himselfe he saith Io. 8.45 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of selfe but the Father sent me Also Iohn 5.36 he saith The worke which the Father hath given me to finish the same worke that I doe beare witnes that the father hath sent me the which was his witnessing the truth as before is proved And hee did it in these paticulars First against the Spirit of Sathans lies in the Saints Secondly in Sinners Thirdly against Sathan hand to hand Fourthly against Sathan in flames of Faith in love under Gods most flaming and dreadfull wrath of these in their order and first in the Saints as in Nichodemus who in the Spirit of Sathan being averse to his sacred doctrine as declaring this truth Iesus said unto him art thou a Ruler in Israel and understandest not these things Ioh. 3.9 Likewise to the Spirit of unbeliefe of this Truth in his Disciples Iesus answered and said O faithlesse and perverse Generâ—tion how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Mat. 7. 17. And to the same Spirit in Peter Hee turned and said unto Peter get thee behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee for thou savorest not
to dignities and glory in the government of this world for saith the Text Iesus called them unto him and said yee know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so amongst you Mat. 20. vers 25. Likewise by a remarkeable fact he condemned the pride of the priests and others of this elect Spouse in their proud apostasie after the flesh couched under a pretence of the celestiall doctrine the worship and the Temple for the eternall Son of God rides upon an Asse in a contemptible manner into Ierusalem the Metropolis of this Nation and so despised the vanity of all that glory yet this fact tended to the consolation of the meeke in Sion by beliefe of truth as was fore-prophesied behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting on an Asse and a Colt the foale of an Asse and the common people and his Disciples gave him high praise and glory at which the proud apostate Priests Scribes and the like their hearts did rise for to him they said Hearest thou this but hee repelled this lying Satanicall spirit in evidence of truth and answered and said If these should hold their peace the stones would cry Also hee fore-prophesied the destruction of all their supposed present felicity Mat. 21. from verse 4. to the 16. Luke 19.36 and 42. So much for the second point his witnessing the truth against the spirit of Satan in sinners Thirdly Christ witnessed this truth hand to hand with Satan himselfe for when hee had denyed himselfe not the fruit of one tree as Adam was to have done but all food forty dayes together dedicating himselfe to the great worke of the Redemption of the world in obedience to his Father so mediating for mercy to the world he afterwards was an hungry then came Satan to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God command this stone that it be made bread and Christ by the word of truth repells his assault For Iesus answered him saying It is written That man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God implying that as mans temporary life is maintained by an influence from God in bread so his life spirituall here by faith is in every word of God from the influence of his spirit Likewise then the Divell taking him up into an high mountaine shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time and the Divell said unto him All this power will I give to thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt fall downe before me all shall be thine Iesus answered and said unto him get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve implying that himselfe was personally God-man and ought therefore to be worshipped by him Likewise he brought him to Ierusalem and set him on a pinacle of the Temple and said unto him if thou be the sonne of God as thy words import then cast thy selfe downe from hence for it is written He shall give his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee and in their hands they shall beare thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone And Iesus answering said unto him it is said Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God implying what he had said before was his answer Luke 4. So that although the first Adam believed a lye to the destruction of all yet the second Adam was constant in Gods truth dissolving Satans lies for the restauration of all and Satan saith he hath nought in me He likewise discovers to the world what Satans operations was and is for Iohn 8. he saith Saâ—an was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because no truth is in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the fâ—ther thereof verse 44. Fourthly Christ now witnesseth Gods truth against Satans lyes by faith and flames of love to God under Gods most dreadfull wrath so offering himselfe as a whole burnt offering to God yet not but that Gods truth may be witnessed under divine justice and not under wrath likewise under mercy and not under wrath Also under Justice in exceeding great wrath The first was Adams estate in the Covenant before his fall The second is the Estate of the Saints witnessing Gods truth in some conformity to Christ in which respect hee which sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are one Hebr. 2.11 The third was the estate of Christ as the Redeemer of the fallen world for as hee was for our sinnes in Adam and for the Iewes and Gentiles apostasie a sinner imputed Hee therefore in this respect was a man as hated of God as himselfe saith reckoned amongst the transgressors And the truth is so it was with him from his conception to the expiration of his life for although his conception and birth was not in sinne but * Christ partaking mans nature as do children viz. seminally in the womb is a twofold pledge to us first that it was to destroy the workes of Satan in our behalfe secondly after man believeth truth to free him from the feare of death to which precedently all his life long hee was subject Hebr. 2.14 conceived and borne an holy thing the Sonne of God yet his conception and birth was from her in whom was sinne the seed of the Serpent wherefore shee rejoyced in him as her Saviour and salvation So likewise no sooner was he borne but Satan in Herod attempted to bruise his heele Likewise his breeding under his supposed father was but meane a Carpenter Likewise with his kindred which nationally was his Spouse he was reputed but a meane fellow a friend of Publicans and sinners a mad man a conjurer an impostor a blasphemer of God a Divell Therefore rightly doth the Apostle incourage the Saints to undergoe the hatred of the world to consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe Hebr. 10.13 Againe the first Adam by the justice of the Covenant in point of triall against Satans lyes was estated not onely in the sweet perfections of the glory of nature but also in the splendor of the Garden relatively drawing him by faith to enjoy God in the heavenly glory but the second Adam not onely under wrath but under exceeding great wrath as appeares in two particulars First by his feares of the neere approach of that wrath Secondly by what it was when he was directly under it first when this houre and power of darknesse did draw neere although it was a thing greatly by him desired as his aspired end to his fathers glory for when he commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offrings thou wouldst not have but a body hast thou prepared mee then said I
