that he may suffer for it as if he were guilty Hence the Quasi-sinner is termed by the Apostle a Constituted or Made-Sinner Rom. 5.19 as By one Man's disobedience many were made sinners where in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. were constituted ordained or appointed sinners And hereto other vulgar Translations agree for the Italian hath it constituted sinners and the French rendred Sinners i. e. put into the state or condition of sinners to be Quasi sinners For in respect of the Tense none of the Verbs in that verse are of the Preterperfect Tense but all Aorists and Indefinite And seeing the two first are not rendred Preterperfectly thus Sin hath entred and death hath passed but Indefinitely thus Sin entred and death passed Therefore accordingly the Translation had been more suitable if the last Verb also had been rendred Indefinitely thus For that or in whom all sinned And in respect of the sense the words In whom all sinned carry the same sense with those Through the offence of one many were made sinners That the difference between them in the concrete is not essential and necessary but accidental and contingent for they are not so opposite and contrary as that the word being taken in some one sense should therefore exclude all the rest but the senses of the word are only diverse i. e. so different that one sense may be without the other and yet so consistent that they may all concur in the same word For the word Sinner doth carry sometime only one of those senses sometime two and sometime all three and when the senses are plural sometime they are equal sometime some one of them is more eminent so that one and the same person may be a transgressor improbous and calamitous And this Sinner shall be justified by his Faith in Jesus Christ as shall next be declared But before I leave this business which comes not in Play every day and it may be will never present it self again I shall crave leave to set one Spell more to the matter in hand Here is sin and death pretended in the pot haeret lateri Lethalis Arundo Adam sinned and we sin and die Omnes eramus in illo uno cum ille unus nos omnes perdidit We were all in the loyns of that one Man when that one Man sinned and slew us all So we sinned and died before we were born and all is put upon our first Parents score and Adam is made guilty of the Sins and Deaths of the whole World Our Natural and original weakness of being liable to Sin and Death I call not into question for so it is undoubtedly But that it came upon us by our Will when we had none because we were not I cannot understand the Grandees of the Church those great Names have frighted us into such an opinion for many Centuries of years and we have made it a cloak to cover and excuse our transgressions by our fall in another Man So willing are we to take so much pains to make the way to happiness narrower and the way to death broader than it is and sin and death as irresistible as God himself Magna pars humanarum querelarum non injusta modò materia sed stulta est The complaints the world maketh are for the most part unjust and void of reason Omnes nostris vitiis favemus quod propriâ facimus voluntate ad naturae referimus necessitatem We are all tender and favourable to our own sins and what we have done by the pleasure of our own Will we lay them at the door of fate and necessity and put them upon God and Nature till we are speechless and our complaints end in curses and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth SECT IX Lord what a noise hath this Original Sin thus stated made amongst the Sons of Adam O wretched Men that we are so we groan it out and there is a kind of Musick in the sound which we hear and we delight in it and carry it along in our mind and so become wretched indeed even those miserable sinners which will ever be so When this Lion roareth all the Beasts of the Forrest tremble we hear the noise of it and do not know whence it cometh nor whither it goeth we feel and fear it but none of us knoweth what it is When we are Infants we do not know that we are so no more than the Tree doth that it groweth we cannot discover what poyson we brought with us into the World but poyson'd we are and understand not how nor in what as it is the nature of some poyson to have no sensible operation for some years but breaks forth at last into swellings and putrified sores and not throughly purged to our lives end In the dawnings and breakings forth of our Reason we understand little more than the rod and smart it bringeth with it In our riper age our Blood runneth hot in our veins then do we act over that with some sense and feeling which our Nurse pratled unto us and servants read to us with a licentious tongue and wanton behaviour in our Nonage and express those Rudiments and principles at last as perfectly as those old Gray-headed Atheists that taught them And having acted wantonness revenge and love of this world to ease our selves cast them all upon Adam and in effect upon God This was the best Crown wherewith our Mother crown'd us in the day of our Conception She taught us from the beginning that we suckt it from her breasts as she and all her Fathers had done before her who were forced to sin by a violent hand that first thrust us into that deadly path Indeed the Old Man that old Sinner is glad to hear of another Old Man worser than himself although he never intend to crucify him nor well understandeth what he is no more than the vulgar do Anti-Christ or the Devil God bless us but that the one is a Beast that hath horns and hoofs and the other sawcer eyes and claws and a cloven foot Multitude of years though Age be talkative yet many times know no more of this so much famed sourse of dealy poyson than the youths that are but of yesterday even they who have been brought up in Nob in the City and University of Priests in the Vatican can tell no more what to make of it than the Breeder of Bullocks or he that holdeth the Plough The Anabaptists in the daies of our Fore-Fathers called it Somnium Augustini St. Austin's Dream Some make it a Sin some a punishment only some make it both some the want of original Righteousness some the habitual obliquity of the Will others have made it the Image of the Devil There be that conceive all the Faculties of the Soul and Body even the whole Essence of Man to be corrupted and a Mass of evil molded up into a Man There be that make it an Accident and
kind Mother and Mistress This Ishmael was born after the flesh of Hagar a young Woman and Abraham able to beget by her Isaak born after the Spirit of Sarah an old Woman and Abraham an old Man not able to beget but Abraham was supernaturally enabled Heb. 11.12 especially Sarah who was both old and barren 1. Ishmael typifies those that seek Justification by the Law or works 2. Isaak typifies those that seeks Justification by Grace or Faith They that seek Justification by works depend upon themselves and their own natural goodness or strength or the works of Law They who seek Justification by Faith depend upon God's Grace and free Promise ☞ Note here by the way that Isaak was a Type not of personal Election from all Eternity but of such as shall be justified by Faith in the Promise For the scope of the Epistle is in opposition to the Jewish confidence to prove that Justification is not by the Law So that the conceit of Election and Reprobation from this place is quite and clear Eccentrical from the scope and business which the Apostle aims at in this place 1. From whence I observe That the Mysteries of Salvation are declared not by words only but by Providences and Dispensations 2. That God without acceptation of persons may advance one above another in temporal benefits Acceptation of Persons hath place only in Judiciary rewards not in Dispensations of Grace and Mercy to eternal Rewards SECT XXXII Gen. 25.3 Jacob and Esau Besides that Allegory of Jacob and Esau denotes two Nations for the Text saith Two Nations are in thy womb and is by the Apostle applied to the Freedom of God preferring the younger Brother the Gentiles before the Elder the Jews Ro. 9.11 c. not upon any account of works For the children being yet unborn neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated But the Preferring of the Gentiles before the Jews was only upon the account of Faith by the which they were justified and the Jews could not be justified because they stood upon their works So Jacob and Esau were not Types of a Personal Election and Reprobation but of a specifical National Election and Reprobation whosoever how many or how few soever not to an Eternal but to a Temporal Inheritance 2 Sam. 8.14 For the Elder shall serve the Younger and so the Edomite did serve the Israelite v. 2 Sam. 8.14 Je. 60. 1 Chron. 18.11 13. And the Idumaeans revolted Psal 137.7 Ez. 35.5 10. yet were they subjects 1660 years Jacob signifies the People of the New Testament by Faith Esau signifies the People of the Old Testament by Works Object Gal. 3.17 The Covenant that was confirmed of God before in Christ the Law that was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannull that it should make the promise of God of no effect Solut. These words prove not that the Gospel or Covenant of Grace was before the Law or Covenant of works but before that solemn repetition or new Delivery thereof upon Mount Sinai When there was a Brief Transcript of it written and delivered unto Moses in Tables of Stone by God Rom. 5.20 Gal. 3 19 c. The Law entred that the offence might abound The Law was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made c. And that the Law or Covenant of Works was in being yea in force in the World before the publication of it from Mount Sion appears For untill Law sin was in the world Rom. 5.13 that is from the beginning of the World until the giving of the Law in words and writing from Mount Sinai And Consequently a necessity of the Law because where no Law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 but sin is not imputed where there is no Law that is Ro. 5.13 sin is not charged upon Men or punished nevertheless death reigned from Adam inclusivè unto Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression and consequently there must needs have been a Law without the breach whereof Men had not been obnoxious unto death Yea not only the Moral Law properly so called was extant in Men's hearts and delivered by Tradition but some particulars of the Ritual Law practised in the World before the delivery of the same Law much disused and forgotten to Moses in Writing upon Tables of Stone upon Mount Sinai As appears by the offering of Sacrifices of old and of the Sabbath and of Circumcision commanded to Abraham and his Seed and by the Marriage of the Widow of a Kinsman dying without Issue before the Law Yea the Law or Covenant of Works was as ancient as Adam and by transgression thereof he and all his Posterity incurred the guilt and punishment of Death Therefore the Law or Covenant of Works was the first born Testament or Covenant of Works made by God with Mankind And upon this account they who are of the Law i. e. who seek for Justification by the Law of works are resembled by Esau the Elder Son and they who expect Justification by the New Testament or Law of Grace i. e. by Faith are properly typified by Jacob the Younger Brother When God said to Rebecca Two Nations are in thy Womb ☜ and the Elder shall serve the Younger he mystically signified that his absolute will and purpose was never to own for Sons and Heirs of Heaven the People of the Elder Covenent i. e. those that should seek for Justification by the Law but to assign over those for Servants or Bondmen to his Children i. e. those of the later or younger Covenant who should seek the Adoption of Sons or Justification by Faith Thus God was pleased to declare to the World that his purpose according to Election might stand firme and unchanged and that he meant not to elect or make choice of those whom he should or would adopt by the rule of Works or by any rule that Men should commend to him or desire to impose or obtrude upon him but only by the Rule of his own most free gracious and wise pleasure which he hath declared to be the Rule of Faith Inasmuch as in equitable Right the making his own choice in this kind accrueth unto him as he is the sole Magnificent Founder of this Blessed Feast of Justification calling and inviting the World from all Quarters to come unto it For a Clench to keep this Interpretation from stirring The Prophet Malachi brings in God thus Saying Was not Esau Jacob's Brother Mal. 1.2 c. yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau and laid his Mountains and Heritage waste for the Dragons of the wilderness He gave Esau a lesser portion of an earthly
strengthned and enlarged to all those Precepts which are Positively commanded by Christ under the Gospel as the Perfection of the Law of Nature generally propounded to all mankind for Salvation and are therefore stiled a New Law Eternal Heb. 9.10 whereas the Old Law was to hold but till the time of Reformation 27. That this Dispensation by which the Fathers obtained Salvation before the Gospel was granted to them in consideration of that obedience which our Lord Christ had taken upon him to perform in the fulness of Time by a kind of Novation as the Civilians speak or Delegation or Renewing of Bonds or Assignation of Payments God accepting the interposition of Christs Satisfaction by way of Acceptilation for the Reconcilement of them and the Payment of their Debts 28. That this the New Testament doth manifest for the reason of the Salvation of those that died under the Old Testament 1 Cor. 10.1 c. I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren that our Fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and all drank the same Spiritual drink for they all drank of the same Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 29. That they therefore that entred into a Covenant of Works to obtain the Lord of Promise as they did cannot be said to have entred expressly into a Covenant of Faith in Christ for obtaining the World to come No more than being baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea as they were that is into his Government into the observation of the Laws he should give in hope of the Promises he should give they can be said to have been baptized expressly into Christ and that profession which his Promises require Wherefore when he saith that the Rock was Christ his meaning is not immediately Christ and so to those that rested wholly in that Temporal Covenant of Works But as the Manna was Christ and Moses was Christ by the means of that Faith which then God received at their hands to wit the Assurance of everlasting happiness for them who under this Calling should as they were able sincerely tender unto God the Spiritual obedience of the Inward man not expressed but implied as well as the Carnal obedience of the outward man expressed upon those grounds which his Temporal goodness the Tradition of their Fathers and the Instruction of the Prophets afforded at that time Now I appeal to the sense of all Discerning men how they can be said to have that Interest in Christ which Christians have and therefore upon the same ground if there were no consideration of Christ in the blessings of Christ which they enjoyed Wherefore they are said also to tempt Christ who went along with them in that Angel in whom the Name of God and his Word was for the Land of Canaan and for Heaven too though they knew not that Christ nor Heaven distinctly Heb. 11.26 Heb. 13.8 So Moses counted the Reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt for he looked at the Recompence of the Reward For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever St. Peter saith that the Prophets who foretold the Gospel searched diligently against what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them 1 Pet. 1.10 declared and testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glorious things that followed St. Paul saith that all Gods Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 Therefore there must be a Consideration of Christ in those Promises though covertly to them who under such Promises as they had did run the same Race which Christians have set before them And when St. Paul saith As by Adam all die Ro. 5.12.19 even so in Christ the second Adam shall all be made alive And by one man Sin entred into the World and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many For as by one Mans Disobedience many were made Sinners So by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous It is evident that those and all other Benefits not only to the Israelites but to all that feared God and worshipped him did redound to them upon the consideration and account of Christ For there is no other name under Heaven given unto men whereby they can be saved but only by the Name of Christ And God is the great Benefactor and exceeding great Rewarder only in and for Christ So Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant That Death coming Heb. 9.15 for the ransome of those Transgressions which were under the old they that are called may receive the Promise of an everlasting inheritance Because those Sins which were redeemed only to a temporal effect by the Sacrifices of the Old Law as also those which were not redeemed at all by any Propitiation then were all by the Sacrifice of Christ redeemed to the purchase of the World to come Which is that which St. Paul saith that through Christ every one that believeth is justified from all those sins from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.29 For as the Law did not expiate Capital Offences so it expiated none but to the Effect of a Civil Promise Apoc. 13.8 30. That whereas mention is made of Names not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world We may not inferr safely that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world but was predestinated to be slain and his Death was virtual to all the faithful ever since the foundation of the world whose names were written under that Appellative in that book of Life of the Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times When Moses demands to be blotted out of Gods Book what can it be but the book of Christ in a Mystical sense And when St. Paul saith that Christ gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 to be testified in due time what can be meant but that though he gave himself for all yet this was not to be testified till the proper time of the preaching of the Gospel yet he was a Ransom for all before And whereas the Author to the Hebrews argues strongly That if Christ should offer himself more than once Heb. 9.25 26. that then he might more than once have entred into the Holy of Holies and so must have suffered more than once from the foundation of the World that is before the end of the World he must needs suppose that he
