touching the essential Attributes of God pertaining indeed to this Head all which generally and particularly we believe to be most profitable yea hitherto necessary to be known insomuch that without the knowledg of these we cannot worship God aright but by it we may For because God is One it is altogether just and necessary for us that we with Soul and Body depend wholly upon him only as the first or chief Author of our Salvation and again likewise that our whole Worship terminate and end in him alone 15. Because he is of Irresragable Power and Supreme Authority it is altogether meet and necessary that we do whosoever we be and wheresoever at least we are in all things most humbly submit our selves unto him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords any where sworn to none nor obnoxious to any that we do pray continually unto him for his Benefits and other things necessary or at least useful for us that we give him thanks for things received Also that all Adversity whatsoever he sendeth we should bear it patiently and quietly and contentedly and that we should never abuse our Prosperity or grow proud thereby 16. Because he is Eternal and Immutable it is requisite that we be very believingly confident to expect and firmly to hope for the reward of Eternal Life graciously promised unto us by him in Christ and certainly believe that he will never at any time either alter or change it himself nor suffer it to be violently taken away from us by others 17. Because he is Immense and Omnipresent it is meet that we every-where walk circumspectly reverently and carefully as in his sight that we also always pour out unto him our Prayers and Supplications with all humisity and submission and a firm confidence of being heard and that we think speak or do nothing at any time but what is serious grave or weighty and worthy the presence of so great a Deity 18. Because he is of infallible Knowledg it is expected that we walk and live uprightly and sincerely and circumspectly that we always study to approve our Thoughts Words and Actions unto him that we continually commend our Cause when good and just unto him that we with boldness offer unto him our Prayers Sighs and Groans And lastly That we be thorowly perswaded that he taketh care of us and all our Concerns 19. Because he is of most free Power and Will it behoveth us that whatsoever good things we have either in common with others or peculiar before and above others whether bodily or spiritual we attribute it to his alone spontaneous liberality and most free munificency that we always diligently and seriously seek his grace and favour and carefully endeavour to retain the same that we humbly deprecate or pray against his Punishments and Threatnings and whatsoever he either doth himself or suffereth to be done by others or willeth to be done by us we do not measure the same by our own proper sense and apprehensions but that we always religiously adore it as proceeding from his most good and free pleasure and disposal 20. Because he is most good and bountiful it is â—it and meet that we love and delight in him with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Might that we resolutely trust or relie on his Promises confidently implore his Grace and Mercy do willingly and chearfully conform our selves to his most bountiful Will and that even under the Cross and always and every-where obey him 21. Because he is of inflexible Equity and Justice and also Truth we are to see that we never murmur against him when he commandeth tempteth visiteth punisheth permitteth evils c. and that we never at any time doubt of his Promises and Threatnings and other his Sayings And because he is in the highest degree holy that we also imitate him in a serious study and exercise of Holiness 22. Because he is of insuperable Power it concerns us that we fear him who is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell and that we dread â—is terrible Anger and the Evils indeed which he threatneth that we seriously fear them and the good Things which he promiseth that we do with a firm and undoubted Faith expect them Lastly That we do not so long as we serve Christ too much fear the force and power either of the Devil or Death or Hell or Tyrants or any of other Enemies or for their sakes ever commit or do any thing unworthy of the Name of Christ. 23. Because he is most blessed and indeed of perfect Blessedness and glorious Majesty it is our Duty that we earnestly aspire unto or breath after a participation of his Glory and Joy according to our measure and therefore desire to be perfectly united with him after Death to see him face to face and to be blessed and satisfied with the fulness of his House and being supported with this desire and hope unshaken that we sincerely do all things that he commandeth carefully avoid those things which he forbiddeth Lastly That we bear with courage whatsoever he will have us to bear although the Punishments of the most bitter and most ignominions Death were to be undergone by us for his Name And thus far concerning the Nature of God in common or absolutely considered CHAP. III. Of the Holy and Sacred Trinity 1. BUt God is considered by way of distinction and relatively under a three-fold Hypostasis or three Persons under which