faculties of the Soul the Understanding Memory and Will which three faculties have but one soul and the soul is one and the same in all the three faculties or else in the frame and order of mans intellectual nature and operation for that in one and the same spiritual Being the understanding doth beget the Word of the minde the image of it self in which it knows and from both issues a Dilection in the Will whereby it loves which is some likeness though no perfect Image of the Trinity § 7. Wherefore when God saith What most properly meant by those words of God is the creation of man After our likeness a Gen. 2.26 Let us make man in our own image after our likeness those words After our likeness we understand aright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of exposition to those words In our Image and so they intimate unto us what this image is not of identity but of analogy not of essence but of quality that being b 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.15 H b 1.3 John 14.9 1 Tim. 3.16 proper unto Christ this common unto c Job 1.6 Mat. 22.30 Angels and d Gen. 9.6 1. Cor. 11.7 Man Man then being made in Gods image and after his likeness doth denote a distance of diversity as well as declare a nearness of similitude Indeed Christ and Christ alone is the perfect and equal image of God being coessential and coeternal with the Father so that Gods image is in Christ as that of the King in his connatural Son by generation but in man as that of the King in his publick Coyne by impression § 8. It is an inseparable property of Mans soul in its analogical conformity to Gods nature The souls immortality not lost by the fall to be immortal which could not be lost by the fall for that in man degenerated by Sin as in man regenerated by Grace What the change in man by his fal the change is real but not essential it is in a Col. 3 10. Eph. 4 24. qualities but not in substance it is in the gifts and habits of the minde and thereby in the excellency not in the essence of the soul And as not in the souls essence so nor in its essential powers and properties man by his fall doth become indeed b Jer. 10.14 brutish but not a brute c Psa 49 12 20 Like the beasts in sensuality but not a beast in real truth Why the soul is immortal § 9. The soul then in all men continuing to be immaterial it must needs be immortal which otherwise could not be capable of an a 2 Cor. 5.1 Rom. 2 7. 1 Pet. 1.4 eternal reward in the godly or an b Mat. 25.4 Mark 9.43 44. eternal punishment in the wicked and needs must the soul be immortal which is spiritually begotten of c 1 Pet. 1.4 immortal seed and nourished by d John 6.51 incorruptible food which together with our whole Christian faith would become e 1 Cor. 15.13 14 vain yea perish in the souls mortality So that we cannot profess the Religion of Christ if we deny the immortality of the soul When the soul is created and infused into the body § 10. The soul is not a Rom. 9.11 pre-existent in its self before it is united unto the body by inspiration from God but as in the b Gen. 2.7 primitive being of the soul in Adam so in the successive beings of souls in all men The c Num. 16.22 Zech. 12.1 Col. 1.17 Job 5.17 soul is then infused by Creation and created by infusion when the body is prepared by a fit * Exod. 21.22 organization of the parts What its principal seat and how it informs the body made capable to receive it Whose Royal seat is in d Deu. 5.29 65. 30.14 Prov. 23.26 Heb. 8.10 the heart and by its analogically omnipresent power and infinite essence in its little world it actuates e 1 Cor. 12.14 c. the whole body and each member according to the several dispositions of the Organs And the soul thus inspired or infused it is not de Deo of God in his essence but f Rom. 11.36 a Deo from God in his power How the soul is the off-spring of God and so it is g Acts 17.28 Heb. 12.9 his off-spring by way of efficiency in a conformity of divine habits in its qualification not by an identity of divine substance in its Constitution § 11. In mans primitive integrity How possest of all vertues in its integrity Reason being subordinate unto God and the inferior faculties subordinate unto Reason Man was in a proportion possest of all vertues some in habit though not in act some both in act and in habit Those vertues which did imply an imperfection in mans estate were in him onely according to their habits and not their acts as mercy and repentance which implies misery and sin Those vertues which did imply nothing repugnant to mans created perfection were in him both according to their habits and their acts as Faith Hope and Charity Justice Temperance and Chastity and the like § 12. The souls of men not propagated Seeing the soul doth receive its being by a Eccles 12.7 Isa 57.16 1 Pet. 4.9 creation it cannot be extraduced propagated by generation as if the soul were from the soul as light is from light or the body from the body for then sure Adam would have said b Gen. 2 23. of Eve that she was spirit of his spirit as well as flesh of his flesh And why neither can that be by natural generation which is incorruptible in its nature yea simple and indivisible in its substance now such is the c Luke 23.46 Hâ—b 12 9. soul of man § 13. Yea Especially proved from their immortality the soul being an immaterial and immortal substance subsisting in its self and so a Heb. 12.23 Rev. 6.10 having the operations of life without the body it cannot be by Generation but must have its being by Creation otherwise as it begins its being with the Body generated it should cease to be with the Body corrupted and thereby could not be immortal Wherefore to say the soul is propagated by carnal Generation were to deny its immortality and therewith overthow the Faith and destroy our Christianity What the immortality of humane nature § 14. Besides the immortality of the soul in its spiritual substance man in his primitive estate had an immortality of humane nature not whereby he had no power to dye and from whence but whereby he had a power not to dye from his Original righteousness he had a power not to sin and from thence did flow that his primitive immortality in a power not to dye and how lost a Gen. 1.17 Rom 6.23 death being a punishment and so a consequent of sin §
