Luk. 20.35 36. the Saints shall judge and reign therein receiving double for all their sufferings here yea everlasting rost joy and glory The Children of the Resurrection who shall arise at Christs appearing even the just and they that surviving shall then be changed shall be counted worthy of it and shall be equal to the Angels of God Psal 49.14 15. Isa 66.22 23 24. Rev. 20.6 7. being manifested both in souls and bodies to be his Children and they shall have dominion over the wicked beholding their torments who here had tormented them and shall judge the world even the Nations of the saved or preserved being Kings and Priests unto God beholding his face for evermore and dwelling in his presence impassible immortal Rev. 21.3 4 5 6 7. 22.1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. satisfied with joy and glory for ever where also they shall have their Paradise their Tree of Life their River of pure Water clear as Chrystal in a Spiritual and Heavenly manner without any Serpent to tempt them or curse to afflict and exercise them being fully and perfectly freed from all sin sorrow pain crying and Death their rais'd and changed bodies being made spiritual powerful nimble agile glorious yea they shall shine as Stars in the Kingdom of God ruling with Christ the Nations in righteousness which Nations probably shall consist firstly of the preserved Jews and then of some remnant of the Gentiles miraculously preserved in that great day of perdition of ungodly men Isa 65.17 18 19 20 24 25. Psal 67 4 5 6 7. 96.10 11 12 13. 98.7 8 9. and those as so◠conceive shall under the Governmen 〈◊〉 the raised and changed Saints Till th◠Earth build Houses plant Vineyards beget Children though the Children 〈◊〉 the Resurrection shall neither marry no◠be given in marriage nor dye any more and the earth shall yeild its increase i◠abundance as it would have done before the curse came upon it Discourse on the New Heavens and New Earth But because many things therein are hard to be understood and I have otherwhere more fully delivered my thoughts thereabout 〈◊〉 shall say no more here about them SECT 7. Of two kinds of Lives and Deaths THe Gospel-Doctrine also mentions two Lives 1 Tim. 4.8 and two Deaths the one in this world and the other in the world to come The Life that now is that which we derive from the first Adam Gen. 3.6 4.1 or which God gives us as propagated from him who was made a living soul and begat in his own likeness and because it was not propagated till after the fall Jam. 4.13 14. Job 14.1 Psal 75.3 68.19 20. therefore it is a corrupt and sinful life a vapour a bubble uncertain short and full of misery yet as this old world is upheld by Christ and his mediation that there might be space and opportunity to be born live seek after God and glorifie him in it so is this life given and preserved through him too in a great mixture of mercies and manifold good things to the same purposes But the life that is to come is an Heavenly Spiritual and Eternal Life and it 's said to be to come because as to the whole man it 's not yet come Joh. 5.24 1.13 There is a seed of it here infused and put into the heart and spirit of the Believer by which he is begotten to God and made a spiritual man in some first fruits 2 Cor. 5.16 17. Eph. 2.10 a Son and Heir of God a new creature created in Christ Jesus to good works c. Rom. 8.10 But in as much as this is but the beginning of this life and that only in part in the Spirit the body yet must dye and the soul be loosed from it till the resurrection of the just in which the soul and body shall be reunited and the body be made a living spiritual body and both live in the favour of and in fellowship with God Rev. 21.4 5. and that is yet wholy to come therefore it is called the life to come an everlasting life in which shall be no affliction sorrow decay or death but everlasting uninterrupted health welfare prosperity and happiness 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This is the life which Christ hath purchased for us and which in him is given us to be enjoyed through the faith of him Col. 3.3 4. Act. 17.26 27 28. 1 Joh. 5.12 and in personal injoyment of and fellowship with him The first life is common to all men as born into the world the second though given in Christ to all yet is had and injoyed only by them that have Christ the rest that rejecting him have him not have not it neither but incur the sentence of death the Death opposed to this Eternal Life the sedond Death For There is also a twofold Death answerable to this twofold Life Rev. 20.13 14. Rom. 5.12 14 18. Heb. 9.27 2 Tim. 1.10 2 Cor. 5.14 Gal. 3.13 Psal 23.4 90.12 2 Cor. 5.8 9. 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Eccles 7.1 Prov. 27.1 Jam. 4.13 14 15. 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Isa 57.1 Job 3.12 13 14 15 16. Mat. 25 41 46. Rev. 2.11 〈◊〉 .6.14 with 〈◊〉 Cor. 5.10 11. The first is that which came in by the first Adam and is common to all in their several times but is broken and evacuated by Christ as is before noted the punishment of our sins in Adam being sustained by Christ as to its weight and curse though some shadow and carcase of it is ordered to us to be passed through by us that we might by the consideration of it be stirred up to apply our hearts to wisdom and seek and lay hold of that Eternal Life given us in Christ and be kept humble and low in our selves and always watchful the time and way of it being secret and kept from our foreknowledge so as that we cannot boast our selves of the morrow not knowing what a day may bring forth as also that we might experiment the power and grace of Christ in supporting in it and raising us up out of it and be taken from sorrow and oppression by it and that the wicked might be cut of from doing wickedly and from vexing and oppressing the poor and righteous The second Death is that fearful punishment prepared for the Devil and his Angels forementioned not prepared properly and in Gods first intention for men yet shall be the punishment too of these men that persist in their sins 2 Thes 1.7 8. Heb. 9.27 28. Luke 14.14 1 Cor. 15.23 24. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Rev. 20.6 7 11 12. for their personal rejections of God and Christ and persisting therein to prefer their sins before him But it is not common to all men as the first Death is It is appointed for all men once to dye and out of that all shall be raised and brought to judgement though not all
