further objected the second Adams body and soule were seperated and his body raised from the grave not a spirituall but a naturall body of flesh and blood therefore mans naturall body of flesh and blood doth inherit the Kingdome of God in the glory of Angells The second Adam must be considered as a sinner not in his nature Answere nor an actuall transgressor but imputatively a sinner for he was so made sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God given us imputatively in him But if the first Adam had kept the Covenant then no sin therefore no separation of God from him or the soule from God which was his death nor of Soule from Body which was but the shadow of death but he should have ascended in perfect union of love naturall and supernaturall to God and his Neighbour in the perfect union of Soule Body and should have knowne no separation in either for their bodies should have been made spirituall by a change as shall all mens which shall be found living at the generall judgement of the second Adam as Saint Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.33 As for Christs body being raised a naturall body of flesh and blood and continued so forty daies on earth it was for a speciall end that his body was detained from being glorified that space namely to be a firme object of Faith even to mens senses to confirme beliefe in them that Hee was Hee that had fulfilled all righteousnesse for the restauration of the world that he might say to doubting Thomas and truly toâ— reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not fâ—ithlesse but believe and therefore to this purpose he shew'd himselfe to five hundred Brethren at once Iohn 20.27 Lu. 24.39 But that touch which hee propounded to Thomas hee denyed to Mary saying touch me not and gives her this as a reason why she must not touch him namely because hee was not ascended to his Father implying by his speeches to these two Thomas and Mary First that to man doubting the truth of him as the object of justification the touch of his crucified body was a helpe Secondly to Faith confirmed in his Resurrection as was Maries his body spiritualized and * Christ body being now made a spirituall body Essentially considered and not a body of flesh and blood then how can that be true that he wil come in the flesh and raigne in this Elementary world 1000 yeares glorified by his Ascention was its most proper object of beliefe Ioh. 20 17. Col. 3.1 Yet I do not meane that the glorious body of Christ is or that mans body should have bin nor shall be made a meer Spirit as is the reasonable Soules of mankinde but I meane that the Lord Iesus Christ is and mans body shall be changed into a Nature farre nearer the nature of the reasonable Soule then it was created or now is yet a body still and every man his own body but every way more able to answere the righteous desires and motions of the reasonable Soule much like the Angells which immediatly accord to doe Gods will to his eternall praise and glory Againe as concerning the creation I doe not meane that it should have bin if the first Adam had stood nor now shall be by the second Adams fulfilling the same Covenant and more be made so spirituall a Nature as are the highest Heavens the most immediate expressions that shadowed forth the Divine glory to men or Angels but I meane it should have bin and shall be partaker of the same generall nature supernaturallized as shall be the bodies of mankinde in some degree But if Adam had kept the Covenant then it should not growingly have travailed as now it doth to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God for then because no sinne no corruption or vanitâ— but in its naturall perfections together with mankinde in his pure Naturalls it should have more sweetly travailed to its supercelestiall perfections And so to Man it should have bin as the Suburbs of the Celestiall glory but now as must mans Body As mans elementary body shal be changed into a spirituall body so shall the elementary bodies of the terrestriall and and caelestiall Globes be chaÌ„ged into a spirituall nature and thus much of the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God shall this universe be partakers of so it must be changed as saith the Text Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed that is as saith Saint Peter into a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse implying it shall then no more detaine man evill or unrighteous or Divells as now it doth but as it was made for man righteous in perfection of the Creation and ordayned by the Covenant to a supernaturall perfection with man supernaturally righteous in the improvement of the Covenant so it now shall be againe by the second Adam restored to the glorious liberty of the Children of God as Saint Paul affirmes it travailes untill now Rom. 8.21 22 23 33. So much for the fourth point namely what is the issue or intended end of Gods Covenant with the first Adam Here observe First as God shaddowed out himselfe to mans perceivance * Or these shadowes may be called discoveries or light because the Apostle gives this definition that that which manifesteth is light Eph. 5.13 1. by the perfection of the Creation 2. by the supernaturall prefiguration of the Covenant 3. and will in the glory of the elect Angells by the most immediate expressions of his essentiall perfection whence observe That Gods essentiall glory essentially considered is unperceiveable by men and Angells and only knowne to himselfe and the ground is by reason of that vast distance that is betweene an infinite Essence and creatures that are at best but finite But yet further observe that so farre forth as God doth expressively manifest himselfe to men and Angells by objects sutable to their apprehensions so farre forth he is to them an object of Love and most tranquill Consolation and so farre forth as he appeares such a good and much more then they can comprehend so farre forth he is to men and Angels an object of divine worship and adoration but on the contrary so farre as God doth shadow out himselfe to men and Angels in objects proceeding against them and contrary to them and more then their apprehensions can comprehend so farreforth he is to men and Angels an object of dolor dread and ever sinking desperation Secondly observe that in either Estate Adam could not convey to his posterity more then what himselfe enjoyed therefore as in his second Estate by Covenant hee could not convey his naturall perfections alone if he had kept Covenant but both naturall and supernaturall joyntly together because then his naturall holinesse was a means by improvement to a supernaturall
creation hee was to eate of the fruit of the creation for his nutrimentall sustentation so now of the fruits of this Garden also for the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the Garden thou mayest eate freely Gen. 1.29 Gen. 2.16 The negative rule was it by which hee was to improve his strength of body and mind to God by obedience namely the forbearing to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and evill but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill thou shalt not eate c. Gen. 2.17 And this rule led him to be both passively and actively obedient passively in two things First although in the perfection of the creation all things good for food was due to him by Gods allowance without restraint yet in this Garden or Plantation by this rule hee was to suffer this restraint namely to deny himselfe to eate of the fruit of this Tree of knowledge of good and evill upon paine of most dreadfull consequences for saith the Text In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt certainly die the â—â—â—ath Verse 17. Although in the perfection of the creation God rendred his sweete imbreathings very good and no evill yet in this Garden the obedience of these rules bound them to suffer the imbreathings of the assaults of Satan that evill one in point of triall (a) As did the second Adam Luk. 4.3 2.3.4 And here lay the life of their obedience for without this assault their triall had beene no triall to the improvement of their naturall perfections of righteousnesse and holinesse to Gods Covenant in point