divinae Majestati si hominibus tribuitur nihilo rectiùs tribuitur quà m si Divinitas ipsa eis tribueretur quo sacrilegio nullum esse majus possit Sovereign and Supreme Liberty is a perfection too high for any Creature for that by natural and intrinsecal Justice owes subjection to its Maker This is one of God's Crown-jewels who sitteth King for ever and ever dwelling in that light which no Creature can approach unto and in that Liberty which no Creature can attain unto 2. God is blessed for evermore blessed in all perfection and perfect in all blessedness in the fruition of himself he is infinite Light to see his own infinite Perfection he is infinite Love to embrace his own infinite Loveliness As he cannot comprehensively know his own infinite Perfection unless he have an infinite Understanding so neither can he adequately embrace his own infinite Loveliness unless he have an infinite Will God hath but one simple Nature and therefore but one simple Pleasure which is no other than the intellectual and amatorious reflexion of the divine Understanding and Will on the divine Goodness for ever 3. If there be no divine Will at all in God then the divine Arm must needs be shortned so that it can produce no creature at all for if it produce any thing it must do it either freely or necessarily not freely for want of a divine Will nor yet necessarily for then it must produce things ad extremum virium and so must produce all the possible Worlds and Creatures lying in the bosom of Omnipotence which would be infinite actual Beings and produce them all as early as Eternity it self and all those infinite actual Beings so produced should be necessary Beings as well as God himself In all which many great Contradictions are involved 4. If there be no divine Will in God then the Glass of the divine Prescience must needs be broken because as God knows all Essences in his own glorious Essence all Possibles in his own wonderful Omnipotence and all congruities and tendencies to his own Glory in his own unsearchable Wisdom so he knows all Futures in his own Will For all things future were in their own nature but mere possibles and could never of mere possibles become futures without the Divine Will and unless they become futures they could never be known as such no not by the Divine Intellect it self For as infinite Omnipotence cannot effect that which is not possible and potenter non potest so infinite Omniscience cannot know that which is not knowable for this were to erre and not to know and consequently a blemish in the clarity of the Divine Intellect 5. The Glory of God which passes before the faith of his Children is his Grace and Mercy and the Glory of his Grace and Mercy is the Freeness and Self-movingness of it and this Freeness and Self-movingness can no where be found but in the Divine Will alone into which all grace and mercy is resolved by God himself who saith I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy Exod. 33. 19. 6. God is a living God and lives the most perfect life because he is the most perfect Being and this Divine Life doth not merely consist in the comprehension of his infinite Understanding nor only in the exertion of his infinite power but also in the volition of his Divine Will With thee O Divine Will is the pure Fountain of Life the precious Well-head of Grace and Glory all the Saints and Angels must stand still and adore thee in the embraces of free Election and Crown of Eternal Glory in every Drop of Christ's Redeeming Blood and Gale of his gracious Spirit CHAP. III. Of the Decrees of God in general HAving proved that God hath a Will I proceed to the Acts thereof The Divine Will although one pure Act is considerable under a double Notion either as it is Voluntas Complacentiae or else as it is Voluntas Decreti Voluntas Complacentiae is that whereby God doth love himself and his own Image Himself for himself as infinite Love doth by an Amatorious Reflexion embrace himself as infinite Goodness And his own Image for where-ever that is found whether shining out in holy Laws or living in holy Creatures there is his delight Voluntas Decreti is that whereby God doth foreordain Events Both these are Acts of his Will and free Acts because they spring out of his divine Knowledge Even God himself through the intuition of his own Beauty loves himself as well as he makes his Decrees out of the Treasury of his Wisdom but herein they differ that God's Act of loving himself is such as cannot be otherwise but his Act of Decreeing if he had been so pleased might have been otherwise framed than it is Pretermitting his Complacential Will I shall direct my Discourse to his Decretive The Decrees of God may be thus described viz. That they are the Wise Eternal Immutable Immanent Acts of his Will whereby for his own glory he decrees whatsoever comes to pass in time Every Decree of God is an Act of his Will hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Will of God Acts 21. 14. 't is an Immanent Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purpose in himself Eph. 1. 9. 't is a wise Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the counsel of his Will Eph. 1. 11. 't is an eternal Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foreknowing and foredetermining Rom. 8. 29. 't is an immutable Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immutability of his Counsel Heb. 6. 17. 't is an Act definitive of Events hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the determinate counsel of God Acts. 2. 23. and the end of all is his own glory whereby the whole Will of his Decrees circulates into that Will of his complacence whereby he loves himself himself being the ultimate end all meet there as in their true centre Now in the Decrees of God there are four things to be chiefly considered 1. That they are founded on infinite Wisdom 2. That they are situate in Eternity 3. That they are cemented with Immutability 4. That they are crowned with Infallibility as to the Event 1. The Decrees of God are founded on infinite Wisdom God hath a Mass and Treasury of all Wisdom in himself and from thence he draws out all those Orders and Series of things which through his Decrees are poured forth into being Extra Deum there is no Reason of his Decrees but within there is Summa Ratio God even as decreeing dwells in Light though to us unapproachable every Decree is irradiated with infinite Wisdom though our eyes cannot enter into it The Apostle calls the World the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 21. and no wonder for all the rare Artifices and Harmonies in the Sphear
could not be without a precedent Decree of giving Faith unto them Wherefore Faith is first decreed and then Salvation and thus the Decree and its Execution harmonize and both sute with the Gospel Method which sets Faith in order before Salvation But neither hath this colourable Reason any Nerves in it For that Proposition Such and in such order as God saves such and in the very same order he decrees to save may be taken two ways Either thus God decrees to save in the very same order as he saves that is as in time Faith goes before Salvation so in Eternity he decreed that Faith should go before Salvation and this is true Thus the Decree harmonizes with the execution and both with the Gospel but thus Faith is not made first in the Decree but first in the execution according to the Decree Or else thus there is the very same order observed in God's decreeing as in his saving that is as Faith is first in time so it was first in God's Decree and thus it is untrue for it stands upon this false bottom in general There is the very same order in God's internal Intention as there is in the external Production that which is first in the one is first also in the other This bottom is such as neither the harmony between the Decree and the Execution nor yet the Gospel-way and Method doth require The harmony between the Decree and the Execution doth not require it for that only requires that that which is decreed to be and exist first should accordingly be and exist first but it requires not that that which is first in Production should be first in Intention In production the Sun was first before the Beams but was it first also in intention then God decreed a Sun and in that instant meant no Beams In production the Chaos was first before the complete World but was it so in intention then God decreed a Chaos and in that instant meant not a complete World Neither can it avail to say that these instances are in Naturals for the harmony between the Decree and the Execution is as accurate in Naturals as in Spirituals Neither doth the Gospel-way or Method require it for that only requires that Faith be and exist first but not that it be first intended or decreed In order of nature Faith is first before Adoption but was it first also in intention then God decreed Faith to some persons and in that instant meant not their Adoption which yet by the Gospel is a necessary resultance from their Faith In order of existence Faith is first before Salvation but was it first also in intention then God decreed Faith to some persons and in that instant meant not their Salvation which yet by the Gospel is a necessary consequence of their Faith And this is the rather to be marked because the Remonstrants assert That God first and antecedently to his Decree of giving Faith did decree in general to adopt and save all Believers and if so then how doth God decree Faith to a person and not in and by the same Decree decree Adoption and Salvation to him These are a Conclusion naturally flowing from Faith by vertue of the general Decree and therefore that Decree which designs Faith to a person cannot but design these also to him In order of nature Faith is before Perseverance yet both are by one and the same Decree for God in decreeing Faith decrees the duration thereof which is but Mora in esse a kind of stay in Being else his Decree would be very imperfect In point of existence Perseverance is not simultaneous or all at once but successive one sand as it were dropping after another and one instant drawing on another yet all Perseverance is in one and the same Decree To imagine a succession of Decrees in Eternity suiting with the succession of instants in Time were strangely to Metamorphose Eternity into Time Thus it evidently appears that there is not the same order in the internal Intention as in the external Production that which is first in existence here is not first in contrivance there Wherefore the Argument for Faiths firstness in the Decree because of its firstness in the Execution falls to the ground In brief waving both these opinions as built on sandy foundations I conceive it is most congruous to say That God decreed Faith and Salvation in the very same Decree yet so as that withal he intended that in the execution Faith should go before Salvation As in Naturals God decrees the Sowing and Harvest in the very same Decree yet so as that in actual existence the Sowing shall precede the Harvest So in Spirituals God decrees Grace and Glory the sowing to the Spirit and reaping of Life eternal in the same Decree yet so as that in actual existence first there is Grace and then Glory first sowing to the Spirit and then reaping Life Eternal Wherefore in God's Decree Faith is not before Salvation nor Salvation before Faith but both are simultaneous nevertheless in time Faith comes forth first according to the Gospel-method and afterwards Salvation crowns it 3. In what manner are these things designed I answer in an Infallible way such as never fails Hence Election is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infallible Predestination or Predestination of Grace and Glory to the Elect. Thus the Apostle Whom he did predestinate them he called whom he called them he justified whom he justified them he glorified Rom. 8. 30. The first link of Predestination and the last of Glorification are surely joined by the middle links of Vocation and Justification The Remonstrants to decline the force of this golden place tell us that the Apostle here speaks only of Believers such as love God Ver. 29. and of a predestination and vocation to the Cross and of a justification and glorification after it patiently endured But what is this interpretation but mere a perverting of Scripture The Apostle speaks of Believers such as love God but did they believe and love antecedently to God's Election or consequently and as the fruit thereof If antecedently What is the Calling according to purpose What purpose is this but the purpose according to Election Rom. 9. 11 the purpose according to which God saves and calls us 2 Tim. 1. 9 What Calling is this but that efficacious one which makes a man hear and learn of the Father so as to come to Christ by Faith and Love Joh. 6. 45 Wherefore Faith and Love stream out of the fountain of Vocation and Vocation comes down out of the bosom of God's Purpose To say that the called according to purpose are those which are ready to obey all the Will of God is against the usage of Scripture to turn God's Call into man's Obedience and God's Purpose which is the measure of his own acting into his Command which is the measure of man's Again if antecedently what becomes of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 29
and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began here the words in Christ relating to Election do not import our being in Christ for the Text saith that he called us according to his Grace given us in Christ and Calling goes before Faith or being in Christ and is the immediate cause or fountain thereof but they import that Vocation and Salvation with all the blessings thereof are communicated unto us in and through Christ and that the eternal Decree or Design was so to communicate them Neither doth the Apostle simply say he hath chosen us in him but he hath chosen us in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should be holy thereby pointing out unto us Christ as the designed Fountain of all the holiness in the Elect. Moreover the Apostle saith that he hath chosen us in him that we should be holy and Faith is a choice part of holiness and that he hath blessed us in him with all spiritual blessings and Faith is a prime spiritual blessing and that he hath blessed us according as he hath chosen us and therefore he chuses us to Faith as well as blesses us with Faith but if he chuse us for Faith and bless us with Faith he doth not bless us according as he chuses us By all which it appears that the Remonstrants Interpretation is an Arrow shot besides the Text. But to go on to other Scriptures Blessed is the man saith the Psalmist Psal. 65. 4. whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee and what approach can a sinful worm have to the holy one what but by the Faith of Christ and whence is this approach but from God and God electing He chuseth and causeth to approach unto him If Faith were antecedent to Election the approach must have been before the chusing the contrary whereof appears in the Text. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13. 48. The Apostle saith not as many as believed were ordained to Eternal Life but as many as were ordained to Eternal life believed But here the Remonstrants tell us that in the Text 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that imports not God's eternal preordination but man's present condition or disposition so that the meaning is as many as were disposed or well-affected to Eternal Life believed Should it say they import God's preordination then all of that Assembly which were elected did believe at that one Sermon and all the rest were absolutely reprobated for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is an universal particle now that all the Elect of that Assembly did believe that day or that all the rest were Reprobates is not imaginable I answer first as to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the import thereof will best appear by taking notice in what sence St. Luke doth use this word in the Book of the Acts Acts 15. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They decreed or appointed that Paul should go up Acts 28. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having appointed him a day Acts 22. 10. God promises Paul that it should be told him of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are appointed or ordained for him to do and what these were Ananias sets forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath chosen thee to such and such things Ver. 14. Now in all these places of the Acts the word signifying appointing or ordaining why should it be taken otherwise in this controverted Text Nay where in all the Scripture doth this word import an inward quality or disposition In that place which seems most of any to speak that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints 1 Cor. 16. 15. there this word imports no less than a certain purpose of mind in them to do that work Wherefore I conceive that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text doth import an ordination and that of God neither doth the absence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all hinder it for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2. 23. doth without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 import God's eternal counsel and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designs an antecedent ordination and that ordination must be God's unless which is the grossest Pelagianism it be said that they were ordained by themselves to Eternal life But to pass over the word the Remonstrants take the Text thus As many as were disposed to Eternal Life believed but can a man without Faith who neither lays hold on Christ the Prince of life nor yet hath any thing of the Spirit of life can such a man be disposed to Eternal life Every disposition to Eternal life must be such either because it hath some intrinsecal dignity meriting Eternal life or else because it hath some Evangelical congruity to which Eternal life is annexed by Promise As to the former the Remonstrants as Protestants cannot own it and as to the latter they cannot in all the Gospel shew forth one Promise of Eternal life made to a man void of Faith and how then can a man void of Faith be disposed to Eternal life But if he could the Remonstrants of all others must not say so for they assert that none but a Believer can be the object of Election because say they God cannot will Eternal life to any but to a Believer to a man in Christ and how then can an Unbeliever a man out of Christ be disposed to Eternal life Such a mans disposition to Eternal life if it be not such by its meriting condignity must be such divinâ ordinatione and if so what is that but to say this is the man to whom God wills Eternal life and if before Faith God may will Eternal life to him why may not he before Faith elect him Again This disposition to Eternal life must be either some moral Virtuousness or else some better Grace of the Spirit if but a moral Virtuousness how can it dispose to Eternal life if a better Grace of the Spirit how can it precede such a Mother-grace as Faith But let us hear how the Remonstrants paint out this disposition in words of Scripture These disposed ones say they are the sheep of Christ Joh. 10. 4. the drawn of the Father Joh. 6. 44. such as do the truth Joh. 3. 21. such as will do God's will Joh. 7. 17. such as have honest and humble hearts apt and idoneous to embrace the Gospel But what a perplexed Labyrinth of words is here To be the sheep of Christ argues a being in the state of Election which is antecedent to all good dispositions in us they are called sheep before their bringing home to God Joh. 10. 16. and their bringing home goes before all gracious dispositions The Fathers drawing imports God's action and not man's disposition the doing of the Truth is man's