aside all that Glory and Happiness expose himself to and bear upon himself for us all that shame and reproach and sorrow to Death and Curse that was due to us and needful for his Ransoming and Saving us without violation to God's Justice and impeachment of his Holiness and now is infinitely ready to save Men in their listening to and obeying him to which he is not wanting to call and impower them The Holy Spirit comes forth in the Name of God and Christ to reprove men for their Sins set before them God and Christ and in with and from them far greater and better things than they are pursuing after and labouring for and therewith strives and wrestles with them for their Repentance and turning to God to seek him and live to him Yea God Father Son and Spirit are exerciseing wonderful forbearance patience and long-suffering toward Sinners here and lading them with variety of benefits to lead them to Repentance and corrects them in Mercy to break them off from their purposes and bring them to accept of Eternal Life and Happiness and all this love and goodness Men do obstinately and impenitently Sin and Rebel against hateing and opposing themselves against God his Son and Spirit Government Grace Truth c. hardning themselves in their Sins refusing their own Mercies for lying Vanities c. and oh What short of Eternal and Infinite Punishment can answer the Deserts of such Ingratitude and Wickedness against so great love and goodness If they that sin'd against the despised Moses's Law Dyed without Mercy how much sorer Punishment doth the rejecting and despising such a love and lover and neglecting such or so great a Salvation expose us to Psal 90.11 According to his fear both his Greatness and Dreadfulness and his Goodness and Mercy leading and ingageing us now to fear him so will be his Terrour and his Wrath in that day 3. That the hainousness of Mens sins against a God so Great so Good Isa 1.3 4 5. c. Heb. 1.12 Psal 5.4 5. Deutr. 32.5 6.15.16 Jon. 2.8 Jer. 2.13 Isa 55.2 3. Heb. 12.15 16 17. 10.26 Prov. 1.24 25 29.1 Rom. 2.5 Psal 58.2 3 4. Act. 28.27 Matth. 13.14 15. so Gratious together with his infinite Purity and perfect hatred of the least Iniquity they are foolish and ingrateful in neglecting and slighting him despising his love favour and friendship and preferring base unworthy Lusts and Objects of Lust before him a very morsel of Meat before his love and favour who hath done so much for us and tenders such infinite love and favour further to us and therein such unspeakable and infinite happiness They are willful in Sinning when no necessity in so doing Yea hold fast Sin with stubbornness obstinacy and impenitency against all light and warning though often told and convinced of the emptiness vanity and unworthiness of them and though such sweet charming allurements of Grace be afforded them as would they but listen to them would draw them off from their Sins and make them willing to part with them bringing such power with them as would Converâ— and heal them and these wilfully stopt kept out and shun'd lest by the power of God in them they should be Converted and be healed by him and this persisted in Jer. 6.15 16 17 28 29 30. 8.5 6 7. Act. 7.51 13.40 41. with resolution to hold their Idols and Vain ways and not to listen to any counsel that should tend to win them off from them rising up in all their strength as it were to withstand their own Salvation when so forcibly tendred to and urged upon them that they had much to do to beat it off even the power of Gods words reproofs and Counsels and the stretchings out of his Hand therein for their Salvation Dent. 32.21 22. Matth. 3.12 Heb. 10.29 30. This this is that that is infinitely offensive to such an infinitely holy pure and perfect Majesty whose Eyes cannot look upon Iniquity and kindles such a fire of wrath in his Breast against the Sinners as shall burn for ever upon them and shall not be quenched It 's Mens trampling under foot the Son of God and therein all God's love and counting the Blood of the Covenant wherewith they are Sanctifyed and have all their liberty to God an unholy common thing and therein slighting all Christ's Love and Sufferings for them and doing despight to the Spirit of Grace that spake graciously to them and let Gods infinite favour before them 't is this lays them open to the Vengeance of the Almighty and it s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God without the Mediator to interpose being rejected by them Indeed those Men that believe not but deny That Christ died for any but his Elect and those that shall be saved and That he gives any sufficient grace for their Conversion to him And so put the stress of their Sining and Suffering upon Adam's Sin and that also necessitated by God's Decree rendring them inthral'd to Sin so as that with that help afforded of God without any intention of their Salvation they cannot but Sin and Rebel and yet Assert an Eternal and Infinite Torment to be their Portion in their Persons though in their persons never so favoured of God or indued with any such Grace as that they were really ingaged to live to him or had any power or capacity so to do those men I say render God exceeding harsh and such as no Christian heart may indure to think him Clothing him rather with the Titles and Colours of Satan the Abâ—ddon and Man-slayer things not fit to be mentioned then with those Titles of Love and Loveliness that belong to him The unreasonableness of their Doctrine and its contrariety to the Scriptures overthrows the Equity and Justness of such Torments or Gospel-Terrours and its likely puts men upon seeking Evasions to avoid the Belief of such a Doctrine as renders God so unlovely to them But upon the Considerations we have mentioned there appears so much Equity as may silence and vanquish Reason it self into subjection and both provoke to Gospel-Obedience and perswade to believe and judge equitable and so make Men endeavour to avoid and flee from the Gospel-Terrours forementioned And such things also are held forth in the Gospel as true in themselves and fit and meet to be propounded to all and to be believed by them CHAP. IV. Of some Distinctions signified and contained in the Doctrine of the Gospel as before declared THere are also divers Distinctions with reference to Things and Persons signified and contained in the Gospel-Doctrin which we may briefly touch upon before we pass it as to say About Two Adams or Men mentioned in the Scripture as opposed one to the other Two kinds of Covenants Righteousness Sins Judgments Worlds Lives and Deaths A Two-fold appearance of the Person of Christ with the distinct Works of them A Two-fold Personal Coming
observed the Passover in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt and as a type of his own suffering presently to follow and of the Redemption of mankind thereby The matter and outward rites of it namely the taking blessing breaking and giving Bread to his Disciples bidding them to take and eat it and telling them it was his Body broken for them as likewise his taking and blessing the Cup or Wine and bidding them drink it telling them that Cup was the New Testament in his Blood being also dear significations of his Body broken for 〈◊〉 and his Blood shed for us as he also himself informeth us and the end of it being by himself expressed to be the remembrance of him what more clear than that our Lord and Saviour hereby sets before us that he Christ as come in â—he flesh and his Body as broken with sorrows and sufferings for our sins to the Death is the true Bread of Life and that the believing mindfulness thereof and of the love testified therein is the way for us to be nourished up in the hope of Eternal Life and to be strengthned to serve God by him and suffer with and for him And also that his blood as shed his Sufferings and Sacrifice as indured and presented unto God for us and hath obtained for us the remission of our sins and confirmed the promises of God for giving us forgiveness the Holy Spirit and Eternal Life and the love and grace of God and Christ therein testified towards us is Drink indeed fit to exhilerate and chear the heart more than the choisest Wine and to fill it with Spiritual Consolations As also that he would hereby instrict us to love one another as Brethren and as he hath loved us