can be but one God How One single pure and perfect Sec. 9. Why said to have eyes and hands to be angry and grieved c. He admits no bodily likeness CHAP. III. Concerning God in the Trinity of Persons Sec. 1. WHat the Knowledge of God from a natural light What from a light supernatural Who are the three Persons and what a Person is Sec. 2. A finite understanding not possibly able to comprehend this infinite Mystery Not to be illustrated by any Instances Sec. 3. The highest pitch of Reasons apprehension Sec. 4. Reason directing to Faith What and how a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead Sec. 5. The Son of God and the Holy Ghost firmly proved Sec. 6. How the Persons are distinguished Sec. 7. How Trinity and Person are found in Scripture What a subsistence is Sec. 8. How the Father is the first Person How each Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sec. 9. How the essence and attributes of the Godhead are communicated Sec. 10. The properties of the Persons incommunicable CHAP. IV. Concerning Gods Knowledg Sec. 1. HOw God knoweth all things Sec. 2. Gods foreknowledg how and what it is Not the cause of things and why Sec. 3. How all things depend upon Gods Will preordaining not his Knowledg foreseeing Yet Gods fore-knowledg depends not upon the creatures future existence Before and after past and to come relate not to God Sec. 4. But is in the creature This aptly illustrated Sec. 5. God knowing things to come and past doth it in one and the same act of Knowledg This act eternal So no change in God Sec. 6. No contingency in respect of Gods fore-knowledg Yet in the secondary causes Sec. 7. All future events are fore-known of God His fore-knowledg infallible Sec. 8. How applied unto the Elect in Scripture CHAP V. Concerning Gods Will. Sec. 1. GOds Will one and absolutely free Distinguish'd into his will secret and revealed of sign and of good pleasure Sec. 2. What his secret will What his revealed will Sec. 3. The Will of Gods good pleasure hath its reason not its cause Sec. 4. Gods glory the final cause of what he wils but not of his will How the impulsive cause of Gods will to be understood in Theology Sec. 5 6. The execution of Gods will admits several causes the volition not any what the volition and what the execution is Sec. 7. God wils not sin and why Sec. 8. The purpose of Gods will doth not abolish but establish the liberty of mans will what the necessity of being from the immutability of Gods will Sec. 9. How Gods secret will becomes revealed by his word and by his works How Gods word is called his will Sec. 10. How they agree in a sweet harmony So to be interpreted as that ille harmony be preserved Sec. 11. How Gods revealed will argues with that of his good pleasure when he wils all men to be holy Sec. 12. Where also he commands Abraham to sacrifice his Son Isaac Sec. 13. How the promises and threatnings in Gods revealed will which are conditional de agree with Gods secret will which is absolute Sec. 14. What the true meaning of the conditions declared CHAP. VI. Concerning Gods Decrees Power and Manner of Working Sec. 1. GOd the primary Cause and supreme Agent in his Vnderstanding Will and Power What his Decree what his Work Sec. 2. What his absolute power How limited by his will Sec. 3. Why and how said to be omnipotent Sec. 4. There is no overcoming Gods power no resisting his will what he acts in time he hath decreed from eternity Sec. 5. How the creatures are in God before they are in themselves What the Counsel of God in his decrees Sec. 6. How the whole Trinity is one entire cause What their diverse manner of working Sec. 7. How some one action is appropriate to some one person Sec. 8. The firm relation between Gods decrees and his works God hath not decreed sin though he hath decreed to permit sin What the effectual decree accompanying the permissive Sec. 9. The purpose of Gods decree imposeth no forcible necessity but bringeth an infallible certainty to all Agents and Events CHAP. VII Concerning the Works of Creation Sec. 1. GOd the Creator of all things as an absolute and free Agent Sec. 2. Creation the Work of the whole Trinity as one entire cause Why of God as a free and all-sufficient cause Sec. 3. Observ'd in the Work of Creation 1 The command of Gods Power 2 The approbation of his Goodness 3 The ordination of his wisdom 4 The declaration of his Authority Sec. 4. The immediate Creation what and of whom The mediate Creation what and of whom Sec. 5. Mans partaking of both Sec. 6. How and why called the lesser world Sec. 7. What the first Heaven what the second Heaven What the third Heaven Sec. 8. What the influences And what the predictions of the heavenly bodies Sec. 9. The creation of man and the forming of woman How God rested the seventh day Sec. 10. Gods wisdom in the Order of his creation Sec. 11. Every thing created perfect in its kinde Sec. 12. In his works God manifests his glory 1 The glory of his Power 2 Of his Goodness 3 Of his Wisdom 4 Of his Eternity Sec. 13. The light of nature directs to the worship of God as the Creator The seventh day the Sabbath How long to continue Sec. 14. How the Creation is an object of our faith CHAP. VIII Concerning the Providence of God Sec. 1. ALL things subordinate to Gods will In order either to his Meâ—cy or his Justice The wisdom and power of his Providence Infallably in its administrations Sec. 2. The Infallibility of Gods Providence doth not take away the use of means but confiâ—ms it Sec. 3. To deny Gods Providence is atheism to despise the use of means is profaneness to establish both is truth and righteousness to what end is the use of means Sec. 4. The course of nature declares the Providence of God this aptly illustrated Sec. 5. Gods Providence is no naked view but an actual administration What Gods Providence is in its general concourse How absolutely necessary for the creatures preservation Sec. 6. This aptly illustrated Sec. 7. The extent of Gods Providence Why it makes use of means Sec. 8. The seeming disorder in the world doth advance the glory of Gods Providence and assure the general Judgment of the last day Sec. 9. Gods Providence doth order sinful actions without any the least share in the sin This illustrated Sec. 10. That Gods Providence extends to what is sinful is not by a meer permission but by a powerful and wise ordination Wicked Instruments are proper Agents and how Sec. 11. How the Executioners of Gods Justice and in that Execution how guilty of sin The wonder of Gods Providence in respect of wicked mindes Sec. 12. Gods Providence imposeth no compelling force but establisheth the nature of all causes contingent
working in all actions which relate unto the creatures and therefore the works of Creation and of Providence are b Heb. 11 3. Psal 33.6 Job 26.13 Psa 104.29 30. sometimes attributed to the Father sometimes to the Son and sometimes to the Holy Ghost All three Persons being one single and entire Cause c 1 Cor 12 6. Psal 33.6 Ephes 2.22 working all in all yet in this Trinity there is a diverse manner of working What their diverse manner of working according to the distinct manner of subsisting The d John 1.3 1 Cor 8 6. Rom. 8.11 Father he works from himself by the Son and the Holy Ghost The e H b. 9.14 Son he worketh from the Father by the Spirit The f Luke 1.35 John 15.26 Holy Ghost he Works from the Father and the Son by Himself How some one action is appropriate to some one person § 7. And thus when any one action is more peculiarly appropriated to any one Person of the Trinity it is from some more immediate relation unto that Person as when the a Heb. 1 2. Ephes 3.9 Creation with the b Ephes 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 Original of all Beings is more peculiarly appropriated to the Father c Rev. 2 9. Heb. 1.8 Redemption with the d John 3.35 5.22 dispensation of all Government more peculiarly appropriated to the Son e Rom. 15 16. Sanctification with the f 1 Cor 12.8 9 4.5 communication of all gifts and graces more peculiarly appropriated to the Holy Ghost The firm relation between God's decrees and his works § 8. And such is the near relation betwixt God's will and his Works his Decrees and their effects that whatsoever he a Isa 44 7. Heb. 6.17 Psal 135.6 willeth is done and whatsoever is done he willeth whatsoever he doth effect he hath decreed and whatsoever he hath b Psal 133.11 Isa 14.24 27. decreed he doth effect so that this is certain God hath not decreed sin God hath not decreed sin though he hath decreed to permit sin because he doth c 2 Chro. 19.7 Psal 5.5 not effect sin And though God be said to have c Acts 2.23 4.28 decreed the permission of sin yet is not that decree any way effectual to produce or cause sin What the effectual decree accompanying the permissive for the cause of any thing d Rō 9.20.21 permitted cannot be from the permission where there is no Law natural or positive to oblige the pevention Again sure we are sin could not be committed by man if it were not permitted by God And God would not permit sin in time if he had not determined to permit it from eternity which permissive part of God's decree is accompanied with that which is effectual effectual for the e Gen. 50 2◠Acts 2.23 36. ordering to good what is permitted to be evil And thus God he would not permit sin were it not for good yet is not sin therefore from God for then were he not himself good § 9. As the good pleasure of God's will a Rō 11.34 35. receiveth not from the creatures any moving causality The purpose of God's decree imposeth no forcible necessity so nor doth the purpose of his decree impose upon the creatures any enforcing necessity All future events whatsoever they have indeed an b Mat. 2.28 John 19.36 infallible certainty but no forcible necessity from the determinate Counsel of God's will But bringeth an infallable certainty to all Agents and Events which infallible certainty extendeth not onely to all Agents and events c Psal 104. Job 3.8 natural or necessary but also d Prov. 16.1 21.1 free and e Exod. 21.13 Prov. 16.33 contingent whether it be in the f Exod. 14.4 5. Act 4.27 28. greatest effects or in the g Mat. 10.29.30 smallest matters CHAP. VII Concerning the Works of Creation § 1. GOD God the Creator of all things as an absolute and free Agent as a most free Agent without any a Job 22.2 necessity compelling or b Isa 40.13 external cause moving him to c Prov. 16.4 Psal 19.1 8.1 manifest his Glory or communicate his d Psal 104 24 Goodness of his e Rev. 4.11 own good pleasure and by his own most powerful will he made the World f Gen. 1.1 2.4 Col 1.16 in the beginning creating and in g Gen. 1.5 31. Exod. 20 11. six dayes forming all things in their natures h Gen. 1 31. 