payment from another wherefore Christ's Blood and Righteousness are meritorious as for us not merely by their intrinsecal dignity but by the divine acceptation God receiving them as on our behalf Whence it clearly appears that the divine Will doth guide the Merit of Christ in all its procurements and how then doth the Merit of Christ guide the divine Will in its eternal Election Can it guide its Guide Can it go before its Leader Surely that divine Will which goes before those meritorious procurements by its Acceptation doth not follow after them in its eternal Decrees 5. The Father is the first Person in the sacred Trinity and works from himself the Son is the second and works from the Father Thus he tells us that he can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Joh. 5. 19. And in his Prayer to his Father he saith Thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were by Election and thou gavest them me as the peculiar purchase of my Passion But now if Christ by his Merits do found the very Decree of Election is not the Order of working in the sacred Trinity inverted Is not the Son the first Origine of our Salvation Doth not the Father even in his Eternal Election work from the Son Might not the Scripture rather have said that the Elect were given by the Son to the Father than by the Father to the Son Wherefore to me it seems most congruous to say That the Fathers Love laid the first plot of our Salvation and then the Sons Blood purchased Grace and Glory for us I shall shut up all with an Answer to an Objection This Thesis that Christ did not merit the Decree of Election seems to abase Christ as if he were a mere medium for the executing of Election nay to nullifie his Merits for it supposes that God doth amare peccatores ad salutem etiam extra Christum that God doth destinate eternal Life to them even without a Mediator and then what necessity is there at all of Christ's Merits I answer Far be it from every Christian to abase and nullifie the Merits of Christ but as I take it the Thesis aforesaid doth neither of these Not abase Christ as a mere medium under the Decree of Election for though he merited not the Decree of Election yet must his praise be ever glorious and his Name above every name in that he is both the glorious Head of the Elect and the meritorious Fountain of all the blessings and good things of Election In Eternity the Elect are predestinated to be conformed to his Image as the first-born of all and in time they are called justified sanctified and glorified in and through him as the purchaser of all Neither doth he vilifie Christ who calls him the grand Medium for the executing of Election the Apostle cries up Christ by those glorious Titles The head of the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead one who hath the primacy or preeminence in all things Col. 1. 18. yet immediatly after puts all under the Father's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 19. His Decree or good pleasure did preordain and direct all Neither doth this Thesis nullifie the Merits of Christ for these consist not in procuring the Decree of Election but in procuring Grace and Glory and these he procured though not the Decree it self Neither doth it at all follow that if Christ merited not the very Decree then God doth amare peccatores ad salutem extra Christum or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator For seeing Christ is predestinated to be the Head of the Elect and Fountain of all Grace and Glory unto them and the Elect are predestinated to be the Body of Christ and to receive all Grace and Glory in and through him and both these Predestinations are simultaneous in the heart of God and framed together in the same instant of Eternity There is not nor cannot be any colour at all to say that God doth love sinners extra Christum or destinate Eternal life to them without a Mediator When God in free Election resolves with himself such individual persons shall by an effectual Call be united to Christ as members of his Body and being such shall be washed in his blood filled with his Spirit and at last crowned with his everlasting Salvation when he resolves every grain shall come through Joseph's hands every particle of Grace every income of the holy Spirit every glimpse of Divine Favour every beam of glory in Heaven shall pass through Jesus Christ's hands nay through his very Heart-blood and crucified Flesh unto the Elect Doth he now love them extra Christum Doth he yet destinate them to Eternal life without a Mediator Undoubtedly he doth not If therefore you ask me what necessity there is of Christs merits I must answer That all Grace and Glory Sanctity and Salvation Faith and Fruition are thereby purchased and procured for the Elect. The pure fountain of Election rises of it self in the Will of God but the gracious streams thereof issue forth through the bleeding Wounds of Christ. CHAP. V. Of Gods Decree of Reprobation as touching Men. HAving treated of the Decree of Election as respective of men I proceed to the Decree of Reprobation as it relates to them In the Old Testament we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and importing as much as reprobare to reprobate or reject In the New Testament we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing a rejectaneous or disallowed person and rather pointing out man's State than God's Act. But to pass over the word Reprobation is that Eternal Decree of God whereby he purposes in himself not to give Grace and Glory to some individual persons lying in the Mass of Humane Corruption but to leave them to final sin and for the same to punish them with Eternal Damnation In this Decree the Divine Will hath as I may so say a Triple Act For 1. It purposes not to give Grace and Glory to some persons and this is called among Divines Preterition or Non-election and is of all other the most proper act of Reprobation as it stands in opposition to Election Hence Reprobates are called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest or residue in opposition to the Elect Rom. 11. 7. the nunquam noti or never known Matth. 7. 23. in opposition to the foreknown and the not written in the book of life Revel 13. 8. in opposition to the written ones whose names are enrolled in Heaven 2. It purposes to leave them to final sin I say final sin for God permits sin even in the Elect but final sin only in the Reprobate Thus God suffered the Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 14. 16. and thereby gave them pereundi licentiam Thus he hardneth whom he will Rom. 9. 18. and hardening in
formed in the Heart No man perfectly knows the least Atom or Dust in Nature how much less the grand Mystery of Grace Here then we must procede with great modesty and sobriety keeping as close as may be to the line and level of Scripture Now here I shall make a threefold Enquiry 1. Whether the Word of God be the Means or Instrument of Conversion 2. Whether the Will of Man be converted by the Intervention of the enlightned Understanding 3. Whether the Work of Conversion be wrought in an irresistible way 1. Whether the Word be the Means or Instrument of Conversion And here I shall endeavour two things 1. I will prove that it is so 2. I will enquire how far or in what sence it may be called so 1. I shall prove that it is so and that by three Arguments 1. Plain Scripture asserts it 2. Successive Experience shews it 3. The Analogy between the Principles of the new Creature and the Properties of the Word induces it 1. Plain Scripture asserts it Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. the holy scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. the Law is perfect converting the soul Psal. 19. 7. the Gospel is the power of God to salvation to the believer Rom. 1. 16. and for the Unbeliever who accounts it foolishness and weakness the Apostle assures us that the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1. 25. so much wiser as to out-reason their carnal Understanding and so much stronger as to out-wrestle their carnal Wills and Affections The Gospel 't is Ministerium Spiritûs the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. the Golden Pipe through which the Oil of Grace is emptied out into mens Hearts and the great Organ through which the holy Ghost breathes spiritual Life into them 't is the seed of the new creature we are begotten by the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. 't is the white horse upon which Christ rides conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 2. Conversion is a Conquest over the Minds and Wills of Men and for the obtaining thereof Christ rides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the word of truth Psal. 45. 5. and because there be high things and strong holds in mens Hearts the Word is as a mighty Engine in his hands to cast down those heights and holds and captivate every thought to himself 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Apostle taking notice of the work of Faith labour of Love and patience of Hope in the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 1. 3. gives us a clear account whence those choice Graces came the fontal Cause of them was Election Ver. 4. and the instrumental the Gospel Ver. 5. For saith he our Gospel came unto you not in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance In a word All the Current of Scripture seals up this Truth 2. Successive Experience shews it St. Peter at once caught 3000. Souls in the Net of the Gospel Acts 2. 41. St. Paul came to the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fulness of the evangelical blessing Rom. 15. 29. the Corinthians were his seal 1 Cor. 9. 2. and the Thessalonians his joy and crown 1 Thess. 2. 19. In all Ages of the Church God's Ministers have had a proof of Christ speaking in them and God's People have felt the Word to be Spirit and Life to them in all places where God's Name hath been recorded his blessing hath been afforded where the Seed of the Word hath been sown new Creatures more or less have sprung up out of it Were there a general Assembly of the First-born what stories would they tell us about the power of the Word One would say Hell flashed in my face out of such a Threatning another Heaven opened to me in such a Promise a third the Beauty of Holiness appeared to me in such a Precept every one in the Language of his own Experience would speak forth the wonders of the Word How many have been forced by the power of it to fall down and worship and say God is in it of a truth How many have experimentally felt it pointing out their darling Lust plucking again and again at the Iron-sinew in their Wills lifting and thrusting hard at the World in their Hearts and at last carrying away their Souls in a fiery Chariot of holy Affections towards God in Christ The common sense of Christians bears witness to the Efficacy of it 3. The Analogy between the Principles of the new Creature and the Properties of the Word induces it If we compare the Understanding of the new Creature with the Word there is a Principle of excellent knowledge and here is the word of truth Eph. 1. 13. there is a lively and spiritual Knowledg and here are lively oracles Act. 7. 38. and words which are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. there is a near and intimate knowledg and here is a word quick and powerful piercing into the very soul and spirit Heb. 4. 12. there is a divine Faith or perswasion and here are faithful sayings worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 4. 9. there is a clear Vision an open-fac'd Knowledge and here is a clear Revelation a pure glass reflecting the Glory of God upon the heart 2 Cor. 3. 18. there is a practical Knowledge and here is a doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. 6. 3. Again if we compare the Will of the new Creature with the Word there are holy Desires breathing after and holy Resolutions fixing upon God as the ultimate End and here are the goads and the nails Eccl. 12. 11. which stir up those Desires and fasten those Resolutions in the Heart there is Freedom indeed spiritual Liberty in the ways of God and here is free-making truth Joh. 8. 32. and a law of liberty Jam. 1. 25. there is a fiducial and complacential rest in God and here are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of faith to lean upon 1 Tim. 4. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of delight to take pleasure in Eccles. 12. 10. there is a closing with Christ in all his Offices as Prophet Priest and King and here is this Prophet speaking to us this Priest dying and as it were crucified before our eyes this King upon his Throne with a Sceptre of Righteousness in his hand there is a sorrow for hatred of Sin and here is that which pricks us at the heart and shews us Sin as an abominable thing If we compare the Affections of the new Creature with the Word there is a reduction of the Affections unto Reason and here is Reason in its height and pureness there the World hath but a very low place and here it hath but a very mean character there the
Affections are inflamed towards God and here 's the holy Fire which makes our hearts burn within us towards him Every way there is a wonderful Analogy between the Principles of the New Creature and the Properties of the Word which plainly speaks forth the aptness and congrulty of the Word to be a Means or Instrument of Conversion 2. How far or in what sence may the Word be called a Means or Instrument thereof In answer whereunto I shall first lay down two things as common Concessions and then come to the main Quaere The two Concessions are these 1. That the Word is a Means or Instrument of the Preparatives to Conversion 't is as a fire and a hammer Jer. 23. 29. When the holy Ghost blows in this Fire upon the Conscience every Sin looks like a Spark of Hell when the Almighty Arms set home this hammer it breaks the rocky Heart all to pieces No sooner doth the Commandment come home to the Heart but sin revives and the sinner dies Rom. 7. 9. the Sin which before lay as dead in the sleepy Conscience now lives and gnaws upon the Heart as if the never-dying Worm were there the sinner who before was alive in his own Self-righteousness and Self-sufficiency now is a dead man one who hath the sentence of death in himself and feels as it were the pangs of Hell in Conscience 2. That the Word is a Means or Instrument to reduce the Principles of Grace into actual Conversion When God stirs up and flutters over the Nest of gracious Principles 't is by the wings of the Spirit and Word when the Spices of the Garden flow out 't is from the North and South wind the Spirit blowing in Threatnings or Promises That which makes the Roots of Graces cast forth themselves into Acts is the Dew of auxiliary Grace and that Dew falls with the Manna of the Word That Grace with our Spirit which stirs up the Principles of Grace into exercise comes in the clothing or investiture of some holy Truth or other Hence the Apostle counts it one of his Master-pieces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stir up pure minds by his Epistles 2. Pet. 3. 