free and necessary No compelling force of Providence in necessary causes Sec. 13. Contingency in secondary causes illustrated Sec 14. How Gods Providence is equal and how unequal The Providence of God general special and peculiar The law of Nature and how executed in Gods general Providence Sec. 15. What a miracle is and how one greater then another Sec. 16. Wherein miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature Sec. 17. Gods special Providence over Angels and men How over Angels How over men Sec. 18. Gods peculiar Providence over the Church of his Elect The dispensation hereof committed to Christ and how performed Sec. 19. Gods Providence particularly applied and how Sec. 20. This aptly illustrated Sec. 21. Why Gods Providence doth not admit Annihilation of the creatures CHAP. IX Concerning the Angels Elect and Apostate Sec. 1. WHat the nature of the Angels is Sec. 2. How and when created Sec. 3. Why and how immortal Sec. 4. The trial of Angels The obedience and confirmation of the good Angels Sec. 5. In what the confirmation of the good Angels Sec. 6. How and why from grace and not from nature Sec. 7. This grace in the understanding Sec. 8. And in the will made perfect by Christ Sec. 9. The fall and punishment of the evil Angels Sec. 10. The service of the good Angels in behalf of Christs Church the use and malice of the evil Angels in respect of the wicked Sec. 11. Gods glory manifested in both No fear to the good no hope to the evil Angels Sec. 12. What the orders and names of the good how given and constituted Sec. 13. How they assum'd bodies in their ministrations with men What the actions they performed in those bodies Sec. 14. What their Knowledge how increased and perfected Sec. 15. Yet know not all things not the secrets of the heart This Gods prerogative How they know the mysteries of Grace Sect. 16. How they admonish and perswade yet cannot savingly enlighten or convert This also Gods prerogative Sec. 17. How the Angels enjoy Gods presence in their ministrations to the Church Aptly illustrated Sec. 18. What honour we give the good Angels as their due What we may not give as not being due Not make them our mediators not invocate them and why Sec. 19. Their manner of working and of utterance not known what we beleeve of both What meant by the tongues of Angels Sec. 20. What Reason dictates concerning the speech of Angels Sec. 21. How different and how agreeing with that of Men. Sec. 22. How the same with that of the souls separate Sec. 23. What the sin of the Apostate Angels Satans malice against Christ and how especially prosecuted Sec. 24. What the knowledge of the Apostate Angels How encreased how not foretel events how foretel them The end of all diabolical predictions why not to be allowed of Sec. 25. What the power of the evil Angels how exercised Sec. 26. What their names and how proper and common Gods Glory manifested in all Sec. 27. The wonderful working of Satan Why not true miracles all miracles are from God such the miracles of Christ Sec. 28. Why not such the workings of Satan Sec. 29. The punishment of the evil Angels 1 Of loss 2 Of sense How tormented with the infernal fire How the Doctrine concerning Devils helps to confirm the faith of God CHAP. X. Concerning the estate of Man before his Fall Sec. 1. BY the common work of creation is manifested the wil and power of the God-head not the mystery of the Trinity That clearly manifested this darkly presented in mans creation Created in Gods image Sec. 2. Wherein the image of God in man did consist 1 In respect of his soul Sec. 3. 2. In respect of his body Sec. 4. 3. In respect of his person This peculiar to man above the woman Woman otherwise equal to the man Sec. 5. 4. In respect of his estate In all man a compleat image of God Sec. 6. What the resemblance of the Trinity in man Sec. 7. What most properly meant by those words of God the creation of man After our likeness Sec. 8. The souls immortality not lost by the fall What the change in man by his fall Sec. 9. Why the soul is immortal Sec. 10. When the soul is created and infused into the body What its principal seat and how it informs the body How the soul is the off-spring of God Sec. 11. How possest of all vertues in its integrity Sec. 12. The souls of men not propagated and why Sec. 13. Especially proved from their immortality Sec. 14. What the immortality of humane nature and from whence and how lost Sec. 15. How some bodies said to be incorruptible and how the bodies of our first Parents Sec. 16. What and how great things God did that Man should not sin and what he would have done that Man should not dye Sec. 17. What original righteousness was and how to have been transmitted to Adams posterity Sec. 18. Why said to be a connatural endowment Sec. 19. The wil the chief seat of original righteousness What its essential liberty is What the liberty of contrariety is and why not essential to the will Sec. 20. What that of contradiction is and why not essential to the wil In what it is necessary that the will have a liberty of contradiction Sec. 21. What is the liberty of will in God in Christ in the Angels and in the Blessed what in the Devils and in the wicked what in man in the state of innocence and of grace CHAP. XI Concerning the Covenant of Works and the Fall of man Sec. 1. ADam had a knowledg of Gods will perfect in its kinde What the Law to Adam How the same with the Decalogue Sec. 2. What the covenant of Works What the seal of of Covenant Sec. 3. The trial of mans obedience Sec. 4. Man left to the use of his free-wil Tempted by Satan Transgresseth in eating the forbidden fruit Sec. 5. Satans bait to catch man The subtilty of Satans temptation His order and progress in it The Tree of knowledg of good and evil why so called Sec. 6. Wherein the hainousness of Adams transgression doth consist how a violation of the whole Law Sec. 7. What was mans first sin is doubtful and so difficult to determine What the first internal principle of evil in man Adams sin was from himself freely without force Sec. 8. Adams sin incurs Gods curse of death upon himself and his posterity why upon his posterity Sec. 9. Adam propagates the curse and the sin too and this in propagating his nature Sec. 10. Gods goodness justified in giving Man a freewil though he knew the Devil would thereby enter and destroy man how it was necessary that man should have a will and that will a liberty to good and evil Sec. 11. To have made a rational creature without a will or a will without its liberty doth imply a contradiction Sec. 12. The mutability of estate in Angels