1 Tim. 4 4. very good § 2. Creation the Work of the whole Trinity as one entire cause The Creation was the a Psal 146.5 6. Jer. 10.11 proper work of God alone not from any one Person but from b Gen. 1.1 Psal 33.6 all the whole Trinity as being a work of infinite power wisdom and love as a work of infinite power so more especially from the Father as a work of infinite wisdom so from the Son as a work of infinite love so from the Holy Gost and yet from all the three Persons as it is from c Mal. 2.10 1 Cor. 8.6 one entire cause one single essence God's who creates the world as a d Ephes 1.11 Rev. 4.11 free Agent Why of God as a free and all-sufficient cause and as e Gen. 17.1 Acts 17.25 all-sufficient in himself for if the World were made of God by a necessity of his nature and not according to the liberty of his will or if the World made did add any thing to the fulness and perfection of the Maker it must needs have been as himself is from eternity and should not cease to be in the end of time which f Gen. 1 5. time was created with the World and did then g Gen. 1.1 John 1.1 begin when the Creation had it's beginning Observ'd in the Work of Creation § 3. In the work of Creation we observe the command of God's Power the approbation of his Goodness the ordination of his Wisdom and the declaration of his Authority 1. The Command of God's Power By a Gen. 1.2 6 c. Psal 33 9. Psal 148.5 the command of his Power he executes his will to the producing all things in their natural being 2. The Approbation of his Goodness b Gen. 1.4 10 31 by the approbation of his Goodness he confirms what is produc'd in those endowments of nature which he had given them c Gen. 1.7.16 the ordination of his Wisdom 3. The Ordination of his Wisdom he ordereth and disposeth what is so produc'd and confirm'd to their proper ends for which he appointed them 4. The Declaration of his Authority and d Gen. 14.15 Psal 148.6 in the declaration of his Authority he enacteth a Law establishing the creatures so produc'd confirm'd and ordered in their being and working e Gen. 1.22.28
of the arrow and hitting it's mark doth not more certainly and plainly declare the hand of man who shoots it then the operations of the creatures and the attainment of their end do certainly and plainly declare the Providence of God which governs them God's Providence is 〈◊〉 naked view but an actual administation What God's Providence is in its general â—oncourse § 5. God's Providence being an Act of infinite power and wisdom whereby he a Neh. 9.6 Psal 104 30. Psal 145.15 16 Acts 17.28 preserves and b Psal 29.10 103.19 governs all things in order to his glorious mercy and justice it cannot be any c Psa 33.13.14 bare and naked view but an d Psal 33.15 18 19. Psal 115.3 Ephes 1.11 actual and efficatious administration Even in the general concourse of his Providence he is e Psal 139.7.8 9 10. Jer. 23.24 Col. 1.17 powerfully present by an immediate and intimate operation at all times and in all places with all things All the creatures depending upon God not in their being onely by creation How absolutely necessary for the creatures preservation but also in the f Psal 4.29 30. Col. 1.17 Psal 36 7. continuance of their being by g Psal 104.21 147.9 preservation for that if the World and all the creatures in the world were not sustained by the same h Heb. 1.3 Psa 104.29 30 Job 34.13 14. Psa 36.6 word of power by the which they were created they would presently dissolve and return to their first nothing § 6. This aptly illustrated Every thing depends upon God for it's being as the Air upon the Sun for it's light The Sun hath it's light in it self but the Air hath it's light by participation from the Sun thus God hath his being from himself but every creature hath it's being by participation from God and as the Air partakes of the Sun 's light without any partaking of the Sun's nature so the creatures have their being from God without any being of the Essence of God yea as the Air when the Sun withholds his enlightning beams ceaseth to have any light thus the creatures when God withholds his sustaining power cease to have any being § 7. The extent of God's Providence This wonderful Providence of God is extended to all a Psa 107. Job 12.17 c. Jer. 18.6 Psa 75.6 7. Psa 145.15.16 Prov. 19.21 Dan. 2.21 4.32 35. persons and actions and b Jer. 10.13 things c Isa 28.29 45.9 43.13 Rom. 11.38 determining all causes but determined of none his power neither d 1 Sam. 14.6 Psa 33.16 Dan. 3.17 Amos 5.9 Luke 1.37 Job 9.12 bound to nor limited by means God doth work oftentimes e Exod. 34.28 Mat. 4 2. without and oftentimes f Josh 3.16 2 King 2.8 20.21 against means to teach us to trust his Providence even g Psa 23 4. Rom 4.18 when we see no means And when God maketh use of means Why it makes use of means it is not from the deficiency of his power but from the riches of his goodness communicating that vertue and conferring that honour unto the creatures The seeming disorder in the World doth advance the glory of God's Providence h Psa 77.20 2 Cor. 6.11 Jer. 12.17 instrumentally to co-operate with himself § 8. That things happen a Ps 73.3 4 12. well unto the evil and b Psa 73.10 14 ill unto the good is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confus'd disorder but a wise and c Psa 73.16 17. Jer. 12.1 just disposal of God's Providence whereby the wicked become the more d Rom. 2.4 inexcusable in their sin and so God's e Rom. 9.22 justce the more illustrious in their destruction the godly become more f Mal. 3.3 eminent in grace and so God's g Rom. 9.23 2 Thes 1.10 mercy the more glorious in their salvation By both which God assures to us the h 2 Thes 1.5 general judgment of the last day and assure the general judgment of the last day when he shall i Rom. 2.6 7 8 2 Thes 1.6 7. render to the wicked according to their obstinacy and impenitency and unto the godly according to their humility and patience Wherefore that seeming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly disposition of particular Events doth exalt the glory of God in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise and orderly dispensation of his general Providence God's Providence doth order sinful actions without any the least share in the sin § 9. Though God by his Providence hath an a Acts 17.28 influence upon all mens actions yet hath he no b Hab. 1.13 share at all in any mans sin his providence over wicked men is no more the cause of their sinful wickedness then the Sun beams upon a rotten carcass are the cause of it's noysom stench That there is a scent is from the operation of the Sun's beams This illustrated but that the scent is noyso proceeds from the corruption of the carcass Thus that there is any action is from the concourse of God's Providence but that the action is sinfull proceeds from the wickedness of the sinner Or as he who rides and rules a lame horse is not the cause of his halting so when God c 1 Kin. 12.15 Isa 10.5.15 Isa 13.3 Acts 4.28 moves and governs the wils of the wicked he is not the cause of their sin God doth not move them to evill but moves and orders them being evil sometimes d Judg. 9 23. 2 Sam. 12.11 2 Sam. 16.10 1 Kin. 22.22 letting loose the reins by permission That God's Providence extends to what is sinful is not by a meer permission but by a powerful and wise ordination and sometimes e Gen. 31.29 Job 1 12. 2.6 holding them in by restraint as f 1 Kin. 11.11 his justice or his mercy doth require g Gen. 31.24 § 10. Yea God's Providence is extended to the evil wils and sinful actions of the wicked not by a meer permission but by a power and wise ordination a 2 Sam. 16.10 1 King 22.22 2 Chro. 11.4 2 Thes 2.11 secretly moving and inclining their wils to some certain objects and b 2 Chro. 10.15 Isa 54 16. Rom. 9 17. wisely ordering and directing their actions to some righteous ends And when God doth this work upon the evil wills of the wicked he doth not make c Job 34 12. their wills evil or d Jam. 1.13 move them unto wickedness for that when God doth make use of the wicked as his instruments they are not meerly passive Wicked instruments are proper Agents and how but really active as endued with a rational faculty of understanding and an elective principle of will whereby they become proper Agents and propose other ends to themselves then what God hath purposed in himself they
Why God did neither positively will nor properly nill mans fall so nor did he properly nill mans fall for if God had wil'd that man should fall man falling must have derogated from his goodness and holinesse and if God had will'd that man should not fall man falling must have derogated from his Wisdom and Power but God neither willing nor nilling but permitting and disposing mans fall doth manifest the glory of all his Attributes in the advancement of his mercy and justice his mercy in that a Eph. 1.8 9 10. grace he vouchsafeth by Christ to his Church and his justice by b Psal 9.16 Rom. 9.22 23. those judgments he executeth upon sin in the world § 17. Why God ordered man to be tempted left him and permitted him to be overcome God ordered man to be tempted for his triall left him in that temptation to himselfe for his conviction and permitted him to be overcome for his punishment In the triall he proves mans obedience in the conviction he discovers mans weaknesse and in the punishment he doth correct his a Jer. 17.5 vain confidence his vain confidence in trusting to his own strength Adam lost the assistance of God by not seeking it in prayer and not seeking by prayer the assistance of God who as he gave Adam a power in his Nature whereby he might have obeyed if he had willed would also have given him a further power in his triall whereby he had wil'd that he might have obeyed What strength Adam had by creation and What he might have had by prayer b 1 Chron. 28.9 Psal 9.10 if he had sought it of God And thus having obtained so much grace by creation as to have a power whereby if had wil'd he might not have sinned he had certainly obtained more grace by prayer so as to have had a power whereby he neither might have sinned nor have will'd it being approved in his triall and confirmed in his conquest and so established in grace and made perfect in happiness Why God cannot be said to be the cause of mans fall § 18. God cannot properly be the cause of what he doth not positively will Seeing then he did not positively will mans sin he cannot properly be the cause of mans fall His determining to permit and decreeing to order mans sin and mans fall doth declare his wisdom and power without the least impairing of his holiness and justice it doth speak him in his providence an all wise Disposer Why he permits sin not an unjust Author of sin for that his a ◠Psal 145.9 1 John 1.5 infinite goodness is such as would not permit evill in the world were not his infinite power such as out of that b Rom. 6.20 2 Cor. 4.6 evill to bring a world of good CHAP. XII Concerning the Author Cause Nature and Adjuncts of Sin Why God cannot be the Author and cause of sin Its first Originall in the Devill § 1. THe a Psal 99.97 145.1 Isa 26.7 Jer. 12.1 Rev. 15 3. Just and Holy God who doth b Psal 97.10 Heb. 1.9 Rev. 2.6 hate c Exod. 20 3 c. Levit. 11.44 forbid and d Exod. 34.7 Jer. 9.8 9. Amos 3.2 John 5.14 punnish Sin cannot possibly be the e 1 John 1.5 2.16 Jam. 1.13.18 cause and Author of Sin which indeed had its first f John 8.48 1 Iohn 3.8 birth and being from the Divell and unto which Adam g Eccles 7.29 voluntarily betrayed himself in the exercise and abuse of his free-will How by him in Adam by h Gen. 3.6 Matth. 