1. These two Concessions being laid down the main Quaere is touching the production of gracious Principles Whether as to that the Word may not be an Instrument in God's Hand Many learned Divines speak of the Word as operating only morally and objectively Mr. Pemble distinguishes thus Instruments are either cooperative or passive and the Word must be one of the two cooperative it is not moving or working on the Soul by any inward force of it self it is therefore in it self a passive instrument working only per modum objecti now no Object whatsoever hath any power per se to work any thing on the Organ but is only an occasion of working And a little after he saith thus I cannot better express the manner how the holy Ghost useth the Word in the work of Sanctification than by a similitude Christ meeting a dead Coarse in the City of Nain touches the Bier and utters these words Young man I say unto thee arise but could these words do any thing to raise him No 't was Christ's invisible power that quickned the dead not his words which only declared what he meant to do by his power So in this matter of Conversion Christ bids us believe and repent but these Commands work nothing of themselves but take effect by the only power of God working upon the Heart Thus that learned man But methinks this is too low the Word of it self operates morally and objectively and shall it do no more as clothed and accompanied by the holy Spirit Surely the Scripture-strains touching the Words Efficacy are so high that it cannot be nudum signum no not as to the production of gracious Principles St. James is express of his own will begat he us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. and St. Paul is more emphatical In Christ Jesus I have begotten you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Gospel but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or through the Gospel as pointing out the Instrumentality of it in the Generation of the new Creature And St. Peter is yet in a higher strain We are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. where besides the emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is stiled no less than the incorruptible Seed not only a Sampler externally shewing the figures and lineaments of the new Creature but a seed too springing up into and for ever living in the new Creature Faith which is the new Creatures Head is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or out of hearing the word Rom. 10. 17. and so are all those sanctifying Graces which as it were make up the new Creatures Body For thus our Saviour prays Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17. 17. and thus he practises too he sanctifies cleanses his Church by the word Eph. 5. 26. Surely those Scriptures which are able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. must do somewhat as to the Principles of Knowledge in the Understanding that Law which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 converting or restoring the soul Psal. 19. 7. must do somewhat as to the Principles of Grace in the Will that Word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. must also be able to sanctifie it because without holiness there is no seeing of God that Doctrine which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 healing doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 10. must operate somewhat as to the Principles of Grace which heal the deadly wound of Original Corruption The converted Corinthians were Christ's Epistle and the Apostle's too written by the holy Spirit and ministred by the Apostle also 2 Cor. 3. 2 3. The Apostle's weapons were mighty through God to captivate every thought to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. which could not be if they were not also mighty through God to set up Christ's Throne in the heart These Scriptures constrain me to believe that the Word doth operate in the production of gracious Principles only not as it is alone or separate from the holy Spirit for so it operates only morally and objectively but as it is clothed in the power and virtue of the Spirit for so it becomes spirit and life to the Soul As for the Similitude used by Mr. Pemble I conceive that the raising of the young man from a natural Death and the raising of a sinner from a spiritual Death are not every way parallel For in that there was no capacity at all in the naturally dead to receive the words of Christ in this there is a passive capacity in the
penetrates not into the Heart But practical Knowledge being a true Knowledge hath strength and life in it it puts forth vital and spiritual Actions Hence our Saviour calls it no less than eternal life Joh. 17. 3. it forges out the blood and vital Spirits of the new Creature strengthens him with spiritual Bones and Sinews and sets him in Motion towards the Crown of Life in Heaven These differences premised I procede to prove the two Positions laid down 1. The first was this That Man's Will doth infallibly and necessarily follow the practical Understanding and this I shall endeavour to make out 1. From God's Ordination in which there are two things to be considered 1. God never made the Will of Man to stand alone 2. God never made it to go alone both which may yet be if it follow not the practical Understanding 1. God never made the Will of Man to stand alone but he would have it depend upon the Understanding As he made the Sensitive Appetite to depend upon the Senses so he made the Will to depend upon the Understanding Hence the Will which is in it self but caeca Potentia a blind Power in its dependance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational Appetite If the Will do not depend upon the Understanding where doth it stand but upon the Base of its own Independency You 'l say No not so for still it is under the guidance of Providence I answer That Providence which rules all things in a sweet Congruity to their Natures rules the Will not as a Brute but as a rational Appetite and how that can be without its dependance on the Understanding I know not 2. God never made it to go alone 't is in it self but a blind Power and God never made the blind to go alone Even in Brutes there is Sense to light the appetite much more in Man Understanding to light the Will Hence the Understanding is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading or ruling Faculty and lucerna Domini the candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. without it the Will is all in the dark If the Will can go alone in any Acts surely it must be in Acts of Sin which have much of darkness in them but even there whilest the holy Law of God is violated the Dictates of the corrupt Understanding are observed If the Will can go alone in any Acts of Sin surely it must be above all in such Acts as are most against Knowledge but even there whilest theoretical Knowledge is opposed the practical Judgment is fulfilled Hence such presumptuous sinners as rebel against the light are yet said to walk in their own counsels Psal. 81. 12. because they follow their practical Judgement and to erre in their hearts Psal. 95. 10. because that practical Judgment which they follow is corrupt and erroneous and to make them Idols according to their own understanding Hos. 13. 2. because first the Understanding frames the Idol and then the Will falls down and worshippeth 2. I argue from the Will it self which may be considered two ways either as it is in it self or as it is in dependance upon the Understanding 1. As it is in it self and so it is an Appetite its Object is Good real or at least apparant for malum quà malum non est appetibile and that Good must be proposed by the Understanding for that is instead of Eyes to the Will Suppose then that the Understanding do shew forth to the Will such a thing as good pro hîc nunc and that so good that it is immediately to be embraced and cannot without a present evil be neglected no not for a moment if in this Case the Will may refuse this Object it may appetere malum sub ratione mali that is appetere non appetibile and in so doing it may cease to be what it essentially is an Appetite 2. As it is in dependance upon the Understanding and so it is a rational Appetite and which results from thence it is a free Appetite the root of its Freedom is in the Understanding Why hath a Will a liberty of Spontaneity to some Objects but because the Understanding represents them as good pro hîc nunc Why a liberty of Contradiction to other Objects but because the Understanding looks on them as matters of little or no moment One would think so odious and detestable a thing as Sin could not be chosen by the Will but the erring Understanding gilds and glosses it over with a shew of Good One would think such glorious and all-desirable Objects as are in the Gospel could not be refused by the Will but the blind Understanding sees little or no worth at all in them But now if the practical Judgment propose a thing as Good and the Will reject it 't is no longer a rational Appetite but a Brute neither is it any longer free but cut off and in statu separato from the Root and Fountain of its Liberty neither is its Act a free Act but belluinus impetus a brutish violence for it hath no Understanding at all at the root and bottom of it no more than the Act of a Beast hath What then shall we say Can the Will cease to be a rational and free Appetite Or may it be rational and free without an Understanding Neither of these can be Wherefore it remains that it must follow the practical Judgment and so continue free and rational 3. I argue from the Effect which shews much of harmony between the Posture of the Understanding and the Posture of the Will Is the Understanding determinate So is the Will Hence if the Understanding represent a thing as good the Will embraces it as such if as a greater good it embraces it the more if as a summum bonum it embraces it summo conatu On the other hand if the Understanding represent a thing as evil the Will starts back from it if as a greater evil it flies yet further from it if as malum maximum it can never fly far enough from it Is the Understanding pendulous So is the Will too Hence if the Understanding represent a thing as a matter indifferent having little or nothing of moment in it one way or other the Will doth not infallibly will it as it doth the good nor nill it as it doth the evil but in a pendulous way it hangs off and plays on because the Understanding doth not pronounce it good or evil but only indifferent The Will observes every motion of the practical Judgment if that say Yonder is such a good the Will cleaves to it as Ruth to Naomi if that say There is such an evil the Will flies from it as Moses from the Serpent if that say Such a thing is indifferent the Will stands as the King of Babylon at the parting of the way Ezek. 21. 21. it may will or not will for there is an aequilibrium in the Will answering the aequilibrium
irresistible way I am for the Affirmative in a right sence A work may be said to be done irresistibly two ways either when there is no resistance at all thus the Apostle saith ye have killed the just and he doth not resist you Jam. 5. 6. that is not resist at all or else when there is no such resistance as to impede the work thus they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit of Stephen Acts 6. 10. there 's an irresistibility but what without any resistance at all No they disputed against him with might and main but because their disputes could not impede his work in propagating the Gospel therefore it is said that they were not able to resist him Thus when I say that Conversion is wrought in an irresistible way I mean not that there is no resistance at all for even in the Regenerate there is flesh lusting against the spirit the old Man and the new strugle in the same Faculties like Esau and Jacob in the same Womb but I mean that there is no such resistance as to impede the Work of Conversion In meekness saith the Apostle instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. here is a resistance but for all that the work will be done if God give repentance He went on saith the Prophet frowardly in the way of his heart but what saith God I have seen his ways and will heal him Isai. 57. 17 18. here was a great resistance but for all that God will heal him God works Conversion in such an insuperable way that notwithstanding all the opposition made thereunto it doth infallibly come to pass Now this I shall endeavour to demonstrate first in general and then in particular with respect to the two Instants of Conversion 1. I shall demonstrate it in general and that by these Arguments taken 1. From God's Election He hath chosen some before the foundation of the World chosen them to holiness as the Way Eph. 1. 4. and chosen them to salvation as the End 2 Thess. 2. 13. But if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way how doth the foundation of God stand sure 2 Tim. 2. 19 How is that golden Chain kept entire Whom he did predestinate them he called whom he called them he justified and glorified Rom. 8. 30 Were not these called ones who have Predestination going before them and Justification and Glorification coming after them called in an insuperable way If not the Chain cannot hold together The Apostle makes a plain difference between men he opposes those of the election of grace to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were blinded Rom. 11. 7. and those on whom God will have mercy to those whom he hardens Rom. 9. 18. But if Conversion be not irresistibly wrought this difference falls to the ground those of the Election may be blinded and those on whom God hath mercy may be hardened as well as others For my part I should as soon believe that a little Child may put up his finger and rowl about the Spheres as that the Will of Man may stay or turn aside the Influences of electing Grace 2. From Christs Redemption If we consider the preciousness of his Blood surely he must have a Body every little Seed in Nature hath a Body given to it and the Son of God sowing his Blood and Life cannot want one If we consider the Promise of God surely he must have a seed Isai. 53. 10. and what else is the Fulness of the Gentiles and the Conversion of the Jews but this promised Seed But if Grace be not wrought in an insuperable way Christ might sow his Blood and Life in a wonderful Passion and yet have no Body springing out of it nay God might engage himself in the Promise of a Seed and yet nothing at all come of it if the Grace of God be resistible lieve must be asked of Man's will that Christ's Blood may be fruitful and God's Promise Faithful 3. From the Spirit 's Work The three glorious Persons in the sacred Trinity shew forth themselves in three glorious Works the Father hath a special Shine in Creation the Son in Redemption and the holy Spirit in Sanctification In the first Work we have God in the World in the second God in the Flesh and in the third God in the Heart or Spirit When God came forth in Creation Oh! what an Heaven and Earth full of admirable Creatures and Harmonies issued forth When God came in the Flesh what out-breakings of Glory were there What sparklings of the Deity in Miracles upon the Bodies of Men The blind received their sight the lame walked the lepers were cleansed the deaf did hear the dead were raised and the Devils were ejected with power And when God comes in the Heart or Spirit what planting of a new heaven and a new earth How much of Glory and spiritual Miracle breaks forth in the Souls of Men Even here also the blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and the devil is cast out with power The very same Miracles which Christ in the flesh did do on the Bodies of Men in a visible manner the very same doth Christ in the Spirit do on the Souls of Men in a spiritual way This is the proper Work of the Spirit to sanctifie Mens Hearts the Spirit doth not appear any where in all the World so much as in a true Saint Look into a godly Man's Understanding there 's the Spirit of Revelation look into his Will there 's the Spirit of Holiness look into his Affections there 's the Spirit of Love and Joy look into hs Conscience there 's the Spirit of Consolation look into his Prayers there 's the Spirit of Supplication look into his Conversation there 's the Spirit of Meekness and all Righteousness Thus the holy Spirit shews forth its Glory and flows in Men as rivers of living water and this Glory and Out-flowing is so precious that before it came in Esse according to the rich Measures of Gospel-grace it is said of the eternal Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit was not yet Joh. 7. 39. as if the Spirits flowing in Men were a kind of second Being to it But now after all this if Conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way the holy Spirit may be barred out of every Heart and then how shall his work be done Where shall his Glory and spiritual Miracles appear The Father hath a World to appear in the Son hath Flesh to tabernacle in but possibly the holy Spirit can get never an Heart to inhabit in never a Temple to fill with his Glory the holy Spirit would tabernacle with Men but what if the Iron-sinew in the Will will not come out What if the Stone in the heart will not break Then the holy Spirit is robbed of his Glory But is this so strange
