purpose to work and do as to faâ— He purposed to make the World in suâ— Space and Form as he did make it 〈◊〉 purposed to make Man Upright and 〈◊〉 his own Image and give to him as 〈◊〉 did and do to him as he did and peâ—mit and suffer him to do as he did pemit and suffer him Yet by the way wâ— may distinguish of Permisson There 〈◊〉 a Legal Permission Gen. 2.16 17. 1. Cor. 9.5 6. a giving leave by thâ— Law to do things or not do them Sâ— God permitted Adam to eat of everâ— Tree of the Garden that of the Knowledge of Good and Evil excepted anâ— to the Apostles to Eat and Drink at otheâ— mens cost and to forbear Working anâ— nothing so permitted is Sin and Evil in 〈◊〉 Thus God never purposed to perâ—t nor did he permit Adam To eat of â—e fruit of the tree of knowledge of good â—d evil for then had he not therein Sinâ—ed But there is a Providential Permissiâ— a letting Men go at Liberty free from 〈◊〉 violent Coaction or Restraint to or â—om what is Commanded or Forbidden â—s a Magistrate that gives no leave by â—is Law to any to Steal or commit Adultry yet leaves Men at liberty not tying â—em up in Bonds or Chains or setting â—uards upon them to forde them to be â—onest so as they may have freedom of â—ction and be capable of obeying or â—obeying those Laws in which such â—ings are forbidden and accordingly of â—ceiving Reward or Punishment for â—beying ordisobeying In this sense God â—urposed to give and did accordingly give 〈◊〉 Adam liberty of chusing or refusing â—ting well or ill And this distinction â—f Permission is useful and to be minded â—oth in respect of Adams Sinning and â—ther Mens Yea and the Permission as â—od's Act and the Sinning as Man's Act â—e to be distinguished too And so to return to our Discourse about â—od's Purposes as they respected Manâ—ind Fallen We may say He purposed â—o do for us whatsoever the Gospel saith â—e hath done and will do for us accorâ—ing as therein is declared 2 Sam. 14.14 Job 33.23 And so he purposed to shew us Mercy and not to â—eal with us and leave us helpless as the Devil and his Angels but to save mâ— from the Death he would plunge himâ— into and call him back to himself agaiâ— and that not according to Works of Rigâ—teousness to be done by us but accordiâ— to the good pleasure of his Grace whiâ— purpose as the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. is manifeâ—ed what it was by the appearance 〈◊〉 Christ Abolishing Death and bringinâ— Life and Immortality to light by thâ— Gospel that is to say He purposed 〈◊〉 Save us by the free and undeserved senâ—ing forth of his Son and making hiâ— Flesh the Seed of the Woman and â—der the Law and by delivering him 〈◊〉 to Death for us all to make an Attonâ—ment for our Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to evacuate aâ— take away the Destructive power 〈◊〉 Death and by raising him up again 〈◊〉 our Justification and giving us Eternâ— Life in him And so he purposed to 〈◊〉 Sinners by his Free-Grace to the Life anâ— Immortality obtained by Christ for them upon the account Tit. 3.3 4 5. Prov. 1.20.21 22 23. Isa 61.1 42.1 Joh. 5.25 not of any good Workfore-wrought by them but of his Soâ— undertakings and performances for themâ— and by preventing them as with the lighâ— and power of his Spirit which to thaâ— end he purposed to put upon his Soâ— while yet Dead in Sins and Trespasses so as there-through they might hear and obey him Isa 49.12 53.10 11. 55.5 And he purposed so to accompany and bless his Son in his Callinâ— Men and so to glorifie him that many of them should actually and eventually â—in after him and obey him And that â—hey whosoever that listen to and obey â—im in the grace and power in his Calls â—fforded them should be Justified and â—aved by him but those that then stop their Ears against him and reject him and so persist against all means and grace â—or their Repenting afforded them should â—e left and given up to themselves to stumble at him and fall against him to Destruction He purposed also 1 Pet. 2.7.8 That he would not onely Glorifie his Son to call Sinners and impower and authorise him â—o Save the Believers and to exercise Paâ—ience and Mercy mixt with Judgment â—ere toward the disobedient but also to â—end him again to Raise the Dead and â—o Judge all Men Believers and Unbeâ—ievers according to their Works according as in the Gospel-Doctrine is declaâ—ed And so the Gospel Eph. 3.11 is a Revelation of the Eternal purposes of God purposed in Christ Jesus from before the Foundations of the World and the Preaching of it is called the Preaching of the Decree and his purposes as so Revealed and Preached are all sure and certain and meet Psal 2.6 7. and good to be known of Men. Yea and are so far known as the Gospel is known and believed by us there being onely this difference between those his purposes and the Gospel-Doctrine as to the matter of them That the Gospel-Doctrine declares partly as acted and accomplished and partly as certain to be accomplished due time What as onely purposed and with God was neither accomplishâ— nor made known but hid and secreâ— SECT 2. That the purposes of God concerning Meâ— Ends in particular as to their Salvatâ— or Damnation are included in and 〈◊〉 sult from God's General purposes for mentioned NOW as to God's purposes of deâ—ing with particular Persons as 〈◊〉 his final dispose of them they are cleaâ— included in and result from his foreâ— General purposes concerning Mankind Christ Jesus and are in them onely to sought after and discerned As God â—posing to heal by the Brazen Serpent 〈◊〉 that being Stung would look up towâ— it it followed that it was his purpose thâ— this or that particular looking to it shoâ— be healed and it being his purpose not heal any of them otherwise it followâ— that it was not his purpose to heal this 〈◊〉 that person that neglected it So it beâ— the purpose of God in General so to gâ— his Son in love to the World that whâ—soever should Believe in him should haâ— Eternal Life it follows as a thing includâ— in it and resulting from it That Petâ— James John Paul c. through God giving his Son to and lifting him up 〈◊〉 the Salvation of the World being prevailed with to Believe on him shall have Everlasting Life And God having purposed That those who when Christ is lifted up and Light and Grace are brought to them by and through him shall be disobedient and reject him his Words and Counsels should be left to stumble at him and persisting therein to fall to Perdision It was therein included That Judas being then Disobedient should in and for so doing be
observed the Passover in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt and as a type of his own suffering presently to follow and of the Redemption of mankind thereby The matter and outward rites of it namely the taking blessing breaking and giving Bread to his Disciples bidding them to take and eat it and telling them it was his Body broken for them as likewise his taking and blessing the Cup or Wine and bidding them drink it telling them that Cup was the New Testament in his Blood being also dear significations of his Body broken for 〈◊〉 and his Blood shed for us as he also himself informeth us and the end of it being by himself expressed to be the remembrance of him what more clear than that our Lord and Saviour hereby sets before us that he Christ as come in â—he flesh and his Body as broken with sorrows and sufferings for our sins to the Death is the true Bread of Life and that the believing mindfulness thereof and of the love testified therein is the way for us to be nourished up in the hope of Eternal Life and to be strengthned to serve God by him and suffer with and for him And also that his blood as shed his Sufferings and Sacrifice as indured and presented unto God for us and hath obtained for us the remission of our sins and confirmed the promises of God for giving us forgiveness the Holy Spirit and Eternal Life and the love and grace of God and Christ therein testified towards us is Drink indeed fit to exhilerate and chear the heart more than the choisest Wine and to fill it with Spiritual Consolations As also that he would hereby instrict us to love one another as Brethren and as he hath loved us walking together as partakers of the same grace and laying down our selves for the good of one another as he hath given us example Neither doth this Ordinance witness to any goodness in us though we in eating and drinking together in remembrance of Christ do therein profess our belief of those things therein set before us and oblige our selves to cleave to him and one another but rather of our want and sitter inability to live in the favour and service of God but by the faith of Jesus and so by him as yielding therein conâ—â—â—al nourishment and strength to us And therefore also though it behoves men to come and Eat and Drink worthily meetly and so as becomes the grace in the Ordinance set before us even Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ that is to say to have our hearts minding the grace set before us and to consider and owne our own vileness and unworthiness as therein discovered to us that we may neither be puft up in our selves or Eat by virtue of any goodness or worthiness found in us or be puft up one against another yet it is to be exposed to and pertook of by all that profess the Name of Christ and that seek salvation by him being capable of discerning the Lords Body and the grace therein set before them in some measure and so of examining themselves according thereunto Yea the Baptised and Professors of Christs Name are to be instructed and called upon to remember the grace of God in Christ towards them and not because of weakness to be kept there from for which we have no president to warrant us only in case any after profession of Christ and desire to seek him do walk scandalously