4.3 consenting to the Divels suggestions which had in themselves no power to force though permission from God to perswade How the fountain and cause of sinne is in our selves fallen in Adam § 2. And thus by Adam sin a Rom. 5.12 entred into the world upon whose fall we find the Originall fountain and efficsent or more properly deficient cause of sinne to be in our selves for having lost that harmony and broken that subordination of the appetite to the will of sense to reason of the body to the soul and of all to God man is become even in his best and highest faculties b Jer. 10.14 Rom. 1.21 7.14 sensuall and carnall so that sense overcoming reason and the appetite overswaying the will the will doth over-rule all to a leading the whole man c Rom. 7.14.23 captive into sin And thus the true cause of mans sinne is in mans self for that How actuall sin is brought forth d Jam. 1.14.15 Lust conceiving in the e Matth. 5 28. will 's confenting actuall sin is brought forth § 3. It is not then any coaction or constraint of necessity in Fate any force or fore-sight of Providence in God or any compulsion or power of Temptation in Satan but the perversnesse and consent of a Psa 32.5 51.3 Acts 5.3 Ephes 2.3 will in man which is the proper cause of his sin What those Scriptures intimate in their truth which wicked men wrest to make God the Author of sin in their blasphemy Wherefore all those places of sacred Scriptures which wicked men do wrest against truth and blasphemous mouthes retort upon God to the making him the Author of sin doe all declare and chiefly intimate that wonderfull wisdom and infinite goodnesse of the Almighty who as a powerfull Disposer not a bare Spectator doth order the evill actions of the wicked to his glory yet not any way partaking of the evill b Jer. 51.20 John 19.11 though powerfully assisting in the action § 4. God restrains from sin doth not prompt to sin God it is who a Gen. 31.29 Num. 22.22 2 Tim. 3.8.9 1 Pet. 5.8 restrains the wicked from sin so farre is he from prompting them for ward unto wickednesse but as the Lion let loose from his chain of his own cruell nature doth devour and spoile The wicked rush into sin when not restrained How the same actions are holy in respect of God yet sinfull in respect of the wicked so the b 1 Sam. 16.14 1 King 22.23 Ezek. 14.9 2 Thes 2.11 12 wicked let loose by Divine Providence for the execution of Gods wrath c Rev. 20.7 8. of their own corrupt dispositions they rush into mischief and sin d Gen 50.20 Isa 47.6 7. Acts 2.23 3.14 15. yea the same Actions are good and holy in respect of God as ordered to a good end even the advancing his Justice and Mercy which yet are sinfull and abominable in respect of man as contrived to an evill end even the satiating their malice and fury And thus when e 2 Sam. 12.11 Isai 47.6 7. Acts 2.23 3.14 15. wicked men are raised up to be a scourge for the punishment of others it is from Gods most just and holy will but the malice covetousness cruelty and other
evils which they commit in their executing this punishment are all from their own corrupt and vile affections It is no excuse to the wicked that they fulfill Gods secret will when they disobey his will revealed and why § 5. And though true it is the wicked do perform a Rom. 9.19 Gods secrets will his will of purpose even when they disobey b Acts 2.23 his revealed will his will of precept yet because Gods revealed will is the Rule of our obedience to disobey that though we perform the other it c 1 Iohn 3.4 is sin So that it can be no excuse of sin in man or imputation of unrighteousnesse in God that the wicked whil'st they sin yet not in their sin actually do what he by his secret counsel eternal decree hath appointed to be done d Acts 4.27 Isai 10.5 c. because they do it not in obedience to Gods just will but in pursuance of their own unjust wilfulnes God wills the permission not the commission of sin and why § 6. Besides Gods purpose and foreknowledge is not the cause of what he hath decreed to permit but of what he hath decreed to effect seeing God then doth not wil the commission but the permission of sin he cannot be the cause of it And that God should wil the permission of sin is most just for that otherwise he should lose the glory of his Justice yea and of his mercy too of this we may be confident God is so infinitely good that he would not permit evill were he not withall so infinitely powerfull as to a Rom. 8.28 5.20 order that evill unto good How God is said to harden in sin § 7. Further yet when God is said to a Exod. 9.12 Deut. 2.30 Isai 6.10 29.10 63.17 Rom 9.18 harden malicious sinners he doth it not by adding more sin or infusing more malice but by further withholding or quite withdrawing his Grace and so in just judgement b 1 Sam. 16.14 Psal 109.6 1 Tim. 1.20 giving them up unto Satan and their own c Rom. 1.24.26.28 vile affections they truly and really d Exod. 9.34 Mat. 13.14 15. Heb. 3.13.15 Acts 28.26 27 harden themselves Sin then is not prompted or caused by God but suggested by Satan or raised by lust and through consent of the will committed by man § 8. And as sin hath no efficient What sin is in its privative Being but a Rom. 3.23 1 Cor. 6 7. deficient cause so hath it no positive but a privative Being and so cannot properly be an action which is a naturall good but the obliquity and error of the action which is a morall evill it is not the work but the evill of the work What in its proper nature in a deviation from the rule of righteousnesse the b Rom. 4 5. Law of God which is the sin And sin being in its proper nature the c Rom 5.15.17.18 Job 34.31 Jam. 3. ◠offence of Gods Justice in the d Isa 48.8 Job 31 33. Isa 35 5. 1 John 3.4 transgression of his Law doth bring upon man a guilt a pollution and a punishment § 9. In The severall adjuncts of sin that 1. It is Guilt The guilt of sin is that whereby a Mat. 6.12 23 16. Rom. 1 32. 3.19 4.15 man becomes debtor unto God bound over unto the penalty of that law which he hath transgress'd From this guilt doth proceed an b Gen 3 10. Heb. 10.31 horror From whence proceeds horror attended with despair The c Rom. 1.32 2.15 Conscience terrifying the Soul with a selfe-accusing and condemning sentence d Gen. 4.13 Heb. 2.15 Heb. 10 31. made more dreadfull by despair 2. It s Pollution § 10. Besides this guilt of sin which relateth unto the punishment there is a a Mat 15.11 Rev. 22.11 pollution Whereby God abhors man which cleaveth unto the soul Which pollution doth make God to b Prov. 3.32 6.16 Isai 1.15 Jer. 16.18 b Isa 59.2 Hab. 1.13 abominate and abhorre man and Man himselfe with a confuon of face c hiding his face from him and doth make man d Ier. 3 25 Dan. 9.7 8. with confusion of face to loath and e Ezek. 6.9 Iob. 42.6 abhorre himself and to f Gen 3.8 Ier. 32.33 flie the divine presence 3. It s Punishment Gods vindicative Justice diversly exprest § 11. The punishment of sin that is an a Prov. 13.21 Ier. 18.8 Amos 3.2 6. evill of misery inflicted by God in the execution of his vindictive Justice Which Justice as it is provoked by sin is call'd b Ier. 7.19 Mich. 7.18 anger and wrath as it is more hotly incens'd to severity it is call'd c Deut. 29.20 Ierem. 7.20 fury and jealousie as it denounceth sentence and executeth punishment upon sin it is call'd d Deut. 32.35 Ierem. 51.6 Rom. 2.5 judgement and vengeance Why the guilt punishment of sin is infinite § 12. The weight of the offence committed is to be measured according to the greatnesse of the person offended The a Gal. 3.10 Matth. 5.22 12.36 least violation then of an infinite Majesty must incurre the guilt of an infinite punishment How all punishment is equall and how unequall which is b Rom. 6.23 Eternall Death And thus all punishment becomes equall extensively in duration of time though not Matth. 5.22 11.22 24. intensively in degrees of torment yea as is our obligation to the duty such is our transgression of the command and as is our transgression of the command such is the punishment of our sin all of equall extent the transgression infinite because the breach of an infinite obligation and so the punishment infinite because the penalty of an infinite transgression The duration of punishment is correspondent to the duration of sin and how § 13. Thus the duration of punishment doth become correspondent to the duration of sin of the sin not in respect of its Act which is transient but of its pollution and of its guilt which are permanent and so a John 8.24 permanent as that they are eternall Wherefore seeing the least sin without the grace of the Spirit to sanctifie and the mercy of God to pardon is eternall in its pollution and guilt it must needs be so too in its b John 3.36 punishment c Rev. 21.27 certainly excluding the sinner from life and glory and d Ezek. 18.20 eternally subjecting him to death and misery How Gods Justice doth punish and his mercy pardon sin § 14. When Gods justice executeth the punishment of wrath a Lam. 3.39 Jerem. 9.9 it is with respect to the guilt of sin And therefore when Gods mercy doth pardon the sin he b Heb. 8.12 remits the punishment by acquitting from the guilt So that if God should
e Rom. 7.25 Ephes 4.23 weakned by grace shall be perfectly f 1 Cor. 15.53 Rev. 7.14 abolish'd in glory What concupiscence is as spoken of in sacred Scripture § 16. This propagated corruption inherent in our natures is called sometimes in Scripture a Rom. 7.7 Jam. 1.14 15. concupiscence which concupiscence is nothing else but that depraved disposition or habitual propension of our corrupt nature b 1 Thes 4 5. Jam. 1.14 inordinately and actually inclining unto evil and this not onely in the unbridled desires of the sensitive appetite Why seated in the superior as well as in the inferior faculties but even in the inordinate lustings of the will and so is seated not c Gal. 5.19 20 21. only in the inferior but also in the superior faculties of the soul as appears in those sins of envy hatred heresie idolatry and the like From whence concupiscence in its inordinacy is § 17. Concupiscence then in its inordinacy as sin is not from the natural condition of our primitâ—ve being but from the corrupt condition of our lapsed estate For though it is true that upon the union of the soul with the body a spiritual substance with a sensible matter there did necessarily follow in man whilst stated in integrity an a 1 Cor. 15.47 48. inclination and propensity to what was sensible and material yet that this inclination doth now become inordinate and rebellious this propension precipitate and vitious is from the b Eccles 7.29 Rom 7.17 20. corruption of mans nature lapsed into sin Why the sensitive appetite cannot be this concupiscencâ— Wherefore the sensitive appetite and natural affection they may be the c Rom. 7.18 23 sâ—â—t or subject of concupiscence but not formally d 1 Iohn 2.16 concupiscence it self which doth consist in an inordinacy and enormity e Deut. 10.16 Rom. 8.7 repugnant to Gods Law which law saith f Rom. 7.7 Thou shalt not covet What the sensitive appetite in m n is § 