of good and evill And againe this negative rule led them to active obedience in two particulars first the fruits of this tree of good and evill being naturally good food it required of them a diligent observation of their naturall appetite lest it might dispose them to transgresse the rule of the Covenant This rule led them in stead of feeding their bodies with the fruit of this tree to feed their soules by beliefe of the signified knowledge of good equivalent to Angels in glory or with the signified knowledge of evill equivalently contrary in eternall misery So much for this point what Adams obedience in the Covenant was Lastly the intended end of Gods Covenant with Adam was of great consequence for it respected God all mankinde the World and the Divell for what if Satans lye to the woman pretended that there was no truth in Gods word for their death if they did transgresse saying yee shall not die at all and what if Satan did make God to them to be but a meere imposture as only pretending that Angelicall good but never intended it for to the woman in the Serpent he said God doth know that in the dâ—y that yee eate thereof your eyes shall be opened and yee shall be as Gods knowing good and evill He not denying a higher good intended in the Covenant but implying Gods command was the only thing that kept him from attayning it I say what of all this for if hee had in beliefe of Gods word abstayned from eating the fruit according to the rule of the Covenant then they had not only freed themselves from being murthered the world had not been destroyed Gods word had not been nullified Satan had not in the beliefe of his lyes bin magnified bâ—t on the contrary from their beliefe of truth working to God by love God over all by his word of truth had bin glorified in two respects 1 Because (b) So that Gods justâ—ce would have bin glorified to all eternity in the â—irst demonstrating his righteousnesse and goodnesse in the eternall felicity of all mankinde with Angells 2. righteously demonstâ—ating his wrath in the Apostate Angells oâ— Divells by Adams repeling their lies yet not but that justice precedeÌ„tly did in the right of Gods glory passe to immediate execution on those Apostat Angels and by their murthering of Adam Gods justice from thence did supâ—rabound upon them by Gods giving way to them to bruise the heele of Christ in the aggravation of their malice so thaâ—â—hey weâ—e not oâ—ly â—â—cluded Angels glory at the 〈◊〉 but shâ—ll dâ—â—w upon themselves the latâ—tude of Gods Attributes glorious in wisdom power and his iâ—efull justice to all eternity wheÌ„ God shall loose their chaines of darknesse by which they are reserved unto that day at the remembrance whereof they tremble by his Justice according to the Covenant the naturall perfections of the Creatures together with man in his pure Naturalls for wages to Adams worke should have received a quickning Spirit and man in the perfection of faith So travailing together towards their celestiall perfections 2. And Satans lyes by beliefe of Gods truth nullified and consequently Satan most justly condemned for a lyer and murtherer of mankinde the destroyer of all the works of God and adjudged for a most impudent blasphemer of God and all this would immediatly have followed upon Adams perfect repelling of Satans temptations For the Justice of the Covenant was expresse for immediate execution even the same day and minute for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the death Gen. 2.17 Againe a second reason is drawn from the nature of the Covenant which was for good and evill therefore no middle Estate but good or evill immediatly even as upon Adams offence judgement passed upon all to condemnation So on the contrary if Adam had obeyed the Rule of the Covenant there would have bin produced a posterity through all Generations ascending successefully to the Elect Angells in Angelicall glory in perfect union in soule and body for the Couenant was for all mankinde alike in good But it may be objected mans body in its pure naturalls being but flesh and blood Object in an Elementary compound could neither ascend nor be able to inherit the spirituall Glory sutable to the nature of Angells so powerfully glorious therefore that Angelicall glory was not intended in the Covenant Although mans naturall body could not inhabit that Kingdome as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.50 Answere yet that body naturall made a spirituall body is a powerfull body as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.43 And therefore it could both ascend and inherit with Angells for if Adam had â—â—ept the negative Rule of the Covenant as is declared then as in the perfection of nature he was made a living Soule so in the justice of the Covenant God would have made him to his posteritie a quickening Spirit not only in the perfection of Faith living a spirituall life in his pure Naturalls but would also have quickened his naturall Elementary body with a spirituall Nature powerfull to ascend and inherit the glory of Angells successively to the last man that should live on the Farth but now in the second Adam onely is this twofold quickening Spirit found who only is the Resurrection and the life of man as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.45 Object But it may be
this fruit to the ruine of him and all the world and his posterity if hee had not beene remisse of all comprised in the conditirn of the Covenant Now as Adams remissenesse brought on this sinne of omission so his sin of omission brought on his sin of commission namely the eating of the forbidden fruit for when the divell in the Serpent told them saying yee shall not die at all and also that their obedience to Gods commandement denying themselves that fruit was the onely thing that kept them from having their eyes opened to be as Gods to know good and evill thereupon the Woman seeing the Tree and that the fruit was good for food saith the Text and that it wâ—s pleasant to the eye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3.16 Shee tooke the fruit thereof and did eat and gave it to her Husband also and hee did eate to Gods great dishonour esteeming his truth as false and God himselfe to them as a meere imposture and so magnified Satan as faithfull beleeving his lyes for truth because they imbraced them with a plenary consent and thereby they ventured the world their posterity and themselves upon his lies and so became the Generation and Offspring of reprobate Divells for it was with them now as it was with the Divells as the Angels became Divells not by change of their Essence but by change of their operations not abiding in the truth so this made them and us * And as we aâ—e pâ—rtakers of the diaâ—olicall nature by union with his will opeâ—ations as Iâ—hn 8.44 so on the contrary are we partakers of the divine nature not essentially but by the union of our will with his word by which we fly the corruptions that are in the world through lust 2 Pete 1.4 17. Iohn 17.21.22 23. as Divells by full amity to Satans will and enmity to God in beliefe of Satans liâ—s And thus was this sinne finished And so much for the first branch namely The evill of Adams transgression Secondly the evill of punishment followes yet not evill punishment because it was just and therefore good and just because according to the equall Ballance of the conditions of the Covenant that was good or evill as Adam did obey or disobey and therefore because Adam transgressed the Covenant justice now required these particulars First the extinguishing the perfections of the Creation from us because it was dependant on Adams worke in the Covenant and hee by eating the forbidden fruite denyed its perfection therefore it to him in justice must not only be stript of aâ—l perfections but on the contrary by Gods power turned into defections crosse operations and hideous representations to mans toâ—turous torment as the first fruits of his remote damnation because th s was the contrary evill In this third â—â—tate man was more deepely dead in sinnes and trespasses then hee can be in this world in his fourth Estate although hee be twice dead and pluckt up by the roots Secondly under this