indeed he himself in his Word hath manifested his own Godhead to be considered of us oeconomically i. e. by way of dispensation and with respect to it self And this Trinity is Father Son and Holy Ghost As one Hypostasis or Person of the Godhead is without cause that is unproduced and unbegotten another is produced of the Father by Generation or the only begotten of the Father Lastly Another in peculiar manner proceedeth from the Father and the Son or floweth from the Father by the Son 2. For it is the Father only that is void of all Original or altogether unbegotten and proceeding from none other but who yet hath from Eternity communicated his own Deity both to his only begotten Son not indeed by Creation in which respect the Angels are called the Sons of God nor by gracious Adoption by which we that are Believers are also the Sons of God nor only by the gracious communication of Divine Power or Authority and Supreme Glory as he is Mediator but also by a true but yet secret and ineffable Generation and also to the Holy Spirit proceeding from both by likewise a secret emanation or spiration and therefore the Father is most justly counted the Fountain and Original of the whole Duty 3. The Son therefore and Holy Spirit although as to both their hypostasis
means as a lively Image he might reflect or look back upon his Creator and remain alwayâ— freely subject to him Again that Man might willingly and chearfully yield and perform the said Obedience God ratifies and confirms the Law which he makes for him by notable and great Promises and Threatnings and that he may the more effectually and the better draw out and procure the same he maketh use of divers Perswasions Exhortations Entreaties Signs mighty Works and Wonders with him c. And doth excite put forward help and strengthen him as far indeed as is sufficient that Man might really and truely obey him and persevere in such his Obedience even to the end Thirdly his Obedience and Actions obedientially performed he doth with special care observe approve of delight in them and always faithfully remember them as worthy of his promised gracious Reward and as such continually setteth them in his sight 3. As touching Disobedience or Sins although he hare it with the greatest Hatred yet doth he wittingly and willingly permit or suffer it to be yet not with such a permission the which being granted Disobedience cannot but follow for 〈◊〉 disobedience would as necessarily follow from God permission as the effect doth its cause and by this means God would be altogether the Author of sin yea sin would indeed be no longer sin much less worthy of Eternal punishment but which being granted Man only may become actually disobedient though not without danger or punishment if he be altogether so minded or will For true Permission requireth that not only the power of the Will be free in it self but also that the use and exercise of the said power be free also and indifferently disposed or enclined to the opposites or contraries or that it remain free from all necessity whatever both inward and outward Secondly the actions that slow or proceed from Disobedience he variously according to his own Infinite Wisdome directeth them either unto this or that object and to some certain end what for matter and kind he pleaseth Man himself oftentimes knowing nothing of it nor suspecting any such matter yea sometimes when it is wholly against his Will and he doth withal so determine or bound them that they do not always really come into act when the Devil and Wicked Men would have them neither are so many nor so grievous nor last so long as they would desire them Thirdly being committed he punisheth or remitteth them as seemeth good to himself But he never decrees evil actions that they should be nor doth he approve of them nor love them neither doth he ever properly bid or command them much less so as to cause or procure them or to stir up or force any one to them and for the same so procured by himself to punish and take vengeance on him but he always seriously hates and detests them and therefore doth holily prohibit and forbid them and at length doth punish sinners especially the rebellious and obstinate severely for them 4. The manner of this same Providence doth vary both in respect of quantity and also of quality In respect of quantity because first it doth not primarily nor equally extend its care and affection to all its objects alike For it taketh care of Men first and more than of other living Creatures and among Men more of the Godly than of the ungodly and among the Godly those that are eminent that is those who excel or are eminent either for Virtue or places of Office and Divine Gifts either in the Church or Common-Wealth above others Whereunto also belongeth that of the Apostle Doth God take care for Oxen Secondly he doth love and accept more of internal actions morally good in themselves than of bare or meer Persons For such or such actions do not therefore please him because the person doth in some respect or other please him but on the contrary because these actions please him therefore the Person pleaseth him Thirdly towards Persons not yet doing their duty whether because of gross Ignorance under which through the corruption of the times they still labour or by reason