the spirit of man for health was this namely it did quicken or enliven the originall principle of amity to God and enmity to Satan even as it did upon the fall of Adam by Christs restauration of all in the type then put into the nature of man hereditarily to descend as precedently is proved so now likewise upon Christ his fulfilling all righteousnesse in the truth this infused principle which was now dead in sinnes and trespasses was by the imbreathing of the spirit of God wheresoever the Gospell came it quickened and enlivened man in dispositions to harken to the externall call of Christ in the object of faith to the end they might receive the gift of faith to receive life in Christ wherefore saith Christ If any man will doe Gods Will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Joh. 7.17 18. Likewise he saith Verily verily I say unto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Joh. 5.25 And the last clause where it is said they shall live leades us to the second part namely the spirits internall more speciall powring upon all flesh that is answerably as men did come in the precedent enlivened or renewed dispositions to Christ in the Gospel as being the object of faith held forth by the word of truth as the brazen Serpent from thence by the powring out of the Spirit they should receive the spirit of faith to be able to receive life in the object of faith as before in the precedent P. Hence it is the Apostle saith Awake thou that sleepest that is under those renewed dispositions towards Christ and stand up from the dead that is and rouse up this grace to harken to Gods call to the object of life and Christ shall give thee light that is the light of right beliefe as the truth is in Iesus from strength to strength and so to receive life in him Ephes 5.14.8 Hence it is that at Ephesus the Apostle said of God even when wee were dead in sinnes hath he quickened us together with Christ by grace yee are saved Ephes 2.5 and saith hee not of workes lest any man should boast for wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which God hath afore ordained that we should walke in them that is by his fore-ordination with Abraham as before is declared He also saith to those Gentiles Worke out your salvation with feaâ—e and trembling for it is God which worketh in you bâ—th to wiâ—l and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and the ground why God did thus extraordinarily externally and internally powre out his spirit upon the spirits of the Gentiles dead in sins and trespasses was this That as sinne by their apostasie had raigned unto death even so might his grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 5.21 A second ground was this that unlesse God had so excitively drawne them by powring out his spirit they neither could nor would ever come to him by Christ which is implyed by the words of our Saviour when he rebuked the Iewes in their proud apostacie being dead to live in him he saith no man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 Likewise to those Iewes having the power of this enlivening spirit imbreathing upon their spirits and stâ—fled by them he saith Yee will not come unto mee that yee might have life Joh. 5 40. So that we may plainly see even under this extraordinary powring out of Gods spirit upon all flesh his proceedings are equally alike to all without respect of persons for then he sends forth his great Commission into all the world saying to his ambassadors goe yee into all the world and preâ—câ— the Gospell to every creature he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved hee that believeth not shall be damned Marke 16.15 16. Hence Saint Peter saith of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. all which is according to the first modell delivered to Caine if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted c. Hence observe by the way that God is a God keeping covenant for as hee ordained these Gentiles to glory by covenant with Abraham he now accordingly called them to receive it wherefore Saint Peter urgeth the Gentiles upon this ground as well as the Iewes to returne to God in Christ saying repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and receive the holy Ghost for saith he the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.39 Object But it will here be objected because he saith as many as the Lord God shall call therefore God intended not to powre his spirit on all and all alike consequently some were personally reprobated c. Answer The Apostle might well make this restriction yet never have any such intention First because he knew Gods proceedings upon the kindreds and nations of the earth should be by degrees calling some sooner and some later and not all at one time as all on a day as wee use to say therefore hee might well say as many as our Lord God shall call although it be intended personally alike to all Secondly the Apostle might well say as many as the Lord God shall call because hee knew God from the beginning had ordained to deny the efficacie of his call to some sort of men as he did to Cain for when he predestinated both Iewes and Gentiles in Christ Jesus with Abraham hee then gave the same rule of cursednesse to man turning this grace into wantonnesse as well as blessednesse to man submitting to it in the obedience of faith as formerly is declared therefore hee might well say as many as our Lord God shall call c. So likewise our Saviour alluding to this same rule of cursing and blessing to families and cities in the call of these Gentiles hee saith Some are the sonnes of peace and some are not Luke 10.3.5.18 For not onely believers but all mankinde in generall especially at that time of grace were the sonnes of peace that is in a reconcileable condition to God in Christ Jesus as for example although Cain was not a believer as was Abel yet there was a time when hee was a sonne of peace that is reconcileable in Christ his acceptable righteousnesse by Gods owne nterrogative testimony although afterwards hee was not for rejecting the spirits reproofe of sinne and so gracious an incouragement of him to submit to receive life and glory as formerly is proved Likewise our Saviour according to this rule of cursing and blessing in