dreadfull Estate Justice now required that in it be that could of stones tell how to raise Children to Abraham should finde a way to raise a Posterity of Aâ—aâ— which to the last of man kinde must have bâ—n produced in conceptions births breedings dâ—spositions and operations totally evill like the generations of Serpents yea as reprobate Divells for if all must have bin equivalently contrary in evill to the precedent good as we see it must therefore so in this particular Thirdly as the prefiguration of the Plantation was the most immediate meanes to leade man by Faith to his highest end in eternall felicity Justice requireth contrarily that now thâ—s Plantation must be turned into the most certaine demonstration within the confines of the creation of our full terminating in eternall tortures to all eternity As Adam by refusing Gods truth refused the place and fellowship of Glory with the elect Angells by choosing Satans he so on the contrary Justice now required that he and his posterity must descend successively to the place prepared for the Divell and his Angells in fellowship with them as to our last and everlasting Habitations Mat. 25.41 for now all man-kinde and Divells were in Reprobation As the Latitude of Gods glorious Attributes are displayed in â—aking shaping and creating the supercelestiall Heaven of Heavens to be the most immediate expressions which demonstrate the glory of Gods Essentiall perfections to the ultimate felicity that men or Angells can be capable of On the contrary of this place for Torment Justice required that the Latitude of Gods Attributes glorious in power and wisdome must be stretcht out at as equall a distance to make shape or create this place with most dreadfull visions of the Almighty in the most torturing torments that the nature of Divells or mans body made spirituall can be capable of for a Spirituall body is not a body glorified no more then to be a Spirit but it is powerfully capable to inherit the glory of Angells or the misery of Divells to which we all should have descended none excepted for the Covenant was for al and al alike therefore in this vast depth of Gods pure justice we must ever have bin sinking in despaire never to come to the bottome thereof for the wrath of God must have bin feeding it as with Rivers of fire and brimstone to our torâ—urous torments to all eternity therefore endlesse easelesse remedilesse in darknesse never seeing light Esay 30.33 Againe mans conscience beholding the evill of his sinne how easily really certainly hee might once not only have avoâ—ded this torment but on the contrary might have attained to the height of all felicity to all eternity This worme would to Adam and will to all men which will needs be perishing be ever gnawing with griefe and never cease and so all man-kinde should hereditarily throughout all generations discend as travailing together to the foresaid place of their ultimate miserie and infelicity with this Creation as stript of its precedent perfections into crosse defections and operations c. Yet man not then sunke downe to his ultimate misery by Separation of his Body from his Soule as now man doth but in a personall union both of body and Soule together For the justice of the Covenant could not admit so much rest to mans Body as to sleepe in the dust nor any time of respit of execution for a day to come to judge the world buâ— immediate execution was to passe according to judgement In the day â—hou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death But this Judgement pass'd not to execution according to justice because that as by the offence of one judgement passed upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5.16 even so by the righteousnesse of one the free guift came upon all men to the justification of life And so we are come to Adam and our fourth Estate in the restauration of the world by Redemption in the second
by whom he hoped to attaine all blessednesse Againe His Offring being of the fattest this implied his high respect of this sacred Mistery by beliefe of truth for by Faith saith the Text Abell offred unto God a more acceptable Sacrifice then Cain by which hee obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his guift Heb. 11.4 As concerning Cain it is also implyed what was well in his sacrificing as first the thing which he brought hee brought it to offer Secondly he offered it not to Idoles but to Iehovah and this was well and because the Text relates his offering with no further commendations it implies that no more good could be spoken of it according to truth So much for hat was well Againe this was not well that his love to this mystery according to truth in the second Adam brought him not to offer for the Text implies that processe of time brought him to this businesse Gen. 4.3 Againe because the Text saith he brought the fruits of the ground to offer to Jehovah this implies his too high respect of things Terrestriall consequently his profanenesse to this Supernaturall Mystery in the promised seed and in a word all his Religion at the best was but to be conversant about the object of Iustification and no way consonant to faith in that object For saith Moses be was not only wroth but very wroth because God gave no respect to his offering which as before I noted implyed Cains too high esteeme of his Earthly offering brought unto God but hee whose heart is so lâ—fted up his minde is not good nor upright in him Hab. 2.4 Againe his heart was so fall'n as appeares by his countenance because his personall operations were rejected this implyed hee came not to be accepted in Gods guift of Christs righteous operations as imputed but in his owne supposed righteousnesse wherefore his owne sinne lay uppon him in his attracted habit guilt and punishment for he that beleeveth not the wrath of God abides upon him But on the contrary that if hee did well he should be accepted God makes it further apparant by removing all personaâ—l respects from Abell for as concerning him saith God to Caine unto thee shall be his desire subject and thou shalt rule over him implying two things First whereas thou art the first borne and so a figure of the first borne of every Creature in this respect Abells desire shall be subject unto thee in love and reverence to that mystery Secondly as hee is thy younger Brother so thou art his protector supporter and instructer in which respects thou shalt still rule over him for I looke not to his person more then to thine but with respect to his submitting unto mee in the fulnesse of my mercy and if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinne lies at the doore but Cain remissely harkened to this reproofe and gracious incouragement for in the next place Moses saith Cain talked with his Brother but tells not what talke it was yet implicitly points it was some hatefull speeches because it ended in his blood for saith the text It came to passe when they were in the field that Cain rose up against his Brother and slew him From whence Saint Iohn rightly affirmes that Cain was of that evill one as implying Cains amity with Satan in the Spirit of concision cutting from his soule the foresaid infused enmity derived in his naturall conception therefore he wâ—s of that evill one lifted up in the Spirit of Satan against Gods way of salvation by Christs righteousnesse imputed for saith Saint John hee slâ—w his Brother because his owne works were evill and his Brothers righteous 1 Joh. 2.12 And for this God comes against Cain for saith Moses Iehovah saith unto Cain where is Abell thy Brother Cain answered in the Spirit of a lyer and murtherer saying I know not am I my Brothers keeper but God charg'd the Fact upon him saying what hast thou done the voyce of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto mee from the earth wherefore God turned the flaming Sword of his wrath which turned every way against Cain by pronouncing this sentence saying now thou art accursed from the earth which opened her mouth to receive thy Brothers bloud from thy hand when thou tillest the ground it shall not from henceforth yeeld to thee her strength a fugitive and Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth To which Cain