judge any that is by his owne proper act of judgement but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne that he may have a hand in all judgements together with himselfe and Iohn 16. 13 14. speaking of that speciall illumination of mens hearts and inward teaching which seemes most proper to the Spirit he saith it is not of himselfe alone but it is what he hath heard and received from the Father and the Sonne And therefore the second Branch is manifest that the doer of the outward workes of God is Jehovah our God and all the three Persons in God The third Branch comprehends in it the outward moving cause of all these outward workes namely Gods owne will and pleasure for he is said to do them according to his eternall purpose and after the counsell of his owne will This is expressed in the description and in the words of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that is whatsoever is according to the Lords will and pleasure that he hath done and this is testified in other Scriptures as Psal. 115. 3. where it is said that the Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him and Isa. 46. 10. where the Lo 〈…〉 saith I will do all my pleasure and Ionah 1. 14. All which places shew that first the Lord hath a mind and pleasure to doe such things and therupon he doth them Also Ephes. 1. 11. It is said he doth worke all things after the counsell of his will And Acts 2. 23. 4. 28. the worke of our Redemption by Christ and all that he did and suffered is said to be done by the determinate counsell of God Therfore this Branch is manifest namely That Gods will and pleasure is the only inward mooving cause of all his outward works and that they are nothing but the execution of his eternall will and decree The fourth Branch by which these outward works are specially distinguished from his inward operation comprehends in it the subject wherein these workes do subsist and the circumstance of time and place wherein they are done For these workes are not done within God himselfe neither doe they subsist in his Essence as his inward operations do but they are Extra Dei essentiam without Gods essence they are done in all the world and upon the creatures some in Heaven and some in Earth others in the Sea and all deepe places as my Text saith and they have their circumstances of time and place as God hath appointed from all eternity The Creation was in the first beginning of time in the first six dayes of the world Gen. 1. The Redemption wrought by Christ in the midst of yeares betweene the Law and the Gospell Hab. 3. 2. and upon the mountaine where Hierusalem stood Isa. 25. 6 7. The great execution shall be at the end of the world in the last day of Judgement and the works of Gods governement and actuall providence as they are divers so they are done at divers times and in divers places of the world as experience teacheth on the very day which the Lord appointed did the flood come upon the old world Gen. 7. 11. In the same day which God had fore-told was Israel delivered out of Aegypt Exod. 21. 41. And howsoever the words of the Apostle Act. 17. 18. intimate that in God and not without him We live moove and have our being yet we are not thus to understand that these things are and that we subsist in Gods Essence and that we are so in God as his inward operations and eternall decrees are But that we all are compassed about with Gods presence and essentiall power which are every where and by him as by the chiefe efficient cause and authour of life motion and being are sustained and upheld in life being and motion continually For to be in God that is to subsist in his essence doth necessarily imply coeternity and consubstantiality with God Quicquid est in Deo Deus est nothing can be within his Essence but it must be coeternall with God and of the same Substance with him Hee who denies this must needes deny God to be immutable and most simple free from all composition Therfore this Branch also is most manifest and doth containe in it nothing but solid Truth The fifth Branch containes in it the manner of Gods outward works to wit that in respect of God himselfe they are done with such power as cannot be resisted and in respect of the event they are certaine infallible and cannot faile This is truely collected from the Text For it is said that all Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth hee doth or hath done which shewes that not one jot of his will and pleasure failes but comes to passe If his will or pleasure could be resisted or any thing prevented which he willeth to worke surely the Divell who is so cunning watchfull and malitious would in some things have defeated God or this either by himselfe or some of his instruments But this Text affirmes the contrary that whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done in all the world Therfore in respect of God they are all unresistable and in respect of the event infallible And this David testifieth Psal. 115. 3. saying The Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him And Isa. 46. 10. my counsell shall stand and I will performe all my pleasure yea because these are voluntary workes of God and are willed and decreed in his secret counsell from all eternity as I have noted before therefore they must needs be unresistable for Who can resist his will Rom. 9. 19. The sixth Branch containes the principall use and effects of Gods outward workes namely the making of himselfe knowne in his nature and essentiall attributes and so communicating himselfe to his elect That Gods externall workes doe all serve for this use and doe worke this effect we may gather from the dependance and inference of this Text. For the Psalmist having professed that he knows the Lord to be great and that he is the onely true God above all gods that is who hath all the essentiall properties of the true God he proves it by and from his workes and sheweth that by meanes of them he knoweth it And other Scriptures and experience confirme the same Psal. 19. 1. It is said that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge and Rom. 1. 20. The visible things of God are seene from the creation of the world clearly being understood by the things which were made Even his divine Power and God-head So the works of Gods actual providence in governing and upholding the world and in mooving the Heavens and the starres in order doe shew his infinite wisdome and supercelestia'l glory Psal. 8. 1. His overthrowing of his enemies and the persecutors of his Church as in the stood of Noah and in the drowning of Pharaoh and his host do shew his power His