by the roots appeares in the 12 Chapt. Is it so that when Christ did thus powre out his Spirit upon all flesh that yet at this time be denyed the spirit of Faith to his Nationall Spouse to the most part for their proud Apostasie to their ensuing rejection Hence observe how rightly the Lord of glory returned the same upon them But I said unto you that yee also have seene mee and beleeve not All that the Father * But at this time the Father giveth me the Gentiles to gather by the word of truth to salvation but of you but few for your call is not given to be at this time but in the future as Rom. 11.25 26 27. giveth mee shall come unto mee but not most of you at this time of grace for that 's implyed Iohn 6.35 36 37 38 39 40. Is it so that when Christ came personally into the world he then found Iewes and Gentiles generally both dead in sinnes and trespasses to him as the object of justification to their life and glory yea even his Nationall Spouse generally Hence observe how rightly spake the Lord Jesus Christ to his proud Apostate Spouse saying none can come to mee unlesse the Father which sent me draw him meaning his extraordinary mercy Ioh. 6.44 Is it so that Christ his righteousnesse as imputed by the Fathers gift and conveyed from Kingdome to Kingdome by the word of truth was and is the only object of life and glory and the removall of mans misery which submitted by beliefe of truth to receive that gift of righteousnesse in that sacred object Then hence observe how rightly spake the Lord Jesus Christ of himselfe saying I am the way and the truth and the life no man can come unto the Father but by mee Joh. 14.6 Againe is it so that this extraordinary calling of the Gentiles to righteousnesse life and glory being dead in sinnes and trespasses by their precedent Apostacie that even the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse obtained as upon Adams fall so at this time also that this world should be mans day of grace againe as a day of grace to receive in it the gift of eternall glory the world of Gentiles being under wrath Then hence observe that from this ground Saint Paul in the 5 of the Rom. rightly brings in Christs imputative righteousnesse as opposed not only to our unrighteousnesse and misery in Adams transgression but also interminglingly opposing it against all mens own personall sinnes against the grace of God in Christ that whereas sinne in both respects had abounded so Gods grace by his gift of Christs righteousnesse did superabound as appeareth from the 8. verse to the end of that Chapter Againe is it so that at the height of Israels Apostacie and at the brink of their rejection from Christ that then God thus extraordinarily brought in the Gentiles to be his Spouse which were not his people Hence observe how rightly Christ in his life time Ioh. 10.16 opposed the certainty of the Gentiles for life and glory to his Apostate Spouse the Iewes then to bee extinguished ver 26. and in the three next verses grounding the stable felicity of the Church of the Gentiles only on his free gift and his Fathers power opposing it to all contrary powers whatsoever for although the Church of the Iewes became totally separated from Christ as now they stand yet so shall never the Church of the Gentiles nor yet the Iewes when they are againe ingrafted into Christs visible Church as was before Prophecied by * For by this word those days is not only meant the first extraordinary light of grace and truth divulged in the Gospell by the Apostles Ministery but this Prophecy also extends to those dayes of that extraordinary call of the Iewes mentioned Rom. 11.25 26 27. when also shall come in the fulnesse of the Gentiles Ieremiah and the Author to the Hebrewes Ierem. 31.33 32 40. Heb. 8.8.10 CHAP. X. Opening what in the calling of the Gentiles was ordinary to continue untill time shall be no more and that Gods proceedings therein is without respect of persons to all alâ—ke THe second Adam and Saviour of the world was not only a Priest in the dayes of his flesh after the order of Aron Heb. 10. by offering his body of flesh and blood so putting an end to that fleshly or bloody Sacrificing Priest-hood in which respect the Apostles in manifold regards referres things to the * The Apostle attributes so much to Christs blood death to leade us by sense to the more firm faith in his blood death as it was the expiration of his worke as the faithful and true witnesse for Gods truth against Satans lies to regaine Gods glory by the salvation of the world blood of Christ and often reiterates the same but also in his Militant Church he was and is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck till time shall be no more that is as Melchizedeck Shem I meane descending from the old world did not only in the Apostacie of the new world at Abel abide in the Faith of the first ten Fathers but also in the time of the Apostasie of his own Family remained durably constant in the oracle of life not only King of Salem that is of peace but Priest also of the most high God after the power of an endlesse life for he continued receiving as appeares in Abrahams Tythes the homage of the Sacrifice of praise for God and to God likewise in Gods stead returning comforts and blessings from God upon man Gen. 14.18 Heb 7.7 Likewise so did Christ abide constant by tradition discending in his spirit on men from the beginning of the old world figuratively by the promised seed of the woman through all occurrents or times of the worlds Apostasie remayned figuratively in the ten Fathers not only King of peace as Milchizedeck but also the Priest of the most high God receiving the Sacrifice of praise to God and for God by man believing truth and returning from God blessings upon them not only by his acceptable satisfactory righteousnesse imputed the ground of all acceptation but also in the oracle of life divulging it by his Ambassadors to the world and the imbreathings of his Spirit into the Spirit of man as sometime reproving the world of sinne as to Cain and the old world in the ten Fathers and in the Ministry of Noah sometimes receiving in good part the Sacrifices of the praise of his grace as in Abell his offering by beliefe of truth sometimes pouring out his blessings of consolation as in Noah his Sacrifice he smelt a savor of rest and comfortably renewed his gracious Covenant c. Sometimes in gracious incouragements to submit to this mercy as he did to Cain and sometimes enlivening the Spirit of man dead in sinnes and trespasses as to these Gentiles we see so raising these dead bones to live in his sight Therefore to continue this
reason is because their mindes by contrary habites were uncapable of a depth or settled reception of the seed of life as is the rocke to retaine any seed to fructification and therefore these could abide no force of triall but fell away and came to nothing Againe the third sort of mens mindes on which fell the seed of life were further disposed for reception of Christ the object of Faith as verse 14. and that which fell amongst thornes which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with the cares and the pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection implying they went forward in the profession of true Religion yet their fruit fell short of perfection because they came too much in the spirit of Cain glewed to the possessions and pleasures of this world so extinguishing in their soules the operation of Gods spirit in the seed of life and therefore come to nothing Againe the fourth sort of men are further disposed to the object of Faith For they in an honest and good heart from the force of the Gospel which enlivened as in all the rest the principle of amity to God and of enmity to Satan and it being carefully preserved by them came to heare the Oracle of life and so they received the spirit of Faith to receive the object of Faith and so brought forth fruit with patience For verse 15. the Text saith but that on the good ground are they which with an honest and good heart having heard the word keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Now that all this was spoken by Christ with respect to future times in the ordinary course of his ambassadors in the administration of the