the Language of it unto this concerning which every one may judg as he pleases Truth is little concerned therein nor is it thereunto that I assign that perspicuity which appears in the main parts of this Discourse but unto the clear and distinct stating of the things themselves in the Authors mind which alone enables any to speak with evidence unto the understanding of others And hence it is that although he be forced to make use sometimes of Scholastick Notions yet he hath so expressed the matter intended as to make it obvious unto the meanest Capacity any whit exercised in the knowledge of these things Having said thus much of this Discourse which I hope God will bless unto good use and fruit I shall not need to mind the Reader of how great importance it is to have the Truths here pleaded for well vindicated and established the fulness and frequency of the Scriptures in the Revelation of them the great influence into our Faith Obedience and due Reverence of God with the eminent tendency unto the exaltation of his Glory and the debasement of the pernicious Pride of corrupt Nature which they have the Opposition made unto them by all sorts of persons for saking the Truth who however differing and fiercely contending among themselves as Papists Socinians Arminians Quakers and others yet all agree in contradiction unto the Sovereignty of God in his Decrees the special fruits of eternal Redemption by the Blood of Christ and the infallible Prevalency of Divine Grace do all sufficiently evince both the weight of these Truths themselves and the eminency of the Service which is done to the Church of God in their Vindication John Owen A Preface to the Reader concerning the Author of the Tract ensuing IT may well be reckoned among Problems or hard Questions whether it were better for those who write and print to publish their Names or conceal them because many things Pro and Cou might be argued upon that Subject especially about things Polemical when they are handled But when Causa Dei the Cause of God as our learned and famous Bradwardine intituled his Book when he wrote against the Pelagians comes to be treated of all Circumstances are duly to be weighed Quis Quid Quare Quando Quomodo c. Who What Why When and How Among those of this kind it 's very momentaneous to know for one that this Gentleman is one of the Sages of the Law an Oracle in the Country where he lives An Eirenarches well worthy of that Name and Place A Justice of Peace and not of Trouble according to the distinction which our unhappy times have made Conformable himself yet one who affects rather to be Orthodox and to mind the Power of Godliness more than the Form thereof I write this Testimony of him though be neither needs desires or knowes of it because I have bad knowledge of him à teneris from his Childhood and have been certified of his Domestical Piety and Exemplariness in all which appertains to the Practice of Piety Concerning the Book it needs not Patron or Advocate Let it speak for it self Aetatem habet It quickly shews Arma Virúmque the Spirit of the Man and his Weapons This pleases me above all the rest that though it treats of most intricate and mysterious Controversies yet that is done humbly reverently freely and with Candor I make not my self his Hyperaspistes or Second or a Party to his Opinion but because his Habitation is remote in a Corner of the Land his Converse more with Books than with Men he seldom sees London and is not yet in these parts any of our Anshe Shem noted or famous Persons Lest any Reader should cast him off with a scornful Ignoramus I know not the man I have presumed to prepare this little Lenitive that no offence should be taken in such respects as are herein mentioned I shall not conclude with Ecce hominem but ad rem Lazarus Seaman ERRATA PAg. 25. lin 27. read object p. 28. l. 24. betwixt Election and And insert 2. What the things designed p. 37. l. 8. r. Predefinition p. 43. l. 6. r. person p. 82. l. ult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. l. 28. r. forbearance p. 97. l. 3. r. nolition p. 148. l. 16. r. creaâ—rix p. 180. l. 8 for nail r. vail p. 204. l 22. r. agony p. 212. l. 3. after that Law add and that it was p. 272. l. 9. for Rom. 20. r. Acts 20. p. 291. l. 26. r. mea p. 295. l. 3. r. little p. 376. l. 11. r. vegetative p. 384. l. 7. for Creature-deadness r. Creature-comforts p. 433. l. 17. r. actively p. 456. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 470. l. 11. r. no object Chap I. That God is THat God is is a Primordial Verity from whence all other Verities derive their Original If God were not which is the highest Contradiction there could be Nothing but perfect Nullity because Nullity can never pass that infinite vast Gulf which lies between it self and Being without an infinite God If God were not he could not be a mere possible God is utterly impossible for a God he cannot be unless he be supreme Perfection a pure Act immoveable Eternity and eternal Necessity in suprema essendi vehemontia This glorious Truth that God is can no where be doubted of not in Heaven where his glorious face is opened to the blessed Spirits not in Hell where his righteous Breath as a River of Brimstone doth kindle the fire unquenchable nor on Earth whilest any glimpses of Heaven irradiate the godly or any sparks of Hell flame out in the guilty Consciences of the wicked whilest the Candle of the Lord shines within men or the Heavens and the Earth those Natural Preachers declare a Deity without and wonderfully render the invisible Power and Godhead as it were visible unto them Every Particle of being in heaven and earth leads us to the infinite Being of Beings every Motion within the Sphear of Nature and Grace draws us to adore a first immoveable Mover every breath of life in the old and new Creature tells us of the great Fountain of Life every beam of Light in the natural and spiritual World owns the high Father of lights every drop of Rain natural on the earth and spiritual on the heart witnesses a Deity This truth is so indubitable that none but a fool in his greatest folly can deny it Cur dixit stultus non est Deus cur nisi quia stultus est CHAP. II. That God hath a Will GOd's Being being laid down as a sure foundation I proceed to prove that God hath a Will Which may be evinced by these Reasons 1. God is an immense Sea of infinite Perfections or rather one infinite transcendent Perfection and a Will the fountain of Liberty cannot be wanting in him but there will be a Maim in his perfection Liberum Arbitrium saith Luther est nomen planè divinum solùm competit
his own way Unto which I answer two things 1. That God hath set such a Law or Rule unto himself That Believers and those only should be the object of his Election is utterly untrue for then all Infants dying such because no Believers must be out of the Sphear of Election and by consequence out of the Sphear of Salvation also unless which is very strange we could imagine those to be actually saved whom yet God never elected or decreed to save Neither is there any such Law or Rule manifested in the Gospel there God's Will is thus set forth Whosoever believes shall be saved which imports that Believers are the objects of Salvation but not in the least that they are the objects of Election It is written in the Gospel Relieve and thou shalt be saved but in what Gospel is it written Believe and thou shalt be Elected 2. That Law or Rule if supposed doth not answer the Argument for still as to particular Election God is under the pre-determining Will of Man If that say Nay God shall have never a chosen Vessel in all the World to fill with Grace and Glory and how then is he the great Agent in Election Solomon set a Law or Rule to Shimei That if he passed over Kidron he should die for it he passes over and dies What now was the chief cause of his death Solomon's Law or Execution or else Shimei's passage Clearly it was Shimei's own Act Solomon was but as a Legislator Pariratione If God set a Law or Rule that Believers should be elected if a man believe and be elected that which chiefly determines the business is not God's first Law or after Choice but Man's Faith God is no Agent therein but as a mere Legislator So naturally do the Remonstrant Principles run out into that of Theophylact 'T is God's part to call but Man's to be elect or not which Principles must be renounced or else God cannot be owned as the Great Agent in Election And here a three-fold Enquiry offers it self 1. What the things themselves are 2. In what Order these are designed 3. In what manner these are designed 1. What the things themselves are These are Grace and Glory or Faith and Salvation 1 Grace is designed hence we are said to be called according to purpose Rom. 8. 28. and chosen that we should be holy Eph. 1. 4. Do we see a Saint in his spiritual Glory clothed with Humility arrayed with Righteousness girt with Truth his Eyes flowing with repentant Tears his Heart burning with holy Love and his Hands laden with good Works All these were prepared in Eternal Election as well as wrought by the Holy Spirit in Time there was Decretum Dei in the foreordaining as well as Digitus Dei in the forming of them Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King of Heaven will honour In Election there is a designing of Grace nay all Grace Faith it self not excepted The Remonstrants shut out Faith from this design in as much as they pre-require Faith thereunto But how unscriptural is this Paul was chosen to know God's will Acts 22. 14. not to a bare notional Knowledge but to a saving practical one such as justifies Isai. 53. 11. such as is Eternal life Joh. 17. 3. which must needs include Faith The Apostle calls Faith the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. If Faith had been precedent to Election he would have told us that Election is of Believers but because it is consequent he saith that Faith is of the Elect. And how irrational is it also Election is a design of secretion it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chusing or singling out of some to Grace and Glory the Elect are said to be chosen out of the world Joh. 15. 19. and chosen unto God Acts 9. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Christ thine they were Joh. 17. 6. thine in a select peculiar manner and Faith is the choice and prime Grace of secretion it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all 2 Thess. 3. 2. If all men did believe without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or difference the Righteousness of God would be upon them all Rom. 3. 22. the Rivers of living Water would flow in them all Joh. 7. 38. but Faith is not of all whereby it appears that of all inherent Graces Faith firstly and properly makes the secretion Now that such a prime Grace of secretion as Faith should not be decreed in suoh a great design of secretion as Election seems to me incongruous even to absurdity If Faith go before Election then how doth God chuse them out of the World who by Faith are out of it already How doth he chuse them unto himself who by Faith are his own before If Man's Will in believing make the first and proper secretion then God's Will hath no room to make one by electing wherefore if we will allow God his choice indeed we must confess Faith it self to be designed in Election 2. Glory is designed in Election we are chosen to Salvation 2 Thess. 2. 13. and before prepared to glory Rom. 9. 23. the Names of the Elect are written in heaven and registred in the Book of life All the glory above rayes out of the bosom of Election and every Crown of bliss is set on by God's good pleasure 2. In what order are these things designed No doubt by one pure simple Act in God But what is our most congruous conception thereof Some Divines assert that God first decreed Salvation and then Faith Salvation is the end and therefore first Faith the means and therefore last in God's intention But this Reason is not cogent for neither can any thing in the Creature no not its utmost perfection such as Salvation is be God's end all whose Decrees do circulate into himself Neither if it were such should God therefore will it in the first place and in order before Faith for he wills the End and Means with one simple Act. Excellent is that of Aquinas Sicut Deus uno actu omnia in essentia sua intelligit it a uno actu omnia in sua bonitate vult Unde sicut in Deo intelligere causam non est causa intelligendi effect us sed ipse intelligit effect us in causa it a velle finem non est ei causa volendi ea quae sunt ad finem sed tamen vult ea quae sunt ad finem ordinari ad finem Vult ergo hoc esse propter hoc sed non propter hoc vult hoc Other Divines conceive thus That God first decrees Faith and then Salvation and that upon this account Such and in such order as God in time doth save such and in the very same order doth God in Eternity decree to save But God in time doth save only Believers therefore God in Eternity did decree to save only Believers that is such as were so considered by him and so considered by him they
done good or evil Artaxerxes decreed that Jerusalem should not be built again because upon search of his Records he found that it had been a rebellious City Ezra 4. 19 21. Should God have founded his Decree of Preterition and Non-election on a Prescience of humane Rebellion the holy City of the Church had never been built nor the divine Image ever repaired therein All men had eternally lay as Sodom and Gomorrah in the dust and rubbish of Adam's Fall with a line of spiritual confusion stretched upon them Who is there that lives and sins not What man on earth hath not rebelled and vexed God's holy Spirit Even little Infants rebelled in voluntate Adae and besides Imbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens est non animus infantium Neither yet doth final Impenitency and Infidelity do it for there is no final Impenitency and Infidelity but such as is permitted and permitted it is not but out of the Decree of Preterition and Permission wherefore that Decree cannot be caused thereby Final Impenitency and Infidelity may be considered two ways either as being in actual existence or else as foreseen by the divine Prescience but neither way doth it cause the Decree of Preterition and Permission but presuppose the same Not as it is in actual existence for final Impenitency Infidelity come into being after Permission and Permission flows out of the Decree wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity coming after Permission are not the Cause of the Decree out of which Permission doth issue Nor yet as it is foreseen by the divine Prescience for the Decree of Preterition and Permission is that very Glass wherein final Impenitency and Infidelity are foreseen for had God made no Decree of Preterition and Permission he had seen all men repenting and believing as the fruit of his effectual Grace unto all had he made that Decree universally touching all he had seen no man repenting and believing Wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity as foreseen do not cause but presuppose the Decree In a word I conclude That the Decree of Preterition and Permission doth merely depend upon the supreme and sovereign Will of God Neither is there any colour of Injustice in all this for 1. Non-electio as Suarez hath it non est poena ut culpam praerequir at sed est quaedam negatio gratuiti beneficii quod Deus ut supremus Dominus negare potest God may do what he will with his own Election the primum indebitum is God's own therefore he may pass by whom he pleaseth the holy Spirit the fountain of all Faith and Repentance is God's own therefore it may breath only where it lists All Souls and Graces are God's own therefore he may infuse or not infuse Graces into Souls ad placitum Neither is it imaginable that God should be obliged to give restituent Grace to fallen Man when he was not obliged to give custodient Grace to the innocent Angels If Faith and Repentance are the gifts of God may he not suspend them If he be bound to give them why is there ae peradventure put upon some mens Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25 Why a cannot upon some mens Faith John 12. 39 Why a perhaps upon some mens Forgiveness Acts 8. 22 Why aforbidding upon the means of Grace Acts 16. 6 Why a manifestation to disciples and not to the world Joh. 14. 22 Why a Revelation to babes and not to the wise and prudent Matth. 11. 25 In short God's Election must be either arbitrary or necessary If necessary how is his Election free If arbitrary how is Non-election unjust The donation of Faith and Repentance must be Grace or Debt If Debt why is not the Veil off from every Eye and the Stone out of every Heart Why is not Grace as common as Nature and Saintship as Humanity But if Grace then where it is conferred it is freely conferred out of self-moving mercy and where it is denied it is justly denied out of unaccountable sovereignty 2. In the Permission of final sin there is much of Sovereignty but nothing of Injustice the great God is absolutus faber suae permissionis he could let legions of Angels at once drop out of Heaven into Hell he could let innocent Adam as rare a piece as he was break himself all to shivers by a fall and what may he not permit sinful Worms to do What are Creatures to him If they miscarry how many thousand thousand Worlds are there in the bosom of his Omnipotence If he suffer all Nations to walk in their own ways he doth but let a drop fall off the Bucket or a small dust fly off the ballance he doth but leave Vanity to its own lightness and a Quasi-nothing to its own nullity and defectibility If he suffer sinful Man to run into sin and that finally he doth but leave the Dog to his own vomit the Swine to his own mire the Viper to his own poyson a corrupted piece of old Adam to act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his own as the Expression is Joh. 8. 44. He doth but let the fountain of blood flow out the corrupt flesh putrifie the vitious womb of concupiscence conceive and bring forth and the depraved Will of man forge out its own iniquities and fetter and intangle it self with the cords and bonds of its own voluntary rebellions and what Injustice can be in all this especially seeing this Permission is not a subtraction of any inherent Grace but only a suspension of assistent Grace as de facto would impede sin If God be bound to afford such Grace where is the Charter of that engagement If he be not bound thereunto where is the Injustice of that suspension The Saints before a temptation cast down their Souls before God and cry out Nèinducas Lead us not into temptation and after a victory they cast down their Crowns before him and sing out Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ. Wherefore when sin is prevented God's free Grace is to be praised and when sin is permitted God's absolute Sovereignty is to be adored 3. Justice in God is agere juxta condecentiam bonitatis veracitatis suae therefore the Decrees of Preterition and Permission must needs be just because they cross not either his Goodness or his Truth Not his Goodness for that doth not necessitate him either to diffuse one drop of Grace unto fallen Man or to prevent one jot of sin in him nor yet his Truth for notwithstanding the Decrees of Preterition and Permission all the Promises in the great Charter of the Gospel are Yea and Amen not a tittle thereof fails or falls to the ground 2. As the Decree of Preterition and Permission is from God's Will as cloathed with Sovereignty so the Decree of Damnation is from God's Will as cloathed with Justice In the former God acts as supreme Lord according to his transcendent Sovereignty in the latter God acts as a Righteous Judge according to