replies for saith Moses Cain said unto JEHOVAH my iniquity is greater then can be forgiven and so my punishment is greater then I can beare because it shall never be removed ver 12.13 Againe he bids God behold or consider what was his punishment for saith hee thou hast driven mee out from the face of the Earth and from thy face shall I be hid and shall be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth for it shall come to passe that every one that findeth mee shall slay mee To which God answereth him to this effect So that one the same person individually considered may at one time be the subject of Gods unfained or entire grace and mercy in Iesus Châ—â—st and another time the subject of his consuming and everlasting wrath as for my precedent sentence it is now unrevocable for thou who didst refusâ— acceptance and pardon of sinne and life eternall upon my interrogative affirmation if thou wouldest but applie thy selfe to mee in my mercy to thee But thou instead of circumcising the seed of the Serpent hast cut off from thee by custome in sinne my infused principle of Amity towards mee from thy Spirit and joyned to Satan mine adversary against mee in my salvation so freely tendred and fully intended unto thee For thou hast slaine thy Brother only because he submitted unto me in my guift of righteousnesse imputed for his salvation therefore as I told thee if thou didst not well sinne should lie at the dore so thy guilt and punishment now shall rest irrevocably upon thee to all eternity only this will I doe for thee in this worlds contentments for a time I will assure thy abode therefore saith God whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold and Jehovah set a marke upon Cain lest any finding him should k ll him Thus when the noble Spirit of man departs froÌ„ Gods presence of grace it setleth its abode in â—erâ—estâ—iall conâ—entments sutable to the corporall body or corruptible part of man but they that sowe to the flesh of the flesh shall â—eape corruption Whereupon Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah and dwelt in the Land of Nod on the East side of Eden and his posterity on Earth began to spring out and multiply hee built a City and called it by the name of his Sonne Enoch And so now I discend from this Modell of Gods impartiall proceedings in these two as to the whole masse of mankinde And Cain thus remaining under wrath Abell being translated
the things of God but the things that be of men Mat. 16.23 And to the same spirit in Iames and Iohn He turned and rebuked them and said yee know not of what Spirit yee are of Lu. 9.34 To the same spirit in the two Disciples that went to Emaus saith hee O fooles and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory Luk 24 26. Likewise saith the Text Hee appeared to the Eleven as they sat at meate and upbraided them wits their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Marke 16.14 And to the Virgin Mary his Mother Jesus saith unto her Woman what have I to doe with thee mine houre is not yet came implying in her request something was not sutable to his Spirit of Truth consequently so farre forth according to the lying spirit of Satan Ioh. 2 4. Secondly he also witnessed this truth of God against the lying spirit of Satan in sinners That is Man in the state of unbeliefe as resisting this truth as for instance he proving himselfe to be the light of the world not only by Doctrine but â—lso by a miraculous fact giving sight to the man that was borne blinde then the lying spirit of saâ—an attempted to extinguish this truth by saying give God the praise we knew that God spake with Moses as for this fellow wee know not whence hee is But Christ in the mouth of the man retorts the argument upon them saying herein is a marvellous thing for yee know not whence hee is and yet hee hath opened mine eyes Now wee know that God heareth not sinners but if a man be a worsh pper of God and doeth his will him God heareth and since the world began was it never heard that any man opened the eyes of any that was borne blind Joh. 9.5.6.16.24.29 c. Likewise he being in the Synagogue intermingling this Doctrine of truth with another miraculous fact called to a woman bound by Satan eighteene yeares and by the word of his mouth makes her free from the bondage of satan implicitly telling them that if by the call of his Doctrine they would in beliefe of that truth but as they were able by sense and reason come to him he then would dissolve the power of satan in them and so the truth should make them free but the lying spirit of satan in the Ruler of the Synagogue resisted this truth for he answereth with indignation because that Iesus had healed on the sabbath day and said unto the people are there not six days in which men ought to worke in them therefore come and be healed and not on the Sabbath day But this evill spirit so changed into an Angell of light the Lord discovers and said Thou Hypocrite doth not each of you on the Sabboth day loose his Oxe or his Asse from the stall and leade him to the water and ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham which Satan had bound loe eighteene yeeres be loosed on the Sabbath day and all his enemies were ashamed likewise hee miraculously fed many with small parcells of bread declaring himselfe thereby as by his doctrine that hee was the bread of life to man by beliefe of this truth to nourish him to everlasting life Likewise by raising up the widowes sonne and lairus daughter and Lazarus foure dayes dead declaring by this as by his doctrine that he was sent of his Father to them the resurrection and life to man by their beliefe of truth in him Or the resurrection of faithlesse man to everlasting death for saith hee If yee believe not that I am hee yee shall die in your sinnes that is and rise to perpetuall shame but all this truth in the lyings spirit of Satan they resist by pretence that Abraham and God was a Father to them but he according to truth witnessed the contrary against them saying I know you are Abrahams seed Joh. 8.37 but vers 39. Iesus said unto them if yee were Abrahams seed yee would doe the workes of Abraham but now yee seeke to kill mee a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham implying that although they were Abrahams seed in the flesh yet not Abrahams seed in the faith consequently not children to God but to the Divell verse 44. Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your Father yee will doe For although by light of sacred truth they came to know hee was the heire namely the promised seed from God to Adam Abraham and David and so heire to all yet their minds by pride was lifted up with the glory of the Terrestriall Temple and princely Priesthood as a worldly magnificence to their Nation but not to the celestiall mysterie therein leading to the imputed righteousnesse of the seed as the onely ground of all their glory for in their hearts him they hate and attempt to extinguish both him and his doctrine because it tended to put an end to that typicall magnificence and * Man perversly proue by custome in sinne to attaine a glory adequate to his corporeall part namely his mouldering body is therefore an enemy to Gods way as leading him to an eternal felicity sutable to his unperishing part namely his soule and body made spirituall but so farre as man is led by the spirit of Christ he is of another minde worldly glory Marke 12. from verse 7. to the 12. Matth 21.38 and 45. But the Lord Jesus Christ witnessed the truth in plaine termes and said My Kingdome is not of this world my Kingdome (a) If Christ refused to be an ea thly Monarch in Canaan and Sion hill declaring by plainnesse of speech that his Kingdome is not such consequently this Kingdome of Christs Spouse nationall elect was but a figure of that grace that was most cleaâ—ely powred out under the Gospell and also of his eternall throne in moâ—e then Angels glory and not a type of an earthly Monarchy of his of one thousand yeeres in length see this point more cleare in cap. 9. is not from hence Mat. 18. 36 Likewise he refused to be made a worldly King on Sion hill so proving his doctrine to be true by this fact for saith the Text when Iesus therefore perceived they would come and take him by force to make him King he departed thence c. John 6.15 Likewise to his successoâ—s which were to witnesse this sacred doctrine of truth hee gives the same rule not to (b) In the judgement of the Sonne of God it is a safe way to keepe his ambassadors to the worke of his ambassage by keeping them from worldly government and terrestriall pompe yet they must have a compleate competency as is implyed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.12.13 14. but the former is the ruine of simple godlinesse in Christs Spouse for saith Gods Spirit Like Priest like People Hosea 4.9 aspire
