likewise call the Jews the sons of Adam since they are also called the sons of Jacob the sons of Isaac the sons of Abraham I say for the same reason as Adam was the Father of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The Jews by name are call'd the sons of Adam Psalm 58. If you truly speak justice and judge rightly ye sons of Adam for ye work wickednesse in your heart and your hands work injustice upon the earth The Kingly Prophet in this place reproves the Jews whom according to the Hebrew text he calls the sons of Adam because professing justice with their mouths they judg'd wickednesse and in their heart and affections wrought the wickednesse of the Gentiles Which reproach you shall often find cast upon the Jews Such is that of Isay 49. This people draw nigh to me with their lip but their heart is far from me and they have worship'd me according to the command of men and doctrine that is they have worship'd me according to the order commands and doctrine of the Gentiles The second reproach cast upon the the Jews in this Psalm is That their hands wrought wickednesse upon earth Which earth is to be understood that choice holy earth and Land of the Saints that is of the Jews Isa 26. It was a great crime in the Jews that they had wrought injustice but a greater crime that they had wrought it in the land of the Lord which was elect and holy which to fill with iniquity as Ezekiel 8 Chap. speaks was to provoke the Lord. Hence that laid upon the Church of the Iews Thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications and wickednesse which in another place he call'd to defile the earth Here the Iews are understood by the sons of Adam who spake justice with their mouthes but judg'd wickedly and wrought iniquities in their heart and fram'd injustice in the Land holy and elect which is as much to the Iews as to live like Gentiles And David to deterre the sons of Adam the Iews from such deeds of the Gentiles shows them what the Gentiles were and what punishment they were to expect for their wickednesse in the same Psalm and in the next words They erre say they being sinners from the womb they are sinners from their from their nativity they have spoken false things which read thus in that place That he meant they were sinners from the womb in the same sense as St. Paul speaks of the Gentiles Ephesians 2. Sons of wrath by nature for by nature is the same as from the womb It is added they have spoken lies which could be only ascribed to the Gentiles For the â—ons of Adam that is the Iews are here sâ—eaking justice and truly If you truly speak justice ye sons of Adam Yea truth was granted to the Iews according to that of Micah Chap. 20. Thou shalt give truth unto Jacob. That truth was the law and justice of God For which cause the Iews who had the Law of God were called a just Nation and observing truth On the contrary understand the Gentiles by those who spake lies according to that of the 5 Psal In the mouth of the Gentiles there is no truth And again Ye sons of men why wander ye in vanity and follow after lies And in the 62 Psalm The sons of men are vain and light in the ballance Vain and Lyars are joyn'd together And when St. Paul writes in the first of the Romans That all the creation is subject to vanity Understand the first creation which of it self is vain flying and like a first dream Wherefore Nature her self being bad made those of the first creation lyers and wicked Therefore the Iews who truly speak justice are the sons of Adam The sinners the Gentiles who spake lyes CHAP. XI The Jews are called by Moses the sons of Adam The 32. Chap. of Deut. is explained And Isaiah and Hoseas of Adam the first Father of the Jews The Gentiles called strangers the Jews a kinde of men distinct in species from the Gentiles The Gentiles earth-born The Psalm 49. is explained Abraham had servants born in his house and also bought who were not of his stock that is of Adam Who are the sons of men who is the son of man The difference 'twixt the brethren of the Jews and other strangers THere is a remarkableâ— place Deuteron 23. which is the song of Moses in which the Jews are prophetically restored into their Land and are separated from all the People and Nations but the people and the Gentiles separated from the Jews And whom the Jews being in the midst of them shall sometime separate are placed on this side and that side bordering upon the Jews where Moses sayes The most high divided the Nations when he separated the sons of Adam he appointed their bounds according to the number of Israel or which is the same according to the twelve Tribes of the Jews which is the number of the sons of Israel And in the 54 Chap. Behold a stranger shall come who was not with me and he who was a stranger to thee shal be joyned to thee The Gentiles shall adhere and be joyned to the Jews shall be neer to the Jews and neer to the borders of the Jews but shall not be mixed with them which observe for that was openly decreed and promised Deut. 33. Israel shall dwell with security and alone that is undefiled with the mixture of the Nations which is not yet but that it shall be we shall show in its due place Moses gave this reason of the separation of the Jews from the Gentiles in the same song and in the words immediately following His people are the inheritance of the Lord and his portion that is Although in that day the Lord bless all the Gâ—ntiles and in his second Election make them partakers of his inheritance although in that day according to the promise made to Abraham all the Nations be blessed in the seed of Abraham Notwithstanding the Jews who are the seed of Abraham blessed first and before the Gentiles shall be a better part and inheritance of the Lord and shall be accounted to God as a peculiar inheritance the most elect are set apart from the less elect as Saint Paul said that he himself was set apart for a most elect vessel for the Gospel of God Chap 1. Epist to Rom. Further these are applied to the Prophesâ—e of Isaiah and are expounded by it Chap. 19. In that day Israel shall be third 'twixt Egypt and Assyria a blessing in the midst of the earth which the Lord hath blessed Blessed be my people of Egypt and the Assyrian the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance Where note That Egypt is beyond Nile and the gulf of Arabia and Assyria beyond Euphrates placed on the one side and on the other borderers upon Israel that Israel is placed in the third plece betwixt Egypt and Assyria betwixt the Bounds of his Rivers I say observe that
God so intimate with the Jews that he entrusted them with his laws and decrees that they were admitted to the secrets of God that they were called a wise and understanding people Deut. 4. Nor was there any other Nation so honourable which had those Ceremonies just Judgements and the whole Law In the same Chapter What is all flesh that it should hear the voice of the living God which speaks out of the fire and can live cries out Moses Deut. 5. where observe the prerogative of the chosen Jews and of the second creation of men which is not granted unto flesh that is to say to the first creation for flesh the first creation consumes at the hearing and sight of God here the same Moses in the same Ch. Behold the Lord our God shews unto us his Majesty and his greatness ye have heard his voice from the middle of the fire we have found this day that a man can speak with God and live The holy Prophet could not be satisfied thinking upon the beginnings and first fruits of the Jews regeneration what should be their full election by force of which they received the fery words of God into their eyes and ears and by which they shone and did not burn with that holy lightning Enquire of the days of old which were before thee from that day on which God created man upon the earth from the height of heaven to the foundation of it if at any time there was such a thing done or was ever known that a people should hear the voice of God speaking out of the middle of the fire as thou hast heard and lâ—v'd Hence it is that they were the chief and choice in Gods esteem that the Jews were called a Nation drawing near unto God that they were stiled a great Nation nor that there was any other Nation so great which had Gods drawing near to it Ch. 4. For this cause you shall read That God carryed them upon Eagles wings Exod. 9. and very often that he freed them and took them with a strong hand and stretched out arm What Nation is like thy people Israel for whom thou hast done so great and horrible things upon earth to redeem them Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And that was the matter that God appointed the Jews to be the head and not the rail of the Nations Nor did God only chuse the Jews for a time according to the distiny of empires and people but God did chuse his people for ever Thou hast confirmed Israel to thy self for an eternal people As David prophecies Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And many things to that sense we read in the Prophets which I must handle another time and which was a special token of their election The Lord would not have the Jews defil'd by mixture of Nations but set them apart for an inheritance out of all the Nations of the earth 1 Kings Chap. 8. I have set you aside from all people that you might be mine Lev. 20. Hence it is that God is said to have hedg'd enclos'd and as it were with a wall of fence surrounded Israel his possession his land his vine Hence it is that the Church and the Israelitish Spouse is called a fenced garden and a sealed fountain in the Canticles least being plac'd in the high-way it might be trodden by passengers nor the South wind spoyl her flowers nor the Boar spoil her waters Because the Nations were not partakers of that mystical Election by which God had elected the Jews Neither would God that the Jews should enter into fellowship with the Nations either in body or mind either in Matrimony or Religion either in civil affairs or in divine Thou shalt not enter into a league with the Nations or joyn thy self in marriage with them Deut. 7. Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his son nor take his daughter to thy son that the Jews might not be mingled with other Nations who taught the worshipping of Idols CHAP. III. To the elected Iews an elected Land was given A holy Land because the Land of the holy And the land of Promise because it was promised with an Oath to the Fathers of the Iews A description of the Holy Land That was a choice Land not of its own nature but according to the pleasure of God who bless'd and chus'd it The land of the Iews And for the Iews only to dwell in TO the elected Jews God gave elected ground which was likewise called holy because the Land of the Holy That there is elected and blessed earth as likewise rejected and cursed earth is witnessed in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 6. A land says he drinking the shower that comes upon it and bearing seasonable fruit to them who tills it receives a blessing from God But that which brings forth thorns and bryars is rejected and almost curs'd the end of which is to be burnt Which the Gospel according to St. Matthew express'd in these words Chap. 13. God loves not that earth which is in the way that is commune trodden and unclean nor that which is full of briars but he loves good ground in which the son of man may sow good seed Nor am I ignorant that these things are allegorically spoken of the hearts of the Elect but we must likewise know that Christ here meant literally the Holy Land in which the sanctified Jews who are meant by good seed shall be sown by Jesus Christ which sowing we shall have occasion to set forth more at large That the Land of Canaan which the Jews inhabited was that choice blessed earth and belov'd of the Lord is set down in the 8. of Deuteronomy where Moses call'd it A Land of rivers waters and fountains in the fields of which should break out pools of water A Land of corn barley and vines in which grow olives and pomgranats A Land of oyl and honey where the Iews should eat their bread without want and should enjoy abundance of all things A Land which Ezechiel Chap. 20. calls An excellent Land amongst all Lands and chief of all Lands Which therefore God call'd a high land Deut. Chapt. 32. God hath plac'd Israel upon a high land to eat the fruit of the field to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the most hard rock butter from the heard and milk from the sheep with the fat of the Lambs and Rams of the sons of Basan with the marrow of wheat and that he might drink the most choice bloud of the grape Canaan was call'd a high land not for the lying of it for it is a Valley according to that in Numb 14. The Canaanite and Amalekite dwell in the valleys which he had said in the former and thirteenth Chapter By the Sea and near the streams of Iordan For which cause Esdras called that Land a Furrow Book 4. cha 5. Thou hast saies he of all the world chosen one furrow that is Canaan which is a valley Therefore it was