have smitten and destroyed thousands of men in a night as 2 Kin. 19. and rejoyce over sinners which repent Fourthly the Scriptures reckon up Angels not among those inspirations motions or affections which proceed from Gods Spirit or any other person or substance but among perfect creatures and spirituall substances which live and move and subsist by themselves and not in another substance and so the Spirit of God speakes of them Psal. 149. 5. and in all the places where they are said to come from heaven to earth and to be sent from God unto men The third point in the definition is That Angels are heavenly spirits that is neither made of any bodily substance nor compounded of any elements or creatures of the visible world but of a pure and heavenly nature made to dwell in the highest heaven as in their proper and naturall place of habitation and there have their continuall residence This is manifestly proved by the former Doctrine and also by those Scriptures which testifie that they alwaies and continually in heaven behold the face of God as Matth. 18. 10. and that they are the heavenly host Luke 2. 13. and Spirits of heaven Zach. 6. 5. And there they encamping are in a moment as ready to defend the righteous and to guard the Church militant on earth and avenge all wrongs done to Gods little ones as if they were here present on earth for in the twinckling of an eye they can descend from heaven to earth and deliver the godly and stay the hand of their enemies and smite them with death as we see by the army of Angels coming from heaven and guarding Elisha so soon as he called upon God 2 Kin. 6. and by the Angell of God which at the praier of Hezekiah destroyed all the army of the Assyrians in one night and at our Saviours praier in his agony appearing presently from heaven and comforting him In a word our Saviour affirmes that spirits have not flesh and bones Luke 24. 39. They cannot be seen with bodily eies nor felt by bodily hands as corporall things may be Therefore Angels being spirits are not corporall nor compounded of bodily elements but are pure and invisible as the Apostle cals them Colos. 1. 16. The fourth point to wit That Angels were created by God in the beginning and God hath given to them their being is aboundantly proved in divers Doctrines before I need not say any more of it The fifth point is That Angels were created in the image of God and doe in many respects resemble God more then any other creatures First in their very substance and naturall being for as God is a spirit so they are spirits yea pure spirits and in that respect resemble God more then any other creatures Secondly as God is absolutely pure and simple so they are more pure and simple then any other creatures and have no corporall or visible substance in them Thirdly as God is the living God and even life it selfe and as he is infinite in wisdome knowledge goodnesse and power and doth all things freely of himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will also is in and of himselfe most glorious and blessed for ever and with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning so Angels are most quick active and lively spirits the most excellent of all Gods creatures in wisdome knowledge and liberty of will and in all goodnesse and good will towards men they are also great in power and excell in strength Psal. 103. 20. and are called the blessed and glorious Angels of light heaven the place of blisse is their habitation And as they are incorporeall spirits which cannot be dissolved and die as men doe when their soules are separated from their bodies and the whole person is dissolved so and in that respect they are immortall do more resemble God who only hath immortality then any other creatures doe by nature All these things to wit the lively strength activity knowledge wisdome free-will glory power and blessed estate of Angels wherein they were created the Scriptures doe most clearly testifie and declare where they affirme that the Angels doe see Gods face who is all in all and that they look into all the mysteries know the manifold wisdome of God concerning the salvation of the Church 1 Pet. 1. 12. and Ephes. 3. 10. and have great joy in heaven over sinners which repent and doe relate great and mighty workes done by Angels most readily and speedily without delay The sixth point is That Angels are distinct and different among themselves and one from another by a proper and particular existence and being this I have fully proved in the second branch The last is That Angels are finite in their nature and number and have their bounds and limits and also are by nature mutable such as might fall from the first estate wherein they were created That Angels are in nature finite and cannot be in divers places or in all places at once is most plaine both by this that they are said to be Gods heavenly host and Angels in heaven that is who are confined to heaven for the proper place of their dwelling and when they are here on earth are said to be descended from heaven Matth. 28. 2. and to be here and not there That though they are many and more then man can number and in that respect are called innumerable yet that their number is limited and that God knowes the number of them cals them by their names and brings them out by number the Prophet testifieth Isa. 40. 26. That Angels are mutable by nature subject to fall from the state wherein they were created the Scriptures doe testifie where they make this Gods property that hee onely changeth not Malach. 3. 6. And with him is no variablenesse Iam. 1. 17. And where it is testified that God hath charged the Angels with folly Iob 4 18. And many of the Angels did not keep their first estate but left their habitation and by sinning did fall from Heaven and are cast downe to Hell and delivered into chaines of darknesse 2 Pet. 2. 4. and Iude 6. And that onely the elect Angels are made holy and immutably blessed by the light which God hath added to them Iob 4. 18. Thus much for the definition of Angels 3. Corollary The third Corollary is That the bodily shapes of men and other creatures in which Angels have appeared were no parts of their nature and substance neither were essentially united unto them but were onely assumed for the present time and occasion that thereby they might make fraile men see more evidently and acknowledge their presence and their actions For the heaven of heavens is not the place of grosse earthly bodies and therefore Angels being naturall inhabitants of heaven have no such bodies personally united they onely did for a time assume the bodies in which they appeared and performed some