lâ—e I come to doe thy Will O God Luke 22.15 Heb 10. yet I say the neer approach of this houre and power of darknesse was dreadfull to his apprehension as appeares by his feares sorrow prayer and cryes who as saith the Text In the dayes of his flesh when hee had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and teares to him that was able to save him from death was pitied in the thing he feared for there appeared unto him an Angell from heaven yet not to take off his misery but to strengthen him to it and there was need so to doe for his bones were sundred in this agony his spirit waxed hot within him as melted wax and from thence it was that his sweat became as great drops of blood falling down to the ground Hebr. 5 7. Psal 22.14 Luke 22.41 But hee having resolved in beliefe of truth by flaming love to goe on through the apprehension of its neere approach to him to approach to it in resignation of his will to his Fathers Will in the worlds redemption Hee demanded twice of his apprehenders whom seeke yee and affirmes himselfe twice to be the man whom they sought and although they fel backwards before him yet he goes forward with them to encounter this dreadfull wrath which extended to a two-fold separation of God from him First God separated himselfe from him in all naturall good either to soule or body and left him to the contrary evill Secondly God separated himselfe from his soule and body in all supernaturall and celestiall good and left him to the contrary evill and first of the first To his body and so to the anguish of his soule for it was torne with whips pierc'd with thornes his hands and feet pierc'd with nayles and riven or rent with the weight of his body hanging on the crosse sixe houres or thereabouts Likewise to coole his thirst they gave him vinegar and gall to drinke the people and Priest blaspheme him as a man forsaken of God the whole powers of nature as it were rising against him extinguishing from him all things but dread and dolour for darknesse from the sixt houre to the ninth covered him the Temple rent the earth quak't the Rocks rent so that in respect of Gods separating all naturall good from him leaving him to the contrary evill he might truly say in the dolor of his soule All yee that passe by beâ—â—ld and see if there be any sâ—rrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce anger Lam. 1.12 Secondly God likewise separated himselfe from him in all supernaturall and Celestiall good and left him to the contrary evill for because this separation of God from him in all naturall good leaving him to the contrary evill was in this place namely the Land of Canaan this implyed that God also separated himselfe from him in all supernaturall good because this Land in generall was to the second Adam as the garden of Eden was to the first Adam that is a figure by the Terrestriall good of the Celestiall good in the Heaven of Heavens Therefore this figured to him that God shut the Kingdome of Heaven against him rendring him no light in that respect but leaving his soule the only object of eternall darknesse Againe this being at Ierusalem the figure of eternall peace this implyed to him that no peace or consolation at that time was his portion from God but the contrary apprehensions of eternall woe sutable to the damned Spirits of men and Divells Againe this being also in the place of residence of his elect Spouse the Kingdome of grace on Earth this imply'd that he was to God a man cut off from the land of the living in all respects consequently no place left to him by divine justice but the place prepared for the Divell and his Angels for saith the text he was reckoned amongst the transgressors Luk 22 37. Therefore his cry upon the crosse was according to truth My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee which words implyed two things First that this twofold Separation of God from him in his apprehension was more dreadfull then he could reach in his humane comprehension and therefore cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Againe his words further imply that his separation was onely on Gods part never on his for he in this darknesse where was no light and this depth where no humane nature could feele any bottome yet hee kept union in faith and flames of love to God and his Neighbour in a right relation to the worlds redemption and therefore hee said My God my God as never letting him goe So raising his Soule from that depth of death under Gods flaming wrath by Faith and love and so rendred his Soule to God from his body and his body to dust a whole burnt offering saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit therefore this was the first and great Resurrection of the Lord Iesus Christ in which hee raised himselfe by his own power from the depth of infernall death yea the most certaine death that is death in the substance as it was said in the day that thou eatest thou shalt certainely die the death Object It may be here objected Christ knowing his Fathers power to be infinite and therefore all things possible to him consequently Christ in his prayer willed this cup to passe him absolutely Answer Answer It doth not follow for although Christ did know as indeed he did that to God all things were possible in respect of his power yet hee knew this cup could not possibly passe him in respect of Gods justice he being the second Adam and therefore he willed it not absolutely Object Againe it will then be replyed that Christs prayer was vaine and consequently a sinne Answer It doth not follow for if he had not prayed that if it were possible to let that cup passe he had then sinned against the Law of nature which bound him to love himselfe consequently unfeynedly to desire to avoyd the destruction of himselfe But because in respect to Gods justice he submitted in Faith and love in a full resignation of himselfe to his Fathers will therefore he was right in both and wrong in neither Object But it will be againe objected that his prayer on the crosse implyed sâ—me ignorance in this great worke because he saith why hast thou forsaken me consequently he sinned Answer It doth not follow for it is one thing to be ignorant of what a man is not able to know by the perfections proper to his kinde and another thing to be ignorant of what he is bound to know but Christs ignorance was of the first sort because that vast distance of the twofold separation was more then his pure naturalls was able to comprehend as before is explained Againe although he was at the neerest brink of a totall and finall desperation yet hee sinned