Law his right of assembly to him and his heirs for ever Deut. 23.2 who stand excommunicated For A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. As an Alien Forreigner or Stranger is disabled and debarred from the rights and priviledges of inheritances freedoms votes and other common benefits of the Laws Municipal which the Natives do enjoy So the Romans Greeks and other Nations inhabiting Judaea were by the Jews accounted and called sinners We are Jews by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2.15 Because they were Strangers and Aliens who had no right equal with the Native Jews and Proselytes that were made free of their Nation As a villain or Bastard-born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a quasi Transgressor being wholly depersonated and degraded from the common Condition of a Man and depressed into the state of a Beast dead in Law having no Will nor Action nor Possession of any thing but is at the will and in the possession of his Lord subjected to all wrongs and excluded from all Rights having no Estate Office nor Suffrage must be no Witness can have no power to make a Testament Such was the state of Servitude a state of death not life Thus by the Law of God the Gibeonites were accursed Now therefore ye are cursed Jos 9.23 and ye shall none of you be freed from being bond-men and hewers of wood and drawers of water SECT VI. 3. The Distressed who justly according to the secret will of God Distressed for reasons best known to himself are afflicted with some notable and lasting misery such as the Blind and the Lame the Deformed the Lepers the Monster the Deaf and Dumb Innocents Fools and Frantick persons the proper objects of pity and compassion that neither sinned they nor their Parents but that the power of God might be seen and his Name glorified These are generally censured for sinners upon whom God hath layd such extraordinary calamities And so are such as suffer loss of Children Friends Honour Estate by storms and tempests by wars famines or any other fatal changes or chances in this world Such a one was Job yet a perfect and upright Man one that feared God and eschew'd evil yet Job's Friends erroneously condemned him for an hypocrite because so fearfully handled in his Person Children and Estate not considering That though sin be the cause of affliction yet it is neither the perpetual nor total nor sole cause thereof but that there are other good causes and considerations that flow from the secret and good will of God though they be hid from our eyes Thus those upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such things Thus those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such grievous things Thus Lazarus a beggar and lying at the Rich Man's gate and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man's Table Luc. 16.20 and was deny'd and the dogs came and licked his sores yet was he carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Thus the Man Blind from his birth and sate and begg'd was judged either for his own sins or for the sins of his Parents to be made so miserable but it was that the work of God might be manifest SECT VII 4. The Tainted or stained in Blood Tainted who justly according to the will of God are made heirs to their Fathers misery either natural by hereditary diseases or ill conditions or legal by Confiscation of Goods Infamy Bastardy Slavery or other attainder or corruption of blood but especially for crimes of Treason or other high mis-demeanors against the Common-Wealth for which the Children of those Parents are debarred from being heirs to their Estate or Dignity Thus the seven Sons of Saul were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord for their Fathers cruelty against the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.9 Thus the Sons of Gehezi were made heirs to their Father's Leprosy which clave unto him and to his Seed for ever 2 Kings 5.27 Thus Eli's Sons were turned from the Altar for their Father's neglect besides their own enormities Thus for Achan's Sacriledg his Sons and his Daughters his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and all his Tent Jos 7.24 and all that he had were stoned with stones and afterward burnt with fire Thus the Children of Corah Dathan and Abiram and all theirs went down alive into the pit for the Rebellion of their Parents Thus the Children of the Ninevites should have been destroy'd whereof six score thousand could not discern their right hand from their left had not their Parents repented at the preaching of Jonah The CONTENTS Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniana TITLE II. Of Original Sin Rom. 5.12 Explained IN this rank are all the Sons of Adam who for his disobedience are made heirs of his mortality By one Man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all Men for that or in whom all have sinned not actively by transgressing in his transgression but passively by being prejudicated in his judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his doom all Men were condemned to the state of transgressors These words In whom all sinned signify the same thing with those Vers 15. Through the offence of one many be dead and with these Vers 16. The judgment was upon one to condemnation and with these Vers 19. By one Man's disobedience many were made sinners And with these 1 Cor. 15.22 In Adam all die All which sayings amount to no more but this That by the sin of Adam he and all his Children were made mortal As by the sin of the Gibeonites they and their Children were made bound-slaves and by the sin of Gehezi he and all his Children were made lepers By one Adam sinning sin entred upon all Mankind and for that one Man's sin death came upon him and all Mankind by diminution of strength which caused grief diseases and death For though Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. was made a living Soul not a quickning Spirit yet if he had continued to obey God he had ever remained alive in paradise and whether any higher condition was appointed to him is uncertain to us and was not certain to him Some think after a most long life God would have delivered him from the Body without any grief or pain which the Jews do not call death but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Osculum Pacis the Kiss of peace others think he
should have been translated as Enoch or Elias were But of this let others judg while we hold with the wise Hebrew Wisd 2.24 Eccles 25.24 that by the envy of the Devil death came into the world and with the son of Sirach By a Woman was the beginning of sin and from thence we all die For God made not death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living for he created all things that they might have their Being and the Generations of the World were healthfull and there is no poison of destruction in them Wisd 1.13 c. nor the kingdom of death upon the Earth for Righteousness is immortal and ungodly Men with their works and words have called it to them Thus death came upon all the posterity of Adam by the Law of his original by which the Bodies that were extracted from him could not but be obnoxius to the same evils to which his Body was subject from whence for their substance and qualities they were derived For the benefit that might come to the Bodies of Men from the Tree of Life being taken away they remained fading and frail as Potsheards made of earth just like the Bodies of other Creatures Thus say the Rabbies and St. Cyrill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they yet stick I say farther it is no strange Metonymie among the Hebrews and those that do hebraize to use the word sin for Punishment and therefore by a Metalepsis they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin who suffer any evill though without their fault as Gen. 31.36 Jacob answer'd and said to Laban What is my trespass what is my sin that thou hast so hotly pursued after me And Job 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my tongue cause me to understand wherein I have erred where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by whom as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Luke 5.5 Act. 3.16 1 Cor. 8.2 Heb. 9.17 Rightly therefore St. Chrysostome speakes upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul in the next verse renders the reason of this assertion That all Men therefore die because they are all descended from Adam Because they had no Law given them which for the breach thereof did threaten the punishment of death upon the transgressors He denyeth not but that sin was in the world from Adam till the Law was given as the sin of Cain and of those before the Flood of Cham Noah Sodom the Brethren of Joseph Pharaoh and others after the Flood but never no death menaced till Moses by his Law did inflict death for the more hainous offences because sin is not imputed and consequently not punished where there is no Law that is sin was not therefore imputed to any that it should be to them the cause of death to wit to every particular Man For God then did not punish each particular Man with death for their sin but he punished all Mankind and amongst them Infants and Children that were never guilty of any sin But the Law speaks to every person that sins saying That Soul shall die the death that is God him-himself would cut him off by death if either the Judges were ignorant of his crime that had deserved it or if they neglected to do their duty Nevertheless death reigned all that while strongly even from Adam to Moses which was a long time even two thousand five hundred Years and spared none no not those that never sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression that is that had committed no sin like unto that which Adam committed such as Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph And because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ambiguous and in some sense may be attributed to all therefore the Apostle distinctly explains himself concerning what kind of sin he speakes to wit of that sin which may be esteemed equal with that sin which Adam had committed for great sins use to be compared to the sin of Adam Hos 6.7 The judgment given upon Adam for his offence was Banishment from Paradise A curse upon the ground for his sake a miserable painful life and at last an everlasting death and this judgment was not personal only to determine with him but it was reall and hereditary to him and to his heirs for ever For as by his offence his innocency was corrupted so by his judgment his Posterity was tainted and his Blood stained For first none of his Children shall be heirs to that immortality and Blessedness which he once was to enjoy in Paradise Secondly all his Children shall be blemished and tainted to inherit the curse of Banishment misery and mortality which he incurred Thirdly this corruption shall not be remedied but by the extraordinary Mediation of Jesus Christ Recapitulation Thus the Jural or calamitous sinners are of four sorts The oppressed the blemished the distressed and the tainted And the word Sinner doth sometimes carry all these senses for sometimes one and the same person may be oppressed blemished distressed and tainted And the three first sort of sinners Legal Moral and Jural are not essentially different but that one and the same person may be a transgressor unkind and calamitous as the Gentiles were transgressors and improbous or unmerciful Rom. 1.29 being Filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness Full of envy murder debate malignity wisperers back-biters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventers of evill things disobedient to Parents without understanding Covenant-breakers without natural aflection implacable unmerciful And they were calamitous and blemished being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world The Jews in the sight of God generally were as great sinners as the Gentiles but legally and morally What then are we better than they No in no wise for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin Yet jurally they were not such sinners nor so calamitous as the Gentiles because they were not such aliens and strangers from God but had many reall rights and priviledges peculiar unto them as the Peculiar People of God Yet the right which the Jew had in God was but a puerile or servile right to be as Children in the condition of Servants under age in hardship under the Law From which state Christ came to emancipate and deliver them that he might advance them and invest them into a filial right of being the Sons of God In a plenage and fulness of years Gal. 4.2 3. Thus Men are sinners three several waies Most Men generally are transgressors and improbous or unkind and all Men universally are calamitous oppressed blemished distressed and tainted wherefore this last way Man as he is a Man is a sinner and over and above legally and morally sinful being actually transgressors
and improbous as well as originally miserable and calamitous that is oppressed blemished distressed and especially tainted or corrupted from the womb Eccles 25.24 This is the Original sin with which all Men are defiled Rom. 5.12 for which death entred into the world Of the Woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die By one Man sin entred into the world Chrys and death by sin so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd 1.12.16 All the Generations of Men were healthful and there is no poyson in them nor the kingdom of death but ungodly Men by their wicked works and words have called it to them Contractio Causae SECT I. This cause of original sin may be thus contracted into these Corollaries or Aphorisms Accounting Corol. 1. All are made sinners in Adam as all are made righteous in Christ so accounted but both are really sinners and really righteous in their own actions 1. Because Adam had our Nature and we his but his Will was not ours Reason Adam's Will not ours nor ours his We were as to our Bodies in his loyns but not as to our Souls nor actually our Bodies neither but seminally causally and virtually But which way can any Man imagine that our Souls were propagated from him or that our Souls were in his Soul as our Bodies were in his Body Did not he judg for himself and choose for himself and do not we judg for our selves and choose for our selves for his Will was his own and our Wills are our own How can we imagine it otherwise He was deceived not we Reason He eat the forbidden fruit not we He was thrust out of Paradise not we 2. Because as it is just in Men to account the Sons of Traitors sinners Reason and punish them accordingly so it is much more just in God to account the Sons of Adam sinners and to punish them accordingly Adam sinned for himself and was punished for himself so that neither his sin was ours nor his punishment ours really but by imputation We are by Nature the Children of wrath Object Because we are Children of sin and of a sinner Solut. Adam a Representative of all Mankind as a Parliament is of a whole Kingdom If a Parliament err the Kingdom erres if they suffer the Kingdom suffers A Representative Will is a real Will in Law not in Nature Parliament's Wills are our Wills their Decrees oblige us because of our consent given to choose them to act for us How did we make such a Compact with Adam Yet Adam was a Corporation and we in him are included so as to stand or fall by him Adam was obliged to obey not to sin but he was obliged to suffer because he sinned We are obliged to obey not to sin but we are obliged to suffer because we sin And we are obliged to suffer because he sinned but how we are obliged to sin because he sinned I cannot understand SECT II. Object Solut. Levi's paying of Tithes Levi pay'd Tithes in Abraham's loyns A token of subjection in the Father which is derived to the Children If the Head yielded the Members must So they pay'd Tithes virtually in their Father before they were born but they must pay them actually in their own persons and for themselves after they are born As heirs have rights to Honours and Estates in their Father's Honours and Estates and also in their shames and Debts while they live but after their death they enjoy the profits and bear the burdens and shames of their Fathers How were our Persons in Adam Seminally as the plant in the root and seed potentially not actually But where were our Wills even where our Souls were with God that gives us them when he frames us in the womb Yet a Jural will we had in Adam to have a right in him and by him or else a wrong as people have in their Knights and Burgesses who nevertheless have distinct wills for themselves in other things as they have in whose wills for their election only their wills are included So Adam was for us all to stand or fall for us all not to do good or bad for us all and now we must all suffer by him though we did not act actually sin in him but virtually We have the same natural Body and inclinations thereof as Adam had But as his Body and his inclinations were personal to himself so our Bodies and our inclinations are personal to our selves If Adam in nature had been created a Child he could not have sinned because he as a Child could have no use of his will When I am born into the world I cannot sin in the world till I come to the use of my reason and will in the world how then could I sin before I was born or had a being in the world any more than as I was as the fruit is in the winter fast asleep in my causes How then say some we were sinners before we were and how indeed not so as they mean let them prove it if they can Corruption of Bodies is manifest and so Health is by weak or strong Progenitors Diseases and Health are much hereditary in Nature but virtues or vices of Souls I could never apprehend any descent or conveyance of them from Parents to their Children Estates Honours and Shames are convey'd and pass upon posterity but not by the passage of Nature but of Law We are all concluded by Adam's will yet how If he had done good altogether his goodness was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we should be the better for it But being he did evil his evil was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we shall fare the worse for it Adam was obliged to do good so are we Adam was not obliged to sin no more are we We are as free to good or bad as Adam and Eve were How is a Traitor's blood that runs in his veins or his Son's blood tainted the Wise can tell We put a great stress upon many things as upon this of Original sin and upon Hoc est corpus meum and upon Tu es Petrus and of being born in sin and of the power of the Keyes and of the Free-will and of Imputed Righteousness as also of Predestination Election Reprobation and of a Judg in matters of Faith of Infallibility and Universal Supremacy Heresy c. It was the custom then to speak yea think so as they declare in these matters Who can hinder or blame us justly for labouring to understand the meaning of these things and not be abused as our Fathers were We all agree concerning these matters of Original sin Election Reprobation Free-will Imputed righteousness the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist the washing of Baptism but we cannot agree concerning the manner If we would leave
quarrelling and sit still and consider these points we should in time understand them sufficiently by our own experience better than they do that dispute of them daily We are prone to nothing but evil Object Flesh is prone to evil by exceeding the bounds of reason Solut. but Reason it self tends another way With my mind I serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 Rom. 7.22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members Adam's faculties were corrupted so are ours Object Both true in a safe sense and if these safe senses were admitted Solut. all would agree but there is though not acknowledged Pride Interest and uncharitableness in the way that obstructs this universal good that would be both in Church and State But who can help it it must be born only wise Men and honest Men will be no slaves SECT III. We are made mortal in Adam Not actually by dying in his body and with his body Corol. 2. All mortal in Adam for we sprang from his body before dead but causatively by descent from his made mortal body As he sinned for himself so we sin for our selves Reason And as he died for himself so we die for our selves But his sin was not ours and his death was not ours but only the cause of our sin and the cause of our death Mortalis gignit mortalem Immortalis gignit immortalem Servus gignit servos Nobilis gignit Nobiles Fortes creantur fortibus Morbosi creantur à morbosis Infamis non gignit infamem Sed Peccator non gignit peccatorem Doctus non gignit Doctum Innocens non gignit innocentem In true and safe senses some Natural some Jural A Mortal begets a Mortal An Immortal begets an Immortal Cum grano salis Deus de Deo Servants beget servants Free-Men beget Free-Men Nobles beget Nobles Strength begets strength Weakness begets weakness Infamous doth not beget infamous But a sinner begets not a sinner A Learned Man begets not a Learned Man A virtuous Man begets not a virtuous Man SECT IV. Corol. 3. Righteous in Christ We are made righteous in Christ i. e. Accounted Reason 1 Christ's righteousness was not individually ours nor is our righteousness individually his nor can any person's qualities be communicated to another Reason 2 Nature made us in Adam Grace makes us in Christ Bodies were in Adam not Souls Souls are in Christ not Bodies One Man's will is not really in anothers Sin is in Soul not Body Death is in Body not Soul Righteousness is in Soul not Body We are born of the Bodies not of the Souls of our Parents SECT V. Corol. 4. Immortal in Christ Reason We are immortal in Christ by Christ's Body Christ's immortality was not individually ours as our immortality is not individually his But we are made immortal by his immortality 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam we all die so in Christ all are made alive Souls were not in Adam's Soul Souls are not in Christ's Soul Bodies are not in Christ's Body Our persons were not in Adam's person Our persons are not in Christ's person Our bodies seminally in Adam's body i. e. not to act in Adam but fast asleep in him as their cause Our Souls not at all in Adam's Soul but created apart and infused by God So the acts of Adam's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Adam's Soul were not the acts of our Souls So the acts of Christ's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Christ's Soul were not the acts of our Souls SECT VI. Every Individual body naturally acts for it self Every Individual Soul naturally acts for it self Corol. 5. Reason Every Individuum acts for its self Ez. 18. And is rewarded or punished for it self The Soul that sinneth it shall die Fathers eat sowre grapes Children's teeth not set an edge Every mortal individual is mortal for it self Every immortal individual is immortal for it self Every individual is good for it self Every individual is bad for it self So in a right sense 1. We are made Sinners by Adam's sin 2. We are made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness 3. We are made Mortal by Adam's mortality 4. We are made Immortal by Christ's Immortality If any Man can express these things better let him a God's Name I shall be glad to learn One Touch more and then I have done Adam's body the root and seed of our bodies Adam's Soul not the root nor seed of our Souls Adam's body acted for it self Adam's Soul acted for it self Our bodies act for themselves Our Souls act for themselves Ergo Adam's virtues were not ours Adam's vices were not ours Adam's rewards were not ours Adam's punishments were not ours Rules Unusquisque habet judicium pro semetipso Unusquisque habet voluntatem pro semetipso Unusquisque habet passiones pro semetipso Unusquisque habet actiones pro semetipso Every one hath a judgment for himself Every one hath a will for himself Every one hath passions for himself Every one hath actions for himself Individuals communicate not their actions or passions but are distinct as their persons Sin is not Nature Nature is not Sin Righteousness is not Nature Nature is not Righteousness The Close Natural actions of Body and Soul reach not beyond the person that acts them Moral actions extend not beyond the person that acts them Jural actions do extend beyond the persons that act them for punishment or reward by act of Law or Grace c. SECT VI. Once more and use it not I beg leave to review the triple distinction that I made of a Sinner Sinner Legal 1. A Sinner Legally is a transgressor and offender against the rules of the Law in not doing that right whereto the Law binds him and he that doth not right according to the Law he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Such sinners were the sinners of the Gentiles who lived in idolatry such a sinner was the Woman who washed the feet of Christ with her tears Joh. 7.37 and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed them and anoynted them with oyntment for she was an adulteress Such a sinner was the Woman taken in Adultery in the very act and was therefore brought by the Scribes and Pharisees unto Christ to be stoned to death John 8.3 4. And this kind of sinner who is a transgressor of the Law is opposed to the person who is legally righteous by doing that right which the Law requireth SECT VII Sinner Moral 2. A sinner Morally quoad mores is a Trespasser offending against the rules of Good manners of Humanity Equity Charity Mercy and Courtesy not dealing handsomly or kindly not doing that right whereto the rule of
