will so satisfie comfort and erect the Spirits of feeble and staggering Believers that they may the more sweetly and firmly lay the stress of their fears in life and death upon this Rock in Zion and if they will be but careful and vigilant as to holy walking and be earnest in Praver to enjoy the beautiful and Soul-refreshing influences of the Holy Spirit They may then walk safely and joyfully through the valley of the shadow of death till they arrive at the mountain of Glory And so I proceed to the second part of this Treatise about the nature and actings of Faith it self more immediate and particular PART II. Of the Nature of Faith in particular Having in the first part of this Treatise laid the precious foundation upon those two marble râ—cks the Dâ—ctrine of the Divinity of the Scriptures and the Deity of Christ which may be likened to those vast and stately fulciments which Solomon built on the sides of Mount Moriah to sustain the grandeur of the Temple I should now proceed to erect the strong hold of confidence the pleasant Palace of assurance wherein that beautiful Daughter of Zion the grace of faith sits as upon a throne of every within the Curtains of our second Solomon And this I shall endeavour in the Ten Apartiments or Chapters following Chap. 1. Of the Name and Nature of Faith. Chap. 2. The various Expressions setting out its nature Chap. 3. The lowest or least degree of saving Faith. Chap. 4. Of Justification the immediate effect of Faith. Chap. 5. Of entring into Covenant with God by Faith. Chap. 6. Of the necessary and inseparable connexion between Sanctification or holiness and Faith. Chap. 7. Of the Infirmities of Believers Chap. 8. Of assurance or joy of Eaith how attained with some clear signs Chap. 9. The danger of Vnbelief Chap. 10. The happy Fruits and benefits of Faith. And so conclude the whole with some Corollaries by the blessed leave and help of our gracious God. I intend not to enlarge very much on any but to be briefest on those where others have been copious On the second third sixth and eighth I would insist a little liberally it being my primary design to strengthen the weak believer and in courage sinking spirits beseeching them to meditate seriously on the directions for understanding the nature of Faith in the first and second and to be consciencious in their holy care of walking with God in the points prâ—scribed in the 6th chapter That so they may live more comfortably dye more sweetly and reign victoriously And now let us walk together into the first chapter by the gracious assistance of our holy and ever-blessed God. CHAP I. Of the name and nature of Faith THe Rise or Origen of this word is from the Italian Fede and that from the Latine Fides and that as some conceit from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade and that from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero in his Offices descants on the word Fides as if so term'd quia fit quod diâ—tum because we believed what is spoken or promised shall be done Our English Saxon word Believe comes from the Dutch lieven and that as 't is thought from the old provincial Latine among the Roman Colonies in those quarters Libeo Libet to list or consent to a thing with love or liking and that the word Love comes from a Teutonick word of the same extract Verloff which signifies to assent Now as one of the Ancients says consensio est volentis consent is the act of a person that is willing so to believe is to consent freely and with love to the truth of what is spoken which breeds conviction and satisfaction on the mind of man. Now the inclination of the will to believe is wrought by God and if any question why one is perswaded by God and not another Psal 119.36 Let him take his answer from holy Paul that 't is God that maketh to differ and O man who art thou that repliest against God and if that please not let the bold fellow go look another 1 Cor 4.7 Rom. 9 20. But as Austin treats him caveat presumptores c. Let him take heed of presuming in curious searches and determining the mysteries of grace and the counsels of God. Is it not abundantly enough that thy heart is softned melted inclined to cast thy self wholly on the free-grace of the New-covenant when others repelling the glorious light of the Gospel run back again to the Old Covenant of works and split themselves upon the rock of presumption expecting divine mercy without the merits of Christ and so rush upon the pikes and spears of divine justice and vengeance to their eternal ruine But to prosecute our work To Believe is to be perswaded and satisfied in our hearts and consciences of what God hath spoken and promised in the holy Scriptures On the