yee in no wise shall believe although a man declare it unto you Likewise saith Christ unto them yee believe not because you are not my Sheepe (b) These Scriptures by Gods spirit are intended to this nationall Spouse for her transcendent sinnes and not to most of mankind as denied his grace because appointed by God personally to vnavoidable damnation Joh. 10.26 All plainly proving that God now when Christ was come into the world denied them the gift of Faith for their precedent refusing Gods way for their salvation Secondly it is further implyed in these words of our Saviour that there is a time limited for this their blindnesse and hardnesse of heart when he saith Yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall say blessed is hee that cometh in the name of the Lord Implying that although this Nationall rejection was to be universall yet it should not be (c) Although it were not finall to them nationally in respect of the time to come yet it was finall to all or at least to most in the Interim finall for ever in the Spirit of unbeliefe (d) God sometimes to the glory of his grace eâ—tends his mercy universally to all as in the call of the Gentiles and as in time to come he will to these Iews yet sometimes when men are alike dead in sinnes by Apostasie he will leave some of them to perish finally and receive some of them to mercy although alike wicked yet not for any hatred or love to the one more then the other personally considered but onely in love to himselfe in the one from his love to Iustice in the other from his love to mercy that is to the love of his glory in either as heâ—e wee see some received to mercy and reserved alive to conferre a future call of their posterity to Christ and the rest were blinded and in this ease and the like fals that of Moses and the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Likewise our Saviour gives another close glance to this point speaking of this elect Nation Mat. 24 22. hee saith the daies of their vengeance shall be shortened in the destruction of Ierusalem for the elects sake Implying else no flesh of Abrahams elect stock would be reserv'd for a future call to mercy Likewise for any mercy shewed to this Nation Saint Paul referres it rightly when he saith Isrâ—â—ll obtained not what it sought for but the election obtained it and the rest were blinded Rom. 11.17 And he saith as touching the election they are beloved for their Fathers sakes meaning Abraham Isaak and Iacob with whom in Christ the promised seed This Nationall Election was first established ver 28. And he also speakes to their restauration saying all Israel shall be saved as it is written the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the ungodlinesse from Jacob. ver 26. And then gives a generall ground of all this future mercy because the guifts and callings of God are without repentance ver 29. And in the next verse hee gives a demonstrative reason thereof in the Gentiles who although by their precedent Apostacie were so long rejected yet now God gave Christ to them and calls them to him ver 30. Thereby implying likewise God would not repent his gift of Christ to this Spouse and therefore call them to him againe And therefore it is most cleere that Gods proceeding in this second part of time is without all respect of Persons And for a conclusion of this Chapter take these observations following First that to referre any mans faith and obedience to bee the condition of the Covenant of grace but Christ his faith and obedience is to derrogate from him and to arrogate to man that which is not his Because as the first Adam his second estate before his fall was an estate of Faith and obedience active and passive the somme of the conditions of the Covenant as precedently is proved Chapt. the 2. So likewise the Sonne of God the second Adam his obedience passive and active was an estate of Faith the condition of the Covenant for the Redemption of the world from whence the Covenanâ— was changed by him from a Covenant of wrathfull justice to a Covenant of Grace and mercy to all the world as Chap. 4. Likewise in this Chapter we see hee and hee alone was the man which by saith and love to God and his Neighbour did live in the pure naturalls of the Law to every tittle to redeeme man which by Apostasie brought himselfe under the Curse For although the life of all believers besides Christs is in this world an estate of faith and obedience and although Gods word of truth is his instrument to give to man Christs righteousnesse and mans faith his instrument to receive in that righteousnesse his blessednesse yet between God and mankind neither of these are the conditions of the covenant of grace For as God on his part hath not bound himselfe to either of these as a condition so neither hath he bound all mankinde absolutely to believe or not to be saved For if faith were the condition of the Covenant of Grace God in justice could not save one of mankinde which did not believe But it is already proved Chap. 4. that an innumerable number of mankinde departing this world in Infancie childhood or the like by the universall grace of the Covenant in Christ Jesus our Saviour are saved Likewise so was all mankind without faith saved from the damnation of Adams sinne to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Therefore although to man capable of the use of reason faith * It is one thing that God require it's exercise as a necessary instrumentall qualification and another that hee should require it as a condition of the Covenant is the necessary instrument as his mouth to receive his meat and must be applyed to the object of Justification in some degree or hee must perish yet his faith and obedience is no condition of the Covenant of grace no more then mans mouth whereby hee receives his meate Secondly is it so that as first upon Adams fall so the second time in the promised seed with Abraham by Covenant that God elected predestinated and fore-appointed all mankinde alike from perishing in misery to grace and glory in Christ Jesus as here wee see Hence observe what is Gods most proper booke of life namely the promised seed for in him all mankinde were both times onely written for grace and glory as in a booke of life not onely when Adam fell but the second time as is registred by covenant with Abraham to life and glory therefore Christ Iesus is Gods most proper Booke of life out of which all that perish are blotted out for despising this gift of grace and glory Psal 69.28 Rev. 20 12 13. Rev. 5.13 c. Thirdly is it so that although at one and the same
Spouse from her erroneous works and from Abrahams line after the flesh to Abrahams faith in Christs workes the object of blessednesse and no more For in Scriptures we finde some that were rejected from inheriting this election to life and glory with the promised childe as well as Esau and yet we find them admitted and counted with the true seed of Abraham namely Christs as for example In the Esterne Countries whither Abraham sent his sons which he had by Keturah and gave them portions and sent them thither purposely that they might not inherit this election with the childe of promise Isaack Gen. 25.6 yet there we find just Iob and Eliphaz who was descended from Esau's loynes 1 Chron. 1.35.36 Also Bildad the Shuite descended of Abrahams sonne Shuah and thererefore called the Shuite 1 Chron. 1.32 Also Zophar and Elihu all worshipers of God with just Iob figuratively in the satisfactory righteousnesse of the seed imputed which was promised to Adam and renewed by Covenant to Abraham for the future mercy of the whole world as precedently is declared Therefore if one of Esau's off-spring who in his loynes was rejected from this election as were others as here we see and notwitstanding that rejection were true worshipers in the acceptable righteousnesse of the seed consequently much more might Esau himselfe therefore let no man be prophane as was Esau Hebr. 12.16 So I passe this point being before explained pag. 62.63 Againe to goe on vers 14. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then Is there unrightousnesse with God God forbid for saith the Apostle he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion that is as before is explained God no wayes had any respect to this elect Spouse more then to others but onely in the promised seed the object of faith as before pag. 70. So then it is not in him that willeth to have it from Abrahams flesh nor in him that runneth to have it from the wrath of his erroneous works to the Law but in God that sheweth mercy in this election of you from your Idolatrous denne to give you the Land of promise your day of grace and his gift of eternall glory to be received by you in beliefe of truth and not for works conversant onely about the object of faith and under the pretence thereof to extinguish the glorious workes of Christ as now you doe Therefore in stead of mercy you shall receive the contrary from God even his proceedings to your remarâ—eble confusion for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh For the same * For God by Moses sent his Commandements to Pharaoh not to return him to God by obedience but occasionally by those commands to bring his just punishments by drawing out Pharaohs precedent habits of pride to be known to his shame in the wo ld and to cleare Gods justice in his remarkeable destruction as appeareth Exod. 3.9.19.20 6.1 7.3.4 purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and thâ—t my Name may be declared through all the earth and thereupon hee concludes against them saying therefore hee hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth as if hee should say you know your forefathers were as now are you them to whom was committed this Pillar of truth the Oracle of the seed promised to Adam