Christ came and brought Life and Immortality to light he poured out a most plentiful portion of his Spirit upon all flesh and gave more Grace under the Gospel according to their present Receptibilities Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Thus by degrees Mankind arrived to the highest Revelations and Dispensations of Gods love by Jesus Christ Predestination of Rewards in Christ Therefore God from all Eternity intended and predestinated the Promises of his last Will and Covenant of Grace to be confirmed and executed by his Son Jesus Christ in the fullness of time which he had appointed by virtue whereof all that feared or do fear or shall fear God shall be rewarded of God in and through Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof under all the former inferiour and imperfect adumbrations and Dispensations and under the present sublime and perfect substance and Oeconomy of the Gospel And so this everlasting great and true Covenant of Grace expressed in Gods last Will and Testament revealed by his Son Jesus Christ hath and doth and shall take full force and effect to all intents and purposes respectively to every faithful Soul all the World over for Grace and Salvation as they are able to receive it according to the measure of the dispensation of his mercy at all times God still accounting the will for the deed after the riches of his Grace according to what a man hath not according to what a man hath not and rejecting none that come unto him as well as they are able making them more able For in all Nations Act. 10.35 those that fear him and work righteousness are accepted of him And all this in Christ who is the Beloved with whom God is well-pleased and in whom and through whom God is and will be well-pleased with all men because by him he reconciled the World unto himself and so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into the same that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have life everlasting Thus it is demonstrated that there are two eminent distinct Covenants or Testaments the one of the Law and the other of the Gospel The Law is one Husband the Gospel another The Law is a School-master of Rudiments and Elements the Gospel a Doctour of Sciences and Perfections Repentance is not fully in the Law but in the Gospel yet often inculcated by the Prophets Adam Abraham and the Patriarchs had no better things promised expressly than Earth yet by faith they looked for better things which God by his Spirit though not in words had revealed yet obscurely and afar off Thus the Law given by Moses is stiled in Scripture the first Covenant the Gospel given by Christ is stiled the second Covenant 1. Thus it appears Corollaries That God gave a particular Command to Adam to try his obedience upon a promise of Life 2. That God made a Covenant with Adam and a promise of Christ so to the Patriarchs so to Abraham and so the Inheritance came by Promise not by Works 3. That God made a Covenant of Works to Moses in the Law called the first Testament formally made 4. That the Promise of Christ was made to Adam Abraham and the Fathers but it was not framed into a Testament till Christs death 5. That the Law of Nature was made to Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Moses confirmed it by the blood of Beasts 6. That thus the Law of Grace was to the second Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Christ confirmed it by his own blood 7. That many Covenants there were then of God but no Testaments save only the Old and the New 8. That before the Law the Promises of the Gospel were in part darkly revealed but never clearly and fully till Christ came 9. That the Precepts of the Old Testament were in express words but for external obedience in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Internal obedience 10. That the Promises of the Old Testament were in express words but for Temporal blessings in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Eternal Blessings 11. That both Precepts and Promises were spiritual and eternal by Christ 12. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Works is Moses Law 13. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Grace is Christs Law 14. That every Covenant is by Faith and mutual Promises of both Parties for Works to be done and Rewards to be had 15. That the Covenant of the Gospel is meer Faith in God promising and Man accepting and Re-promising not for Works to obtain Righteousness but for Faith alone 16. That Faith is not a credence or belief of story or trust but a Promise Covenant Affiance and Alliance He is a faithful Subject not that believes the Commands of his Prince to be true but that keeps his faith and Allegiance with his Prince 17. That there is a Reformation there is Shadow and Substance there are two Mediators two Laws two Priesthoods and two Services Two Temples two Altars two Sacrifices two Tabernacles An Expiation of Carnal and Spiritual Sins a Purification of Body and Soul a Carnal and a Spiritual Worship A general Correction and Amendment of all things in the most excellent State and Condition that can be imagined 18. That the First Tabernacle is fallen the old Priesthood turned from the Altar And into the Second and True Tabernacle of Heaven Christ the great High-Priest is entred 19. That all along the first Testament for the Promises made to Abraham and confirmed by the Death of Beasts and Birds for the Land of Canaan was in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 20. That the first Testament for the Precepts made to Moses was confirmed by the Death of Beasts for the Land of Canaan in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 21. That the Second Testament for the Promises and Precepts made to Christ was confirmed by the Death of Christ for Heaven 22. That the Gospel was not contained and comprehended in the Law as blended both together in one but is a distinct Thing from the Law subsisting by its self as Carnal and Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Life and Death Heaven and Earth are distinct Things 23. That the Law of Nature was before Moses's Law not loaded with so many Positive Precepts but that they were brought in afterwards upon the Promise of the Land of Canaan God then instructing them by a more familiar Conversation as occasion did offer 24. That Judaism is younger and different from Christianity Moses from Christ 25. That Salvation was by Christ who was to come before and under the Law and by Christ already come under the Gospel 26. That by the Publishing of the Gospel the original Law of God is not abrogated continuing still the Rule of all mens Actions but rather
grievous in such cases The CONTENTS Writing Testimony Confirmation Execution Christ the Executor Executorship conditional Flesh and Blood Christ's Assention Spirit 's Mission TITLE VI. Of the Confirmation of the New Testament NOW the New Testament though it were not written as was the Old with the finger of God upon Tables of Stone but was Nuncupative yet this Nuncupation was by God himself not by any Angel and that unto Christ himself only to be published and accordingly was published by him in his own Person and by his Spirit in the persons of the Apostles and their Disciples through the whole World and afterwards committed to writing by the chief of the Apostles and not only so Writing but written again after a better manner by the spirit of God himself upon the Tables of Mens Hearts Testimony And as for the Testimony given thereunto to prove it to be the Will of God Christ himself did testifie thereof with such mighty miracles as never had been done before Besides the unquestionable Holiness of his life and the solemnity of his death Which things were not done in a corner but in the full view of a greater Congregation than was at Mount Sinai for he preached in their Temple and Synagogues and did wonders in all Judea and suffered death upon Mount Calvary Mat. 27.51 At which time the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom the Earth did quake and the Rocks rent and the graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose The Sun also was darkned after an extraordinary manner when the Moon was at the Full. And after all this was added as the last and greatest Proof of all the glory of his Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven He saith therefore of himself John 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause I came into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth And the Apostle said of him 1 Tim. 6.13 Rev. 3.14 that before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good Confession Hence he is called the Amen the faithful and true Witness the Martyr of the New Testament to testifie it with his Blood His death was not only a Testimony Confirmation but a Confirmation of the New Testament because his death doth wholly and for ever extinguish in him all will or power to revoke it and evidence that immediately from that Death God's Testament was ipso facto in force and began to take effect for the Justification of Mankind to all the Rights in that Testament contained by the Access of their Faith Thus the immortal God came as near to Death as he could by the Death of his Son in his Divine Nature immortal but made a mortal man to dye in his Father's stead and to demonstrate his own and his Father 's unconceivable Love to lay down his Life for Sinners Which thing deserves a perpetual Commemoration so commanded by Christ in the Holy Eucharist instituted by him for that purpose And as Wills are to be proved and confirmed Execution so they are to be executed and performed or else the Will it self is as dead as he that made it and so was made to no purpose The publick Wills of Legislators are to be put in Execution by sworn Magistrates or else the Law is in vain and a dead Letter And the private Wills of Testators are to be put in Execution by their Heirs or Executors covenanting and swearing so to do else the Will or Law of the Testator is frustrated Now of this New Testament Christ is the Executor or Mediator Christ Executor between God the Testator and the Legataries in the Will expressed to convey unto them from God as a Priest the Expiation of their Sins by his Sacerdotal offering up of himself to God in the Temple of Heaven and the Mission of his Spirit to cleanse their hearts and as a King sitting in the Throne of Heaven to rule his Church and protect them from their Enemies and to raise them up from Death and set them at his Right hand and at his left in heavenly places and as a Prophet to lead them into all Truth And Christ as an Executor and Mediator received to himself this benefit to be the universal Heir of God who was so by Nature and was so appointed by Grace to be Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 And for this purpose had all Power given unto him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 and universal honour also wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Jesus Phil. 2.9 every knee should bow of Persons in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth For let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 and he hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them openly 1 Cor. 15.27 and hath put all his Enemies under his feet The Reason is because Christ's Executorship was conditional Reason 1 Executorship Conditional that is charged upon the Condition of his own Death he must dye before he can enter upon it and therefore dye that he may perform it because every Testament is a Decree of things to be done after Death and this Testament of God hath this strange Prerogative above the Testaments of men that it is confirmed by the Death of a Man who was God and that the Executor not the Testator dyes and that the Disposition of things to be had or done is made after the Death of the Executor who for that purpose rose from the dead that he might justifie the faithful to the Inheritance of Heaven A Cause quite contrary to the Testaments of men wherin the Testator only dies to confirm his Testament and the Executor surviving performs it Therefore as Christ the principal Heir was fitted to receive his Inheritance ordained for him in that Testament whereof he was Executor So we that are Christ's Co-heirs must be fitted to receive the same Inheritance ordained for us in that Testament wherein we are Legataries Reas 2 Flesh and Blood 1 Cor. 15.5 Joh. â— 14 1 Cor. 15.45 Heb. 2.9 2. Because Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of heaven And CHRIST the Word was made Flesh but afterwards he was made Spirit For the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit And JESUS who was made a little lower than the Angels for or by they suffering of Death was crowned with glory and Honour And so Christ was made perfect For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto glory Heb. 2.10 to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through Sufferings And though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him And so Christians they are first Flesh For that which is
We need say no more against Popery than this It is diametrically opposit to the Institution of the Pure Doctrine and Spiritual Worship of Christ when all shall be taught of God and worship him in Spirit and Truth For If God Almighty therefore hath abolished that Covenant which was established upon weak and Temporal Promises and hath utterly taken away those rude and beggarly Elements of the World which he himself was pleased to set up for a Time and Place and People who then shall dare what man or Society of men can with safety and honour to Christianity frame or set up a system and body of Ceremonies and Rites partly Jewish and partly Paganish more numerous and costly and insignificant yea and Profane O the Patience of God! O Tempora O Mores I may boldly stand upon this Rock and bid defiance to all Superstitious Doctrine and Worship by Authority from Christ and dare the World to tell me what other Rites or Forms Christ hath ordained in his Gospel save only these two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Those which the Wisest Reformation have introduced are but few and very significant and freely to be used for order and decency and for Conscience sake the Church that commands them declaring them not to be of the Essence or Substance of Religion but still shewing unto us a more excellent way And all might end in peace and quietness If 1. Some did dot destroy all Christian Liberty 2. And others did not use their Liberty for a cloak of Maliciousness and Disobedience against all Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws and Interest and Policy and Pride countermine all SECTION VII Administrations of both Testaments That therefore the two Testaments or Covenants are exactly distinguished one from the other besides the Arguments already used may be plainly demonstrated from the vastly different and contrary Administrations of God under each of them the one Carnal and Temporal the other Spiritual and Eternal Adam and Eve after the Creation having received a Law from God began quickly to aspire to be Gods themselvss and hearkned to the perswasion of the Devil in hopes of greater Knowledge and Immortality and they stooped so low that even Sensual pleasures of Sight and Taste drew down their noble Souls contrary to their own Reason and the Commands of God not enduring to be restrained by his Power though it were but to one forbidden Tree when they had the Liberty of the whole World beside But alas they soon saw their Error and repented and were pardoned by the Grace of God through the Seed of the Woman from whence the Transgression first sprung breaking the Serpents head that tempted her thereunto Then did they teach their Children to fear that God whom they had offended and by whom they were so gratiously pardoned But the very First-born Cain rebelled and his Posterity took after him called therefore the Sons of Men but Seth and his Race trod in the steps of their Father and were called the Sons of God SECTION VIII To these God farther revealed himself and they obeyed his Voice Idolatry But the rest because they could not see God who is invisible believed not in him but looked upon the Sun and Moon and Stars and all the pleasant and useful things of the Earth and adored them for their Gods and the Demons by their guiles bewitched them and taught them to serve the Creatures by Superstitious Rites of Sacrifices and Idolatries promising them for so doing the favour of their Gods and the enjoyment of those good things plentifully according to their hearts desire otherwise if they neglected those Services they threatned them with their displeasure and the Punishment of Plagues Famines Slavery Sterility and untimely Death The hopes of the one and the fears of the other made them so diligent in Idolatrous Worship to which the greatest part of the World through their Sensuality and Sottishness were led away SECTION IX To the rooting out of which original Error the Source of all Idolatry Remedy against Idolatry God by his great Servant Moses declared it was in his Power alone to bind the Influences of the Sun Moon and Stars and to make the Heaven as Brass and the Earth as Iron under their feet and that he would so bring it to pass if they forsook not their Idols to turn to the true God that made Heaven and Earth And then if they took God for their King Lev. 26.3 c. he promised them the first and the latter Rain to drop fatness upon them to glad their hearts with Fruitful seasons Health and Long life Progeny Honour and Peace and Victory over all their Enemies This was the way which God took to deal with that stupid and carnal Generation And not only with those profest Idolaters that forsook that God that gave Testimony all that while of his Goodness in giving them Rain from Heaven and Fruitful Seasons Act. 14.17 filling their hearts with Food and Gladness but with the Hebrews his chosen People and profest Worshippers who too much hankered after the Customes of the World and were ever tottering towards their Superstitious vanities Therefore God sent them Angels sometimes in the shapes of Men and sometimes Prophets working Divine miracles Sometimes he afforded them visible Testimonies of his Presence by Clouds and Fire and Thundrings and Lightnings and a Mountain burning and quaking and the sound of a Trumpet and the Voice of God In the Wilderness a Travelling Tabernacle in Canaan a standing Temple with Altars Cherubins and a Mercy-Seat a Fire that came down from heaven constantly burning a Table of Shew-bread the Ark of the Covenant the Oracle of the Urim and Thummim c. Besides his favourable Presence with them he manifested his nearness to punish them by those apparent Judgments of breaking upon particular Offenders upon whole Armies and Nations by Fire from heaven by Plagues and Famines c. and foretelling their dreadful Ruines by prodigious Signs in the Heavens This was all along the manner of God's Dispensations in those daies by Threatnings of Judgments and Promises of Blessings so to lead and drive that gross dull and stiff-necked Generation who would be perswaded by no other Arguments that God was present among them nor be reformed by any other inducements from their corrupt Manners which they had contracted in that Sink of Egypt and even in the Land of Canaan from the Abominations of all the Nations that were round about them But when the Fulness of Time and the Adult age of the Church was come then did Christ the Son of God visit them from heaven long before whose coming they had neither Angel nor Prophet to work any Sign or Wonder or to comfort them at all to teach them the more to long for the Messiah the great Angel of the Covenant and the great Prophet of God who taught them a higher Law and did greater Wonders than Moses and all the Prophets and after he