other side to beget a confidence and trust as to what any man speaks or asserts among several Nations according to their civil municipal Laws there must intervene a proof or an ascertainment made by the instrument of a publick Notary or by trusty witnesses of the vicinage as among the Northern Nations recited in Lindebrogius c. or else by sound arguments that cannot be refelled without incurring gross absurdities as in cases of unknown Murders the wonderful providence of God doth shine forth in their discovery by such methods and probable arguments which procure an acquiescence and quietation of spirit as to the truth of the things delivered But in divine cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am sufficiently satisfied and perswaded by the meer word of God Rom. 8.38 When I am sure that God has said it I believe it for in things Divine there can be no sublimer proof then the testimony of God himself For the very being of an infinite God determines his verity and when our imperfect and lapsed reason and many times misguided by education and the secret impressions of converse from designing persons that are apostates from the truth doth thr'u pride and envy and delight in contention study to contradict and invalidate the texts of sacred Scripture Let 's remember that infinite Wisdome had it so pleased him could have amazed us with such potent arguments that might strike us dumb and muzle and astonish us as our Lord did the Pharisees at every turn God is Truth and Truth Essential the fountain of all Truth and in him is no darkness at all Not one Iota or tittle of any of his sacred words can be infringed by the least or greatest of Errors John 1.5 Whence it comes that the truths of Gods revelation are the grounds of all the firmitude and stability of our spirits which otherwise might waver Isa 7.9 2 Chron. 20.1 and wander from their constancy per avia eserti through the gloomy by-paths of error to all Eternity In the significant language of the Hebrews
or Edict went forth not to return out of Babylon nor to build the Temple which were done by former Kings but to restore and to build Jerusalem even its streets and walls In the time prescribed from that twentieth year ver 25. our blessed Lord both appeared and suffered for his Elect under Pontius Pilate according to the Scriptures His manifestation to the world under Augustus and sufferings under Tiberius seem to be hinted By Suetonius and other Authors Nay the Swan of Mantua sings an Anthem out of the Sybill of Cuma upon his Birth Jam redit virgo redeunt Saturnia regna Jam nova progenies caelo demititur alto The Lovely Virgin and her Heaven born Son Commands the golden age again to run So then we find in the Old Testament these admirable predictions concerning him 1. What Nature our Lord should assume 2. From what Nation he should spring 3. From what Tribe 4. What Family 5. In what place 6. At what time he should appear and all those fulfilled to a tittle which demonstrate the Divine Original of the Holy Scriptures Besides these Oracles concerning our blessed Lord so exactly fulfilled and attested partly by Heathens partly by Jews and primitive Historians but especially by the New Testament which that it must be admitted for a competent witness will be I hope evident by the Divine Authority in the consignation of the Canon spoken to in the close of this Chapter There remain yet some Prophecies to be briefly rehearsed which yield a further and great light in this point of the verity of Scripture-predictions and therefore of their Divinity For inftance the universal deluge prophecied by Noah 120 year before it came which antedate of years if not mentioned before by others yet the deluge it seif is confirmed by many Heathens even Youths at school â—lut de Solert â—â—imal Lucian de Deasyria the Ark p. 10 60. â—â—â—it Paris 1615. Gen 7.19 read it in Ovid and Horace and the Dove of Drucalion or Noah is touched by Plutarch himself a grave Historian that wonderful Deluge tho' some have thought particular yet when the Holy Ghost speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so expresly that all the high Hills under the whole Heaven were covered I am sorry that any should open the door to Atheists to play upon Scripture Which having declared that All the high hills were covered adds further that the waters did prevail fifteen cubits above those Mountains and what vast high Mountains they are wherein the Ark rested which were anciently called Ararat as if Har gnall Har Mountains upon Mountains in the ragged Country of Elwond in Media let the ingenious Olearius declare who I could wish were followed by other Travellers Olearig in his Persia that