seed of life is plaine in the 3 next ensuing verses For when he had said that the end of this heavenly light was to be divulged imply'd in the 16. verse and that by it all secrets shall be discovered as in the 17. verse thereupon in the 18. verse hee exhorts saying Take heed therefore bow yee heare for whosoever hath that is his principle of amity and enmity to Satan preserved in dispositions to God to him shall be given that is the power of Faith to receive Christ the object of life and whosoever hath not that is at least his renewed principle or disposition preserved in him from him shall be taken away even that which he seemed to have as wee see in the precedent sorts of ground all was taken away and came to nothing onely in this fourth sort of men the seed of life and glory remained Therefore O man be faithfull in thy little and God which gave thee that to receive more likewise will replenish thee with more as from the first disposition to the power of faith and in it leade thee from degree to degree of an honest and good heart to bring forth fruit with patience for in it is a threefold strength in the object of faith A threefold degree of justifying faith namely of Babes young Men and Fathers in the faith and briefly of these in their order And first of Babes and of them there are two sorts one by backsliding from Christ the object of Faith these I will onely point at as Hebr. 6. verse 4.5 6. is implyed the strength which formerly they had and Hebr. 5.12.13 is expressed their weaknesse into which they were fallen even such as needed milke unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse needing to be taught againe what was the first principles of Religion even Babes saith the Text but these I passe A second sort of Babes are those which for their union by faith in Christ but newly begun have not had time for further growth in Faith and love to such Saint Peter writes as new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 So Saint Paul saith hee could not write unto them as unto spirituall but as unto carnall as unto Babes in that I have fed you with milke 1 Cor. 3.1 So such were the Apostles themselves at their first union with Christ by beliefe of truth as for instance Iames and Iohn esteemed the glory of this world before their sacred function desiring to be chiefe in it but Christ instructed them the contrary Mat 20.26 So likewise Saint Peter childishly esteemes his strength in faith and love to Christ above his fellowes or what indeed it was but Christ informed him to judge better of himselfe and others Ioh. 21 15.17 And in a word at first they in their undergoing their functions or beliefe of the mysteries of Christ were but weaklings for hee saith I have many things to say unto you but you cannot beare them now Joh. 6.12.13 So much for the first degree In the second degree they are more strong as having overcome much of this childishnesse hence Saint Iohn saith I have written to you young men because yee are strong and the word of God abideth in you and you have overcome that wicked one the first Epistle of Saint Iohn 2. 14. and in the 15. and 16. verses hee leaves them a rule to preferre this strength as not to love the world neither the things that are in the world c. And hee foreseeing the danger in this second degree of strength in an honest and good heart namely to fall finally from their union with Christ specially when youth in nature and youth in Faith meete in one and the same subject whence S. Paul forbids a young scholler in Christs Schoole to meddle publiquely with the mysteries of Christ or with great warinesse at least and his reason is lest hee be puft up and fall into the condemnation of the Divell so Saint Iohn layeth downe another rule to preserve this strength saith he let that abide therefore in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which you have heard from the beginning remaine in you yee also shall continue in the sonne and in the father 1 Epist 2. ch 14. 24. 1 Tim. 3.6 implying if young men strong in the faith carefully avoyd the reflect acts of Faith as tending to pride and humbly follow the object of life and glory they may attaine to a perfect age in the object of Faith For although in this second degree be more danger to fall by pride then in the former yet here is more strength to presse forward to the sacred object of justification for a continued acception in that righteousnesse imputed also further power to follow it in point of imitation in an honest and good heart to bring forth fruit with patience to a perfect man in Christ and so much for the second degree of justifying Faith In opening the third degree I will first define what this justifying Faith is Secondly define what the perfection of this justifying Faith is Thirdly in the eleventh Chap. following shew how this third degree or this perfection of Faith is attained in men of an honest and
of this Faiths operation in Abraham who was a Father in this third degree of justifying Faith as first when God in his promise in Abrahams loynes gave Christ and his righteousnesse imputed to be the blessing of all Nations and consequently for his owne then to this object did he adhere by Faith working through all that did interpose betweene his beleife and this object of life Rom. 4.18 saith the Text He beleeved even God who quickneth the dead and calleth things which be not as though they were who against hope beleeved in boâ—e that hee might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be and saith the Text hee being not weake in Faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about a hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in Faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe it and saith the Text therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse but what this imputation for righteousnesse is is already handled in the 4 and 6 Chapters therefore here I passe it over Againe Heb. 11.17 Abrahams faith is brought in working up to God in this sacred object through the darknesse of death for saith the Text by Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaak that is by death to be destroyed he that had received the promises i. of all happines figuratively in this Child for mankinde and for himself offered up his only begotten Sonne of whom it was said in Isaak shall thy seed be called for Abraham accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead meaning Christ also in this figure whence also he received him in a figure as saith the Text Thus by perfection of justifying beliefe working to God through all difficulties in this sacred object saith Christ Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad that is as the life of his heart for all happinesse Iâ—h 8.56 And to conclude this point of Christ his impartiall proceedings as Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck without all respect of Persons by the operations of his Spirit in his sacred ordinances is also implyed Prov. 8.34 wherefore he thus saith blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my dores for who so findeth mee findeth l fe and shall obtaine favâ—ur of the Lord bâ—t he that sinneth against mee wr ngeth his own soule all they that hate mee love death c. Is it so That Christ now is to the end of the world with his Ambaâ—sadors ordinarily and rightly divulging