walking together as partakers of the same grace and laying down our selves for the good of one another as he hath given us example Neither doth this Ordinance witness to any goodness in us though we in eating and drinking together in remembrance of Christ do therein profess our belief of those things therein set before us and oblige our selves to cleave to him and one another but rather of our want and sitter inability to live in the favour and service of God but by the faith of Jesus and so by him as yielding therein conâ—â—â—al nourishment and strength to us And therefore also though it behoves men to come and Eat and Drink worthily meetly and so as becomes the grace in the Ordinance set before us even Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ that is to say to have our hearts minding the grace set before us and to consider and owne our own vileness and unworthiness as therein discovered to us that we may neither be puft up in our selves or Eat by virtue of any goodness or worthiness found in us or be puft up one against another yet it is to be exposed to and pertook of by all that profess the Name of Christ and that seek salvation by him being capable of discerning the Lords Body and the grace therein set before them in some measure and so of examining themselves according thereunto Yea the Baptised and Professors of Christs Name are to be instructed and called upon to remember the grace of God in Christ towards them and not because of weakness to be kept there from for which we have no president to warrant us only in case any after profession of Christ and desire to seek him do walk scandalously such are to be withdrawn from and may be secluded for a time till they be ashamed and confess their fault and at least profess repentance of the same as well for their amendmendment as also to vindicate the Society of Worshippers from the scandal of alowing and tolerating evil doers in their prophaness and evil living This Ordinance also instituted but the night before Christs suffering is to be continued till his coming again even till he come in the Clouds of Heaven to raise the Dead and to take his Servants into fellowship with himself in his Glorious Kingdom in which they shall be ever with him and eat and drink of his Consolations with him for ever Till then his Death never to be forgotten nor then neither because of the great Testimony of His and his Fathers Love and the great Procurer of all our good and happiness but till then it is in this Ordinance to be remembred and shewed forth by us And these two Ordinances Baptism and the Supper are what he hath appointed to us since his coming in the flesh to be generally observed and practised by us his Death and Resurrection having put a period at least as to us Gentiles to all the rest before observed by the Jews As for prayer and thanksgiving and the like they were in force at all times and so will be at least till Christs coming again if not after also its sure thanksgiving will And its clear they have as now to be performed their foundation in Christ and what he hath done and is become for us and are to be offered up through him unto God in and by his Spirit but because these are not instituted with any visible Rites to signifie the Grace of Christ to us except kneeling and lifting up our hands and eyes to Heaven be judged such which yet are not commanded though commendably practised implying our â—â—se of our own vileness and our humbling of our selves before God and hope in his mercy but rather are exercises that the sense of our own wants and belief of Gods goodness and grace leads us as it were naturally to I shall not say any thing more to them but after I have a little digressed to take notice of the rabuses of these Ordinances too generally through mistake observable in all ages I shall speak a little of the other way of Gods witnessing to his truth and so conclude this Chapter also SECT 9. Of the too General mistake of the mind of God in his Ordinances and mens abuse of them in all Ages ZEal is good if it be ordered with discretion and guided by right judgement and understanding otherwise it is very hurtful it being like fire which kept within its bounds and discreetly ordered is very useful but out of its due place is often very damageable kept within the Hearth it 's serviceable but in the Thatch destructive Now zeal is then right and profitable when it springs from and is ordered by the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 and Christ and so is mainly for and 〈◊〉 bout the great matters of his Law Judâ—ment and the Love of God as Luke 11. 〈◊〉 but when those things are not known regarded but the eagerness of the Spiâ— is exercised and spends it self about thâ— superstructures and matters of lesser mâ—ment it produces no good Fruit but tenâ— to much Confusion onely And yet heâ— generally hath this been and yet is thâ— way of the World even of those that wâ— be or seem to be some bodies
entring his Kingdom here in its Spiritual State is We cannot enter his Kingdom but by being born of God nor further enter into it to be under the Regiment Power and Priviledges of it then as we are born of God namely of God as objectively discovered to us and looked to or known by us they that know thy Name will trust in thee and as efficiently and efficaciously working by his Power and Spirit in us And so Regeneration contains in it Healing Confirming and Conforming too or they may in the place above quoted be referred to the words after it and denote the time when they should receive their Honour and Reward viz. In the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory that is In the time of the Resurrection and so it signifies That the Regeneration is not compleated till the Resurrection when the Body also shall be changed and be found in the Spirit and Glory of Christ But here I do as usually men do in speaking of Regeneration speak of its First Acts Of making a man in Christ The overcoming of the Heart to close with and believe in God and Christ and depend on him and so the infusing the Spirit and Principles of new and heavenly Life into him And so I distinguish it from healing conforming Operations and it 's sometime included in Conversion as the end or ultimate acts in it as Conversion is usually meant of the Souls first turning to God for otherwise Souls after Regeneration falling into actual Sins or sinful frames must be Converted from them but as I said before it properly follows upon the heart turned to behold or look upon God and Christ as presented in his Gospel and it stands in the framing strengthning and overcoming the heart to close with rest in and rely on God in Christ in and through which his Spirit and Power Framing and Creating it in Christ doth enter into it possess and act it for and towards Christ Ephes 2.10 Numb 21.9 2 King 5.14 And this is by a certain creative Power whence that Phrase We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Somewhat like the healing of the Israelites in their looking to the Serpent of Brass or the healing of Naaman washing in the waters of Jordan and it hath in it 1. A Spiritual quickening or inlivening of the Soul Psal 36.8 in its listening and looking to Christ to living affection to and likement of him and so desire after him through the presentation of the excellency of him as made known to and apprehended by the Soul as Phil. 3.7 2. A