they would learn Astronomy before they go abroad for many good purposâ—s in Travels but especially for Calculation of Eclipses in order to Longitudes and of taking the Altitude of the Pole in the rudera or ruines of ancient Cities that our ancient Geography of Scripture and of Civil Writers might be perfected But there is one thing more that may demonstrate the contrary to their weak opinion about particularity of the deluge because if the waters were higher than those exalted craggy tops in Armenia and other places there must have followed a powerful deflux of that liquid element whereby all Champion Conntries must be overflowed to give an aequilibration or poise from all sides of the world upon the Center Not to argue from the earths diurnal motion which is the principal cause of the flux and reflux of waters in all Seas and particularly the Atlantick Ocean and the Mar-del-zur under the line and Tropicks the former being boisterously repelled by that great barr of America sends them back with such violence to make those mighty tides in these North-west parts of Europe and possibly on the West-sides of America the like But pardon me this paragraph spent on a matter per transennam But I proceed Deut. 30.3 3. Voss de sectis The Prophet Moses foretold the Captivity of Israel many hundred years before it came to pass and the deliverance of Israel in the latter days not yet fulfilled This great person is thought by some to be vailed under the name of Moschus in Jamblichus Orph. p. 460. Edit Cantabrig 1652. 80. his receiving the Law in Mount Horeb is so palpably exprest by Orpheus in his gnomae in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the water-born Prophet ordained in his Law of the two Tables that I am scarce satisfied whether this Orpheus were not feigned by a primitive Christian â—uv sai 14. ver 133. rather than a Thracian Harper But to be sure Juvenal was not counterfeited by Thomas Aquinas his Conuntryman in that verse Tradidit arcano quodeunque volumine Moses Whatever Moses delivered in his hidden volumne he needs no testimonies from Heathens his authority is unquestionable Many other predictions we find in Scripture as the birth of Josiah above two hundred years before the Event as I think may appear I King. 13 2. Isa 13 21 That Nineveh upon Tigris the Head of the Assyrian and Babylon on Euphrates the head of the Babilonian Empire should never be built more but continue a habitation for Satyrs and the Jims and Ohims or wild Cats of the Desert and therefore they do very ill that call Bagdat by the name of Babylon a well inhabited and beautiful place which denomination gives defiance to the Holy Scriptures whereas this Bagdat called so from the pleasant gardens is forty miles below on the same Rivâ—r But in the old ruines by the River side is a little Ware-house called Felugea and among the vast piles of confused heaps of destruction there are so many serpents and wild Beasts lurking up and down Sanders in Purch that it is most dangerous for persons to venture among them Again there 's likewise found a Prophecy of Cyrus which some take to be 170. others 200 years mentioned before his appearing Ifa 44 28. but I have not that golden canon of Ptolomy by me at present which states the Nabonassar Aera and the Persian Monarchy c so exactly that we need not wave up and down in those Chronological Difficulties which others have done before us and I could heartily wish his Almagest and this Canon were printed by that mannscript in the famous Bodly Library out of which I copied it When the great deliverer of the Jews came abroad in the world some assert as I remember that they shewed him Isaiahs Prophecy concerning himself written so long before not unlike to what Jaddua the High-priest did in reading to Alexander out of Daniel Josephus l. 11. c. 8. the predictions of his great conquests over the Persian Empire But to draw towards an end in mentioning a few more tho there be many the irreparable ruine of Edom spoken of long before the time when there remained neither name nor