18. Further we must know that the sensitive appetite in man it is the faculty not of a brutish but of a rational soul and therefore in pure nature though the Spiritual part did desire carnal things And in pure nature how subordinate unto reason yet did not those carnal things return upon the spiritual part an inordinacy of its desires the sensitive appetite being an inferiour faculty of the rational soul and so subject to the dictate and command of the superiour faculties the Understanding and Will And thus in the state of integrity the rational Soul in its natural desires acting by its sensitive appetite Thereby specifically distinguish'd from that in the beasts it was not in a sensuality the same with the beasts but specifically distinguish'd from them as being seated in such a soul as was endued with the light and rule of reason and as being constituted in such an harmonious subjection as was without the least breach or jar of inordinacy and immoderation § 19. Concupiscence in its inordinacy is the issue of mas fall and why Concupiscence then as an inordinate inclination transgressing the bounds of reason is altogether repugnant to the natural constitution of man in his primitive purity and therefore must necessarily be the issue of mans fall as the sin of corrupt nature Indeed we cannot but with Saint Paul call a Rom. 7.7 8 9 11 13 c. concupiscence sin which exposeth to b Rom. 7.24 Ephes 2.13 death Wherefore call'd Sin and makes subject unto wrath yea certainly it must be sin in its self if made c Rom. 7.8 13. exceeding sinful by the law And how shall concupiscence d Jam. 1.15 conceive and bring forth sin if it be not it self sinful The e Mat. 7.17 20. fruit being evil doth sufficiently declare the tree to be corrupt CHAP. XIV Concerning Actual Sin § 1. AS the body which hath lost its health The privation of original righteousness is inseparably accompanied with the corruption of original uncleanness must needs be sick the member which hath lost its strength must needs be lame so man having a Eccles 7.29 lost his integrity must needs be wicked having lost b Eph. 4.23 24 his purity must needs be corrupt Which Original corruption doth break forth into c Rom. 7.5 23. Gal. 5.17 19 c. inordinate desires and actual lustings contrary to the rule of life the law of God so that Original corruption is to Actual Sin as d Gen. 6.5 fuel to the fire What original corruption is to actual sins or as the e Mat. 15.19 fountain to the stream or as the f Gal. 5 19. Mat. 13.17 tree to the fruit or as the g Jam. 1.15 womb to the child or as the h Col. 3.5 body to the members or as the i Rom. 7.5 habit to the act What actual sin is § 2. Actual Sin as it is formally a de-ordination a 1 John 3 4. in the transgression of Gods law cannot properly have any efficient cause but is rather the b 1 Cor. 6.7 deficiency of those causes which are the efficients of those acts wherein the sin is seated What the immeâ—iate internal causes of it and how The immediate internal causes of actual sin are the c Isa 27.11 Ephes 4.18 understanding and d Prov. 12.8 Isa 1.19 will as defective in their proper offices the former to give the later to observe the rule and direction of Right Reason The remote internal causes are the e Psal 94.8 Prov. 30.2 Jer. 10.21 Jam. 1.26 imagination and sensitive appetite moving and inclining the understanding and wil to what is evil f Rom. 7.5 Ephes 2.3 prompted on by the inordinate propension of Original Concupisence No inducement whatsoever can cause sin without a conspiracy in the inward man § 3. Evil Spirits wicked men and sensible objects may outwardly perswade but they cannot sufficiently induce to any sin a Psal 51.4 Jam. 4 7. Psal 1.1 Jude 16. without a conspiracy in the inward man b Jer. 4.22 Ephes 4.17 even of the judgement and will The external object by means of the imagination may provoke the sensitive appetite and the sensitive appetite by the judgment may tempt the will but neither truly necessitate nor effectually induce a man to sin without some c Gen 6.12 Prov. 1.16 2 Pet. 2 15 22. previous disposition in the inordinacy of the will No actual sin prevailing without the will consenting The Will not necessitated in its volition by any power but that of Gods whereby it consenteth unto evil So that the fort is not gained d Deut. 5.29 Prov. 4.23 23.26 Mat. 15 8. till the will by consent be surrendred the soul by temptation is not overcome till the will in its consent be surprised and God alone it is who in his wisdom and
and man did depend upon the liberty of the will To be immutable by nature is peculiar unto God Sec. 13. Mans fall not to be laid to Gods charge Sec. 14. Illustrated by a fit similitude where man cannot satisfie his reason it is reasonable that he exercise his faith Sec. 15. Gods will was permitted and disposed in mans fall So that as God did not will mans fall so nor was mans fall without Gods will How ordered to his glory and mans good Sect. 16. Why God did neither possitively will nor properly nill mans fall Sec. 17. Why God ordered man to be tempted left him and permitted him to be overcom Adam lost the assistance of God by not seeking it in his prayer what strength Adam had by creation and what he might have had by prayer Sec. 18. Why God cannot be said to be the cause of mans fall why he permits sin CHAP. XII Concerning the Author Cause Nature and Adjuncts of Sin Sec. 1. WHy God cannot be the Author and cause of sin Its first Original in the Devil how by him in Adam Sec. 2. How the fountain and cause of sin is in our selves fallen in Adam how actual sin is brought forth Sec. 3. What those Scriptures intimate in their truth which wicked men wrest to make God the Author of sin in their Blasphemy Sec 4. God restrains from sin doth not prompt to sin The wicked rush into sin when not restrain'd how the same actions are holy in respect of God yet sinful in respect of the wicked Sec 5. It is no excuse to the wicked that they fulfil Gods secret will when they disobey his will revealed and why Sec. 6. God wils the permission not the commission of sin and why Sec. 7. How God is said to harden in sin Sec. 8. What sin is in its privative being what in its proper nature Sec. 9. In the several adjuncts of sin that 1. It is guilt From whence proceeds horror attended with dispair Sec. 10. 2. It s pollution whereby God abhors man and man himself with a confusion of face Sec. 11. 3. It s punishment Gods vindicative Justice diversly exprest Sec. 12. Why the guilt and punishment of sin is infinite How all punishment is equal and how unequal Sec. 13. The duration of punishment is correspondent to the duration of sin and how Sec. 14. How Gods justice doth punish and his mercy pardon sin Penal satisfaction is inconsistent with sins remission God doth not punish man for the sin he forgives him Sec. 15. What is formal punishment and why the afflictions of the godly are not such punishments Sec. 16. To say God punisheth sin with sin is very improper and why Sec. 17. How that which is sinful may be the punishment of sin yet not sin the punishment Sec. 18. How sin and punishment are formally inconsistent Gods wisdom and power in ordering sin and punishment Sec. 19. Punishment the concomitant or consequent of sin but not the same with it CHAP. XIII Concerning Original Sin Sec. 1. WHat original sin is how imputed and inherent The unhappy consequent and effects of both Sec. 2. Original sin doth formally consist in the privation of original righteousness Sec. 3. How we become deprived of original righteousness Why this deprivation is a sin Sec. 4. Why the punishment of Gods with-holding righteousness is no excuse for mans sinful waste and want of it Sec. 5. How we become by nature children of disobedience and children of wrath How proved that we are such Sec. 6. How original sin is a repugnancy to the whole law Sec. 7. The contagion of original sin extends to the persons of all mankind and the parts of the whole man and how Sec. 8. What original corruption is called in Scriptures Sec. 9. The analogy between Christ and Adam in respect of the righteousness and disobedience imputed What ment by that saying The son shall not bear the iniquitie of the father Sec. 10. How original sin is propagated How it remains even in the regenerate How they propagate it to their children Illustrated by apt similitudes Sec. 11. How the children of Beleevers are said to be holy Illustrated by a fit allusion Sec. 12. What is the subject of original sin When the human nature is perfect and when the subject of original sin Sec. 13. How the humane nature in man becomes infected with original Sin Sec. 14. That original sin is propagated by carnal generation appears by its antithesis of spiritual regeneration How propagated by vertue of divine ordination Sec. 15. The sum of what concerns original sin Sec. 16. What concupiscence is as spoken of in sacred Scripture Why seated in the superior as well as in the inferior faculties Sec. 17. From whence concupiscence in its inordinacy is why the sensitive appetite cannot be this concupiscence Sec. 18. What the sensitive appetite in man is and in pure nature how subordinate unto reason thereby specifically distinguished from that in the beasts Sec. 19. Concupiscence in its inordinacy is the issue of mans fall and why wherefore called sin CHAP. XIV Concerning Actual Sin Sec. 1. THe privation of original righteousness is inseparably accompanied with the corruption of original uncleanness What original corruption is to actual sins Sec. 2. What actual sin is what the immediate internal causes of it and how Sec. 3. No inducement whatsoever can cause sin without a conspiracy in the inward man No actual sin committed without the will consenting The will not necessitated in its volition by any power but that of Gods Sec. 4. How one sin is the cause of another Sec. 5. What the least actual sin is Sin is manifold in its kinds All sin is either of omission or of commission and that either in thought in word or in work Sec. 6. What is the formative power in original sin in respect of actual Sins of omission alwaies accompanied with sins of commission Sec. 7. This illustrated by instance He that wils the occasion of sin by consequence wils the sin How sin is willed antecedently in its cause though not directly in its self Sec. 8. Sins of commission and of omission having the same motive and end are not specifically distinct Proved by instances Sec. 9. What the division of sin into that of thought word and work Sec. 10. The first inordinate motions of lust contain'd under the evil thoughts of the heart though not consented to by the will yâ—â— are sin and why What makes any act to be sin How the motions of concupiscence are voluntary through the wils defect before they rise though not consented to when raised how concupiscence it self is voluntary Sec. 11. The motions of concupiscence prov'd to be sinful by an infallible argument drawn from the indifferent nature of the wils consent Sec. 12. What the special distinction of sin into spiritual and carnal is how all sin is carnal and how spiritual What the true difference betwixt both Sec. 13. What the specifical distinction