Spiritual quickning and strengthening of the Soul through the same Seed of the knowledge or word of Christ cast into the heart to a fleeing or betaking it self for refuge and rest to him and so to close with and hope in him and in God through him Heb. 6 18 19. Psal 9.10 3. A certain Spiritual inlivening of the Soul in him and upon him his mercy Gal. 2.20 goodness power faithfulness love c. and so to an acting in that life infused and put into it both towards God and towards man which the grace seen and believed by it operates works and begets yea and preserves and carries on in it and it unto and in It is set forth in Ezekiel 36.25 26. By the making the Heart and Spirit new by his Spirit and then putting in his Spirit into the Spirit made new the begetting a new judgment bent and disposition in the Soul and a new heart desire love affection toward God and Christ a new will purpose and resolution for him and then a putting his Word Power and Spirit into that Heart and Spirit renewed to live in it feed act and animate it in and for God according to his mind 4. His healing operations are a kin to those Regenerating operations and may be co-incident with his comforting operations too in part they are spoken of as fruits and consequents to Conversion Matth. 13.15 Least they should be converted and I should heal them but by comparing that with Mark 4.12 It includes or stands in the Remission of Sins at least as the necessary mean to it or womb put of which it proceeds for there for healing it is and their sins should be forgiven them Which by way of Metonomy may signifie and take in the consequents of forgiveness also such as 1. The speaking peace to them c. so the quieting pacifying and comforting of the Heart and Conscience in the sight and view of his goodness and knowledge of his love and favour towards it and of the forgiveness of Sins and hope of Happiness in which the heart-broken and disquieted with convincements reproofs and fears is healed 2. A renewing and rectifying the whole man in mind judgment will and affections and conversation sanctifying of him throughout filling him with right wholsome apprehensions and thoughts of God and Christ and himself and all things with right affections to God healing those distempers before in his heart and affections in their out-running after yanities and doting upon Idols taking offence at God and his Truth hateing what should be loved and loving what should either absolutely or comparatively be hated and so healing the passions fears cares anxieties and griefs of mind c. 3. A removing and taking off Wrath and Judgments that might formerly be inflicted on them for their rebellions or stubbornness against him yea and by degrees and in due time taking off altogether the Disease and Judgment that came upon us in Adam and through his Fall the power of natural Corruption â—nd dominion of Sin and the bodily infirmities and Death too in the Resurrection 5. Comforting Operations are in and through his Word or Truth as it is in Christ and by his hand power and spirit working therein and therewith in shewing help and remedy in Christ and in God and causing the Soul to apprehend and see it even suitable helps to all its needs and Exercises and by begetting lively hope in God and Christ for the receipt of that help both under its afflictions and in due time out of them all and by shewing the gracious and good end of God in his afflicting denying crossing suffering or ordering evils to it the lifting up reviving and chearing of the heart and spirit and maintaining the chearfulness and comfort of it in God as in John 14. He comforted the hearts of his Disciples by and through presenting to them God and his goodness towards them as an object therefore worthy to be believed in by them and himself as a constant lover of them that as well went away from them for their good as came and staid with them even for their helpfulness and salvation that he would send them another Comforter who also and more fully should comfort them by leading them into the Truth causing them to understand the Truths he now spake to them and giving them to
and declares himself to be and so calling upon him in all their wants and needs acknowledging confessing and glorifying him in all things by Jesus Christ even in all his goodness 1 Thess 5.16 17 18. Philip. 4.6 7. Ephes 5.18 19 20. Rom. 6.11 12 13 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 6.20 and gracious Dispensations to and dealings with them or others as manifest to them yielding up themselves and all their powers and members to walk with obey and serve him as his grace afforded instructs and strengthens them 5. Matth. 28.19 20. 26.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11.25 26 27 28. Acts 2.41 42. Rom. 15.9 10. Col. 3.16 Heb. 3.12 13. 10.25 Ephes 6.17 18. Phillip 3.3 John 4.23 24. Jude 20. Matth. 16.24 Rom. 6.2 3 4 5 6. Gal. 2.19 20 21. 3.25 26 27 28 29. That they attend unto and upon God and Christ in such ways ordinances and appointments of his as He hath made known to them in his Doctrine to be injoyed and appointed of God for them in the present Administration of his Grace and Truth according to his mind therein is manifested to them and perceived by them As in times past they had the Observations of the New Moons Sabbaths Sollemn meetings appointed of God by Moses where they had them Revealed to them So now we have the use of Baptism the Supper and Assemblies of Believers in the Name of Christ as may be warrantably injoyed And such an hearty spiritual and close obedience to God and Christ in the Spirit denying our Selves and going out of all knowledge of our Selves after and confidence in and glorying of the Flesh and being Baptized or Planted into Christ to seek all our Life Peace and Righteousness Wisdom Strength Salvation in him is required of us and is to be held forth by us as required of all Men according to their capacities of obeying in and by the Gospel-Doctrine And this also is good and true in it self and to be held forth with the Gospel to All men not to be first required of men to prepare them for the Gospel nor to be their Righteousness toward God But upon Phil. 3.7 8 9 10. Rom. 10.3 and with the Preaching of the Gospel this they are to be instructed to and admonished That they refuse not the Gospel taught to and to be Believed by them nor refuse to obey it in what it requireth and calls for from them as the way in which sowing to the Spirit they shall be more filled with the Spirit and so be more led into Christ Gal. 6.7 Col. 2.9 10. 3.9 10. in whom God hath given us a full perfect and abiding Righteousness and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness To further which also the Gospel further presents SECT 3. Gospel Terrours GOspel Terrours Arguments of Fear 2 Cor. 5.11 to awaken and quicken men to receive and obey the Truth brought to them in what it says to and requires of them As to give some brief hints as resulting from and presented in the Gospel-Faith or Doctrine 1. 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. Tit. 2.3 4. It presents sin very loathsom and displeasing to God especially willing and careless sinnings against the light truth and grace brought to men by him The presentation of what Christ hath done to take away sin Heb. 2.2 3 4. 10.26 29. 