another But that of Nazianzen is fullest of spiritual sence who cries out O infirmitatem meam meā enim duco primi parentis infirmitatem If any reply But how could we sin in Adam I answer that our humane Nature was in him and why might it not sin there You 'l say It could not for want of a Will I answer that our Wills were put into Adam's by that Covenant which was made with him for himself and all his posterity If one Man may put his Will into another Man's Will in a Comprimise why may not God who is more Lord of our Wills than our selves put all our Wills into Adam's by a Covenant and here God did it with abundant Equity because our Wills were put into Adam's as well for the obteining blessedness upon his Obedience as for the incurring punishment upon his Disobedience 2. The lower end of this Chain the universal depravation of Nature called Peccatum originale originatum this hangs upon the former all habitual Sin hath an essential relation to some actual Sin precedent 'T is impossible that one should be a Sinner habitually who in no kind sinned actually If Adam had not sinned actually he had never been habitually vitiated nay if we had not sinned in his Sin we had never been so This original Depravation is the sinning Sin the Body of Sin a Body in our Souls Flesh in our Spirits a Nail on our Eyes a Plague in our Hearts and a Root of bitterness in our whole Nature this turns our Minds into Dungeons of darkness our Wills into Gulfs of Sin our Memories into leaking Vessels our Fancies into Forges of Vanity our Affections into Chambers of Imagery our Members into Weapons of Unrighteousness and our whole Man into a Man of Sin insomuch that to be carnal is to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 3. When we are formed in the Womb this Chain lies upon us even in primo ardore in the first warmth of natural Conception Psal. 51. 5. And when Christ is formed in our Hearts this Chain presses so hard upon the spiritual Embryo that as soon as ever it begins to live it falls a sighing and groaning with tears Oh! my hard heart Oh! my unbelieving heart Oh! my carnal sensual heart Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. 24. Nay the very Philosophers themselves who never kenned so far as the top of this Chain I mean Adam's Sin yet seem to feel the weight of it Wherefore sometimes they complain of a Sepulchrum Corporis as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Grave to the Soul and sometimes they cry out of a Defluvium Pennarum as if the Soul had lost her Wings Whither also may be referred the Trismegists Indumentum Inscitiae Pravitatis Fundamentum Corruptionis Vinculum Velamen opacum with many such like expressions touching the weight and pressure of this Chain involving Men in a horrid slavery and captivity 2. Besides the Chain of Original Sin there is that of Actual the whole World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5. 19. lies in wickedness as a Slave in his Chains Oh! the open Profaneness secret Hypocrisies spiritual Wickednesses carnal Pollutions daring Presumptions faultring Infirmities Impieties against God Unrighteousness against Men vast Armies and Hosts of Sin which cover the World As Original Sin turns Man into a Man of Sin so Actual Sin turn the World into a World of Sin This is a long Chain reaching from Adam's Fall to the Worlds Period and from first to last enwrapping Captives all along 2. The Links of the Chains are considerable and those are three great ones 1. The first Link is Macula peccati the Stain of Sin this is the filth of the Chain a brand of deformity on the naked Captive God is the beauty of Holiness and there is no turning from him without a Blot God is a Sun of infinite light and there is no holding up our hands against him without casting a dark shadow on our faces Every Sin is a filthiness If it be a brutish lust 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthiness of flesh if a spiritual wickedness 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthiness of spirit as the Apostle distinguisheth 2 Cor. 7. 1. Nay that which is filthiness of flesh in the external commission of the Act is yet filthiness of spirit in the internal commaculation of the Soul The wicked cast out mire and dirt and the more they cast out in the transient Acts of Sin the more there is within in the abiding spot of it When the Act of Sin is passed and gone the Spot and Stain thereof stays behind and denominates us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of disobedience 2. The second Link is Reatus peccati the Guilt of Sin a dreadful Link chaining the naked Captive to divine Wrath fastened within him by the desert of Sin and bound upon him by the Justice of God and hence he becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a child of wrath No sooner doth he turn from God as his Law-giver but he meets him as his Judge and that in the face The face of the Lord is against them that do evil Whilest he flies extra ordinem praecepti hee falls intra ordinem justitiae the wages of sin is death 3. The third Link is Regnum peccati the Reign of Sin Sin is an absolute Tyrant over us his Laws are all writ in Letters of blood his strong Holds are in our very Reasons 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. His Throne is in our Wills his winged Chariot in our Affections his Weapons in our earthly Members and our whole man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the slave of sin Joh. 8. 34. 2. The next thing in the Captivity is the Prison and that is the Wrath of God But here we must distinguish the Walls from the Dungeon the Walls are very strong and dreadful infinite Justice and Holiness are the flaming Cherubims that guard them and the Hand-writing upon them is A curse to the sinner and woe to the worker of iniquity The poor Captive as long as his Chains are unbroken lies within these Walls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the judgment of God Rom. 3. 19. Wrath abides upon him Joh. 3. 36. a sad State Nevertheless whilest but here he is a Prisoner of Hope a Captive capable of Redemption The Dungeon is Hell it self a place of Darkness a gulf of unquenchable Fire a bottomless Pit of Perdition into which impenitent Sinners are still a sinking deeper and deeper without any hope of ascending out of it when the Captive is once here the utmost farthing will be exacted of him 3. The last thing in the Captivity is the Jaylor even Satan and he doth three things 1. He takes the Captive into his custody the Natural Man's Heart becomes his Palace and every room in it is full of hellish furniture not the Turret of Reason nay not the reliques
it with the Person of the Son so that it never was any where but there all other Creations stand under the Roof of Providence and Preservation but here the Humane Nature is an Inmate in the very same Person with the Divine all other Creatures have their proper sutable seats and Ubi's in the Sphere of Nature but here 's the Sackcloth of an Humane Body cast upon and the Rush-candle of a Reasonable soul lighted up in the Sun it self The glorious Son of God espoused Flesh and Blood and the Bride-chamber where the knot was tied was the Virgins Womb there was he made of a Woman consubstantial with us as to his Humanity who was consubstantial with the Father as to his Divinity O how great is this Mystery God manifest in the flesh O Domine quà m admirabile nomen tuum non modò mundi hujus staturam admiror non stabilitatem Terrae non Lunae defectum incrementum non Solem semper integrum laborem ejus perpetuum Miror Deum in utero Virginis miror Omnipotentem in cunabulis miror quomodo Verbo Dei caro adhaeserit quomodo incorporeus Deus corporis nostri tegumentum induerit in caeteris aliquae satisfaciant rationes hîc solus me complectitur stupor God never came so near to us as in this wonderful Conjunction In the Creatures we see God above us in the Law we see God against us but here we see Immanuel God with us he is one with us by a natural Conjunction but that 's not all for being in our Nature he became one with us 2. Conjunctione Legali he was our Sponsor or Surety and so in Law one person with us his Stile is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surety of the covenant Heb. 7. 22. and the Covenant being mutual on both parts from God to Man and from Man to God he is in both respects a Surety of it a Surety on God's part that his Promises should be performed to us and a Surety on our parts that our Debts should be paid to God We were double Debtors to God as Rational Creatures we owed perfect Obedience and as Sinful Creatures we owed eternal Sufferings the first is a debt to God's Holiness and the second to his Justice Now Jesus Christ was our Surety for both a Surety to fulfil all Righteousness for us and the Fidejussorial Bond which he gave for this was his Circumcision for he had no sinful flesh to be cut off but would become a debtor to the whole Law for us and in Circumcision he signed security for it with his own Blood and also a Surety to take our Sins on him Hence the Righteous God who cannot but judge according to truth charged our iniquities upon him Isai. 53. 6. and he as our Surety accepted the charge and those words my sins are not hid from thee Psal. 69. 5. are as St. Jorom thinks spoken ex personâ Christi for he was though not commissor yet susceptor delictorum our Flesh and Blood was taken into his Divine Person and our Sins which could by no means enter in there were yet cast upon him and being cast upon him God exacted satisfaction of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was exacted and he answered Isai. 53. 7. Satisfaction was exacted from him as our Surety and he answered for us and what was his Answer Why I 'le lay down my Life I 'le pour out my Soul saith he let all the Wrath due to those Sins be squeezed into one Cup and I 'le drink it up to the bottom let the Fire of God's Anger drop down from Heaven and I 'le be the Paschal Lamb roasted in it Thus Jesus Christ was a Surety nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the noblest of Sureties putting his Soul in our Souls stead to bear our Sins and God's Wrath and for this very purpose was he one with us in Nature that he might be one with us in Law too But neither is this all for both these Conjunctions are crowned with a third and so he is one with us 3. Conjunctione Mysticâ Christ is the Head and the Church is the Body and both together make up one mystical Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. the Head in Heaven and the Body on Earth and the spiritual Continuity between both is one and the same holy Spirit which is on the Head without measure and on the Members according to measure If the Jew ask us where is Christ we can truly answer He is at the right hand of God in Heaven and on Earth loc here is Christ and there is Christ living and breathing in his Saints every Saint is a piece of him and all together are his fulness Eph. 1. 23. so that he doth not count himself complete without them This Conjunction is so near and full of spiritual Sense that a poor Member cannot suffer on Earth but instantly the Head in Heaven cries out of Persecution Acts 9. 4. and even the suffering Member reckons himself sitting in Heaven as long as his Head is there Eph. 2. 6. Thus our Redeemer comes very near unto us in a threefold Conjunction and in each Conjunction there is a rare Condescention In the first he came down into our Natures by a stupendious Incarnation in the second he came down into our Hell by a Fidejussorial Passion in the third he comes down into our Hearts by the Spirits Inhabitation the first opens a way to the second the second is the purchase of the third and the third as in design was a Motive to and as in existence is a Crown upon the Work of Redemption 4. Having considered the Redeemer I pass on to the Price and here I shall reduce all to three Questions 1. What this Price is 2. What manner of Price it is 3. For whom it was paid 1. What this Price is and this is the Humane Nature of Christ as subjected to the Law When the Son of God came forth to redeem us he was made of a woman made under the Law to redeem us that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. Made of a Woman there 's his humane Nature made under the Law there 's his subjection to the Law and the End of all is our Redemption Christ through the eternal Spirit offered up himself to God Heb. 9. 14. and that in a way fully answering the demands of the Law The Law demanded of the Captives two things perfect Obedience from them as rational Creatures and penal Suffering from them as sinful Creatures and Christ gave up his Humane Nature a price both ways in doing and in suffering he gave himself that is his humane Nature for us an offering and a sacrifice Eph. 5. 2. an Offering in his Active Obedience and a Sacrifice in his Passive and both these together were the entire Price of our Redemption 1. Christ gave up himself in his Active Obedience That holy thing his humane Nature as soon as it came out into the World fell a breathing forth
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 32. God did not spare or bate him a farthing and we who are remitted make no satisfaction all our Tears Prayers Sorrows Services pay not a mite to divine Justice Why should corrupt Reason mutter as if Satisfaction and Remission which are matches in Scripture were inconsistencies in Nature What saith God Levit. 4. 31. the Priest shall make an atonement there 's satisfaction and it shall be forgiven there 's remission What saith the great Apostle Rom. 3. 24. We are justified freely by his grace there 's remission through the redemption that is in Christ there 's satisfaction Take both in three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Eph. 4. 32. for Christ's sake there 's satisfaction hath forgiven you there 's remission and free remission for 't is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dismission or discharge of Sin but 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dismission or discharge of it in a gracious way In Christ our Surety there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 25. but towards us there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2. 11. Christ may say totum exsolvi and God may say totum remisi there was nothing forgiven to Christ for he paid all but there was all forgiven to us for we paid nothing Thus this Price is Redemptive from the Guilt of Sin and Wrath of God but this is not all 2. This Price is Redemptive from the stain of Sin the power of Sin and the tyranny of Satan and that by procuring the holy Spirit for us We are saved by the renewing of the holy Ghost and that is shed on us through Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 5 6. and where it is shed there it redeems 1. From the stain of Sin Sin is the dross or rust of the Soul Isai. 1. 22. but the Spirit refines and purifies from it Sin is the wrinkle of the old man Eph. 5. 27. but the Spirit smooths and removes it Christ came by water and blood 1 Joh. 5. 6. and the water sprung out of the blood the Spirit is that clean water Ezek. 36. 25. which fetcheth out the spots and stains of Sin and that healing water coming out from the side of the Temple even the pierced side of Christ Ezek. 47. 1. which by degrees cures all the Ulcers and Plague-sores of the heart The Corinthians were all over mire and dirt but they were washed in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. the Spirit washed them and washed them in the name of Jesus that is for his Merits sake The Soul in sinning runs to the Cabul of the Creature dirtying and fouling it self but the Spirit brings it back again to the holy one and as it approaches nearer and nearer to him the macula peccati goes off and the nitor animae appears 2. It redeems from the power of Sin Sin merited Christ's Crucifixion and Christ's Crucifixion merited the Crucifixion of Sin and upon this account out comes the holy Spirit and nullifies the Law of Sin batters down the strong holds of it plucks up the very Throne of it and crucifies the old Man with all his members by outward restriction nailing his hands and his feet and by inward circumcision cutting and piercing into his heart and from thence gradually letting out his vital blood even the love of Sin hence his motions wax feeble his members weak his natural heat of original lust spent and exhausted and his whole body drooping and languishing to his dying day and all this by a secret virtue from Christ's death We are planted together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conformity but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conformation of his death because his death procured that conformity in us Hence Sin doth not reign in us as a Prince upon his Throne but die as a man upon the Cross Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ. 3. It redeems from the tyranny of Satan Christ in his own person spoiled principalities and powers on the cross Col. 2. 15. and Christ by his Spirit spoils them in the hearts of men Satan hath his Palace there but Christ hath bought him out and the Spirit will cast him out Satan would keep on our chains but Christ dissolves them 1 Joh. 3. 8. As he by his Spirit enlightens off go the chains of the Mind as he converts off go the chains of the Will as he spiritualizes off go the chains of the Affections and as he sprinkles his blood upon us off goes the weighty Guilt of all these Satan would keep us within the Prison but Christ comes with an Habeas Animam translating us from the power of darkness into his own kingdom Col. 1. 13. a Region of Grace and Light where Satan the Ruler of Sin and Darkness cannot have the Victory because Christ the Wisdom and Power of God fights against Him who is as I may so say the wisdom and power of Sin Hence he falls as lightning from heaven Luke 10. 18. falls and breaks his Serpents head even his design against poor souls the ruine of Souls is a heaven to him and in falling short of that he falls as it were from heaven The Prince of this world shall be cast out saith Christ Joh. 12. 31. and he adds as a reason If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me Ver. 32. Lifted up upon the Cross he purchased the Spirit and lifted up into Heaven he sends down the Spirit which draws men out of Satans World into Christ's where the Gates of Hell can never prevail The God of peace bruises Satan underfoot Rom. 16. 20. the Apostle saith not the God of Mercy or Power shall do it but the God of Peace because unless Peace had been made through the blood of the Cross Satan would have kept us in everlasting Chains But now Justice being satisfied the Spirit comes forth with a Quo jure first rescuing the captive-Captive-soul and then treading down Satan under its feet Thanks be unto God for this victory also through Jesus Christ. Thus this Price is redemptive from Evil but 2. This Price is procurative of Good Infinity is a boundless Ocean and may run over in effects as far as it pleaseth infinite Power might have run over in making millions of Worlds more and infinite Mercy might have run over in saving millions of Sinners more The Price of Redemption hath a kind of Infinity in it no wonder then if after remotion of Evils it run over by its transcendent excess of Value in the procuration of Good such was the glorious redundance and supereffluence of its Merit that it paid divine Justice to the last mite and over and besides made a purchase of three Worlds I mean the lower World of Nature the middle World of Grace and the upper World of