a true Miracle which is above the order of created Nature and so above the reach of any created power whether it be in the good Angels or in the Evil. As for those b 1 Sam. 28.12 13. Acts 8.9 11. Diabolical impostures then wherewith Satan doth delude the sight and deceive the fancy however they may seem c 1 Sam 28.13 Acts 8.9 10. prodigious operations yet are they indeed but airy apparitions The punishment of the evil Angels 1. Of loss 2. Of sense § 29. The Evil Angels by their Apostacy incur a double punishment of loss and of sense Their punishment of loss in being a Luke 10.18 2 Pet. 2.4 cast out of Heaven their punishment of sense in being b Mat. 25.4 tormented in Hell which torment is not only that of inward anguish made more accurately griping by horrid despair but also that of outward flames made more horridly dreadful c 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. by utter darkness Luke 10.18 And the Apostate Angels though Spirits become tormented with scorchings from the infernal flames How tormented with the infernal sire as the souls of men though Spirits become affected with pain from their distempered bodies The manner is wonderful the measure inconceiveable the Truth real And seeing that among contraries as the reason so the faith of the one doth cleer and confirm the reason and faith of the other therefore we may conclude How the Doctrine concerning Devils helps to confirm the faith of God That if there be a Devil there certainly is a God and if Evil Angels to serve the Devil then sure good Angels to attend that God And if there be an Hell of torment for the wicked then sure there is an Heaven of joy for the godly CHAP. X. Concerning the estate of Man before his Fall § 1. By the common works of creation is manifested the will and power of the God-head THAT a Jer. 51.15 efficient vertue whereby the world was made and which in the b Psal 19.1 world as in its effect is manifested and declared doth not relate to the subsistence and Persons but to the essence and c Rev. 4.11 will of the Deity therefore though by the common work of creation is made d Rom. 1.20 known Gods eternal power and Godhead yet e Mat 16.16 17 not the mystery of the Trinity Not the mystery of the Trinity But when God doth form man to denote the excellency of his creature That clearly manifested this darkly presented in mans creation and to declare somwhat of the Mystery of the Trinity in the plurality of the persons he cals a councel as it were for mans creation and proposeth himself as the pattern of his Being Let us saith God f Gen 1.26 27. even Father Son and Holy Ghost Let us make man in our image after our likeness Created in Gods image thereby imprinting in man a conformity to the Divine nature yea some resemblance of the Personal subsistences § 2. Wherein the Image of God in man did consist This conformity unto the Divine Nature wherein man was created as the image of God did appear most of all in the Soul much in the body in the person and in the state of man before his fall Mans Soul in its nature did in some proportion or analogy represent God in his essence 1. In respect of his soul as being a substance a Gen. 2.7 Luke 23.46 Acts 7.59 spiritual and b Psal 49.15 Mat. 10.28 22.32 Phil. 1.23 1 Pet. 3.19 immortal as God is endued and adorned in his understanding with c Col. 3.10 perfect knowledg in his will with d Eccles 7.29 liberty in his affections with purity and in all his faculties with e Eph. 4.24 Luke 3.38 holiness and righteousness § 3. 2. In respect of his body That conformity in man to Divine Nature in respect of his body did consist in a a Rom. 5.13 secret harmony not visible shape of the parts and in an b Gen. 2.25 excellent beauty not external figure of the whole such was the beauty of the body from the vertuous lustre of the soul as is the light of the lantern from the bright shining of the candle Yea the members of mans body represent unto us the attributes of Gods nature and therefore as the parts of the Jews Tabernacle did c Heb 8.5 9.23 24. bear the image of heavenly mysteries so do the parts of mans body bear the image of the divine attributes so that we say the d 2 Chro. 16.9 Psal 11.4 Jer. 32.19 Eye of God to denote his wisdom and knowledg the e Deu. 33.27 Exod. 6 6. arm of God to intimate his power and strength the f Psal 139.10 145 16. hand of God to signifie his protection and providence 3. In resâ—ct of his person § 4. That part of Gods image in man which relates unto his person doth consist in that Sovenaignty and dominion given a Gen. 1.26 1 Cor. 11.7 him of God over the creatures being b Gâ—n 2.8 placed in Paradice as his royal seat the c Gen. 2.19 beasts of the Earth there made subject to him And such is the excellency of this representation of God in Soveraignty and Dominion that d Psal 82.6 Kings and Judges of the earth are therefore called Gods This pecular to man above the woman And this part of Gods image is peculiar to man e 2 Cor. 11.8 9 above the woman who in all particulars else is equal to the man having her Original being correspondent to her Conjugal condition Woman othe wise equal to the man being f Gen 2 22. 1 Cor. 11.8 taken out of man not from the head or feet but the side and so to be not his Mistris or his Hand-maid but his g Gen. 2.18 Eph 5 22 23. Associate h Gen. 2.23 24 Eph 5.28.33 neer in relation and dear in affection each to other 4. In respect of his estate § 5. Thus man who was spiritual and immortal in his soul who had knowledg and wisdom in his understanding liberty and uprightness in his will integrity and moderation in his affections an harmony and soundness in his members Soveraignty and dominion in his person must needs have a felicity and blessedness of estate and so be in his proportion and measure a compleat a Gen. 9.6 image of God In all man a compleat image of God who could not know misery b Gen 2.17 Rom 6.23 till he knew sin and so not cease to be happy till he did cease to be holy § 6. Besides this Image of God in a conformity to his divine nature What the resemblance of the Trinity in man there is in man some likeness of the Trinity in a resemblance of the personal subsistences Which may be found either in those three