of life which shews the secret tremendous judgment of God that such as too much neglect the righteousness of God Mr. Hickman Hist of Arminianism p. 396. should many times have so little of their own as t is observed by a Learned Writer in a short History of such points Having thus treated a little about the necessary conjunction of holiness with Faith le ts exhibit its beautiful face in the following chrystal Glass of Holy Scripture 1. It principally consists in the inward frame of the heart according to the Will of God when the image of God does most illustriously shine into it True Religion and Holiness are fundamentally seated in the heart all other is but painted false and hipocritical Bell-Religion is but mocking of God when lewd men and women run to the Assembly to shew their clothes stare upon their goatish paramours Prov 7 14 and like the strange woman in the Proverbs pay their peny at the Temple and then with an impudent face deck their Bed with Tapistry and perfume it with Spices ver 16 17 But true inward holiness excites and instigates persons constantly upon the taming and subduing rather than bridling only their fierce and sensual lusts and to crown right reason with full power and dominion over their inferior beastly appetites which is and may be performed genuinely and successfully alone by true grace 2. Holiness consists in studying and observing the purity of Gods Worship prescribed in his Word according to his Will. For what communion can we have with so holy a God Heb. 12 9. Exod 20.24.25.22.29 42. Numb 6.24 in methods formed besides and contrary to his appointment If earthly Princes will not receive Addresses but according to their own prescriptions and appoint Masters to order those solemnities why not much rather be subject to the King of Kings that Father of Spirits and live when God had set down all the Ordinances of his Worship to Moses then adds there will I come unto you and bless you 3. In sobriety and chastity towards our own bodies 1 Thess 4.4 Tit. 2.12 possessing those noble vessels wherein our souls those Lamps of life shine so radiantly in Sanctification and Honour 4. In a vigilant care of Justice and Righteousness between man and man setting before our eyes that golden rule Mat. 7 12. of doing to others as we would others should do to us Whoever then upon the high testimony given to Faith in Scripture shall wax wanton with Grace Rom. 6.1 and fancy they are set at liberty to live as they list such do but trifle with God and impose upon the purity of his Precepts in the end will deceive themselves if repent not fall into the precipice of eternal Damnation Which point is faithfully determined in the Homilies of England concerning Faith Chap. 4. P. 23. and more copiously in the second part about Faith Page 24. where they declare Faith to be a working grace and again Page 28. citing the Apostle Peter where we translate the words 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith vertue they read it Minister or declare vertue in or by your Faith. that is shew forth the force power or vertue of your Faith in all your other graces and in the holiness of your lives by the effects and fruits of a true and living Faith. Let us now consider one or two questions and finish this Chapter at present Quest 1. What means may we use to attain and increase true holiness Answ 1. I answer Study thine own heart keep it with all diligence especially from your own iniquities Prov. 4.23 and your own special tentations by a wakeful guard both in prayer and watchfulness Observe who comes in and goes out Examine thy self more frequently and meditate deeply and seriously to give a wise and deliberate answer to these three questions in the Catechism of conscience 1. Whence came I what 's my original State. 2. Where am I what and whose work am I doing 3. Whether go I after this life is ended Give a satisfying answer according to Gods Word to these questions and scrutinies of an enlightened conscience and this will comfort you upon a dying pillow When all the world is not worth the tip of an atome to you You will need no longer Catechisms but as to dependent explications upon these heads For if your peace be made with God on this score you are out of gun-shot But ever remember Josephs question about the Eye and Presence of God in all places saying gea 39.9 How can I commit this great wickedness and sin against God. Especially consider his flaming Eye to awe you from secret sins which are all in the light of his countenance Psal 90.8 when no other eye is upon you and be ashamed to commit those things under his eye which you would blush to commit before a little child and are in a fright at the turn of every door lest a child should come in to observe you and tell tales of you when faithful Relations out of Town return again O the hellish practical Atheism that lurks in the hearts of professing hypocrites that write Sermons only to accuse them at the day of Judgment and to be a pile of papers to burn them in hell unless they repent O set your ways before the eyes of the Lord Prov. 5.21 who pondereth all your goings That 's like an Isaack in the field a Joseph in an empty house or a pious Nathanael under the Fig-tree alone John 1.48 2. Study an exact imitation of the Saints in glory that are now enjoying the promises whose faith follow If vain persons would ensnare by their scoffs or inticements remember they are but the wiles of the Devil Lustful villains dare not stand the repulse of a brave and virtuous spirit casta est quam nemo rogavit They shrink and sink with shame into the Devils bosome when the glory of an holy life chaftizes them into horror and strangling Ponder the path of thy feet and walk in the way of good men Prov. 4 20 25. 