world he should not have gone to the world to come therefore by his fall he lost no happinesse nor eternall life in that world for he could not by that fall lose more than he had and was to have death is according to nature but to attain immortality is above nature Adam being earth and from the earth his enjoyment life and loss and punishment must of necessity be earthly how cometh he then by his fall to be capable of a punishment never to end unless by his fall he could purchase eternall life which none will affirm eternall life cannot be by the first man much less by Sin I deny not but the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. there is a difference to be put between a naturall death and a judiciall death the first is from nature the second is from sinne if the common death that all die Hebr. 9. 27. were the punishment of sin as most men think then Christ by freeing his from the punishment of sin by bearing death for them of necessity he must free them from dying a naturall death but Christ freeth not his from a natural death yet freeth them from the punishment of sin therefore to die the common death is no part of the punishment of sinne for where sin is satisfied or pardoned or forgiven the punishment is not inflicted if it be how is it forgiven even men when they pardon inflict not the punishment all confess some mens sins are pardoned how then cometh it to passe that they die for sin whose sin is pardoned He that keepeth my saying shall not see death John 15. 21. is not to be referred to a naturall death but to perish a judiciall death John 3. 16. the Scripture declares that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead the just and unjust Acts 24. 15. the unjust would enter into life but shall not John 5. 20. Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psalm 94. 11. Hebrews 4. 7. and your selves thrust out Luke 13. 28. when they rise to judgement at the last day they shall be consumed with the earth by fire that 's their end so that not to enter to be thrust out the second death and to perish is one thing if they live for ever and have eternal life how do they perish and how is the end of those things death Rom. 6. 21. if there be no end to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8. 6. how is this true if they live for ever and not die Sin being a transgression of the Law is a legall sin and so is to have a legall punishment for some sins is death Rom. 6. 23. inflicted by God as Gen. 38. 9 10. and by man a legall death is not from nature but from sin and is a second death if a man for murder be put to death in dying he dieth the first and second death for in dying he dieth a naturall death and a judiciall death this later is a second death in that it is not from nature but from sin Men put the stresse of the punishment of sinne upon the second death but what that second death is they cannot agree among themselves the Ministers in their late Annotations on the Bible on Revel. 20. 9. on such the second death hath no power interpret it not to be destroyed by Antichrist nor by the Turk v. 9. so then according to their interpretation it is not a punishment never to end Mr. Perkins saith the second death is a totall separation from God if so it is not a punishment without end and in that God is every where Psal. 139. 7 8. if they be anywhere how are they absent from God If the second death be a death it is not a life of misery never to end that is not a death unless eternall life be a death they confess eternall life in misery is worse than death if so then it is not a death but another thing The fiâ—st death is the destruction of the body a separation of soul and body the second death must be like it the second death is an image of the first else how is it a death and a second death the second Adam being man was an image of the first the Scripture saith the second death is like the first Luke 6. 1. the second is like to it Matth. 22. 39. Therefore as the first death so the second is a separation of soul and body else how is it a death or a second death Reuben by going into his fathers bed deserved a judicial legal death but did not die for it Gen. 49. 3 4. 35. 22. 1 Chron. 5. 1. let Reuben live and not die Deut. 33. 6. a judicial or second death the Jewes Onkelos read Deut. 33. 6. let Reuben live and not die the second death and Ionathan on Isa. 65. 6. I will deliver their carkasses to the second death vers. 17. the Lord will slay them with the second death by which it appears the Jewes count the second death is to be slaine and if so it is not a life of misery never to end as some say the book of the Revelation speaks of the second death Doctor Featly and Dr. Lighâ—foot and others say that book treats of the Church and things done in this world and if so then the second death is a punishment of this life they also interpret Heaven in that book to be the Church and the late Annotat. Bible and Mr. Brightman and others on Apoâ— 20. 10. say that the Devil in that place is the great Turk It is their opinion that say the wages of sin is not death they say it is a life of misery never to end which is worse and more than death therefore their opinion is contrary to the word that saith it is death filled with all unrighteousnesse haters of God despitefull proud inventers of evill things they that commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 31 32. these are great sinners yet the word saith not that they are worthy of more then death and therefore why should any say they are worthy of more then death and if the end of these things are death Rom. 6. 21. therefore there is not any thing to come after death 2 Kings 7. 4. the soul that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. 14. 26. that is all that sin doth bring forth God in giving his Law did express the punishment of the breach of it saying in the day that thou eatest of that tree thou shalt surely die Gen. 2. 17. dying thou shalt do that is naturally and judicially not touch it leâ—t ye die Gen. 3. 3. to bear iniquity is to dye for it Levit. 22. 9. Numb. 18. 22. that one man dye for the people Joh. 18. 14. the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 10. he that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6. 7. neither sin nor punishâ—ent hath any thing to do with a dead man this iniquity shall