are renewed with the renewings of the holy Ghost but that is shed on them through Jesus Christ they have the Law written in their hearts but that is the Epistle of Christ their filthy flesh is cut off from their hearts that they may love God who is a pure Spirit but this is the circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. In a word all the saving Graces of the Elect are as so many Legacies of the New-testament and the New-testament is founded in his Blood Wherefore it is clear from the Covenant of Grace and its special respect to the Elect that Christ died in a special and peculiar manner for them 3. I argue from the Issue of Christ Christ was to have a Seed and this I shall demonstrate three ways 1. From the Preciousness of his Blood 2. From the Purpose of his Father 3. From the Promise of his Father 1. From the Preciousness of his Blood That there should be a Laver made of God's Blood and never a Sinner washed in it that such a vast sum of precious Merits should be paid down and never a Captive released by it is to me no less than prodigious Blasphemy every little Grain in Nature doth confute it if that do but fall into the ground and die it bringeth forth much fruit and shall the Son of God bleed and die in his assumed Flesh and be fruitless God in his waky Providence gives to every little Seed his own body and shall the peerless Flower of Heaven sow his Blood and Righteousness and have none at all A Cup of cold water given in Charity shall in no wise lose its reward and can it be so with the Blood of Christ poured out in a transcendent excess of Love and glorified into an infinite Merit by his Deity When Christ fed the multitude but with Barley-loaves small Fishes nothing was lost and can all be lost when he makes a Feast of spiritual Marrow and Fatness and gives his Flesh to be meat indeed and his Blood to be drink indeed Oh! far be the thought from every Christian 2. From the Father's purpose which as the Scriptures hold forth clearly was that his Son should be a King a Captain a Shepherd an Husband an Head and a Father And what is a King without Subjects a Captain without Souldiers a Shepherd without a Flook an Husband without a Spouse an Head without a Body and a Father without Posterity Empty Names are below him whose name is above every name Wherefore this King must have a Sion a mountain of holiness to reign in Psal. 2. 6. this Captain a Militia an army with banners to fight under him Cant. 6. 4. this Shepherd a flock to hear his voice and follow him Joh. 10. 4. this Husband a spouse a Queen in Gold of Ophir maried to him Psal. 45. 9. this Head a body to be animated with his Spirit and filled with his life Col. 1. 18. and this Father a numerous issue begotten and brought forth into the spiritual World to honour and serve him Heb. 2. 13. 3. From the Father's Promise which was in terminis That he should have a seed Isai. 53. 10. a Seed begotten by his Spirit and by that Generation bearing his Image and in that Image serving of him and to make it sure God engages by special Promises to take away the stony Heart to write the Law there to put his holy Spirit into them and so infallibly to raise up a seed to him and for the continuance of this Seed successively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen ejus his name shall be sonned or childed from generation to generation Psal. 72. 17. The special Promises shall be ever budding and blossoming and bringing forth the fruits of Grace thus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied Isai. 53. 11. and as a sign of this Satisfaction he breaks out Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Heb. 2. 13. Should he miss but one of his Seed or Children his Heart would not rest or be satisfied for they are in a peculiar manner the travel of his Soul But now if Christ died alike or equally for all what becomes of his precious Blood How can the Purpose and Promise of God stand Which way shall Christ have a Seed Shall his Seed be begotten out of Man's Will No such Generation ever was there Joh. 1. 13. 'T is not of him that willeth Rom. 9. 16. Nothing less than the holy Spirit which formed Christ in the Womb can form him in the Heart but shall they be begotten by the holy Spirit That Spirit doth nothing in the work of Regeneration but what Christ merited in his Passion every new Creature which is efficiently begotten by the Spirit was first meritoriously begotten by the Death of Christ or else it would not be the Seed of Christ at least not the travel of his Soul Now Christ did not travel or merit for all men that they should be begotten again by the holy Ghost for then either all would be so begotten which Experience denies or else the Merit and Travel of Christ must be lost which the preciousness thereof abhorrs And if Christ did not merit it for all then neither did he if he died alike for all merit it for any and how then shall he have a Seed His Seed must be begotten by the Spirit and the Spirit begets no new Creatures but what Christ merited and Christ dying equally for all did not merit such a thing for any because not for all Moreover when God promised Christ a Seed either the meaning of that Promise was that some men should become his Seed or that all should be so if that some then Christ died not equally for all if that all then all must be begotten by the Spirit and renewed after Christ's Image the Stone must be cut out of every heart and the Law written there for in these things is the very spirit and life of Regeneration But seeing these things are not wrought in all it appears that the promised Seed is not all but some for whom Christ merited the very work of Regeneration 4. I argue from the Working of the holy Spirit As the holy Spirit eternally procedes from the Father and the Son in his personal Subsistence so he goes forth in time from the Father and the Son in his working in Men. Hence he is called the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son the Father sends him and the Son sends him and as the holy Spirit works in Men from the Father and the Son so he works in them more or less as the Love of the Father and the Merits of the Son do more or less respect them The Father doth in some sort love and the Son did in some sort die for all men Hence the holy Spirit hath some workings in the Non-elect Within the Church many of them taste the Powers of the World to come nay in the Pagan-world
through thy truth Joh. 17. 17. for their Perseverance Keep them through thine own name Ver. 11. and for their Glory I will that they be with me where I am to behold my glory Ver. 24. And what he spake for them by his oral Intercession on Earth that he speaks for them by his real Intercession in Heaven Thus Christ doth in a special manner intercede for the Elect which proves that he died for them in a special manner because his Intercession is but the presenting of the Merits of his Death to his Father in Heaven 7. I argue from the Event following upon Christ's Death some men do believe when others draw back and whence comes this distinguishing Faith either it comes merely of Man's Free-will or of God's free Grace if we say the first 't is the very mire and dirt of Pelagianism 't is to set up Free-will as an Idol to cast lots upon Christ's Blood whether any one person in the World shall be saved thereby or not If we say the latter then God and Christ had a special eye upon some above others for God ordained that Christ should be the grand Medium to Salvation and that Faith should be the only way to Christ If then he gave Christ for all and Faith but to some it is because he did in a special way intend their Salvation and consequently Christ who came to do his Fathers Will had in his Death a special respect to them 8. I argue from the special Expressions in Scripture As the Death of Christ is set out there in words of universality so it is set out there in words of special peculiarity Christ died for the elect Rom. 8. 33 34. died for the children of God scattered abroad Joh. 11. 52. gave himself for the Church Eph. 5. 25. gave himself for a peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. laid down his life for the sheep Joh. 10. 15. sanctified himself for the given ones Joh. 17. 9. and 19. purchased the church with his own blood Acts 20. 28. redeemed a people from among men Rev. 14. 4. is a Jesus to his own people Matth. 1. 21. and a saviour to his own body Eph. 5. 23. And is there no Emphasis of Love Are there no strains of free Grace Is there no import of singular respect and affection in all these Expressions We cannot say so without dispiriting the Scripture Experience it self tells us that all are not Christ's Elect Children Church peculiar People Sheep given Ones Body redeemed Ones from among men wherefore when the Scripture saith that he died for these it imports that he died for them in a peculiar manner But you 'l say These Scriptures speak rather of the Application of Christ's Death than the Impetration and though the Impetration be equally for all yet the Application is proper to Believers only I answer that if those Phrases of dying for the elect or children of God giving himself for a church or peculiar People laying down his life for his sheep purchasing the Church with his blood and sanctifying himself for the given ones do not import Impetration I know not what can import it You will reply that these Expressions import not Impetration as it is barely and nakedly in it self but as it hath Application following upon it and this is the Emphasis of them But if these Expressions import Impetration with Application following upon it whether doth that Application follow upon Impetration as a fruit thereof or not if so then Christ merited that Application for the Elect and consequently died in a special manner for them if not then there is no Emphasis of special Love Grace in all those expressions of his dying giving himself sanctifying himself and laying down his life for them for there was no Merit in all this to procure the Application of his Death unto them But let us further enquire what these Elect Children Church peculiar People Sheep given ones and redeemed ones from among men were before or without the Purchase made by Christ were these Elect called and justified without Christ or not If so why did he die for them If not then he died for them that they might be so called and justified Were these children meritoriously begotten by Christ's Blood or not If so then that Blood did more for them than for others if not then they were not the Seed of Christ. Was that Church an actual Church before or without Christ's purchase or was it a Church in his Intention If an actual Church what need he purchase it If a Church in intention then the special design of his Death was to make it an actual Church Was that peculiar People such without the Merit of Christ's Death or not If so why did he give himself for it If not then he gave himself for it that it might be such Were those Sheep brought into Christs fold without his Death or not If so why did he lay down his life for them If not he laid it down to bring them thither Were those given Ones actually sanctified without the virtue of Christs Sacrifice or not If so then why did he sanctifie himself for them If not then he sanctified himself for them that they might be sanctified Were those redeemed from among men redeemed by Christ or not If so then he redeemed them in a special manner if not then they are the redeemed ones of their own Free-will But let the Texts themselves breath forth their own native strains of Love and Grace he so died for the Elect as to effectually call and actually justifie them Rom. 8. 30 33. he so died for his Children as to gather them together into one one Faith on Earth and one fruition in Heaven Joh. 11. 52. he so gave himself for the Church as to make it a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25 27. he so gave himself for his People as to make them his peculiar ones Tit. 2. 14. he so laid down his life for his Sheep as to bring them into his fold and make them hear his voice Joh. 10. 15 16. he so sanctified himself for the given ones as to sanctifie them through the truth Joh. 17. 19. he so redeemed his chosen Ones from among men as to make them first fruits to God and the Lamb Rev. 14. 4. In all these special Scriptures it evidently appears that Christ in his Death had a special respect to his Elect. Wherefore I will shut up all with that of an Ancient Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus est pro nobis tamen specialiter passus est quia pro Ecclesia passus est CHAP. IX Of the Work of Conversion HAving passed over Redemption I come to Conversion there we had Christ formed in the Womb here we have him formed in the Heart there we had Christ coming in the Flesh and working miracles on mens Bodies here we have him coming in the Spirit and working miracles in mens Souls there we had Christ
pouring forth his Blood and reconciling us to God's Justice here we have him pouring forth his Spirit and reconciling us to God's Holiness Now in my discourse touching Conversion I shall reduce all to 3. Quaeries 1. What is Mans state before Conversion 2. What is the Nature of the Work 3. Who is the Worker thereof In the first we shall meet with the extreme Necessity of the work in the second with the intrinsecal Excellency thereof and in the third with the Power and Grace of the great Agent 1. What is Man's State before Conversion I mean Man fallen for Man standing needed no Conversion and this I shall consider two ways 1. What it is in general in relation to the whole Man 2. What it is in particular in relation to the several parts of Man 1. What it is in general and this I shall open in two things 1. 'T is a State of Estrangement from God 2. 'T is a State of Enmity against God 1. 'T is a State of Estrangement from God a natural Man is estranged from the womb Psal. 58. 3. without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. God is all round about him in the witnessing Creatures and yet he is without God in the World God is in him in the Lamp of Conscience yet he is without God in his Heart for there he saith There is no God Psal. 14. 1. Which way soever God comes forth to meet him whether from Mount Sinai in the fiery Law or from Mount Sion in Gospel-charms of free Grace still he flies away from God's presence and if God pursue after him he 'l say to God in plain Terms Depart from me Job 21. 14. and if any reliques of light will not depart but stay behind in his heart he shuts them up in the prison of unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. His Ubi is with Cain in Nod the Land of wandring and demigration and with the Prodigal in a far Country where he is far off from God Psal. 73. 27. and God far off from him Prov. 15. 29. if ever he be saved he must be brought from far Isai. 43. 6. Now upon a distinct View this is a deplorable Condition for 1. A natural Man being estranged from God the Fountain of Life must needs be a dead Man dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2. 1. because alienated from the Life of God he is not only as the man in the Gospel half dead Luk. 10. 30. who is there set forth not as a figure of Original Corruption but as an Object of Charity as is very evident by the scope of the Parable which is ushered in with that Question And who is my neighbour Ver. 29 and at last closed up with the like Which of the three was neighbour to him Ver. 36 but he is altogether dead in Spirituals there are no true vital Spirits of Faith in him no true motions of Obedience no pulse of heavenly Affections no breath of Spiritual Prayer no taste of the Gospel-wine and Marrow no feeling of all that massy Sin and Wrath which lies upon him all his Life is a Death-wandering all his rest is in the Congregation of the dead Prov. 21. 