his Ambassage that hee will be by his Spirit so a Priest till time shall be no mo e Then hence observe Observ that it is unpossible for men or Divells or all the powers of darknesse in this world to extinguish Christ in his word and spirit from the minds of all mankinde because we see Christ will so be in the minds of some as the cornerstone to uphold his Ministeriall Kingdome as in the name of Peter hee did Prophetically demonstrate Mat. 16.18 and from this ground God in eminent and universall Apostasies from him in his truth doth preserve some mens mindes to him by his truth so secretly as the best of men sometimes perceive it not as in the daies of Eliah and the like Rom. 11.3.4 wherefore this is attributed to be Gods Seale or peculiar foundation in relation to Christ to know who are his in such * In times of such Apostasie because one Saint doth know another but according to the judgement of charity and God only infall bly knowes who in purenesse of heart adheres to him and who not therefore the Apostle calls this knowledge of God his foundation or seale because it is so knowne to him and none else times as 2 Tim 2.18 19. And from this ground it is unpossible that the greatest seducing powers of Satan to deceive the whole Church elect or gathered by his word and Spirit so as to extinguish all truth from all their mindes for as Mat. 24.25 besides his ordinary course God in such times will extraordinarily reserve as before is said some for the glorious praise of his grace in this world to believe his word in the object of justification wherefore it is stiled the Faith of Gods elect implying the certainty of Christs prevalency as Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck by his Ministeriall ordinances in the Church Militant till time shall be no more Againe is it so that the oracle of life for the universall Apostasie of the world was not so much as to appeare amongst the Gentiles about eighteene hundred yeares nor amongst Iewes but in Types figures and promises as obscured under the veile of Moses for many Generations untill God according to his purpose called these Gentiles Hence observe how rightly the Apostle applies this Doctrine at that time saying the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us to * Therefore the Negative part of the Morall Law as inclosed in the Arke oveâ—shadowed with the mercy Seat taught the same Doctrine of grace under that veile as now doth the Gospel unveiled Exod. 25.21 22. Heb. 9.4.8 deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2.11.12 CHAP. XI Opening the third particular how GOD brings man to be perfect that is to the perfection of justifying Faith in the object of justification AS it is in the perfections of nature the life superior containes in it selfe the perfection of all inferior lives as in Adam Chapt. the first so the perfection of justifying beliefe containes in it selfe vertually all inferior beliefes hence it is that the improvement of this faith is various in its operations yet ever terminating to God in the object of justification as its most proper center and so it comes to its full perfection formerly described Hence Saint Iames saith of Abraham Seest thou how faith wrought with his workes and by works faith was made perfect James 2.20 Wherefore to prove the point I will take a briefe survay how by works Abraham came to his perfection of justifying beliefe * The perfection of the man in righteousnes is in the next life but faiths perfection and dissolution are both in this life and what man is a righteous man see the last Observation of Chapt. 11. for the perfection of justifying beliefe is one thing and the perfection of the man is another thing as first when God by commandement separated him from his countrey and from his fathers house the operations of his faith then began to put forth for saith the Text He went out not knowing whither he went Hebr. 11.8 but when hee was
come to the promised Land there God tryed the strength of his faith for hee was driven to depart this land of his hope to sustaine his life in Egypt and there fell into danger of death so that his strength began to stoope as appeares by his excuse to Abimelech to save his life yet God that will in point of triall lay as much weight as faith's measure can beare and worke through to his faithfulnesse yet he will lay no more then it can so worke through if it be improv'd So to Abraham with the temptation he gives an issue by his happy returne to the land of promise the figure of eternall felicity and there Abraham refreshed his faith in Gods promise of Christ the object of all felicity in his satisfactory sacrifice Gen. 12.3.10 11 12 13. Gen. 13.3 4. 1 Cor. 10.13 Againe God having given Christ to Abraham figuratively in Isaacke to proceed from his owne loynes yet deserring the accomplishment of what Abraham much desired to see his beliefe began againe to stoope for he pitch'd upon Eleazar his servant to be his heire to what God had given him yet God that will lay no more then that strength will beare to worke to him if it be improved gives an issue with the temptation by confirming Abrahams operating beliefe saying This shall not be thine heire but hee that shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thine heire Gen. 15.4 Againe Gen. 18.14 God having further confirmed Abraham beliefe by setting a certaine time for the birth of the promised seed to be the blessing of all Nations of the earth who together with Abraham God made of one blood he then further drawes out Abrahams faith to worke by love to all mankinde as to himselfe and accordingly Abrahams faith in operations of love wrought to all but especially to the houshold of Faith I say to all for he entertained strangers in fervour of spirit and received Angels unawares Gen. 18.4 Heb. 13.2 Likewise so kindly courteous was he to the children of Heth his Idolatrous neighbours yet not as Idolators for so they are contrary and a vexation to man believing truth yet he lov'd them as his owne flesh and as Gods in Christ by right of redemption wherefore they esteemed him as a Prince of God amongst them Gen. 23.4 5 6 7. Esay 50.7 Gen. 27.46 Deut. 7 4. So likewise in fervour of spirit he humbly invocates for the safety of the ciâ—ies of the Sodomites Secondly his Faith in fervour of love wrought more specially to those which in beliefe of truth were rightly related to the object of life together with himselfe for it was for their sakes hee pray'd for the Sodomites safety So for righteous Lot he ventured his family and his person in the perill of warre and rescued him out of his enemies hands Gen. 18.23 Gen. 14.14 Againe Isaack being now borne and Abraham by Faith having received the end of the promise namely Isaack from Gods faithfulnesse to a furâ—her confirmation of all blessednesse hereupon God drawes out his Faith to worke by love also according to the first Table of the Law It came to passe saith Moses after these things that God tried Abraham and said unto him Abraham and hee said here I am and hee said take now thy sonne thine onely sonne Isaack whom thou lovest (a) Although faith and love in themselves be two different vertues yet the Scriptures includes love in justifying faith the one as receiving from God the other as co-operatively working to God and therefore so doe Iâ—in the prosecution of justifying