and clearly signifie the Divine Essence with it's personal property § 8. a Mat. 28.19 John 5.26 The Father is the first Person How the Father is the first Person not in priority of Dignity or of time but of Order as being the fountain of the Trinity b Joh. 10 30 38. Mat. 11.27 Joh. 16.14 15. Communicating not alienating from himself the whole Nature and Essential Attributes of the Godhead to the Son and with the Son to the Holy Ghost So that the Father hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself nd from none other the c John 5.26 and 6.63 Rom. 8.12 Son hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself but from the Father and the Holy Ghost hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself but from the Father and the Son Thus the Person of the Son is in the Unity of Essence begotten of the d Heb. 1.3 Person of the Father and the Person of the Holy Ghost is in the unity of the same essence proceeding from the Person of the Father and of the Son This divine Essence and Godhead is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither begetteth nor is begotten How each Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither proceedeth nor is proceeding so that each Person of the Godhead is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God subsisting in himself which subsisting doth imply with the unity of the Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner of existence How the Essence and Attributes of the Godhead are communicated § 9. As the Father is God a Deut. 33.27 eternal so the Son is God b Isa 9.6 eternal and the Holy Ghost is God c Heb. 9.14 eternal And as the Father is God d Psal 91.1 Almighty so the Son is God e Rev. 1.8 Almighty and the Holy Ghost is God f Rom. 8.11 Luke 1 35. Almighty and thus also in the other Attributes of the Deity they are all equally and fully g John 16.15 Isa 53.8 communicated in an eternal Generation from the Father to the Son and in an h Psal 33.6 Luke 1.35 eternal Spiration from the Father and the Son to the Holy Ghost The properties of the Persons incommunicable § 10. But though the essential Attributes of the Godhead are communicable to all the Persons yet the several properties of the Persons are incommunicable to each other of themselves so that the Son cannot be said to beget nor the Father to be begotten nor the Holy Ghost to be begotten or begetting but proceeding CHAP. IV. Concerning God's Knowledg How God knoweth all things § 1. GOD being a simple and absolute Essence simple without any composition absolute without any dependance a Psa 33.13.14 knoweth all things not by any faculty or habit but by b Psal 147.5 One eternal indivisible and unchangeable act in himself without any succession of priority or posteriority past or to come to whose eye all things are c Heb 4 13. naked and d 2 Pet. 3.8 present according to the e Acts 15 18. omniscience of his nature and the f Acts 15 18. eternity of his being Here we must not expect to give or receive any g Rom. 11.33 1 Cor. 8.2 ful or clear knowledg of God but such as is incumbred with many imperfect notions whilst we endeavour to h Isa 40.18.28 apprehend or represent so lofty a Majesty in our low conceptions § 2. God's fore-knowledg how and what it is The Scriptures speaking according to our capacity of conceiving do tell us of God's fore-knowledg whereby it is that he a Psa 139 2 14. Acts 2.23 Isa 45.21 beholdeth afar off already determined in the councel of his will what is future in the existence of its being And things are not therefore future because God fore-knows them but he therfore fore-knows them because they are future For if God's fore-knowledg had an effective power all things must needs have been from eternity in their existence being b Pro 8.22 23. Acts. 15.18 eternally fore-known of God in his decree yea Not the cause of things and why if God's fore-knowledg were the cause of things then were he the cause of all he fore-knows and if the cause of all he fore-knows then were he the cause of sin which is as opposite to God as c Psal 5.4 2 Cor. 6.14 hell to heaven or darkness to light § 3 God's knowledg and will being equally absolute and eternal How all things depend upon God's Will pre-ordaining not his Knowledg fo e-seeing he must needs know in himself from before all time what he a Ephes 1.11 wills in himself to be in time and hereby the creatures depend upon his will pre-ordaining them to be not upon his knowledg fore-seeing them in their being Yet God's fore-knowledg depends not upon the creatures future existence yet as the creatures future existence doth not depend upon God's fore-knowledg so nor doth God's fore-knowledg depend upon the creatures future existence Before and after past to come relate not to God he fore-knowing them as they are b Ephes 1.9 in him their proper cause not as they are c Rom. 11.36 from him in their own nature § 4. It is by one and the same Act that God doth know all things before and after they have their beeing which before and after doth not relate unto God But in the creature but unto the Creatures and the change of a Exod. 3.14 Psal 102.24 c. Acts 1.7 past and to come is not at all in him but altogether in them which is thus very aptly though not enough fully illustrated This aptly illustrated A man standing upon an high mountain doth behold in the valley beneath several persons passing and repassing some before and some after another all which are present to the single view of his eye Thus God seated on the high mountain of his b Isa 57.15 eternity looking c Psa 33.13.14 113.6 down upon the low valley of time he doth behold his several creatures one before and after another but all d Isa 44.6 present to the intuition of his knowledge so that there is no future in respect of eternity but e Eccles 3.1 Jer. 6.16 Psal 77.5 1 John 2.18 Eccles 1.4 past and to come are the parts and properties of time in the relation of one creature to another in the succession of their beings God knowing things to come and past doth it in one and the same act of Knowledge § 5. That God did know the world should be created and since doth know that the world hath been created is by one and the same knowledge in God though it be not one and the same truth in the propositions that being altered according to the change in the creatures existing without any a Jam
1.17 change or alteration in the Creator's knowing their existence This act eternal who knows them by an eternal act which admits no succession of time There may be and is a b Eccles 9.11 Heb. 1.10 11 12 change in the creatures So no change in God but neither is nor c Mal. 3.6 Heb. 1.12 13 8. Rev. 1.8 can be in God who doth not receive either addition or diminution of Nature or of Attributes by the creation or annihilation the salvation or destruction of any And that God now doth what before he did not is nothing else but that beginning to be which before was not and so the change is in the effect not in the efficient yea seeing a mutability of Knowledge is inconsistent with an eternity of Being it must needs be that God knows the several changes in the creatures without any change in his Knowledg § 6. No contingency in respect of of God's fore-knowledg Though God's fore-knowledg doth not cause a necessity of being yet all things must a Acts 2 23. 15.18 necessarily be as he fore-knows them so that there is no b Numb 35.22 23. Prov. 16.33 contingency in respect of God the primary cause contingency being a part of his creation and founded in secondary causes whereby it is Yet in the secondary causes that both these propositions are true All things are infallibly necessary in God's fore-knowledg and some things are meerly contingent in their causes § 7. Sure we are All future events are fore-known of God nothing can be but what God wills and his will doth not decree without his knowledg nor effect without his power so that impossible it is that any thing can be besides his knowledg foreseeing any more then without his power producing or his will determining All future a Psal 135.6 Prov. 21.1 Acts 18 21. 1 Cor. 4.19 Jam. 4.15 Rev. 17.17 effects then and events whatsoever being within the compass of God's will they must needs be within the circumference of his fore-knowledg His fore-knowledg infallible which being certain and infallible nothing can be to him though never so much in it self uncertain and contingent And sure needs must God's fore-knowledg be infallible seeing his will is independent § 8. The fore-knowledg of God How applied unto the Elect in Scripture besides the a Acts 2.23 determination of his will doth also signifie in the language and notion of the sacred Scriptures an b Rom. 8.29 1 Pet 1.2 approbation of his love and so is more peculiarly applied unto his b Rom. 8.29 1 Pet 1.2 elect as c Exod. 33 17. Mat 7.23 2 Tim. 2.19 knowledg is unto his Saints denoting his gratious love to them and tender care over them for their safety and salvation CHAP. V. Concerning God's Will God's Will one and absolutely free § 1. THE Will of God whereby he is most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely free in himself it is but one as being his very Essence which admits neither a 1 John 1.5 composition not b Isa 45.6 division yet because we speak of the things of God after the manner of men wanting thoughts to conceive Distinguish'd into his will secret and revealed of sign and of good pleasure and words to express otherwise of him we distinguish the will of God into his c Deut. 29.29 Rom. 11.34 Col. 1.9 secret will and his revealed will his will of signe and his will of good pleasure which are one and the same will under diverse and distinct notions What this secret will § 2. His secret will which is alwaies his will of good pleasure though his will of good pleasure is not alwaies secret that being hid from our eye we are in humility to attend not in curiosity to enquire What his revealed will His revealed will which is alwaies his will of signe as his will of signe is alwaies his will revealed that being the a Rom. 12.2 Ephes 1.9 Col. 4.12 object of faith and the b Mat. 6.10 and 7.21 1 Thes 4.3 Heb. 13.21 rule of life We are with diligence to c John 5.39 search and with faithfulness to d Rom. 6.17 obey The Will of God's good pleasure hath it's reason not it's cause § 3. the will of God's good pleasure whether secret or revealed hath it's divine a Isa 1.18 Ezek. 18.25 29 reason but not it's proper b Isa 40.13 cause being perfect and absolute in its self indeed impossible it is that the Prime Cause of all should it self be caused of any seeing nothing can be c Isa 43.10 before it as being eternal nothing d Exod. 18.11 John 10.29 greater then it as being infinite As God's wil then cannot be said to be without reason for it is the determination of his understanding so of God's will there cannot be said to be any cause for then it should it self be determined by some other and so God not absolute and independent in himself § 4. God's glory the final cause of what he wil 's but not of his will The manifestation of God's a Psal 8.1 Isa 6.3 Ephes 1.12 and 3.16 glory is the final cause of the creatures being but not of his divine volition the end of what he wills but not of his will He wills one thing for another yet is not any thing the cause though the reason of his so willing them For that he doth determine the end and the means in one act of his will as he doth know the cause and the effect in one act of his understanding He wills the end and the means and the means for the end yet seeing all are external to him in his essence he cannot be internally mov'd by them in his will How the impulsive cause of God's will to be understood in Theology So that when the Orthodox speak of any impulsive or moving cause of God's will it is an accommodating the mystery to our capacity and a fitting their expressions to our weak b Heb. 5.11.12 apprehensions § 5. The Execution of God's will aâ—mits several causes the volition not any What the volition and what the execution is There may be many causes of the Execution of God's will which doth consist in the temporal effects but none of the volition of God's will which is an eternal act The a Eph. 1.9.11 volition of God's will is an immanent act eternally residing in himself the b Luke 2.14 1 Thes 4 3. Jam. 1.18 execution of his will a transient act temporally terminated in the creature of that there can be no cause of this there are several causes instrumental and final § 6. Thus the preaching of the word is instrumental to a Rom. 10 17. and 16.26 faith and obedience faith and obedience instrumental to this subordinate end the b Ephes 2.8 Heb. 5.9 salvation of the elect