Priest-hood successively after his departure from this world corporallâ— he made choyce of men meane and contemptible for his Ambassadors that so the efficacy might app are to be hiâ— â—nd none of theirs to which end also he loved them as his owne more * The Lord Iâ—sus having made choice of twelve whom the Father had given him of whom Iudas was one and therefore Mat. 1â— he called him as the otheâ— eleven and gave him like power to pâ—each the Gospell and worke miracles as to the rest ver 1.4 7. yet Ioh. 13. â—e excluds Iudas fâ—oÌ„ thaâ— choice veâ— â—8 for as the cal of Christ 〈◊〉 someâ—imes unive sally extâ—aoâ—dinary as was this of the Gentiles â—nd sometimes his call and choice is extraordinary and speciall as was that of the 70 Disciples and to some extraordinary and more peculiar as was this call and choice of the 12 Apostles for the Restauration of the world by their labours but the most neerest choice and conjunction of Christ with man is in the object of Iustification by his Spirit imbreathing upon their Spirits by right beliefe of him for so they are his Spouse in the neeâ—est relation yet mans ungodlinesse may be foâ— tâ—anscendent as that for it God will cut him off from the most glorious priviledge then much more to Iudaâ— see Cap. 12. see Gods decree in Chapt. 12. peculiarly â—hen other men Ioh. 13 1. only hee excluded Iudas because treacherous from that peculiar respect ver 18. But to those whom he had chosen as before is said he gave promise of his residence with them in his Spirit for hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whosoever sinnes you remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sinnes yee retaine they are retained implying that in their Ambassage as rightly divulging their Commission he in his word by his Spirit will be resident (e) Excommunication rightly administred is an externall manifestation of Gods internall and invisible proceedings upon the spirits and persons of men in the visible Church as did Saint Paul in cutting off the incestuous man from Christs body and afterwards admitted him againe to be ingrafted loosing mankinde from the guilt punishment and prevalencie of sinne but to men obstinatly persisting in their precedent Apostasie in the light of truth and grace hee will detaine the influence of that efflux by his spirit from their spirit as men bound over in Chaines of their own corruptions to their eternall damnation Ioh. 20.22 23. likewise Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe al things which I have commanded you and loe I am with you untill the end of the world Implying otherwise not if you from my right Ambassage depart Mat. 28. 28. Likewise to continue the succession of this everlasting Priest-hood to future ages Christ by his Spirit in Saint Paul at Miletus sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and when they were come to him Saint Paul said unto them Yee know from the first day I came unto Asia after what manner I have been with you â—t all seasons Acts 20.27 ver 26. he saith wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have rot shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the fl ck Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them therefore saith hee watch c. Likewise to the same end in his Epistle to Timothy he saith I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayer interessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in â—ll godlinesse and honesty that is to the end that from the efflux of of Christ his spirit in the Oracles of life men may be drawn from the shade of death to life for that 's implyed because he saith this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 But what this truth is I need not now stand to treate of because it is but the same which God preached to Adam in the promised seed of the woman and to Cain interrogatively and the same which hee renew'd to Abraham in the predestination of Jewes and Gentiles and which was wrapt up under the glorious vaile of Moses and now preached with open face without the veile therefore Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Milchisedeck in his own Ambassage rightly delivered till time shall be no more Wherefore rightly saith the Apostle Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ also manifests his impartiall proceedings unto the Spirits of men intending and extending eternall life to all and all alike in this ordinary call of the Gentiles as appears Luke the 8. for there he compares the Oracles of life for Doctrine of the Kingdome of grace to seed and all mens mindes to whom the Gospell comes to ground variously dispos'd and that from those various dispositions in the hearts of men the oracle of life ordinarily did variously take effect by the influence of his spirit and in the opening of this parable he referres those various dispositions of men to foure heads for saith hee the parable is this the seed is the word of God ver 12. from which seed of life the first sort of men received only a glance of the object of faith and no more for saith hee those by the high way side are those that heare then cometh the Divell and taketh the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved therefore these do not believe in any degree they have onely a glance and no more and the reason is because their mindes were as a common roade for Satan his allurements and persisting in their precedent Apostacie extinguishing all light of the enlivened principle of enmity to Satan wherefore saith Christ to such if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Mat. 6.23 Againe the second sort of mens mindes under the seed of life receive a further disposition to the object of Faith for they believe to consolation verse 13. they on the rocke when they here receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away and the
reason is because their mindes by contrary habites were uncapable of a depth or settled reception of the seed of life as is the rocke to retaine any seed to fructification and therefore these could abide no force of triall but fell away and came to nothing Againe the third sort of mens mindes on which fell the seed of life were further disposed for reception of Christ the object of Faith as verse 14. and that which fell amongst thornes which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with the cares and the pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection implying they went forward in the profession of true Religion yet their fruit fell short of perfection because they came too much in the spirit of Cain glewed to the possessions and pleasures of this world so extinguishing in their soules the operation of Gods spirit in the seed of life and therefore come to nothing Againe the fourth sort of men are further disposed to the object of Faith For they in an honest and good heart from the force of the Gospel which enlivened as in all the rest the principle of amity to God and of enmity to Satan and it being carefully preserved by them came to heare the Oracle of life and so they received the spirit of Faith to receive the object of Faith and so brought forth fruit with patience For verse 15. the Text saith but that on the good ground are they which with an honest and good heart having heard the word keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Now that all this was spoken by Christ with respect to future times in the ordinary course of his ambassadors in the administration of the seed of life is plaine in the 3 next ensuing verses For when he had said that the end of this heavenly light was to be divulged imply'd in the 16. verse and that by it all secrets shall be discovered as in the 17. verse thereupon in the 18. verse hee exhorts saying Take heed therefore bow yee heare for whosoever hath that is his principle of amity and enmity to Satan preserved in dispositions to God to him shall be given that is the power of Faith to receive Christ the object of life and whosoever hath not that is at least his renewed principle or disposition preserved in him from him shall be taken away even that which he seemed to have as wee see in the precedent sorts of ground all was taken away and came to nothing onely in this fourth sort of men the seed of life and glory remained Therefore O man be faithfull in thy little and God which gave thee that to receive more likewise will replenish thee with more as from the first disposition to the power of faith and in it leade thee from degree to degree of an honest and good heart to bring forth fruit with patience for in it is a threefold strength in the object of faith A threefold degree of justifying faith namely of Babes young Men and Fathers in the faith and briefly of these in their order And first of Babes and of them there are two sorts one by backsliding from Christ the object of Faith these I will onely point at as Hebr. 6. verse 4.5 6. is implyed the strength which formerly they had and Hebr. 5.12.13 is expressed their weaknesse into which they were fallen even such as needed milke unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse needing to be taught againe what was the first principles of Religion even Babes saith the Text but these I passe A