What meant by that saying The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father whereas then it is said that c Ezek. 18.20 the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father it is meant of those sins whether in Adam or others as are meerly personal not of that disobedience which Adam committing as our representative doth therefore become ours by imputation nor of that corruption which being seated in humane nature doth therefore become common to Adam with his posterity as his natural branches § 10. It is not then by a Rom. 5.14 actual imitation How orignal sin is propagated but by b Gen. 5.3 Ephes 2.3 natural generation that we become partakers of Adams sin and therefore liable to Gods wrath yea in the regenerate themselves How it remains even in the regenerate How they propagated it to their children though Original Sin be c Rom. 8.1 remitted in its guilt yet it d Rom. 7 23. Gal. 5.17 remains in its pollution and so becomes propagated in generation So that the children which descend of pious parents do partake of Original sin because they are children by e John 1.13 3.6 carnal not spiritual generation begotten not according to the operation of grace but propagation of nature For that the regenerate beget children in their likeness is according to the flesh as men and the sons of Adam not according to the Spirit as Saints Illustrated by apt similitudes and the Sons of God Sanctified parents f Mat. 8.9 10. beget children sinful by nature even as the circumcised Jewes beget children uncircumcised in the flesh or as the wheat cleansed from the chaff when sown doth bring forth wheat with its chaff again § 11. How the children of Beleevers are said to be holy Wherefore when the children of Beleevers are said to a Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 be holy it is to be understood as spoken of a political or civil or of a sanctifying and saving holiness even such a federal holiness as consists in a capacity of right and a priviledge of claim b Gen. 17.7 Acts 2.29 unto the promises of life and glory made of God in Christ unto his Church And thus it is in the Christian Church Illustrated by a fit allusion much like as it was in the Roman State As in the Roman State a Consul did beget a son in a political right to the Cities priviledges which son was not born a Consul though politically free thus in the Christian Church a Saint doth beget a child in a federal right to the Churches promises which child is not born a Saint though federally holy What is the subject of Original Sin § 12. The Subject of Original sin cannot be the body or the soul alone but both together in the whole and perfect nature of man And though true it is that in the knowledg of Original sin it is more profitable to seek how we may evade it in its punishment then to examine how it doth invade us in its guilt yet somewhat to inform mens judgments though not fully to satisfie their curiosity we teach That to conceive when and how man doth become the subject of original sin it must be observed When the human nature is perfect that the humane nature is not perfect till the a Gen. 2.7 union of the soul with the body Now the soul that is b Zech. 12.1 infused by creation and created by infusion and in the same instant that the soul is infused into the body by creation the body is also united to the soul in that infusion to the making up of both into one entire Composition of humane nature and When the subject of Original Sin which humane nature in the first instant of its being is the subject of original sin How the human nature in man becomes infected with Original Sin § 13. Now that humane Nature in the first instant of its being doth become the subject of original Sin is not from the body infecting the soul as the musty vessel doth the sweet liquor nor yet from the souls infecting the body as the musty liquor doth the sweet vessel but by a secret and ineffable resultancy from the inherence in them both The depraved inclination unto evil inseparably accompanying and indeed necessarily flowing from the evil deprivation of righteousness which deprivation of righteousness is the proper effect of Adams sin though the necessary consequent of Gods wrath who doth make this a just punishment of Adams disobedience even to withhold from his posterity that treasure which he had prodigally wasted that grace which he had wilfully lost that image which he had wickedly defac'd And seeing by a just imputation we are partakers of his Sin it is by a just dispensation that we become partakers also of his punishment And thus no sooner do we partake of Adams Nature but we partake also of Adams curse and so by an immediate and inseparable consequence we become defil'd with Original Sin § 14. That Original sin is propagated by carnal generation appears by its antithesis of spiritual regeneration That Original Sin in the image of God defac'd is propagated by carnal generation appears by that which in an apt antithesis is opposite unto it even the image of God renewed by spiritual regeneration which the Apostle tells us is through the a Jam. 2.18 1 Pet. 1.23 incorruptible seed of Gods word yet that Original sin is propagated by carnal generation is not by vertue of any seminal power How propagated by vertue of divine ordination but by vertue of divine ordination it being the just ordination of God that Adams Posterity who were legally guilty of disobedience in him b 1 Cor. 15.22 as their Head should be legally deprived of righteousness c Rom. 5.15 from him as his members which deprivation of Original righteousness being inseparably accompanied with a pollution of natural uncleanness it was further the just ordination of God that Adam having corrupted his nature in propagating his nature should propagate his corruption and so we being d Rom. 5.12 Heb. 7.9 10. naturally in him as our root do become as men so e Rom. 5.19 sinnâ—â—s too from him as his branches § 15. The sum of what concerns original sin Thus Original Sin is not seated in the substance of the body or of the soul single but in the humane nature upon the union of both and doth consist in the imputed guilt of Adams disobedience and the propagated corruption of Adams nature conveyed in carnal generation by vertue of the Divine ordination of Gods justice which propagated corruption in the regenerate is destroy'd according to the a Rom. 6.6 8.1 condemning and b Rom. 6.12 Gal 5.16 raigning power thereof but doth remain in its c Rom. 7.18 24 inhering and d Rom. 7.23 Gal 5.17 infecting nature which becomes more