such are to be withdrawn from and may be secluded for a time till they be ashamed and confess their fault and at least profess repentance of the same as well for their amendmendment as also to vindicate the Society of Worshippers from the scandal of alowing and tolerating evil doers in their prophaness and evil living This Ordinance also instituted but the night before Christs suffering is to be continued till his coming again even till he come in the Clouds of Heaven to raise the Dead and to take his Servants into fellowship with himself in his Glorious Kingdom in which they shall be ever with him and eat and drink of his Consolations with him for ever Till then his Death never to be forgotten nor then neither because of the great Testimony of His and his Fathers Love and the great Procurer of all our good and happiness but till then it is in this Ordinance to be remembred and shewed forth by us And these two Ordinances Baptism and the Supper are what he hath appointed to us since his coming in the flesh to be generally observed and practised by us his Death and Resurrection having put a period at least as to us Gentiles to all the rest before observed by the Jews As for prayer and thanksgiving and the like they were in force at all times and so will be at least till Christs coming again if not after also its sure thanksgiving will And its clear they have as now to be performed their foundation in Christ and what he hath done and is become for us and are to be offered up through him unto God in and by his Spirit but because these are not instituted with any visible Rites to signifie the Grace of Christ to us except kneeling and lifting up our hands and eyes to Heaven be judged such which yet are not commanded though commendably practised implying our â—â—se of our own vileness and our humbling of our selves before God and hope in his mercy but rather are exercises that the sense of our own wants and belief of Gods goodness and grace leads us as it were naturally to I shall not say any thing more to them but after I have a little digressed to take notice of the rabuses of these Ordinances too generally through mistake observable in all ages I shall speak a little of the other way of Gods witnessing to his truth and so conclude this Chapter also SECT 9. Of the too General mistake of the mind of God in his Ordinances and mens abuse of them in all Ages ZEal is good if it be ordered with discretion and guided by right judgement and understanding otherwise it is very hurtful it being like fire which kept within its bounds and discreetly ordered is very useful but out of its due place is often very damageable kept within the Hearth it 's serviceable but in the Thatch destructive Now zeal is then right and profitable when it springs from and is ordered by the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 and Christ and so is mainly for and 〈◊〉 bout the great matters of his Law Judâ—ment and the Love of God as Luke 11. 〈◊〉 but when those things are not known regarded but the eagerness of the Spiâ— is exercised and spends it self about thâ— superstructures and matters of lesser mâ—ment it produces no good Fruit but tenâ— to much Confusion onely And yet heâ— generally hath this been and yet is thâ— way of the World even of those that wâ— be or seem to be some bodies
Affection to consume us from off the Earth out of which he took us yea we were hereby made obnoxious to the Wrath of God upon our Souls and Bodies and exposed our selves to the Devils rage and malice to Tyranize over us 13. Man being fallen into this misery was altogether helpless 2 Sam. 14.14 both in respect of himself and of any or all other Creatures He could do nothing to recover himself from it or from any part of it Psal 49.6 7 8 9 10. nor could any one man help or redeem his Brother for tho God might as afterward he did Gal. 2.21 3.10 21. propound some holy and righteous Law to him yet could he not be made Righteous and live thereby Psal 40.7 8 9 10. For neither could any such Sacrifice be propounded to Man to offer to God as might countervail the demerit of his Sin and Offence Heb. 10.1 2 6. 7.19 neither could any work or service be done by him that might be acceptable to God Isa 64.6 Rom. 3.10 11 19 20. Psal 143.2 Rom. 5.12 18. Ephes 2.1 2. John 5.25 He being fallen under a double Death one by way of Penalty as rendring him dead at Law and another in himself and his own powers rendring him like a lifeless breathless stinking Carcase unable to do or think any thing holy spiritual and acceptable unto God which yet could he have done had been but his duty and could not satisfie for his former sin Mic. 6.6 7 8 Nor could any other creature be able to give a price sufficient for him being too low and finite to satisfie the justice of an infinite Majesty offended and goodness abused All these things the Gospel-Faith supposes and takes for granted and often intimately and sometimes occasionally expresly mentions and every of them is true in it self and concerns all men so as they may be propounded as Truths to them whither they be propounded or no and are meet being propounded to be believed being Truths whether they to whom they are propounded believe them or no. SECT 3. Of Gospel Truths properly such touching Gods Affection to and provision of a Saviour for fallen Mankind and of his Person and Sufferings for us and Exaltation from them BUt now these forementioned Truths are not Gospel or Glad tidings nay rather taken by themselves and were there nothing further of Truth to be declared to or for any men they would be a very terrible Doctrine to such men importing nothing but Ruine and Misery to them But Gods Doctrine which he hath ordered to be Preached to every Creature Mark 16.15 Luke 2.10 11. 1 Tim. 2.15 or in the whole Creation is Gospel or Glad-tidings tidings of great joy to all the people true and good for every one and therefore to be believed by every one to whom it is declared 1 Tim. 4.10 and worthy to be believed by every one to whom it is declarable according to Gods Form and Order containing other Truths yet which represent God the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe in and diligently seek him As these that follow 1. That God notwithstanding the great folly and Fall of Man 2 Sam. 14.14 Rom. 3.19 20 21 22. and his own Law and displeasure against him though such was his Righteousness Purity and Holiness such the stedfastness of his Word and such our sin sinfulness and filthiness that he could not admit us fellowship with himself approve justifie or delight in us but banished us from him Gen. 3.15 John 3.16 17. and condemn us to Death and misery yet such was his love and mercy as he did not yet cease to love us and be graciously affected toward us but even without our seeking it of him yea when we ran from him 1 Pet. 1.20 3.18 he devised and found out as upon fore-sight hereof he had fore-provided and purposed a way for our recovery that we might be saved from this so miserable a case and might in listning to him be brought again into his Presence 2. That that way devised by him Gen. 3.15 Gal. 4.4 5. 1 John 3.5 8. 4.9 10 1â— He also revealed and promised from the Beginning and hath now actually manifested to be The sending forth his own onely begotten Son made of a Woman and so the seed of the Woman and the delivering him up to suffer and dye for our Sins Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 1.21 Heb. 5.9 7.25 Joh. 6.40 and so to ransome and make attonement for our Souls and the raising him up for our Justification and glorifying him in the Nature of Man for our Salvation to the utmost so as that whosoever believe in and obey him might not perish in that misery that either hath befaln him or further may but have Everlasting Life 3. That Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.26 27 31 32 35. Rom. 1.1 2 3 4. Luk. 2.1 2 3 6 7. Act. 2.22 23 24. Luk. 3.1 2 21.22 23 4 5 6 c. Matth. 27.18 16.15 16. Act. 9.20 John 20.31 1 Joh. 5 1-4.5 of the Stock and Lineage of David after the Flesh in the Town of Beth-lehem in the Land of Judah in the days of Augustus Caesar and lived and conversed among the Jews Preaching the Word of God his Father and working many glorious Miracles amongst them for the manifestation of Himself and confirmation of his Doctrine to them till they being moved with Envy did according to God's determinate counsel take him and Crucify him in the Days of Tiberius Caesar was and is that onely Begotten Son of God whom he had purposed and promised before and did then accordingly in the fullness of time raise up and send forth to be the Saviour and Deliverer of poor fallen Man 4. That Joh. 1.1 2 3 14 that Jesus of Nazareth was in the Beginning with God according to his Divine Being Heb. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.16 17. Philip. 2.6 7. The Word and God by whom God made all things in Heaven and Earth Visible and Invisible in the Form of God the brightness of his Glory and the express character of his Person before he was made man And that Eternal Word was in the fulness of time made Flesh a very and real Man Heb. 2.14 15 16. 2 Cor. 8.9 Isa 53.1 2 3. Rom. 8.3 Heb. 4.15 in the form of a Servant a poor and despicable man that had no worldly form or excellency amongst men to commend him to Men but was found in the likeness of sinful Flesh in all points tempted and subject to weaknesses as other men sin onely excepted to which low and despicable form out of grace and love to mankind and obedience to his Father he did willingly and readily yield and abase himself makeing himself who was infinitely rich to be poor for us Isa 1.14 Matth. 1.21 Act 20.28 1 Joh. 3.16 that we through his poverty might be