of his Father Abraham Heb. 7. As also the Hebrews are said all to be taken by God in the hand of Abraham their Father Isay 41. There are both divine and humane Lawes for imputations ordain'd according to natural communion and similitude The divine by which God is said to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation And according to that here the fathers are said to eat the sowr grapes and the childrens teeth to be set an edge The humane law by which there is punishment decreed against the Children of the Traytors by the guilt of their Parents There are examples both divine and humane of imputation of the Fathers fault to the Children That amongst divine examples is eminent of the seven sons of Saul whom according to the command of God David gave the Gabaonites as an expiation because their Father before had broke his promise with the Gabaonites and cruelly slain many of them It s read of Alexander that after he had taken Tyre as if he had been the defender of the publique tranquility he crucified all the Tyrians who outlived the siedge who were born of those slaves their Ancestors who long before had destroyed the free people of Tyre together with their Masters cruelly by a conspiracy made against them God imputed to the Jews the numbring of the people which David had caus'd and consumed seventy thousand of them with the plague for their Kings offence For that communion and conjunction politique whereby the whole Kingdom is thought one and one entire body like a living creature whose head is their King And as a murther performed by the hand is not only imputed to the hand but the whole man So in a body politique that which the head doth as being head is imputed to the whole body It is the work of Iove says Hesiod to punish Cities promiscuously for the transgression of the Magistrate So because the Priest of Apollo was violated by Agamemnon the whole Army of the Greeks was almost destroyed by Pestilence And whatsoever the Prince did amisse the Greeks smarted for 't Nor only the act of the head of a City but also of another member makes the whole body liable to guilty So as it is read of Achan Who having taken of the accursed thing brought all Israel under a curse Josue 7. And which is also read of the Levites Concubine 19 Judges whom the Inhabitants of Gabea of the tribe of Benjamin swiv'd to death And whose wickednesse was so rigidly imputed to all the Tribe that all the Tribe for that wickednesse was almost destroyed and routed out Nor were the Heathens ignorant of such imputations As Hesiod says Many times says he the whole Country is destroyed And Horace Neglected Jove doth sometimes add In punishment the good to bad Those imputations which by politique Communion are contracted from the offences of others others of them are of the law of Nations others according to Civil law According to the Law of Nations the fault of Sedecias by perjury was imputed to the whole Nation for which cause being overcome and falling into the Enemies hands they were all carryed Captives to Babilon By the same Law of Nations whatsoever the Ambassadour transacts is imputed to the Commonwealth or the Nation as also 't is imputed to the pledges whatsoever is done by them who give the pledges By Civil law it is imputed to the whole people whatsoever the chief procurer does for the people and to the chief in Government whatsoever they doe in behalf of the people To the Colonie or Colledge whatsoever their Trustees shall do in their behalf To Pupils and Minors is imputed whatsoever shall be judged against them according to the consent of the Tutors or Overseers There are likewise mystical bodies which by their mystical Communion and similitude do engage imputations Such is that mystical body by which all men as it were by a mystical conglutination are joyned with him by reason of that similitude they have with Christ For God did not put on the shape of an Angel but the shape of a Man that he might become in all things like to men except Sin that he might be a fellow sufferer with men and be an expiation for them By that mystical Communion and society by which his death is imputed to all men Such is that mystical Communion and society by which the faith of Abraham is imputed to all the faithful And all the faithfull are call'd the Sons of Abraham not the Sons of Nature but the sons of Adoption and mystical similitude which did unite all things According to that same Communion and mystical society the sin of Adam was imputed to other men For although Adam was made by Gods hands by a peculiar and choice way of framing beyond other men yet God had fram'd him as in other places I took notice of the same clay of the same common earth and of the same matter subject to corruption in which all other men were created And in all things was Adam made like other men with sin also Yea even as fin was a natural imperfection to all inherent and proper to Adam himself and so to all men And likewise as all men by reason of that society of sinning were apt or suceptive of that guilt which came by the transgression of Adam It is commonly believ'd that the death of Christ was imputed to men because the sin of Adam was imputed to them They are deceived that think so Yea upon the contrary the sin of Adam was purposely imputed to men that the death of Christ might be imputed to them likewise For Christ ought not to be referr'd to Adam but Adam ought to be referr'd to Christ For all things tend towards their end for which they are made Christ was the end of all mysteries therefore were all mysteries meerly for Christ and not Christ for the mysteries Adam was a type of Christ But Christ was a prototype of Adam A type is referr'd to a prototype and not a prototype to its type Nor for any other cause was the sin of Adam imputed to men than that the death of Christ which appeals for all mens sins and regenerates them might be also imputed to them Therefore in Gods decree the imputation was first design'd in the death of Christ Secondly in the sin of Adam as you shall read it in the Revelations That Christ was a Lamb slain from the ordaining of the world Yea and that the mystery of shedding his blood was known and decreed before the ordaining of the world 1 Pet. chap. 1. Which you shall never find of Adam because Adam ought to be referr'd to Christ as the principle decree of God and his own first type But these things which were first in the decree and council of God were not also in order of the performance made first Hence also it happens that the sin of Adam went before the death of Christ And hence it
and perfectness but that they might be restrained within them Divine law will'd that men should not only continue in their righteousness and perfection but that they should be advanced above their own righteousness and perfection Humane lawes have provided that men like beasts should not be meerly turned to pasture The Divine law will'd that man should be carried upward to the sight and glory of immortal God Humane lawes were within the limits of men Divine lawes were above men Humane lawes restrained the nature of men Divine lawes resolv'd to alter humane nature Humane lawes grafted in nature help nature and savour of nature Divine lawes being placed above nature breath all Mysterie and Divinitie help nature that it may purifie it nay that it may turn humane nature into divine Let us here leave Humane lawes and onely talk of that which God gave to Adam And because by the mystical not the natural dispensation of that Law we become more than men and are transform'd into gods Which is the end of this Systeme of Divinity and Christianity Likewise we shall handle that legal sin which broke the Law of God I say that first Law of God which Adam the first man did transgress And which men were reputed to have violated in Adam CHAP. II. The natural sins of men are the very defaults of humane nature the causes of which are not to be ascribed to the sins of Adam Legal sin imputed to men by the sin of Adam is additional Conceiv'd spiritually and not propagated naturally THere are some persons who believe that Warrs Plagues Fevers and all the troop of natural corruptions invaded the Earth by that imputation of the sin of Adam which first transgressed the Law of God And much they stand for this not taking notice of the difference betwixt natural and legal sin For Warrs Plagues and Fevers and whatsoever else of this sort troubles and afflicts mankind are the consequences of natural sin which is the wickedness and imperfection of Nature This will easily appear to such who will suffer that antient cloud of prepossession to be remov'd which dulls their sight for who knows not that Warrs had their original from such whom either greedy desire of prey or cruel thirst after revenge or sacred ambition of Rule stirred up to take arms Then who hath not had experience of the breeding and inflammation of Plagues and Fevers either by the natural corruption of the air or by the corruption of our natural bodies We have as many witnesses of this observation and truth as we have Statesmen and Physicians whose approbations almost innumerable it is needless here to relate We shall therefore assert a double sin in Adam a natural and a legal A natural sin naturally inherent in Adam by the infirmity of his nature and that peccant matter whereof he was made Legal which hapned and was imputed to Adam by violation of the Law of God A natural sin which infected the natural sense matter and nature of Adam A legal mystical and spiritual which broke the Law mystical spiritual which only in spirit and reason could be conceived For who can conceive a tree of good and evil who can understand the eating of knowledge the eating of good and evil unless he conceive it intellectually and mystically