2.20 5 6. and the righteous that are the excellent upon the earth let be thy companions Aiery persons so called are fit for no company but the prince of the power of the Air that ruleth and rageth in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 the Sons and Daughters of Belial that shall be damned When sinners intice consent thou not A man is discerned by his companion and a woman by her Gallant as the infatuated world shamefully Italianizes but a wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away keep thou in the path of the Just that shines more and more nill the perfect day Prov. 6.33 Mark the perfect and behold the upright the end of that man is peace Follow their grace Psal 37.37 and their glory will follow you Shining beams stream from their paths to enlighten
River Kishon that ancient River or River of Antiquities or great battels of old but now swelling to a great overflow swept away the Host of the Canaanites How did the Lord tame the pride of Egypt by locusts hail fire and frogs and darkness that might be felt thick fogs as black as pitch and many other ways How did God subdue the proud Pope Hadrian by a fly c. There 's no age but ecchoes and cries aloud to all people to prove and make all to acknowledg the Soveraign Dominion of the Lord of Hosts in the Heavens Earth and Seas and over all Creatures nay under the earth in Mineral Caverns if Paracelsus and the Learned Agricola write true stories of multitudes of Spirits and living creatures in the bowels of the earth All testimonies trumpeting aloud how God at times arms what of his Hosts he pleases for the protection of his Church and the ruine of his enemies Famous is that memorial of the cloud which presented its dark side to the Egyptians but gave light to Israel when the Red-sea stood up in heaps and the depths were congealed or frozen in the heart or midst of that sea Exod. 15.8.14.22 so that the waters became as a wall to his people which the Egyptians essaying to pass thorough were drowned Nay the wonderful motion of the tides which is so great a mystery Heb. 11.29 Exod. 15.10 Psal 147.18 is managed by Gods Wisdom and the inconsiderable sands are a boundary to the Ocean determining how far his waves shall toss themselves and go no further Jer. 5.12 They have their stated and fixed limits by the laws of Creation which has settled their channels into which they shall subside at his command Some there be to mention it a little that would inferr the sea to be higher than the earth from such a Text. But 't is a mistake and misapply of Scripture Jonah 1. Exod. 20.4 Psal 24.2 Psal 107.23 which expresly sets the waters under the earth and that it is establisht upon the floods and mentions mens going down to the sea in ships If the sea were not lower comparatively to the ordinary surface and globe of the earth besides the mountains how can all the Rivers râ—n down into the sea if the earth out of which they spring Psal 42.10 Eccles 1.7 Jer. 51.42 were not higher wherefore the Prophet alluding to the natural situation foretells that the sea should come up upon Babylon and more to that purpose But this belongs not properly to our present work only so far as to shew that God rules the raging seas and the stormy winds fullfil his pleasure Let 's step to Land and end our voyage with one note more Psal 1â—8 8 to observe how that God injoyned Israel to plow and sow for six years but must trust him for the seventh and part of the eighth till the harvest came living for the while on the blessed providence of God sending them the greater plenty in the foregoing years 4. Fourthly and Lastly le ts touch a little upon the mysterious government of the Church by his most Holy Spirit swaying his golden scepter in the hearts of Converts and ruling them by his rod out of Zion But this refers to that great point of communion with the Spirit of God Psal 110 2. which this treatise only considers in the doctrine of assurance Chapter 8th and in one further consequence following which is the seventh 7. We may learn from the preceding tract that the knowledg of our Faith and the attainment of assurance flow principally from the influences of the Spirit of God. He is the profound teacher of all mysteries and the worker of Faith and therefore gives