7.19 9.19 9.22 10.1 6 7. presents sin never a whit the less but the more loathsom to God in as much as it was not nor may be pardoned but through the sufferings death and sacrifice of Christ for men And if sin against God as a Creator was so loathsom how much more is sinning against him willingly Heb. 10.29 12.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. Heb. 1. 2.1 2 3 4. now he hath done so much more for us and put so much greater ingagements upon us to be his and to obey and serve him The more he hath done for us the more reason we have to listen to him and the more heinous our rebellions and sins against him and the more he loves his Son who suffered for us the more is he provoked by our disobedience to and rebellions against his Son in his calls and counsels to us for our salvation 2. Matth. 28.18 19. Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 Phil. 2.10 11. Jam. 4.5 12 13. It presents God and Christ armed with infinite power and authority to punish the transgressors and rebels against him all power in Heaven and upon Earth being his and all creatures at his beck to be imployed or made use of by him at his pleasure so as no ability in us by strength or wisdom to shift from him or from any the least part of the punishment or judgment that he will inflict upon us if we rebel against him 1 Cor. 10.22 Ezek. 22.14 3. Eccles 9.10 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Heb. 3.15 Rev. 1.18 19. 3.7 It presents the time of this life the only time for hearing his voice and obeying him and seeking favour and acquaintance with him yea it 's his pleasure whither to wait upon us so long the Keys of Heaven and Hell are in his hands Luke 13.7 8 9 25 26 27. Matth. 10.38 Luke 10.5 6. and as he can open as he pleases and keep open â—he door of life so long as he pleases so he can shut it when he will too yea our â—ives also are in his hand and not in our own He can take away our breath and spirit when he pleases and cast the Transgressors into Hell and there is no withstanding of him therein None hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither is there any power in the day of death Eccles 8.8 4. That he can and may 1 Cor. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. with 9.26 27. 11.30 Rev. 2.4 5 21 22. Deut. 28.2 Thess 2.9 10. 11 12. Act. 13.40 41. and by mens refusing his grace and truth and therein his Son and Spirit and Self is provoked to inflict heavy judgements upon them here in their souls or bodies or both either denying them or depriving them of the comfortable injoyments of such outward mercies and liberties as otherwise he is ready to give them or else imbitter his gifts to them filling them with a curse so as to fill them with vexation and anguish of Spirit or else to blast them in all and curse their spirits as to give them up to delusions lusts and ways of their own to run themselves to destruction 5. Act. 10.42 17.30 31. Rom. 2.16 14.11 12.2 Cor. 5.10 11. Rev. 20.12 13 14.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Jude 14 15. That however he hath absolutely decreed and appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Christ Jesus and then will raise all up out of their graves no darkness or shadow of death shall be able to hide or keep them from his presence but before him
in their raised and immortalised bodies they shall appear Matth. 13.40 41 42 49 50. 16.26 27. 25.41 46. 3.12 when he shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance even armed with the power and wrath of God in unspeakable unconceivable terror with an innumerable company of mighty Angels attending on him ready to execute his commands against them and then shall he utterly destroy the Rebels sentence them to be everlastingly companions with the Devil and his Angels that seduced them Rev. 20.10 12 13 14. Isa 30.33 Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. and whom they chose to adhere and cleave to rather than to folfollow the Lamb in his Light and Grace wherewith he prevented and followed them And then he shall execute the Doom also upon them Rev. 14.9 10 11 12. Isa 66.24 thrusting them down with the Devil and his Angels into an ever-burning Lake of Fire and Brimstone into the Rivers of the wrath of God to be perpetually kindled upon them by the power of that Spirit that came to them and convinced them and being obeyed would have saved them which Spirit being infinite and eternally wise and powerful Oh! how infinite eternal and unbearably great must needs be the wrath executed upon them by him when their bodies being immortal and insepaâ—able from their souls again they shall be capable of enduring it endlesly and being separated from God and all his Creature-comforts too they shall have pure wrath without mixture no dram of good or ease or comfort afforded with it The fire of his wrath shall torment them perpetually and the Conscience of their own willing sinnings against him and despising their Saviour and his salvation when freely offered them and made attainable to them shall perpetually grieve and confound them and as a Worm that dyes not for ever gnaw them All the good they had from God Luk. 16.23 24 25. and might have had for ever had they hearkned to him being evermore before them on the one side and the remembrance of it infinitely dolorous to them and on the other side the several wickednesses committed contrived thought and acted by them in word and deed Jonas 2.8 with the aggravations of them as for what foolish trivial sorry and vile things and against what checks warnings faithfull means of preventing them they have made the forfeiture and sustain the loss of that eternal glory that others have and they might have had in their obeying Christ in the light and truth offered them shall add unconceivably to their everlasting woe and horror and lamentation Rev. 14.8 10 11 12. and yet no ease after inconceivable times or duration nor no way or possibility of Redemption such the terror of the Lord in that day even such as his goodness abused by men in this day and the good the grace the glory trampled under foot by them the worth of the person and sufferings of Christ sin'd against and the greatness of the glory and majesty of God contemned and 〈◊〉 at nought 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Tit. 1.2 2.13 Matth. 11.29 30. 1 Joh. 5.3 2 Cor. 5.11 and that for vile things inâ—nitely below them deserves to be reveâ—ged with The faith exceeding true and precious The hope firm and infinitely glorious The obedience required exceeding reasonable and not grievous because he is ready at hand to effect it in us and therefore also the Terror and Torment upon the refusers exceedingly and incomprehensibly Dolorous SECT 4. A Digression about the Endlesness of the punishments mentioned in the Gospel-Terrors AGainst this Doctrine of the Terrors of the Gospel and endlesness of the torments or punishment to which Christ will at the Great Day adjudge his enemies Some may object that sure it cannot be consistent with his love mercy and goodness to adjudge his Creatures for any cause whatsoever to such endless misery Probably Mr. Hobbs Yea there is an Anonymous Author that hath put out a Discourse on purpose to prove the the Doctrine of Hell torments false and fabulous Therefore I shall add some Considerations here briefly for confirmation of the truth already said thereabout Yet not by way of particular Answer to that Book which I have also otherwise answered to some Friends for