fulnesse thereof Secondly this former discourse shewes what a vaine and foolish thing it is for Christian people to be so wedded to the opinions of godly learned men in all points which have beene formerly received and commonly beleeved or to be so strongly conceipted and perswaded of their full understanding and perfect knowledge of all the Scriptures and of all truth taught in the written word of GOD that whatsoever they have taught and commonly held they will cleave too till death and they will receive and embrace no truth nor any exposition of any Scripture which hath not beene before observed taught and published in the Sermons and writings of the godly learned Ancient Fathers and the soundest Orthodox moderne Divines I confesse the Scriptures alone dayly read and heard by men of ordinary capacity and learning are able to make them wise to Salvation For the way to life may easily be discerned by their guidance and direction But there are degrees of knowledge and divers measures of gifts and when a man knoweth enough to bring him on in an ordinarie way to life yet there is still more knowledge to be learned and a greater depth of knowledge to be found in the Scriptures which are doubtfull obscure and more hard to be understood and many new expositions of divers places which more plainly and fully confirme solid truthes formerly beleeved which he that searcheth out and discovereth doth thereby get more strength in faith and growth in grace and more spirituall joy and comfort and runs on faster and more speedily and steadfastly in the way to Salvation Wee see here for example the common opinion of Ancient and moderne writers to goe currant that there is but one kind of Image of God in man and that the Image unto which Christ restores us is the very same in which Adam was created that Adam had power by that Image to obtaine Heavenly glory and to grow up to that estate which the elect Saints come to in Christ that Christ restores no more but that which Adam lost and unto which he should have attained after some time of continuance in innocency that he was created in holinesse as well as Christ and true Christians are and so partaker of the Holy Ghost And when any thing is taught out of the Scriptures to the contrary many mouthes even of more learned men are opened to gainsay and oppose And yet you see the Scriptures more narrowly sifted do teach most plainely to the contrary and have not any plaine speech tending to prove these common opinions yea the Scriptures which are alledged for them are so applied expounded do prove the contrary if they be well weighed and considered with a cleare judgement not forestalled with prejudice and partialitie wherefore let us wholly depend on Gods word and not on mens reason or jugdement to subject either the Scriptures or the sense of them thereunto and let us still more and more thirst after increase of knowledge and understanding of Divine truths hid in the harder places of Gods written word knowing that these are the last times wherein knowledge shall be increased as wee read Dan. 12. 4. Let us not consider the Person which preacheth and teacheth but what is by him taught If new expositions and Doctrines not formerly taught yea crossing the common opinions be proved by better grounds and clearer evidence of Scripture and tend more to advance other saving truthes to beate downe errours and to increase Piety and godly affection in men let men take heed and beware of rash opposition and gainesaying lest they be found to fight against God while they stand too much for the authority of men though such as have beene holy and godly servants of Christ and famous in their generations Thirdly this doctrine of Gods Image in Adam doth both discover and also minister strong arguments whereby to confute divers erroneous opinions much dissenting and dissonant from the solid truth and word of God to wit not onely those mentioned before but others also as that Gods Image was onely originall righteousnesse or justice and that the naturall faculties of Soule and Body did not concurre to it that the whole Image of God in Adam was utterly lost by his fall and is quite abolished till it be repaired and restored by Christ with divers others of the same stampe concerning which I finde many hot disputations among the learned all which appeare superfluous if this doctrine were well weighed and made a rule whereby to measure them for it will like a just measure shew which of them come short and which goe too farre beyond the truth and true line of holy Scriptures Lastly in this wee see as in a cleare glasse the dignity and excellency of humane nature above the nature of all other visible creatures in that he was made completely in Gods Image and conformable to God and like to him in his whole frame and in all faculties of Soule and parts and members of body And let this stirre us up to walke worthy and beseeming such a nature and frame and labour to keep both our whole Soule and Spirit and all members of our bodies unspotted and unstained with sinne which is the defacing of Gods Image and let us reverence Gods Image in other men especially seeing it is repaired and made of a better kind by Christ and above all take heed of cruelty and of defacing Gods Image in any part by cuting of members and mangling the bodies of men especially of Gods Saintes whose bodies are Temples and Tabernacles of God by his Spirit Thus much concerning the first externall worke of God the creation and the state wherein God created man and wherein the state of Innocency did consist CHAP. XVI Of the actuall providence of God The Obiect of it What the word signifieth in 3. things Proofe that there is a providence by Texts and Arguments Description shewing what it is demonstrated in the parts and branches of it Providence generall and speciall Acts of it Speciall providence in saving the elect by Christ what and in what parts Uses THe next great externall worke of God after the creation is his actuall providence by which hee doth rule and dispose all things created and doth order all actions which are done and all events which come to passe in the World to the manifestation of his glorious goodnesse This great worke of God doth reach through all other externall works which are done either by God himselfe or any other and doth comprehend with in the compasse of it all Gods works which hee doth in the World whether they bee works of wisedome and power in ruling and preserving his creatures or workes of iustice in punishing and destroying or workes of mercy and grace in redeeming repairing and saving the World and in bringing his chosen to eternall blessednesse Yea there is no worke done nor any event which comes to passe at any time or in any