faith and so farre forth as mans affections dieth to this corruptible world so farre forth his affections liveth to the inco ruptible God and so on the contrary 1 Ioh. 2 15. and get thee into the Land of Moriah and offer him there a burnt offering upon one of the mountaines that I will tell thee of Gen. 22.1.20 and Abraham obeyed to extinguish the child of Promise upon whom depended the felicity of the world consequently his owne thus by exercise of beliefe to God in the object of life Abraham obtained the perfection of justifying Faith for by workes was Faith made perfect saith Saint Iames. And also thus by workes variously terminating in Gods gift of Christ and his righteousnesse imputed for all happinesse was Abraham justified in the receptive obedience of Faith to the object of life For saith Iames Was not Abraham â—ur Father justified by workes when hee had offered Isaac his sonne upon the Altar that is Christ in that figure Whereupon the Lord out of heaven called unto him and said Abraham Abraham and he said here am I and he said lay not thy hand upon the Lad neither doe any thing unto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne from mee * Thus to operate is to be upright and to abound therein And to this uprightnesse God in mercy hath intailed the promulgation of the All sufficiency of his favourable mercy as to Abraham Gen. 17.1.2 And according to ths point saith Christ hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loveth me and hee that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe unto him and wee may the rather believe him because we see him so doing to Abraham Joh. 14.21 2 Peter 1.11 Againe saith Moses the Angell of the Lord called to Abraham the second time and said because thou hast done this thing that is wrought up to me as the object of life through so great difficulties and hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne that in blessing I will blesse thee that is in a superlative degree so Christ doth not onely say I lead in the wayes of righteousnesse in the midst of the paths of judgement that I may cause those that love mee to inherit substance and I will fiâ—l their treasures but hee further saith him that overcommeth I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my Gâ—d and hee shall goe no more out Prov. 8.20 Rev. 3.12 And the ground why God manifests himselfe so publiquely by oath thus to blesse Abraham so operating to him leaving it upon record for the ages to come was because God willâ—ng more abundantly to shew unto the * That is to the heyres of promise not onely as descended in Isaac from Abrahams flesh but also to all that are hey es of the same gâ—ft of faith with Abraham therefore when St. Iohn saith in hi. 1. Epist 2.19 they went out from us because they were not of us hee meaneth of us that thus follow faiths object as here did Abraham for in the 17. Verse he saith he that doth the will of God abideth for ever therefore he meanes not men personally but men whose persons are thus disposed in the pursuite of Christ in the object of faith heyrs of promise the immutablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by
is the object of Justification Or thirdly in the state of rejection from the first as was Cain before he came to Faith or from the second as are some of the Saints for their apostasie from Christs owne testimony by his doctrine to his peculiar Apostles Iudas being absent and Pauls testimony of himselfe and other Saints and of Christs nationall Spouse by Gods testimony Ezech. 18. and as wee see by wofull experience this sixteene hundred yeeres and more Againe I having precedently defined what is the perfection of justifying faith I will now define what is the perfection of the man in whom it is or thus what man is a righteous man Man in his first estate was righteous because his intentions and operations was an exact perfection of degrees according to natures most right rules in the estate of creation as Chap. 1. But now in this fourth estate of man The definition of a righteous man hee is a righteous man who in any degree doth by a right beliefe submit so as that he receives Gods gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to eternall life by salvation desireably endeavouring to conforme to that righteousnesse in some degree to sanctification I say in the perfection of parts (a) When the Apostle saith we speake wisdome to them that are perfect he meanes man in the perfection of Faith and not perfect in righteousnesse of inherent holinesse for the perfections of Christs righteousnesse is not attainable by men nor Angels in the perfections of degrees So that a righteous man in this life stands as an imperfect member united by faith in love to a head perfect in righteous workes or righteousnesse CHAP. XII Answering Objections made against severall points precedently delivered in this Treatise FIrst it will be objected Solomons backsliding was totall yet not finall though hee did all that the wicked man doth Question because against so great light of heavenly Object 1 wisedome hee turned his minde into darknesse by sensuall delights and Idolatrous abominations consequently hee crucified Christ to himselfe and yet his fall was not finall for hee returned to God in the object of Faith Salomâ—n under the Law of Moses of a believer went the farthest out from God of any that ever returned to God againe Answ by Faith in the object of Justification therefore the Scripture speakes but implicitly of his repentance as if his name had beene blotted out of the booke of life to teach others not to be high minded but feare Againe his fall was not totall because God extraordinarily reserved some virtuall seed of beliefe in him to the object of Justification and therefore his backsliding was not totall nor internally doing all which the wicked man doth for as long as the least degree of that seed remaines that man is in Christ the object of Faith and that God did reserve a seed is cleare by his speciall and particular promise made to David in Salomons behalfe saying if hee commit iniquity I will chastice him with rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him And the ground of this extraordinary mercy by promise was this because Salomon as sitting King on Sion hill the promised sonne of David hee so was in those dayes a remarkeable figure of Christ the Sonne of Davids eternall throne therefore God extraordinarily reserved in Salomon a light of beliefe virtually to Christs righteousnesse as imputed to the * If for the glory of Gods grace then not for love to Salomons person more then to any other mans person for Gods love to all mens persons is one and the same as appeares in the grounds of Gods love in his gift of Christ to the world pag. 40 41. glory of his owne grace in Salomons eternall salvation therefore his fall was neither totall nor finall Secondly it will be objected Saint Peter did all that the wicked man doth extinguishing greater light in himselfe Object 2 then ever did Salomon for he was an Apostle and saw the great workes of Christ and heard his sacred doctrine as dropping from his sacred lips and hee cursed himselfe he knew not the Lord of glory and sware he knew him not against his owne knowledge so consequently hee did all the wicked man doth crucifying Christ to himselfe totally and yet was renewed by repentance therefore his fall was not finall although totall The Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to winnow you that hee may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luke 22.32 as if he should say Answ by reason of your rashnesse and remissenesse to my gracious admonishments Satan hath much desired to take an advantage against you totally to extinguish thy faith and love to me but my request to my Father hath beene more then ordinary for thee that thou mightest not perish from mee therefore in time of neede Christs words of precedent admonishment was remembred to Peters soule for his returne to him in the object of Faith Luke 22. 