and the salvation of the elect instrumental to this the utmost end the manifestation of God's c Ephes 1.12 glory which end is communicated of God unto his elect not d Psal 16.2 acquired by his elect unto himself for that as he is a God e Exod. 3.14 Independent so he is a God f Gen. 17.1 Alsufficient Thus there are several causes of Salvation decreed by God's will final and instrumental but no cause of God's will decreeing Salvation neither instrumental nor final both being within the compass of his decree and therefore not beyond the circumference of his will to be the cause of his volition God wills not sin and why § 7. God wills all things but sin which hath no efficient but deficient cause and therefore the cause thereof cannot be God True it is all evil is founded in that which is good and so sin cannot be but in some faculty or habit or action which thereby is denominated sinful No doubt then God a Act 4.27 28. wills the action which is sinful but not the b Psal 5.4 Habak 1.13 pravity of the action which is the sin He wills the action as a natural good and ordered by him to a greater good but the ataxy or anomy of the action that he doth not will but permit or at most he doth but will the permission For he cannot be said effectually to will what he doth actually forbid and punish The purpose of God's will doth not abolish but establish the liberty of man's will § 8. Besides the purpose of God's will doth not take away the a Levit. 1 3. Dan. 11 3. Phil. 2.13 Psal 40.8 liberty of man's will no more then the certainty of his fore-knowledg doth take away the contingency of events rather indeed that purpose doth confirm this Liberty and that certainty this contingency for that thereby he maketh good the liberty which he hath given and the contingency which he hath made accommodating the concurrence of his power and will according to the nature of the Agents which himself hath created and that constitution of the causes which himself hath established wherefore though the purpose of God's will doth exclude every act and event which is contrary to it yet can it not be said to destroy the liberty of man's will even to that contrary act which is altogether consistent with it What the Necessity of Being from the immutability of God's will yea establish'd by it And thus what necessity of Being is caus'd by the immutability of God's Will is only a conditional necessity upon this supposition that God wills it And because what God wills in his ordinary Providence is according to that order which he hath established in the secondary causes therefore the Necessity of Being which flows from the immutability of God's will doth not destroy the contingency of Events or the liberty of Agents § 9. How God's secret wil becomes revealed by his word and by his works The secret will of God's good pleasure is the first and a Psal 135.6 Eph 1.11 Rev. 4.11 chief cause of all things b Num. 23.19 Psal 102.27 unchangeable and c Rom. 9.19 irresistable which when God is pleased to reveale unto man he doth it by the signification either of his word or of his works His works declare his will in their events and his word that signifies his good pleasure by Prophesies by Precepts by Promises and by Threatnings How God's word is called his will God's word is called his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figuratively as the sign is put for the thing signified his word being the signification or d 1 Thes 2 13. Rom. 1.16.17 1 Cor. 2.10 revelation of his will in what he hath thereby determined and decreed § 10. Such is the sweet a Psal 119.160 John 5.32 2 Cor. 4.2 1 Tim 3 15. Rev. 19 9. harmony How they agree in a sweet harmony and firm consent of the sign with the thing signified the revelation of God's word with the determination of God's will that they admit not the least jar of discord without a manifest violation of the sincerity and truth of God himself wherefore to preserve that harmony and prevent this discord S◠to be interpreted as that the harmony be perserv'd it must be our care so to b Mat. 9.13 2 Pet 1.20 interpret the right meaning of his word that it agree with the true intent of his minde and purpose of his will least otherwise we make God seem to contradict himself or deceive his people § 11. If God should will any thing by his will of sign which he doth not will by his will of good pleasure he should plainly contradict himself and destroy the the truth of his word wherefore seeing God doth certainly a Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 intend in his will what he reveals in his word we must observe rightly to interpret that his Revelation to a declaring what he truly intends How God's revealed will agrees with that of his good pleasure when he wills all men to be holy not what we b 2 Cor. 2.17 2 Pet. 3.16 falsly conceive As when God by the precept of his revealed will and will of signe doth require all men to be c Lev. 21.2 and 20 7. holy we must not conclude it the purpose of his secret will or will of good pleasure that all men be holy For that experience and other parts of d Psal 14 3. 2 Tim. 3.13 Scripture too sufficiently testifie that all are not holy which yet necessarily they should be or a contradiction must be in his revealed will if that were the intent of his good pleasure which is ever e Psal 135.6 Rom. 9.19 effective in what he wills Wherefore when God by the Precept of his revealed will requires all men to be holy it is the purpose of his good pleasure that men be thereby f Deut. 30.11 14.15 admonished of their duty and obliged to his Law Where also he commands Abraham to sacrifice his Son Isaac § 12. Again we read that God gave Abraham a command saying a Gen 22.2 Take thy Son thine onely Son Isaac whom thou lovest and offer him for a burnt-offering If we say God here purposed Isaac's sacrificing as the words seem to signifie we shall make a change in Gods secret will to avoid a contradiction in his will revealed whereas if the true meaning of Gods word be applyed to the right purpose of his will the harmony is sweet and it is thus when God gave Abraham the Command Take thy Son and offer him for a burnt-offering the purpose of his good pleasure revealed in that precept of his word was to put Abraham upon the service by obliging him to the duty which he intended for the testimony and b Heb. 11.17 trial of Abraham's faith not for the death or sacrifice of his Son which not
the sin is the sin of ignorance When a sin of ignorance and when the will becomes inordinate through its own perversness c Mat. 13.15 John 15.22.23 24. Matth. 3.56 Acts 7.5.7 opposing and repulsing the right judgement of the understanding When a sin of malice the sin is the sin of malice and against conscience § 15. When the sensitive appetite doth beget an inordinacy in the will How the sensitâ—ve appetite do h begâ—t an inordinacy in the will it is by way of distraction with-drawing it from its proper function in the exercise of its free choice and chief command for seeing all the faculties are radicated in the essence of the Soul by how much the operations of the inferior faculties are the more intended by so much the functions of the superior whether understanding or will are the more remitted The sensitive appetite then being vehemently intent upon its object the rationall faculty becomes but weakly imploy'd if not altogether hindred in its duty Besides the a 2 Sam. 11.2 3 4. Matth. 26.70 c. imagination being disturbed by the affections the understanding becomes darkened by the imagination and the understanding being darkened misguides the will Which are the sins of infirmity whereby it becomes inordinate to a sin of infirmity by sudden passion And as sudden passion so b Mat. 6.12 Prov. 24.16 1 John 1.8 Jam. 3.2 Rom. 7.19 20. likewise all inordinate motions vain thoughts sins of fly surreption and of daily incursion and are all sins of infirmity § 16. What sins of suddun and inordinate passion are said to be sins of infirmity Inordinate a Matth. 8.17 Isai 1.5 passions are the sicknesses of the soul and therefore as the members of the body disabled by distemper so the powers of the soul disturbed by passion not performing their proper functions are said to be b Rom. 15.1 Heb. 12.12 13. 