age of the World which God doth not over-rule and order by his providence For as hee is infinite in wisedome and power able to decree and ordaine from all eternity all things most wisely and to create and bring to passe all things according to the counsell of his will by a mighty hand of power which cannot bee resisted So also hee is wonderfull in goodnesse and bounty to provide most carefully all things needfull in aboundance for the being and welbeing of his creatures and to order governe and dispose all things good and evill most wisely to the good of his elect the iust punishment and destruction of the wicked and to his owne glory Wherefore that wee may better understand this point and proceed profitably in the handling of it We are first to consider the signification of the name and the true sense of the word And after to insist upon the thing it selfe and to define and describe this actuall providence of God The word providence is sometimes taken in a large sense and signifies Gods care and respect of all creatures both in decreeing and ordaining their being and all things which befall them and in executing his eternall decree according to the counsell of his owne will for in all these things God did shew a provident care and respect Sometimes the word is used more strictly and that three wayes First for the provident care and respect of God in decreeing things for the best that they should so come to passe as they have done or shall doe at any time hereafter of this providence the Apostle speakes Hebr. 11. 40. where hee saith God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not bee made perfect this may bee called Gods providence in willing and decreeing Secondly it signifies Gods provident care which hee shewed in the creation of the World and all things therein For hee first created things above which could subsist and bee perfect by themselves without the inferiour elements and the creatures in them as the highest heavens and their inhabitants the Angels then hee created the visible heavens which might bee ready by their light to bee of use for other thâ—ngs below in such measure as was needfull then hee created the spacious regions of the aire through which that light might shine to other elements and all creatures which hee was about to create in them and before hee created any living creatures which could not well subsist nor move themselves without greater light then that of the naked heavens hee created the Sun Moone and Starres which might both give light sufficient to those creatures and also might cherish and comfort them and all other things which were made to serve for their use And before hee created mankind male and female in his owne image fit to rule under him in the inferiour World hee prepared and made ready for them all creatures which they might rule over all kinds of delicate food in great variety and aboundance and a Lordly palace and place of pleasure wherein to dwell in which he put them so soone as they were created As God in all this shewed his provident care for man and all creatures to make them every one perfect in their kind with naturall perfection in the creation so I have noted this his actuall providence in the severall passages of the creation and have unfolded it so farre as for the present was necessary Thirdly this word is frequently used to signifie Gods provident care in ordering and governing the whole created World and preserving all creatures therein and in disposing every thing which doth befall them and come to passe in the World to some good end according to the counsell of his owne will This is the actuall providence which now comes to bee distinctly handled and unfolded in the next place after the creation But before I come to describe this providence of God and to lay open the nature object severall parts and kinds of it I hold it necessary to prove clearly out of the holy Scriptures that there is in God such a providence and provident care which hee doth shew and exercise in the ruling and governing of the whole World and ordering and disposing all things to their severall ends And that God is not a carelesse sleepie and slumbering one who doth neglect and not see regard and care for any things here below as some blind fooles desperate Atheists and wicked Men have imagined and spoken as the Psalmist sheweth Psalme 10. 11. 13. and 94. 7. who say that the Lord doth not see God hath forgotten â—ee hideth his face hee will never see nor regard nor require what is done among men in the World For the manifest proofe of Gods providence I will first rehearse some notable testimonies even plaine texts of holy Scripture which being laid together may minister to us sufficient matter and occasion to describe and set forth the actuall providence of God and all things wherein it doth consist and which thereto belong Psalme 14. 2. The Lord looketh downe from heaven upon the Children of men to see if there bee any that doe understand and seeke after God Psalme 33. 13 14 15. The Lord loooketh from heaven hee beholdeth all the Sons of men from the place of his habitation hee looketh upon all the inhabitants of the Earth Hee fashioneth all their hearts alike hee considereth all their works Psalme 34. 15 16. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open unto their cry The face of the Lord is against them that doe evill to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth Psalme 36. 6. Thy iudgments O Lord are a great deepe thou preservest man and beasts Psalme 104. 27 28 29 30. All living things wait upon the Lord that hee may give them their meat in due season Hee giveth to them and they gather it hee openeth his hand and they are filled with good when he hideth his face they are troubled when hee taketh away their breath they dye and returne to their dust when hee sendeth forth his Spirit they are created and hee renueth the face of the Earth Psalme 113. 5. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high 6. Who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth 7. He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes Psalme 138. 6. Though the Lord bâ— high yet he hath respect to the lowly Job 13. 7. But aske now the beasts and they shall teach and the fowles of the Aire and they shall tell thee 8. Or speake to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee 9. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this 10 In whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of