it cannot signifie in our Saviours use of it that very place and fire or any such external punishment in this life as the above-mentioned Author would insinuate but a perpetual and everlasting punishment of the damned is evident 1. By our Saviours implying that God only can cast men into it and that after men have killed the body whereas if it were that very punishment or such like men might as well cast the body into it Matth. 10.28 Luke 12.5 Matth. 18.8 9. Mark 9.44 45. or the whole man while alive as kill the body 2. And by his saying God is able to cast the soul also after the body is killed into it as well as the body As also 3. By warning his Disciples and Hearers in general to pluck out the right eye where it offends c. rather than to be cast into that fire but to be cast into that Valley of Hinnom litterally or into any such like external punishment in this life we are not in any great danger of by retaining our lusts and corruptions Psa 73.3 4 5 6 Job 21.8 9 12 13. seeing we be very far remote from that place and many that live in their lusts live and dye in prosperity No nor yet doth it signifie any internal punishment here both because it 's a punishment after the body is killed and because it 's perpetual and everlasting as appears by other expressions joyned with it by which also it 's called as 2. It 's called the fire that shall never be quenched so Mark 9.43 to 49. 3. A Lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second Death Re◠20.15 4. Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 those expressions of the Worm not dying an◠Fire that is not quenched are borrowed from Isa 66.24 which speaks of the punishment of the wicked in the time 〈◊〉 the new Heavens and new Earth ver 22. which is the time after the Resurrection and the Judgement Rev. 20. and 21. and it 's to be minded that not only that fire is said to be quenchable which may be extinguished while the combustable matter lasteth but also that which goes out of it self for want of matter to feed it it being all consumed for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to be quenched and of the which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated unquenchable is derived is used of the lamps of the foolish Virgins which went out for want of Oyl to feed them Matth. 25.8 And therefore if the fire of Gods wrath in which the wicked shall be burned shall end and go out as wanting matter to work upon they being thereby annihilated and their being totally destroyed as the said Author evades those sayings then could it not be called unquenchable And if the wicked should be annihilated in that Judgement must not their Worm needs dye having no subject to subsist in Those expressions therefore joyned with Gehenna as the others also which we have mentioned both signifie the being of such severe torments and punishments after the Resurrections as the worst of punishments here imaginable are but shadows of and also their perpetuity and endless duration which is also expressed in other phrases As 5. Everlasting punishment Matth. 2.46 and everlasting destruction 2 The◠1.7 8. That in Matth. 25.41 is with a◠Emphesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the everlasting fire The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated everlasting is indeed used in the Old Testament to signifie of a long continuance and sometime of an age but that is not its usual if ever its signification in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles but everlasting or never ending Matth. 25 46. it 's the same word that 's used to signifie 1. The lastingness of the life glory and happiness of the righteous and everlasting punishment is opposed to everlasting life as signifying a like duration of the one as of the other even as the fire of the Valley of Hinnom probably burn◠perpetually so long as the old Jerusalem was standing so those torments shall be of equal duration with the new Jerusalem the joy and glory of the Righteous even for ever 2. The duration of the honour and power ascribed to God himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too everlasting 1 Tim. 6.16 Yea. 3. The everlastingness of the being o◠God and Christ Rom. 16 2◠Isa 9.6 than which what can be more significant of never ending And yet not only that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting is used to this purpose but 4. It 's said the smoak of their torment ascends up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ages o◠ages even for ever and over Rev. 14 9 10. an Expression used to in the Glory and Honour ascribed to God and Christ and to set forth the Eternity of God and of his Living Rev. 1.6 and 4.9 and 5.13 14. So that the Scriptures are very Pregnant in laying down this Assertion and therefore it 's to be believed and dreaded and diligence is to be given in looking and yielding up to Christ to be accounted worthy to be delivered therefrom 2. As for the Reasons and Grounds of God's so Punishing they are by the Scriptures signified to be such as these 1. The Greatness and Majesty of God sin'd against and despis'd Deut. 10.17 Matth. 10.28 Luk. 12.5 Isa 27.31 Men Punish Traytors against their Life and Majesty with Bodily Death but God both Body and Soul in a Death as much beyond that of the Body as He is greater than Man that is sin'd against and despis'd Such great Punishment is but answerable to his Greatness as his other Works be 2. The Greatness Unspeakableness Deut. 32.5 6 7 8 9 21 22. Isa 1.2 3 4 5 24. Gen. 1.26 27. Psal 8.3 4 3. 49.12 and Infiniteness of the Love and Goodness of God in and by Christ toward Men that Rebel against him it notwithstanding He not onely inconceivably honoured us in raising us up at the first out of the Dust of the Earth and making us in his own Image Lords of his Works and capable of knowing and having Fellowship with himself but also when we were utterly lost was pleased so to set his heart upon us Joh. 3.16 17. Gal. 4.4 5. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom 4.25 1 Pet. 1.21 24. Philip. 2.6 7 8 9. 1 Tim. 2.6 Isa 45.22 Psal 81.9 10 50.1 2. Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. Joh. 16.7 8 9.10 12 13 14 15. Gen. 6.3 Rom. 2.4 5. Psal 68.18 19 20. Job 33.16 29 Psal 68.21 Rom. 2.5 Heb. 6.6 7. 10.26 29. Jonas 2.8 as not to spare his ow◠Son but give him up to the Death the Death of the Cross to Redeem us again and impowred him to Save us and bring us to endless and infinitely Glorious Happiness His Son that was in his Form infinitely Glorious with God his Father was pleased also in Love to abase himself and lay
inflicted on him brought him to which began to come upon him to death before his enemies came near him as Matth. 26.38 Luke 22.41 42 43 44. John 12.27 28 31. yea and that prest him too on the Cross and brought him to the dust of death as Matth. 26.46 50. with Psalm 22.15 seem to signifie thence also it 's observable that he dyed sooner than the Malefactors that were crucified with him yea so as Pilate wondred that he was so soon dead Mark 15.44 45. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23 24. Doubtless that wrath and curse that caused his so sore agonies might have brought him to death though his Enemies had had no such hand in it or though he had had no such Enemies but to yeild himself a more perfect exemplary pattern of obedience and patience and to make it manifest that he was made a curse for us according to that Deut. 21.23 He that is hanged is cursed of God there being such Enemies foreseen of God God also foreordained him to be delivered up to them to be so put to death the death of the Cross by them accordingly as he was I might instance in many other particular purposes that appear clearly to have been respective yea even in purposes of dispensing mercies when ever they were purposed as rewards there must needs have been an eye to the works purposed to be rewarded by them 1 King 21.29 As the purpose of respiring the judgement on Ahabs Family till his Sons reign as a reward of Ahabs humiliation of himself 2 King 10.30 and the giving Jehues seed to sit upon the Throne of Israel to the fourth generation as a reward of his executing judgement on Ahabs Family For it could not rightly be said that God would do or did those things to them because of their so doing as it is said of Ahab Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days and to Jehu Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes c. thy Children of the fourth generation shall sit upon the Throne of Israel if those things were before absolutely and irrespectively to those things done by them purposed and doomed to them As I cannot be properly said to give my Son a new Suit for plying his Book well which I without any eye or respect to his so doing Matth. 19.27 28 29. intended absolutely to give him The like might be said of setting the Apostles on twelve Thrones to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel as the reward of their leaving all for him and following him in the regeneration the purpose of that reward to them took in doubtless the foreknowledge and consideration of that their love and faithfulness to him as also the preparation of the Kingdom for the Sheep Matth. 