and Abraham and how proudly Pharaoh attempts to extinquish them and consequently this seed the object of faith in the pillar of truth as now doe you more directly then ever did he Therefore much more will God give you up as hee did Pharaoh to you owne insolencies and then provokingly raise you up to a height therein purposely to make his name famous in power and justice by your remarkeable destruction through all the world notwithstanding your descent from Abrahams flesh and his precedent election of you For he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom hee will bee * See this Text further explained in the â—â—rgent towards the later end of thâ—s Chapter hardeneth even amongst you as to Pharaoh for that 's implyed Againe to goe on Verse 19. Thou wilt say unto mee saith the Apostle Why doth he yet complaine for who hâ—th resisted his Will as if they should say if Gods will be so irresistable to glorifie his justice and power in our ruine notwithstanding our peculiar and glorious and ancient priviledges why doth hee so needlessely complaine on us by the Prophets and others for who hath resisted his will To this he answereth Nay But O man who art thou that answereth or disputeth against God Doth the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus Hath not the Potter power of the * This word the same lump hath no relation to the common masse of all mankinde same lump to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour As if hee should say when you were all in the sonne of Terahs loynes namely Abraham as one masse or lump of Clay semenally in the hand of God Had hee not then power by Covenant with him in the promised seed thus to shape you for honour or dishonour that is to cursednesse or blessednesse according as you proudly turned his owne talents and mercies against him refusing his abundant mercy and therfore leave you to your own stubbornnesse as vessells of dishonour fitted to this destruction as was Pharaoh or on the contrary if you would but apply your received talents to receive more grace even to his gift of Faith by it to receive the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as it onely in which he received you to grace and glory Therefore O man who art thou that disputest against God And hereupon the Apostle inferres saying What if God willing to make his power knowne endured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that hee might make knowne the riches of his mercie on the vessels of mercy which hee had afore prepared unto glory even us whom hee hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles as God saith in Hosea c. As if the Apostle should say what of all this if it be the will and pleasure of God as indeed it is thus in justice and mercy by his covenant with Abraham to fore-appoint you either to honour or dishonour and to proceed accordingly without respect of any mans person more then another In what can you charge God of injustice or excuse your selves as to say Why hast thou made me thus to honour or dishonour But God may justly say to you Thy salvation is of me but thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel Againe verse 25. as God saith there I will call them my people which are not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to passe that in the place where is was said unto them
God Therefore this fact committed against these transcendent rules thus manifested to them justly called to God for their transcendent punishment and they were no way necessitated to this fact by God but the contrary secondly I grant also that in some respect they were necessitated to this unrighteous fact but it was from themselves and the first step that brought on this necessity The first step to fall from Christ totally was this their remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for to them God made it manifest that in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed as imputed he conferr'd all good to the universall world figured in the Lambe slaine famously descending by tradition to them from Adam by the ten Fathers as before is proved Likewise God manifested it to them by renewing the same to the universall world by Noah and his sonnes Likewise by renewing the same with Abraham by predestinating in this seed both Iewes and Gentiles to glory Likewise hee manifested it to them in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed sealed with his blood figuratively in the paschall Lambe that hee delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and brought them to the blessednesse of Canaan a figure of eternall felicity for applying the Lambs blood upon their dwellings figured that onely in the righteousnesse of Christ imputed God was their safety in the day of wrath Exod. 12.13 All this and more successively was presented before their eyes in that glorious addition of Moses Law to the promise in those prefigurations and significations and all left upon record in holy Writ through their generations Therefore it must needs follow by undeniable consequence that their first step to this ungodly necessity proceeded from their owne remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for had they considered these things they would never have destroyed him by whom all felicity came to them And then their remissenesse to that object of faith Celestiall brought on their inordinate intensnesse to sensuall objects terrestriall and to Idolatrous imaginations and so came on their second step necessitating them to this transcendent fact The second step as for example their remissenesse to Moses the Mediator in the type brought on their Calfe and terminating in things sensuall and terrestriall and consequently their crucifying of Christ to themselves by absenting their mindes from Moses in that mysterie for they then not onely worshiped the Calfe but also they did eate and drinke and rose up to play The third step Likewise they so brought on a further necessitie as a third step for the future namely custome in evill hence it is God said to them can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spâ—ts Ierem. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill and now sense commands reason under the pretence of the doctrine celestiall to terminate in a good adequate to sensuality Mat. 26.61 for from this ground they made the Temple and Moses Chaire their plea against Christ and his doctrine not from love to the mysterie included therein as leading to Christ but onely in love to the glory of the Temple as a terrestriall magnificence of their Nation Likewise in their princely Priesthood as it was a worldly ordinance correspondent to worldly pompe and dignity but rejected Christ the inclosed mysterie of that figure Thus by voluntary choyce in the spirit of concision they became necessitated to evill in things that were good in themselves as the felicity of Canaan was good in it selfe and to kill Christ in the truth as Abraham did in the type to the redemption of the world was good but to them evill because they did it in hatred to him as Iohn 8. 40. because his doctrine was an enemy not to them but to their pride in terrestriall felicitie and proud consanguinity and operations And therefore they slew the Lord of glory in the same mind as Cain slew Abel Mat. 23.35 (a) Thus wee may rightly conceive how Pharaoh is said to harden and God to harden Pharaohs heart Wherefore instead of giving them the Spirit of Faith from the speciall grace of the Covenant God delivered them to their owne wills from the universall mercy of the Covenant made with Abraham for them The fourth step and so came on a fourth step of their necessity in sin and consequently their universall rejection from him as the just punishment of their precedent apostasie from Gods salvation imply'd in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest them which are sent unto thee how oft would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathereth her brood under her wings and ye would not therefore your (b) That is the Temple implying theiâ— separation from Gods favour in Christ the most proper Temple of Gods speciall presence in the Truth as the Temple was in the Type Luke 13.34 house is left unto you desolate And he further saith Verily verily I say unto you yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall saâ— blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. These words imply two things the first is because they precedently refuse to see him according to their light as their reason was able in their day of grace therefore God now denyed them the gift of Faith to see his glory in beliefe of truth even when their eyes did looke upon the Lord of glory and saw his great workes Luke 10 8.22 Likewise when he beheld Ierusalem he wept and said O that thou hadst knowne even in this thy day those things which belong unto thy peace but now they are bid (a) That light of truth which formerly men did see would not for that ther may come a time when the light Eternally by Gods spirit shines more cleer yet the sight thereof shall be denied to them as in this elect Spouse we see from thine eyes Luke 19.24 Likewise Saint Iohn in his 12 Chapter saith although Christ had done so many miracles before them yet they beleeved not on him that the saying of Esayas the Prophet might be fulfilled that he said Lord who beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed and Saint Iohn saith therefore they could not believe because Esayas saith againe hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should save them And further saith Saint Iohn these things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him ver 37. That is These things hee spake of their rejection when in the Spirit of Faith he saw the Lord of Glory rejected by this elect Spouse Likewise Saint Paul Acts 13.40 speaking to this people rejecting the Doctrine of Christ saith behold you despisers and wonder for I worke in your daies a worke which