Likewise we conceive a two-fold sin in all men as we assert a two-fold sin in Adam natural and legal A natural sin which being innate in every person by reason of his peccant nature is deeply and naturally rooted in their very bowels Which proceeds from the fat of them as is elegantly expressed in the 73 Psalm A legal sin which happen'd and was imputed to all men by the transgression of that Law which Adam did violate A natural sin which had an influence upon the natural sense and corporeal matter of all men Legal which pass'd upon all men spiritually and mystically by the legal sin of Adam We conceive that mystical and spiritual passing of legal sin upon all men by another sin which was Adams to have been by imputation by which we meant that it was imputed to all men that Adam had sinned With any else besides Divines imputation of anothers trespass is a meer supposition in Law but with Divines it is the form of the mysteries which I shall clear to you by a very part example Sedechias King of the Jews brake his allegeance to the King of Assyria That fault was imputed to all the Jews who were thought perjur'd in the perjury of the King by that supposition of the Law of Nations by which people are thought to commit a fault in the faults of their Kings God had entered into a Covenant with Adam and in him with all men as being the Governour Defender and Prince of all men That Covenant Adam broke and that failing of Adam was ascribed to all men by that divine way of mysterie by which all men are thought to be delinquents in the faults of their Governours Defenders or Princes Therefore I think not that the imputation of Adams sin did overthrow mans nature nor doe I again agree with those that will grant nothing to imputation I leave to things natural and mystical their own room Natural things I would have naturally taken Things mystical I would have mystically understood Corruption contracted from that matter of all men which is addicted to corruption was that which overthrew the nature of mankind The mystical imputation of the sin of Adam is that which infected all men with the mystical stain of condemnation I assert imputations without which the mysteries of Christianity would be subverted but these I restrain within their mystical limits lest they stray beyond their mysterie beyond conception spirit Therefore I think not from thence because the sin of Adam was imputed to all men that thence they came to be obnoxious to diseases but by reason of their corrupt and rotten nature The innate infirmity of men was the real and natural calamity of men And according to Ezekiel Chap. 28. There came a fire out of the midst of them to consume them than which there is nothing more true for it is a mans own nature which causes burnings in his heart which that I may the more evidently prove by examples It is not known that Adam who was the criminal and as they say the first fountain of so great evils was ever so much as troubled with the least disease all the Nine hundred and thirty years which he liv'd unless you will believe him who relates out of I doe not know what Author that Adam dyed of the Gout with which he was troubled and which he pretends that he had by succession from his Ancestors Did Cain fall sick when he slew his Brother Nay he was very strong and lusty he fled to the east of Eden got a company of wicked persons about him with whom he rob'd He married a Wife begot a Son and built a City And this is a continual
complaint of the Elect in the Scripture as it were accusing God that he shews all his power to heap prosperity upon the wicked that all things goe well with them that things which they wish for come to pass beyond their hopes and that no disasters blast their pleasures and their joyes Likewise the most excellent Poet falls out with his gods because his Mistress having sworn by them being perjur'd kept the same face which she had before that she being perjur'd had as long hair as before that she had the same Roses in her cheeks the same neat foot the same fair and clear eyes after she had injur'd the gods as she had before she swore Nay after she had tyed her self by so many execrations she became fairer and fairer And certainly the supposition of the Roman Law granted a great many who were prisoners with the Enemy dead in a civil sense who were notwithstanding in good health Therefore it is apparent that neither suppositions of Law nor intentions of mysterie could any jot indammage nature nor that the imputation of Adams sin which is altogether mystical and spiritual was the cause of Plagues Fevers and other diseases which Nature causes in men but that they happen by reason of vitious matter and the frame of their creation which is subject to corruption CHAP. III. The natural death of men arises from the nature of man which is mortal nor is caus'd by the condemnation of death decreed against Adam which is the legal death and is meant spiritually not naturally ANd it is the fashion of all Inconveniences that one draws another there are not those wanting who affirm That if Adam had not sinn'd men should never have dyed as if immortality which is aeternal life and which onely a new Creation could beget as only having the power of immortality in it could have been bestowed upon men by the force and vertue of the first Creation which by its nature is subject to corruption and death and that men should not have dyed who as the Schools say are naturally corruptible and were created mortal Nay say they God said to Adam Eat not of the tree of good and evil for on that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Therefore gather they If death was given as a punnishment to Adam on that day wherein he transgressed the Law of God Adam should have never dyed if he had never sinn'd But that consequence is utterly denied for although they die which kill therefore they which do not kill are not immortal Those that are guilty and not guilty of blood come to a certain end by death This is the difference 'twixt both their deaths that those that are upright 〈◊〉 of good life die simply naturally those that dye by order of Law are said to dye a two-fold death naturally and legally a natural death and that which is can'd legal and civil by the condemnation of the Law Truly whether a man by the sentence of the Judge be strangled or be beheaded or dye upon the rack he is first to be thought dead a natural death as being dead by natural causes as stopping or cutting the passages of his breath Again because to this nature a condemnation by Law is added he is said for the way of his death to have dyed a second and a civil death The same is to be thought to have happened to Adam being condemned by the Law of God which happen'd to other men condemned by the Laws of men Adam should have dyed a natural death and by a cause meerly natural since he was made up of matter corruptible and mortal Adam dyed likewise a legal death by the condemnation of the Law at which time he broke the Law of God The natural death of Adam followed the natural sin of Adam and the infirmity of his corruption springing from the corruptible matter whereof he was made Legal sin made the legal death of Adam There was a mystical cause of that mystical effect which only could be conceiv'd by spirit and reason This shall be evidently prov'd by Adam himself God had said to Adam Whatsoever day then eatest thou shalt die the death Therefore Adam is thought to have died the very same day the very same minute wherein he transgressed the Law of God And yet Adam died neither naturally nor bodily that minute or that day For we know that he liv'd Nine hundred years after he sinned Therefore we shall understand that Adam dyed when he transgressed the Law of God a legal and a spiritual death which only could be conceiv'd in thought Adam dyed a legal spiritual death when he transgressed the Law of God Adam died a natural and a corporeal death when he had liv'd Nine hundred and thirty years and in that set hour where the natural bounds of his life was fixed But we shall more easily understand that Adam dyed the death and that a spiritual death was added to his natural if we review other condemnations decreed by God both against Adam and against Eve and against the Serpent after and for the transgression of Adam This punishment was decreed for Adam after his sin In labour shalt thou eat of the earth all the dayes of thy life But God had plac'd Adam before he sinned in Paradise that he might cultivate it Therefore that he might labour and manure the ground in Paradise before he sinn'd and that by his labour he might eat of it as he did labour and manure it and by his labour did eat of it after his sinne Observe here labour both before and after sin Labours before sin according to the nature of agriculture natural labours after sin by a mystical condemnation which only could be conceived in thought Such is that which the Lord said to Eve I will multiply thy sorrows and thou shalt bring forth with pain and shalt be in the power of thy husband and he shall be Lord over thee The Lord multiplyed the sorrows of the woman when according to the condemnation he added spiritual and mystical griefs to those which were natural by which a woman is naturally torn when she brings forth God multiplyed the subjection of the woman under the power of her husband when he added the condemnation by Law to that natural Law by which the nobler sex hath dominion over the inferiour But chiefly its worth taking notice of what God decreed against the Serpent and what punishment he appointed for him for tempting Eve with eating of the forbidden fruit Because thou hast done this saith the Lord to the Serpent thou shalt goe upon thy belly and shalt eat dust all the dayes of thy life but this was naturally in the Serpent at his creation to creep and crawl that the Serpent should goe upon his belly and eat the dust for God before sin nay the fifth day of the Creation created all manner of creeping things of which sort was the Serpent and chief of them