indeed it is so monstrous in its assertion and so self-contradictory that I hope none that give credit to God and are able in any measure to judge of things will be snared by it for it saith Sin is only punisht in this life no greater punishment of it than death quite contrary to the words of Christ that tell us John 5.29 That some shall be raised out of their Graves at the last day to condemnation and Dan. 12.2 That some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt yea that after the Resurrection some shall be adjudged to a second death a lake that burns with fire and brimstone Rev. 20.13 14 15. True the said Author also confesses a second death but he makes it but the same with the first save only as it is judicially executed for he asserts that Adam and all men should have died had they not sinned but now the death that should have been otherwise natural is now judicially executed and so a man that is hanged for murther or the like he makes to dye there in the second death But how cross this is to the Scripture who is so blind as not to see Seeing the Scriptures plainly make the second death to be a death adjudged to some men after their Resurrection from the first as in Rev. 20. before quoted yea the same nameless Author would perswade men that God works in them their sins wills their sins and falls before they will them that Gods will is the womb in which all the actings of men at first conceived that he was never displeased or unsatisfied with the Being oâ—sin and divers the like monstrous assertions that I suppose none but Atheisâ— or Ranters can easily digest and which indeed could they be proved true would render it unreasonable to conceive that God can or will inflict any punishment upon men for sin at all either in this life or after it much less endless Though indeed it might as reasonably be thought that God will punish his creature with endless torments Psal 5.4 5. Habbak 1.12 though their sins deserve them not as that he can or will be the Author Willer and Worker of their sin seeing sin is more directly contrary to his purity and holiness then the inflicting of Pain or Torments upon his Creature is or can be But not to trouble our selves with the several reasonings of the said Author in the said Book which also broadly enough contradicts it self while sometime it represents God as a punisher of sin in this life only sometimes tell us the wicked shall be burnt up with the earth and that shall be their punishment and sometimes that God was never unsatisfied with the being of Sin and so
with his grace as not onely his approving the heart and conscience but also blessing the Soul pouring out his Spirit into it and thereby making known his words giving it more light and truth and leading it into more good inabling it to go on yet further and follow after God still in his good ways and giving in comfortable encouragements thereunto in which the Soul still closing with and following after the Spirit receives more of its presence concomitancy strength and helpfulness and is followed still with more grace peace blessing goodness c. the holy Spirit entring into it and taking up his abode therein in his light life vertues operations grace as an indwelling Principle as a spring of living water bubling or springing up to everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 filling it with Lustings after God and against the Flesh and its evil and carnal operations For all the operations and workings in the believer Gal. 5.17 19. Rom. 7.20 21 22 23 24. are not the operations of God and his Spirit there is also in him while here the flesh and corrupt Nature and bent lusting and working in him against the Spirit being so far from being of it that it is altogether contrary thereunto But all the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace patience c are the Spirits and so God's workings in the Soul yea they are the consequents of the Souls entertainment of and obedience to Gods gracious preventing operations and of its walking in his accompanying Influences Now these consequent operations are every where mentioned where God promises more Grace to men upon their listening to and obeying of him Prov. 1.23 35. Chap. 2.1 2 4 5 6. as Turn at my reproofs Behold I will pour out my spirit to you I will make known my words And again Whosh hearkneth to me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil And My son if thou receive my sayings so that thy heart keep my commandments so that thou incline thine ear to wisdome and apply thine heart to understanding c. then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God then thou shalt understand righteousness judgment equity and every good path Of the same nature are those sayings in John 14 15 16 17 21 23. And Psal 25.8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore by way of preventing operation he will teach sinners the way and then upon their being meekned by those first Teachings to which they tend it follows as a consequent work or operation The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach that is further teach in his way All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soul shall dwell at ease The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he shall shew them his Covenant c. But why should I multiply Expressions here about seeing all the Promises of more Grace and Blessings almost are significations of the said operations onely this I may add That Gods operations of this nature are though not universal as to all men because all close not with his grace in his preventing operations yet universal and uniform in a sort to All that believe and obey the grace of God in every Nation and People and under every Dispensation of the means of Grace and Knowledge of God afforded to men for in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him there being no respect of persons with him though as to the measure of what he worketh consequently to mens faith and obedience there is and may be great difference yea and as to the things the gifts or graces thereby effected but in the main substance there is an unity and uniformity in his said workings All that follow on to know the Lord shall know him All that with meekness receive his Teachings shall be further taught and guided in judgment All that turn at his Reproof he will pouâ— out his Spirit to and make known his words to more or less his Promises to that purpose being general or universal to all such and He true and righteous in the performance of his Promises A great encouragement to All to close with and obey his Truth and Grace Thus to that distinction of his gracious operations into preventing accompanying and following operations SECT 7. The said gracious operations otherwise distinguished BUt the said gracious Operations may be also otherwise distinguished and are in the Scriptures distinctly mentioned under other Names as convincing converting regenerating or renewing healing comforting strengthning conforming and the like Of which briefly 1. God in and by his words and works and by his Spirit is convincing the hearts and consciences of men of his Being Goodness Truths of their own sinfulness and misery the vanity and worthlesness of their own works and righteousness the emptiness and fadingness of all Creature-injoyments the uncertainty of their lives the vanity and brutishness of their own thoughts and imaginations the evil and sinfulness of their ways c. according to the means afforded them and manifestations of his Truth in and by those means to and in them This kind of operation is often spoken of in the Scriptures as Prov. 1.23 Turnye at my reproofs my arguings or convinements of you Implying That Wisdom is arguing reproving and convincing men Again ver 25.30 John 16.7 8 9 10 11. Ye set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs So our Saviour tells his Disciples That the Spirit which he would send them should reprove argue or convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on him c. And this is that which is called the Spirit striving with or judging in men Gen. 6.3 Gods standing in the Congregation of the Mighty Rev. 3.20 and judging among the Gods How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Psal 82.1 2. Christs standing at the door and knocking And in this operation is 1. A manifesting and evidencing his Truth more or less to men shining it into their Consciences and shewing it them As Rom. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.2 Yea and 2. An opening the Eye of the Mind or Conscience to see and discern it so as â—hey in some measure know or perceive 〈◊〉 both which are implyed in that we â—ake to above Of his preventing operaâ—ons Rom. 1.19 20 21. Act. 26.18 John 1.9 Joh. 5.25 and 6.63 Opening the eyes of the blind inlightning men â—at come into the World which may be also represented under another Metaphor of speaking to the Dead and causing them to hear or perceive what is spoken his words being Spirit and Life 3. As also a discovery of other Objects in and by that light as
know his Presence with them even while to appearance and in his body absent from them c. His comforting Operations may be many or fewer according as he pleases and as he sees good to give and the conditions of his people require and they are meet for but they are all in and through his goodness and grace in Christ discovered as all his other gracious Operations be while he by his Spirit minds men of and opens to them his Love Power Wisdom Faithfulness his undertakings for them promises to them examples of his goodness and faithfulness to others in like cases and therein also sets before them the inconsiderableness of their Enemies Dangers Sufferings the lightness and momentaniss of them in comparison of the good afforded and promised them he raises up and incourages their hearts and fills them with assured hope and consolation 2 Thess 2.16 17. 2 Cor. 4.15 16 17 c. 6. His strengthning and confirming Operations are many of them of the same import and from the same spring with his comforting and healing Operations they are spoken of 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 1.6 7 8. 16.7 8. Eph. 3.15 16. 1 Pet. 5.10 And they differ little the one from the other and therefore I put them both together as under one Head onely his confirming Operations be such efficacies of his grace and workings of his Spirit as in and by which he opening his Truth more clearly to the heart and therein discovering the weakness of all opposite Principles or otherwise also evidencing his Presence with his Truth People and Ways doth make the heart more firm in belief of his Truth and so in resolution to cleave and adhere to it and to him in it and to his people and ways according to it begetting in the heart more assurance of their Rightness and of good success therein His strengthening Operations besides what hath been hinted of them in the foregoing Operations more respect oppositions resistances and assaults against men in Gods way either by Sin in men or by Satan and men from without them as also Afflictions Pressures and the like from the hand of God to stand under which and against all assaults the grace of God in Christ as it is sufficient to strengthen men so it doth it also by presenting such Motives from Rom. 5.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. and considerations of Gods love and goodness Christ's faithfulness to them and care and watchfulness over them and power and promises to save them the good and gracious ends of God in them and assurance of a good Issue out of them with other Arguments as the Gospel or Truth Revealed affords therethrough putting courage and resolution virtue and man-hood as it were into them so as to stand it out with patience and magnanimity to the end 7. His conforming Operations are of the like nature with his Renewing and healing and by the same means or mediums even the beholding the glory of Christ and of God in Christ as opened to men and by his Spirit effectually and by a certain creative force or power working therein as also by the same Spirit he will conform the body to his own glorious body at his coming onely there is this difference that in conforming the Soul Mind and Spirit to himself he works upon men in a way suitable to men living voluntary agents and in their exercise of themselves in the ways in which he leads them as in beholding his Glory presented by him before them and therefore men are capable of hindring themselves of their own good in that by turning away their minds from him unto vanity As Naaman might have hindred the healing of his Leprosie by coming out of the Waters of Jordan too soon viz. before he had washed the Seventh time though in continuing so to wash he could not hinder it God effecting it in him by a creative power But in the Resurrection and conforming of the Body to Christs glorious Body Christ will work purely Physically or Hyperphysically rather and irresistably as he wrought in creating things that had no voluntary agency in themselves at least none before he had made them or as he works upon natural agents or things as to make the Earth to Bud or the Corn to grow or more irresistibly then so to even as in making Heaven and â—arth But this pertains to the manner 〈◊〉 God's operation in these his gratious Workings before we speak to which we shall as we propounded consider the other kind of operations attributed to God and see what the Scriptures signifie to us concerning them CHAP. IX Of Operations in Wrath and Judgment attributed to God as Hardning Blinding Deceiving Men c. SECT 1. That the Scriptures Attribute these kind of Operations to God and that yet we are so to conceive of him in them as not to make him the Author of mens Sinnings GOd is said in the Scriptures to harden blind and deceive men and therefore that such Operations or Workings as tend to these things are Attributed to him is evident both in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles for God is said by Moses to have hardned Pharaoh's heart and he said to Moâ— when he sent him to him that he wouâ— harden his heart so as he would nâ— let the people go Exod. 4.21 and 7.3 aâ— 9.12 And so he is said to have hardnâ— Sihons Spirit and to have made his heâ— obstinate that he might deliver him inâ— Israels hand Deut. 2.30 And Isaiâ— says by way of Expostulation Lorâ— why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayâ— and hardned our hearts from thy feâ— And Paul saith of God whom he will 〈…〉 hardneth And the Prophet Isaiah 〈…〉 quoted by the Evangelist said God haâ— blinded their eyes and hardned their heartâ— Joh. 12.40 It being God who bade thâ— Prophet go and make the heart of thâ— people fat and their ears heavy and shâ— their eyes lest they see with their eyes anâ— hear with their ears and understand witâ— their hearts and be converted and healed 〈…〉 Isa Zeph. 3.5 Jam. 1.13 17. 6.10 And God said to Ezekiel 〈…〉 If the Prophet be deceived I the Lord have 〈…〉 deceived that Prophet Ezek. 14.9 But 〈…〉 how may these things be looked upon aâ— the works and doings of God seeing the 〈…〉 just Lord will not nor can do iniquity 〈…〉 Let no man say when he is tempted 〈…〉 am tempted of God for God cannot beâ— tempted with evil neither tempteth hâ— any man every good gift and everâ— perfect giving is from above and cometâ— down from the Father of Lights with 〈…〉 whom is no variableness nor shadow oâ— turning Surely those things to deceiveâ— â—nd harden and make men obstinate and â—o blind men are the works of Satan â—nd how then can they be ascribed to God â—e most holy God who is of purer eyes â—en to behold iniquity much less then â—ay he make or impel or stir men up â—o do evil Surely therefore