giving of Christ his Son for a Redeemer aboundantly testifieth his infinite goodnesse and bounty his punishing our sins in Christ to the full shews his infinite Justice and his pardoning of beleevers by Christs satisfaction freely given and communicated to them shewes his infinite mercy and free grace as the Scriptures often testifie and our own consciences within us do witnesse and our daily sense and experience do proove And in our Redemption and application of it we see discovered the Trinity of Persons in one God And while wee in these things as in a glasse behold the glory of God with open face the vaile of ignorance being remooved we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory and so come to have communion with God and the fruition of him 2 Cor. 3. 18. The seventh and last Branch sets before us the utmost end of all Gods outward works to wit the eternall blessednesse of the elect by the communion vision and fruition of God in all his glorious attributes as wisedome power goodnesse mercy justice and the rest The Text it selfe intimates this Truth to us saying that all these workes of God proceed from his good will and pleasure For the good pleasure and will of God consists chiefly and principally in willing that his elect shall be brought to perfect communion of himselfe and of his glory for their eternall happinesse And what God willeth according to his owne good pleasure and doth because he is pleased so to do it must needs aime at the blessednesse of his elect by the sight and fruition of him and his glory Now therfore all Gods outward workes proceeding fiem Gods pleasure must needs tend to this end and this is confirmed Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. where we read that all things worke together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose and that all things are the elects the world life and death things present and things to come and they are Christs and Christ is Gods also Col. 1. 16. all things visible and invisible were created as by Christ so for him that they might serve him for the salvation of his elect and for this end and purpose Angells principalities and powers are said to be made subject to Christ 1 Pet. 3. 22. And their office and ministery and the great wonders which God doth by them are said to be for them who shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. To these testimonies many reasons might be added I will onely call to mind that which I have else where abundantly declared and prooved to wit that for this end the world is upheld by Christ and for his sake and through his mediation ever since mans fall and for this end the wicked live even the barbarous and savage nations either that they may serve for some use to Gods people or for the elects sake whom God will raise up out of them or that God may shew his justice and power on them being sitted for destruction to the greater glory of his elect even the judgements of God on the wicked and their damnation serve for this end to increase the blessednesse of the Saints The doctrine of this description serves for to stirre us up in imitation of God our Creator not to content our selves with saying purposing and promising or with making a shew of doing good workes but to be reall true constant and faithfull in performance of them I or so doth God whatsoever he promiseth or purposeth or is pleased to doc that he doth in Heaven and Earth Sluggards who delight in idlenesse doing nothing and Hypocrites who say and promise and make great shew of doing but are barren of the fruites of good workes as they are most unlike to God and contrary to him so they are hatefull and abhominable in the sight of God and they onely are accepted of God who are active Christians alwayes doing good and abounding in the worke of the Lord their labour shall not be in vaine but every one shall receive reward according to his workes which are evidences of his communion with Christ and of his faith justification and sanctification wherefore seeing God is alwayes reaching forth his mighty hand to worke in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and all deep places for our profit let us be alwayes doing and studying to do good for his glory Secondly it serves to move and direct us in and through the outward workes of God to see and behold the infinite eternall and omnipotent God and his divine power and Godhead and in the unity of Gods essence the sacred Trinity of persons because all the persons have a hand in every worke and that one God who is three persons is the author and worker of every divine outward worke as this doctrine teacheth It is a common custome among men when they see and behold the handy worke of any person to remember the person to bee put in minde of him by the worke especially if he have knowne the person before and beare the love and affection to him of a friend and a beloved one So let it be with us so often as we see and behold the visible outward workes of God let us in them behold the face of God and remember his glorious attributes Let us in the great workes of Creation behold the wisedome and power of God the Creator in the worke of Redemption the mercy bounty and love of God in our Sanctification the love and the holinesse of God and in them all let us behold the three glorious Persons in that one God who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will The Father by his eternall Word and Spirit creating all things The Sonne sent forth by the Father in our nature and sanctified by the Spirit redeeming us and paying our ransome The Holy Ghost shed on us by God the Father through the Sonne Christ in our regeneration And all three conspiring together to purge sanctifie and justifie us and to make us eternally blessed in our communion with them and in our fruition of God in grace and glory And let us take heed and beware of idle and vaine speculation of Gods great workes which shew his glory and proclaime his glorious Attributes Wisdome Power and Goodnesse lest by such idle negligence wee become guilty of taking the name of the Lord our God in vaine Thirdly from this description we may easily gather and conclude that sinnefull actions as they are evill and sinnefull are not Gods workes for God is pleased with those things which he doth and his workes are according to his pleasure but God is not pleased with sinnefull actions and evill workes he hath no pleasure in iniquity Psal. 5. 4. If any aske How then can it be done if he will not and be not pleased I answer That in them there is to be considered 1. A naturall motion or action proceeding from some created power