25.35 36 c. before the foundations of the World was with respect to them as Sheep and as so demeaning themselves as is represented as the reason of the possession of it being adjudged to them But whereas Judas one of the then Twelve to whom Christ promised the forementioned reward by transgression and unfaithfulness lost his share therein it might seem as if there were a reversibility too in Gods promises if not in his purposes therein implyed let us take that therefore next into consideration SECT 6. Of the Reversibility or Irreversibleness of God's Purposes REversibility of God's purposes Psa 33.11 Isa 14.24 46.10.11 Numb 22.19 1 Sam. 15.29 I know will sound somewhat harshly in some Mens Ears as seeming to imply a changeableness in God and to contradict such sayings as those That God purposes and who can turn it back And he will do and perform all his purposes And as he hath purposed it shall stand And that he is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should Repent Which Sayings are without controversie most true yet in some sense and respect and that also according to the Language of the Scripture in other passages which are as true being all the Language of one and the same Holy Spirit of Truth it may be affirmed That Men do miss and deprive themselves of what was in some sense purposed of God to them and that God repents him of his purpose or of the good and evil purposed by him though he Repents not as Men through any change of his Mind by reason of ignorance inadvertency or mutability of his Wi'l but onely changes his work and respects to Men as Men being Changed fall under different unchangeable purposes His irrespective purposes according to their Tenour and so his Absolute and General purposes mentioned in the Gospel stand all firm and unalterable as his purposes of what he would do for Men in Christ and to Christ for Men as also That he will Bless the Believer do good to those that are good and walk uprightly with him and reject the Wicked Evil doer c. and so those purposes against particular Men or Nations that are respective when the Decree brings forth and the day is past the day of Grace and Patience expired towards any in any respect they be then irreversible too As with Saul 1 Sam. 15.29 when he had disobeyed the Lord's Commandment concerning the Amalekites with respect to setling the Kingdom on him and his House But as to his respective purposes which respect some condition in Man which may be changeably in this or that Person and before such day past with respect to the Change made in such Persons by which they pass from under one General Degree or purpose to be under another God may be said to Repent of his purpose toward them or alter or Reverse his purpose as to them when as yet the alteration is wholly in them coming under diverse Irreversible purposes and not in God's purposes themselves in the General either as concerning them or any man as to give some Instances to make the matter more evident and understandable when an evil Man or Unbeliever who as such an Evil Man is under the General purpose of Evil and Punishment for God purposes to hide himself from and stand against Men that are Evil in their Evil ways while Evil generally shall or doth through the grace of God mixed with those Punishments Repent him of and turn from his Evil way then God Repents of the Evil purposed against him that is which his purpose against Evil Doers contain'd in it against him as and while an Evil Doer and doth him good according to his purpose towards Penitents and well-doers under which by his Repentance he is now brought for he is not the same man now as to that formality of him that rendred him an Object of God's purpose of Evil but is another a New Man a Man in Christ with whom old things are past away and all things become new and so the purposes of God concerning him are new purposes 2 Cor. 5.17 the purposes
the departure of the Apostles nay they began to be sown before but by reason of their Vigilancy they took not such place in the Churches as afterward they did till they even overtopped the good Seed and its Fruit Ignorance 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Errour Superstition and Prophaneness sprouting up apace through Mens not receiving the love of the Truth that they might be Saved till God as he threatned gave up the World again to the over-spreadings of Deceit permitting the False Prophet Mahomet to Introduce a false and wicked Religion to the drawing away Multitudes from the Belief of the Truth planted amongst them And the Roman Bishops with their Clergy to Usurp Dominion over the rest and living like Beasts or Monsters to fill the Churches that yet retained the Profession of Christ and the Scriptures amongst them with all manner of Errour Superstition and Prophaness which continued Universally over the face of the World where the most Famous Churches of Christ had been Planted though not without mixture of continual Testimonies of God and his Truth and Goodness both by Works and Word especially as to the most Essential parts of his Doctrine more or less and more or less purely held forth till 5. In these latter times God in his mercy again stirred up a Spirit of Reformation in some of his Servants who through their constancy in Preaching forth and suffering for the Testimony of God according to those measures of Understanding they had of it became successful Instruments in his hand of reviving the Light of the Truth that was almost damped so as that it shines forth again in and by the Scriptures of Truth and the faithful Preachers of them though alas now again too much clouded with the glosles and interpretations of Men that subject not their own wisdoms to God's words much more clearly than in some former Ages So that in this that hath been said in this large running over the times it appears That the Dispensations of God in giving forth unto Men the Knowledge of his Words have been both in several Ages and to several Men in the same Ages very diverse for even in all and every of those Ages when it was fulliest given forth also all had it not alike immediatly or fully opened to them some were dispensers of it to others who received it by them or from their Mouth All were not Apostles nor all Prophets nor all Teachers that were in the Church of God though as he that follows a light carried by others may see and go as well as those that carry it and other men may eat as heartily and be as thriving that buy their Bread by the Loaf as they that carry it out and sell it 〈◊〉 basket fulls so also those that were noâ— so honoured as to be the Dispensers of the Mysteries of God to others either Jews or Gentiles in an humble following 〈◊〉 and feeding upon that Truth of God dispensed by others might walk and live as well and attain to Eternal Life as certainly and happily as they that dispense it to them yea a Judas might prove a Son of Perdition though a Preacher of it and Jeremy and Paul too had they not returned to and walked with God themselves keeping down their Bodies and bringing them into subjection might have done so too while many of their weaker Hearers attained to Happiness by what they Preached It may be said of Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers in respect of their carrying out of the Word to others as was said of the Virgins Conceiving and bringing forth Christ Blessed the Womb that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee suck So Blessed they that were betrusted and came forth with such Mysteries to Men in the Name of the Lord yet so as the same Answer of our Saviour would also fit with respect to the hearing and obeying that Doctrine Yea rather Blessed is every one that hears the word of God and keeps it We might also shew that there is and ever was great diversity and difference in the several Gifts and Administrations of those Gifts of those betrusted with the Word and the Dispensation of it and service of God in it Some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers some workers of Miracles c. and of the Apostles and Teachers some Administred more eloquently and some with weaker Language some more plainly and powerfully than others some in one Stile and others in another yet all one and the same Truth and by one and the same Spirit as in 1 Cor. 12. But it suffices but to hint that to avoid further tediousness SECT 9. That in the former Ages and so in all the Four Monarchies there was something of the knowledge of God by his People and Words vouchsafed also to the Gentiles ONely this we may further Note That though the discovery of the Truth and Mystery of God was vouchsafed most peculiarly and properly to the Jews before the Ascension of Christ yet not so hidden with them but that something of it and so means to know more of it was in all former Ages vouchsafed in some measure over and above the Manifestations of God in his Works to the Gentiles or divers of them also as might be shewed from what we find in the Scriptures and by other Writers In Abraham's time while Shem was yâ— living to omit some things fore-mentioned Sect. 4. His over-throw of 〈◊〉 Four Kings Types perhaps of the futâ— Monarchies after to succeed Shinar â—ing Babilon Ellasar some take for Syriâ— Elam is Persia and the Nations migâ— hint to the other Nations subject to the Roman Monarchy made him famous doubtless in those times And after that the advancement of Joseph in Egypt when all Nations or Countries thereabout pinch with a Famine came thither for Bread-corn might afford probably some opportunity for spreading some knowledge of God from him his Father and Brethren then brought into and living in Egyptâ— but especially and certainly to omit the Patriarchs Psal 105.13 14. Travellers into and sojourning in divers Lands and Countries the great Judgments of God upon Egypt and Pharaoh The Miraculous Deliverance of Israel thence and the mighty Works then done for and amongst them spread the Name of God amongst the Countries as is implyed Exod. 9.16 That I might shew in thee in my power and that my Name might be declared in all the earth And it appears by Rahabs confession afterward That they had heard of the mighty work 〈◊〉 God for Israel in those Countries of Canâ— an Josh 2.10 11. And then his drying up the red Sea and Jordan and driving ouâ— the Canaunites so miraculously The standing still of the Sun and Moon c. These yet further famed him and his People among the Nations 1 King 10. with Matth. 12.43 As afterwards the Wars and Successes of David and the Wisdom of Solomon that was famous to the Ends of the Earth to Aethiopia and those