had shewed them his last Sign of Rising from the dead and had given power to his Apostles to work Wonders when they left the World he sent no more Angels nor Prophets nor did no more Signs or Wonders nor left no more Oracles but the Scriptures and minds of the Faithful enlightned by his Spirit to lead them into all Truth and to be with them to the end of the World Therefore we may not expect any Angel or Prophet nor any Thundrings or Lightnings Sword Famine or Pestilence Peace Plenty Health or Prosperity particular or general Judgments or signal Deliverances upon any such account as formerly to manifest thereby God's special favour or wrath to particular Persons or Nations in general as to their Spiritual or Eternal condition For God goes another way to work more free easie natural and rational to the Souls of men and made sweetly convincing and attracting to a more sublime and holy Worship suitable and pleasing to the Majesty of Heaven and therefore we are not to be frighted by Judgments nor allured by Prosperities into Religion as Children but informed convinced and perswaded like men by sound reason and understanding through any good or bad condition in this life unto the hopes of a glorious and blessed Immortality It becometh not Christians adult that know their Fathers Will to be in fear and bondage all their life long because of temporal Plagues nor to be ravished with temporal Joys but to live above them all by faith and not by sight as Pilgrims and Strangers here declaring by their Conversation that they have no abiding City below but that they seek one that is above whose builder and maker is God Eternal in the Heavens The Fifth BOOK OF A MEDIATOR The CONTENTS Transition Mediator Reconciliation Moses TITLE I. Of the Name and Thing THE Dispositions of the Will and Estate in God's Testament are to pass through the hands of the Mediators or Executors of them both Transition who are Moses and Christ The word MEDIATOR is rarely Mediator if at all found in any Heathen Author being proper to the Holy Scriptures only Philo the Jew uses it whose form of writing resembles the Old Testament so familiar to that Nation The said Philo calls the High Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jews had a High-Priest as a Mediator between two that by some middle Person they might appease God God dispenses his Graces to Men using as it were the Ministery and Subserviency of some certain Person Reconciliation CHRIST first obtained of God that to Mankind fallen into heinous Sins God would neither shut up the door of Repentance nor refuse to grant pardon to the Penitent which is that first Conciliation that was procured for all Mankind Rom 5.10 When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.18 19. and hath given to us the Ministery of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them c. So Job was a Mediator to God for his two Friends My Servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept Job 42.8 The great Benefits that accrue to the World by Christ are not only obtained by his Prayers but by his vast obedience unto death who gave himself a Ransom for all Eph. 1.10 11. to be testified in due time That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will A Mediator therefore is an Arbiter Herald or Messenger that intervenes between two Persons to relate their mutual minds and meanings to each other and to propound Articles of peace and agreement between them that are at variance or to propose and declare Rules and Laws for both Parties to consent unto Moses Moses was the Mediator or Intercessor between God and the Israelites to make and finish up a Covenant between them and this Covenant was the Law Gal. 3.19 20. Ordained by Angels in the hand of this Mediator Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one but God is one Note that though the Law was ordained by Angels yet it was not immediately delivered by them to the People but by the intervention or means of the Mediator Moses who passed between the Angels and the People God gave the inheritance of Canaan to Abraham immediately by Promise but the Law that was added because of Transgressions four hundred and thirty years after till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made was delivered by the ordination of Angels and the Mediation of Moses 1. Because Law was a Terror but the Inheritance was a matter of Grace As is the manner of great Princes to bestow their Graces and Favours by themselves but to execute matter of Law and Justice by their Officers and Judges Moses was the Receiver of the Law from the Angels and the Repeater of it to the People three daies together for the Commandments thereof but the Judgments were published by Moses only upon the Peoples request because of the terror of the Angels voice who first wrote them in a Book and afterward read them openly to all the Congregation So for the Ceremonies Moses had a Pattern delivered unto him in the Mount Exod. 22. Exod. 25.9 Deut. 5 5. Act. 6.11 called therefore the Law of Moses and Moses We have heard blasphemous words against Moses ye have one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust So the Archangel was the Minister of God to the People not the Mediator 2. Because the Archangel sustained the very Person and Majesty of God and therefore spake not as an Embassador or Messenger for every Embassadour distinguisheth his own Person from the Person of his Master that sent him and speaketh not in his own name but in the name of the Prince or State that imployed him whom he also represents But the Archangel spake as if God himself were present without other Angels to attend him Whereas it is said that the Commandments were delivered by the hand of Moses it is as much as to say by his Ministery because the Hand is the greatest Instrument of working Exod. 32.15 and 34.29 So the two Tables are said to be written by the Finger of God and were delivered into Moses's hand But the Judgments and Ceremonies which made up the greater bulk of the Law so passed through Moses's hand as that he wrote them in a Book The hand writing of Ordinances which was against us Exod. 24.4 Heb. 9.19 Deut. 31.9 10. Col. 2.14 and contrary unto us was nailed to the Cross of Christ So they were written by Moses the Mediator of the first Testament and cancelled by
prove that Testament so far as by his Death he is both a Mediator and Testator of that Testament so that a Mediator and Testator in respect of the same Testament are not functions inconsistent and incompatible but may easily though not usually concur in the same Person But this of Christ his Confirmation of his Father's Testament is an act extraordinary as may be amongst some men by Priviledge because of his Substitution to die in God's stead that could not die to Confirm that Testament of God whereof he was Mediator and Heir and therein to confirm God's League or Covenant with Mankind whereof he was the Agitator and Mediator also Christ therefore may be called the Testator though he was not the Author of the New Testament because he was the main Instrument and VVitness to spread it in his Father's Name who appointed him to die in his stead For we commonly attribute the same Action both to the Agent who is the pure Cause of it and to the Instrument who is the Means of it But really and truly what is done by the order and appointment of another is done by him that appointed him as in Acts of Proxies Deputies Vicegerents and Procurators or Attorneys of all sorts as to Marriages Livery and Seisin Instalments Inductions c. For it is a most true Rule in Law Quod quis facit per alium videtur facere per se VVhat a man does by another it is his own Act and Deed. So God is the Testator and Christ is in God's stead as his Deputy and Vicegerent in the place of his Father in that sense is the Testator also The CONTENTS Christ's Offering One God to Mediate to One Man to Mediate for One God and Man to Mediate One Ransom to Mediate by Christ a Man Christ the greatest and truest High-Priest Christ offered Self TITLE IV. Of Christ's Priesthood CHRIST Mediates the Business of Man's Salvation not only by Dying for God which may be done for a Man for even for a Righteous man some would even dare to die for the Confirmation of his Testament But also Christ's Offering By offering up himself in the same Death as an High-Priest to be a Sacrifice for the sins of the VVorld and to bring his own Blood into the Holie of Holies in heaven as an High-Priest to offer it unto God and thereby to make way for us to the Mercy-Seat through the Veil of his Flesh by that new and living way for access unto God by him for Grace sufficient to help us in the time of all our need And also as an High-Priest continually to make Intercession for us at the Right hand of his Father In this Great Subject therefore of Christ's Mediatorship for further illustration and proof I consider these four Points 1. One God to Mediate to 2. One Man to Mediate for 3. One God and Man to Mediate 4. One Ransom to Mediate by One God to Mediate to I. Because though many are called Gods and Lords many yet there is but one Most High God blessed for evermore One Prime Cause of all Causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Being of all Beings 2. Because one God is offended by all 3. Because one God is able to punish 4. Because one God able to forgive 5. Because one God able to reward II. One Man to Mediate for i. e. One Mankind One Man to mediate for Heb. 2.16 made after God's likeness Male and Female all of one Flesh Verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham So only Man is capable of Reconciliation with God III. One God and Man to Mediate One God and Man to mediate Many Mediators and Intercessors there are and may be but there is but one Mediator and Intercessor between God and Man 1. Because it is most requisite for a mixt Person that is both God and Man to interpose betwixt God and Man 2. Because in Christ only God is absolutely well pleased and therefore whatsoever he doth or suffereth it is absolutely satisfactory And there is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved but only by the Name of JESUS I am the Way and the Truth and the Life Act. 4.12 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 10.7 9. and no man cometh to the Father but by me and he that entreth in any other way is a Thief and a Robber I am the door of the Sheep c. If Christ were like God only he should be too far from Man Aug. if like Man only he should be too far from God Therefore no Saints nor Angels must come into this work IV. One Ransom to Mediate by One Ransom to mediate by Because one Sacrifice once offered was All-sufficient for ever and no other could be accepted Socinus ventures hardly upon this Rock which shivers him in pieces degrading the dignity of Christ's Mediatorship in making him 1. Only a Teacher of the Perfect rules of Righteousness 2. Only a Guide and Example of Holiness and Sufferings But the Scriptures teach that Christ's Mediation consists in these Particulars 1. In consenting to accept of this great Office 2. In actually taking our Nature upon him for that purpose 3. In fulfilling the Law 4. In Suffering to Death 5. In Preaching Repentance 6. In Rising from the Dead 7. In Ascending into Heaven 8. In entring into the True Sanctuary 9. In offering himself there unto God 10. In sending his Holy Spirit 11. In the Ministry of Reconciliation 12. In Intercession at God's Right hand 13. In coming to Judgment Thus Christ expiates and propitiates for Sin by one offering up of himself once offered he perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified being the Captain and finisher of their Salvation through Sufferings Christ a Man This Great Captain High-Priest and Bishop of our Souls that he might more aptly mediate on our behalf was made a little Lower as we are than the Angels and as our Brother took part of our Flesh and Blood that through his Death he might destroy Death and Sin and the Devil that had the Power of Death to keep us under it by the Law and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto Bondage Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a Merciful and Faithful High-Priest to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted A Man therefore Christ must be that must die for Man and not an Angel Heb. 5.1 2 3 4 5. For every High-Priest is taken from among Men and ordained for Men in things pertaining unto God that he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for Sins Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself is compassed with Infirmity and by reason hereof he ought
7.21 by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever This Oath proves the Matter sworn to be great and immutable as very good and acceptable to God so that the thing must not be altered or undone both in regard of the Oath and of the goodness of it The Priests of Aaron's Order were many and changeable Heb. 7.23 24. but Christ's Priesthood is of one Himself unchangeable For he is in a Divine and blessed Estate in Heaven God blessed for evermore Christ is a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec Heb. 7.1 Because Christ is a Royal Priest and a Singular and Eternal Priest Christ a Royal Priest as Melchisedec was and a Prophet and I dare not say Melchisedec was not so Christ offered up himself in his own Person Christ Priest and Sacrifice Heb. 8.1 being both the Priest and the Sacrifice and by this oblation of Himself once offered he expiated or purged away our sins and the guilt and punishment of them The slaughter of this Sacrifice was made on Earth upon the Cross but the offering of the Sacrifice was made in Heaven at his appearance in the presence of God for us As the Levitical Priest after the Sacrifice was slain without entered into the Sanctuary to offer the blood of it The Levitical Priest when he went into the Oracle where God was said to dwell and sit between the Cherubims did not sit down with God between the Cherubims but stood as a Minister or Waiter with great reverence of the Divine Majesty offering and sprinkling that blood wherewith he entred But Christ ascending up on high and entring into Heaven did not stand before the Throne of God as a Minister or Suppliant but sat himself down at the Right-hand of God's Majesty not as by way of an Assistant to God as Nobles and Counsellers do to Earthly Princes but as a Co-regnant to reign with him having an absolute Kingship over all things 2. Because Christ ministers in the true heavenly Sanctuary Christ ministers in Heaven where God himself doth really and truly dwell There doth Christ minister by executing God's Decrees by ordering heavenly things and whatsoever pertains to God's heavenly worship and service commanded in the New Covenant If Christ were on earth he should not be a Priest at all Heb. 8.4 for there he could not finish his offering because out of his proper Sanctuary which is Heaven For on Earth there are Priests allready which Terrene Priests do offer according to the Law there the shadows of Heavenly things the pattern or sample of them which was shewed to Moses in the Mount SECTION II. The Tabernacle under the first Covenant was imperfect Tabernacle Imperfect 1. Because the Sanctuary where these services were acted Sanctuary a Worldly Manufacture was a worldly Manufacture and the Vessels therein were Handy-works as the Candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread in the first Vail and in the second or Holiest of all was the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant and the Golden-pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant and the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-Seat Ordinances Arbitrary 2. Because the Ordinances or Institutions of Divine Service therein were Arbitrary and Positive depending on the sole will and pleasure of the Law-maker in themselves indifferent and might be done any other way but all Services must be performed not after the Servant's pleasure but after the Lord's good-will and liking to whom the Services are done The Priests therefore went into this first Tabernacle to accomplish the daily Service as to burn Incense on the Golden Censer to order the Shew-bread and light up and mend the Lamps c. But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year at the solemn Fast of Expiation Lev. 16. Not without blood yea with blood only So that the offering was in the Holy of Holies as Christ his offering was in Heaven This offering he made for his own and the Peoples Errors which must needs be many in such variety of Ceremonies and multitudes of other Laws Way to Holiest not made In that no Man might enter into the Most holy place but the High-Priest and he but once a year we may observe hereby the Imperfection of this Old Covenant and the Infelicity of those Times For the Holy Ghost by whose instinct all these things were ordered did hereby signifie That the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing but when this Tabernacle was taken down then the Way to the heavenly Tabernacle lay open and all men rush into it and the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Hence at Christ's Death the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom to shew that now no man might be kept out from entring into the Holy place Christ first enters the Holy place But first Christ our High-Priest must enter in and hath entred in and thereby opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Faithful enter at the Last day Into this Heavenly Sanctuary none are actually entred but Christ but all the Faithful have a Right to enter in when they have first put off the rags of their Mortal nature and waited in the Receptacles of Rest appointed for their Souls and Bodies till the Mediator and High Priest call them forth at the Day of Judgment to take possession of that Inheritance which he hath purchased for them saying Come ye Blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you SECTION III. Services Imperfect Heb. 9.9 And that these Services were imperfect appears in that they could not make them that did the Services perfect as pertaining to their Consciences to purge away their Sins which polluted their hearts and made them guilty of temporal and eternal Death but served only to purge away those Sins which defiled the Flesh and made the party unclean and liable to Death temporal There wanted therefore a Reformation when all things concerning the true Worship and Service of God should be revealed for the clearing of all Sins and Punishments in this World and that which is to come When this Time came then Christ shewed himself an High-Priest of good things to come i. e. a perfect expiation of all Sins and eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats Heb. 9.13 and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God And all this was done in Heaven where he offered by his Eternal Spirit and power of and Endless life living for ever to make Intercession for his People For the purging