1 Cor. 8.11 12. infirm and weak And thus when the sensitive appetite by its vehement and sudden passions doth invade the rational faculties to the disturbing the understanding and disabling the will in their operations we truly though figuratively say The soul is sick and the sins which issue from this impotency of reason through distemper of passion are properly call'd sins of weaknesse and infirmity § 17. What passions do excuse wholly from sin and what do not Those passions which totally abolish the use of reason totally excuse from the guilt of sin committed in those passions as in the cases of frenzie and madness unless those passions were a 1 Sam. 19.9 10. voluntary in their beginnings or in their causes for then they become imputed as sins themselves and so the evils committed in those passions must needs be sins too but those b Prov. 14.16 29.22 passions which doe not wholly intercept the use of reason cannot wholly excuse from the guilt of sin because reason remaining How Reason ought to moderate passion ought to moderate and order passion either by diverting it self to other thoughts or by hindering the effectuating of those obtruded upon it The more of passion there is in the sin the lesse there is in the sin the less there is of reason and so the less is the sin and the more of reason there is in the sin the more there is of will and the more voluntary the more sinful What is the office of the understanding § 18. The office of the understanding in respect of its own proper object being this to enquire and find out truth and in respect of the inferior powers to direct and conduct them aright according to truth if the understanding doe not know all the truth When guilty of that Ignorance which is sin it is both able and ought to know it becomes defective in its duty and thereby guilty of a Acts 17.30 Rom. 1.21 22. that ignorance which is sin and if the understanding dictate amisse to the wil and when guilty of those sins which are of Ignorance bringing inordinate commands upon the subordinate powers or after deliberation had doth not check their exorbitancies it becomes thus also defective in its duty and thereby guilty of those b Num. 15.28 Lev. 4.13 27. Acts 3.17 sinnes which are of ignorance What ignorance doth not and what ignorance doth make the sin § 19. In the sins of ignorance then it is not every ignorance that makes the sinne It is not the ignorance of a pure negation but that of a a Eph 4.18.19 1 Pet. 1.4 depraved disposition It is not the negative ignorance being a meer nescience a not knowing what is needless or not possible to be known but the privative ignorance a not knowing what we are able and ought to know There are many things which a man is capable of knowing What things a man is capable of knowing but not bound to know What things a man is neither bound to know nor capable of knowing In all these ignorance rather a nescieâ—â—e is not sinfull which yet by no divine law he is bound to know as many Mathematicall theorems in Philosophy many particular contingencies in Nature yea there are many things which as a man is not bound to know so he is not capable of knowing as b Mat. 24.36 John 16.12 many Mysteries not yet revealed many secret truths not yet communicated by Christ unto his Church Ignorance of these is not sinfull and so whatsoever consequent effect proceeds from this ignorance cannot be a sin but an ignorance of those truths which we are capable of and concern'd in which is vincible by the use of means this ignorance is it selfe sin and the consequent evils thereof are said to be sins of ignorance § 20. In any inordinate act What ignorance doth excuse from sin it is not that ignorance which is concomitant with it or consequent of it but antecedent to it which doth excuse from sin Which ignorance being antecedent to it becomes accidentally a Lev. 5.15 1 Cor. 2.8 1 Tim. 1.13 the cause of it as excluding that knowledge which would have restrained from the sinne And though this ignorance doth always somwhat excuse b Gen. 38 15 16 c. yet not always wholly acquit Somewhat excuse not wholly acquit Illustrated by Instance For should a man going forth with an intent to kill a man unwittingly kill his Father though such an ignorance may excuse from patricide yet not from homicide For had he known the man to be his Father though haply he might have been restrained by that knowledge from killing him yet not altogether from killing from that kind not from all kinds of sin or of murder § 21. Yea When sin cannot be excused by any ignorance that sin cannot be excused by any ignorance where there is an inclination or resolution in the will to commit it notwithstanding all knowledge as for instance should a man
till afterward he revealed unto Abraham by the voice of the Angel calling to him and saying c Gen. 22.11 Lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou any thing unto him For now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine onely Son from me § 13. How the promises and threatnings in God's revealed will which are conditional dâ— agree with God secret will which is absolute Whereas God's revealed will in his promises and threatnings runs a Isa 1.19 20. Mark 16.16 conditionally yet is his will of good pleasure signified in the true meaning of those conditions absolute which is to declare unto men the effectual means whereby his promises are obtained and his threatnings avoided in them that are saved even a performing those conditions prescribed And the demeritorious cause for which his promises are null'd and his threatnings executed in them that perish even a contempt of those conditions required § 14. What the true meaning of the conditions declared So that it is not the meaning of the conditions in God's word to signifie any conditions in God's will but that God wills them to be conditions intended and so revealed as a Gal. 2.8 Ephes 3.7 means effectual to that end he hath appointed them for even the obtaining the blessings promised and the avoiding the judgments threatned And thus his revealed will doth not at all oppose that which is secret not his will of signe that of his good pleasure but the Analogy stands good in both without contradiction in Gods will or deception in God's word and thereby a violation of both CHAP. VI. Concerning God's Decrees Power and Manner of working § 1. GOD who is the primary Cause God the primary Cause and supreme Agent in his Vnderstanding Will and Power and supreme Agent as he hath in himself a principle of a 1 Sam. 2.3 Job 37.16 Psal 94.10 knowledg and b Gen. 1.26 Isa 40.13 14. direction his c Psal 147 5. understanding a principle of d 2 Cro. 25.16 Acts. 2.23 determination and e Lev. 25.21 Psal 44 4. command his f Ephes 1.5 Jam. 1.18 will so likewise a principle of g Psal 28.5 and 135.6 Isa 28 29. operation and execution and that 's his h Job 37.23 Psal 62.11 power His understanding directs his will his will actuates his power Again his i Isa 46.10 will determines his understanding What his Decree and his power executes his will God willing what he knows that by an immanent act is his k Rom. 8.28 and 9.11 Eph 1 9. decree residing in himself and when by his power he effects what he wills What his work that by a transient act is l Psal 103. Isai 64.8 his work terminated in the creature § 2. As in the Theory of God's a Mat. 11.21.23 absolute understanding he doth know more so in the might of his b Mat. 3.9 absolute power What his absolute power he can do more then what by the purpose of his will he doth determine to have done So that his c Prov. 19.21 Ephes 1.11 will is at once the determination of his understanding How limited by his will and the limitation of his power for the d Ephes 1 5 9. and 3.10 decrâ—â—ing of all things in himself from eternity and the e Ephes 1.11 Rev. 4 11. effecting all things without himself in their time Thus God is the efficient cause of all things in his understanding will and power not singly and in several acts but joyntly and in one causation by his power effecting what in his understanding and will he doth know and determine to be done Why and how said to be omnipotent § 3. The Power of God is said to be omnipotent not because he can do all he wills to do for thus far the Angels and the blessed may be said to be omnipotent who certainly have a power to do what they will to do who will to do nothing but what God wills by them to be done But in this is God omnipotent that he a Phil. 3.21 can do whatsoever he wills not onely to do but also to be done and is fully ably to do what is any way possible to be done and nothing is impossible to God but what either implies a contradiction in it's self or argues b 1 Tim. 6.16 Heb. 6.18 infirmity in him the former is from an incapacity in the creature the later from the excellency of the Creator neither from any deficiency in God to say God can do what argues infirmity as to lie to go to sleep and the like would testifie a weakness not justifie his power to deny these in God is indeed to affirm his omnipotence and to affirm these of God is indeed to deny him omnipotent § 4. There is no overcoming God's power no resisting his will Seeing the onely limits of God's power is his will therefore he a Psal 135.6 Psal 115.3 doth effectually do whatsoever he actually willeth to be done And as there is no b Luke 1.52 2 Cor. 6.18 might to overcome his power so nor is there any power to c Rom. 9.19 Isa 46.10 resist his will his secretly ordaining and powerfully effecting will to which d Psa 135.6 103.20 21 22. Luke 8.24 25.29 30 31. Rev. 20.1 2. 4 10 11. Heaven and Earth and Hell Angels and Men and Divels do and must stoop and submit What he acts in time he hath decreed from eternity And whatsoever God e Acts 15.18 2.23 1 Cor. 2.7 actually willeth in time he intentionally decreed from all eternity all whose decrees are most l Pro. 19.21 Isa 46.10 faithful and firm he ordaining and disposing all things according to the m Acts 4.28 Ephes 1.11 Counsel of his own will to this their ultimate end the n Ephes 1.7 Isa 63.14 glory of his own Name § 5. From which Counsel of God's will How the creatures are in God before they are in themselves and purpose of his decree it is that the creatures have their eternal a Psal 139 16. Idaea in God's minde before their actual being in their own existence every thing formed being in it's own proportion the b Rom. 1.20 pattern and figure declaring the minde of God who framed it And thus God having a c Rom. 8.29 1 Pet. 1.2 Acts 15.18 knowledg of vision in the Counsel of his will his Counsel is not of disquisition but of approbation What the Counsel of God in his decrees in that he knoweth and willeth fore-seeth and fore-ordaineth d Psal 33.15 all things and every thing together at once § 6. And as in the Trinity of Persons there is but one God so but one will How the whole Trinity in one entire cause and as but one will so but a Exod. 20.11 one