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
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
First because here was Conditions betweene God and Adam for life and death I say for life and death to Adam and all mankinde comprehended in generall under the names of good and evill good to be rendered if hee did obey the Rule of the Covenant evill if he did disobey it Secondly those conditions were agreed on by Adam with a full consent he being then not only in the perfections of the second Table of the Law as to love his Neighbour as himselfe but also in the perfection of the first Table of the Law namely in the truth and utmost extent of his love to God with all his Soulâ— and with all his Strength therefore hee readily concluded this Covenant with God for the world in this different Estate from the former But for the cleare opening of this Second Estate I will propound foure things First what this Garden was 2 What its signification was 3 What Adams obedience in it was 4 What was the end God intended by Adams obedience in this Covenant First this Garden was but a part of the Terrestriall Globe for saith the Text The Lord God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden therefore but a part Gen. 2.8 This Garden was planted by God with Plants some for Adams delightfull consolation and some for his nutrimentall sustentation for saith the Text Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree pleasant to sight and good for food Verse 9. In the midst of the Garden God planted two trees distinguished by two significant names implying some further use for saith the Text God caused to grow the tree of life also in the midst of the Garden and the tree of knowleâ—ge of good and evill Gen. 2.8 Into this Garden came a River to replenish it in fruitfulnesse and comming in but one there God divided it into foure and from thence it did run downe the terrestriall Globe foure wayes as saith the Text And a River went out of Eden to water the Garden and from thence it was parted and came intâ— fâ—ure heads c. Gen. 2.10 This Plantation or Garden being thus finished Adam by God was thither conveyed and the perfections thereof was to depend upon his operations for saith the Text. The Lord God tooke the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dresse it and to keepe it Verse 5. And so much for what this plantation was Certainly this was for some further end and use then was the perfections of the whole terrestriall Globe for all the trees of this Plantation or Garden were vegetables in their perfections as were those on the whole terrestriall Globe Therefore this Garden as a plantation by sequestration and signification made the onely difference between it and the world And the signification in generall was but this that as in future time the land of Canaan with all it 's fruitfull splendor did prefigure the celestiall Canaan As to the second Adam as appeares Chap. 8. So this to Adam in the beginning of time did prefigure the same Angelicall felicity of Divine glory in the Heaven of heavens From this ground God made the Garden to excell the glory of the whole terrestriall globe that by faith Adams soule might be raised to worke by love to God feeding on Angells food by beliefe of truth So much for the generall signification Againe more particularly First whereas God did not commit the whole terrestriall globe but onely this part as the glory of the world to Adams dressing and keeping This figuratively implies that now by vertue of Gods Ordinance the creation had it's dependence for it's good naturall and supernaturall or for an evill equivalently contrary upon Adams operations in this Covenant And here came in the onely ground how by Adam the creation could be raised higher or lose it's supernaturall perfections and become subject to vanity Rom. 8. Whereas God caused to grow up in the midst of the Garden a naturall tree naming it the Teee of life this figured to Adam that he to his naturall posterity in obeying the worke of the Covenant by beliefe of truth should from Divine Justice be as a tree in his branches of naturall perfections growing up to a celestiall life or as a flourishing tree of eternall life But now this tree of life is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam to all right believers Rev. 2.7 This River running downe it's chrystall streames foure severall wayes from this Paradise of terrestriall pleasure as from the Throne of God prefigured to Adams faith Gods justice as pure streames of waters of celestiall life for his obedience according to the Covenant should successively run downe to render eternall life first by faith and secondly by fruition to his posterity through all generations to the last of mankind that was to descend of his loynes but now this River onely issues from the second Adam in the doctrine of truth and mercy conveying Gods gift of his imputed righteousnesse as the tree of life Rev. 22.12 The other tree which God caused to grow in the midst of the Garden naming it the tree of Knowledge of good and evill prefigured to Adams faith summarily all contained in the Covenant that is the Knowledge of good equivalent to Angels or the knowledge of evill equivalently contrary in either as he did obey or disobey And the ground why God instituted this Garden thus in all these prefigurations and significations was this Because the heavenly glory to Adams terrestriall perfections was supernaturall for it is one thing for Adam to kâ—ow by the perfections of the creation that God was able to create a supernaturall glory he appearing by it Infinite in Wisedome Power and Goodnesse And another thing that hee had created it and would bring him to it if hee did obey the rule of the Covenant for the perfections of the creation did demonstrate to Adam that God was able to doe such a thing but no more but the Covenant by God Word was exprest for a contrary evill And all those prefigurations and significations from the agreeablenesse of the type with the antitype did make knowne to Adam that the supernaturall glory was made and in being also from the word knowledge of good that he should ascend to enjoy it to all eternity if hee did obey the rule of the Covenant or an evill equivalently contrary if he did disobey and therefore because supernaturall all was needfull to strengthen Adams faith to withstand the temptation in point of triall See this point cleared to the 13. Objection in Chap. 12. for God doth nothing in vaine And so much for what the Garden or Plantations signification was with respect to Adams worke in the Covenant Thirdly now Adam was to obey two rules in the Covenant one affirmative the other negative The affirmative was to this end namely to continue his naturall being to be a meanes to a supernaturall end by eating the fruits of this Garden for as in the precedent estate of
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
Covenant in Christ which God renewed with Abraham is here distinguished into its parts Abraham get thee from thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House to a Land that I will shew thee and then at that time saith God to him I will make of thee a great Nation In which words in Abrahams Loynes God did now predestinate the Iewes unborne to Grace and Glory in Iesus Christ Againe secondly saith God to Abraham Thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee In these words in Abrahams Loynes is implyed the glorious exaltation of Christ the second Adam and saviour of the world as proceeding therein without respect of persons Againe thirdly saith God to Abraham In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed In these words is comprehended the Gentiles Predestination to Grace and glory in Jesus Christ for to him restrictively were all these promises made as witnesseth Saint Paul for saith hee To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made yet said hee God said not unto (a) Yet Christ and right beleevers is th s most pâ—oper seed câ—nsidered in his most peculiar mysticall body for Christ is coÌ„siderable in divers respects seeds as of many that is to all the Off-spring of Abraham in the flesh but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 Therefore at this time all mankinde was Predestinate to Grace and glory in Iesus Christ without difference as upon the immediate fall of Adam (b) For from the time that God promised Christ to Adam till the Gospell was unveiled this mistery lay as hid Col 1.26 Eph 2.7 when this righteousnesse came upon all men to justification of life so now in this predestination to be Vessells of mercy being by their own (c) Therefore it must needs follow that when we were enemies to him God communicated his love and mercy upon man out of love to the glory and praise of his grace by the second Adam Christ Iesus Apostacie Vessells fitted to destruction wherefore when these Gentiles were called to the reception of this grace in the object of Justification rightly doth Saint Paul then say God made knowne the riches of glory on the vessells of mercy whom he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Rom. 9.23 29. Also when the Apostle called these Gentiles according to Gods purpose about 18-hundred yeares after this Predestination he then saith those whom he did foreknow them he also did predestinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren And in the next verse hee tells the Gentiles God now accordingly had effected it for he saith moreover whom hee did predestinate them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.29 30. And from this ground the Apostle rightly concludes that this promise of God to Abraham contained the Summe