and purity of an Evangelical spirit We dwell too much upon outward and carnal things which are lawful as of Water in Baptism Bread and Wine in the Communion Fasts and Feasts Rites and Ceremonies Penances Judgments Prosperities and stretch them too far or lay too hard a stress upon them The two Sacraments ordained by Christ and the other decent Orders of the Church for edification and the Dispensations of outward Punishments and Blessings are reverently to be observed and practised but not in the outside and Gaiety only to move humiliation and fear but in the intrinsecal and essential virtue to create spiritual Communion Love Joy and hope of Glory To use Rites is comely and for Edification but to multiply them to distraction is Jewish and Paganish and of it self a dead way without any spirit or life at all Covet therefore after the best of Gifts and behold I shew unto you a more excellent way to make it our meat and drink to do the will of God to fulfil all Righteousness outward but not to rest there but to taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the VVorld to come and to have our Spirits throughly exercised to discern the Truth in all Shadows I will not slight but reverence every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake and for Conscience sake I will read and hear and see the description of Christ in a Book or Sermon or Picture but I will come nearer to Christ and close in my Soul with his Spirit I will be ravished with his Love that died for me and rose again and admire and draw a Curtain and be silent when I cannot describe nor imagine the infiniteness of his Shames and Glories Call me to Joy and Gladness after I have tried all other waies and to a constant walking with God and full Assurance of Heaven 1. Because Christ hath entred into his Temple and opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 2. Because Christ hath offered and presented himself to God for all his Saints 3. Because Christ sits and rules in Heaven and by his Spirit in all Saints and over all his and their Enemies 4. Because Christ as a Prophet teacheth us and leads us into all Truth 5. Because Christ makes Intercession for us 6. Because Christ will come again in great glory to raise from the Dead to Judge and to call to the full possession of Glory And this practice is truly and solidly comfortable unmixt with Carnal VVorship or VVorldly Policy Nothing but honesty and love in all this no scandal of the Cross because of the ample recompence of Reward No true and proper Priest Prophet or King but Christ All Priests and Prophets and Kings in Christ who is all in all God blessed for evermore The Second Use therefore is to conform to his Exaltation and Glory The CONTENTS Victory over Sin Imputation of Righteousness Jural Righteousness Reasons of Victory over Sin Light conquers Darkness Sin no Native Propension in Nature to its proper state Genuine Nature of the Spirit Superior Faculties predominate Active Co-operation Christ's Victory over Law Outward Covenant of Works Inward state of Mind Alive to Sin Dead to Law Carnal Liberty to Sin Legal Perfection Our Victory over Law Grace stronger than Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Man object of God's Love Christ's Pleading undeniable to God Christ's Victory over Death Victory procured meritoriously by Christ's Death Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith Our Victory over Death Sin conquered Law conquered Devil conquered Christ entred into the Holy of Holies TITLE VIII Of Christ's Exaltation CHRIST's Resurrection manifested his Death to be effectual against Sin 1 Cor. 15.57 Law and Death else our Faith had been in vain and we yet in our sins For he was delivered to death for our sins and rose again for our Justification Ro. 4. If Death had held him then neither Sin nor Law nor Death nor Satan that hath the power of Death had been conquered and then Sin and Law and Death and Hell must have held us for ever This therefore is the greatest of all Christ's Miracles for the World to believe him to be a perfect Saviour which without it could never have been believed This takes away all scandal of the Cross for we worship not one was as the Jews call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Crucified or Staked-God But when the Lord was Risen then Faith revived The Disciples thought this had been he which should have restored the Kingdom to Israel but he was dead and buried and therefore all their hopes of that ever coming to pass were dead and buried with him But now he is Risen from the Dead both theirs and ours is risen up again with him who though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God Christ's Resurrection assures us of Life after death of which the World was never assured before 'T is he that hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 Who after he had overcome the sharpness of Death did open the Kingdom of heaven to all Believers The Reasons of Philosophy to prove the Soul's Immortality and the Bodie 's Resurrection though demonstrative enough yet are so thin and subtil that they glide and slip away quickly from Vulgar Apprehensions But Christ his Soul being in Paradise during the Body's abode in the Grave and his Resurrection Appearances and Conversations and Visible Ascension into heaven do put the matter out of question and more strongly affect Vulgar minds By and after Christ's Resurrection he was made Lord and Christ King and Saviour Christ's Oeconomical Kingdom is calculated from the Epocha of his Resurrection and Ascension and sitting at the Right hand of his Father in heaven Let all the house of Israel know assuredly Act 2.36 that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted on his Right hand Act. 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour He humbled himself to the Death Phil. 2.9 even to the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. All Power is given to me both in Heaven and Earth Matth. ult 1 Cor. 15.27 God hath put all things in subjection under Christ's feet the Vicegerent of God a Mediatorious King till he hath put down all Rule and all Authority and Power and hath delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all and in all A great Comfort that one of our Flesh and tempted as we and therefore knows the better how to pity us and succour us when we are tempted A great Comfort that our Flesh is in Heaven already as
the Language of the Scripture and the Sense thereof and therefore may be understood and they that give their minds to it are found able to express themselves in it very well to the great comfort of themselves and others Obj. But how shall I partake of Christ and the Benefits of his Death Passion and Resurrection Sol. By the easie and only way of Credence Acceptation Covenanting and keeping Faith with God agreeable to the mind of the Spirit and renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil Care must be taken for the Soul more than for the Body If God had asked some great thing must thou not have done it How much more when he saith Believe only and thou shalt be saved Ask and you shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you If there be first a willing mind it is accepted of God according to what a man hath and not according to what a man hath not If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature And God giveth his holy Spirit to those that ask him So Christ by his Death and Resurrection hath externally conquered Sin Law and Death for all men So Christ by his Spirit doth internally conquer Sin Law and Death in every believing Soul and creates inherent holiness therein So by Faith the Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us to be the Righteous Sons and Heirs of God by Grace and Adoption as Christ is by Nature and Generation So by the Spirit of Faith we are inherently sanctified in Love and Good Works which maintains and upholds our Justification by Faith So Imputed Righteousness by Faith is our external Righteousness of the Spirit of Righteousness or Justification to Eternal Life So our Inherent Righteousness by Works is the inward Sanctification of the Spirit of Holiness In all this Book I have laboured to demonstrate Christ's Mediation between God and us especially as he is an High Priest I. In the outward Temple on Earth preparing himself for a Sacrifice by the sufferings and death of his Flesh II. In the inward Temple of Heaven by finishing the Sacrifice in the oblation of his blood to God He entred into the out ward Temple by his Birth and there he suffered and died He went out of the outward Temple by his Resurrection He entred into the Inward Temple by his Ascension and there he ministers as a Priest 1. By offering or presenting himself unto God by his Eternal Spirit 2 By Intercession at the Right hand of God 3. By Teaching and instructing of his Church 4. By Protecting and ruling by his Spirit He shall come out of the Inward Temple at the last day 1. To Judg of all that are capable of the Inheritance devised by God in his last Will. 2. To Admit and give Possession as an Executor of God's Testament 3. To give up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all in all The Head being thus entred into Heaven gives assurance for the Members to follow after In the mean time 1. They have a Right to enter 2. They do enter by Faith 3. They wait by Hope for a full entrance The Soul waits after death in Paradise Abraham's Bosome The Body waits in Corruption No Oblation ever pleased God but this of Christ No Oblation pleased God but Christ's Because Pure and Holy High and Heavenly and prepared by God himself For 1. The Person is heavenly that offers 2. The Sacrifice is heavenly that is offered 3. The Spirit is heavenly by which it is offered 4. God is heavenly to whom it is offered 5. The Place is heavenly wherein it is offered 6. The Blessings are heavenly for which it is offered Dead Sacrifices were fit for the Dead Law Living Sacrifices fit for the Living Law Earthly Sacrifices were fit for the Earthly Law Heavenly Sacrifices fit for the Heavenly Gospel No True Priest Altar Sacrifice or Temple but Christ We are Priests have Altars Sacrifices and Temples but all in Christ and in his stead do all offer all in his Name All was Earthly Typical and Carnal under the Law All is Heavenly Mystical and Spiritual under the Gospel 1. Baptism is the sprinkling of the Soul with the blood of Christ and the washing of the Holy Ghost 2. Communion is the Spiritual eating of the Flesh and drinking of the blood of Christ by Faith 3. Prayer is the Act of the Soul towards God 4. Conversation is in Heaven 5. The Kingdom of God is within us ruling and subduing our Lusts 6. The Kingdom of God is above us Triumphing 7. The Temple of God is within us in our Souls and Bodies offered a Living Sacrifice to God 8. Temple of God is above us in Heaven with Christ Every one that comes to God must offer Every one that comes to God must offer 1. Christ comes to God and offers Himself 2. Christians come to God and offer Themselves Religion is an Offering to God of our selves our Goods and Actions Atheism makes no acknowledgment by offering to God either our Selves our Goods or Actions Atheists live and die to themselves without God in the World All that offer in Christ are accepted of God for Christ's sake All that offer to God and all that is offered to God must be pure as God is pure Offering is an Acknowledgment of Subjection of Thankfulness of Liberality To God to Princes to Priests that are in God's stead Christian Religion most Spiritual and Glorious The Christian Religion is most spiritual and glorious 1. Christ the Author of it is God and Man Humbled in Sufferings and Death Exalted in Resurrection Ascention and Session at the Right Hand of God 2. The Gospel of Christ is the full Revelation of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and the most perfect Rule of Holiness 3. Christ's kingdom is over all inwardly in our hearts outwardly over our bodies and over all creatures 4. By Christ a new Creation new Heavens and a new Earth and new creatures 5. Christians are sons and heirs of God abstracted from Jewish and Heathenish Rites and from all carnal and profane conversation pilgrims strangers on earth wise to salvation pious to God righteous to men perfect as God is perfect Christianity is quite another thing than the World takes it to be 1. No carnal worship therein Altars Masses Idols Pilgrimages Reliques Sackcloth Ashes Whippings Crosses c. Exotick Paganish 2. No worldly Policy therein Infallibility Supremacy Miracles Pomps c. Cheats Spirituality Innocency Heavenly-mindedness Simplicity Obedience Love Quietness Chastity Temperance Patience Prudence Meekness Faith Hope c. are the Laws and Customs of the Church The scandal and shame of the Cross offends the World but was endured and despised by Christ and is endured and despised by Christians having an eye as Christ had to the recompense of the Reward and to the price of the High Calling
and all the sufferings of this world are not reckoned worthy of the glory that shall be revealed The glory of the Resurrection Ascention and Eternal Salvation is the only hope of Christianity No Mediator Priest Prophet or King in Heaven or in Earth No Mediator but Christ but Christ 1. Priests Prophets or Kings alive on earth we pray not to nor to God in their Names They cannot forgive sins nor will God for their sakes and they must die 2. Priests Prophets or Kings departed whose Souls live with God in Rest but not in the highest Glory we pray not to nor to God in their Names Because they cannot know our wants Because they cannot help us Because they are our fellow servants Because no Mediation by Priest Prophet nor King but in Heaven where Mediation should be and where they are not nor can be till they are brought thither by Christ to the general assembly of the spirits of Just men made perfect The end of all Christ's Mediation is to bring us to God End of Christs Meditation to bring us to God 1. By Faith here to have a present Right 2. By Sight hereafter to have a full fruition For we were strangers to God before and could not be reconciled nor come near to God but by Christ there being no other name given under Heaven by which we could be saved but only by the name of Jesus The Holiest of all is prepared for Man by the Man Christ Jesus He enters not for himself but for us His it was from everlasting but becoming a Mediatour he entreth for himself and all mankind The Creature hath an holy boldness to enter into the Presence of the Creatour by Christ's blood What Dust and Ashes What a Worm Can Man see the face of God and live Yes by that man of men Christ Jesus What is man that God should so regard him or that he should have such great respect unto him Who shall dwell with the devouring fire or who shall dwell with everlasting burnings He that hath a pure heart and hath washed his hands in innocency But who can say he is pure that is born of a Woman Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one God charged his Angels with folly and found imperfection in the best of his Saints how much more in man which is a worm and the son of man which is a worm Behold then what manner of love this is with which God hath loved us that we should be called the sons of God! But who hath believed our Report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed Now what will you do that hear this Gospel Is there a God to go unto or no Will you go to this God or no Shall we pipe unto you and will ye not dance Shall we mourn unto you and will ye not weep Shall we become all things to all of you and will ye not be saved Shall we expose the spiritual wares of God to sale without money and without price and will ye not buy at this cheap rate As the Sybil offered her books and being refused burnt some and asked more and at last burnt them all so will the Gospel being rejected be for ever lost as a pearl that is cast before Swine Then must we shake off the dust of our feet to testifie against you You would not come unto Christ that you might have life The word was brought near unto you even into your hearts that ye might believe in it and do it Christ stood at the door of your hearts but ye would not let him in ye counted your selves unworthy ye rejected the counsel of God against your selves ye despised all and in this your day refused to know the things that belonged to your peace and therefore they are for ever hidden from your eyes for Salvation it self cannot save those that will not be saved Conclusion To Conclude this Whole Book After the consideration of Christ's Person and Office of Mediation as Priest Sacrificing and Offering himself we have great cause to glory in the profession of such a Saviour Gal. 6.14 And what have we truly to glory in save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world Cross to be gloried in A Cross is a thing not naturally to be gloried in 1. Because it is not joyous at all but rather grievous to flesh and blood 2. Because it is a shameful and accursed thing But Spiritually it may and ought to be gloried in 1. Because it is comfortable to the Spirit and worketh the peaceable fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 2. Because it is conformable to Christ Rom. 5.3 4. For this cause we joy in Tribulations knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed They rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake 3. Because God is glorified thereby 4. Because of the great Effects of Christ's Cross Rom. 8.32 1. Christ is crucified for the world the Just for the Unjust God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us who made his Soul an offering for sin 2. The World is crucified to us The World is God's work Good Alive Blessed Beautiful Heaven and Earth The things of the World are Satan's work Evil Dead Cursed Ugly Vanities Pomps the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of Life All these are crucified to us and Satan the God of this world bruised under our feet and Death and Hell utterly broken 3. The Saints are crucified to the world The Old man is crucified not the Man but the Oldness of the man The New man quickened not the Man but the Newness of the man We glory therefore in the object the Cross and in the effect thereof Crucifixion 1. The object the Cross Things gloried in are commonly of another nature as 1. Knowledg which puffeth us 1 Cor. 8.1 Liberalium Artium cognitio sibi placentes facit the knowledg of Liberal Arts and Sciences is greatly pleasing to us Nullus Animae suavior Cibus there is nothing relisheth better to the Soul Yet comparatively to saving knowledg it is Scientia Contristans he that encreaseth knowledg encreaseth sorrow and it is a weariness to the Flesh a knowledg without an Head The fear of the Lord only rejoyceth the heart 2. Greatness and Prosperity Decet res secundas superbia Pride naturally follows prosperity and Honour makes men look big and brow-beat others These and such like are gloried in with a carnal glory The Cross is either Outward or Inward Cross Outward and Inward 1. The Outward Cross is the Wood and Nails Spears and Thorns and Whips c. belonging thereunto All these are gloried in with a carnal glory And indeed the Flesh of man that is the outward man even as to religious
concernments is much pleased with them that after a little pain and patience there may be the greater indulgence unto carnal things for which they quickly hope for expiation by carnal sufferings A great cheat in carnal Religion Thus the outward man is much pleased 1. With the History of the Cross of Christ 2. With the pictures of the Cross of Christ and sheds many a melting tear at the actings of this Tragedy 3. With Whippings Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages c. Col. 2.18.23 A voluntary humility a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility in neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh 2. The Inward Cross is the power and virtue of Christ's death the spirit of Mortification and Self-denial the Spirit the Inward Man is much delighted with these exercises of the Spirit the Mystery of Christ's Cross the Memory and Love of Christ crucified the Joy and patience of suffering for Christ 2. The Effect of the Cross Crucifixion Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by Outward Cross which is 1. Procured and merited for us by the outward Cross and Passion Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ for us By these is Salvation from the victory of Sin Death and Hell all conquered by Christ Propitiation and Attonement made Security from the barr of Justice that Scopulus Reorum and Curse of Law Solus calcavit Torcular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ trod the Wine press of God's wrath alone no Angel nor Man to help him He left nothing undone that he might be the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings 2. Wrought and effected to us and in us by the Inward Cross and Passion of Christ sacrificed and offered in us This is the spirit and power of his death the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Philosophy 1. Philosophy did combate much with sin Vertue kills Vice Reason destroys Passion Brave Seneca cries out like a Christian O when shall I see the day when all my Passions shall be subdued and that I shall say Vici I have overcome them Christianity 2. Christianity much more more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ Thanks be to God which hath given us Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only be valiant and of a good courage Flie from sin as from a serpent resist the Devil and he will flie from you stand still and see the salvation of God This power of the Cross will do our work for us and in us this death destroys death this is to conquer by suffering Depressu Resurgo the more kept down the more we rise A Divine virtue in Christ's sufferings a great conquest made by the Son of God in his own person for us in our persons for our selves under him and by him From hence we have power to conquer Sin Law Satan Death I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Hence we overcome the world are dead unto it using the world as if we used it not this is our victory even our Faith this is Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion with Christ Regeneration a New Creature Thus Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified to himself a people zealous of Good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that they might obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus It is not therefore good to glory in Carnal things such as Eloquence Wit Beauty Health Honour Riches c. It is not good to glory in Carnal Religion such as are 1. Ceremonies Judaical or Heathenish 2. Ordinances Opus operatum Prayers Fastings Hearings c. It is good to glory in Spiritual things such as are Faith Love Hope Patience Joy Peace Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce But this is counted no Joy but Melancholy or Religious Madness in Sequestrations from worldly Policies and Glories and Conversation wit God and our own Souls The gaieties of this world affect the senses and they are counted little better than stark Fools that prefer undiscerned contentations of the spirit before them When Paulinus a Young Noble Man and Senatour of Rome renounced the World and became a Christian the whole City wondred at it and all the Wits jear'd at his retirement from the splendour of the Court What a Gallant so young ex illâ formâ ex illâ prosapiâ illâ indole so beautiful of such a family and of such ingenuity and leave all his companions and pleasures Such men are counted mad men and weary of their lives scorning the delights of Nature Paula and Melania two Noble Ladies left their honours and estates for the Cross This was presently Table-talk for all Rome St. Paul so noble so learned so honour'd as he was counted all but Loss and Dung to gain Christ was as a man crucified and dead unto the world the world had no favour for him nor he for the world so is a Christian not of this world dead to it looks to higher things As the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans so Christians have not their conversation with the world As a man Proscribed is pursued from place to place hiding his head so is a Christian As a Woman divorced from the Bed and Board of her Husband lives still in the family walks up and down like a shadow hath food and clothing only upon courtesie but no countenance from her Husband nor respect from her children nor command over her servants So are those that take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Cast therefore your eye once more upon this great Mediator in all his Transactions Here 's a Conception Birth Life Cross Death Here 's a Resurrection Ascention Entrance and Oblation in the Holy Place Session and Intercession And what a coming to Judgment will that be at the Last Day How is all this apprehended Why was all this Action and Passion Shame and Glory Was not a Deity offended and thereby appeased How Affected what Joy what Sorrow what Hope what Faith what Obedience what Thankfulness what Love what Oblation of all that we are and have and all nothing to what is due from us but is all accepted of God More would a Soul inflamed with divine love do or suffer She cannot do what she would but she will do what she can and throw her self into the arms of her dear Lord praying him to accept her as she is and make her such as he would have her for to be for his own great Mercies sake I. Christ the true Sacrifi◠and Priest Christ therefore is the Absolute and true Sacrificer and Sacrifice in se per se in himself and by himself 1. Because he only perfectly pleased God This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He only was without sin he only fulfilled the Will of his Father 2. Because he only is the cause of all our