the clearest evidence without the necessity of arguing when he is pleased to speak to the heart Joh 16.13 He shall teach you all things our Lord promises and guide into all truth He glorifies the Son receives of his shews it to us and manifests things to come Where he teaches any doctrine he works the knowledg and sense of it into the heart and causes us to believe He is the former of faith he commands and inclines us to trust and imprints the image of Christ upon us Epist Gassendi de motu impresso c as the vis impressa sends out a power from the hand or instrument upon the ball arrow or bullet which together with the air that 's gathered by the force into an impulsive vortex behind the body as in the ignis lambens carries on the motion to the end of its vigor 'T is more abundantly here when the spirit becomes the arm of God to break the stone in the heart he moves works in the most intimate recesses of the soul he shapes and forms the new Adam within us and inspires it with fire from the throne between the wheels of the cherubims Ezek. 10.7 He is the skilful architect of the Temple of the Church cementing the living stones together which were cut out of the mountain of the divine Decrees to make a glorious Habitation for God by the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Let 's then never forget to be earnest in prayer for the gift of the spirit since the influx of all grace and the beautiful enamel of our hearts with heavenly gifts flows from this holy spirit of Vrim and Thummim And the truths in Scripture can only be settled and confirmed upon our hearts by him He is like the master of Assemblies that fastens the nail in a sure place Eccles 12.11 like the great shepherd that knock's in the paxilli in caula the stakes about the hurdles of the sheep-cotes to keep the harmless creatures from the Wolves close and warm together in a dark and stormy night 8. Another deduction from the former treatise may be that the number of true believers is very small for the generality of the world knows not God in Christ The Turks indeed own him for a great Prophet but disdain his banner The Jews confess there was such a person at Jerusalem but contradict his message blaspheme his Deity and stumble at his sufferings Among the various nations bearing the name of Christian what wild confusions and absurdities are practised in Muscovy by the testimony of the ingenious Olearius Marriage and what rude mixtures and barbarities are found among the Abyssins south of Egypt as we are taught by that learned Writer Ludolphus or what ignorances blind Customs and perverse worshippings are notified among the Armenians Ludolph Edit 1684. Fol. Maronites or Thoma-Indians as are related by Breerwood Paget and in the collections of travels in Purchas and several others What shall we say to the corruptions among the Pontificians nay in the Reformed Churches of God in the world and how are the lives of most grown degenerate and prophane insomuch that one has adventured to pronounce that 't is hazardable whether above one in a million may be saved I remember also to have read somewhere Dr. Mouliâ— that Chrysostome should say to
own divine power Whereby he manifested his own Glory that is of his Deity As in turning Water into Wine at Cana and in raising of Lazarus he was glorified to be the Son of God Therefore the Apostle John from that and many other cases of raising the dead Joh 5 17 15 24 10 18. c. might well affirm that he had seen his glory even in the transfiguration as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Till the incarnation or rather the beginning of his Ministry the Father wrought But now sayes he I Work. He laid down the life of his Humanity Heb 1 Rom 1 4 c. rose from the dead ascended into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God by his own Divine Power Tho t is true that some of these things being sometimes ascribed to God essential and otherwhere predicated or affirmed of Christ personal do therein unite in the confirmation of his Deity who performed all these great signs that we should believe him to be the Son of God. 1 Joh. 5.13 8. Another Testimony of his glorious Deity is the pardon of sin The Pharisees saw the force of this Argument Mat. 9.3 Luk. 5.21 and blasphemously catcht at it as a great crime for arrogating to himself the honour which is alone due to the Majesty of God. But our Lord sufficiently knew the dignity of his own person tho somewhat vailed yet to the comfort of many a poor sinner and to their inestimable joy often as a God pronounced the forgiveness of their sins Nay to shew the union of his humanity with the Deity declares that the Son of Man hath power upon Earth