of the Gospell concerning the Gentiles for saith hee the Scriptures All these Texts referrs Predestination not to any decree before Abrahams time foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Gal. 3.8 Againe to proceed from this generall ground to a particular proceeding in this universall mercy and to begin where God begins that is at the Restauration of Shems Family to glory And because this glory is restored to this Family from one mans Loynes onely namely Abraham this directs us to two things First that the precedent Apostates of Shems Family were cut off by God from Christ therfore he would ra sâ— the Iewes as a new generation but from this one mans loynes of Shem Off-spring to enjoy this mercy Secondly it implies that mans deepest misery is Gods most proper object of mercy therefore from this Sonne of Terah of Shems Appostate Family he now promises to make not onely a Nation but also a Nation great and glorious and from this ground of Free Grace in future times when this Nation was a great People and famous but ungratefull to God for this honour God then tells thy birth and thy Natâ—vity is of the Land of Canaan that is an Idolatrous brood for saith God God would have them to coÌ„sider what they were when hee predestinated them to this glory in the promised seed with Abraham thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite c. as Josua 24 from the 2. ver to the 6. and Ezekiel 16. from the 3. to the 15. to the 15. yet in the mercy of this promised seed God gave to the Son of this Idolatrous brood three things First hee gave him a Land Secondly from his own Loynes a Nation great and glorious to inherit that Land Thirdly The seed from his own Bowells in whom that Nation was to be heires intail'd to that Land for ever To the first point Gen. 12.7 Moses saith Iehovah appeared unto Abraham and said unto him unto thy seed will I give this Land Cap. 13.14 Iehovah said unto Abraham lift up now thine eyes and looke from this place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever Chap. 15.18 Iehovah made a Covenant with Abraham saying Vnto thy seed have I given this Land from the River of Egypt unto the great River Euphrates c. Againe to the second point namely the gift of a great and glorious Nation from his own Loynes to inherit this Land as Chap. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth So that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred likewise Chap. 15. and 5. he brought him forth abroad and said looke up now towards Heaven and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be Againe to the third point namely the guift of the seed in whom this glorious and great Nation should be heires intail'd to this promised land forever for when Abraham had thought that he should be Childlesse and therefore determin'd to make Eleazar his heire to what God had given him then Gen 15.3 behold the word of Iehovah came to him saying this shall not be thine heire but he that shall come forth of thine owne bowells shall be thine Heire and accordingly from him did spring this numberlesse Nation to inherit this Promised Land in the right of the seed promised precedently to Adam and now renewed to be the Sonne of Abraham after the flesh by promise 430 yeares before the Law as it is Gal. 3.16 17 Gen. 13.15 the Land was not in-tail'd by promise in the Plurall to seedes but to thy seed for ever meaning in Christ as
whom I will have compassion as if hee should say I respect none of them but with respect to my imputed gift of the Lambs righteousnesse which they reject and apply not themselves to me in it Therefore all those which had seene Gods great workes in the wildernesse and were remisse not answerable by beliefe of truth to this mercy God cut them off from the figure of eternall felicity and caused their carkasses to fall in the wildernesse yea hee spared not Mirriam Aaron nor Moses nor any save Caleb the Sonne of Iephuneh the Kenite and Iâ—shua the Sonne of Nun for they wholly followed IEHOVAH saith the Text clearely proving that God is no respecter of persons but to all and alike Deut. 9.14 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 Numb 32.10.14.28 and Deut. 32.28 Againe about 407. yeeres after the Law was added to the promise then God gave them a two-fold figure more to lead them to Christ the onely ground of all their good As first that the â—romised seed should come of the seventh sonne of Ishâ—i and the sonne of David King on Sion hill to sit on his Throne figuratively shadowing out in Salomons thronized glory So leading this nationall Spouse by right beliefe of truth to piâ—ch her ultimate felicity in the eternall Throne of the promised seed God-man blessed for evermore 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14. Psal 45 6. Luke 1.32 and 33. Heb. 1.8 The second figure was the glory of the Temple standing in the midst of the Land which also was a figure of the promised seed as to it was related the worship and the most especiall presence of God for to it must the sacrifices be brought and to it did this elect Spouse bring all her divine worship and adoration yea although remote from thence yet towards it must they worship figuratively leading this Spouse in the promised Land to feed on the promised seed as on a tree of life by right beliefe of truth as in the Paradise of God Psal 122.4 2 Chron. 7.12 1 King 8.44.45 Rev. 3.7 Prov. 11.30 Yet although God gave all these severall lines of truth leading by beliefe thereof to the imputed righteousnesse of the seed as it in which hee onely (b) This is the true ground of Election elected them to enjoy this Land to be their day of grace and there to receive his gift of eternall glory Notwithstanding they in the spirit of concision referred their election not to the object of faith but (c) These are false and erroneous grounds of Election to Abrahams flesh whence they were descended and to a worth in their owne workes to the Law as but conversant about the object of Faith and for that cause resisted the doctrine of Christ Esai 8.25 Heb. 10.21 Rom. 10.3 as leading them to submit to that righteousnesse of God imputatively given in him the ground of all their good And therefore Saint Paul Rom. 9. punctually encounters both these errors from the light of Divine truth for having in the 8. Chapter beheld the stable felicity of some Gentiles by belâ—fe of this truth he therefore in this ninth Chapter reflects upon this elect Spouse as neere to the rejection for this resisting of Christ and therefore his griefe for them was beyond measure because they were Israel to whom appertaine the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for evermore Amen Vers 1.2 3 4 and 5. Yet hee implies that these glorious priviledges did not make him so conceive of them as if Gods Word of curse according to his Covenant with Abraham had taken none effect upon them to their rejection for saith hee all are not Israel that are of Israel implying all are not of Israels faith that are of Israels flesh consequently Gods Word of curse might be of force to them which refuse Christ as the object of Faith notwithstanding their precedent election Wherefore he further saith neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaack shall thy seed be called that is saith hee they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed for saith hee this is a word of promise c. Verse 6.7 8 9. implying this figure of Isaack as the promised childe was intended to lead them to Christ the promised seed as precedently is declared And so he goes on to the next figure namely the manner of Esau and Iacobs conception and birth for saith he not onely this but when Rebeka had also conceived by one even by our father Jacob for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to * By election in this text is meant onely of the Iewes to be Christs elect Spouse Nationally and not of any of the Gentiles election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that is God to manifest his mind rightly in this mysterie loved to preferre the younger in the fleshly line and hated to preferre the first borne to the greatest honour namely to the Nationall election as the first borne after the flesh wherefore God not onely exprest this betweene Ishmael and Isaac and primarily betweene Esau and Iacob as before but also in Iosephs seed God preferred the younger to the greatest honour and the eldest to be inferiour in honour purposely Gen. 49. So likewise in his choyce amongst the sonnes of Ishai he passed by all the eldest to the lowest in the naturall line even the seventh to David and preferred him to the throne therefore it is evident by the testimony of God this love and hatred to those two babes was but to delare his purpose * So that God hated not Esaus person nor hated he him in respect of the foresight of his sinne nor did he love Iacobs Person more then Esaus nor loved he him for the foresight of his Faith and righteousnesse but the truth is God then looked upon them both alike with love to his present and future purpose that is by those Babes to declare that not from any respect of foresight of faith or righteousnesse nor to Abraham or Israels person as they were the naturall root of the Iewes which moved him to extend his mercy to them and to declare on the contrary that the evill of their father Terahs Idolatrous Apostacy hindeâ—ed him not from predestinating them then untorne and to call them in Isack to espouse them nationally to Christ from that Idolatrous den but that the only moving causes was for the glory of his grace by the promised seed as precedently is clearely explained namely to leade this elect