certainly Therefore we must understand the Serpent to have crept in two senses before sin and after sin that he crept before sin naturally by the nature of his creation that he crept after sin according to the decree of God and by that condemnation which was onely in spirit So may we understand Adam to have dyed two manner of ways Naturally that he dyed naturally according to the first intention of his making before the Law Legally and after a spiritual manner after the Law by that decree and Law of condemnation which is spiritually conceiv'd Therefore we shall think that there is a twofold death in all men as we conceive to be in Adam Natural which happens naturally to all men by their own imbred nature which is corruptible and mortal A Legal one which smote all men that minute mystically when it was decreed against Adam A natural death by which men dyed naturally before the Law a Legal death which passed spiritually upon them after the Law by transgression of the Law A natural death which followed mans natural sin a Legal death caused by the legal sin of men from the sin of Adam A mystical cause of a mystical effect which onely by way of spirit and mystery is conceivable And truly as the Law of creeping ordain'd against Serpents in the Law of Adam did adde nothing to the reptile nature of Serpents but a condemnation meerly spiritual so the Law of death added nothing to the mortal nature of men except that condemnation of death which in thought and mystery is only conceiv'd Remember says David Psal 89. what is my substance And a little after What man is he that liveth and shall not see death which the Kingly Prophet understood of natural death the causes of which he ascrib'd to the substance and matter of men not to the sin of Adam adde to this what St. Paul hath written Rom. 8. Flesh savours of death and in the 6 Chap. of the same Epistle The wages of sin is death In which he meant natural sin and natural death because natural death is incorporate with natural sin being the sauce of which the flesh rellishes which is the nature and matter of sin Moreover by this distinction of natural and legal sin and natural and legal death easily appears the interpretation of that place of Numbers Chap. 27. where the daughters of Zelopheâ—ad speak unto Moses Our Father dyed in the desert and was not in that sedition which was stirred up against the Lord by Core but died in hâ—s sin They say that their father was dead not in that Judgement wherein Core was swallowed up who rebelled against the Lord but by the sin and fault of his nature which is the seed of sin and corruption and by that fate of nature by which death is the last period of all things subject to corruption They doe not say that he was swallowed up in that just Judgement wherein the lowest earth opened to swallow up those Conspirators but that he dyed a single death in the desert by that same natural Law by which all men owe themselves to death and by which simple natural death abides natural sin CHAP. IV. Men were in the beginning created according to the Image of God and very good Of the Image of God in the first creation Of the Image of God in the second creation Men were created upright in the beginning but of vâ—tious matter which could easily return to its own disposition IT seems not to agree with that which is set down in the 1 of Genesis That I said the Creation of man was evill and corrupt For there it 's said that God did create man according to his own Image and that all things which God created were very good whence Interpreters conclude and rightly that man being created according to Gods own Image was created perfect and upright And if all that God created was very good that man then who was the most excellent of the Creatures was exceeding good To this that I may answer I would first have it granted that the impression of Gods Image in the first creation is different from that in the second creation God expressed in the first Creation that first Image and copie of his wonderful art by which he made the World and all that therein is and by excellent wisdom compos'd and ponder'd them In his renewing which is the second creation God express'd the Image of his own nature wherein he communicated his love and bounty to the Wor'd God in his first creation shewed the out-side of his work but in the second he opened the bowels of his love The first creation expressed the Image of God which we may call the exterior the second creation presents us with the internal Image of God There was nothing besides which God did not communicate in the Image of that plat-form and of his admirable art which he exppress'd in all things which he created But he did not make all things partake of that Image of his nature loâ—e and bounty which be most worthily shewin men when he did regenerate or when he went about to regenerate them Furthermore whatsoever material or corporeal things ar created by the law of their own nature they ar created corruptible and mortal but whatsoever out of things corruptible and material are created a new by the Law of that second creation become incorruptible and immortal To say nothing of other material and corporeal things it is certain that men in the beginning were created according to the Image of God that Image of their Creator which we may call the Image of creation yea they were created according to such an Image of creation which above all other Images of creation is the most excellent amongst all the frames of the creatures which more expresly and more highly represented the Creator But we must confess that men were created at first according to the exteriour Image of God which is called nighest to God at a greater distance in comparison to the Image of the second creation It is true that men were created in the beginning perfect right and excellently good in as farr as men by force and vertue of their creation could be created perfect right and excellently good But no man ought to be ignorant that men were created from the beginning of corruptible matter which might easily be turn'd from perfect to imperfect from right to wrong from good to evil which the men which were first created did evidence by a strong and approved example since the nature of their composition and their own negligence carried them being upright made so far aside Therefore so often as I think of this That men being created according to the Image of God the Creator and according to the Image of the first plat-form perfect right and very good by a fault in them ingrafted by nature did degenerare from righteousness to wickedness from good to evil So often I fancy a Watch newly
Publicans and sinners Both with the Jews are unlawful either to enter into the Gentiles or to receive them Publicans and sinners are put together in many places of the Gospel because the Publicans or Farmers of the Customes which the Jews paid to the Romans were Gentiles or sinners amongst the Gentiles We must likewise consider the answer which our Saviour gave to the Jews when they enquired of his Disciples why he sat and did eat with publicans and sinners I came not sayes he to call the just but sinners to repentance which is I came not to call the Jews but Gentiles to repentance For Christ did prophesie there should be a call of sinners and Gentiles of all such as would hear his voice and a rejection of the sinners and Gentiles of all such which would not hear his voice Like to this is that Mat. 26. The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners for the Son of man was betrayed into the hands of men or sinners or Gentiles which is the same that by the Romans who were Gentiles and not by the Jews he might be condemned and crucified Moreover by this observation of sins we excellently finde the meaning of that place to the Galathians Chap. 2. where you shall read this But if desiring to be justified in Christ we be found sinners is God the Author of sin c Which you must thus open and understand But if we Jews desiring to be justified in Christ for here he discourses of the Jews who would not live after the manner of the Gentiles If we Jews sayes he desiring to be justified in Christ the God of the Gentiles are found to be Gentiles that is to degenerate into sinful Gentiles shall Christ be the cause that we contrary to the Command of God have departed from being Jews to be Gentiles that leaving the Law of God we have turn'd to the Councel of the ungodly and walked in the way of sinners God forbid sayes the Apostle that we should think any such thing For Christ is not the cause of the Gentiles sins but of Faith which Gentiles who believe in Christ have in Christ Christ destroyes the sins of the Gentiles but is the Author of Faith to the Gentiles and wakens that Faith which he revealed to the Nations of sinners then in name but elected through Faith and called to the holiness of the Jews What then if we be called Gentiles so long as the Faith of the Gentiles is inherent in us and we are justified by Christ the God of the Gentiles CHAP. VIII Gentiles called children little ones and poor VVE must very attentively observe that which we read in the 9 of the Proverbs where Christ the wisdom of the Father speaks to the Gentiles whom being made a man he was afterwards to call in these words My speech unto the sons of men Understand ye little ones wisdom and ye foolish take heed Wisdom cried out standing in the streets and high-wayes speaking to the trivial commune and unclean Gentiles and who are here openly meant by the sons of men and by the unwise and likewise here called lutle ones That voice which was heard from Heaven which stirs up both Jews and Gentiles gathered into one Church Rev. 19. Give praise to God you his servants that fear him small and great did mean these same little ones that is praise the Lord both Jews and Gentiles as you were of old incorporal and unanimous or as Saint Paul translates and reherses it Romans 15. Rejoyce ye Nations with his people But of the agreement of the Jews and Gentiles in praising of God we shall speak more in its due place It is clear that the Gentiles are called little ones Psalm 64. The arrows of the little ones are made their wounds that is the Gentiles are wounded with the same Arrows which they shot against the Jews according to the 35 Psalm The snare which the Gentiles have laid for the Jews hath taken them and they are fallen into the same snare Wisdom cries out Chap. 1. Ye little ones how long will ye love childishness and ye fools those things that are hurtful to you and fools hate understanding The little ones fools and unwise in that place are the Gentiles who stammer like Infants who desire things hurtful to them and hate the knowledge which is of God Solomon calls those same little ones evil and wicked men Chap. 7. of the same Book where he sayes thus I looked out of my window through the casement and I see the little ones I observe the foolish young man who walks in the street by the corner walking in the dark when it 's almost night Understand those little ones here not such are borderers upon Infancy but those that are foolish of untam'd pleasure wicked men who apply themselves to whores which the following words do make appear The Gentiles are call'd little ones in regard of the Jews who are call'd the great Nation nor was there another Nation so great Deut. 4. And higher then other Nations Deut. 26. The Iews were called great and mighty and high not by reason of their stature for they seem'd to be locusts compar'd to the Canaanite whom they had view'd by their Spies and who Numb 13. were of the sons of Anac men of mighty stature and monsters in regard of the Jews who were but little men Therefore the Jews were great in that they were chosen and belov'd by God and because in that regard they excell'd all other Peoples and Nations On the contrary the Gentiles were neither chosen nor belov'd by God but for the contrary reason call'd low little small To this compare what is written in the 24 Rev. And I saw the dead great and small which ascribe not to the ages or statures of those that shall rise again but to the future resurrection of the Iews and Gentiles which St. Paul calls the 24 of the Acts the resurrection of the just and the unjust of which before Solomon gives the reason of this why the Gentiles should be call'd little and small in that Book to which they say he gave the the Title of Wisdom Chap. 12. Because they wander'd says he in the way of error esteeming those things Gods which were superfluous in beasts living like witlesse children for which cause God had given them a judgement as to foolish children In this sense understand these words which the Lord professes in the gospel Matth. 11. I praise thee O my Father that thou hast hidden these things from the prudent and wise and hast revealed them to little ones that is that Gospel which thou hast not reveal'd to the Jews thou hast made manifest to the Centiles For the Jews are called wise and prudent according to Exod. 4. Behold a prudent and a wise people The Little ones are understood the Gentiles For Christ did not come to the Jews whom he was not then rejecting because they believ'd not in him but to the