God as afterwards we read he did and that God smelled a sweet savour of rest therein and why a sweet savour of rest Gen. 7.2 3. 8.20 21. Seeing God himself after testifies that he had no pleasure in Burnt Offerings 〈◊〉 Sacrifices the blood of Goats or the 〈◊〉 of Rams Pâ—l 40.7 8 10 50.8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Act. 17.25 26 27. Heb. 10.2 3 4. c. It could not be because God wanted or had any refreshing 〈◊〉 them for he â—eeds them not nor is he worshipped with mens hands as if he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things nor was it because they could take away or make satisfaction for their sins for it's noâ— posâ— sible the blood of such Creatures should do any such things but surely it was because he had appointed them as a meâ—rial of his Son and as types and figures of him and because of the faith of the Sacrificer in him Sen. 9. with Levit. 17. As with reference to the blood of Christ to be shed for us he gave them the blood of those Creatures to make attonement on the Alter for their Souls and therefore also when he allowed men the eating of flesh he forbad the eating of blood to them Yea that they were appointed of God and to such ends too may yet further appear both by the practice of all the Patriarchs and in that when God had bid Abraham offer up his Son Isado for a Burnt Offering Abâ—â—bam said to Isaac inquiring where the Sacrifice was Psal 105.15 Gen. 22.8 God will provide himself a Lamb for a Burnt Offering which he being a Prophet might speak of the seed promised him as believing that he should be the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world and bring in blessings to all Nations and yet more clearly in that God afterward by Law more fully appointed them by Moses Heb. 11.10 1 5. and as the Apoâ—â—le tells us to be shadows of good things to come 'T is true there might be divers ends and reasons of Gods appointing them as 1. That men might thereby acknowledge him the Lord the Author and Giver of all good things to them which they testified by giving some of them to him by Sacrifice as also by giving him in his Preists the Tenths or Tithes of them 2. That men might therein joyn together in their worship and acknowledgement of God and so that a publick worship of him might be kept up in the world by which men might be instructed to own and acknowledge him successively and not attribute things to other causes and take and use them as their own at their pleasures and so fall to Atheism and Irreligion but seeing though God was the maker of all things before the fall yet his continuing and giving those good things to man kind since the fall for which he is continually to be acknowledged and blessed by fallen mankind is through Christ and his death foâ—en 3. The great reason therefore of such alway of acknowledging him and his bounty was the promise and interposure of Christ and that he and his love might therein be signified to and acknowledged and remembred by men which wâ— fitly represented in the shedding the blooâ— of the living Sacrifices and in the offering them generally by fire unto God 〈◊〉 therein was both a remembrance of 〈◊〉 and of death deserved by sin and also 〈◊〉 fore-signifying of the Death and Sacrificâ— of the Messiah instead of men to take away mans sin and by destoying Death to be his Resurrection and Life therefrom and that through him and his Death and Sacrifice men might have and had their access to God to worship him and might receive favour and blessing from him Surely this was the main ground of all their Sacrificing in its first institution and so there was therein aâ— more full teaching by way of representation of the meaning of the foregoing Oracle about the promised Seed and how he should bruise the Serpents Head And to such ends was it delivered over traditionally from Father to Son to be practised by all Nations who retained this way of worship till the Messias came and till the Preaching of him as come put an end thereto as well the Gentiles aâ— the Jews had their Sacrifices Atonements Expiations for sin c. though they being degenerated and gone from the faith of the true God and the right way of worshipping him lost also the right end and manner of Sacrificing and as they multiplied gods to themselves so they invented and brought in new Rites and Ceremonies to those devised or supposed gods according as their own fancies and Satan â—ed them which thing also in great measure befel the Jews notwithstanding that God took more peculiar care of them and to keep them from such degeneration gave them Laws and Statues in writing prescribing to them both to Sacrifice to himself only and when and where and what to Sacrifice for he appointed them many kinds of Offerings all pointing to Christ and to continue till the time of Reformation by his appearing himself to put away sin by the Sacrifice of Himself for us Yet they also casting his Law behind their backs and desiring to be and do like other Nations fell into abominable Superstitions and Idolatries and even in their Sacrificing to God and according to his Rules prescribed as to external form lost the right end and use of it putting it in the place of Christ and seeking to establish a righteousness to themselves in so doing or conceiting that thereby they should obtain and have Gods favour and be justified and saved in and notwithstanding their prophane and wicked living so as that God often pronounced against them that he obhorred and loathed them and esteemed their Sacrificing an Ox no better than the killing a Man or cutting off a Dogs neck c. even then things unlawful and forbidden by him This also we might further note by the way that at two several times the Gospel was given forth by Word 〈◊〉 Sealed by outward Ordinance to 〈◊〉 whole world universally before the 〈◊〉 ving of the Law and so there was a 〈◊〉 â—ouchsafed for preserving and witneâ— it to and with all men Namely 〈◊〉 1. To Adam and his Family who 〈◊〉 by Word and Ordinance namely 〈◊〉 curfice was to deliver it to his Posteâ— and they thereby to keep the publicâ— knowledgement of it from Father to 〈◊〉 successively from which Cain and his Family swerving and making a Reâ— Schism and by degrees the sounder 〈◊〉 of the Church too even the Sons of God by mixing themselves with Cains Family and receiving their corruptionâ— proving Nephisms and Apostates from God the whole World became corrupt from the true Faith and right Worship so as that only Noah was fouâ— perfect in his Generations and God swept them all away with the Flood preserving only that Preacher of Righteousness with
Sacrifice there is provided for men generally a way of cleansing their Consciences and Spirits from sin both guilt and filth of it namely the Faith of the Son of God the truth concerning him as given forth by him in his Spirit in the opening and bringing to mind his Death and Sufferings for us and the love therein testified to us there through men may find cleansing from all their uncleanesses of Flesh and Spirit But he that will retain his filthiness or seek some other way of deansing than by the Bloud of sprinkling and will not obey the Gospel to be purified thereby shall be cut off from part or fellowship in Christ and with his Congregation Heb. 9.13 14 10.22 29. 12.24 25. Joh. 13.8 4. Yea and to add no more the very Tabernacle and Temple themselves the places appointed for the Worship of God as for offering Sacrifices and burning Incense which burning of Incense was also a Type of Christ's Meditation by way of Intercession were clearly Types of Christ Col. 1.19 2 9. as the Spiritual place of our Worship and of the Church in Union with him for he is the Place or Person where God hath placed all his fulness the fulness of the God-head dwells Bodily in him Isa 53.10 56.7 Heb. 17 10 13. he is both the Altar of Burnt offering and Burnt offering it self his Soul being made an Offering for our sinand upon him are all our Offerings to be laid He is the door into the House of God the way by which we may enter into the Holy place to have fellowship with him and his people yea the way into the holy of Holies Joh. 10.9 Heb. 10.20 yea the Molten Sea and Layer for the Priests and Sacrifices to be wash'd in Typified him the Sacrificer and Cleanser of us and our Offerings the Golden Candlest and Table of Shew-bread figured him the light and food of the Soul The Altar of Incense shewed him to be the perfumer of our Prayers and Services as he appears for us within the Vail even in Heaven where also he is the Propitiatory or Mercy Seat and obtaining pardon for and covering our sins mediates the New Testainent and obtains a keeping of Covenant and Mercy with all that Worship God in and by him presenting them acceptable in himself Yea he is the High Priest in the Holy of Holies with the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his shoulders bearing and presenting them before God for ever the house of Prayer for all people Isa 56.7 and the looking toward the Temple of old in their Prayers or their praying in it instructed them to look to Christ in all their services as also their orders of Porters Singers c. Typed out the Spiritual Worship and Worshippers of God in Christ who is as is said both the door to be opened and kept open or shut in and by the Gospel upon men as they are mere to enter or be excluded Yea he also he is great Door-keeper that hath the Keys of David that opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens the matter and Ground of all our Songs and Praises and the great Master of the Musick tuning the heart by his word and Spirit put thereinto so as they may make melody unto God but of most of these things we spake above Christ then was the end and ground of all these Ordinances in which the People were to exercise themselves till his personal appearance and offering up the acceptable Sacrifice when he swallowed them all up in himself being the substance of those many shadows which all vanished at his appearing when he propounded himself in the Gospel to 〈◊〉 as the truth of all and the Spirit of them in which now God without these shâ—â— dows wâ—ll be worshipped by us Thought yet he hath also appointed us some 〈◊〉 outward Ordinances of Worship to â—serve to and amongst ourselves and others a lively remembrance of Gods grace in him towards us Of which it remains that we say something also before we conclude this Discourse about Gods Ordinances SECT 7. Of Baptism QUestionless Christs Ordinances appointed by himself at and since his coming must needs have their ground in him and bear witness to him they are but few in stead of the many before injoyned and practised namely Buptism and the Lords Supper of which in order Baptism as to the outward act of it is a dipping or plunging into Matth. 