hee gave all mankinde the fruitfull Seasons communicating unto them food and gladnesse so by a good Terrestriall drawing them by Christ Iesus implicitly to looke up for a good Celestiall in him Hence it is the Apostle affirmes God left not himselfe without witnesse in that he gave them raine from Heaven and fruiâ—ful Seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse And saith hee this was that they should seeke the Lord if happily they might feele after him and finde him Acts 14.16 17. Mat. 25.24 Acts 17 27. And the ground why Gods voyce in the creatures doth excitively draw unto Christ in the distilled influence of his Spirit as the dew to the tender hearbe is this because the whole creation is as it were wrapt in the imputed righteousnesse of Christ as in a mantle of mercy for from thence it came to passe that this world is as now it is mans day of grace to receive the gift of eternall glory and therefore as thy tender mercies oh Lord are over all thy works so dost thou by thy kindnesse therein excitively draw man to thee in Christ the hope of glory Psal 145.9 Col. 1 27. And from this ground the Apostle brings in Gods voyce in the creatures joyntly cooperating with Gods voyce in the Gospell begetting Faith in the heart of man so then saith hee Faith cometh by heareing and heareing by the word of God but I say have they not heard yes said he verâ—ly their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of all the world compare Ps 19.3 with Rom. 10.17 And from this ground hee tells the beleeving Romans at Heathenish Rome that he was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ First because it was Gods power to salvation Secondly because it revealed the righteousnesse of God from * Wheâ—efore rightly doth the Author to the Hebrewes leade man to receive the world by Faith Heb. 11.3 and not as made out of that which did first appeare namely the Chaos and that perfection which it received because it being lost by the first Adam it was immediatly restored by the second hee being then the first borne in the Promise of every creature from the dead fall of Adam wherefoâ—e Saint Iohn Rev. 4.24 rightly brings in Christ to be Gods faithfull witnesse and the beginning of the Creation of God joyntly together and aluding to the same ground in his Gospell Chapt. 1. hee brings in Christ as Christ to be the maker of all which was made it being involved in darknesse by the justice of the Covenant for Adams fall and that is implyed beâ—â—use he brings in the second Adam personally God man and so the light and life of man enlightning every man which cometh into the world and alluding to this principle iâ— is that God remembers forgetfull man of his six dayes works as involved in Christ the true Arke of rest to God for man and in him to since all daies as tâ—riâ—ed into an eternall Sabbath of rest here by Faith and there by Fruition Faith to Faith that is from Faith implicite as most weake to Faith expressive as most strong Thirdly because that truth which most Gentiles did detaine in unrighteousnesse God rendered the same to them by his workes in nature for saith hee God shewed it them and then shewes us by what namely the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearely seen being understood by the things that are made Rom. 1. from verse 16. to 20. not that Gods workes doth naturally excitively draw man to God in Christ as naturall but as related supernaturally by Christs opening the wombe of all perfection as the second Adam and first borne of every creature from whence ever since the first blessed seventh day morning it travaileth untill now to be pertakers of the supernaturall glory as precedently is proved So much for the second externall meanes in this narrow way leading to eternall life Againe that this meanes was efficacious to bring these Gentiles thus by nature to eternall life is from Scripture proved implicitly and also more expressively First implicitly by Gods bending his mercifull eare to the Idolatrous Mariners praying so confusedly unto him and yet hee gave them a temporall salvation likewise to Abimilech he pleading to God his uprightnesse according to his light God accordingly acknowledged it to be so and gave him a temporall salvation Likewise the Heathenish Ninivites whom hee threatened with vnavoydable destruction * The faith of the Ninivites was a ceâ—taine beliefe of Gods Word for their temporall destruction mingled wâ—th a dependant hope in him for mercy to remove that misery yet they imploring him under the notion of mercy hee removed their misery by giving them a temporall salvation implicitly touching upon the spirits of them all that if they did but by patience in well-doing seeke for immortality according to their light hee would give them an eternall salvation Ionas 1. from verse 5. to 16. Genes 20. from verse 3. to 7. Ionas 3. to verse 9. Secondly the Scriptures speakes more expressively for the Apostle speaking of these Gentiles excluded the Law having it onely written in their hearts by nature saith That God will render to every man according to his works to them who by patience continue in well-doing seeke for glory honour and immortality eternall life verse 6. 7. and verse 10. hee saith Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also t the Gentiles for there is no respect of persons with God as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law verse 11.12 And the ground of this point is implyed in the first Chapter and 28. verse from the rule of contraries hee speaking of some of these Gentiles which did withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse saith even as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge so God gave them up to a reprobate minde to doe things not convenient being filled with all unrighteousnesse implying on the contrary that if they had carefully retained God in their knowledge according to the truth which they had received of him that then God in mercy would have kept them from the power of their sinnes in this narrow way to life for before the Apostle saith God would render to them eternall life having not the Law as well as to the Iew. Therefore this meanes was efficacious in this narrow way to eternall life to some and might have beene to more of these Gentiles under wrath for the Apostle having thus proved that the uncircumcised Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the Oracle of God might attaine eternall life as well as the nationall Spouse of Christ hee supposeth that from hence they would imagine that hee made no difference betweene them and the uncircumcised Heathen therefore in the third Chapter saith hee What advantage then
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
lesse exercise is not onely because mercy pleaseth him but also because he loves to glorifie his (a) Here note that from one and the same principall proceeds in this life the Saints undissoluble union with Christ and also their finall dissolution from him viz. Gods love to his justice in the distribution of his mercy justice in the distribution of his mercy because all his attributes are display'd at an equall distance as in the Parable of the talents doth appeare Matth. 25.24 And from this ground Saint Paul to the Saints at Corinth saith that both hee and they must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 1.1 Chap. 5.10 But here will arise a twofold question Question 1 First what the Saints for their good workes done in the body do now receive or shall at the last day of judgement Question 2 Secondly that if their evill workes be forgiven them in Christs righteousnesse imputed as received by Faith then what shall they receive according to their evill works done in the body But before I answer the first question I will shew you what good they receive not according to their owne good workes and then what good they doe receive according to their owne good works done in the body And first they receive forgivenesse of that knowledge of evill due to them for Adams transgression not according to their owne workes but according to Christs They receive this world to be their day of grace not according to their good works but according to Christs They received the foresaid principle of amity to God and enmity to Satan and also the enlivening of it not according to the worth of their owne good workes but for the worth of Christs Fourthly when they come to God according to the force of that infused principle God then gives them the spirit of Faith to receive his gift of righteousnesse not for their good workes but for Christs They in that gift of righteousnesse by Faith receive eternall life as saved men therefore not according to their own good works but according to Christs Sixtly at Christs Judgement seat they shall receive by gift the fruition of that glory from Gods foreappointment in Christs imputed righteousnesse first promised to Adam therefore not according to their own good works of righteousnesse but according to Christs therefore at that day Christ will say come yee blessed of my father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 Secondly that which according to their owne good works they shall receive is a fivefold good First answerable as they in the obedience of Faith subjectively operate to the fountaine opened to Iudah and Ierusalem namely the sacred object of justification answerably from thence God will strengthen (a) And in particular first as by that purenes of spirit they only see God Mat. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 So consequently as it increaseth in the degree so him more clearly they shall see Secondly they shall more firmly know their present estate of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 20. Thirdly as froÌ„ hence will redound the more glory to God from men Mat. 5.16 So the more fulnes of Heavenly consolation will redound to theÌ„ 15 Ioh. 11. every grace of Christ in them as in Abraham we see he did Secondly he also will firmly relate them that so worke to him in that sacred object as finally from him in it they shall never depart so that things past present and to come shall not be able to separate them from him or him from them according to the foresaid ground he hath sworne by himselfe that in blessing he will ever blesse them that (b) But not to the Saints in a sleepy and lazie Faith so operate to him as to Abraham we see he gave a further entrance into the Kingdome of grace 2 Pet. 1.11 3. As in this world they have judged the sinnefull courses of unbelievers to be wicked and the waies of wisdome as leading to God to be only righteous and good so likewise at Christs judgement seat to judge the world he will have them then to adhere to him for saith the Text the Sâ—ints shall judge the world so saith Christ yee are they which have continued with mee in my temptation verily I say unto you that you which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in his glory yee also shall sit upon twelve Thrones and judge the 12 Tribes of Israell So that man rightly beleeving truth shall (c) And may then say we are thus blessed in submittance by one grace to receive another and so by faith and Gods power are brought to this you see but you for despising this way do now receive the fruit of your own way judge formall professors Luk. 22.28 Mat. 19.28 1 Cor. 6.2 Lastly he will give them their hearts full desire by turning their enjoying of him here by faith into the fruition of his purchased gift of eternall glory this honour have all his Saints praise yee the Lord Psal 149.9 So much for the good they shall receive according to their good works done in the body Thus Gods justice rewards the a) In some places the Scripture speakes as if any degree of faith had his stability because the first degree and so the second hath a virtual tendency to the third and will if it be improved terminate by Gods mercifull distribution of his justice in an indissoluble union with Christ in the object of justification 1 Cor. 1.8 Phil. 1.6 2 Thess 3.3 imperfect image or likenesse of Christs righteousnesse wrought by the Saints with a reward which is but an Image or likenesse of the reward rendred to Christs works and because God loves to glorify this justice thus in the distribution of his mercy it is that in this third degree man is kept (b) The Angelicall glory which Adam lost was onely due to Christs works and to be possessed by him here in Faith and there by fruition but nâ—â— due to the Saints works to be possessed here by them in Faith not in the next life by fruition but only in this life is due to their works the possession of it by their degrees of faith in which they have some small efficiency yet that is not due unto their works properly but only from Gods love to justice in the distribution of his free gift of mercy to miserable man from a finall fall from Christ in the obj ct of Faith Answer 2 Secondly The Saints evill workes done in the body according to which they shall receive is not for sinnes of infirmity nor for sins enormous in which they have bin overtaken in their pursuit of this sacred object as in David Salomon and Peter all pardoned in Christs righteousnesse but the evill things done in the body according to
judge of that holy man Arminius that he is not to be reckoned one of the least worthies of the Lord Jesus Christ because this man in those darke * For Mr. Peter Du. Moulin chargeth him with holding these points first that God elected some men to eternall life upon his foresight of their faith Secondly that God elects all men to eternall life under the condition of faith Thirdly that originall sinne in Infants hath no respect of vice or sinne properly called for nothing is sinne or vice unlesse it be committed by free-will Fourthly hat Arminius against Mr Perkins affirmeth that mans will is free to good as to evill without grace the which points in this Treatise are clearely proved from Scriptures to be errors See Peter Du-moulin against Arminius Cap. 8. p. 48. Cap. 17. Cap. 18. Cap. 32. p. 256. times of the knowledge of this point put forth all his power according to his light and talent against great oppositions to maintaine and preach that God in his gracious mercy in Christ Jesus doth both intend and extend it universally alike to all mankinde without respect of persons Therefore in him God accepted the will for the deed and so must we And on the contrary as for reverend Calvin his stiffe maintaining that error which made the waters of life bitter to mankinde namely that God hath personally decreed before the world to unavoydable destruction the greatest part of mankinde for the everlasting praise of his justice Calvin Instit 3 book 22. cap. 11. 3 book cap. 21.5 and personally elected the lesser part unavoydably to eternall life for the praise of his glorious grace I say notwithstanding this holy mans error his works and great labours savour of most unfeyned Godlinesse which setleth a Crowne of reverence upon his head through all ages wherefore we are thus to judge of him that this error fell from him from love to Gods glory in the comforting of the distressed Church of God and therefore in him it was error of love and not that he loved to erre Ninthly againe it will be objected he that loveth another Object 9 hath fulfilled the Law consequently that man is a perfect man in the perfeâ—tion of degrees of inherent righteousnesse Rom. 13.8 The conclusion is falsely deducted for hee that loveth God by his rules or Lawes Answ as leading to him in Christ the object of faith hath fulfilled the Law but how even because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth as God imputed it to Abraham Rom. 10. for his further entrance into the glorious Kingdome of Christs gracious mercy as is formerly declared Againe he that loveth another being his Idolatrous and wicked Neighbour as he is his own flesh and Gods creature made of one and the same blood and Gods as is himselfe by right of redemption or that doth love another man as a mysticall member of Christ as is himselfe and in that love doth cherish him as Abraham did Lot In both these respects he is kinde to the unkinde to the just and the unjust and so is perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect that is in a similie or likenesse unto him for as saith our Proverb every like is not the same and therefore but imperfect inherently still for he that saith hee hath no sinne is a lyar c. Againe the truth is God never required such perfect obedience of any man but of those which were able so to performe it and they were only two of all mankinde the one was Adam when he was a publique person before his fall the other was Christ who was the second Adam in the worke of the first to the redemption of all Therefore do not derogate from his glorious works not arrogate to thine own inglorious * For returning to God by beliefe in the object of justification is right repentance only therefore although faith is the receptive instrument of that object and mourning and weeping doth accompany that repentance yet neâ—ther is the removall of sins guilt or punishment only Christs righteousnesse imputed is the ground of acceptance therefore beware of ascribing sorrow to be repentance of of faith for acceptance lest we unawares uphold the erroneously of the mystery of iniquity maintained by the Roman Antichrist works nor be not deceived by that wicked one who teacheth this Doctrine whom Christ shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming Object Againe it will be objected that by those words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman is meant the woman should envie Satan for the evill done unto her and so one Divell may envie another Answ This implies that God gave in the promised seed no more good in these words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman then have the damned Spirits under eternall reprobation which is absurd Reply To this is replyed that all mankinde since the fall are conceived and borne with no better internall dispositions tending to God then is the nature of Divells Answ It appeares the contrary in the worst of men if not delivered up from the universall grace of the Covenant to a finall impenitency notwithstanding their acquired habits in evill there is in them some internall dispositions naturally to God which is not found in Divells for although Mathew the 8.29 Divells can ground their requests to God on his justice not to torment them before the time of their finall bruise by the seed of the woman Mat. 25 41. but they are not naturally inclined as are all mankinde to ground their prayers unto God upon his goodnesse and mercy as for instance that innumerable company of Heathenish Ninivites beleeved Gods word of wrath to be true for their present destruction yet they invocate him intirely upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 2 9. So the Mariners in their Idolatrous manner implore the Divine Majesty in apparant destruction upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 1.15.14 Secondly there is in all mankinde a naturall inclination to worship the divine Majesty as is apparant not only in the Ninivites and Marriners but also it is the ground why all Nations whatsoever have some kinde of Religious worship even to those which are Divells as to a Deity above themselves and also to God as unknowne Acts 17.23 which internall dispositions are not in Divells although the true God to them be knowne for as they cannot implore God under the Notion of goodnesse nor mercy so have they neither any set form of religious worship to God but all destruction and Idolatrous errors and lies in Gods worship amongst men originally arose from them aswell as from mens own remissenesse by not improving this internall principle of enmity to Satan and amity to God as precedently is proved To this it will be objected the divels know Gods Law Object 11 and the very knowledge of it writes