of some sinful habit haply more deeply rooted than ordinarily and which they cannot easily put off he oftentimes exerciseth greater Patience Long suffering and Forbearance than towards those that are illuminated and do either constantly or ever and anon make head against or resist their enlightned Conscience or have more frequently relapsed Fourthly about those who are truly pious and already do their duty he ordinarily shews greater Affection Pleasure Study and Care about them than about any others Whence also he affords them more and greater Assistances of his Grace Gifts of his Holy Spirit and Means of Salvation than to others yea he is wont to bear with them with gâ—eater Patience and Forbearance and more ardent Zeal when they fall through insirmity then with others Fistly and lastly towards those who altogether do not their duty and are guilty of long contumacy and rebellion he commonly exerciseth greater hatred and wrath towards them than towards any other sinners whatsoever to wit by laying upon them oftentimes more then ordinary greivous curses Sometimes also by blinding them by hardening them by delivering them up unto the efficacy of errour and unto their own corrupt desires and unto a reprobate mind which doth not so much as approve of what is right nor justly approve it self to any other yea up into the power of Satan himself who worketh powerfully in the Children of disobedience Lastly sometimes by punishing them exemplarily openly as it were upon the Theatre of the World before the Sun and in the sight of others he magnificently maketh shew of his just displeasure and terrible power in them 5. It varieth in respect of quality because first about some objects either to effect them or to hinder them from being effected or for the directing of them God useth his absolute and irresistible Omnipotency about others he affordeth his concurse and help fit and accommodate to things and as it were attempered to our own nature Secondly some things he doth immediately work by himself other he worketh mediately by Angels men or other creatures 3. some things he accomplisheth as it were by a Physical or natural action or way of working other he effecteth by an ethical or moral Operation and both these are done according to the natures and faculties or powers implanted in things in their Creation seldom indeed above but never contrary to them Lastly he doth administer or manage and order all things in the best manner that is always for the most part agreeable to his own nature and the nature of things 6. Wherefore although the Providence of God do intervene or interess itself in all the deeds words and thoughts of all Men and God thereby disposeth of all outward actions and events of all things according
because man who is now called and sufficiently prepared doth not resist God that calleth him nor set any Bar against the divine Grace which otherwise he might set against the same There is indeed another that is sufficient but yet withal ineffectual to wit which on man's part is without any saving effect and through the alone voluntary and vincible or avoidable fault of man becomes unfruitful or obtains not its wished and due event and end 4. The former which is accompanied with its saving effect or is already in its exercit act is sometimes called in Scripture Conversion Regeneration a Spiritual raising from the dead and a new Creation to wit because by it we are effectually turned from a corrupt course of living to live soberly justly and piously and are raised of God from a death of sin or a deadly custom of sinning unto a Spiritual life or Holy way of living Lastly being reformed according unto the similitude or likeness both of the doctrine and of the life of Christ we are as it were begotten again and so by repentance and faith are in him made new Creatures 5. Man therefore hath not saving Faith of or from himself nor is he born again or converted by the power of his own free will seeing in the State of sin he cannot so much as think much less will or do any good which is indeed savingly good such is in special manner Conversion and saving Faith of or from himself but it is necessary that he be regenerated and wholly renewed of God in Christ by the word of the Gospel and by the virtue of the Holy Spirit in conjunction therewith to wit in understanding affections will and all his powers and faculties that he may be able rightly to understand meditate on will and perform these things that are savingly good 6. We conclude therefore that the grace of God is the beginning progress and complement of all good so that not so much as a regenerate man himself can without this preceding or preventing exciting following and co-operating Grace think will or perform any thing that is savingly good much less resist any temptations that do draw and entice unto evil Insomuch that Faith Conversion and all good works and all pious saving actions which any one can think of are wholly to be ascribed to the Grace of God in Christ as their principal and primary cause 7. Yet may man despise and reject the Grace of God and resist the operation of it so that when he is called of God unto Faith and Obedience he may render himself unfit to believe and obey the divine Will and that by his own proper fault and that too true