Mat. 9.2 3. Act 5 31 Heb 1.3 as well as in Heaven to forgive sins So the Apostle to the Hebrews confirming his Godhead over and over in the same Chapter asserts that having purged away our sins by himself i. e. by his blood he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high 9. Again since contrite sinners do humbly supplicate to God for the pardon of sin we find him recorded sometimes as the direct and immediate object of Worship both from men and angels Joh 14.13 How often do we find him prayed to and worshipt by his Disciples and himself accepting all as his due Now he that receives prayer and answers it to the people of God and takes into his custody the spirits of dying Saints as he did Stephen's this person must needs be God. Nay all the Angels of God are commanded to Worship him Act 7 59 Heb 1 6 Mat 8 27 Job 38 9 at whose word the raging seas hush into their swadling bands and are quiet like a child sleeping in its cradle the boisterous winds delight to be still that they may without noise hear his delicious and heavenly voice with all silence and subjection and make a halcyon calm from Pole to Pole. 10 But to end He that is declared to be Judg of the World and to raise all persons out of their Graves by hâ—s own Imperial command to appear at his righteous Bar must not that person be God If he knew not the hearts and thoughts of all and every secret thing from his own Omniscience Eccl. 12 14 which thing is an incommunicable attribute of God he could not be Judg of quick and dead at his appearance and Kingdom To Judge the World was by the Pharisees acknowledged to be the character of a God. 2 Tim. 4 8 The high Priest therefore hearing this rents his clothes and calls it Blasphemy But why the second person having admitted the humanity into union and being head of the Church should perform this glorious work Mat 26 65 Mark 17 64 depends only upon the Oeconomy of the sacred Trinity a secret not to be irreverently peered into but adored Let 's be wise to Sobriety according to what is written and not transcend the limits at the foot of the Mount. Rom 12 3 But to draw to an issue He is also constituted Judg of Angels at that great day they must bow their coelestial knees at his Name and the evil Spirits acknowledg this while our Lord was here below Isa 45 23 Rom 14 10 11 Mat 8.29 beseeching him not to torment them before the time Now it is a work competent alone to a God to torment Spirits All the powers in heaven and earth besides cannot do it of their own vigor and force unless permitted influenced directed and managed by God in it and blessed be God for it that hath reserved the dominion of our spirits to himself alone as well as of Angels But this supremacy was acted by Christ at his pleasure from the innate power of his Deity when he cast them out as evil and unclean spirits sore against their wills and at their supplication gave them leave to go hither or thither For they are in adamantine chains and those chains in his own hand 2 Pet 2 4. and casts them into hell and looses them when he pleases There fore he who by his own power and authority in communion with the essential Godhead doth these great things Rev 20 1 2 7 must be God blessed for ever Amen I know the Socinians talk of their created God and so would sain evade the dint of Scriptures but that 's most perfect nonsence to assert two Gods and one a created God. For Infinite can be but one or else hold one to be titular as Angels and Magistrates tho in a higher Orb and Order which yet is inconsistent with the precedent Scriptural Arguments that prove our blessed Lord to be God in essence coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever Now then since this most excellent person by vertue of his sufferings in communion with his infinite Deity tho in it self impassible hath given full satisfaction to his Father for all the sins of Believers and by whom we receive the attonement Rom 3 21 5 21 Act 20 2 even through the merit of his precious blood and that hereby he is become a personal particular and immediate Object of our Faith and that by him we do believe in God the justifier of the ungodly through his righteousness and his alone Rev 22 17 Heb 9 12 Eph 5 26 Tit 2 14 1 Joh 1 7 1 Pet 1 2 Rev 8 5 Heb 9 16 and that this glorious person so graciously invites all thirsty sinners to take the water of life freely and to believe in his Name for the remission of Sins let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Now let this suffice to have written about the two great Foundations of Faith. In the first Chapter concerning the Divinity of the Scriptures And in the second in reference to the Deity of our blessed Lord which I hope