it is said in the book of the warrs of the Lord. As he did in the red sea so shall he do in the brooks of Arnon But that Book of the Wars of the Lord could not be cited by Moses in which there could be mention made of those things which were done at Arnon in the very place where Moses perform'd this exploit Truly I believe that Moses made a Diarie of all those wonderfull things which God did for the people of Israel under the conduct of Moses From which collections the books of the wars of the Lord might afterwards be taken Which for that cause was neither the Original nor the Original of the Original but indeed a Copy from a Copy That which we read in the third Chapter of Dentronomy does manifest that they are written long after Moses Jair the son of Manasses possessed all the Country of Argob and it is call'd after his name Basan Hanoch Jair to this day Moses could never have said to this day For Jair scarcely had possession of his own Villages at that time when Moses is brought in so speaking And hence it manifestly appears that the author intended to shew whence according to the most antient and first original that City was call'd Jair deriving the cause from Moses to his own time and therfore as was fit call'd it Jair from that antient Jair unto this day The like we read in the same Deuteronomy in the same Chapter Only Og King of Basan was remaining of the race of the Giants His iron bed is shown which is at Rabbath of the children of Ammon For what needed Moses to have said to the Jews that his bed was shown at Rabbath of the children of Ammon that they might learn the bignesse of the Giant Why I say needed he to send the Jews to another place to see the bed of the Giant who had seen him in his own Land and overcome him and measur'd him as he lay along in the fields of Basan It is a great deal more likely to think that this Writer to gain credit to what he wrote concerning the King and Giant Ogâ— of whom he made mention spake of his iron bed as a testimony of the wonderfull spoils of that terrible Giant which were not at that time to be seen at Basan where Og lay but in Rabbath of the children of Ammon the succession of ages having changed the place We read also in the 2. of Deuteronomy The Horraeans first dwelt in Seir whom the children of Esau driving out dwelt there as Israel did in the Land of his possession which the Lord gave him In these words it is said That the Idumeans who are the Sons of Esau inhabited Mount Seir driving out the Inhabitants of those Mountains And that the Jews again inhabited this Mount Seir and gain'd Mount Seir as a possession driving out and destroying those Idumaeans Yet it is most certain that the Idumaeans according to Moses himself were not thrown out in his time as it is in Deutronomy in the same Chapter And the Lord said to me saith Moses You shall pass through the confines of your brethren the sons of Esau who dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you Therefore take heed you move not against them for I will not give you of their Land one foot for I have given Mount Seir in possession to Esau Therefore Idumaea was not given to the Jews in the dayes of Moses but long time after as David Prophesies Psalm 108. Over Edom will I cast out my shooe that is I will extend my possession over Idumaea For possession is taken by setting down of the foot and the shoe in this place is the foot the thing containing for that which is contained And David made also good his prophecie 1 Chro. chap. 18. where we read that David consecrated silver and gold Which he had taken from 〈◊〉 Nations Edom Moab and Ammon And befides in the same place Abishai the son of Zervia smtoe Edom in the valley of salt eighteen thousand and put a Garrison in Edom that Edom might serve David Therefore in the time of Davâ—d and not of Moses Edom became a land of possession to Israel as God had promis'd as being a lot and part of the Holy Land And hence it is gather'd that these essayes of Deutronomie were written long after Davids time a great while after Moses I need not trouble the Reader much further to prove a thing in it self sufficiently evident that the five first books of the Bible were not written by Moses as is thought Nor need any one wonder after this when he reads many things confus'd and out of order obscure deficient many things omitted and misplaced when they shall consider with themselves that they are a heap of Copie confusedly taken Those things which we read concerning Lamech Gen. 4. are defective Because I have slain a man to my hurt and a young man to my grief For there is no mention made of that young man whom Lamech slew That History which is related in the fourth book of Moses concerning the circumcision of the son of Moses is desicient and is conjectur'd to be deficient because we see clearly what it should be The The 20 Chapter of Genesis of Abrahams sojourning with Abimelech King of Gerar is misplaced For it is not likely that the King would lust after Sarah who was an old woman and with whom it left off to be according to the manner of women and who was not capable of pleasure As also Genesis 26. the same is to be thought of Rebecca Nor must we think that the King was then in love with Rebecca Jacob and Esau being thâ—n of age That which we read in the 10 of Deuteronomy is misplac'd The Children of Israel remov'd their camp from Beeroth of the sons of Jacan where Aaron dyed And in the same place He separated the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant Though long before the death of Aaron the Levites were seperated to look to the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant according to Gods command often iterated both in Leviticus and Numbers Yea whilst Aaron himself was alive yea still after that the Tabernacle was perfected the Levites carried the Ark as often as the Children of Israel remoâ—ed their Camp And if the Reader will take pains let him but run over this tenth Chapter of Deut. and he shall find the death of Aaron preposterously inserted in that Narration having nothing there to do and nothing beâ—onging to the buâ—nesse Yea he shall find it contrary to the computation of time whilst they were talking of the delivery of the Law of Sinai long before Aarons death You shall likewise find that passage in the 18 of Exodus misplaced And Jethro came the Father-in-law of Moses and his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped by Joâ—dan For how could Jethro come to Moses hiâ— son-in-law after the going
the whole Sea betwixt a grain of sand and all the sand in the shore For a drop of water and the whole Sea are things omogeneal as also a grain of Sand and the whole shore as also these are here compared according to their habitude of number and measure by which they have relation one to another But there can be no proportion betwixt a thousand years which is a body of years and a Homogeneous body These are likewise compared together according to the habitude of number and measure which have relation one to another but there can be no proportion betwixt the eternity of God and a thousand years because they are of different kinds A thousand years and that pure eternity are of several kinds because that eternity consists not of years nor is compounded of ages or times and they cannot be compared according to their habitudes and measures for they have none common to both The things which I mentioned before of the beginnings of things and of the creation of the world from eternity out of Diodorus agree very well wiâ—h these testimonies of holy Scripture That the ancient Physiologists and Historians did believe that the world was eternal as also affirm'd that men were from eternity which Diodorus peaking of the Chaldeans expounds thus That they believed that the world was eternal having no certain determinate beginning for they did not deny the beginning of the world but thought it unknown and uncertain according to that of Ecclesiasticus There is no remembrance of former things That eternity was uncertain and undeterminate Wherefore in the Bible eternity is often undeterminate As it is read Genesis 6. My spirit shall not contend with man always Eternity in that place is long after undeterminâ—d which appears by what follows And his days shall be a hundred and twenty years For God determined here the age of man a hundred and twenty years which before was far longer and undetermined so it is to be understood of that servant whose ear his Master pierced with an Awl Deut. 5. He shall seâ—ve thee for ever that is undeterminately and so long as he liâ—es I passe by a great many places of this same sorâ— Let it therefore be taken for good that the creation of the world which is said from eternity by the authority of both Testaments could by no means be undersâ—ood since Adam was made according to the definition of both ages Whether you call eternity which is reckoned from many ages and times Or whether you understand it indefinitely or undeterminatly For it is known that the time betwixt â—s and Adam is within account For the times from Adam are of a known period without the account of ages Besides there is a great deal of difference betwixt those things that preceeded the beginning of all things and those things which were before 〈◊〉 Adam Of these there is neither mention nor knowledge Of the other there is certain knowledge and memory CHAP. XIII Of the ages of creatures describâ—d by Hesiod and Ausonius Why the Histories of the first men were not known Out of Plato By the change of the Epoche The Aboriginal Nations of the world are not known I Often have wondred at the ages of creatures which Hesiod relates That the just age of a man is Ninety six The age of a Crow eight hundred and sixty four The age of a Hart three thousand three hundred and fifty six The Rooks ten thousand three hundred and sixty eight The Phoenixes ninety three thousand three hundred and twelve The Nymphs live Nine hundred thirty three thousand a hundred and twenty For he put those very ages into a Verse from a tradition far more antient as we may conjecture than Hesiod There Hesiod was antienter than Ausonius who since that time a long while did translate them in Latine Verses But Plinie thinks that but a Fable which he writes concerning the Phoenix and the Nymphs Well grant they bee fabulous notwitstanding it appears by this that Hesiod receiv'd them of a fabulous and most ancient tradition I say from that tradition which had set down the ages of Crows Harts and Rooks of which the Antients doubted not and which they could not affirm the certainty of without many and frequent experiments Neither had Hesiod a most learned and elegant old Poet vouchsaf'd to have describ'd such idle stories in such excellent Verses nor Ausonius after him a sweet and acute Poet translated them if both of them had thought that the beginning of things was to be reckon'd from Adam from whom to Hâ—siod there was not as yet passed the age of an Hart. Those Poets set down such ages such bounds to the lives of Beasts but