3.17 18. 28 19 20. or washing with water into the Name that is to the belief and confession of the Doctrine of Christ and so into or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost who were distinctly made manifest in the Baptism of Christ and are distinctly mentioned in the Commission given by Christ for Baptism after his Resurrection The outward act of Baptising was praâ—â—ed before amongst the Jews upon diâ—ers occasions whence we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.10 that â—ere were in the Law divers Baptisms or Washings but it was first appointed of God as an Ordinance for manifesting and witnessing to Christ come in the flesh to John the Son of Zachary forerunner of Christ called thence John the Baptist Luke 3.2 3. or Baptizer who was not that Light of men nor witnessed of himself or men as directing them to themselves or him John 1.6 7 29. but came to bear witness to the Light in all his Ministration and so did witness both by Word and Baptism that Jesus was the Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world endeavouring to reduce men to him by calling them to repent of their former mistakes and miscarriages in which they had wandred from him either lifting up themselves by their birth of Abraham or by their having and observing the Law and Ordinances of God in the outward acts of them or else by growing altogether prophane and casting Gods Law and Doctrine behind them He therefore pulling down their Mountains or high Thoughts of themselves because of such fleshly priviledges and filling up the Valsies by elevating mens minds to higher thoughts of God and his goodness to them that were ready to fink in fight of their own sinfulness and worthlesness preached Jesus to them and the Kingdom of God brought nigh to them in him and 〈◊〉 further instruction of them in his Doctrinâ— washed them in Water unto repentance saying they should believe in him that came after him in whom they should find forgiveness of their sins and the Spiritual Baptism washing them from their sins and so should meet with Gods grace and blessing in him So that that Ordinance did not witness men to be holy righteous penitent believers or the like though men in coming to it desiring or yeilding to it did at least intimately profess some desire after God belief of the Doctrine Preached and desire to repent and do better yea and were ingaged thereby so to do whence
to Satan and their own hearts to stir up envy and hatred against them Thus we find too God threatning obstinate people that refuse to walk in his ways or be warned by the sound of his Trumpet that he will lay stumbling blocks before them and the Father and Son shall fall together upon them Jer. 6.17 Isa 8.13 14. Rom. 9.33 18 21. Such was Christ's weakness Cross and abasement and the Fathers withdrawing from him 1 Cor. 1 2â— on the Cross to the Jews and Pharisees who out of envy put him to Death and the Preaching of the Cross to the generality of them 4. Yea we may add if we can conceive otherwise of it then as included in what is said By cursing his Blessings and even his own Ordinances to Men as Mal. 2.1 2. That they should be made as snares and traps to them for their abuse of them as in Psal 69.22 23 24 25. Let their table become a snare and that which was for their welfare a trap c. Yet this is so accidentally as it were by reason of their pride covetousness c. which apts them to take offence and boggle at the Word of God which altogether speaks in such was against them vexing galling and inraging them they loving their deeds that are evil and so becoming a Savour of Death unto Death to them Yea the very Spirit of God may work such Discoveries of their resisting and rejecting them to their very hearts as may occasion the heart retaining its love to iniquity to exert its wickedness and so occasionally harden it to desperate Rebellion and so may his Judgment too as in Rev. 16 8 9. And thus I conceive of God's hardening Operations or such Operations as attributed to him I shall close up this Chapter with Mr. Mallers Exposition of those Words in Psal 105.25 He turned their hearts to hate his people Not that God saith he was the Author of Pharaohs and the Aegyptians evil Counsels or that he put those crafty and wicked counsels into their minds For God is a God that wills not Iniquity c. Which sentence is repeared often in the Scriptures as in Deut. 32. Hos 11. Psal 92. Ezek. 33. Which with both hands or rather with our whole Soul is to be held fast by us that we may know that God is not the cause of any Sin nor doth he will effect or approve of the wickedness and obstinacy of the Wicked but the cause of Sin is the corrupt will of Man and the suggestion of the Devil but God is said to have perverted or turned Pharaâ—hs and the Aegyptians hearts in that he forsaking them left their preverse hearts such as they were naturally that they might pour out their hatred conceived against Israel which hatred was not of God but of their inbred malice pride covetuousness which because God did not correct or take away by his Grace he is said to have perverted or turned their hearts that the Godly might understand that those things which happen to them from such evil men come not unto them without his will This says he is the most sincere meaning of it and most consonant to the Scriptures To which agrees Aug. Tom. 2. contra Pelag. p. 300. God hardens not by putting Malice into men but by withdrawing his mercy from them And in his First Book against the 2 Epist of Pelag. chap. 18. No man is compelled by the power of God against his will either to good or evil but God forsaking men deservedly they go into evil and helping them undeservedly they are converted to good That Phrase of perverting them and hardning them used sixteen times in Exodus is not to be understood of any efficacious action of God but of his permission and forsaking as Aust Lib. 5. contrae Julianum For it is usual in the Hebrew Tongue that Verbs or words signifying Actions are put for the causes of Actions either truly such or such as without which they would not be which seeing they are the Will Power Permission it often falls out that they are to be expounded by I will I can I suffer or permit and by their own infinitive as Gal. 5. So many as are justified by the Law that is desire to be justified 1 Cor. 10. I please all men that is desire or endeavour it Luk. 8. Hearing they bear not that is will not hear Why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear that is Why hast thou left us and suffered us to erre c. And not rather drawn us back and governed us by thy Spirit that by our negligence malice or wickedness we rush not into evil c. Thus he which soberly construed and looked upon as the Judicial acts of God after Grace extended and rejected I conceive to be very right and Orthodox For which cause I have thus noted and transcribed it as worthy to be credited and received And thus much for the kinds of God's operations in which also we have shewed the manner of God's working in operations of this latter kind which respect the working of men to Sin or rather in what sense such operations may be Attributed to God I might have noted also That the same sentence of Truth or providence of God may have diverse operations in divers men as that saying of Christ to the Jews Joh. 8.32 If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed and Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free As it occasionally offended and inraged those Jews so it might comfort others and instruct others in the way to obtain freedome and admonish others of and cause them to fear departing from his words and as the same cloud that protected the Israelites blew the Aegyptians into the Sea But I pass it and come to what remains viz. The manner of God's working in his Gracious Operations which are more properly directly and effectively his CHAP. X. Of the manner of God's working in Men by his grace preventing accompanying and following them SECT 1. That God's gracious operations are according to the counsel of his will and in some sense different and unlike IT is most certain that God as the Apostle says Ephes 1.11 worketh all things according to the counsel of his will All things namely that he worketh or we may not say That he worketh â—ens Sins and Evils in them or the works of the Devil which he came to destroy 〈◊〉 all things that he worketh he worketh according as his most infinitely wise â—nderstanding directeth and his will â—herein determineth without asking advice of or submitting himself to the guiâ—ance of any Creature whatsoever â—hough yet heither doth the Apostle thereâ— mean that he worketh nothing with respect to our wills and works for sureâ—y that is not so but in all his punishments and rewards as properly such he hath respect to the wills and workings of Men and so the counsel of his will