Iudaeus lib. de mund opific. did conceive Paradise to bee no earthly or bodily place but to bee spiritually understood which opinion Epiphanius proves to bee against reason because trees growing out of the ground and rivers shew that it was a garden planted on the earth and earthly not spirituall Some have held that the whole World was Paradise and that this garden did extend it selfe over all the earth which then was wholly a place of pleasure and delight which is also very absurd for then Adam had beene cast out of the whole earth when God cast him out of the garden and the land of Cush and of Havilah and Assyria towards which the rivers did run after they were gone out of the garden had beene out of the World Besides wee read in the Scriptures that Eden in which the garden was planted was a speciall country in Mesopotamia neare Haran and Gozâ—n and the people thereof did trade with Tirus 2 King 19. 12. and Ezech. 27. 23. Ephrem held it to bee a remote place beyond the vast Ocean Sea and unknowne tous Damascene in his book 2 de fide chap. 14. held it to bee a place higher then all the earth Beda and Rupertus held it to bee a place next unto heaven reaching up to the Sphaere of the Moone Alexander Hales and Tostatus thought it to bee a place in the aire farre below the Moone Others who held it to bee a speciall place in the earth doe much vary and differ among themselves Luther conceived that it contained in it all Mesopotamia Syria and Egypt Others thought that it comprehended all Asia and Africa Others that it was that part of Syria which is called the region of Damaseus because there was the Kings forrest of goodly Cedars which is called Paradise Nehem. 2. 8. and there is a towne called by the name of Eden and Paradise which is mentioned as some thinke Amos 1. 5. The Opinion of Bonaventure is that the place of it is under the Aequinoctiall Bellarmine in his booke de gratia primi hominis chap. 10. confesseth that it must needs bee an earthly and bodily place planted with trees but farre remote from knowledge of men and that no man can define where it is that it was not destroyed in the generall deluge and flood of Noah but remaines to this day And that Enoch and Eliah were translated thither and there are kept to fight with Antichrist in the end of the World This Opinion is contrary to truth and contradicts it selfe First the Scriptures testifie that Eliah was not translated into an unknowne place on earth but went up to heaven in a firie chariot Secondly that the waters of Noah's flood did prevaile 15. cubits above the highest mountaines And therefore if Paradise was an earthly place as Bellarmine holds it must needs bee destroyed in the generall deluge Gen. 7. 20. Yea if Paradise had beene preserved safe from the flood it had beene needlesse and vaine labour for Noah to build such an huge arke God might have saved him and all the creatures with him in the garden of Paradise Thirdly Moses doth here plainely define where this garden was and whosoever with understanding reads this History may easily define where it was But where it is now none can define for it is destroyed and onely the place of it remaines still But not to trouble my discourse with particular confutations of these severall opinions the very text it selfe and that exposition which I have made of it by the helpe of other Scriptures doth as it were with one blast blow them all away like chaffe and with one stroke dash them all in pieces For this text tels us that this garden was planted in the earth and God made the trees in it to grow out of the ground that the speciall place of the earth in which God planted it was Eden that is a place in Mesopotamia and Babylonia knowne by that name and mentioned by Rabshekeh among the countries which the Assyrian Kings had conquered scituate betweene Iudea and Assyria and neare unto Assyriah 2 King 19. 12. and by Ezekiel cap. 27. 23. mentioned among the countries and cities which from Mesopotamia did trade with Tyrus The text also tels us that it was in Eden Eastward or on the East-side watered with a river which came out of Eden from the other part thereof which river having divided it selfe into foure streames that it might run through severall parts of the garden and water it did no more meet in one but from thence that is from the garden was parted and became foure speciall rivers taking their course and compasse towards severall lands to wit Pishon to the land of Havilah Gihon to the land of Cush Hiddekel to the land of Assyriah and Euphrates through Babylonia and Chaldaea all which are to Iewes and naturall Israelites who ever since the captivity of Israel to Assyriah and of Iuda to Babylon doe live a dispersed and scattered people in those countries knowne by those old names to these dayes as appeares in the Itinerarie of Benjamin Tudalensis the Iew and divers other histories Now these things being plainely laid downe in the text explained by other Scriptures the places and rivers being often mentioned in histories and knowne to the Iewes who dwell in those parts untill this day there is now no least colour or show of reason left for the divers opinions before rehearsed they all appeare to be vaine erroneous the manifest truth of this text overthrowes them all at once And now from hence wee may learne a profitable point of instruction viz. That nothing is more vaine and uncertaine then the opinion of witty and learned Men both ancient Fathers and later Writers and Schoolemen while they follow their owne reason their owne witty conceipts without warrant from the Word of God There is no sure or certaine ground which a man may safely rest upon for the right understanding of the Scriptures but onely the word of God it selfe either speaking plainely in the very text it selfe or by other places and testimonies which are more full and plaine compared with the obscurer texts By this meanes onely the Spirit of God doth enlighten our hearts and understanding to know infallibly the true sense and meaning of them Besides many other proofes which serve to confirme this which I omit as not necessary at this present wee have a firme argument from our Saviours owne words Iohn 16. ver 13 14. where hee saith that now under the Gospell the Spirit speakes not of himselfe by simple and immediate inspiration without any word as in the Prophets of old but whatsoever hee shall heare that shall hee speake and hee shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you that is hee shall inspire and enlighten men onely by my word which I have spoken with mine owne mouth and by the Prophets and holy Men of God who