it in their hearts and so although the Heaâ—hen had not the Law yet by some meanes they might come to know the Law and so the Law became written in their hearts Suppose some did so come to know the Law Answ yet it makes nothing to the purpose for it is one thing to have the Law of Christ in the Theory in some mens minds as it is in the divels and another thing to have the spirit of man inclined universally to worship the divine Majesty and to implore the same in time of need with hope of mercy yea so farre that if this be improved in man having not the Law it will neverthelesse terminate in the true circumcision of the heart as is plainly proved in the 7. Chap. of this Treatise Againe as for the divels and men so farre forth as they adhere to him their consciences may accuse them of evill but that the consciences of divels can excuse them in any respect of uprightnesse to God-ward as did the consciences of these Heathen excuse as well as accuse Rom. 2. but not so in divels by any testimony of Scriptures therefore the spirits of all mankind were meetly disposed by the foresaid infusion and the serpents nature as reduced but to a seed to receive mercy from the throne of grace in Jesus Christ But it wil be objected this disposition came not by Christ Object 12 in the foresaid infusion but it is the remainder of the Law left in the fall of Adam hereditarily descending in the nature of man This contradicts the former because it grants some good dispositions naturally inclining mankinde to God which is not in divels Againe Answ this implyes the justice of God was not universally full in the fall of Adam therefore man lost not the Law totally and eternally consequently not all holinesse and righteousnesse consequently some power internally remaines by which he may returne to God in the Covenant as it was in the first Adam for no power is in it selfe of no use proper to it's end therefore not this Againe it implyes the fall of Adam was not so irrecoverably deepe as to need the second Adam to be a person infinite in power by it to raise us from that vast misery consequently the restauration of the world may rather be attributed to the dignity of Christs Person then to the absolute necessity of his person so dignified in power to make good his Fathers truth against all the lies of Satan to the full satisfaction of divine Justice in the improvement of his personall operations as in the 8. Chapter is proved Againe it eclypseth the glory of Gods grace and mercy by Christ Jesus because it referres this internall inclination of the Law written not to Gods universall mercy in the gift of the promised seed when none but the Image of Satan by his lies was written in mans heart by Satans malice and mans owne remissenesse and by divine Justice totally and eternally so to remaine And in a word because this brings man to turne his eyes to looke upon his left and remaining abilities so that all he hath before faith is not received from Gods mercy in Christ but from his owne store and so by pride to fall from grace Therefore this internall disposition was infused by Gods universall grace in the promised seed And to conclude as this opinion on the one side lessens the glory of Gods Justice in the fall of Adam and also the glory of Gods grace by the second Adam the restorer of all so also it continues an intermingled confusion in the body of Divinity Object 13 to the furtherance of the mysteries of iniquity Againe it will be objected although by Moses God doth expresse the planted and inclosed garden of Eden was made with every tree good for food and pleasant to sight and different from the perfections of the created globe and made in the midst thereof to grow two trees and named the one the tree of Life the other the tree of Knowledge of good evil Likewise threatned Adam with certaine death if hee did eate of the fruit forbidden him yet because God did not in plainnesse of speech expresse that by these two things he prefigured to Adam that by his worke in the Covenant God intended to raise the world from it's naturall perfections to a supernaturall perfection and man to the glory of Angels or to an evill equivalently contrary therefore we are not to believe any such thing was then intended by God to Adam as a publike person by Covenant Answ It doth not follow by any just consequence if wee carefully examine Gods proceedings in manifesting to mankind the transcendent glory of Heaven for as to Adam in the garden before the fall he did not in plainnes of speech expresse the same so never after till the fulnesse of time for till then God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son in open face and plainnesse of speech but never before Heb. 1.2 3 2 Cor. 3.12.18 But to proceed to a particular answer for proofe of the point and first as God did not by Moses in plainnes of speech declare what he meant to Adam before the fall by those figures so neither after the fall by Moses to the world was Christ the second Adam in plainnesse of speech exprest to be the first borne of every creature from the dead fall of Adam opening the wombe of all perfection but in figures as by Cain as the first borne and by the Law of the first borne of mankind and the Law of the first borne of beasts and the Law of the first fruits of vegetables as growing in the terrestriall Canaan Exod. 13.2 Exod. 22.29 30. Neither was it ever in plainnesse of speech made knowne by Moses nor the Prophets that the whole creation travelleth till now with man believing truth from the bondage of corruption to be partaker of the glorious libertie of the sâ—nnes of of God but onely figured as by a Law for the land to rest as well as for mans rest and in the number of seven as pointing at perfection as pag. 35. 36. Neither was it by Moses not the Prophets made knowne to the world in plainnesse of speech that Christ as God-man should second the first Adam in the worke of the restauration of the world but inclusively in the promised seed of the Woman to breake the serpents head and also as the seed of Abraham and David c. Neither as by Moses in plainnesse of speech did God expresse that the garden of Eden was the figure of Angels glory to Adam so neither did hee expresse by plainnesse of speech to Israel that the Land of Canaan was to them a figure of the heavenly Canaan but by the agreement of the Type with the Antitype as is implyed Esay 51.3 yet the Apostle concludes that God denyed them rest in the Land of
an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie that wee might have strong consolation who fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us in the object of justification c. Heb. 6 17. Wherefore saith the Apostle the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall that is not totally nor finally from the object of justification and that is only implied in this Text for he that saith he hath no swarving from this sacred object by sinne is a lyar for as he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him so on the contrary If we say we have not sinned wee make him a lyar and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 2.4.2 chap. Joh. 1.10 and the reasons why God not onely thus makes perfect justifying beliefe by operation but also gives to the Saints an undissolved relation to him in the object of justification to be as mount Sion which shall never be moved are these The first is drawne from the nature of the exercising any ability which the more 't is exercised the more 't is perfected for as use makes perfectnesse so custome breeds another nature Hence saith the Psalmist I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law this I had because I kept thy statutes Likewise hee saith I have more understanding then the antient because I have kept thy Statutes and he saith Blessed is the man that delighteth in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in due season Psal 1.2.3 Psal 119.55.100 A second reason is because the most perfect operations of justifying faith brings man most passively subjective to God to receive in his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed the fulnesse of all that leads or ends in blessednesse therfore as every effect the more it doth subject it selfe to it's cause the more influence for it's perfection it doth receive from that cause so also in this Hence saith God to his redeemed Spouse I am IEHOVAH thy GOD which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 but by the way for further incouragement to men of an honest and good heart to presse forward to faiths perfection I will here explicate the different operations betweene the perfection of faith in the one and the imperfections of the other as first betweene righteous Lot weake in saith and Abraham perfect therein for Lot being more weake in the spirit of faith was therefore more strong in the spirit of this world as once were the Apostles desiring to be chiefe in sensuall felicities but Abrahams mind was farre more free from these intanglements for he preferred his communion with Saints in the bond of peace and love in relation to Christ before the fertile pleasures of the plains of Sodome for to enjoy this he leaves Lot to choose that and takes for his aboad what Lot refused Gen. 13.8 9.10.11 So Moses perfect in faith esteemed Christ in the object of Faith with reproach greater riches then the pleasures of Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward implying hee esteemed Gods gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to be mans exceeding great reward consequently his owne wherefore in Idolatrous Egypt hee refused his relation to the crowne of Egypt in that hee refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Gen. 15.1 Heb. 11.24.25.26 Again men of an honest and good heart yet weake in the object of life They then are in zeale against sinners preposterously pitilesse as was Iames and Iohn who for Christs sake would have them consumed with fire from Heaven but take man more perfect in beliefe of this sacred object then hee knowing the terror of the Lord doth perswade men for saith the Apostle the love of Christ constraineth us because wee thus judge if one died for all then were all dead implying because in love Christ died for all men then dead in sinnes and trespasses that this love of him constrained them to perswade sinners to life and salvation in him 2 Cor. 11 14 Againe being but weake in this sacred object they therefore savour the things of men and not the things of God as did Peters counsell to Christ so hee stooped to please men but not as man perfect in faith becomming all things to all men to save some as did Saint Paul but basely dissembling perverting his trust which Christ put in him so hazarding the salvation of men as he did at Antioch but Paul more perfect in beliefe of this sacred object openly reproved him to his face not caring what hee or they thought of him in the right discharge of his ambassage to them Marke 8.33 1 Cor. 9.22 Gal. 3.11.12 13 14. Againe men of an honest and good heart yet weake in faith to this sacred object the crosse of Christ will bring them to doubt as did the men going to Emaus for they said wee trusted it had beene he which should have redeemed Israel Luke 24.21.25 but on the contrary man perfect in faith under the crosse saith We know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding that wee may know him that is true even his Sonne Iesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life 1 John 5.20 Againe man weake in this sacred object of justification doth over value his inherent righteousnesse telling Christ What great things hee will doe for him more then others as did Peter but man more perfect in beliefe of this sacred object is of another minde saith Saint Paul who is fit for these things meaning to doe great things for Christ according to their ambassage and saith he wee know but in part darkely through a glasse 2 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 13.8 and saith the Prophet Esay Woe is mee because I am a man uncleane because I am a man of uncircumcised lips Esay 6. And the ground of the point is this man perfect in beliefe of Gods gift of Christ his righteousnesse imputed firmely believes according to truth that the seed of the Serpent intermingling his inherent righteousnesse therefore makes it internally as a menstruous cloth and externally at the best but unprofitable wherefore as hee desires to be found in Christ his righteousnesse in point of imitation to sanctification so also to be found in it as imputed for a continuall acceptation for remission of sinnes and salvation still referring all his great workes for Christ to Christ his owne efficiency in him as Saint Paul not I but Christ in mee Phil. 3.9.10 Againe a third reason why God gives this perfection of faith to men of an honest heart which thus exercise to him more then to them which to this object of life
by apostasie went the furthest out from God that ever returned and was received to mercy so that in these foure in each condition God hath shewed us the utmost line or length of the riches of his mercy in which hee will be pleased to glorifie his grace to miserable man For if Salomon and Peters spirits had but degenerated into Manasses and Pauls hatred they had fallen into the unpardonable sinne So on the contrary if Manasses and Pauls degeneration had beene from Salomons and Peters life of justifying beliefe or but from beliefe of divine testimony as divine testimony they had fallen into the unpardonable sinne wherefore Saint Paul right saith of himselfe I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe therefore obtained mercy implying otherwise hee had never Object 3 beene received to grace or glory It will be objected mans will is naturally seee (a) Yet the will of man is no more free from sinne nor free to righteousnesse then it is freed by Christ therefore to attribute any thing well done by man from the force of his pure naturals is absurd See the margent pag. 16. and pag. 28. 38. 121. choosing or refusing all objects vlountarily according to it's naturall liberty consequently it cannot be terminated so firmly to Christ as not to fall finally from the object of life Answer If in Justice God to evill men by detaining his spirit from them they then are necessitated to doe evill being servants to sinne and free from righteousnesse notwithstanding this naturall (b) If in that generall apostasie God did reserve the wils of 7000 so to himselfe as that they did not bow the knee to Baal and also will reserve the wills of men to be a Church to him amongst as Gentiles so as that they shall never depart totally from Christ in the object of justification as hath the Church of the Iewes this 1600. yeeres and also in those dayes when he shall call backe the Iewes that he will then so reserve their wills to him in that object as they shall never more depart from being a Church then why may not the wills of these men which so operate to God be for the glory of his justice in the distribution of his mercy so reserved to God in the object of justification as that finally they shall never depart from him in it notwithstanding the wills naturall liberty which is alwayes free in its choyce freedome of their wills in the midst of light manifested to them as in the rejected Iewes we see formerly proved Then why not on the contrary cannot God according to his promise reserve the will of man to himselfe in the object of life so as it shall never finally depart from him in the object of Faith and reserve it 's naturall liberty free as when hee was found of the Gentiles which sought him not perswading Iaphet dead in sinnes and trespasses to dwell in the tents of Shem as at the preaching of Peter 500 in the voluntary freedome of their will returned to him Againe as if it could not be done by God because our reason doth not perceive the manner how he doth it 1 King 66. as for example Hee made the yron to swim and yet it was yron still as it was in its nature when it did sinke to the bottome of the river By the same reason we may question the growth of our bodies for although we see they are growne in height and bignesse yet the manner how they doe grow is invisible to us Likewise our corne which wee sow the manner how it growes is invisible to us and so is the operation of God to this growth of a reasonable soule to him in this object of life as is implyed by our Saviour Mark 4.28 Ioh. 3.8 And from this same ground whence wee know not the specificating internall formes of things it is that we know not God his terminating of the will wherefore wee must in this point live by faith that God doth it according to his Word and so rest It will be objected that although Mat. 25. Christ impartially Object 4 renders to every man according to his worke either as they did rightly use or wrongly abuse the talents yet hee then at first gave some men more talents then others and to some fewer consequently some at the first are indued with more abilities whereby they may attaine this third degree of the perfection of faith and to others fewer abilities consequently Christs proceedings herein was not equally alike to all for it must be farre more hard to some to attaine perfection of Faith then others consequently all could not attaine this stability alike Yet in this unequall distribution Answ Christs proceeding is to all and all alike without personall respects to one more then to another for if hee honoured some men with more excellencies then hee did others as he over did and will to the end of the world yet it was not with any respects of love to those mens persons more then to others but as to a part for the good of the whole and for his owne praise in all as for instance when God gave to Bezâ—led and Aholiab and others the spirit of wisdome more then to the rest was it not to build the Tabernacle and the Temple those figures of his favour in this object of life and glory to build up the Congregation to him in this sacred object of Faith Exod. 31.2.6 Likewise God honoured Daniel Mordecai and Hester but was it not to continue this nationall Spouse to himselfe in that relation and so Moses David and Salomon to the same end Againe in the new Testament to some hee gave the faith of miracles some to speake all languages some the gift of prophecie some Doctors some Apostles but was it not for them whom he predestinated to this glory with Abraham namely the Iewes and also us the Gentiles and for this end it was why he so highly honoured Abraham from the den of divells to be a friend of God that so God might become friends with us in Christ to the glory of his owne grace but whereas sinne in us by our apostasie had abounded against him so he on the contrary by them might in Christ superabound in mercy to us for if the meanes as a meanes be inferiour to the end as certainly it is then their superiority was to make them subject to our good in Gods glory by Christ Jesus Therefore Gods proceedings is equally and all alike without personall respects to any more then others Object 5 It will be objected that all mankind which are damned in eternall misery occasionally perish for Adams offence once committed consequently God willed Adams fall as an occasion or meanes to their damnation consequently by them their damnation is unavoydable for who hath resisted his will Answ I deny that God willed Adams fall so much as an occasion to the damnation of them that perish for as already is proved God willed their rise to