of God have been thoughts of love and kindness in him all along from the beginning of the world but especially in the days of the Gospel And that God's love was always to mankind though not so clearly demonstrated as it is now by Christ How therefore this frowning face of terrors and amazements in his dealings here giving mortals no rest for the little space he hath afforded them to stay in this world and plunging them into eternal torments in the world to come can consist with the gentleness and justice of his nature I can in no wise be satisfied I am not able to conceive of a good Prince but that he will be always careful to preserve the lives and fortunes of his good Subjects and use all possible means to reduce the rebellions and still to be sparing of the blood of his People even where his Justice calls for it Nay every petty King of a Town or Family will do the same within the circuit of his power How much more then shall the Great and Gracious not only Potentate but Creator and Redeemer of the World hover over his poor creatures and servants for good and be infinitely and therefore inexpressibly tender of their Temporal and Eternal Wellfare But I am told that God reprobates the far greatest part of the world to shew the Glory of his Justice and absolute Soveraignty over his creatures And here I must cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depth and if I be one of these Cast-aways must be as the rest contented and for ever silent 'T is true I must if so and there can be no help for it nor must Mortals complain for who art thou O Man that thou shouldest dispute against God But how these men more than others of equal judgments should come to this pitch of Knowledg to determine this thing thus I cannot imagine nor whence they had this revelation And how this agrees with God's declaration of himself to be willing that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth and not to delight in the death of any Sinner will put them to a stand Well however it is I am sure that God is good and if God hath given men reason to understand what is Justice and Mercy how the wisdom of God though infinitely above should be as infinitely contrary to this our humane understanding will be very hard to conceive Still Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy in God or Man though in vast differences of degrees We shall never know how but we may always know that God is Just and can and will do us no wrong I take the safest side therefore I hope if I interpret humbly all his dispensations though seemingly never so harsh to be cum favore that if he do as certainly he does severely punish yet he will as graciously reward those that fear him for all their miseries in this life And if God inflicts as he doth the same Calamnities now under the Gospel as he did before under the Law yet it is in a different manner in the Church's Majority from what it was in her Minority And that though the former Dispensation was in wrath yet now it is in Grace and was always just Well let the Inhabitants of the earth work righteousness as well as they can and trust God for his Mercies and through the tender mercies of God they shall be sure never to miscarry I am certain Grace is Grace and above Wrath though I suffer never so much And that God does not dodgenor lie upon the catch with mankind to destroy them but rather waits for their conversion to save them I will trust in God therefore though I am never able to understand the reasons of his workings From henceforth I will never go about to measure the depths of God's Providences by the shallowness of my comprehensions I will be meditating and doing good and leave all to God But it is high time to leave this dreadful Subject of mis-representing God in his Counsels so fatal to mankind Gospel-Dispensations Let us see what other mis-understandings there are of God's Dispensations God was pleased suitably to the non-age of the Church to address himself very much to the lower faculties of the Soul and the outward senses that were nearest to them and did most affect them Therefore he ordained splendid Types solemn services and many miracles as the pillar of a Cloud and of Fire the walls of water in the Red Sea the burning Mount Sinai the tabernacle and rays of Glory visible therein the Temple c. But they which look for any such apparent Expressions of Divinity now mistake the Genius of a Gospel-Dispensation to a Church Adult and capable of higher Administrations All things since Christ's coming are managed in a sedate smooth and serene temper The mysteries of the Gospel came forth in plain and intelligible forms of Speech from Mount Sion without drawing the Soul into Raptures and Extasies of amazements God doth not fright men into heaven by visible Terrours God expects now a reasonable Service a Judicious Religion acted by the Spirit of Love and of a sound mind under the Graces Truths and Glories of a Gospel-state for ever to endure This Spirit of the Gospel arriving to our Spirits in this aimable and winning manner creates a generous Spirit above the Evils or Goods in this world resolved to go through them and overcome them and settle upon absolute Eternal Goodness When men's hopes and fortunes are most embarqued in the Ship of this World without Faith They are in continual fears of Shipwrack because then all is lost that is before their sense But when men's hopes and fortunes are all embarqued in one bottom of Divine Faith they are in continual Hopes and Assurances of arrival in the Haven of Glory because then all is found that was before their Spirit in the Eye of Faith This Hope so full of glorious and blessed Immortality hath supported the spirits of such as live by their Faith better than all the Fatality of the Stoicks or the Jollity of the Epicureans These can look Sin and Death in the face by the Spirit and not be daunted by the Flesh The high Religion of the Gospel teacheth higher things than ever that of Moses or the Law of Nature or Nations or Philosophy could do Reformation This great Reformation of Religion in the World Christ declared plainly to the woman of Samaria requiring of him as a Prophet to tell her the place of worship whether it was not to be upon Mount Gerizim in Samaria where the Fathers had worshiped and not in Jerusalem as the Jews believed Upon this occasion he told her that neither she nor the Samaritans her Country-men nor the Jews nor yet the Gentiles of the World should from that time ever trouble themselves about the place or manner of Divine worship For it should be neither confined to Samaria nor Judea but should
taken or received this is jus habere in them that have power to consent SECT VIII Creation 1. The creating all Rights as of all Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Being and Justice who giveth power unto men subordinately to make Laws and to do acts of Grace in imitation of that absolute Supremacy Legislative power and Prerogative that is in him alone this is Jurisfaction or making of Rights SECT IX Donation 2. The giving of all Rights as of Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Beings and Graces from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed who giveth power unto men to do acts of kindness and good will in imitation of that absolute Bounty and Liberality that is in him alone this is Jurisdation and Mercy SECT X. Declaration 3. The declaring of Rights is absolutely in God the fountain of all Wisdom who giveth power to men to know good and evil Right and Wrong that they might give every one his due in commuting just valuations and distributing proportionable rewards or punishments to vertue or vice in imitation of that infinite wisdom prudence justice and bounty that is in him eminently alone This is Jurisdiction and Justice SECT XI Faction 4. The Doing of Right is absolutely in God for there is none good but God the fountain of all goodness who giveth power unto men to do good and eschew evil by the practice of all vertue and honesty in imitation of that infinite goodness and integrity which is highly in him alone This is Righteousness and goodness SECT XII Reception The Taking of Right is absolutely in God who hath all right properly in and from himself who giveth power unto men to receive and take from him and them to whom he hath given Rights to such things as may be their own by free gift or law in imitation of that infinite possession and profit which is in him transcendently alone This is owning and enjoying Right SECT XIII Amongst all Rights whatsoever Justification the act of Justifying others unto Rights is the best and highest act of Justice or Judgment because it produceth or bringeth forth all original Rights as the parent or stock to the off-spring and branches that spring from the same For if he do right that either deals right or declares right much more doth he do right who creates that Right whereby actual Right is done by a neighbour to his neighbour or by a Judg to his Client When a Tenant pays thee his Rent he doth thee right but when thy Father gave thee thy Estate he did thee more right for he made that right and gave it to thee whereby thy Tenant doth thee right When I was questioned for my Living the Judg justified me by declaring me to have a good right thereunto but when my Patron presented me he justified me much more for he created and gave to me that right which the Judg declared me to have SECT XIV Of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour or benefit of every private person as they are in private capacity and society with themselves 2. Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of all persons as they are considered in publick capacity and communion with the State or Commonwealth which things are farther illustrated in the Civil Law In the Church of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour and profit of every particular person as Faith Justification Sanctification Love Hope Patience Temperance c Adoption Resurrection Ascension Glory SECT XV. 2. Publick Right Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of the whole communion of Saints and Body of Christ as 1. The Rights of Creation Protection Maintenance 2. The Rights of Redemption as Victory over World Flesh Death Devil 1. The Rights of Creation or Nature are common to all men good and bad and to all creatures and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be to the world's end And though the wicked amongst men are unrighteous legally and morally and therefore jurally have no spiritual Rights of the Gospel yet they are not unrighteous naturally to the use of the Creatures for food and raiment or temporal Dominion which are not founded upon Grace but upon natural and Civil Establishments Thus God left not the heathen that worshipped him not as God without Witness Act. 14.17 but gave them rain from heaven filling their hearts with food and gladness 1. The Rights of Redemption or Grace are peculiarly enjoyed by the Faithful only and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be world without end These Rights of Grace by Regeneration and a new Creature which were lost by the Fall of Adam are restored by the Redemption of the Second Adam Christ Jesus And all that have put off the Old man with the corruptions and lusts and have put on the New man which after Christ is renewed in righteousness and holiness are the righteous Heirs of God that have right to themselves and to their own spiritual actions and to the food and clothing of the Soul and all things that conduce to their everlasting welfare Rights are considered as private or publick 1. Natural in all natural Entities 2. Civil in all Corporations Politick 3. Religious in all Civil Communions 1. Singly to each person 2. Jointly in Divine or Humane Society SECT XVI Justice All Rights are Dues and may be claimed and Just and therefore Sacred and therefore not to be violated or profaned Because they are allowed to those to whom they do belong by the Laws of God and Man And therefore God forbid but every man should have his due that is his own Just Rights And this way of Justice and Honesty if it were trod in exactly would bring peace and quietness into the world and for want of it is all strife war and misery SECT XVII Rights to God My chiefest Rights of my Soul and Body Wife and Children Honour and Estate are of and to and from my God whose I am and all mine SECT XVIII Rights to Body and Soul My next Rights of my Soul and Body are to my self for I have Right to my self to be mine own for God hath given me my self my Soul and Body to be mine under him and for him and they are mine as they are his and therefore they are mine because they are his and because he hath given them to me and therefore he hath given them unto me which is his act and deed that I might give them again to him and this is my act and deed and so we have Rights interchangeably to each other And so I am contracted to my God and my God is contracted to me and I am his and he is mine I have interest in him and he
Atheism being a canker in my Estate and theirs and a poyson to me and their Souls that I have not fed my self or mine at all or as I ought or provided for my self or them at all or as I ought that I have not taught my self or them at all or as I ought But especially let not an army of strangers and of miserable persons made so by me come in against me to rail and curse me or go to God with strong cries and tears to help them from the wrongs that I have done them or call for vengeance from Heaven upon me for the same O these are lowd and bitter cries O they rent the very heavens O they come up to the ears of God day and night O what should I do or whether should I go if these Fatherless Widows Strangers should come in against me which God forbid or if the very brutes and inanimate creatures should find mouths to clamour to men to God and to the world against me And all this while which is worse I should cry lowdest against my self in a wounded Conscience which who is able to bear Therefore what ever I do what ever I suffer let me not eat the bread that should nourish others and for want of which they curse and starve Let me not be cloathed with the fleece that should keep others warm and for want of which their nakedness is discovered and they die for cold Let me not shelter my self under the roof of another which should be his castle to save himself nor let me possess the goods or lands of others which they of right should use or enjoy In a word Let none be hurt lamed killed deformed oppressed robbed spoiled or undone by me let no such stain be upon my honour in this world nor no such clog upon my soul to press it down in the world to come But rather let me truly say to my comfort and credit Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded I am innocent from the blood of all men I have endeavoured to get and keep a good Conscience in all things void of offence to God or Man which will bring me peace to my latter end and to all eternity O Adam Adam What inevitable wrongs are done by thee by the miseries and deaths brought upon all thy Race if not the sins by thy example at least the imputation for thy sake What inevitable damnation hast thou brought upon thy self and all men had not the second Adam procured salvation for thee and all men O sinful and cruel men What sins and miseries have you brought upon your selves your families and countries by making them to sin by making them to suffer in peace and war in plenty and want in health and sickness O all ye Oppressours Ranters Rebels and Tyrants How much is the world the worse for you How much is the Church the worse for you What waste and havock and spoil have beastly prodigal and barbarous men made upon the good creatures of God ransacked rifled and preyed upon by your pride and wantonness The first Adam lost all right The second Adam recovered all right God created all right and truth and the Devil created all wrong and falsehood These are the two principles of right and wrong good and evil SECT XXXII Collect. Moral Honesty not doubted of 2 Therefore though many revealed truths of faith are called into question and many natural causes are doubted of yet we cannot if we be in our wits make any just scruple of moral honesty no body can deny it he must put out the light of nature if he do which cannot be A spade must be a spade and honesty is honesty when all is done whether we will or no and goes through the world A true man is the only man when all is done that hath honour and conscience in him his enemies themselves being Judges So there can be no difference about honesty that there is and ought to be such a thing But what that thing is and where to find it what is Right and Truth and Wrong and False we cannot we will not agree but call Right Wrong Lyes Truth Evill Good Darkness Light and é contra Every Man will be in the right a common sin to flatter our selves in sin to preach of it praise it pray for it inveigh against evill commend good but act against it Every Man is as his phancy and passion guides him as his party and interest lyes so he judges so he acts so do States and Kingdoms so do Churches too What shall we do in this case how shall we know Right from Wrong that we may do right I answer 1. God hath shew'd it unto us in the light of Nature if we will open our eyes to see it there it is in the common principles thereof very plain 2. Princes from God have shew'd it unto us in their Laws taken from the Law of Nature for our temporal good 3. Priests from God have shew'd it unto us in God's Laws revealed by the Apostles and Prophets for our spiritual good For the Priest's lips preserve knowledg and God's Law is to be enquired of from their mouthes for the good of the Soul 4. Physicians from God have shew'd it unto us in their skill what is for the Body 5. Lawyers from God shew it unto us in their wisdom what is good good for our Estates But in all we are deceiv'd and lose the Right while it is before us holding the Truth in unrighteousness SECT XXXIII Therefore every Man must see with his own eyes Collect. 3. Use Reason and hear with his own ears and understand with his own heart as well as he can and God will help him Let the world know that to assert Infallibility is a cheat and to set up Supremacy is a cheat and to impose Antiquity in all things is a cheat But right Reason humble and unbiassed not excluding frailties is no cheat He that seeketh findeth he that asketh shall have and he that knocketh at Wisdom's gate shall enter in SECT XXXIV Two Guides God hath given to all Men. Reason of Nature 1. Reason of Nature in common principles Quaedam Jura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora saith Cicero There are some Laws which are not written but they are more certain than all the written Laws in the world This is the fountain of Right and it cannot at the same time send forth sweet waters and bitter This is the Treasure which God hath committed to the charge of every one to keep and improve SECT XXXV 2. Equity of conscience Equity of Conscience in common Conclusions drawn from the pure Truths These must guide us when positive Laws fail us Nec omne quod honestum est legibus praecipitur For not every thing that is honest is commanded by the Laws The reason is because Law-givers are not Diviners and Prophets to fore-see every contingent