it is much defaced and deformed in all parts and in some parts quite abolished and is now stiled the likenesse of corruptible man Rom. 1. 23. and the likenesse of sinfull flesh Rom 8. 3. and the forme of a servant and likenesse of fraile men even as it was in Christ Phil. 2. 7. But the image of God in Christ is immutable neither our sins which hee bare nor all our infirmities nor the Divell nor the World nor all the powers of darknesse nor the curse of the law which hee was made in his death nor the wrath of God and the agonies with which hee wrastled in his agony both in the time of his bloody sweat and on the crosse when hee cryed out My God why hast thou forsaken me could deface or impaire that spirituall and supernaturall image of true righteousnesse and holinesse which was stamped on his humanity and in which it was framed by the holy Ghost but over all those enemies and powers hee triumphed even upon the Crosse Colos. 2. 15. and in his cursed death hee offered up himselfe a sacrifice most pure holy and without spot Heb. 9. 14. so that his holinesse was no whit stained nor Gods spirituall image in him defaced or diminished And as this spirituall image could not bee diminished in Christ the second Adam our head so it is indeleble and cannot bee defaced in any of his members truely regenerate and united to him by the same spirit but it dayly increaseth in them and they are transformed into it from glory to glory by his Spirit in them which is stronger and greater then the Divell the Spirit of malice which is in the World and rules in the children of disobedience For the Spirit seales them up unto the day of redemption Ephes. 4. 30. And they cannot sin by apoâ—acy and fall into infidelity and impenitency 1 Ioh. 3. 9. because the seed of God abideth in them Thirdly the image of God in the first Adam was most perfect at the first for hee was created perfect with naturall perfection and the naturall image of God was never so perfect in any of his naturall sons as it was in him at the first And as it decayed and was defaced in him by his fall so in all of his posterity who are Gods elect it gives place to the better image of Christ And in his Sons who are reprobates it shall bee utterly abolished at last and changed into the image of the Divell when they shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and from the glory of his power 2 Thess. 1. 9. But the image of God in the second Adam is at the first in the least measure like a graine of mustard seed and still it increaseth till at last it commeth to fulnesse and perfection in glory In Christ our head it was not so cleare nor so full at the first being ecclipsed with our infirmities but that hee did grow up in wisedome and stature and favour with God and men Luk 2. 52. and so this image increased in him and hee was more and more full of the holy Ghost till at length hee was perfected with glory And so likewise in the state of grace it daily increaseth in all the true members of Christ till they come to glory and beare the heavenly image of Christ and attaine to the fulnesse of him as appeares Rom. 12. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 18. and 4. 16 Ephes. 4. 13 16. Coloss. 3. 10. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 〈◊〉 Fourthly the image of God in Adam consisted onely in such gifts and endowments as made him a perfect naturall man capable of an earthly felicity It did not enable him to search into the heavenly things of God nor make him partaker of heavenly glory But the image of God in Christ consists of spirituall gifts and supernaturall graces which doe enable a man to search into the deepe things of God which never entered into the heart of Adam in innocency 1 Cor. 3. 9 10. or of any meere naturall man and which doe make him fit to see God and to inherite the Kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. and Hebr. 12. 14. The image of God in which Adam was created did consist chiefely of originall righteousnesse which was but a perfect naturall uprightnesse and conformity of his reason understanding will and affections to the will and law of God made knowne to him in the creation and also in the perfect frame and disposition of his body and of all parts thereof by which they were most apt and ready to follow his upright reason will and affections in all things and to move and worke accordingly and the Scriptures attribute no more to man while hee bare that image in the creation but onely that God made man upright Eccles. 7. verse last this was the height and perfection of that image But the image of God in Christ the second Adam containes in it the righteousnesse and holinesse of truth Ephes. 4. 24. that is a righteousnesse wrought in us by the holy Ghost and a true holinesse and holy conformity to God which cannot faile and deceive and which doth elevate and lift us up to heavenly felicity and the eternall fruition of God The image of God in which Adam was made was but the uprightnesse of servants and conformity to the will of God commanding as Lord and Creatour under paine of death Gen. 2. 17. But the image of God in Christ is the image of Sons and Children not onely adopted to God in Christ but also begotten and borne of Gods immortall seed even his Spirit and made partakers of the divine nature Ioh. 3. 5. Gal. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 23. and 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Lastly the image of God in which Adam was made did not in the greatest perfection of it give that fulnesse and sufficiency of contentment which might settle his resolution never to desire more for hee out of a desire to know more and to bee like God in knowing good and evill was easily tempted and drawne by the Serpent to eat of the forbidden fruite But the image of God in Christ the second Adam gives such solid content to Gods people even here in this fraile life in the state of grace where they have it but in part that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor anguish persecution perill or sword can make them willing to forgoe it for any other hope and in the full perfection of it after the last resurrection it brings fulnesse of joy contentment and satisfaction and fils men up with the fulnesse of God Psalme 16. 11. and 17. 15. Rom 8. 35. Ephes. 3. 19. Now these things which I have here laid downe by way of plaine Doctrine concerning the true meaning of the words image and likenesse and the difference betweene the image of God in which the first Adam was created and the image of God in the