thought that God the Judge of eternity knew all other ages namely that of the world heaven and stars Of eternity I say which in that place Ausonius sets down as a secret and known to God alone The knowledge of those eternal ages which were from the beginning was hid from men according to that decree by which he has hindred men to know all things and through which he thought it fit in his wisdom that they should be ignorant of the dispensations of time According to that of the Lord when he was ascending to heaven It is not for you to know the times which the father has put in his own power Acts. ch 1. The Egyptians according to Plato ascrib'd the cause of this ignorance to the several destructions of men of which the greatest were by fire and water the lesser by many other several ways They said in some long tract of time there were some changes and differences of things in motion both in heaven earth in some long tract of time Whence higher Countries either were consum'd with too much fire or the lower drown'd by too large effusion of showrs But the Egyptians were free from fire and floud Nile saving them from fire And such was the temper of their climate that no showr from above had ever water'd them or ever should Nor were they water'd at any time with any other water than which either flow'd over from Nilus or sprung out of the bowels of the earth And for that cause being not much subject to fire nor overwhelm'd with water some men were always preserv'd with them sometimes more sometimes lesse but never a general desolation For which reasons they reserâ—'d alone the most antient Records And that both their own actions and the actions of other Nations which were memorable were diligently set down and written in the Records kept in their Temples That the Greeks and other Nations either by Plagues sent down from heaven or being desâ—royed either by water or fire in certain space of time had lost both letters and knowledge and enter'd as it were again into their childhood beginning at their Alphabet nor knew what had been at home or abroad but through a cloud and by hear-say Therefore they believe that the head of all
dead let him keep with him his aspersion and preserve it in his grave Let this be enough that the fame of the man which now goes up and down the world with the creditable report of divers and high endowments of learning deceive not more with the allurements of his Eloquence and by his trappings of probable conjecture Grotius argues thus The Norwegians landed in Greenland They went forward from Greenland to America Therefore the Norwegians were the authors of the Nations in America Let us grant that Grotius took the right way of proving this and that all were true he built upon this ground Certainly if America must needs be peopled by the Greenlanders which were likewise Norwegians He must prove first according to his own ground and first of all that the Norwegians who first lighted upon it found it empty and only the winds blowing upon the leaves in those Countries whence he might gather this conclusion that the Norwegians first planted Greenland who afterwards straying about the world strewed Colonies over all America and so the Americans and the Greenlanders should be indeed the posterity of the Norwegians I say he ought first to have proved that the Greenlanders were the off-spring of the Norwegians before he should guesse that the Americans were sprung from the Greenlanders and of the same stock of Norway It is most certain that the Norwegians wâ—â—h first landed upon Greenland in the Easlern parts of it rough and wild which the Norwegians called Ostreburg going to find out the western parts better habitable which they call Westreburg found it full of all manner of herds cattle as also full of the men of that Climate whom they call'd Schlegringians who beat off the Norwegians falling upon their quarters with a great slaughter A true and faithfull narrative of which is in the Greenland Chronicle written in Danish which is in the hands of the most famous Gauminus skillfull in all languages which I also knew in Denmark The Norwegians were there strangers not the founders of the Greenlanders much lesse of the Americans These are fancies of Grotius made for ostentation of his learning In that he says there are many words among the Indians agreeing with the German language as also that the customs of the Americans in many things is like the Germans as milk is like milk which he by several examples instances that he may proâ—e that the Americans had those customs from the Norwegians who first had them from the Germans Let us passe by that chain by which Grotius would ingraft the Germans in the Norwegians the Norwegians in the Greenlanders the Greenlanders in the Americans and so one Nation into another It is a true story and very well known in all Copenhagen the chief City of Denmark which I also in the same City received from Danes that there lived in Copenhagen Greenlanders Barbarians taken by the Danes about thirty years agoe yea two of them for the space of two years were kept as Danes who notwithstanding could not by no means learn the Danish and he had no similitude of speech or behaviour like the Norwegians This I have set down more at large in my relation of Greenland in French But if the Greenlanders had no affinity in their customs with the Norwegians either in speech or custome the Norwegians must needs sail some other way to America to communicate their customs to them than from Greenland But what would Grotius say if he were now alive and should read that the Schlegringi were there and inhabited Greenland before the Norwegians came what manner of men would he say they were Would he say they were from eternity or sprung from Greenland it self or cast out by the Ocean upon land or founded by another than Adam if any such thing be believed says he Religion is in danger The danger that he saw was that by this means he perceived the original sin of Adam was by this doctrine quite overthrown because it is the common consent of all Divines that only by traduction it could passe upon all men This then I must prove and this is only my task to make it appear that we needed not Adam for our Father nor traduction of Adam to make us partakers of his sin as we needed not that Christ should be our Father and his traduction should make us partakers of that grace is by Christ and all the following book shall be of this which shall begin with the end of this The Fifth Book of this SYSTEME OF DIVINITY CHAP. I. Men behov'd to die to become immortal Men dye in Christ They behov'd first to sin and be condemn'd in Adam Men dye in Christ spiritually and mystically Of the fictions and mysteries of the Law Of divine mysteries which were either fictions or parables or mystical similitudes We die spiritually according to the similitude of Christ We sinned spiritually according to the similitude of the sin of Adam I Must recapitulate what I said in the beginning of this Systeme That men who were to be renew'd by a second creation were to receive a new form which could not without blotting out of the first form and extinguishing of the first creation be performed All corrupt and mortal men behov'd to be so ordered as decrepit and feeble Pelias whom Medeae slew and cut him to pieces to change him from old to young Corrupt and mortal men behov'd to die to recompence corruption with incorruption and death with immortality But such a destruction by which God must needs break all men as it were in a mortar seem'd cruel to God God had thought it better to heal those whom he would not bruise And by mystery brought that to pass which by harshnesse he deem'd inconvenient to himself He resolv'd that men should die for the death of one man who should be an expiation forthem Nor yet by the death of one man who was simply a man but of man-God I say of that God and Spirit who is begot of God incorrupt and immortal And who should become mortal like to corrupt flesh that by this similitude he might make men incorrupt and immortal God decreed that men should die in the death of that man-God who is Christ But the decree of mens death which should be to them as a condemnation must needs passe before the death of man according to a divine and spiritual mysterie to men unknown And the cause of their condemnation which is guilt by reason of sin must needs passe before their condemnation Men then must become guilty by their own sin before they were condemned of sin and be condemned to die for the punishment of sin And that guilt is called by the Apostle the condemnation of sin in the flesh that is of natural sin which had no imputation no guilt no condemnation before the Law For sin in the flesh is the same with carnal material and natural sin God is just and deals with men according to Law Men had not sinn'd
here not of that death which is naturally riveted to mans corruption but of that only which follow'd the nature of Adams sin and which by mystical imputation passed from the death of Christ upon all men And Christs death was call'd a transient death as the sin of Adam was call'd a transient sin Death says the Apostle passed upon all men that he might intimate that he had nothing here to do with that death which by their natural corruption is naturally inherent to them and happens to them naturally but onely of that which in the expiation of Adams sin by the death of Christ passes upon all men But that you may yet have a clearer light shine into your eyes take good notice to what in the same place presently follows Death reign'd from Adam tâ—ll Moses Death reign'd from Adam and that Law which Adam brake until Moses and that Law which was in force from Moses till Christ Christ dying extinguish'd all Law both that of Adam and Moses his Law Blotting out says the Apostle Col. 2. the seal of the decree which was against us for it was contrary to us and taking it away nayl'd it to his crosse That bond or decree which was against us was the condemnation of death decreed by the Law and obligation against all men in the sin of Adam For judgement from one became condemnation as it is written Rom 5. For that condemnation hung over all mens heads and reign'd over them from Adam til Moses and that time layd a tie of Law upon all men Nor did death properly as I said before reign upon all men because no man properly dyed for the sin of Adam but properly the condemnation of death which reigned over them was that which by the death of Christ was blotted out taken away and nailed to the Crosse God appointed then Adam and Moses the known limits and times for Adams sin or to that death or condemnation of death which was decreed by that sin But the same God appointed no limits no times either to sin naturally inherent or to death which by natural default is inherent to all persons Sin naturally inherent was before the Law and Adam since the creation and beginning of things which is without beginning Natural sin reign'd after Moses and after legal death of Adam and Moses 〈◊〉 the same death reign'd and shall reign to the end of ages which cannot be numbred The same natural death St. Paul meant first to the Corinth chap 15. The last enemy that shall be destroyed says he is death Which death cannot be understood of death deserv'd by the sin of Adam For when Moses was dead that was destroyed Death reign'd upon Adam till Moses they must then be understood of a natural death