an hereditary bondage to be drudges about the Temple Now therefore ye are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being Bond-Men Jos 9.23 and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God Such sinners are all they who are made heirs to the misery of their Parents those transgressors whose punishment the Law makes hereditary to pass upon themselves and consequently to descend unto their Children As the Sons of Achan Jos 7.24 25. who for their Father's Sacriledg were stoned to death in the Vally of Achan And the seven Sons of Saul who for their Father's cruelty were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord 2 Sam. 21.9 And the Sons of Gehezi 2 Kings 5.25 if he had any who for their Father's bribery were to be heirs of his Leprosy And all Mankind who for the transgression or Legal sin of Adam are made Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to be afflicted with death and mortality For by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 i. e. Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to lose the right of Paradise and Blessedness And this Jural Sinner is opposed to an owner Lastly such sinners as are oppressed by force fraud or colour of Law who are criminated by calumny and suffer death by an unjust Sentence as Bathsheba and Solomon in case Adonijah had prevailed for the Kingdom had been made sinners 1 Kings 1.12 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders Such a sinner is a Man who in dangerous times when terrible ones watch for iniquity is made an offender for a word Is 29.21 And with all Religious reverence be it written such a sinner was Jesus Christ who though he be very true God and true Man the truest and justest Man that ever lived who did no sin nor spake no guile yet he suffered as a sinner For He poured out his Soul unto death Is 53.12 and was numbred with the transgressors He was made a Quasi-transgressor and so handled God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin i. e. he who really was no sinner 2 Cor. 5.20 was made a Quasi sinner and was afflicted as a sinner Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us i. e. he who really was not a curse was made a Quasi-curse and was afflicted as if a cursed person These three several sinners the Legal the Moral and the Jural are not three opposit sorts of sinners so contradistinct that the one is repugnant to the other or that one sense excludeth the rest but they are different degrees of sinners whereof the one may be without the other and yet so consistent that they may all concurre in one and the same person For Christ was a sinner Jurally only but no way Legally nor Morally And Dives was a sinner Morally only not Legally for we read not that he was a transgressor against the Law nor Jurally for he had great Possessions But in the sight of God Men are sinners all three waies Legally Morally and Jurally being transgressors against the Law and offenders against Equity and Aliens Forreigners and Strangers to the rights priviledges and inheritances of the Kingdom of Heaven whereto Man as Man and as the Son of Adam hath no right interest or claim but is born and stands in the state of a Quasi trespasser and Quasi sinner Adam was created upright i. e. not a transgressor Legally nor a trespasser Morally and he was created an owner for upon his creation God gave him a humane right of Dominion over Fish Foul and Beasts But by virtue of his creation he had no Supernatural or Divine right for he had no right to Paradise and the Blessings thereof For when Adam was created Paradise was not yet planted but after the creation of Adam follow'd the plantation of Eden and God by putting Adam into Eden did further justify him for unto that right which was at first given him by Nature God superadded another right by Grace in setling and seating him in Paradise And this right was hereditary to him and his heirs But Adam by his transgression in offending against the Law of Paradise made himself a transgressor and all his heirs Quasi trespassers For the punishment or curse upon him for his transgression was his ejection and mortality which ejection and mortality descended also to all his Posterity For according to God's Contract with Adam and according to the rule of Equity and Reason sueing the Blessing was hereditary to him and his heirs therefore the curse also became hereditary to him and his heirs This affliction of Man or his ejection from Paradise and his mortality that now he is born to no divine inheritance but is born an out-cast from God's Blessing born a mortal Creature that must necessarily die this is the condition that makes Man a Quasi-trespasser and puts him into the state of a Jural sinner and this Quasi-trespasser or Jural sinner is the Man who in the next verse shall be justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ For the Person who is the proper subject of Justification is Man considered as a Jural sinnner not excluding his legal or moral sins from which he is also justified yet they unto his justifying are but accidental for although legally and morally he were never so righteous yet unless he be justified he cannot be saved for he is still a Jural or Quasi sinner 1. Because he is not a sinner actively by committing any act of sin as were the two former sinners who were offenders legally and morally by acting against Law and Equity but he is a sinner passively by suffering that loss or pain which is inflicted on him who is a sinner actively For the Verb Sinning is sometimes put passively for suffering as Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of Beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the loss of it where the Hebrew word is Chata i. e. I sinned for it 2. Because he is not a sinner really in whom sin is inherent but putatively to whom sin is imputed and who being innocent is reputed a delinquent and put into the state of a sinner that he may suffer that affliction which is the usual punishment of a sinner As the Beasts which the Law declared unclean were not in themselves unclean really and inherently but imaginarily and putatively for uncleanness was therefore imputed unto them that they might be forborn as if they had been really unclean 3. Because the fact which constituteth a Man thus a Quasi-sinner to be miserable and wretched is no act of his own but is either the act of some Law which justly imputeth unto him that sin whereof some other is guilty or is the act of some adversary who unjustly imputeth and chargeth upon him that sin whereof he is not guilty
still very shy to be kept they can hardly be lookt upon or handled they are desultorious and slippery and long to be gone from us But God sticks by us and delights to dwell with us A Servant abideth not in the house Joh. 8.35 but the Son abideth for ever Wisdom invites and courts all to her embraces O ye simple how long will ye love simplicity and ye fools delight in scorning Get wisdom get understanding wisdom shall preserve you understanding shall keep you Put her on as a Robe as a Crown as ornaments of gold and pretious stones and keep her as thy life God is not lapt up in the Ephod for the Priest alone nor wrapped up in the Diadem for the Prince alone All are equally concerned to enjoy God as well he that groveleth on the dunghil as he that sits on the Throne as well the dweller in the smoky Cottage as the Lord of stately Palaces The Gospel is preached to every Creature his Messengers are equally sent to the Captains and Scribes as to the common Souldiers that sit on the Wall God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Christ disdained not the society of Publicans and Sinners and the Kingdom of Heaven is pressed into by all sorts and the violent take it by force SECT XIII Good lovely 3. Because Good is lovely and amiable to all and praised by the worst because Nature teacheth all Men to reverence Virtue though they choose the contrary It striketh an awe into those that scorn it A Man of God a Magistrate carries such gravity in his Countenance and habit and Majesty in his life and Calling that his presence will daunt the stoutest Atheists and Ranters and stop their oathes and lewdness till Cato be gone they start at him and beg of him to depart out of their coast and pray him not to come among them to torment them The preaching of Paul of Justice and Judgment made Felix tremble Bonum tunc vincit cum laeditur tunc intelligitur cum arguitur When good is most opposed she conquers most and is then understood when she is reproved so hard a thing it is to loose the Instinct of Nature which when put by will come on with the greater force to our greater conviction and shame in refusing that good which is so obvious and easie to be practised and hunt after that evil which is more remote and painful to be performed Herod was troubled to cut of John Baptist's head because it was unjust and dishonorable yet for his Oath 's sake and those that were with him and to please a wanton Damsel in Point of Honour falsely so called he commanded it to be done contrary to his conscience and was troubled after he had done it when hearing of the famous works of Christ he cryed out it was John the Baptist that was risen from the dead Christ's innocency evicted Pilate's heart while his tongue condemned him saying to the People Be it as you require And yet he could not but say I find no fault in this Man The malice of Tyrants raged against the Martyrs to kill them while their innocency acquitted them even in the Judgments of their murtherers fain would they have spar'd their lives if they would but conform to their idolatrous courses so contrary to nature for an Idol is nothing there is no reason in Nature for it nor in many other things which unreasonable and unnatural Men presume to do Wicked Men are glad when they can get companions in their sins and glory most when for fear of torments they can bring godly Men over to their ungodly courses thinking thereby to strengthen themselves in their sin and to salve their own sores and lull the loud cries of their conscience condemning them for what they do What Traitor ever praised Rebellion and what Devil will not commend a Saint Let me die the death of the Righteous saith the most profane and let my last end be like unto his yet they will not give themselves leave to do that which in reason they allow to be good and just so strongly are Men confuted by themselves and so powerful is the Law of Nature in all Men. Besides what satisfaction ever had any wicked Man in his wicked courses Eat drink and be merry take thine ease let loose the reins to all licentiousness beat at every bush crown thy head with Rose-buds before they be withered taste of all the delights of the Sons of Men will this do in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful Vanity of vanities saith even Nature it self all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Nothing can fill the heart but God nothing can comfort but a good conscience Lastly to make all sure remember that undeniable principle of Reason mentioned in the first Book and first Title of the first Volume to be written with Letters of Gold and to be engraven in the Rock with the point of a Diamond for ever which is this That every Action that is in our Power to do or not to do is imputable to us and may justly be imputed to us by God or Man But on the contrary every Action that is not in our power to do or not to do is not imputable unto us nor can be justly imputed to us by God or Man That is not of debt to the hurt of any but of Grace it may be imputed for their good For favours may be imputed where they are not due But sins and plagues can never be imputed but only where they are due The Rule is unquestionable It is impossible rightly to lay the guilt of sin upon any Man unless he by his own individual Act of will hath made himself guilty of the transgression of a known Law If this be true then consider what rightly follows Vide l. 7. T. 3. of Christ's feudal Kingdom Sect. A publick person c. SECT XIV Argumenta Laciniata Aculeata 1. God pardoned Adam's sin upon his repentance Ergo he suffered not for it any more than a temporal death which was threatned him how then shall his Children be unpardoned and suffer any more than a temporal death threatned in Adam to all his posterity 2. Our Birth is involuntary and without our knowledg how then born in sin involuntary and unknown except God by decree included our knowledg and wills by interpretation How can these things be No being no life no Action no Understanding no Will. Then we must charge God who makes us consent before we were or could consent 3. Our will was fast asleep in its causes The cause of our will is God's will not Adam's will The Soul is immediately created and infused by God Ergo was not in Adam's Soul 4. God did not punish the Devils but for their own most perfect choice why are Men punished for no choice 5. If Adam had notice of the Law what notice had we
up I will draw all men after me Where the Carkass is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Ye shall sit on twelve Thrones Ro. 6.5 judging the twelve Tribes of Israel The Saints shall judge the World If we have been planted with him in the likeness of his Death we shall also be planted with him in the likeness of his Resurrection Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the Baptism that I shall be baptized with Math. 20.22 Ye shall indeed drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and ye shall be baptized with the Baptism that I shall be baptized with and so they shall sit on his right and on his left in his kingdom for whom it shall be prepared SECT VI. Great mistakes about the two Covenants of God 1. The Law of Innocency or Works was made with Adam to do Gods will if not upon the least breach to die without hope of pardon upon Repentance 2. The Law of Grace was made with Adam to do Gods will if not to obtain pardon upon Faith and Repentance by Christ in whom God rendred himself reconcileable to deliver from death due by the law of Works This Covenant of Grace was renewed to the Patriarchs especially to Abraham David and the Prophets but especially manifested by Christ to all men The Errour of the Jewish Christians was to hope for Justification by the Covenant of Works without Faith Christ was the head Party in this Covenant made with Adam and all Mankind who are or may be the seed of Christ by believing and Christ by being born under the Law answers the Law by fulfilling it for all his Seed and takes away the Curse and brings in Blessedness by the Covenant of Grace SECT VII Covenant of Grace made with all men And that this Covenant of Grace was made with all men is demonstrated by these Reasons 1. Because the Parties of a Covenant must needs be certainly known who they are Parties of Covenants must be certainly known 1. God is known who promiseth the Reward 2. Mankind is known to whom the Reward is promised and who stipulate with God for it But if the Covenant was made with some of Mankind only and the rest excluded it cannot be certainly known who those are that are contained in the Covenant and who not Now it is most contrary to the nature of a Covenant to be struck with persons that are unknown or not certainly known because the Parties interested must certainly know themselves to be interested and others that have the same interest must certainly know their fellows that are parties with them in the same Covenant because all together they make but one party and God is the other And both these must know one another and understand one another and agree one with another and know the Terms of their agreement and be discernable from all others Therefore in all Covenants the names of the Covenantees are exprest Appellative names in Covenants that is either their Proper names or else Common names sufficient to express every individual by so that they may as plainly be understood who they are as if they were particularly named So in the Testamentary Covenant of God all with whom God Covenants and that do mutually covenant with God are expressed by the Appellative name of the Faithful in Christ These persons Adam and his Posterity did not understand what Covenant Christ their Head procured to be made for them nor what the condition was which they were to perform till they had a Being and the use of a Rational understanding But when they came to Adult age it was revealed unto them and they found not their proper but their appellative Names in the Bond and thereby had a determinate knowledge and were able to ensure themselves and each others that they were the true Parties that were to covenant with God and that they were bound so to do or else to forfeit their Blessing And from their understanding it came to their Wills to choose whether they would covenant with God or no and that it was their own fault if they did not because the terms were indifferently offered to them all And that if they did perform the Condition which Christ their Head had undertaken to make them capable to perform they should obtain the benefits purchased by him for them if not they must of necessity lose it and suffer the punishment expressed in the Bond. So in the Covenants and Testaments of men when there are many persons to covenant with one single person and those either in present or future being it is impossible to particularize every single person that is now alive or are yet for to come nor can any Will or Covenant contain them nor is it rational to set them down if they could but it is very sufficient to comprehend them all that are or shall be the Parties by some common name as of Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns or of all honest painful and miserable persons in such or such a City or Country whereby they that are so qualified are undoubtedly the persons meant by the Testator or Covenanter in his said Will and Covenant and may lawfully claim the Legacies or Benefits intended for them and promised unto them SECT VIII A Publick person may stipulate for himself and all under his power Publick stipulation at present and that shall be when they come to be As a King for all his Subjects born or to be born A Head of a Corporation or Syndick for all the Citizens A Father for all his Children If this Publick person break the Covenant for himself and by himself he only is guilty for himself and by himself properly and really as to the sin but improperly and quasily and by act of Law his heirs or successors are guilty that is so accounted and therefore they really suffer the loss and penalty by their Fathers sin not enjoying the benefit which they should have had if he had not broken the Covenant for himself by act of Nature nor they with him by act of Law So that they suffer the shame and loss by being Sons to such a Father and are so far tainted in their blood and lessened in their heads but yet they may stipulate for themselves and be faithful and recover the honour and estate which they lost by their Father so far as in him lay If this Publick person keep the Covenant for himself he is only rewardable for himself properly and really as to the virtue of his keeping it and his heirs and successors are not really nor properly rewardable but quasily and by act of Law and therefore they are really rewarded and enjoy the benefit only by such act and constitution and have the honour of being Sons to such a Father are pure in blood and advanced in their heads If the heirs to those Publick persons actually break the Covenant
Fathers Sister Cons Mothers Sister Cons Fathers Brothers Wife Aff. Mothers Brothers Wife Aff. Wives Fathers sister Aff. Wives Mothers Sisters Aff. Downward Neeces Brothers Daughter Cons Sisters Daughter Cons Brothers Sons Wife Aff. Sisters Sons Wife Aff. Wives brothers Daugh. Aff. Wives Sisters Daugh. Aff. A Man may not marry Upwards his Mothers Grandmothers Great Grandmothers In Nature In Law Forwards his Brothers Neeces In Nature In Law Sidewards his Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards his Daughters Grandaughters Great Grandaughters In Nature In Law A Woman may not Marry in the Right Line Upward in the First Degree Fathers Father Cons Stepfather Aff. Husbands Father Aff. Second Deg. Grandfathers Grandfather Cons Grandmothers Husb. Aff. Husbands Grandfather Aff. Downward in the First Degree Sons Son Cons Husbands Son Aff. Daughters Husb. Aff. Second Deg. Grandsons Sons Son Cons Daughters Son Cons Sons Daught. Husb. Aff. Daughters Daug. Husb. Aff. Husbands Sons Son Aff. Husbands Daugh. Son Aff. Side Line Forward Brothers Brother Cons Husbands Brother Aff. Sisters Husband Aff. Upward Uncles Fathers Brother Cons Mothers Brother Cons Fathers Sisters Husb. Aff. Mothers Sisters Husb. Aff. Husb. Fathers Brother Aff. Husb. Mothers Brother Aff. Downward Nephews Brothers Son Cons Sisters Son Cons Brothers Daugh. Husb. Aff. Sisters Daughters Husb. Aff. Husbands Brothers Son Aff. Husbands Sisters Son Aff. A Woman may not marry Upwards her Fathers Grandfathers Great Grandfathers In Nature In Law Forwards her Brothers Nephews In Nature In Law Sidewards her Aunts Great Aunts In Nature In Law Downwards her Sons Grandsons Great Grandsons In Nature In Law Prohibitions to the Third Degree inclusively A Man may not marry his 1. Mothers 2. Sisters 3. Aunts in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law A Woman may not Marry her 1. Fathers 2. Brothers 3. Uncles in Blood or Nature in Marriage or Law Permissions of Cousins beyond the Third Degree Briefly A Man may not marry in the Right Line any of his Mothers Grandmothers Daughters Grandaughters Side Line any of her Sisters Aunts Neeces Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. Briefly A Woman may not marry in the Right Line any of her Fathers Grandfathers Sons Grandsons Side Line any of her Brothers Uncles Nephews Persons forbidden in the Right Line 15 in all 30. Side Line 15 in all 30. A Postscript THose that have had the patience hitherto let them favour me a little farther for their satisfaction to read the Testimonies of some Ancient and Modern Divines who have either said the same things with me or else very like them or have given me hints at least to enlarge upon them Authorities I know by custome sound high and prevail much to vulgar perswasion But solid reason is of much more force in it self and prevails much more with intelligent and unbiassed Souls Examine well the scope of all and without prejudice and let the Learned correct qualifie expunge or add as their wisdoms shall prompt them with all Candour Hear therefore next to the Holy Scriptures what these Learned men do say Testimonia Laciniata The CONTENTS Peccatum Originale Lex Fides Duo Testamenta Fides Scripturae Nature Grace Absolute Decree Spirituale Sacrificium Superstitio Promissa Adamo Praedestinatio Meritum Perseverantia Satisfactio Praedestinatio Peccatum Originale Imputatio Labes Originalis Controversies Ceremonies Definitions and Determinations Scoffing and Railing Atheism Gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Covenants Testament New Covenant Correspondence of Covenants Sacrifices Decalogue Baptism Natural Law Law and Gospel Resurrectio Justitia Imputatio Fides Justificatio Remissio Imputatio Justification Imputed Righteousness Justification Original sin Weakness Generousness Elements Nonage of the Church Fanaticks Terrible representations of God Popular errors Fathers not all pure OEconomy of Moses decaying Signs Some jealous conceits of God's indifferency to the World Jewish Nation a Pattern for others Votum pro Pace Christian Religion Immanation of God Emanations of God Appetites of Man's Happiness Recovery Doctrines troubled Vulgar errours Discerning Party Primitive Terms Reformation A Postscript Old Covenant Gen. 2.17 IN that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are in the Law to do them Deot 27.26 If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his Commandments and his statutes then shall all these curses come upon thee and overtake thee Deut. 23. Lev. 26.23 c. And if you will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins New Covenant 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 1 Cor. 10.1 c. I will not have you to be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same Spiritual meat and did all drink the same Spiritual Drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that follow'd them and that Rock was Christ Job 8.17 Luc. 10.24 The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ For I tell you many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye have heard and have not heard them Matth. 11 1◠Verily I say unto you Among them that are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Hebr. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 8.6 Now he hath obtain'd a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better Promises Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator c. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from