though grace in the regenerate be powerful enough to d Gal. 5 16 24 suppress these inordinate motions yet that doth not excuse reasons being defective in its duty to prevent them They ought to be kept down by Reasons watchfulness and therefore cannot arise but in sins guilt What makes any act to be sin And whereas it may be pleaded that they are involuntary and so cannot be Sins we say How the motions of concupiscence are voluntary through the wils defect before they rise though not consented to when râ—ised it is e 1 Iohn 3 4. repugnancy to Gods law which makes the sin and that though it be against the wil that these inordinate lustings should be fulfilled yet it is from the will that these lustings in their inordinacy are not prevented the will neglecting or failing in her primitive powerful command to keep under what is rebellious How concupiscence it self is voluntary Besides concupiscence is voluntary as flowing from Adams wilful disobedience For in mortality quod ex voluntario causatur pro voluntario reputatur what is caused by a voluntary act is reputed voluntary in the acting The motions of concupiscence prov'd to be sinful by an infallable argument drawn from the indifferent nature of the wills consent § 11. Further yet That those motions of concupisence are sins when fully consented to by the will doth infallibly prove them to be sinful before the will doth give yea though the will doth not give its full consent For the consent of the will is a thing indifferent in it self neither good nor evil but according to its object If any thing be good it is not the consent of the will that makes it evil and if any thing be evil it is not the consent of the will can make it good but according to the nature of the object such is the act of the will whether it be in good or whether it be in evil wherefore if the first motions of concupiscence were not sinful in themselves they could not be made sins by the consenting of the will But seeing by the confession of all parties they are sin when the will doth give its consent therefore they must be sinful before the consent of the will be given What the Specifical distinction of sin into spiritual and carnal is § 12. Whereas Sin in respect of the Subject is specifically distinguished into spiritual and carnal Sins the distinction is taken from the end a 2 Cor. 7.1 Spiritual Sins being perfected in spiritual delight as pride vain-glory and the like b Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.19 but carnal Sins in carnal delight How all sin is carnal as gluttony luxury and the like True it is all sin is carnal as arising from the flesh as flesh in Scripture is taken for Original Sin in mans corrupt nature and how Spiritual and all sin is spiritual as affecting the Soul in the commission and defiling the spirit of man with guilt What the true difference betwixt both But when spiritual and carnal Sins are contradistinguished as several and specifical sorts of sin by Spiritual Sins are meant those which affect and defile the soul immediatly in the body by carnall sins are meant those which affect and defile the soul immediatly by the body § 13. Sin in respect of the object What the specifical distinction of sin into that against God against our neighbours and against our selves How all sin is against God How said to be against our neighbours and our selves is specifically distinguished into sins a 1 Sam. 2.25 Luke 15.28 18.2 Acts 24.16 Tit. 2.12 against God against our Neighbour and against our selves For though it is common to all sin that it is against God as being formally a violation b Rom. 4.13 1 John 3.4 Jam. 2.9 of his eternal law and so properly the offence of his sacred Majesty yet sin materially considered in respect of the injury and dammage which accompanies it it may be against mans self or his neighbour Indeed all sins as they are inordinate actions do imply an acting something to the breach of Order The three-fold order which God hath established amongst men And seeing God hath establish'd among men a threefold order there are three kinds of sin according to their three-fold inordinacy The three-fold Order is 1. That of the inferior faculties unto reason in mans naturall constitution 2. That of one man in a politicall constitution unto another 3. That of all men in a religious constitution unto God Now the inordinacy which makes a breach of any of these orders is a sin against God as the c Exod. 20.2 Jam. 2 13. supreme Law-giver but in comparing one with another that sin sin which immediatly breaks the order of Religion as Blasphemy Heresie Infidelity and the like is said The threefold inordinacy in breach of this order making three kinds of sin to be a sin against God Again that sin which immediatly breaks the order of policy as theft oppression murder and the like is said to be a sin against our neighbour Lastly that sin which immediatly breaks the order of Nature in man as drunkenness gluttony and the like is said to be a sin against our selves yea some sins there are at once against our selves and our neighbours as d 1 Cor. 6.18 fornication adultery c. and some against God our neighbours and our selves as the e Rom. 12.19 prosecuting unjust revenge the persecuting Gods Church c. What the distinction of sin into that of infirmity of ignorance and of malice From whence this distinction is taken What is the inordinacy of the sensitive appetite What the inordinacy of the understanding What the inodinacy of the will § 14. That sin in respect of the efficient is distinguish'd into sins of infirmity of ignorance and of malice is taken from the three principles of all actions and so consequently of all actuall sins in man the sensitive appetite understanding and will which as they are the principles of all actions in their natural Beings so are they the principles of all actuall sins in their preternatural inordinacies The inordinacie of the sensitive appetite is in being irregular and immoderate in its affections the inordinacy of the understanding is in not knowing what it ought or in not actually dictating what it habitually knows the inordinacy of the will is in subjecting it self to the sensitive appetite or in following the understanding in its erroneous dictates or in opposing it in its right judgement Now when the will becomes inordinate through the sudden a Gen. 9.21 2 Sam. 11.2 3 4. Matth. 26.70.72 74. surprize and eager importunity of the sensitive appetite When a sin of infirmity is the sin is the sin of infirmity again when the will becomes inordinate through the defect of b Gen. 19.33.35 Lev. 5.17 Lev. 4.2 Psal 19.12 judgement in the understanding