the destruction of which God has deferr'd till the end of things The last enemy which shall be destroyed is death For natural and inherent death is not yet destroyed which follows the nature of its natural and inherent sin These two shall we force indivisibly till the end of time natural sin and natural death nor shall they be destroyed but when the world is destroyed Therefore the Apostle did not joyn these two which he handled apart and which the order of things set at a distance that is sin Imputed and sin Naturally inherent death reigning by the imputation of sin and death naturally following sin naturally inherent The one treatise was spiritual and mystical the other material and natural The Apostle â—ivides that spiritual and mystical subject from the material and natural to shew that there was no need of the traduction of Adam material and natural towards the imputation which was mystical and spiritual which he more openly declares Rom. 5. where he compares the obedience of Christ with the disobedience of Adam and the imputation which did abound from the sin of one Adam to the condemnation of death with the imputation of grace which is given from above of which is given to the satisfaction of life in the offering up of one Jesus Christ which are nothing material or natural but rellish altogether of spirit and mystery And that the compafison of Adam and Christ may be absolute Adam ought to be imputed to men after the same manner spiritually and mystically as Christ is imputed The best Divines confesse that Paul spoke properly in the 5 chapter to the Romans of the guilt and imputation of Adams sin and considered sin not as the fountain of humame corruption but as it involves Adam and in him all men in the same guilt For the Apostle did not write that men were corrupted in Adum but sinn'd in him That they sinn'd in Adam by imputation not since Adam by imputation That they sinn'd â—irtually in Adam not by vertue of seed but by vertue of imputation And Adam is ordained in that place the head of all men not naturally but mystically And one excellent Divine speaks very fitly to this place By natural reason says he It cannot be that all men who were not yet born sinn'd in Adam Unlesse Adam in his moral existence be supposed the Prince of all men For which cause the Apostle says in the same chapter not of those sins by which Adam was corrupted naturally and by which all men are naturally corrupted but of one offence one sin one disobedience which deserv'd a guilt to Adam and in him to all men and which not actually but by imputation pass'd upon all men By which means says Cardinal Bellarmin That disobedience might be communicated to all men And the famous Gamach of Sorbon We grant says he That the actual sin of Adam as actual was not in men but by imputatign The Law or the transgression of the Law caus'd the imputation of that sin Nature begat the real inherence of habitual sin which is wickednesse of Nature Nature and Law are quite different in the scheme of things God the Creator of all things produced nature The same God the restorer or second creator made the Law And as nature could not contract a guilt from anothers fault as the violation of the Law might doe so neither guilt by the violation of the Law and by anothers fault could corrupt Nature A moral cause such as was the disobedience of Adam could not produce a natural corruption Therefore much lesse could the imputation of that disobedience produce that corruption Thaâ— imputation which is an effect meerly spiritual oâ— that moral cause and a cause mystical arising from a moral Therefore the Apostle coupled not these things thus dis-joyned and which can no way agree one with another Nature and Law Sin by Nature and Guilt by Law in this Treatise which he here intended concerning that sin which in the transgression of Adam was imputed to all men Nay no where in St. Paul or in any other sacred author can be read or gather'd that the natural traduction of Adam did any way conduce not to say was necessary to the imputation of Adams
sin CHAP. VI. How the sin of Adam was cause of mens salvation not condemnation Since the death of Christ no mans sin is imputed to another but every own bears his own sin THat question which is commonly disputed concerning original sin is intricate dark and difficult upon presupposition that all men were born of Adam Upon my supposition if God give me leave I will make it so plain and open that we shall never have any difficulty There are some that throw hatred upon God according to the first supposition in saying that his Law was too rigid and cruel in that he imputed that which was done by Adam without the knowledge of men before they had a being to all mankind and in that the punishments for that sin were so heavy that the whole nature of man was over-run with punishments and plagues For by no humane Laws was there ever any successors appointed of others crimes Let Children says Plato not suffer for the wickedness of their Parents It seem'd a cruel and pernicious president to the Senate of Rome to destroy Cassius's children when Cassius the Offender himself was destroyed people who did endeavour to settle such ways of punishment seemed to do things worthy the hatred of men and the anger of the Gods But this seems to exceed all kind of cruelty that after a miserable and tormenting life men should be cast into a burning lake and give their enlivened liver again to be gnawn by worms and there in weeping and gnashing of teeth to die and never die for ever and beyond eternity To which inconveniences that from my supposition I may briefly and clearly answer and stop every mouth speaking irreverently of God It is before sufficiently shown that the imputation of Adams sin added nothing to the nature of man given to corruption which is meerly mystical and is only conceived in spirit therefore as to nature that imputation added no new businesse We must here consider what damage men receiv'd in this according to mystery We must first resolve that the Apostle Paul where he says in the 10 to the Romans That Christ is the end of the Law Meant that Christ was the end of all mysteries both which were commanded by the Law and contained in the books of the Prophets In which signification the Law is very frequent and is taken for the whole Bible Let it be so saith the Lord to St. John refusing to baptize him for thus it becoms us to fulfill all-truth Truth in that place is the mysterie For Christ fulfilled all mysteries which he perfected and accomplished the ends of them Besides mystery is called truth because all mysteries ordain'd by God lead to truth Nor is mysterie an empty name and a bare title or fiction without its reallity and species Yea it accomplishes the chiefest thing of all in that it begets truth salvation and immortality to men which shall be cleared in its own place Christ was the chief end of that mysterie by which the sin of Adam was imputed to men that to them the justice of Christ which is the death of Christ might be imputed You must also take notice that Christ is Jesus who is the Saviour to whom the destroyer is oppos'd and that is Antichrist the destroyer of men Jesus came to save men not to destroy them But as Christ was ordained the end to the salvation of man their were mediums appointed to bring them to that end for the accomplishment of the forementioned salvation The imputation then of the sin of Adam which brought us to that end was the cause of our salvation not our destruction Therefore that dispensation of the divine Law was first of meeknesse and bounty not of wrath and crueltie by which men not knowing and being not yet born had the guilt of Adam imputed to them For the sin of Adam was imputed to them without their knowledge that the justice of Christ might be likewise imputed to them without their knowledge which is the salvation of the Lord Sin begat Justification by the same miracle as darknesse is said to have produced light and death raised up life They are much deceiv'd who think that eternal death ensued that condemnation of death which was decreed upon the sin of Adam For I think it is sufficiently clear'd out of the Apostle Paul to the Romans whom to this purpose I cited in the former chapter that the condemnation was not eternal but bounded with some limits That it was born with Adam and ended with Moses Death reign'd from Adam to Moses says the Apostle For that death followed the fate of sin and of the father of it who begat it The sin of Adam began to reign from the transgression of the Law which I therefore call a legal sin Legal sin liv'd as long as the Law liv'd and when the Law was extinct that was likewise extinguished That legal death reign'd as long as the Law reign'd and behoved to die also when the Law died Eternity also is indefinite Legal death had its certain limits Adam and Moses beyond which it could not remain Therefore that death could not confer an eternity upon men which it self had not What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law and because there is now no condemnation remaining by the Law which may hinder our design of sinning Far be it says the Apostle And that this objection may be quite satisfied I think I shall doe very well to discover the whole mystery in order and what I have spoken apart to set down together and represent it altogether to the view Reason and holy Writ witnesses that all things are corruptible and mortal which are composed of mortal and corruptible matter And that men being made of matter mortal and corruptible by virtue of their mortal and corruptible creation could not ascend up to an incorruptible and immortal God to become themselves immortal and incorruptible God is incorruptible but men from their flesh which is their matter reap corruption Galat. 6. God is immortal The flesh savours of death Rom. 8. God is good it self Goodnesse dwels not in the flesh of man but evil is continually with it Rom. 7. Men that are in the flesh cannot please God For the flesh is enmity to God Is not subject to the Law of God nor can be And a thousand such things we read in the Scripture By which it appears the vitiousnesse of the flesh matter and creation of man ought to be redrest and that men ought to be transformed to new creatures that of evil they might become good of corruptible incorruptible of mortal immortal and possesse the Kingdom of God Which flesh and blood which is corruption cannot possesse Cor. 1. Chapter 15. Men that were to be transform'd and new created behov'd to die as we have shown you before And God decreed that they should all die in his Christ who in forming a humane body and dying for them by proxie might alter