a laughing countenance to intermix Scripture and Scurrility sometimes in one sentence is a thing far from the devout reverence of a Christian and scant beseeming the honest regard of a Sober man Two principal Causes have I ever known of Atheism Curious controversie Atheism and Profane scoffing Now that these two are joyned in one no doubt that Sect will make no small progression Job speaking of the majesty and gravity of a Judge saith If I did smile they believed it not that is If I glanced upon a conceit of mirth yet mens minds were so possessed with the reverence of the action in hand Gravity as they could not receive it Much more ought not this to be amongst Bishops and Divines disputing about Holy things Truly as I marvel that some of those preachers which call for Reformation whom I am far from wronging so far as to joyn them with these Scoffers do not publish some declaration in dislike that their Cause should be thus solicited So I hope assuredly that my Lords of the Clergy have no intelligence with this inter-libelling but do altogether disallow that their Cause should be thus defended For though I observe in one of them many glosses whereby the man would insinuate himself into their favours yet I find it to be ordinary that many pressing and fawning persons do misconjecture of the humor of men in Authority and many times seek to gratifie them with that which they most dislike Nevertheless I note that there is not an indifferent hand carried to these Pamphlets as they deserve for the one sort fly in the dark and the other is uttered openly Next I find certain indiscreet and dangerous amplifications as if the Civil Government c. Arcadius Honorius Cod. l. 9. Tit. 47. De Poenis Peccatum originale Peccata suos teneant Authores nec ulteriùs progrediatur metus quà m reperiatur delictum Antoninus Philosophus ff L. 48. T. 19. De Poenis l. 26. Crimen vel Poena Paterna nullam maculam filio infligere potest Nam unusquisque ex suo admisso sorti subjicitur nec alieni Criminis successor constituitur Prudent Apoth Hymn in infidel Fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus Ut quisque linguâ est nequior Solvunt ligantque Quaestionum vincula Per Syllogismos plectiles Vae captiosis Sycophantarum strophis Vae versipelli astutiae Nodos tenaces recta rumpit Regula Infesta decertantibus Idcircò mundi stulta diligit Deus Ut concidant Sophistica Instit de Tutel §. 4. ff lib. 7. De statu Hominis Juris Fictio est eum qui adhuc in utero est jam esse in Rerum Naturâ Sed nun quam Legimus istam Juris fictionem Locum habere in Suppliciis ita ut aliquis morti addicatur quia per Juris fictionem Reus censebatur Contra inquiunt I cti Mr. Thornd l. 2. of the Gov. of Grace p. 14. Some man perhaps may marvel whence it comes that the agreement between God and his ancient People being alwaies represented in the Old Testament in the name and term of a Covenant the New is by the Apostle proved to have the nature of the last Will and Testament of our Lord Christ Heb. 9.16 17. But if this Testament be also a Covenant as the same Apostle saith Heb. 8.9 He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much he is the Mediator of a better Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is enacted upon better Promises there will be no cause to marvel The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ordinary Greek signifies no more than a mans last Will and Testament but in the use of the Jews that spoke Greek such as are the Apostles the Translators of the Old Testament into Greek and others it signifies also a Covenant If farther it pleased God that our Lord Jesus Christ should die to assure us of everlasting life on his part which thereby he purchased obliging God on his part to give it to those that shall be found qualified for it well may the Apostle affirm that it is the last Will and Testament of him who died to make it irrevocable because mens Wills are not till death But it containeth nevertheless a Covenant because men become not the Sons of God by birth but by choice accepting the adoption which is tendred being also their New birth Whereupon it follows Heb. 9.18 Whence neither the first was dedicated without blood Making the first Covenant a Testament also because the Sacrifices which it was dedicated with signified the death of Christ whose Testament the New Covenant is Now every Covenant every Contract whatsoever is a Law which the parties interchangeably tye themselves to being free before Neither can it be a covenant that imposes nothing upon one of the parties I know the Promise of God not to destroy the World any more by water is called many times a Covenant and the Rain-bow the sign of it Gen. 9.9.17 whence it may be argued that nothing hinders a Covenant to be no more than a bare Promise And truly it is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Disposition though by free promise it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Choice according to them that will have that to be the original of the word He that would be contentious might have ground to dispute That this Promise of God was not without a Condition annexed unto it For the Tradition of the Jews is now generally received by men of Learning That God gave Noah and his Sons seven Precepts to observe which were visible during the time that this People lived in the Land of Promise as being the Condition upon the undertaking whereof Strangers were protected by God's Law among them c. Mr. Thornd l. 2. c. 3. p. 13. And therefore I cannot but admire to see men learned in the Scriptures to maintain by this place 1 Cor. 10.1 that the Sacraments of the Old Testament are the same with the Sacraments of the New not distinguishing whether immediately or by way of correspondence For if you make the Kingdom of heaven and the Land of Promise all one thing Then is Baptism and the passage of the Red Sea all one But then it will be all one to believe in Christ and to submit to his conduct to Paradise as to believe in Moses as the Israelites did hereupon Two Covenants Exod. 14.31 and to put themselves under his conduct to the land of Promise which is my argument But if setting aside the correspondence you make their engagement to God under Moses for the obtaining of the land of Promise one thing and our engagement to God under Christ another Certainly the immediate assurance of this and the immediate assurance of that which by means of the correspondence becomes also the assurance of this are several things And if there be between the Old and New Covenant that correspondence which makes that the figure of this they may as well be said to be
and for everlasting Heb. 13.8 When St. Peter saies That the Prophets who foretold the Gospel searched against what time the Spirit of Christ that was in them declared and testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glorious things that followed 1 Pet. 1.10 When St. Paul saith That all Gods Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 Methinks it is strange that a Christian should imagine that there was not consideration of Christ in these promises under which they ran the race of Christians Nor could St. Paul say As by Adam all die so by Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 Nor could the comparison hold between the first and second Adam Ro. 5.12 19. if that life which I have shewed Christ restores Christians to were given to the Fathers before Christ without consideration of Christ Nor could the Apostle otherwise say That Christ is the Mediatour of the New Covenant that death coming for the ransom of those transgressions that were under the old they that are called may receive the promise of an everlasting Inheritance Heb. 9.15 But because those sins which were redeemed only to a temporal effect by the sacrifices of the old Law as also those which were not redeemed at all by any were by the sacrifice of Christ redeemed to the purchase of the World to come Which is that which St. Paul tells the Jews Act. 13.29 That through Christ every one that believeth is justified from all things which they could not be justified of by the Law of Moses For as the Law did not expiate capital offences so it expiated none but to the effect of a civil promise And though we construe the words of St. John Apoc. 13.8 Whose names are not written in the book of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World out of the same sense repeated Ap. 13.8 Not that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world but that their names were written in his book from the foundation of the world yet inasmuch as it is called the book of the Lamb that was foreknown from the foundation of the World 1 Pet. 19. When Moses demands not to be written in Gods book when mention is made of it in the New Testament it must be the book of Christ in the mystical sense And when St. Paul saith that Christ gaeve himself a ransom for all A testimony for due time what can he mean but that though he gave himself for all yet this was not to be testified till the proper time of the preaching of the Gospel And what is this but that though this is testified only by the preaching of the Gospel yet he was a ransom for all Which reason suffers not the same term All Heb. 2.9 Ro. 3.23 to be restrained from that generality which it naturally signifies Lastly when the Apostle argues that if Christ should offer himself more than once that he might more than once enter into the Holy of Holies he must have suffered oft from the foundation of the World that is before the end of the World in which he came indeed Heb. 9.25 26. he must needs suppose that he suffered for all that were saved before the Gospel For what pretence can there be that he should suffer for sins under the Gospel before the Gospel more than that the High Priest before the Law should expiate those sins which were committed against the Law by entring in to the Holie of Holies And here you may see that I intend not to affirm that all that were saved under the Law though in consideration of Christ did know in what consideration Christ should be their salvation as Christians under the Gospel do But to refer my self to the determination of St. Augustine and other Fathers and Doctors of the Church that they understood it in their Elders and Superiors the Prophets of God and their Disciples the Judges of Israel who were also Prophets and the Fathers of several ages of whom you read Heb. 11. Who being acquainted with the secret of Gods purpose were to acquaint the people with it so sparingly and by such degrees as the secret wisdom of God had appointed These things thus premised I do acknowledge and challenge the act of God in dispensing in the execution of his original Law and bringing the Gospel into effect instead of it not to be the act of a private person remitting this particular interest in the punishment of those sins whereby his Law was transgressed But the Act of a Master of a houshold or the Prince and Soveraign of a Commonwealth which you please disposing of Mankind as his Subjects or Houshold Servants c. Dr. Taylor Rule of Consc 2 Book p. 319. I do not here intend a Dispute whether Christ hath given us Laws of which neither before Moses or since there are no foot-steps in the Old Testament for I think there are none such but in the letter or Analogy they were taught and recommended as before But this I say that some excellencies and perfections of Morality were by Christ superadded in the very instances of the Decalogue These also were bound upon us with greater severity are indeared to us by special promises and we by proper aids are enabled to their performance And the Old Commandments are explicated by new Commentaries and are made to be Laws in new instances to which by Moses they were not obliged And some of those excellent saying which are respersed in the Old Testament and which are the dawnings of the Evangelical light are now part of the body of light which derives from the Sun of Righteousness In so much that a commandment which was given of old was given again in a new manner and to new purposes and to more eminent degrees and therefore is also called a New Commandments c. v. 3. Book c. 3. p. 555. Idem 2. B. c. 3. p. 469. In the Religion of the old World the Religion of Sacrifices and consumptive oblations it is certain themselves did not choose by natural reason but they were taught and enjoyn'd by God For that it is no part of a natural Religion to kill Sacrifices and offer to God Wine and Fat is evident by the Nature of the things themselves the cause of their institution and the Matter of Fact that is the evidence that they came in by positive Constitution For Blood was anciently the sanction of Laws and Covenants Sanctio à Sanguine say the Grammarians because the Sanction or establishment of Laws was that which bound the life of Man to the law and therefore when the Law was broken the Life or Blood was forfeited But then as in Covenants in which sometime the wilder people did drink Blood the gentler and more civil did drink Wine the blood of the Grape So in the forfeiture of Lands they also gave the blood of Beasts in exchange for their own Now that this was less than what was done is certain and therefore it
he that was impure in that he was impure is holy because Christ was so but because God will for Christ's sake accept and receive and embrace us as if we were so Unless we shall say that as we are wise with Christ and holy and righteous so with Christ also we do redeem our selves For he who is said to be our Righteousness is said also to be our Redemption in the next words c. Id. ib. S. 44 p. 1074 c. It is true indeed the Gospel hath been preached these 1600 years and above many questions have been raised about Justification For though Men have been willing to go under the name of justified persons yet have they have been busie to enquire how Justification hath been wrought in them They are justified they know not how Many and divers opinions have been broach'd amongst the Canonists and Confessionists and others Osiander nameth twenty and there are many more at this day And yet all may consist well enough for ought I see and still that sense Justification which is deliver'd in Scripture as necessary remains entire For 1. it is necessary to believe That no Man can be justified by the works of Law precisely taken and in this all agree 2. It is necessary to believe that we are not justified by the Law of Moses either by it self or joyn'd with Faith in Christ and in this all agree 3. That Justification is not without remission of sins and imputation of Righteousness and in this all agree 4. That a dead Faith doth not justifie and here is no difference 5. That that is a dead Faith which is not accompanied with good works and a holy and serious purpose of good Life And in this all agree Lastly that Faith in Christ Jesus implyeth an advised and deliberate assent that Christ is our Prophet and Priest and King And in this all agree Da si quid ultra est And what is more is but a vapour But those interpretations which have been made upon this Nihil ampliùs quam sonant Nec animum faciunt quia non habent What matter is it whether I believe or not believe know or not know that our Justification doth consist in one or more acts so that I certainly know and believe that it is the greatest Blessing that God can let fall upon his Creature and believe that by it I am made acceptable in his sight and though I have broke the Law yet I shall be dealt with as if I had been just and righteous indeed whether it be done by pardoning all my sins or imputing universal obedience to me or the active or passive obedience of Christ c. Id. 1. Vol. S. 22. p. 427. Adam sinned and we die We were all in the loyns of that one Man Adam when that one Man slew us all And this we are too ready to confess that we are born in sin Nay Original Sin we fall so low as to damn our selves before we were born This some may do in humility but most are content it should be so well pleased in their Pedigree well pleased that they are brought into the World and in that filth and uncleanness that God doth hate and make the unhappiness of their Birth an Advocate to plead for those pollutions for those willful and beloved sins which they fall into in the remaining part of their life as being the proper and natural issues of the weakness and impotency with which we were sent into the World But this is not true in every part That weakness whatsoever it is can draw no such necessity upon us nor can be wrought into an Apology for sin or an excuse for dying For to conclude and wrap up all our actual sin in the folds of Original weakness is nothing else but to cancel our old obligations and to put all on our first Parents score and so make Adam guilty of the sins of the whole World Our natural and original weakness I will not now call into question since it hath had such Grandees in our Church Men of great learning and piety for its Nursing Fathers and that for many centuries of years but yet I cannot see why it should be made a cloak to cover our other transgressions or why we should miscarry so often with an eye cast back upon our first Fall which is made ours but in another man Nor any reason though it be a plant water'd by the best hands why men should be so delighted in it why they should lie down and repose themselves under its shadow why they should be so willing to be weak and so unwilling to hear the contrary why men should take so much pains to make the way to happiness narrower and the way to death broader than it is In a word why we should thus magnifie a temptation and disparage our selves why we should make each importunate object as powerful and irresistible as God himself Petrar and our selves as Idols even nothing in this world Magna pars humanarum querelarum non injusta modò materiâ sed stulta est for when our souls are pressed down and overcharged with sin when we feel the gripes and gnawings of our Conscience we commonly lay hold on those remedies which are worse than the disease suborn an unseasonable and ill applied conceit of our own natural weakness which is more dangerous than the temptation as an excuse and comfort of our overthrow We fall and plead we were weak and fall more than seven times a day and hold up the same plea still till we fall into that same place where we shall be muzled and speechless not able to say a word where our complaints will end in curses in weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Omnes nostris vitiis favemus quod propriâ facimus voluntate ad naturae referimus necessitatem we are all tender and favourable to our own sins and because they pleased us when we committed them We are unwilling to revile them now but wipe off as much of their filth as we can because we resolve to commit them again And those transgressions which our lusts conceived and brought forth by the midwifry of our will we remove as far as we can and lay them at the door of necessity are ready to complain of God and Nature it self Now this complaint against Nature when we have sinned is most unjust for God and Nature have imprinted in our Souls those common principles of goodness That good is to be embraced and evil is to be abandoned that we must do to others as we would be done to Those practical notions those anticipations as the Stoicks call them of the mind preparations against sin death which if we did not willfully stifle and choak them might lift up our Souls far above those depressions of Self-love and Covetousness and those evils which destroy us quae ratio semel in universum vincit which Reason with the help of Grace overcometh at