e Isa 10.6 7. act their own wicked designes whil'st God orders them to the effecting his sacred decrees § 11. Indeed How the Executioners of Gods Justice the wicked are so the instruments of God's Power as that they are withal the a Psa 17.13 14. executioners of his Justice and we know that when the Judge gives up a Malefector into the hands of the executioner for the punishment of death and in that Execution how guilty of sin if then the executioner have no respect to the justice of the Judge but pursue the rage of his own malice satisfying his furious revenge in executing the Malefactor punishment the death of the Malefactor though justice in the Judge will be found murder in the executionor before the Judgment Seat of Christ And what Shall this stand good with those that are said to be Gods and not with him b Psal 82.6 who hath said they are Gods The wonder of God's Providence in respect of wicked mindes This is then the wonder of Gods working in his Providence that he doth make an c Isa 13.3 5. holy use of wicked mindes d Acts 2.23 4.28 effecting his just and holy will even by their wills which are unjust and unholy and yet is this no e Acts 3.15 extenuation of their sin nor shall be any f Jer. 51.25 26. mitigation of their punishment § 12. Futher as not the decree of God's will Gods Providence imposeth no compelling force so nor doth the concourse of God's Providence impose any compelling force upon the creatures so that though there is not any event a Numb 35.22 23. contingent in respect of God yet are there b Exod. 21.13 many contingents in respect of secondary causes but establisheth the nature of all causes contingent free and necessary And indeed God the primary cause doth work in all things according to the nature of the secondary causes c Prov. 16.33 with contingents according to the nature of their contingency with free d Mat. 17.12 Agents according to the nature of their liberty and with e Psa 104.14 necessary causes according to the nature of their necessity so far is God from compelling and enforcing by his Providence in causes contingent and free No compelling force of Providence in necessary causes that he doth not do it in causes f Job 38.35 natural and necessary for in them both he implanted by nature such an obediential power that they g Psa 105.28 Psa 147.15 148.8 Joel 2.25 fulfil his word by a natural propension not a violent compulsion they perform his command by a ready observance not a forc'd obedience Contingency in secondary causes illustrated § 13. That in the Dispensations of God's Providence some things are fortuitously contingent in respect of their secondary causes which yet are infallibly necessary in respect of God the Primary and Supreme Cause we illustrate by this Allusion When a Master sends two servants to one and the same place by different and divers waies each being ignorant of the other's mission Their meeting as it relates to the servants who intended it not is casual and contingent but as it relates to the Master who pre-ordain'd their meeting it is intended and necessary Thus are there many things contingent in respect of the created Agents who are a Psa 119.91 all as servants which yet are necessary in respect of their first cause God as b Pro. 22.2 Lord and Master of all How God's Providence is equal and how unequal § 14. Though the several dispensations of God's Providence are all equal as to the act of his will yet are they very much unequal as to the effects in the creatures for that by how much any thing hath its nearer access to God in the degrees of its excellency The Providence of God general special and peculiar by so much it hath an higher place with God in the order of his Providence Hence it is that as the Providence of God is general a Psal 103 19. Job 34.13 over all the world so is it special b Psal 103.19 Heb. 12.9 over Angels and c Psal 22 28. Job 7.20 men and peculiar d Psal 45.6 Isa 50. 2 7. Rev. 15 3. 1 Tim. 4 10. Mat. 16.18 over the Church of his Elect. The law of natu e and how â—xâ—cuted in God's general Providence For the order and government of the world by his general Providence God hath establish'd in the creatures a e Psal 148.6 Isa 55 10. Jer. 33.20 law of nature to the execution whereof he hath given them f Psal 19.5 Hos 2 22. natural inclinations g Prov. 6.6 30. â—4 Jer. 8.7 secret instincts and an h Job 37.12 13 Psal 44.4 Psal 105.16 19 31 34. Psal 103.21 Psal 148.8 Isa 7.18 19. obediential power whereby they are still ready at his Summons and command § 15. What a miracle is What is done in the world according to the a Jer. 31.35.36 33.20 Hâ—s 2.22 law of nature is by God's ordinary Providence but what is done above the law of nature is by his Providence extraordinary and it is called a d Psal 136.4 Psal 77 14. Miracle so that e Dan. 4.3 miraculous effects do declare an omnipotent cause f John 10.25 Acts 2.22 Exod. 8.19 manifesting the efficient to be Almighty and How one greater then another And that one g John 14.12 miracle is greater then another is not in respect of God's power which being infinite admits no degrees but is h Isa 40.15 17 equal and the same in all but in comparing one miracle with another they will appear one greater then another in respect of those different degrees they exceed the strength of nature in their production § 16. Wherein miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature Miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature either in relation to the substance of the thing done or to the subject in which it is done or the manner how it is done 1. In relation to the substance of the thing done as when the a 2 Kin. 20 1â— Sun went backward at he Prayer of Hezekiah or aâ— when the b 1 Cor. 15.53 Pail 3 21 body shall be glorified in the resurrection of the justâ— which for the substance of the thing Nature at no time and by no means can effect 2. In relation to the subject in which it is done as to c Joh. 11.33.34 to give life to a dead Lazarus and d Mark 10.46 sight to a blind Bartimaeus nature indeed can give life but not to a dead body it can give sight but not to a blinde man 3. In relation to the manner how it is done as the e Mark 1.31 present and perfect curing of a Fever with a touch the f 1 Kin. 18.38 speedy