16. Give him all the Statures of natural Excellencies strew him over with the flowers of sweetest Morality and spangle him with the Notions of sublime Theology yet still he is but a dead man his Soul a dead Soul his Faith a dead Faith his Works dead works and his Hopes and Comfors but as the giving up of the Ghost But you 'l say Is not Man a living Creature Hath he not a Reason and reliques of Light in it Hath he not a free Will and Seeds of Moral Vertue in it And why then do you call him dead I answer Man is a living Creature alive in Naturals but dead in Spirituals he hath a Reason but because there is no light of life in it 't is but a dead Reason his reliques of Light argue no more Spiritual Life in him than knowledge doth in Devils he hath a free Will but for want of the freedom indeed 't is only free among the dead I mean to this or that carnal or natural Work and not to the Will of God he hath some Seeds of Moral Vertue in him but alas these are of too low an Extraction to be any Particles of spiritual Life Mere Moral Vertues are by God's blessing on humane Industry struck as sparks out of natural Principles but Spiritual Life is a Fire dropt down from Heaven into the Heart mere Moral Vertues descending but from natural Principles never ascend up to God as their end but Spiritual Life as it is originally born of God so it is ultimately terminated in him Wherefore a man may be naturally nay morally alive and yet be spiritually dead 2. A natural Man being estranged from God who is an infinite Spirit must needs be Flesh Thus God calls the Men of the old World flesh Gen. 6. 3. thus our Saviour sets out Regeneration by its opposite That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Joh. 3. 6. As the Body separate from the Soul is Flesh such as moulders into Dust and putrifies into Worms so the Soul separate from God is Flesh too such as turns into the Dust of earthly things and rots in those Lusts which breed the never-dying Worm in Hell neither is this Flesh only in the lower Rooms of the Soul but in the upmost Faculties of Reason and Will In the Reason there is the cankred flesh of Errors and Heresies and in the Will there is the dead flesh of Impotency and the proud flesh of Obstinacy against the Will of God Hence the Apostle tells us of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mind of flesh Col. 2. 18. and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wills of flesh Eph. 2. 3. And therefore the true Circumcision is in the heart and in the spirit Rom. 2. 29. even in the highest Faculties and Powers of the Soul 3. A natural Man being estranged from God who is the Beauty of Holiness must needs be very impure he is filthy or stinking Psal. 14. 3. an unclean thing Joh 14. 4. he lies polluted in his blood with a Leprosie in his head and a Plague in his heart clothed in filthy rags of Sin and rolling in the mire and vomit of Corruption so great is his filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness that he taints whatsoever he touches his very Prayers are an abomination and his Services as dung before God Neither is this pollution only in the sensitive Soul but also in the rational there is filthiness of spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. and disilement in the very mind and conscience Tit. 1. 15. there is no sound part but all over wounds and bruises and putrifying sores 4. A natural Man being estranged from God who is Jehovah or Beingness must needs be a very Nullity in spirituals If a Creature be separate from the God of
Nature 't is a Nullity in naturals and if a rational Creature be separate from the God of Grace he is a Nullity in spirituals Sure if he were any thing at all he might speak or think but he can do neither As running a fountain of Words as his tongue is he cannot say Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. and as swarming a Hive of Thoughts as his Heart is he cannot think any thing as of himself 2 Cor. 3. 5. The great Apostle gives a double account of himself an account what he is in himself I am nothing saith he 2 Cor. 12. 11. and an account what he is by Grace by the grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. all his nothingness is in and of himself and all his spiritual essence is in and of Grace A mere Natural man is nothing in Spirituals his eyes are on that which is not Prov. 23. 5. his joy is in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. and all the false Gods in his heart are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihilitates nothingnesses Psal. 96. 5. As they are Creatures in the World they are Beings but as they are Idols in his 〈◊〉 they are nothing nothing to make a God of and he who makes them such is like unto them even nothing in Spirituals 2. 'T is a State of Enmity against God he is not only a Stranger but an enemy too Col. 1. 21. nay which is more his carnal Mind is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Enmity is irreconcileable it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be not unless the Enmity be slain in it nay further the Apostle call the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of God Rom. 1. 30. and Hatred is Enmity boiled up to the height Hatred saith the Philosopher seeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Not-being of the thing hated and such is man's Wickedness that strikes as it were at the Life and Being of God it had rather that God should not be than that Lusts should be restrained The Scripture sets out some grand Enemies as opposing God openly and upon the Stage of the World and by what they did openly we may discern what spirit and mystery of Iniquity is working in every Natural man's heart secretly there is in him some of the corrupt flesh of the old World somewhat of Pharaoh's spirit which secretly saith Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Somewhat of the bloody Jew which is ready to crucifie the Son of God afresh and trample his precious blood under-foot somewhat of the proud Antichrist the man of sin which exalts it self above God it s own Reason above the Wisdom of God and its own Will above the Will of God The very same Venom and Poyson of Enmity which the Grand Enemies of God pour out openly privily lurks and works in every Natural Man Thus in general Man's State is Estrangement and Enmity But to procede 2. What is Man's State in particular in relation to his several parts Now here the same Estrangement and Enmity shews forth it self according to the Nature of each part 1. As for the Understanding 't is turned away from God the first and essential Truth and so become a Forge of lying Vanities 't is turned away from God the first and essential Light and so become a dark place nay darkness it self Eph. 5. 8. and if the light be darkness how great is that darkness So great it is that a Natural man sets an higher estimate on the Follies of Time than on the Blessedness of Eternity and rates the broken Cisterns above the Fountain of living waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souly man who hath nothing but a rational Soul the Spirit of a mere man in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 2. 14. One would think that all Truths should be welcome to a rational Soul and above all the Mysteries of Heaven but he receiveth them not And this the Apostle lays down distinctly The spirit of man knows the things of man because they are within his own Line but the things of God are only known by the Spirit of God because they are above the Sphere of natural Reason As the things of Man are above the Sphere of Sense so the things of God are above the Sphere of Reason and yet as if they were below it the Natural man counts them foolishness which evinces an extreme foolishness in his own heart he is not a Man not an understanding Creature in Spirituals Agur is a Brute in his own eyes I have not the understanding of a man saith he Prov. 30. 2. The Apostle proving all under sin asserts that there is none that understandeth Rom. 3. 11. Millions of ratinal Creatures in the World and yet there is none that understandeth and his proof is invincible there is none that seeketh after God which sure would be done if there were any spark of spiritual Understanding in him 'T is true there may be a mass of Notions in a man unconverted but not a dram of spiritual Knowledge Seeing he sees not he sees the things of God in the image or picture of the Letter but he sees them not in their liveliness and inward Glory Just as the carnal Israelites who saw their Manna and Sacrifices only in the outside but saw not Christ in them or as those false Seekers of whom Christ saith Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6. 26. There was a Miracle in those very Loaves but they saw only the carnal and grosser part of the Miracle and not the Glory and Power of Christ's Deity sparkling out in it An Unconverted man knows nothing as he ought to know it no not in the midst of his notions there is no savouring tasting or practical Knowledge in him nothing but a husk shell or form of Knowledg and in the midst thereof a real enmity against the things known Whilest the light of Truth shines only in the Notion he likes it well enough but if it waken Conscience check Lust press Duty or any way offer to assume its Supremacy in his heart or life he instantly hates it as an enemy 2. As for the Will the Principle of Freedom 't is turn'd from God the primum liberum and from his service the vera libertas and so it is become servum arbitrium an arrant Slave bound in the bonds of iniquity and which is the height of Slavery 't is in love with its Bonds and which is the intenseness and intimateness of that love when Christ comes to break these Bonds 't is loth to be made free indeed the iron is so entred into his soul the Bondage is so intimate in the forlorn Will that it looks on God's service as bondage and Sins bondage as freedom and hence it is dead and lame to God's ways but runs and flies
this legal fear issues a flood of legal sorrows for sin as procurative of wrath Gods arrows stick fast in the Soul and hence men are pricked in heart Acts 2. 37. and which is more wounded in spirit Prov. 18. 14. and these wounds stink and are corrupt till the balm of Christs blood be poured into them Such is the weight of these fears and sorrows that it presses the Soul into a self-weariness and by degrees breaks it all to pieces that there is scarce left a shard thereof to take a little fire from the hearth or water out of the Pit of any Creature-comfort 4. In the midst of these fears and sorrows some glimmerings and appearances of mercy in Christ offer themselves to the Soul and the Soul begins to have some vellcities and imperfect wouldings after Mercy anguish and bitterness make it cry out Oh! What shall I do to be saved The scorching flames of Gods wrath leave a thirst in the heart after the coolings and refrigerations of pardoning Mercy and in proportion to these wouldings and velleities there are some light touches and tasts of Free Grace some flashes of joy in the Word and Christ the marrow thereof and yet all this while there is no root of Spiritual life in the heart These are the preparatories of Conversion only we must not conceive them to be such formal immediate dispositions as infallibly inferr Conversion after them for such prepared ones though not far from the Kingdom of Heaven may yet possibly never enter into it neither must we look on these preparations though Gods usual method as necessary on Gods part for if he please to use his Prerogative he can make even dry bones to rattle and come together again without any previous dispositions He can say unto men even when they are in their blood Live and that word as with child of Omnipotency shall instantly bring forth the New Creature 2. What is the work of Conversion it self I answer 'T is that inward Principle of Grace whereby a man is made able and willing to turn from all Creatures unto God in Christ. Conversion is a motion of the Soul and therefore there must be an inward Principle called in Scripture a Root The root of the matter is in me saith Job Job 19. 28. Friends you look upon me as if I were nothing but leaves of hypocrisie but the inward Root of Holiness is in me Conversion is a supernatural motion and therefore there must be an inward Principle of Grace called by the Apostle the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. the Humane Nature cannot elevate it self so high as Conversion but the Divine Nature can do it By this inward Principle of Grace man becomes able he hath an active posse convertere and which is more a velle too he becomes able and willing to turn Conversion is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a returning unto God Mans Natural state wants a Turn and Gods Supernatural Grace effects it Motion is between two terms the terminus à quo in conversion is all Creatures Creatures as Creatures are the footsteps of Gods Power and Goodness and so we must not turn from a worm but see God in it but Creatures as they are deifyed and idolized in the heart become lying vanities and empty nothings and so in Conversion we turn from them all The world without us is a Glass of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness and so Conversion gives a sanctified use of it but the world within us the world in the heart is nothing but a lust 1 John 2. 16. sitting in the place and Throne of God I mean the chief and uppermost seat of the Soul and so Conversion casts it out of the heart The Soul in Conversion moves towards God as its true centre and therefore must leave all the world behind its back The terminus ad quem in Conversion is God A man before Conversion walks in an Image Psal. 39. 6. he thinks that he moves towards happiness in this or that Creature but all the while he is but in an image or picture of happiness but in Conversion he moves really to God the Centre and Sabbath of Souls Lastly in Conversion there is a turning unto God in Christ. To turn to God is a most rational Act for he is the only true end of the Soul and to turn to God in Christ is a most Regular Act for he is the only true way to that end The way into the Holy of holies is only through the vail of Christs flesh If we go to God out of Christ we go to a consuming fire but if we go to God in him we go to a reconciled Father who is ready to fall upon our necks and kiss and welcome us with his Love revealed in the face of Christ. Now in Conversion there are two instants or moments to be distinctly considered 1. The first instant is habitual Conversion or the habits or vital Principles of Grace which incline and dispose the Soul to actual Conversion 2. The second instant is actual Conversion or the actuation and crowning issue of those Principles in an actual turn to God 1. As to the habits or vital Principles of Grace I shall do two things 1. I shall demonstrate that there are habits or Principles of Grace 2. I shall particularly unfold what they are 1. I shall demonstrate that there are such things The Remonstrants mince the business There is say they potentia supernaturalis concessa voluntati ad hoc ut credere bene agere possit but as as for any habitual Grace they tell us Scholasticorum figmentum est corum qui simul somel optant infundi omnes illos habitus quos actibus crebris comparare nimis laboriosum esse arbitrantur Now there is a vast difference between a mere posse convertere and those Habits or Principles of Grace which dispose and encline the Soul to actual Conversion A mere posse convertere doth not include in it any inward disposition or inclination in the Soul to turn to God no more than the posse peccare in innocent Adam did include in it an inward disposition or inclination in the Soul to depart from God but the Habits or Principles of Grace do incline and dispose the Soul to actual Conversion Again a mere posse convertere doth not denominate a man gracious no more than the posse peccare in innocent Adam did denominate him sinful but the Habits or Principles of Grace do denominate a man gracious And the Reason is a mere posse may be abstract from the Nature or Essence of the thing into which it is reducible but the Habit or vital Principle hath something of the Nature or Essence of the thing in it nay it is virtually and seminally the thing it self A mere posse peccare in Adam before his Fall did not denominate him sinful because it had nothing of the nature of Sin in it but the Habits and Seeds of