61. and the ground of this extraordinary mercy was two-fold First because he being a believer therefore as Christ is the Saviour of all men so especially of Peter in this his backsliding more then to Iudas who was not a believer for saith the Text hee is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe Secondly not onely a believer but a believing Apostle set apart to publish the Gospell to the world therefore more to Christ then an ordinary believer and therefore Christs Prayer was for him more then ordinary and therefore it was that his fall was neither totall nor finall for whensoever it is totall it is finall and in some twice dead and pluckt up by the roots and so none can be but those which have beene right believers for to be twice dead implyeth to be twice alive the first life is the precedent infusion of amity to God and enmity to Satan or if it be renewed and this is a life preceding faith flowing from the universall grace of the Covenant of life and glory as before is proved The second life is the life of justifying Faith I meane man rightly united by believing to Christ the object of life and when he dies to the later he dies to the former also and therfore twice dead and never lives to God againe in Jesus Christ Iude vers 12. And for the close of the point here observe that as Manasses and Paul were the onely two in sacred Scriptures that by their apostasie from Gods universall grace in Christ went the furthest distance out from God before Faith that ever were received to mercy whence Paul rightly saith That Christ shewed all long suffering and patience towards him himselfe being the chiefe of sinners meaning in this particular respect So on the contrary Salomon and Peter after true faith in Christ the object of life were the onely two men mentioned in Scriptures which
You are not my people they shall be called the children of the living God The Apostle citing their owne Prophet against them implicitly refels their precedent errors in divers respects as first because the Gentiles were not Abrahams seed of Isaack and Iacob and yet were to be children to the living God This therefore proved that Abrahams naturall line after the flesh was not Gods ground of electing Children unto him but the election must be in Christ as before Againe because these Gentiles were to be Children of God which had not Moses Law to obey no not so much as in works conversant about the object of faith and yet were to be Children unto God consequently their works of righteousnes to the Law was no ground of their Election but the election was of him that called them from their Idolatrous denne and gave them the election in the promised seed Againe the Apostle cites the Prophet Isay against them saying though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand on the Seashore but a remnant shall be saved And because the Apostle referres salvation but to a remnant consequently their discent from Abrahams flesh was no ground of their election for if so then not a remnant but all Israel must have bin saved but being referred to a remnant therefore the election must be as before And saith the Apostle the same Prophet saith God will make a short cut in righteousnesse and except God had left a remnant they had bin as Sodome and like unto Gomorrah implying Gods impartiall proceedings ordinarily with this elect spouse of Christ as betweene Abell and Caine and as to Abraham in the Covenant for cursednes and blessednesse Therefore to this elect Spouse God was no respecter of persons Againe Verse 30. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith by force of Gods precedent predestination with Abraham for that 's implyed but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse saith hee hath not attained the Law of righteousnesse and then hee gives the prime reason wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes of the Law And he saith they stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I say in Sion a stumbling stone and a rocke of offence and whosoever shall believe on him shall not be ashamed these words imply three things First that Israels glory as Gods Israel was grounded onely upon Christ the Stone laid as a pillar of truth on Sion hill Secondly that by remisnesse Israell fell to pride and so from this stone to Abrahams flesh and their own works of the law to be the ground of all their glory and so stumbled at the Pillar of truth Christs righteousnesse imputed to their own destruction Thirdly to those of this Nation that in right beliefe did submit to the righteousnesse of God that is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed the ground of all their glory them God would uphold in honour for saith the Text hee that beleeveth shall not be ashamed So much for opening the ninth Chap. to the Rom. And here by the way observe that this Chapter giveth no ground to Reverend Calvins error namely that God before the world was did personally reprobate the greatest part of mankinde to unrecoverable damnation and personally elected the rest to unavoydable salvation Againe to goe on against their works of righteousnesse to the law about the object of Faith the Apostle opposeth Abrahams example who by Faith in the object of Faith by this Pillar of truth terminated in it as the onely ground of all felicity Rom. 4. Of him he saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found for if Abraham were (a) The ground of mans Iustification in this fourth estate is Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse reckoned or imputed to man yet the Iustification of a Sinner is this vâ—â— Gods pardon of his sin guilt and punishment for that Righteousnesse so reckoned or imputed as to all mankind upon our fall in Adam as new to all Infants departing this World but when Iustification is reckoned or imputed to Mans Faith it is because that act of right belief is more connexively related immediately to the object of Iustification then any other act of a beleever And when sometimes Iustification is attributed to Faith it is because a right beleeveâ—s submissive receptive instrument of Faith is opposed against the pride of mans supposed woâ—ks of righteousnesse and in this sense S. Paul Rom. 4. brâ—ngs in that text Gen. 15. saying it was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Implying hee beleeved all his good from Gods gift in the righteousnesse of the seed imputed and so was that righteousnesse imputed to him to the remission of his sinnes which was his justification and the ground of all felicity Therefore saith the Apostle Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace as it was to Abraham but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him which justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for righteousnesse Implying that God was Abrahams exceeding great reward only by his gift of the righteousnesse of this seed imputed in the object of Faith which Abraham by beliefe submissively imbraced even as David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is the man to whom thee Lord will not impute sinne from verse 1. to the 8. Againe to goe on the Apostle in divers passages of his Epistles shewes this elect Spouse what absurdities do spring from her conceit of the worth of her works conversant about the object of Faith in the Law First as if hee should say suppose you doe believe the Law to be Gods Law and therefore to the Judiciall Laws are obedient to live in some orderly manner Suppose also from the same grounds you are at paines and costs to bring your Sacrifices to the Priests and Levites for your offerings the Law commanding it Also suppose you love God for the wealth of Canaan and love each other being joynt inhabitants of that land yet in all this to you these Laws are not of Faith because you by beliefe rest upon your deed done to be accepted of God as did Cain and terminate in sensuall delights for you are not led from the letter of the Law in right beliefe to rest in Christ his acceptable righteousnesse the proper end of the Law for righteousnesse to man rightly beleeving truth * The same is â—he Gospel now â—o man not rightly beleeving truth for the Law and the Gospel for substance was one
Priest-hood successively after his departure from this world corporallâ— he made choyce of men meane and contemptible for his Ambassadors that so the efficacy might app are to be hiâ— â—nd none of theirs to which end also he loved them as his owne more * The Lord Iâ—sus having made choice of twelve whom the Father had given him of whom Iudas was one and therefore Mat. 1â— he called him as the otheâ— eleven and gave him like power to pâ—each the Gospell and worke miracles as to the rest ver 1.4 7. yet Ioh. 13. â—e excluds Iudas fâ—oÌ„ thaâ— choice veâ— â—8 for as the cal of Christ 〈◊〉 someâ—imes unive sally extâ—aoâ—dinary as was this of the Gentiles â—nd sometimes his call and choice is extraordinary and speciall as was that of the 70 Disciples and to some extraordinary and more peculiar as was this call and choice of the 12 Apostles for the Restauration of the world by their labours but the most neerest choice and conjunction of Christ with man is in the object of Iustification by his Spirit imbreathing upon their Spirits by right beliefe of him for so they are his Spouse in the neeâ—est relation yet mans ungodlinesse may be foâ— tâ—anscendent as that for it God will cut him off from the most glorious priviledge then much more to Iudaâ— see Cap. 12. see Gods decree in Chapt. 12. peculiarly â—hen other men Ioh. 13 1. only hee excluded Iudas because treacherous from that peculiar respect ver 18. But to those whom he had chosen as before is said he gave promise of his residence with them in his Spirit for hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whosoever sinnes you remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sinnes yee retaine they are retained implying that in their Ambassage as rightly divulging their Commission he in his word by his Spirit will be resident (e) Excommunication rightly administred is an externall manifestation of Gods internall and invisible proceedings upon the spirits and persons of men in the visible Church as did Saint Paul in cutting off the incestuous man from Christs body and afterwards admitted him againe to be ingrafted loosing mankinde from the guilt punishment and prevalencie of sinne but to men obstinatly persisting in their precedent Apostasie in the light of truth and grace hee will detaine the influence of that efflux by his spirit from their spirit as men bound over in Chaines of their own corruptions to their eternall damnation Ioh. 20.22 23. likewise Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe al things which I have commanded you and loe I am with you untill the end of the world Implying otherwise not if you from my right Ambassage depart Mat. 28. 28. Likewise to continue the succession of this everlasting Priest-hood to future ages Christ by his Spirit in Saint Paul at Miletus sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and when they were come to him Saint Paul said unto them Yee know from the first day I came unto Asia after what manner I have been with you â—t all seasons Acts 20.27 ver 26. he saith wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have rot shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the fl ck Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them therefore saith hee watch c. Likewise to the same end in his Epistle to Timothy he saith I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayer interessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in â—ll godlinesse and honesty that is to the end that from the efflux of of Christ his spirit in the Oracles of life men may be drawn from the shade of death to life for that 's implyed because he saith this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 But what this truth is I need not now stand to treate of because it is but the same which God preached to Adam in the promised seed of the woman and to Cain interrogatively and the same which hee renew'd to Abraham in the predestination of Jewes and Gentiles and which was wrapt up under the glorious vaile of Moses and now preached with open face without the veile therefore Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Milchisedeck in his own Ambassage rightly delivered till time shall be no more Wherefore rightly saith the Apostle Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ also manifests his impartiall proceedings unto the Spirits of men intending and extending eternall life to all and all alike in this ordinary call of the Gentiles as appears Luke the 8. for there he compares the Oracles of life for Doctrine of the Kingdome of grace to seed and all mens mindes to whom the Gospell comes to ground variously dispos'd and that from those various dispositions in the hearts of men the oracle of life ordinarily did variously take effect by the influence of his spirit and in the opening of this parable he referres those various dispositions of men to foure heads for saith hee the parable is this the seed is the word of God ver 12. from which seed of life the first sort of men received only a glance of the object of faith and no more for saith hee those by the high way side are those that heare then cometh the Divell and taketh the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved therefore these do not believe in any degree they have onely a glance and no more and the reason is because their mindes were as a common roade for Satan his allurements and persisting in their precedent Apostacie extinguishing all light of the enlivened principle of enmity to Satan wherefore saith Christ to such if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Mat. 6.23 Againe the second sort of mens mindes under the seed of life receive a further disposition to the object of Faith for they believe to consolation verse 13. they on the rocke when they here receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away and the