we may find that the same acts or actions are in Scripture ascribed to God and to Man as to purging cleansing making the heart new c. tho yet differently and upon diverse accounts One Scripture saies Circumâ—â—se your selves to the Lord and take away the foreskin of the heart Jer. 4.4 Another saies The Lord will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God c. Deut. 30.6 One saying Cast away all your transgressions and â—ake you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will ye die c. Ezek. 38.31 Another saies A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put into you c. Ezek. 36.26 27. Some Scriptures say God and Christ purify and purge Men Acts 15.9 Tit. 2.14 Ephes 5.25 26. And others exhort men to purify and cleanse themselves and say that believers have purified their own hearts by the Spirit in obeying the truth as 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 1.22 The reason of which may be seen in what hath been said for therein it appears how both work and that there is an evident distinction between the manner of their workings to the same effect and so distint grounds for the attributions of the same works to both as 1. God is said to do those things and most properly in asmuch as he both prevents men with his grace in and by which he capacitates and inables and then also incites and stirs men up to do those things to cleanse purge and waâ— themselves c. and men yielding up themselves to him in the grace given them in his calls and counsels then his grace and God in and by it works also in with them yea acts in them the things required of them and produces the effects renews their hearts purifies their Spirit c. and yet 2. Men are said to do the same things inasmuch as through his grace theâ— yield up themselves to God and his grace to do those things in them in listening to him looking to and waiting upon him in the strength and motion of hiâ— grace preventing and accompanying them and in the meanes he vouchsafes them And so in acting forth by their powers and members the things which grace yielded to worketâ— in them to will and to do of good pleasure as that in Deut. 30 may clear it in that it renders the circumcising work of God to love and obey him as a consequent work to their being brought in the strength of his preventing grace in and with his afflicting them and again returning to them to call and subdue them afforded to them to listen to his voice and turn to him And so also doth that in 1 Pet. 1.22 and that in Rom. 6.12 13. and 8.13 Which speaks of yielding up our Members Weapons and Instruments of Righteousness to Holiness of mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit and purifying our souls by the Spirit in obeying the Truth clearly implying that both the Man and the Spirit are Agents differently working together in the same Works Much what like as a Scholar and his Master when the Master guides the Scholars hand and by it frames a Letter the Master doth it by the Scholars hand as an Instrument or Subordinate Agent and the Scholar by the Master as the Principal Agent Director Framer c. The Scholar yields his hand and the Master uses it even so the Spirit doth those things in us by our Faculties and in our Obedience and we in obeying the Spirit do them by the strength power and guidance of the Spirit So as that neither doth the Spirit those things in us without our compliance and obedience nor do we noâ— can we do them in and of our selves but by the Spirit yielded to by us and leading strengthning and governing of us Thence the Scripture also represents the believing Man or Man called of God as a third person between two others calling for his subjection and obedience the new Man and the Old the flesh and the Spirit the flesh moves him to give up his mind and members unto it and its motions and the Spirit on the contrary challengeth them for his and moves excites and provokes to his service If the man yield up to the Flesh it becomes his Master and He its servant framed more into its mind and if the man through the grace of God yield up himself to the Spirit then the Spirit in and by him as his Master works the works of God creates him in Christ Jesus to good works and renews him more and more by his Divine Power and influence as is to be seen Rom. 6.11.12 13 14. c. and 8.2.4.12 13. Gal. 5.16.17 18. Ephes 4.17 18.20 21. But yet let this be also minded that that which God requires of man is not properly and formally Gods working or operation no more then the Childs yielding his hand to his Master and moving it in his Motion is properly and formally his Masters holding and guiding his hand and framing the Letter with it And so neither doth God fault men for not doing that of and by themselves which is properly the work of his power to do nor for not doing that that is properly his operation but for not doing that which is theirs to do by his grace afforded them That is their not yielding themselves to him and moving in his Motion for their two operations are so distinct Ezek. 24.13 Isa 48.17 18. Jer. 13.10 11. Rom. 2.4 5. as that they may be also seperated and the withdrawing of the one prevent or hinder the other whence God is said to have purged Men and yet they not purged to teach Men and yet they not taught by him to make Men cleave to him and yet they not cleave to him but refuse to hear him to lead Men to repentance and yet they not led of him inasmuch as God prevented and followed them with his grace to have moved and provoked them to those things which yet they refusing to yield themselves to him in were not done the effects of Gods grace and profit of his teachings missed by them Which stubbornness of Men in refusing him and his operations provokes him to leave them and then the things he offers to work and in some sence is working in them as the fire burneth under the Pot that purges the Scum from the Water Ezek. 24.3.4 5.13 that it might be cast off by the Servant are never effected nor can be but they perish in their Sins For as God worketh not such effects in Men without their Members and Powers yielded to him and working instrumentally and subordinatly under him So neither can Men work or effect those things in themselves without God and his Spirit or he withdrawing from them which should provoke us to diligence in listening and yielding our selves as obedient Children to him not quenching his Operations in us nor provoking him to wrath against us least in his wrath he