2.14 Rev. 5.11 12. service for ever in Heaven § 5. In what the confirmation of the good Angels The Angels confirmation then is in the a Mat. 18.10 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 beatifical vision and indeed this and this alone doth establish in a gratious impossibility of falling to behold God in his essence which is the full enjoyment of the chiefest good from which the Blessed cannot Apostate it being more possible for them to quit their being then to desert their God and forsake their Bliss Which Bliss of the beatifical vision being supernatural could not be given to the Angels in their Creation from God but in thir confirmation by Christ § 6. How and why f om grace and not from naâ—ure The Angels and man where indeed created happy in that natural blessedness of spiritual contemplation but not that super-natural bliss of the Beatifical vision which being the last end of the rational and intellectual Creature could not be attain'd by any ordinary work of nature but by some extraordinary a 1 Tim. 5.21 act of Grace For To be and to be Blessed is one and the same in none but God and therefore to be is from Nature but to be blessed is from Grace as the last end of being in a perfect communion with God through Christ by love § 7. This we know This grace in the understanding thrt neither can the understanding attain in its knowledg nor can the will pursue in its desires what is above its nature to desire or know Wherefore the Divine Essence being an Object infinitely transcending every created understanding it was impossible the Angels should know God in his essence by any natural light but by a a Psal 36 9. supernatural grace which supernatural grace doth fortifie the understanding of the Angels as an habit doth strengthen the faculty of the soul to apprehend God in the glory of his Divine Nature and in the will made perfect by Christ § 8. With which supernatural light in the understanding to know the Angels have communicated to them a supernatural strength in their will to love God in his Essence as the last end of their being and the full object of their happiness Thus The Angels in their beatifical vision of God become united to him by love and are confirmed in their supernatural blessedness through Christ The b Ephes 1.22 Col. 2 10. Head of all Power and c Ephes 1.10 Col. 1.20 the Center of all Unity The fall and punishment of the evil Angels § 9. Others of the Angels under the conduct of their a Mat. 12.24 Ephes 2.2 Prince called b 1 Chro. 21.1 Mat. 4.1 Luke 10.18 Rev. 12 9. Satan and the b 1 Chro. 21.1 Mat. 4.1 Luke 10.18 Rev. 12 9. Divel by their sin committed brought upon themselves the punishment threatned And so falling from the c John 8.44 Jude 6. Truth they fell from their c John 8.44 Jude 6. estate thrown down d Luke 10.18 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. from Heaven to Hell there to be reserved in d Luke 10.18 2 Pet. 2.4 chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day that day when Christ shall fill up their measure of wrath in a e Mat 25 41. 1 Cor. 6.3 full and final condemnation of them to Eternal torments The service of the good Angels in behalf of Christs Church § 10. And now as God in mercy and love hath set and appointed the a Luke 9 26. 1 Tim. 5 21. good holy and elect Angels under b Eph. 1.20 21 22. Christ to be c Heb. 1.14 Psal 91.11 ministring Spirits for the benefit of his Children in their d Psal 34.7 Luke 2.10 16.22 Gal. 3.19 direction protection and comfort so hath he in judgment and wrath permitted and ordered the e Luke 8.2 9.42 Evil The use and malice of the evil Angels in respect of the wicked Rebellious and Apostate Angels under Satan to be f 1 Sam. 16.14 John 8.44 1 Kin. 22.21.22 2 Cor. 2.11 4.4 Ephes 2.2 Rev. 12.9 seducing Spirits for the deceiving of the wicked by their temptations suggestions and subtilties § 11. God's glory manifested in both Thus doth God make good the end he aimed at in all his works of Creation and of Providence even to manifest the a Isa 6.3 43.7 glory of his Name making some of the Angels to be b 1 Tim. 5.21 Mirrors of his free mercy others c 2 Pet. 2 4. spectacles of his severe Justice both the subjects and examples of his wisdom No fear to the good no hope to the evil Angels holiness and power And now as the d Mat. 18.10 Luke 20 36. 1 Tim. 5.21 good Angels which stand are confirmed in Bliss above all fear of falling so the e 2 Pet. 2 4. Jude v. 6. Rev. 20.10 evil Angels which are fallen are plung'd in misery below all hope of recovering § 12. Among the Angels in Heaven â—hat the orders and names of the good how given and constituted there are different a Ephes 1.21 Col. 1.16 orders and degrees all according to their different offices and ministeries and the b Isa 6.2 Dan 8.16 9.21 10 13. Gen. 3.24 names or appellations given them in Scripture are not proper to them in their natural constitutions as Spirits but in their virtual operations as Cherubims Seraphims c. and in their c Dan. 10.13 temporary Ministrations as Angels Which name of Angels doth signifie them to be d Heb. 1.7 14. Messengers being especially imployed of God in the behalf of man § 13. How they assume bodies in their minist ations wi h men And when the Angels sent from God appeared in a Gen. 18.2 8. 19 1 2 3. humane shape they did but assume those bodies in which they performed their Ministries putting them on suddenly formed of some preexistent matter and putting them off as a man doth his cloths as suddainly resolv'd into the same matter preexistent What the actions they perform'd in those bodies And those bodily actions which they perform'd as eating speaking going c. though they were actions truely real yet were they not operations properly vital they did indeed proceed from a living principle but were not acted in a living subject those bodies being onely temporarily assumed by the Angels not hypostatically united to them What their knowledg how increas'd and perfected § 14. That excellent knowledg which the good Angels had by a John 8.44 nature is much improved by what they have by b Luke 15.10 1 Cor. 11.10 Ezek 10 3. experience and is farther increased by what they have from c Dan. 8.16 9.21 Revelation but made incomparably excellent by what they have from the d Mat. 18.10 Beatifical vision of God Such then is the fulness of intellectual