him in the day of his power or armies that is of his being glorified at God's right hand and in the Gospel which is the power of God to the salvation of those that believe or credit it and to the making them free and willing to serve him Rom. 1.16 and so in the day of his armies and companies going forth to propagate his Name and fight the good fight of Faith his people those that stand on his side and for him offer themselves freely Nay further it 's granted that no man makes himself willing to serve Christ but they that come to him his people are made free by his power working in his Gospel published to them his truth set before them and abiding by them as in that of John 8.30 31 32. If ye continue in my words that is hearing and receiving or minding them then are ye my disciples that is his people indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free set you at liberty from the love of sin and the world c. to serve and walk with God in holiness and righteousness and so offer up your selves free-will offerings to God Which place fitly expounds the other and yet clearly shews that that is a consequent operation of God following upon mens receiving and continuing in the truth preventing them and so becoming his people in which they are more made his or given up to him and so is propounded conditionally to such as do but begin to credit the truth and listen to it agreeing with that in John 6.44 45. No man can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him As it is written in the Prophets And they that is Sion's children the waiters upon God in the Doctrine given forth in Sion Isa 54.13 shall all be taught of God Every one therefore that heareth and learneth of the Father that is thy people shall come to me shall be a willing people Agreeable also to that is Hos 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know c. And Isa 55.5 6. Thou shalt call a Nation that thou knewest not and a Nation that knew not thee shall run after thee shall be willing or voluntaries because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he shall glorifie thee Seek ye the Lord while he maybe found and call upon him while he is nigh c. As if he should say The glory of Christ discovered in his calls by the Father's teaching being beheld shall make people willing and free to follow Christ they that know or take notice of his Name will trust in him seek therefore to know that Name or discern that Glory c. This may indeed shew what we have noted before that they that yield up to the counsels and calls of God afforded with his preventing operations and so look or listen to Christ and God in Christ shall find the creative power of God framing their hearts to the love of Christ and causing them to run freely after him yea that hinders not but that men to whom those preventing operations are afforded may resist and wind out from the counsels and teachings of God therewith given them and so frustrate themselves of the creative operations that follow upon mens not so resisting Isa 53.1 They that believe not the report prove not the arm of the Lord that is to be met with therein by men Naaman not washing in Jordan had not felt the power of God to heal him Some I know urge that of Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in But that being spoken to the servants as to be their act can signifie no more than a more earnest urgency with men on their parts and cannot inforce the signification of any compulsive irresistible working of God and therefore I shall not further insist upon it SECT 6. 1 Cor. 4.7 Considered and Mens Collections from it SOme from that saying of the Apostle Who maketh thee to differ 1 Cor. 4.7 or what hast thou that thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why dost thou then boast argue that it is and must be some more special irresistible grace of God afforded to some men more than to others that working irresistibly differences them in point of believing from others upon whom God doth not so irresistibly work and that they received from God their very doing better as to hearing and learning than others which if God had given to others as well as to them theâ— would have done yea must necessariâ— have done as well as they But here again Men mind not that they swerve from the Apostles scope and business and wrest or carry his words from the thing he treats about which is not of mens hearing the Word of God and giving heed to him in the means of Grace though that also is of God but of believers difference in their gifts and receipts of Gifts from God by occasion of which some were apt to be puffed up above others and some for one who had greater Gifts against another who had less as appears clearly in the former Verse To these he saith even to them who had more excellent Gifts Who made thee to differ or excel What hast thou What Gift or Excellency that thy Brother hath not which thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why dost thou then boast or pride thy self of it as attributing it to thy self and lifting up thy self above thy brother by it This is clearly and evidently the scope of the Apostle in that place which being kept to we cannot err by occasion of his words But if we will take his words and carry them from their scope we may perchance through our reason fall into mistakes as if we should thence argue that we have no cause or ground any of us to commend one mans diligence in the use of his talent and fault another mans slothfulness or that the slothful ought in like manner to be excused or not blamed as the other that hath less Gifts though diligent in them because as the one mans less Gifts proceed from God's good pleasure to give him less as but two talents when another hath five so the other mans slothfulness in like manner proceeded from God's good pleasure too that pleased not to give him such diligence as another hath Surely he that minds the Scriptures would see such an use of those words as so to argue from them to be but an abuse of them And so If we should thence conclude that God made Adam to differ from himself by falling from his created innocency or suppose there had been another man every way as perfect as Adam and no more free and able to stand than Adam and every way alike tempted and assisted as he must he needs have fallen as Adam did if so then how had Adam power to have stood and how was his fall meerly wilful and voluntary nay how can it
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all namely in all those Spiritual Persons and Gifts and Administrations or also in all toward and unto whom those Gifts and Administrations and Operations are vouchsafed as there are in and by his Gifts and in the exercise and administration of them in some operations of convincement in others of conversion in others of comfort c. all which things one and the same God works in all in whom they are wrought that seems to be plainly the sense of the Apostle and not that God worketh necessitatingly all the good things men act forth so as necessarily to cause them as their going to the places of his Worship their hearing reading c. but all those things effected and wrought in their attending on him in his administrations and by his operations effected in them much less that he works all mens evils evil Thoughts Lusts Blasphemies Adulteries c. as some thence strain which is plain Blasphemy and directly opposite to that of the Apostle James James 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for he is not to be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man And to that in Psalm 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness or Thou are a God that willest not iniquity I know that such men as so wrest that passage seek to justifie or excuse God again or themselves for their Blasphemy rather by saying that sin is nothing but a privation Which if so then is it not properly a Work or Operation but rather a ceasing to operate or a removal of his operations as darkness is properly no operation but a removal or bare absence of the operation of the light inlightning nor doth darkness operate any thing though by occasion thereof Creatures may operate amiss or operate something upon themselves as by imagination fears c. but surely sins are more than meer privations yea sins of omission are not simply the not doing but the omitting or willing neglect to do what ought or when a thing ought to be done much more are actual sins of commission operations entities and beings such as the setting the heart upon covetuousness loving the World in which is not only a privation of the love of God but a position of the affections due to God upon the World and so in Adultery Murther Blasphemy which if they be not operations positively than are there no workers of iniquity much less can God be the worker or operator of them but not to insist upon the confutation of a thing so openly repugnant to the Scriptures and to Sense and Experience and of so great a Blasphemy as the making God the Author and Worker of those things the workers where of he hates which affection or disaffection rather is not imaginably possible to be in him towards himself as it must needs be if he be a worker yea the great worker of them all in all Men and Devils too he working all their workings of them as that Blasphemy abominable to be conceived or uttered implies The foresaid passage speaks evidently of the workings of God in all the Members of Christ who are therefore afterward compared to the natural body animated and acted by one spirit of life and it speaks of the spiritual operations in them all that they are wrought of God and not of operations sinful and Diabolical though if we do carry it to all natural and animal operations rightly simply and as regularly such it may