second sort of Babes are those which for their union by faith in Christ but newly begun have not had time for further growth in Faith and love to such Saint Peter writes as new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 So Saint Paul saith hee could not write unto them as unto spirituall but as unto carnall as unto Babes in that I have fed you with milke 1 Cor. 3.1 So such were the Apostles themselves at their first union with Christ by beliefe of truth as for instance Iames and Iohn esteemed the glory of this world before their sacred function desiring to be chiefe in it but Christ instructed them the contrary Mat 20.26 So likewise Saint Peter childishly esteemes his strength in faith and love to Christ above his fellowes or what indeed it was but Christ informed him to judge better of himselfe and others Ioh. 21 15.17 And in a word at first they in their undergoing their functions or beliefe of the mysteries of Christ were but weaklings for hee saith I have many things to say unto you but you cannot beare them now Joh. 6.12.13 So much for the first degree In the second degree they are more strong as having overcome much of this childishnesse hence Saint Iohn saith I have written to you young men because yee are strong and the word of God abideth in you and you have overcome that wicked one the first Epistle of Saint Iohn 2. 14. and in the 15. and 16. verses hee leaves them a rule to preferre this strength as not to love the world neither the things that are in the world c. And hee foreseeing the danger in this second degree of strength in an honest and good heart namely to fall finally from their union with Christ specially when youth in nature and youth in Faith meete in one and the same subject whence S. Paul forbids a young scholler in Christs Schoole to meddle publiquely with the mysteries of Christ or with great warinesse at least and his reason is lest hee be puft up and fall into the condemnation of the Divell so Saint Iohn layeth downe another rule to preserve this strength saith he let that abide therefore in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which you have heard from the beginning remaine in you yee also shall continue in the sonne and in the father 1 Epist 2. ch 14. 24. 1 Tim. 3.6 implying if young men strong in the faith carefully avoyd the reflect acts of Faith as tending to pride and humbly follow the object of life and glory they may attaine to a perfect age in the object of Faith For although in this second degree be more danger to fall by pride then in the former yet here is more strength to presse forward to the sacred object of justification for a continued acception in that righteousnesse imputed also further power to follow it in point of imitation in an honest and good heart to bring forth fruit with patience to a perfect man in Christ and so much for the second degree of justifying Faith In opening the third degree I will first define what this justifying Faith is Secondly define what the perfection of this justifying Faith is Thirdly in the eleventh Chap. following shew how this third degree or this perfection of Faith is attained in men of an honest and
the pretence of Gods Celestiall verity only to abound in what is Terrestrially sensuall and Divellish Wherefore the Religion of the Papacie is rather after the rules of * Machivells Prince p. 118. 139. 140. Machivell then after the rules of Holinesse from sacred Scriptures and the truth is the whispering Divinity which is in Rome must needs be this that there is no God for if it were not so how durst they thus adulterate the sacred Oracles of the eternall Diety and to send forth that cup of Fornications for the Kingdomes and Kings of the Earth to drink down her poysoned Doctrines And so much for the height of the aspired Throne of this child of perdition Thirdly that which shall be his removall from this place by his finall Ruine in a word is no more but this that as his rising was by lies in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse in the darke mystery of iniquity under pretence of Gods sacred verity so on the contrary his destruction shall come on by an out-breake or bright shining simplicity of the sacred verity to man-kinde and this is it which shall be his ruine for saith the Text that wicked one shall be reveal'd whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming 2 Thess 2.8 Likewise as Saint Iohn saw the rising of this great Antichrist by divers visions so also he saw his fall and finall ruine in two particulars sutable to what Saint Paul speaketh in this place First he saw Christ the faithfull and true witnesse fighting against the Nations which did adhere to Antichrist and that with the sword of his mouth or as Saint Paul hath it with the Spirit of his mouth meaning by his word and Spirit Reve. 19. ver 11.20 21. So also in the 17 ver he saw some one speciall instrument or messenger of Christ abiding or standing in the bright demonstration of the simple truth of his sacred Oracle so excitively stirring up Kings and Kingdomes to the destruction of the beast for saith St. Iohn I saw an Angell standing in the Sun implying Christ in the brightnesse of his coming as St. Paul hath it and saith he he cryed with a loud voyed that is so exhorting by way of triumph * For when Christ shal thus replenish his Church by his word and spirit then shall she arise against the Roman Antichrist with fire and sword and so prevaile to the final ruine of the Beast together with the bond and free Captaines and Kings of the Earth which shall perish in the damnation of the great Whore as it is in that 19 Chapt. Wherefore beware O yee Kings and Kingdomes of Christendome that there be not found in you the poysoned cup of the fornications of the Beast for if the eternall Deity do cut off the Spirit of Princes from this day of grace Psal 76.12 Esay 30.33 and the day of glory to sinke them downe into eternall Torments because they regard not his works nor the operation of his hands then whom will he spare in the day of his fierce wrath at the finall damnation of this great whore And so much for what shall be her destruction Yet let no man be so bold to believe or judge that all man-kinde which are within the deluded Papacie as intangled therein that they are all reprobates and certaine to perish in the damnation of the great whore for some mens mindes even of them thirst after truth as truth because Antichrist must make some shew of the sacred verity in some respects even against his will for that as he knowes the shew of truth is his helpe so also he knowes the practise of it in simplicity is his hindrance to his aspired end Yet these mens hearts in that small light in much confusion implicitly desire Christs righteousnesse as imputed wherefore God who is rich in mercy will not breake those (a) These precedently by their error in judgement may be against Christ as apeareth by his truth in his reformed Churches although for Christ in respect of their affections according to that dark light shining in the Papacie and here we may admire and cry out oh the depth of Gods justice mercifull goodnesse in wisdom so interminglingly administred to the children of men bruised reeds nor quench the smoaking flax but even cherish and strengthen their mindes to him for Rev. 18.4 Saint Iohn saith I heard a voyce from Heaven saying come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her Plagues Which words imply seaven particulars First this voyce from Heaven is some out-breake of the Heavenly Doctrine in the purer Churches Secondly when it is said saying unto them it implies it was extended by Gods mercifull â—â—â—d of providence to this people as being intangled in the defilements of the Papacie Thirdly when it calls them to come out it implies they were deluded in her fornications as if they had bin of her Fourthly it implies that this voyce to those people is Gods last warning to come out from her to escape the eminent danger Fiftly when it faith my people it implies this heavenly voyce refresheth their Spirits as from God graciously answering them in their uprightnesse notwithstanding their intanglements in the defilements of Antichrist Sixtly when it is said lest yee be partakers