Hos. 9. 7. Now the Heart when this Principle is in it hates and abhorrs the taste of this poison the smell of this vomit the touch of this menstruous cloth the sight or appearance of this filthy excrement the thought of this enmity to God and the very presence of this abominable thing this hatred is the very life and spirit of Repentance As the love of Sin is the vinculum unionis or vital spirit whereby the Soul and Sin are intimately united together so the hatred of Sin is the solutio vinculi or the extinction of that vital spirit whereby the Soul and Sin are separated one from another 3. As it is a Principle of actual Reformation or forsaking of Sin and this is no other than the two former Principles of Sorrow and Hatred conspiring together to make away with Sin Sorrow nails the old Man with all his members upon the Cross there to die in pains and agonies and Hatred pierces into his very Heart and le ts out his vital Blood I mean the love of Sin that he may be sure to die and not revive again where these two are a man suffers in the flesh and ceases from sin 1 Pet. 4. 1. he cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commit sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. not so as he did before Sorrow forbids it to be the joy of his way and Hatred forbids it to be the love of his Heart and both cast it out as an unclean thing causing God's departure from the Soul 3. As to the Affections there is a Principle which tunes and harmonizes them and that in a threefold respect 1. 'T is a Principle reductive of the Affections to the Rule of Reason God in Creation made Man a Lord over Brutes anointed Reason to reign over the Affections but as soon as Man rebelled against God all within him and without him was hurled into confusion Without the brute Beasts rebelled against his person and within the brutish Lusts rebelled against his Reason but when converting Grace reduces Man into order again then the beasts of the field are at peace with him Joh 5. 23. and the Affections of the Heart throw down their arms and confess their homage to the Kingdom of Reason This Principle makes a man able to rule over his own spirit Prov. 16. 32. and say with Authority to one Affection Go and it goeth and to another come and it cometh 'T is true Moral Vertue doth in its way subject the Affections to Reason but this supernatural Principle doth it in a more excellent manner there the Subjection is to Reason as the supreme Faculty of the Soul but here it is to it as the candle of the Lord even for his sake who lighted it up for the guidance of the blind Faculties there it is to Reason as a natural Light but here it is to it as supernaturally illuminated The holy Spirit makes the Truths of the Gospel to become the Law of the mind and this Law of the mind rules over the Affections the Affections are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Woman-part in us the head of this woman is the Man or Reason and the head of this Man is Christ and his holy unction 2. 'T is a Principle moderative of the Affections as to the things of the World Before Conversion the Earth hath its Throne in the Heart but this Principle shakes the earth out of her place before the Affections are as Sails spread open to the gales of the World but this Principle contracts and folds them up lest the spirit of the World should fill them Earthly things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the smallest things of all 1 Cor. 6. 2. and where this Principle is a very small portion of them will suffice Agur's dimensum Daniels pulse our Saviours daily bread Pauls food and raiment Luther's Herring any thing with the word of blessing will serve the turn when there is little or nothing without still there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-sufficiency of holy content within and when there is a concourse or affluence of all outward blessings this Principle is as Balast to keep the Heart from drowning and overwhelming it self therein there is such an holy allay upon the Soul that in the lowest ebbs of adversity it possesses all things in its God and in the highest tides of prosperity it will not be possessed by any thing in the World Alas saith the Soul all this is but thick clay and why should I lade my Eagle-affections with it All this is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much fancy and why should an immortal Soul be set upon it The whole World is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figure or shadow and that Time which invelopes it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time contracted and contracted into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the Apostle calls the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the now world 2 Tim. 4. 10. Wherefore a shadow of Affections is big enough for a figure and the shortest glance of the Heart long enough for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transient and momentany thing which perishes with the very using The World in Scripture is set out as a nullity a thing that is not Prov. 23. 5. and this Principle deals with it as such it makes a man rejoyce as if he rejoiced not and buy as if he possessed not the Affections like translated Enoch are not found here below because God hath translated them 3. 'T is a Principle inflammative of the Affections towards God and the things of God before the Affections run down to the World as their Centre but this Principle turns the stream of the Soul upward towards God now Love which is the Key of the heart opens unlocks it unto God Desire which is Love in motion goes out in holy breathings and thirstings after him and if he stay away from the Soul Hope which is Love in expectation looks and waits for his approaches to the Soul and when he doth approach thither Delight which is Love in rest or acquiescence joys and keeps sabbath in his presence and lest this Sabbath should be broken Fear which is the Soul's Sentinel watches against Sin as the great make-bate and incendiary and when Sin offers to enter the Soul Hatred which is the Soul's Guard shuts the doors against it with an holy displicency and antipathy and if it do enter there Anger which is the Soul's Sword strikes at it with indignation and Sorrow which is the Soul's Issue vents and lets out the corrupt blood and humours out of it and which is the heat and height of all Zeal sets the Soul on fire and makes it burn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that which is good for the Glory of God who is the supreme Good and against the commission of Sin which is the supreme Evil. Thus the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trade or converse of the Affections is in heaven Phil. 3. 20. This Principle
Questions 1. Whether God be not the Author of Conversion 2. After what manner it is wrought 3. Whether God's Will be not always accomplished therein 1. Whether God be not the Author of it And to this Scripture and Reason answer in the affirmative 1. Scripture asserts it there Conversion is painted out under various Notions With reference to our old Corruption 't is called a new heart with reference to the Seed of the Word 't is a generation with reference to our natural Birth 't is a regeneration with reference to the Law in the Letter 't is the Law in the heart with reference to the World 't is a heavenly call out of it with reference to Satan 't is a translation out of his kingdom with reference to Christ 't is a coming to him by faith with reference to God 't is a returning or conversion to him with reference to our death in Sins 't is a resurrection a quickning of the dead with reference to our nullity in Spirituals 't is a creation or a new creature The Scripture phrases it many ways but still it sets forth God as the supreme Author of it Be it a new Heart God is the giver of it Ezek. 36. 26. be it a Generation or Regeneration God is the father of it Jam. 1. 18. be it the Law in the heart God is the writer of it Heb. 8. 10. be it a Call out of the World God is the caller 2 Tim. 1. 9. be it a Translation out of Satan's Kingdom God is the translator Col. 1. 13. be it a coming to Christ God is the drawer Joh. 6. 44. be it a turning or returning to God God is the converter to him the Church prays Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned Lam. 5. 21. be it a Resurrection God is the quickner Eph. 2. 5. be it a new Creation God is the creator and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his workmanship created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 10. Every way God is the Author of Conversion even in Actual Conversion whilest the Act is Man's the Grace is God's for he worketh the Will and the Deed. 2. Reason evinces this and that 3 ways 1. Creature-weakness needs it Man cannot convert himself the Natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot be subject to God's Law Rom. 8. 7. as to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wants a heart Prov. 9. 4. a Stone he hath which resists God's Will but a heart he hath not to obey the same His Will is tota cupiditas a Lust rather than a Will no wonder if he cannot by his own power convert himself Conversion is a thing above the Sphere of lapsed Nature nay beyond the line of Angels Man's Heart is so dark that those stars of light cannot irradiate it and so cold that those flames of love cannot warm it there is such an Iron-sinew in it as the heavenly hosts which excel in strength cannot bow but must leave it to the Arms of the Almighty and when he doth it they joy over the Convert as a wonder of Power and Grace 2. The Excellency of the Work calls for it The Body of Nature is a rare piece but the Soul of Man is of a nobler value and in the Soul converting Grace which is but an Accident is worth more than the Soul it self 't is the Soul's Rectitude 't is glory within 't is the precious hidden man of the heart 't is the very image of God 't is Christ formed in us 't is anima in centro the Soul centred in God joined unto him and after a wonderful manner becoming one spirit with him 't is Faith in the true one Love in the essential Love a mind light in the Lord and a Will at liberty in the Will of the primum liberum and who can be Author thereof but God alone God made all things ab Angelo usque ad vermiculum from the Angel in Heaven to the Worm on Earth but in Conversion he makes a poor Worm angelize God must be owned in every Atom of Nature how much more in the great Work of Grace This is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wonderful works of God Acts 2. 11. St. Austin tells a Story of one who was seduced at first but to deny God's Creatorship in the Fly afterwards came to deny it in the Bird and then in the Beast and at last in Man But if any one should procede so far as to deny him in Conversion it would be more prodigious Blasphemy than all the rest Saving Grace is a ray or sparkle of the Deity a thing merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to God Eph. 4. 24. there is more of God to be seen in it than in all the World of Creatures besides and by consequence to deny him in that is more than to deny him in all the rest 3. The Almightiness of Grace can only effect it As the Scripture sets out Conversion as a great Work so it sets out an almighty Grace as the Cause thereof He that believes acording to some Scriptures that in the work of Conversion there is a resurrection of the soul from the dead a transformation of a stony heart into flesh and a Creation of a new heart and new spirit must also believe according to other Scriptures that in the production of that Work there is put forth a divine power excellency of power and exceeding greatness of power such as raised up Christ from the dead In Conversion there is not only a light shining round about the Sinner but a light shining into him not only a waking of a sleepy Will but a quickning of a dead one not only a proposal of divine Objects but an infusion of divine Principles therefore the Grace effecting it must be almighty That in the Prophet I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36. 27. is as much a word of Power as the Fiat which made the World that in the Gospel the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5. 25. sounds out as great an efficacy as that other Lazarus come forth nothing less than almighty Power can effect it 2. After what manner is it wrought Our Saviour sets out the Mystery of Regeneration by the Wind the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 8. In Regeneration the Spirit blows with such a sound as breaks the Stone in the Heart and with such lively gales as quicken the dead Soul but the manner of this Work is in a great measure secret and incomprehensible by us If we know not how the Bones grow in the Womb how much less how Christ is
but as dung before the Will Phil. 3. 8. Hence the Will hath no whither else to turn But if it turn no whither else may it not suspend its Act as to Christ Suspend what from the only way to Blessedness evidently pointed out What from him who is all desires really believed to be such Can it thus wave Happiness and embrace mere nothing in the room thereof and can it do thus when a right-set Understanding is really actuated and it self truly principled with Grace Surely it cannot be No sooner did Christ see the budding Graces of his Church but his soul made him like the chariots of Amminadib Cant. 6. 11 12. and no sooner do Christians see the lovely Excellencies of Christ but they will become an Amminadib a willing people and their Wills as so many swift Chariots to convey them unto him Thus the Will follows the Understanding in its embraces of Christ as the Way 3. The Will follows the Understanding in its rejection of Sin as the great Obstacle and this also appears 1. From several Scriptures there we find on the one hand that Folly is the root of the Commission of Sin The foolishness of man perverteth his way Prov. 19. 3. Why doth the Atheist say in his heart there is no God Because he is a fool Psal. 14. 1. Why do the Mammonists boast and trust in their uncertain Riches Because their way is their folly Psal. 49. 13. Why doth the blind Idolater fall down to the Stock of a Tree Because a deceived heart hath turned him aside Isai. 44. 19 20. Why did the rebellious Israelites grieve their good God forty years together Because they did err in their hearts Psal. 95. 10. On the other hand there we find that true Wisdom or Understanding is the root of the rejection of Sin To depart from evil is understanding Job 28. 28. the pollutions of the world are escaped through the knowledge of Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20. through thy precepts saith David I get understanding what then therefore I hate every false way Psal. 119. 104. and again I esteem all thy precepts to be right and what follows I hate every false way Ver. 128. First there was a right Judgement in his Understanding and thence issued an hatred of Sin in his Will For all the Wolves and the Leopards yet saith God they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain why so Because the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord Isai. 11. 9. that saving Knowledge should turn them into Lambs and little Children and make them leave off their barbarous and inhumane cruelty Hence Repentance which includes in it an hatred and rejection of Sin is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transmentation or postmentation because when a man comes to himself in a right Understanding he hates rejects Sin 2. From the Will it self If that follow the Understanding in turning to God as its supreme End and in embracing of Christ as the only way then by necessary consequence it must needs follow the Understanding in the rejection of Sin as the great Obstacle for if it follow not here also it must wave its supreme End and the Way thither it must resolve upon a Happiness without God and Christ. If the Understanding say to the Will There is no other Cloud betwixt thee and the Father of Lights no other distance betwixt thee and the Fountain of living Waters none but Sin alone surely the Will must bid it be gone for ever 3. From the Understanding which so represents Sin as that the Will doth turn away from it and this it doth three ways 1. The Understanding doth represent Sin as a grand evil it sets it forth as an Ataxy in man Rebellion against God Spears and Nails to Jesus Christ Quench-coal to the Spirit of Grace Blur and Stain to the Soul groaning Burthen on the back of the whole Creation Venom and perfect Quintessence of all evils a thing of such monstrous deformities as if it did appear in its own prodigious shape would not be touched upon by Man and how can the Will being a rational Appetite doat upon such a thing Surely upon it as such it cannot wherefore Sin that it may be welcome to the Will covers it self with Fig-leaves as Adam it veils its face like Tamar it paints and tires like Jezabel it disguises and feigns it self to be another like Jeroboam's Wife it courts and flatters to steal away hearts like Absalom it comes like Agrippa and Bernice with great pomp in fancy of some apparent goodness offering it self to our Saviour it wrapped up it self in all the glories of the World nay in the Mantle of Scripture and Angelical protection coming to Adam it held forth an Apple and promised no less than a God-head ever it hath a lye and a cheat in it Hence it is called a false way Psal. 119. 104. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of a lye Prov. 11. 18. there is in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleight as in cogging Dice Eph. 4. 14. it makes every sinner believe that he shall have the cast of happiness but coggs away his Soul This is that deceitfulness of sin by which it insinuates it self into the Will but this right Understanding hath a counter-work it unleaves and unveils Sin it unpaints undresses it it plucks off it false appearances and disguises it disrobes it of all its pomps and fancy it discovers the lye and cheat in it and makes it appear in its own ugly hue and shameful nakedness Achan's Sin was wrapt up in a Baby lonish Garment but unclothe it and it was an accursed thing Saul's Sin was covered over with Sacrifices but unveil it and 't was witchcraft-like rebellion Judas his Sin about the precious Ointment was painted over with Charity but unpaint it and 't was arrant thievery Paul's Sin wore a Cloak of Zeal but undress it and 't was bloody persecution This right Understanding plucks the lye out of Sins mouth and the paint off from its face and all the Robes of apparent Goodness off from its back and so constrains it to go naked before the Will and thereby it appears what it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinning sin Rom. 7. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil of evils Hos. 10. 15. altogether evil and nothing but evil and now how can the Will embrace it as good How can it chuse but reject it as evil Now if ever shall Sin be crucified Male-factors were first stripped and then crucified Sin in its Attire is a King in its Robes sitting on the Heart as a Throne but Sin stript naked by the Understanding is a Malefactor ready for the Cross and there the Will will surely nail it the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing saith the Prophet Isai. 10. 27. Sin is a Yoke upon the Will fastened there by a lye an appearance of some false Good but the Anointing which is truth 1 Joh.