heart of man is ready to do it there are many things in Pauls Epistles which the ignorant unlearned that know not God in Christ wrest to their own destruction will any therefore say that the Doctrine of Election and Salvation by Christ alone is not a doctrine fit to be taught nor come abroad if so the Scriptures must not come abroad Moreover the Doctrine of the Protestant Ministers is charged not onely to be a Doctrine of liberty to sin but a blasphemous Doctrine to teach that the fall and sin of man was decreed they say is to make God the Author of evil the Protestant Writers say that the sin of man was determined of God Dr. Willet Synops pag. 760. he also saith the Protestants hold that the fall of Adam was both foreseen of God and decreed to be not permitted only they alledge Gen. 45. 5 8. 2 Sam. 24. 1. Act. 2. and Acts 4. 22 28. should ungodly lusts Judg. 18. for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope Rom 8. 20. Dr. William Whitaker against Campion the Jesuite saith now answer me Campion do you think that which any one doth how wicked soever is done whether God will or not if you hold that any thing is done against Gods will what providence or omnipotency do you leave him for he that permitteth that to be done which he would by no means have to be done it is certain that he is not endued with so great power as that he can forbid that which he would not have done wherefore you must needs confesse that all things that are done are done by the will of God and pag. 196. all confess God could have hindered sin to be if he had so pleased but he would not hinder it therefore it was his will it should be the will of God and not sin is the cause of Gods decree and the being of all things the will and pleasure of God is the Wombe from whence springeth every work of the Creature Rom. 4. 11. God must first will his Creature to stand or fall before he can do either Acts 21. 14. Phil. 2. 13. Prov. 21. 4. the evil actions of men are not onely foreseen of God but decreed saith Mr. Par in his grounds of Divinity we are not saved from sinne except we have committed sin therefore salvation from sinne is not without committing Sinne saith Fulk pag. 121. God willed and decreed his glory and mans happiness therefore he willed and decreed the means to it the end and moving cause of his willing sin to be is for his glory which cause it was necessary for sin to be if sinne had not been how should the goodness of God in giving man eternal life in glory appeared his love in sending Christ to die if there had not been sinne there had been no need of Christs coming nor of his death and righteousness most of the great works of God in this world and that to come have dependence or reference to sin how should we have lived by Faith exercised the fruits of the Spirit or have any happinesse or glory in the world to come if it had not been for Christ and Christ had not been if there had been no sinne he that willeth the end willeth those things that are necessarily referred to that end taking away sin was decreed before the world therefore the being of sinne was decreed Christ's death was determined before the world for the end of Christ was to restore Adam's fall if Adam had not fallen there had been no need of a Christ to restore him The Saints were chosen to life before the world choice hath reference to the fall therefore the fall of Adam was decreed If the will of man had been the first and chief cause of the being of sin then the will of man should be the cause of Gods will and so man shall be the originall cause of the salvation of himself and so much the cause of it that without his will it could not have been and so the determination of God what to do shall not be from himself but from the will of man which is contrary to Eph. 1. 11. if man should will sin before God willed it then shall the will of God depend and wait upon the will of man as if God should say If man will sin then I will will his salvation and if God should first will to send Christ to save man and leave it to mans will and power whether he shall fall or no then it was possible for man to stand and so to frustrate the decree of God for if man had not sinned Gods decree of sending Christ had been void and of none effect Mr. Perkins saith God decreed the fall of Adam if the fall was decreed if man had power to stand then he had power to frustrate Gods decree which no wise man will affirm and then that saying that Adam had power to keep the Law is without truth if he had consider Ezek. 18. 2 3 4. Jer. 3. 29 36. God willeth all things well he sinneth not nor can sin because he is under no Law God commands men to keep the Law that no man can do he commands men to think no vain thoughts and not to sin we cannot but think some vain thoughts and in many things we sin all Christ saith No man can come to me except the Father draw him John 6. 44 37. if they be drawn they come draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1. 4. if I put sufficient strength to move the earth motion must needs follow when men sin they are beguiled enticed deceived drawn away they like men have transgressed Hos. 6. 7. We are to distinguish between that which followeth a doctrine in its own nature and that which followeth by accident or rather that a corrupt heart draweth from it and is not from the nature and working of the doctrine it self it is strange to consider men are so set upon the Popish principle to be saved for their works that they count all prophanenesse that crosseth their way some have burned the Bible and Doctor Crisps book of salvation by Christ alone Mr. Archers late of All-hallowes London his Treatise of comfort to believers against their sinnes and sorrow was burnt by the Hang-man the same spirit is alive to burn this also I expect no better from such as are not taught of God they condemn those things they know not and think they do God service when they persecute the truth and professors of it Take for instance that the fear of the torments of Hell is no such preserver against sin is evident for those that sin with the greatest greedinesse the greatest sinners they do believe there are hell torments for though they be never so wicked they hope it doth not belong to them or they hope to repent and lead new lives before they die though they sin for