of her sinnes it implies that after this out-breake of light shining to them in that darknesse if they come not out God will then impute those intanglements to be their partaking of the sins of Antichrist Seaventhly when it is said lest you be partakers of her Plagues it implies God will glorifie his justice in the distribution of his mercy to them without all respect of persons and to all alike as is precedently described And if it be so that Gods grace in Christ Jesus is both intended and extended universally to all without respect of persons and to all alike as here you see is proved then hence observe that those odious Aspersions that disgrace this doctrine as false and untrue are unjust as that this doctrine doth usher in Popery into the Church of God and that it is the doctrine of Pelagius or of the Semi-pelagians meaning that it is the doctrine of Arminius for this doctrine of universall Grace is Gods and not mans and without this streight line of this doctrine harmoniously flowing from sacred Scriptures it is impossible to raze out the foundation of Popery understandingly to the capacities of mankinde and the ground of it is this because the sacred Scripture in it selfe hath no uniforme body but in this doctrine of universall grace in Christ Jesus to all mankinde and to all alike by which Christ in the brightnesse of his coming and the spirit of his mouth will consume and destroy the great Antichrist and monster of Christendome as formerly is proved wherefore I must as the rule of truth bindes me thus
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
which the faithfull shall receive is their back-sliding so farre before the third degree of faith from this sacred object as that they destroy or crucifie Christ to themselves that is by a totall separation of their Spirits from God in this object of blessednesse for then they do all that a wicked man doth but not before that is without any internall difference from an unbeleever (c) But so long as any of this seed of Gods word by faith remaines hee sinned not without some internall difference from unbeleevers neither can he because this seed remaineth as 1 Ioh. 3 8 9. wherefore that which they have made totall by justice God will make finall denying them repentance so blotting their names out of the booke of life namely Christ in whom they were written And God in sacred Scriptures speakes to this point fully First implicitly as in Exodus 32. 32. blot me I pray thee out of the booke which thou hast written and sundry other the like which for brevity sake I passe over Secondly God expressed this in a figure that is figuratively in his elect Sâ—ouse for to them of them which did by an evill heart of unbeliefe depart from the living God hee sware they should not enter the promised rest by Iosua the Type of I sus although they were the Children of promise in the Type as are all right beleevers in the truth Heb. 3. Gal. 3.26 Againe more fully for the House of Israel this elect Spouse charging God of impartiall proceedings towards them namely of imposing the sinnes of the Fathers to the Childrens destruction implyed in these words the Fathers have eaten sower grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge Ezek. 18.2 But to remove this false surmise because God could sweare by no greater he sweares by himselfe As I live saith the Lord you shall not have any more occasion to use this Proverb in Israell therefore he explaines his minde in this point first in generall secondly in particular In Generall in these words Behold saith the Lord all soules are mine as the soule of the Father so also the soule of the Sonne is mine and therefore he referreth the soules destruction of either to the sinnes of him that committed it saying the soule that sinneth it shall die ver 4. Secondly more particular for saith God if a man do that which is lawfull and right c. but here we must remember what to this Spouse was lawfull and right as formerly is declared Chapt. 6. namely intentionally to follow all the Laws of Moses as Schooling her to Christs righteousnesse in the object of Faith the ground of all their happinesse Secondly in love to cherish each others as members of his Spouse elect or mysticall body but from both these generall Rules they were now degenerated and therefore did not the thing which was lawfull and right for God to cleare himselfe from this aspersion proves them faulty in both And to the first he implies it by speaking to them negatively for having said if a man be just and do that which is lawfull and right he then speakes negatively Hee that hath not eaten upon the Mountaines neither hath lift up his eyes to the Idoles of the house of Israel Implying as they had done generally there is proved their Apostasie from the object of Faith to Idols and the same is againe twice repeated in the 11 and 15. verses Againe he proves them degenerated from the second Rule for instead of cherishing each other as Christs mysticall members they had done the contrary wherefore saith God he that hath not defiled his Neighbours wife neither hath come neare a menstruous woman and hath not opressed any but hath restored the debtor his pledge hath spoyled none by violence ver 6 7 8. ver 20. God cleares himselfe and drawes up the conclusion saying the soule that sinneth it shall diâ— the Sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father beare the iniquity of the Sonne and then God expresseth himselfe impartially both to the righteous and to the wicked in plaine termes saying the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be up n him the wickednesse of the wicked shaâ—l be up n him but saith God if the wicked will â—urne from all his sinnes which he hath commiâ—ted and keepe all my Statutes and do all that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall nâ—t die all his trespasses which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righte usâ—esse which he hath done he shal live And have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God and not that he should turne from his waies and live ver 23. Then to this Spouse by the rule of contraries God speakes of the righteous (a) Note that the opposition in the Text of righteousnesse iniquity is in one the same subject with this proviso that if he turne from righteousnesse to sinne therefore this cuts off that conceit that this righteous man was but seemingly righteous for then it must follow this iniquity was but seemingly wickednesse when he turned to imbrace it and consequently his dying in sinne was but seemingly death all which is absurd man in her which is the thing that proves the point in hand for saith God when the righteous man (b) Because God doth in this Spouse of Christ thus distinguish betweene the righteous and the wicked in her as that not middle sort of people could remaine in her therefore by Gods own affirmative testimony the Saints may totally fall from Christ and for that God wil cut them off finally from him turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doeth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousnesse which he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasses that he hath trespassed and in his sinnâ—s which he hath sinned shall he die ver 24. Plainely proving the totall and finall falling away of the Saints from Christ as the object of Faith under the old Testament first implyed by the words of Moses Secondly by a figure Thirdly in plaine termes Againe likewise in the New Testament also our Saviour Christ loved his own to the end of his life Ioh. 13.1 therefore after his last Supper having washed his Apostles feet his corporall departure from this world drawing neare takes occasion from thence to expresse himselfe in severall instructions to them and amongst the rest in this point And first saith yee are cleane but not all Joh. 13.10.11 Implying Iudas was not cleane and so explaines himselfe in the 26 verse and Iudas having received the sop being gone out from him and them to betray him then to them said Iesus the Sonne of man is glorified and God is glorified in him meaning by his death and thereupon he exhorts them to cherish each others in love according to his owne example towards