for himself and them so far as was needfull in his kind and in that naturall estate and what was just for him to do and how to beare himself uprightly towards God and all his creatures That he had the knowledge and understanding of all these things sufficiently to make him perfect and happie in that estate and that there was no errour or ignorance in him of any thing which was meet for him to know appears most plainely by divers things First by Gods giving to man dominion and rule over all living creatures and puting him in the garden to dresse it and puting all the earth in Subjection to him which God would never have done being infinitly wise and just except he had knowne man to be one who understood and knew the nature of the earth and all Herbes Plants and Trees in it and by his reason wisdome and knowledge was able to rule all Creatures with discretion and to order them according to their severall natures and to dresse the garden and subdue the earth Secondly by Adams naming of all the Creatures every one by such a name as did shew the nature of it so that God did approve and confirme the names Gen. 2. 19 and every Creature did in all likelyhood come to Adam being called by that name Thirdly by the understanding which he had of the nature of the woman when God shewed her to be formed of his Rib and presently giving her the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Woman or shee Man Gen. 2. 23. Fourthly by Adams free conversing with God and hearing of his voice without fear or dread which was a strong evidence of an upright heart and pure conscience and that he knew God and his goodnesse and that though God was greater then he could comprehend yet God would not hurt him but uphold him so long as he did obey Gods will revealed to him Secondly man did resemble God in the perfect liberty and freedome of his will and in the perfect conformity of it to the revealed and knowne will of God and in the readinesse and naturall forwardnesse of it to will whatsoever good was within his power and of himself to will nothing which was unjust and evill by these things he resembled the free will and liberty of God and his justice and equitie in all his doings That mans will was most free to good and that he had power of will to obey God appeares First by this that the Law of God was written in his heart as the rule of his life and actions and that so deeply that it remaines in the heart of his corrupt seed in some measure cannot be quite blotted out As he knew by his understanding and in his minde so he was willing in his heart to will and to do all accordingly of himself would never have fallen if the Devill that Spirituall wickednesse had not by the Serpent seduced and deceived him Secondly by the power and Dominion which God gave to him over all Creatures visible which he would not have done if man had not been as ready in will as perfect in knowledge to rule them aright It is not knowledge alone but uprightnesse of heart and will and power and freedome to will just things justly which God requires to make an able and sufficient Ruler as David testifieth in his last words Thirdly it is manifest by the commaundement which God gave to man to be obeyed under paine of death which he being a good God would never have imposed on man if mans will had not been free and upright for then he had laid a snare which man could not have avoided and had required more of man then man by his naturall power was able to performe Thirdly man was also conformable to God and to his just will goodnesse purity and happinesse in all the desires and affections of his heart and soule He of himself desired no more but that which God gave him and allowed him hee loved God as his Creatour and the author of all his good He did rejoice in Gods favour love and bountie He delighted himself in all the naturall gifts which God had given him and in the good creatures of God there was perfect Harmonie and sweet consent between his reason understanding will and his desires and affections whatsoever he knew to be good and just that he freely willed desired and affected there was no disorder discord or repugnancy and dissention in any power or faculty of Soule or Body no least cause of griefe but all joy and content And of himself he never would have desired more then God had given nor coveted an higher estate if Satan had not suggested such desire and seduced him This and indeed all the whole perfect uprightnesse of man in all the powers and faculties of his Soule in his understanding will desires and affections is most clearly confirmed by plaine testimonies of holy Scripture First by the last verse of this Chapter where it is said that when God had created man Male and Female and finished the Creation he saw every thing which he had made and behold it was very good If man was very good then was he upright in all the faculties of the Soule in his understanding will desires and affections and there could be no discord among them for that is evill and miserable Secondly we have the testimony of the wise Preacher Eccles. 7. 30. that God made man upright that is in Originall righteousnesse conformable in his upright reason understanding will and affections to the just revealed will of God Thirdly experience teacheth that the things which make man ashamed are ignorance and errour in mind and understanding perversnesse of will disorderly lusts and affections and deformity and distemper either in Soule or Body Now Man and Woman had no cause of shame in them neither were they ashamed when they were naked and went uncovered in all parts as wee reade Chap. 2. 25. and therefore in the state of innocencie all these causes of shame were far from him and he most free from them The Secondary conformity of man to God which is in man according to his Body consists in things which belong to the body and to the outward visible man First wee must not conceive that God is any kind of body or bodily substance as blasphemous Vorstius and other Arminians have written neither that God hath a forme and shape like a mans body as the Anthromorphites of old dreamed For it is manifest that in him who is infinit and so present in all places that he is in his whole essence in every place should have any difference or limitation or dimension or measure of severall parts which is necessarily required in the forme shape and substance of mans body and every bodily thing But yet because in the most wise and artificiall frame and naturall temper of mans body and the most fit disposition and order of all parts by which