several kindes more perfect for then they should have chang'd their kinde with their perfection and the reason is plain because the super-addition of natural perfection doth vary the Species even as the addition of unity doth vary the Number so that though God could have made more perfect kindes of creatures yet could he not make these creatures more perfect in their kinde he could have given them accidental excellencies but not any natural perfections without altering their natures Thus through incapacity in the creature God could not do what implies contradiction in the thing § 12. In the works of Creation In his works God manifests his glory 1. The glory of his Power 2. Of his Goodness is manifest the a Rom. 1.20 Rev. 4 11. glory of the Creator in his Power Goodness Wisdom and Eternity his Power is gloriously manifested in his creating all things out of nothing and preserving them in their being his b Psal 104.24 Jer. 51.15 Acts 17.25 Goodness is gloriously manifested in his communicating a proportion of life and blessedness unto his creatures 3. Of his Wisdom his c Psa 104.24 Jer. 51.15 Acts 17.25 Wisdom is gloriously manifested in that admirable harmony of order and of use that excellent beauty of proportion and of parts which is in the Creation 4. Of his Eternity and his Eternity that is gloriously manifested in his being the d Joh. 1.1 2 3. Author and Efficient of all things who therefore must needs have his being before they could have their beginning and e Rev. 1.8 having his being before time he must be eternal The light of nature directs to the worship of God as the Creator § 13. God a Jer. 10.11 Acts 17.24 manifesting himself in his creatures to be a Creator in Power Goodness and Wisdom infinite and eternal the light b Acts 17.24 25 27. Rom. 1.20 21. of nature doth direct man to love him to worship him to invocate and to praise him And to this end God c Gen. 2.3 Exod. 20.11 resting the seventh day The seventh day the Sabbath doth bless and sanctifie it thereby setting it apart as d Exod. 20.10 Isa 58.13 Exod. 31.15 an holy Sabbath for the solemnity of his worship to be observed in all after Generations How long to continue till Christ the e Mat. 12.8 Lord of the Sabbath by his work of Redemption far greater then this of Creation doth give f Col. 2.16 Rev. 1.10 change to the day in an higher advancement of the worship by a more excellent glory of the Solemnity How the Creation is an object of our faith § 14. That God is the Primary and sole Efficient Cause of the World's existence may be evidently and infallibly demonstrated by a Rom. 1.19 20 light of Nature and argument of Reason yet the actual Creation of the World especially for manner and time is not to be proved by any demonstrative Argument but by b Gen. 1.1 c. divine Authority and so is become an Article of our Creed not a part of our Science we c Heb. 11.3 beleeve it as delivered by divine Revelation we know it not as discovered by humane Reason CHAP. VIII Concerning the Providence of God § 1. All things subordinate to God's will SEeing God's Will doth determine his knowledg and limit his power all things must needs be subordinate to the a Psal 115.3 148.5 103.20 21. Counsel and Command of his will whose essential properties being b Psal 25 8. goodness and holiness c Psal 145.9 goodness the fountain of his grace and mercy d Rev. 15.3 4. holiness the fountain of his truth and justice this subordination of all things unto his will must certainly be in order to the glory either of his mercy In order either to his Mercy or his Justice or of his justice of his goodness or of his holiness the two e Psal 89.14 100.5 pillars of God's Throne of Majesty The wisdom and power of his Providence whereon he sits as f Psal 95.3 146 10. King in the supremacy of his will to govern by the wisdom and power of his providence g Psal 135. Isa 66.1 all things in heaven and in earth and God's will being immutable in its determinations Infallible in it's administrations his Providence must needs be infallible in its administrations § 2. The Infellibility of God's Providence doth not take away the use of mean Yet neither are the deliberations of Counsels the industry of endeavours nor the importunity of prayers neither are the admonitions of precepts the incouragement of promises nor the deterrement of threatnings taken away or made void but rather a 2 Sâ— 5.19 24. Psal 128.2 Da. 9.2.3 c. Mat. 4.45 Acts 27.21.30.31 c. confirmed and made good by the infallibility of God's Providence in the determinations of his will For that but confirmâ— it God determining the end doth also b Ephes 2.10 2 Thes 2.13 order the means means proportionable and agreeable to that end which maketh much for the c 2 Thes 2.15 strengthning of our faith d 2 Pet. 1 10.11 quickning of our obedience and e Rom. 5 2. confirming our hope hope of obtaining the end as determin'd by God's will when we observe the means as appointed in God's word To deny God's Providence is Atheism § 3. So that to establish the means and deny the Providence of God determining the end is a part of Atheism to establish the Providence of God determining the end To despise the use of means is profaneness and despise the means is great profaneness but to use the means so f Psal 17.7 Pro. 30.5 as withal to trust and g Heb. 6.15 Isa 25.9 attend God's Providence for the obtaining of the end To establish both is truth and righteousness is a way of truth and a work of righteousness knowing this that Prayers and Counsels and Endeavours they are appointed of God To what end is the use of means not whereby we should alter his will but h Mat. 6.10 perform it not whereby we should change his decree but fulfil it and in what we obtain not our desires we testifie our obedience The course of nature declares the Providence of God § 4. The Order of Natures course doth plainly declare the hand of God's Providence for seeing the irrational and inanimate creatures do all act to some determinate end it is thereby evident that they are directed by some powerful Agent determining that end and so though themselves are void of life and reason yet by their natural course do they discover a super-natural cause who both a Heb. 20.21 lives and b Psal 94.10 knows and accordingly both rules and orders according to the end himself wils and effects This â—ptly illustrated The flying then
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
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
from without to compel him to will or do what was good or what was evil whether it were in things Natural Civil Moral or Divine CHAP. XI Concerning the Covenant of Works and the Fall of man § 1. MAN being made in a Gen. 1.27 Gods Image Adam had a knowledg of Gods will perfâ—ct in its kinde had a perfect b Col. 3.10 knowledg of Gods will not that c Isa 40.13 Rom 11.33 34. absolute and secret will of God which is the Cause of all Being but that d Deut. 29.29 conditional and revealed will of God What the Law to Adam which is the e Psal 143.10 Mat. 6.10 rule of mans working Which will of God was to be a law to man How the same with the Decalogue and Adam in his creation had this f Psal 40.8 Jer. 31.33 Rom. 2.15 law written in the table of his heart the same in substance with the Decalogue g Exod. 34.28 that law of the ten Commandments which afterwards Israel had written in tables of stone § 2. God having given man a law What the Covenant of Works he further entreth with him a a Exod. 34.28 Deut. 9.10 Jer. 31.31 32. Heb. 8.9 13. Covenant This call'd the Covenant of Works In which the b Lev. 18.5 Ezek 20.11 Rom. 7.10 10.5 Gal. 3.12 promise on Gods part is the confirming man in his created estate of life holiness and happiness The c Lev. 18.5 Ezek. 20.11 Rom. 7.10 10.5 Gal. 3.12 condition on mans part is perfect obedience unto the d Deut. 27.26 Luke 10.25 26 27. Gal. 3.10 Jam. 2.10 whole law of his Creator according to the full extent of his revealed will What the seal of the Covenant This Covenant God seals in a solemn ratification with that Sacramental Tree the e Gen 2 9. 3.22 Prov. 3.18 Tree of life § 3. Thus God having made firm his Covenant The trial of mans obedience he doth put man upon the trial of his obedience a Gen. 2.16.17 forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledg setting on the prohibition with this commination b Gen. 2.17 that in the day he eateth thereof he shall surely dye So that as upon mans performing the condition God freely promised by covenant a Blessing of life so upon his breach of the Covenant God severely threatned in justice the curse of death Man left to the use of his freewil § 4. Now God having entred a Covenant and seal'd it enacted a probatory law and publish'd it he leaveth man a Eâ—cles 7.28 furnish'd with sufficient power to the use of his free will for the trial of his obedience Tempted by Satan And here the b John 8.44 Devil in malice to God and envy to man making use of the c Gen. 3.1 2 3 c. 2 Co. 11.3 Serpent by the subtilty of his suggestions deceiveth Eve and by the plausible importunity of her d Gen. 3 6. 1 Tim. 2.14 perswasions Transgresseth in eating the forbidden fruit seduceth Adam to a breaking the Covenant of his God by eating the forbidden fruit Satans bait to catch men § 5. That which Satan in his temptation doth labour by subtil Sophistry to perswade is this That man should not dye though he did eat but should be like God The subtilty of Satans temtation when he had eaten This poyson the Devil first presents unto Eve in a cover'd cup words of a dark dubious and perplex'd sense by a Gen. 3.1 way of interrogation yea hath God said the better to catch at her answer His order and progress in it and pursue his design And when by his questioning he hath b Gen. 3.3 brought Gods Command into question he presently c Gen. 3.4 takes away the commination which God hath set as a bar to his law lest man should break in and transgress his command and to Gods severe threatning he d Gen. 3.5 opposeth an enticing promise which he sets on with a false crimination cast upon God and as a gloss to his lye he gives a rare commendation of the fruit The Tree of knowledg of good and evil why so called seemingly made good by the very denomination of the Tree the e Gen. 2.17 Tree of knowledg of good and evil which name it had of God not from the constitution of its nature but of his ordinance with respect to the event of mans sin foreseen § 6. wherein the hainousness of Adams transgression doth consist The enormity and hainousness of Adams sin is not to be sought for in the tast or in the fruit or in the tree which present but a low estimation of the sin to a seeming meanness of the fact but it is to be sought for in the a Gen. 2.17 3.11 Exod. 20.1.2 high contempt of the Divine Majesty and Law in the b Gen. 3.5.6.22 proud affectation of the Divine Dignity and Likeness yea in the horrid Apostacy of preferring Satans word before Gods and thereby turning from God in his truth to a siding with Satan in his c John 8.44 lie The sin then of our first Parents it was no light trivial or single sin but indeed a mass or heap of hainous horrid and manifold impieties even to a violation of the whole Decalogue how a violation of the whole Law in a total breach of that d Jam 2 8 Royal Law of love which doth e Mat. 22 36 37 38 40. Rom. 13.10 fill up both tables in what concerns God our neighbour and our selves § 7. In this transgression of Adams What was mans fist sin is doubtful and so difficult to determine the concourse and complication of many sins it is doubtful and difficult to determine which was the first sin the erroneous a Jer. 4.22 Psal 14.2 judgment of the understanding that must necessarily go before the evil election of the will in order of nature yet we conceive the understanding and will What the first internal principle of evil in man by error and evil choise did in one and the same instant compleat the sin and thereby became the first internal principle of evil in man whether that evil were a sin either of vain confidence or infidelity or of pride or of covetousness one of which most probably was which is not necessary to be determined the first sin committed by Adam in his Apostacy Adams sin was from himself freely without force And thus that Adam sinned was not by any a Jam. 1.13 enforcement either of positive decree in God or of b Jam 4.7 irresistible temptation in Satan or of c Eccles 7.29 evil disposition in himself But at the suggestion of the Devil Adam misusing the liberty of his will of his own accord did d Rom. 5.14.15 transgress the command of his God and thereby became guilty of