Cor. 13.1 Jude 9. Angel even a willing another to know what he wills by him to be known § 23. The Sin of the Apostate Angels What the sin of the Apostate Angels which was the cause of their fall we cannot particularly discern because the Scriptures do not plainly discover We suppose it to have been a sin immediately against the Son of God accompanied or rather compleated with the a Mat. 12.24 31.32 Sin against the Holy Ghost in an irreconcileable hatred and enmity against that truth of which they were in conscience so fully convinc'd Upon b Isa 14.12 13 14 15. Satans pride and envy at Christs person did follow his malice and c John 8 44. hatred of Christs Truth even the d John 14.6 Rev. 14 6. eternal Gospel of his Incarnation as ordained of God in humane nature e Eph. 1.22.23 to be the head of the Angels f Eph. 1.10 united to the body of his Church Satans malice against Christ â—nd how especiâ—lly prosecuted Which malice and hatred of Christ and his truth Satan hath ever since prosecuted by bloody persecutions rais'd against his Church by horrid blasphemies and Heresies vented against his person in his Divinity his Humanity and the offices of his Mediation § 24. What the knowledg of the Apoâ—tate Angels Though the evil Angels are a Mat. 13.19 16.25 Eph. 6.12 spoil'd of grace by their sin and b 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. involv'd in darkness by c Luke 10.18 their fall yet are they eminent in d 2 Cor. 2.11 11.3 Eph. 6.11 Jam. 2.19 knowledg by their Nature How increas'd and this much e Eph. 6.11 12. heightned by long experience in the world and from divine f Mat. 4.6 8 29. Jâ—m 2 19. revelations in the Scriptures yea by g Jude 9. frequent contests with the good Angels yet can they not h Isa 4.23 foretel future events How not foretel events by any light of foreknowledg in and from themselves but what they do foretel are either such things as they finde foretold by the holy Prophets How foretel them or prepared in natural Causes or such things as they know already design'd being privy to the good and i assistants to the wicked designs of men or such things as by some evident signs they conjecture or by some seeming probabilities they presume The end of all diabolical predictions but whatsoever it the prediction or revelation from the evil Angels is is intended to k Mark 1.36 Acts 16 17.18 deceive and seduce to mischief and destroy and therefore l 1 Kin. 22 21 22. l Deut. 13 1 2 3. Eph 6.11 neither is to be sought for Why not to be allowed of nor to be allowed of all complyance with Devils being a m 2 Cor. 6 14 15. Ephes 5 11. renouncing of God and thereby a ruin to the soul What the power of 〈◊〉 evil 〈◊〉 § 25. As the Evil spirits are eminent in knowledg so are they also a Mat. 12.29 Ephes 6.12 migty in power yet a power b Job 1.12 2 6. 1 Pet. 5.8 limited and restrained God holding them fast in the Chain of his Providence so that when made executionors of his wrath they are kept c Mat. 8.32 Rev 7.2 3. subject to the command of his will How exercised By Divine Permission and Providential ordination it is that the Evil spirits exercise their d Job 1.12.16.19 Ephes 2 2. Rev 7. â— 3. power in the fire in the air in the waters and on the earth upon trees upon beasts and upon men Some e Luke 8.30 Mat. 8.16 men they actually possess some they f Luke 22.3 Acts 5.3 Ephes 2.2 wickedly pervert some they g Zech. 3.1 1 Thes 2.18 eagerly oppose but all they h 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Tim. 2.26 daily tempt and with the i 1 Chro. 21.1 Luk 22.31.57 best they often prevail though not so as k Gen 3.15 Psal 5.1 Luk 22.61 62. Rom. 16.20 fully to overcome and finally to destroy What their names and how proper and common § 26. The Prince of the Apostate Angels is called by those a Mat. 25.41 Luk. 10.17 names in an eminency of Evil which will fit all the rest in their proportion of Evil. He is called sometimes the b John 8.44 1 John 3.8 Devil the c Rev. 12.10 Accuser with lies reproches and calumnies accusing God unto man and man unto God Somtimes the d Mat. 4.3 1 Thes 3.5 Tempter by evil suggestions still soliciting unto sin Sometimes the e Mat. 13.19 Ephes 6.16 wicked one being full of iniquity himself and ever prompting others unto wickedness Sometimes f Luke 10.18 Acts 26.18 Satan the Adversary setting himself against God and Christ the good Angels and holy men raising and promoting enmity and contentions Somtimes the g Mat. 13.25 Luke 10.19 Enemy and the h 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Destroyer raising i Rev. 20.8 seditions and wars to destroy nations k 1 Sam. 16.14 dissentions and divisions to ruin families Gods glory manifâ—sted in all l Mat. 13.25 Rev. 12.12 13 17 persecutions and Heresies to infest the Church In all which God doth manifest the riches of his wisdom and greatness of his power to the glory of his mercy and the advancement of his Justice in m Mat. 24.24 Luke 21.18 the gratious salvation of his chosen and the n Rev. 9.11 just condemnation of the wicked § 27. The wonderful working of Satan By his subtilty and power Satan doth work his a 2 Thes 2.9 lying wonders deceitful in themselves and intended by him for the deceiving of others yea sometimes he doth work b Deut. 13.1 2. Mat. 24.24 true signes yet thereby aims he at the destruction of truth which true signes though they seem wonderful Why not true miracles yet are they not such wonders as are truly c Acts 8.13 called Miracles For they cannot be any supernatural Effects being onely the events of some Natural Causes d Exod. 7.12 8.7 which Satan by a secret subtilty doth compact not by any proper power doth produce Every supernatural Effect must needs be the issue of a supernatural Cause â—ll miracles are from God which is God and e Psâ—l 72. â—8 136.4 he alone who did wonderfully create the world without matter pre-existent can powerfully create wonders without means cooperating Such the miraâ—les of Christ and such were the f Joh. 10.25 Act. 2.22 glorious Miracles of Christ whereby he did testifie the Divine power of his God-head § 28. â—hy not such the workings of â—aâ—an Wherefore if the Devil could work true Miracles to perswade false Doctrines then were Miracles a weak and insufficient a Mat. 16.17.20 argument to confirm the true faith Besides that is