and vincible either through secure inadvertency or through blind prejudice or through inconsiderate zeal or through an inordinate love of the World or of himself or other irritating or provoking causes of that kind For such an irresistible Grace or force which as to its efficacy is neither more nor less than Creation not Generation properly so called nor raising from the dead and which doth effect the very act of Faith and Obedience in such manner that it being afforded or granted a Man cannot but believe and obey cannot certainly but altogether ineptly and unwisely be there made use of and applied where free Obedience is seriously commanded and that under the promise of an exceeding great reward in case it be performed and under the threatning of the forest punishment if it be neglected For in vain and without cause doth he command this Obedience and require it of another and promise to reward the Obedience who himself both ought and will work the very act of Obedience by such a force as cannot be resisted and ineptly against reason is he rewarded as one truly and really Obedient in whom this very Obedience is effected by such a kind of force of another's Lastly punishment especially eternal is unjustly and cruelly inflicted on him by whom this Obedience is not performed through the sole and alone defect of that irresistible Grace which is indeed necessary as one disobedient who really and indeed is not disobedient That we may not now say that it is every where in the Scriptures affirmed of some that they have resisted the Holy Ghost that they judged or rather made themselves unworthy of eternal Life that they made void the Counsel of God against themselves that they would not hear come obey that they have closed their ears and hardened their hearts c. And of others that they heard the Word readily and willingly that they obeyed the Truth and the Faith that they shewed themselves attentive and teachable that they attended unto the Truth of the Gospel that they received the Word with chearfulness and that they were therein more generous then those who rejected the same lastly that they obeyed the Truth or the Gospel from the Heart c. All which things certainly to attribute to those who either can no ways believe or obey or cannot but believe and obey when they are called is doubtless too inept or weak and plainly ridiculous 8. And though there be a very great disparity of Grace according indeed to the most free dispensation of the Divine Will yet doth the Holy Spirit bestow and confer so much Grace upon all Men both in general and in particular to whom the Work of Faith is ordinarily preached as is sufficient to beget Faith in them and to carry on their saving conversion gradually unto the end And therefore not only those who do actually believe and are converted but also those who do not actually believe and are not really converted have sufficient grace vouchsafed to them to believe and to be converted For whomsoever God doth call unto Faith and Salvation he calleth them seriously that is to say he doth not call them only in outward shew or only by his vocal Word to wit as therein his serious Precepts and Promises are held forth to those that are called in general but also with a sincere and every way unfeigned intention of saving them will of converting them So that he never intended any decree of absolute Reprobation or immerited or undeserved blinding or hardening to precede or pass before concerning them CHAP. XVIII Of the promises of God that are performed in this life to those that are already converted and are Believers that is of Election unto Glory of Adoption Justification Sanctification and of Obsignanation or Sealing 1. COncerning Men that are sinners but yet are already effectually called and converted by the Grace of God unto the Faith of Jesus Christ and who do by the help of the same Grace by true Faith order their life according to the Commandments of Jesus Christ God is pleased and useth to
them with all necessary Wisdome Integrity and variety of Grace in this Estate that they might know not only to use and improve aright their glorious Rule Dominion and Command over the rest of the Creatures but also that they might above all rightly understand the Will of God towards themselves and freely subject their own Will by which in other respects they did freely exercise Command not only over other but also over their own proper actions unto God as their indeed Supreme Lord and Lawgiver and by constant obeying of him might live not only here according to their hearts wish but also hereafter be for ever Happy and Blessed 6. Wherefore this work of Creation chiefly serves to this end that Maâ— might understand that whatsoever good he hath he is wholly owing unto God for it and that he is bound if he require it to render and consecrate the same wholly unto him lastly that he â—â— obliged by the highest right always to give him Thanks For he that hatâ— no good of himself owes all to hiâ— from whom he hath whatsoever he hath and therefore ought continually to glory in him only and not in himself 7. But they who premise or hold aâ— previous and antecedent to this Work not only an absolute Election of certain particular Men unto Eternal Salvation but also the like Reprobation of others the