Ancestors might presume of their salvation upon the same account as all the Patriarchs of the the Jews could conceive hope in their salvation For neither did those Fathers of the Jews know God the Father as Father nor believed in Christ the Son according to the Apostle in the last Chapter of the Romans The mystery of God the Father and God the Son was hidden from eternity to our times Therefore it was hid and unknown to all those Patriarchs that were betwixt Adam and Christ But if any mention the words of our Saviour saying that Abraham and Isay foresaw the day of Christ and were glad I answer they saw the day of Christs coming but cloath'd in shadows and figures as one Who sees in clouds or thinks he sees the Moon They smil'd upon Christ but knew him not as Infants smile upon their Mothers and whom by laughter they are said to know rather poetically than truly for instinct it is rather in Children than knowledge It is also written in the first Chapter to the Ephesians That God did chuse the Gentiles to the Adoption of his own Sons before the creation of the World God forbid that we should think that election was so unprofitable and to so little purpose which we suppose to be from eternity to the framing of Adam and so to Jesus Christ that none of all the Gentiles was elected and called to the participation of salvation which was in Christ all that time which was betwixt the infancy of the world till the death of Christ Melchisedech was a Gentile for he was not a Jew which he has clearly set down in his Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 7 verse 6. And he was the Priest of the most high God Therefore elected yea a vessel of most choice election who received the tenths from Abraham and to whose eternal Priesthood the eternal Priesthood of Christ is compared Iob is thought to be a Gentile a man single and upright fearing God and departing from evil a servant of God and therefore chosen and to whom as God says himself there was not the like upon earth Cornelius the Centurian of the Italian legion was a Gentile a man pious and fearing God with his whole houshold and given to good works I passe by a great many Proselites as also those Gentiles whom Mothanus Vuyerius the Chiron of our Achilles makes a long Catalogue of in his elegant and and learned Treatise of the vertue of Heathens I say I passe by all those good approved and wisemen whom long before the death of Christ its probable yea we may very well believe were chosen by God and called unto the Lord But in the same account were after Adam to Christ in the same account I say were those Gentiles in the first age from the creation of the world till the framing of Adam For this cause I think that all those Gentiles begotten before and after Adam good and meek men to have been Christs chief because I believe they were the bondmen and servants of Christ For if any had the spirit of Christ he was Christs as says the Apostle Romans 8. I think they had the Spirit of Christ because I think they were touched and inspired by the spirit of Christ which by secret operations and thoughts wrought in them salvation to life eternal The spirit of Christ was in the Gentiles as the soul is in Infants by which they are sensible and which the Infants perceive but are not sensible of it The spirit of Christ was in them as reason is in Children which is in them a power to become reasonable but as yet not brought in to act Therefore is that spirit called the power of God unto salvation Rom. chap. 1. The spirit of Christ was in them as in a grain of Corn there is a vegetative power For that grain of Corn grows and increases in the earth without the knowledge of the Husbandman who sowed it Which is observed in the Gospel according to St. Mark For this cause the spirit of Christ which is the kingdom of God is compared to the grain of Corn For that spirit which is in the elect grows and increases whilst the elect in whom it is know not of it That spirit of Christ was given to the Gentiles not knowing being supine and asleep to whom that of the 127 Psalm agreeed very well When he shall give his beloved sleep Behold the inheritance of the Lord The inheritance of the Lord which is the Kingdom of God the spirit of Christ and life eternal The spirit of Christ was in them but it was hidden and unknown nor revealed it self unto them They felt and worshipped that spirit they felt that which they knew not they worshiped that which they were ignorant of They dedicated Altars which they consecrated to the unknown God which unknown God St. Paul himself by name did expound to the Athenians The spirit of Christ was hidden in them therefore were they elect unknown as St. Paul calls others Jews in secret Romans 3. They were shut up to that faith which was to be revealed Which St. Paul also affirms of those holy Jews who lived under the Law from Adam till Christ and might be also well fitted to those just Gentiles who liv'd under Nature before the Law and Adam Those Gentiles were like wandring sheep who knew not the shepheard that led them but which according to Saint Peter in his second Epistle chapter 2. might be turned to the shepheard of their souls They were hidden in their knowledge and profession and only so far known as they could be discern'd by their workes which was the true and real proof of their Election As the Lord says By their works you shall know them More of this I will speake if it shall please God where I shall speak of purpose concerning the calling of the Gentiles which was in force after the rejection of the Jews I will begin the second Part of this Systeme from the rejection of the Jews Because I have spoken enough of the Election of the Jews and of the Gentiles elected in the Jews and will speak no farther of it The End of the first Part.
which in another place we shall speak more at large as in Deut. 26. Thou hast chosen the Lord to be thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to day to be to him a peculâ—ar people and in the 27 Chapter Thou art made this day the people of the Lord thy God Therefore God as he is above Kings and as he is a God not only good but exceeding good was mov'd towards the people of the Jews with all those affections of love compassion and care above all the affections with which good Kings are mov'd towards their people That love by which the Lord chose the Jews to be his people was with command and â—ower inasmuch as he was made both their God and King Inasmuch I say as Kings govern their own people and God goâ—erns and commands the Kings themselves by which right and title God is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords But the Lordship and Government of God over the Jews was with majesty and power for their security and salvation not of tyranny to their ruine and destruction God said to Abraham Do not fear Gen. 15. I am thy defender and thy very great reward As also Deut. 33. Blessed art thou Israel who is like to thee a people who art sav'd by the Lord who is the shield of thy help and the sword of thy glory Therefore Gods chief rule and government was over the Jews for which reason he is called the Lord God of the Jews and the Jews were called the people of God a peculiar people and the Lords own Inheritance A people in respect of God by right of government and Kingly power A propertie in respect of the Lord and by right of Lordship By which signification also the Jews are called the lot and inheritance of the Lord Israel my inheritance Isay 19. To a part of which they come as servants and for which cause the Jews are call'd the servants of God The seed of Israel my servant Chro. 1.16 I have said to thee Israel thou art my servant Isa 14. And Psalm 123. Behold as the eys of the servants are in the hands of his master as the eys of the handmaid in the hands of their mistresses so are our eys towards the Lord our God Where observe that God is Lord and Mistresse of the Jews as he was before their Father and Mother It is so ordinary to call the Jews the propertie lot and inheritance of the Lord his servants his vineyard as also his vessels his houshold-stuff and whatsoever comes under the compass of inheritance and Lordship I say all these things are so frequent in holy Scripture that if I should stay longer in rehearsal of them I should lose time God was bound to the Jews and as it is in the 7. Chapter of Deut. God was joyn'd to them he chus'd and lov'd them that in requital the Jews might chuse God be joyn'd to God and entirely love God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength Deut. 6. Yea which was the greatest relation symnathie and tie of friendship betwixt God and the Jews God exalted the Jews to a name to a praise and to a glory that they might be honoured by thoâ—e who were renowned commended and glorious Praise becomes the upright Psal 33. As a girdle cleaves to the loyns of a man so have I joyn'd to my self all the house of Israel that it might be to me a people a renown a praise and a glory But first of all the Lord call'd the Jews unto holinesse that he might be sanctified by those that were holy Be ye holy as I am holy You shall be holy unto me because I the Lord am holy Levit. 20. and Exod. 19. You shall be to me a Kingly Priesthood and a holy Nation As you also may read every where the Jews anointed and elected to be Kings Priests and Prophets which are most exquisite and choice names of holinesse Because the Jews were elected unto holinesse they are commonly called a Holy Nation and a Holy People in the Bible yea and simply holy In which St. Paul is to be understood Eph. 3. where speaking of himself he says To me the least of the Saints that is to me least of the Jews For Paul who was a great example of Christian humility was not such a one as in regard of his sanctity would boast himself a Saint So must you likewise understand that Acts 16. That the nations may receive their lot amongst the Saints that is to say that the Nations may become partakers of the blessing and election of the Jews for the Saints in that place are the Jews That lot and those Saints the Apostle Peter hath expounded in his 2 Epist Chap. 1. Peter sayes he the Apostle to those who have their lot with us in the common faith which is in Christ But Peter wrote to the Gentiles who had the same faith with the Jews the same blessing the same election in Christ for which cause St. Peters Epistles are call'd General Epistles To this adde what Paul wrote to the Gentiles the Colossians chap 1. Giving thanks to God who makes us worthy of a part of the lot of the Saints in light The Apostle makes himself a gentile of gentiles when he writes who made us worthy In the light was meant the same Christ mentioned by St. Peter Further these things are clear'd by St. John who was himself a Jew in his general Epistle or in his Epistle written to all the Gentiles Chap. 1. That you may likewise have fellowship of blessednesse with us With us that is with the Jews Therefore the Jews are holy and the Nation unholy or the Gentiles Psalm 33. Judge me O Lord and judge my cause against the unholy Nation That is Gentile and not Israelitish For that holinesse from which the Jews were called holy the Lord taught his people as also for that he gave his word to Iacob and his judgements to Israel And in that regard that the Jews were called to the justice of God they were called a just generation Psal 14. The Lord is in the just generation that is the Lord is in the nation and generation of the Jews The Jews were likewise called simply just in which sense take those words of the Wife of Pontius Pilate advising him not to meddle with Christ Have nothing to do with that just man as likewise that of Luke And the Jews observing sent deceiptfull men to take him in his speech by pretending to be just who should feign themselves just that is Jews to whom as the Priests and Scribes believed Christ would easilier discover his opinion of not paying tribute to Caesar As likewise the Histories of the Jews are called the Books of the just Josue 10. Is it not written in the books of the just that is to say in the books wherein the acts of the Jews were written For that cause also was