but from the penalty expressed in his Law for the breach of it which is death Genesis 3. 3. Proof V. The word saith Gods fury is like fire in the fire of his jealousie he shall make a speedy riddance of all them in the day of the Lords wrath Ezek 1. 18. but to contiuue in torment for ever is no speedy riddance therefore there is no such punishment to be the pouring out of the fiery anger of the Lord is a day Zeph. 1. 15 18. Rom. 6. 17. Ezek. 13. 14. 22. 22. James 2. 21. Isa. 13. 9 13. the day of the Lord is at hand Deut. 33. 34 35. Job 20. 28. a punishment never to end no-way a grees to a day therefore there is no such punishment to be Proof VI The opinion of the torments of Hell never to end hath and doth daily cause much sin For First it causeth feare feare hath punishment 1 John 4. 8. He that feareth is not perfect in love 1 Joh. 4. 18. a servile and a slavish fear is sin 2. It causeth many evill and hard thoughts of God 3. Fear troubleth the hearts of many of the Lords people and makes them sad with their lyes this God complains of Ezâ—k. 13. 22. their lies cause them to erre after which their Fathers walked Amos 2. 4. Châ—ist saith â—et not your hearts be troubled Joh. 14. 1. the fear of hell doth greatly trouble the hearts of many it is Gods will to comfort the sad to release those that are bound Isa 61. 1 2 3 4. 40. 5 9. a word fitly spoken is like apples of Gold in pictures in Silver Pâ—ov. 25. 11. 4. Fear distracts and greatly discourageth the soul hinders faith that which freeth the soul from fear fits the soul to serve God without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives Luk. 1. 74. 5. Fear unfits and disableth the soul to every good work to God or man fear unfits for any outward occasion fear is a weight that depresses the soul and makes it weak it straitneth the heart but hope comforteth and enlargeth it 6. The opinion of hell torments provokes the soul to envy and unbelief and hinders subjection to God if the soul apprehends it self lyable to so great and everlasting punishment it cannot submit to God nor be quiet This caused Francis Spira to wish hee were above God the light of this truth causeth the soul lesse to sinne and lesse to be troubled to have lesse hard thoughts of God and lesse to fret against the Lord 7. Their opinion causes an exceeding and unreasonable trouble of minde and melancholy such trouble is sinne John 13. 1. a merry heart doth good Prov. 17. 22. the knowledge of the truth herein easeth the fearful mind and causes as it were a Heaven upon Earth 8. Their opinion hath caused many to murder themselves in taking away their own lives by poyson stabbing drowning hanging strangling and shooting themselves casting themselves out of windowes and from high places to break their necks and by other deaths that they might not live to encrease their sin and encrease their torments in Hell 9. Their opinion provoketh to the greatest sins as despair also to the wickednesse that the world lieth in namely working for life to do duties to escape Hell and get Heaven which is to tread under foot the blood of Christ as an unholy thing Heb. 10. 29. in seeking to be justified by the law of works and not alone by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 5. Jer. 23. 6. Heb 10. 10 14. 10. Freedome from feare causeth love love causeth service the love of Christ constraineth it tends to the comfort of many that through weakness of faith give way to Satans temptations to fear the torments of Hell causeth a feeble mind comfort the feeble mind 1 Thes. 5. 14. its a comfort to many whose children and friends die and leave no testimony of their conversion the fear that they are to suffer so great and endlesse torment hath greatly sadded and troubled the heart of many a parent and friend Proof VII The Reason that God gives that he will not contend for ever nor be almayes wroth for the spirit would faile before me and the souls I have made Isa. 57. 16. man is not able to dwell with everlasting burning Isa. 33. 14. to be in so great a torment as they speak of without end ease and refreshment the spirit must needs fail a small thing will make the spirit fail if so then the reason is the same against the being of a punishment never to end Proof 8. It is not agreeable to the God of nature to go contrary to the law of nature that he hath written in mankind there is planted in man an universal love to man especially to their Off-spring be they obedient or disobedient what bowels of love is there in Parents to their Off-spring when in misery and to others in misery and want sure no man doth desire any man nor creature to indure the torment they speak of one year much less their own of-spring how then may I or can I think so of God to be lesse pittifull lesse mercifull then cruell man Jer. 50. 24. and 6. 23. Hos. 4. 1. to his Off-spring we are all his Off-spring Acts 17. 28. sure God exceeds man in goodnesse if ye which are evill know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that aske him Math. 7. 8 9 10 11. thou Lord art good and dost good Psal. 119. 68. Math. 5. 45. though they were evil and did evil God did good and gave rain Act. 14. 17. They say the fire Dan. 3. 21. is nothing to Hell and that the greatest torment man can devise is scarce a shadow to that in hell by which they declare God to be more cruel than man Proof IX If man had deserved so great punishment why may not God shew that mercy as not to inflict it as well as to let his Sun to shine and his rain to fall on them that no way deserve it seeing he could if he so pleased hinder it we do see men shew more kindnesse to a rebellious and disobedient child then he deserveth may not God do the same so much as God is greater than man so much greater is his mercy love and goodnesse than that in man yea than that that is or ever was in all men all that came from him and all is but the least drop to that great sea and ocean of mercy and love that is in him how little a portion is heard of him Job 24. 14. All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing vanity Isaiah 40. 12 15 17 22. O how great is he that hangeth the earth upon nothing Job 24. 7. he can and will doe for the worst creature far above that which it is able to ask or think