greatest part unto Eternal Torments and indeed both peremptory and made concerning particular Persons every oâ— them by Name from all Eternity they do not only invert the Natural Order of things but also deny the true use of the Creation and wholly and plainly take away the Native Power or Force resulting from this Work to wit of obliging Man to obey God in all things For indeed God cannot of right require that a Man should wholly devest himself of the exercise of his Liberty which he received by Creation and deprive himself of the use and enjoyment of divers pleasures and in all things subject himself to the Will of another to or with his greatest labour and trouble if he have now before-hand for no fault of his own foregoing determined to inflict upon him a far greater and more grevous Evil then that Good is which he gave him by Creation nay if he therefore bestowed on him that temporal and lighter Good that he might under some pretence inflict upon him an Eternal and truly lamentable Evil absolutely destinated to him before And now is not a Man by any right bound to obey him who before he was disobedient yea before he was able to obey did fatally destine him to this Eternal Evil. Moreover the Authors of this Opinion do not only make God unwise for that he destinateth him who is not yet in being yea of whose being there is nothing yet decreed unto Eternal Life or Death but also most unjust and consequently the true and proper Author of Sin For if God as they are pleased to speak hath predestinated his innocent or harmless Creature to an Eternal and really dreadful destruction it is necessary likewise that he destinated the same unto Sin also because where there is no sin or transgression there punishment or penal perdition cannot justly take place and so neither a just Destination or Appointment unto any punishment much less unto eternal torments and everlasting and endless lamentations and wailings Therefore according to the Opinion of these Men even God himself most properly and by reason of his prime intention will be the truest Cause of sin for that he is the alone Cause of Destination both to destruction and sin Nor can a Man now be justly punished for such a sin unto which he was precisely or absolutely destined of God and consequently unto which â—e is by the most powerful Will or Decree and Ordination of God at last compelled CHAP. VI. Of the Providence of God or his Preservation and Government of things 1. CReation is immediately suceeded by Gods Actual Providence which in the mean while also extendeth it self to the Work of Redemption and to all both Ages and Works and things which are or come to pass in this World For this is nothing else but a serious and continual Inspection Care and Government of this whole Universe but chiefly of Man for whose good unto the glory of God all things were created and made or the Conservation and upholding of all Creatures to wit both of things and persons also the governing and directing of our actions and of all events whether they be good or evil which in time in any manner befall the Creatures and especially Men but most of all the Godly and this instituted and contrived according to the most exact rule of Divine Wisdom Justice and Equity 2. This therefore is partly general as it respects all Creatures partly special as it concerns Angels and Men but most of all as it concerns the Godly and Saints By his general Providence God taketh care of and governeth all things whatsoever and wheresoever yet in a different manner and divers degrees of actings and that according to his own Eternal good Pleasure and truly to be admired Wisdom For he doth not only conserve their natures or properties and powers or force but he also useth them according to his free power and pleasure either for the good or punishment of Man to wit by communicating them or by denying them by taking them away by transferring them by exciting or stirring them up by giving check to them by repressing them by directing or disposing of them by multiplying them by lessening them by intending or strengthening them by remitting or weakening or abateing them c. Either as the Goodness or Grace or Mercy and Long-suffering of God or on the contrary his Revenge or Wrath and Severity shall think meet to require The special Providence of God about the Angels so far indeed as is revealed unto us in the Scriptures hath been already sufficiently shewed before in their Creation For God useth their service both for to manifest his own Glory and also for to govern all the parts of the World and in special he makes use of their singular and passing both Wisdom Power Swiftness Number or Multitude c. And that indeed for to instruct take care of observe keep and comfort Men or even also to punish them as he judgeth it comportant with his own Glory or the Safety and Salvation of his People And about Men or rather about the free and especially about the Religious Operations of Men it is divers ways exercised and employed For first he limiteth and boundeth the liberty of their Will by Legislation or making Laws that Man cannot without sin either will or do whatsoever he hath a Will and a Mind to do yea chiefly for this very end that he may not will nor do but those things that are right and just and that by that