truly also be extended so far in a sober sense that they are wrougth by and in the strength power and motion given them of him yet so as that they are either natural or voluntary operations of the creatures too according to the natures that he hath given them and as touching voluntary operations are such and so upon the will of the rational creature as not to necessitate its action or divest it of the power he hath given it and preserves in it for chusing or refusing freely objects propounded to it without his necessitating its determination so as that it 's commendable in its choice and faulty in its refusal of such good objects as are propounded to its choice and election But I shall proceed no further in this Discourse about God's Operations The sum of it is That all the good that is wrought in us it is of God in and by such means and ways as he pleases to afford us and in such a way as seems good to him and to the counsel of his own will yea and all the good wrought by us it is of and in and from him yet so as we are therein acters with and under him free and voluntary agents And all the evil wrought in us is of Sathan and our own Wills contrary to the approvement or likement of God though not without his sufferance which his sufferance is also approved by him and so we may say of all the evil wrought or acted by us yea and that oft-times he doth not only suffer men to do evil and and to have evil things wrought in them but also doth wisely and holily deliver or yield up men to Sathan and their own Lusts either in part for their own correction and others admonition or else wholly to their own destruction and other mens warning And lastly That the good he worketh in us he worketh it diversly according to his good pleasure both as to means and power exercised with and by the means for working it as hath more largely been explicated so as in many he certainly and effectually overcometh their hearts to believe in him and abide with him in the Faith when others are not so overcome by his Grace yet so as he neither offers violence or force to the wills of the one nor is defective or wanting to the other but that as the salvation of the one is of him in a way of their willing and free obedience so the destruction of the other is of themselves in and as the just reward of their own voluntary unnecessitated disobedience To which I shall add nothing further but only some brief Conclusions from the whole distinction as thus largely in the several Branches of it spoken to with some Positions about the Grace of God and Freedom of Will in the Conversion of Men And last of all Some brief hints of some Uses naturally resulting from the whole Treatise and the several Heads of Considerations therein which may offer the profit of it to our Minds and Meditations CHAP. XII Concludes this Treatise Byway of 1. Conclusions 2. Positions 3. Heads of Vses briefly laid down therein SECT I. Some brief Conclusions drawn from the Premises in this Distinction as hitherto opened COnclude we at length this large Discourse Conclus 1. and to that purpose first From what we have said about this Distinction and the several Branches of it we shall lay down these following Conclusions 1. That the Truth of the Gospel
and ground and matter of Hope to beget them to God and nourish them up in God and what to require of them for Obedience and with what Arguments in part to provoke them thereto and deter them from Sin and Disobedience And Vse 4 4. It discovers and reproves many false and evil Opinions men have of God and Christ and Traditions and Documents of men too commonly preached for Truths as if God had only sent his Son for a part of mankind personally fore-purposed to eternal life and either made the rest to destroy them or left them in the fall of Adam without remedy sufficient to save them Principles tending to beget evil thoughts of God in the hearts of men and to make them give him the lye and throw away the foundation of Repentance and Faith and Hope and of Baptism and all Ordinances and Duties that he hath laid for them and sets forth to them and either to live carelesly and desperately as if sure already either of salvation or damnation inevitably or to establish to themselves a righteousness of their own and build upon foundations of Frames and Qualifications in themselves which are sandy and slippery and not of God's laying As also it reproves that evil way of too many Preachers who laying aside God's coner stone and foundation and neither daring to believe themselves nor hold forth to others the good will of God testified in the Gift and Death of his Son for all the true and right and clear bottom foundation of and medium for begetting all right Repentance Faith Hope Love and Obedience do teach men to lay such frames and conceipts of them for their bottom foundation of believing the Gospel And for the Vision of all the Rest wherewith the God would have the wearied Soul to rest and be refreshed and the foundation upon which all Precepts Reproofs Consolations c. are to be laid and by it supported for or instead hereof I say they lay Precept upon Precept Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little to mens destruction and making them have their fear towards God spring from and be ordered by the precepts of men bidding them believe repent hope love God and giving them directions and grounds of their own for so doing when they have taken away or made doubtful God's sure and certain ground for them even the Gift and Death of his Son and the Grace in his Son for them making the people also believe and look upon that as God's gracious will towards them which indeed was the false Prophets sin and God's judgment upon them as may be seen Isa 28.9 10 11 12 13 16. and 29.9 10 11 12 13. Many more evil Principles and Practices the Gospel-Doctrine reproves but this in brief from the first Branch of the Distinction leaving the rest to judicious Observation SECT 4. Brief Hints of Vsefulness from the other Branch about God's Purposes Dispensations and Operations and the diversity in them WHat we have noted about God's various Purposes Distributions and Operations may be also of good use upon divers accounts As Vse 1 First To stir us up to adore the manifold Wisdom and unsearcheable Counsels of God and with sobriety to acquiesce in what he hath revealed as being certain and sure Revelations of them and what was in them as also to acquiesce and rest in the equity and righteousness of God in all he saith and doth believed by us even in things we cannot fathom Vse 2 2. To admonish us not to judge of the Truth of the Gospel by what we see of the variety of God's Dispensations and Receipts of his Operations either with our selves or others seeing that the truth of the Gospel neither dependeth on them nor may be measured by them but to believe as Abraham did upon the Authority of God whose it is according to what is spoken and as the Scripture hath said Gal. 5.22 that so we may experience the Operations of God in our selves therethrough both towards God our selves and others such as the truth believed will work in us in all Godliness Sobriety Righteousness Peace Joy c. Rom. 4.17 Joh. 7.37.3 Vse 3 3. To admire and bless God for his more abundant bounty goodness and manifestations of his love and mercy in his Dispensations to us than to many other Nations and to take heed to make a right use and improvement thereof So as 1. Not to judge our selves thereby justified or accepted with God more than they because we have more for that is no good ground for so judging as appears Rom. 3.1 9 10 19. 2. Nor condemning and despising them as if because they have less therefore they are rejected of God and no hope of their salvation for neither is that true as hath been shewed and as appears Matth. 8.12 Rom. 2.25 26 27. Acts 10.34 But 3. Knowing that God requires more of us to whom he gives more 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Luke 12.48 see that we take heed that we receive not his grace in vain but walk more humblily and holily and suitably to God and his goodness least they rise up in judgment against us and while they appear many of them on the right hand of Christ admitted to fellowship with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God we our selves be cast out Math. 8.12 and 12.40 41 42. but walking in the grace bestowed upon us see that we pity and pray for them that God would give forth the clearer and revelations of his truth and of himself to them also that having means for more inâ—ged knowledge of him they may be also in more open way for obtaining his Salvation and render more full and ample praises to him generally then any of them now can or are capable of yea and endeavour we so to glorify God and his Name before and amongst them and carry it forth as we have opportunity to them that they may by us as good Stewards of the Graces of God and dispensers of his Mysteries to them be occasioned to glorify God for his mercy toward them for so much doubtless is required of us as of Israel of old toward us Psal 67. Exod. 19.5 6. 1 Pet. 2.9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.30 31. But truly we have great cause to fear that God hath a very great controversie upon that account with us because instead of receiving his grace effectually so as both by word and conversation to shine forth as lights to the residue of men that they might be drawn to seek God with us as was the end of God in taking us to be for a people to him Acts 15.16 and instead of seeking his Kingdom to promote it and inlarge it among the Nations and to all the ends of the Earth and his righteousness by declaring it and holding it forth to them we are walking in darkness prophaneness uncleanness covetuousness wickedness seeking to inrich our selves and inlarge our Kingdoms even