because they are but parts of a whole Hence it followeth that the hamane Nature was not before it was assumed The second person in the Trinity in assuming it created it and in creating it assumed it he did not create it without but within his person Obj. If the humane nature of Christ hath not a created personally then Christ as man is wore imperfect then other men who are persons Deest personalius non propter defectum sed propter perfectionem Daver in Col. 2.9 Of the personal union Deitas sustentat humanitatem tanquaÌ„ suaÌ„ et propriam et iâ—â—i dat subsistentiam Daven in Col. Ans The humane Nature of Christ is without a created personality not for the defect of any thing requisite unto its perfection but for the addition of the personal union which far excelleth all created excellency it is without a created personality that it may be made partaker of an increated personality The assumption of the humane Nature into the increated subsntence of the second person of the Trinity is the personal union The Word was made flesh and remaining what he was began to be what he was not The Incarnation is the miracle of miracles a document to beleevers a testimony against unbeleevers Isai 7.14 None can declare Christs generation Isai 53.8 Neither can any declare his Incarnation his Name is secret Judg. 13.18 Wonderful Isai 9.6 A name that no man knoweth viz. perfectly but he himself Rev. 19.12 The Trinity is the greatest the Incarnation is the next mysterie And without controversie great is the Mysterie of godliness God was manif st in the flesh c. 1 Tim. 3.16 Concerning God and Christ we may fitly use those words though there spoken in another sence Prov. 30.4 What is his Name and what is his Sons Name if thou canst tell The divine Nature Parkins on the Creed i. e. the increated person supplyed and always supplyeth the place of created personality giving subsistence to the manhood in Christ Mr Perkins yet acknowledging that amongst all the Works of God there cannot be found another example hereof in the world illustrates the subsistence of the humane Nature in the divine by the plant Missel or Misselto which having no root of its own both lives and grows in the stock or body of the Oak or some other tree In that the person of Christ is increated but one and that one person subsisteth in both Natures hence it followeth 1. That Christ though he assumed the nature of man yet the manhood assumed was not a person otherwise there would be two persons in Christ 2. That the Body of Christ the matter whereof was the sanctified Seed of the Virgin Mary was compleatly Organized and inspired with a reasonable Soul from the instant of its conception besides the ordinary course of nature otherwise the divine Nature should have assumed an Embrio not the nature of a man 3. That though Christ be the Son of God by Eternal generation Christus est unus in utraque natura non duo unus et idem sive tempore natus de patre Filius dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et in tempore natus de Virgine Filius hominis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trelcat Jun. lib. 2. loc 4. in respect of the increated proceeding of the second Person from of the first Mat. 16.16 Ioh. 8.42 And the Son of man being born of the Virgin Mary in the fulness of time in respect of his humane Nature Mat. 1.1.18 21 23. yet the person being but one there is but one Son not two Sons 4. That the Virgin Mary is by Elizabeth truly called the Mother of our Lord Luk. 1.43 and by the Ancients Maria a veteribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei para appe atur Synop. pur Theol. disp 25. Nata est humana natura ex Maria Virgine ergo et tota persona nata est sc SecunduÌ„ illuÌ„ sui parti Keck Th. lib. 3. c. 2. the bringer forth of God for the humane Nature never subsisting but in the divine in that the humane Nature was born of the Virgin Mary therefore the whole person was born of the Virgin Mary Because that which is true of the part is true of the whole in respect of that part by the communication of Idioms or properties therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 The personal union in respect of the manner of it The Manner of the Personal Union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub slantialae Tho. p. 3. q 6. Pa. 2. vid. Gâ— Har. cap. 17. Of the Office was without any change of either nature one into another without confusion of one nature with another they remain distinct in themselves and in their properties without division Neither soul nor body did ever subsist in themselves but from the first instant of their Creation they subsisted in the second Person of the Trinity without separation of one nature from another There was no cessation of the Personal Union during the time of Christs death no not whilest his body lay in the grave Lastly It was substantial the substance of the Manhood was united to the substance of the Divine Nature subsisting in the second Person Jesus Christ God-man is as we saw before the greatest of the Essential Works of God that Miracle of miracles such as God never made before nor ever will make the like again Unto this Person God-man Man that in our nature he might suffer for us and God that his sufferings might become effectual unto us thus fitted for the greatest service by the union of both created and increated excellency in him The Father committed the work of Mediation which was readily and freely accepted by the Son thereby undertaking by Bond of Covenant and Virtue of Office the absolute meriting for and application unto the Elect the freedom from all the evil of the curse and the fruition of all the good of the promise Satisfaction and Merit are contained in the Office of Christ formally and Efficacy is contained therein virtually Christ is Mediatour not as man alone nor as God alone but as God-man As God-man he is a Middle-person and consequently a fit Mediatour between God and man Isai 7.14 Matth. 1.23 As God-man he became of no reputation Philp. 2.7 8 9. As God-man he was a Prophet Deut. 18.15 Matth. 11.27 A Priest John 10.17 18. Heb. 4.14 Heb. 7. A King Acts 2.36 Luke 1.33 As God-man he overcame death for us Heb. 2.14 Reconciled us Rom. 5.10 11. Col. 1.21 22. Entered into Heaven for us Heb. 4.14 6.20 c. Therefore he is Mediatour as God-man not as man alone nor as God alone The Lord Jesus took not this honour upon himself but was called thereunto by the Father hence he is said to be preodained 1 Pet. 1.20 fore-appointed Rom. 3.25 Elect of God Isai 42.1 Sanctified of the Father that is set apart to the Office
that which none denyeth namely that a Beleever is dead to sin before Marriage-union between Christ and the Soul that is before the act of faith for Marriage-union is not without the act of faith on our part which also is acknowledged by them with whoÌ„ this discours argueth But it doth in no case affirm which must be carefully attended to that we are dead to sin before the grace of faith The death of sin is in order after the grace of faith in Vocation The infusion of faith and grace infers the death of sin the immediate effect thereof as the income of life expelled death in the Shunamites child 2 King 4. The Sum is That before our Marriage union with Christ I mean before in order of nature not in time there is first The grace of faith 1. The death of sin 3. The act of faith and this last according to your own grant before the act of faith is both the grace of faith and the death of sin Before the death of sin is the grace of faith Before the grace of faith nothing that is saving Obj. 2. Matth. 13.44 Selling all is placed before buying But by selling we are to understand parting with sin By buying believing Therefore there is a saving Qualification viz. Selling of all or parting with sin before faith Ans In answer to this Objection it will be convenient First to distinguish the terms viz. selling of all or parting from sin which may be applicable and useful for the resolving of sundry other occasional objections and afterwards speak to the Text. The souls selling of all or parting from sin is either before faith viz. Preparatory or Legal so called not always from the means namely the Law by which such a parting with sin is wrought but also from the state of the soul still continuing under the Law notwithstanding any Gospel-work And it is nothing else but such a measurable conviction of the impotency and unprofitableness of all lusts and carnal confidences which the soul before counted gain as that novv it letteth them all go as loss so far as it ceaseth to live upon them any longer Rom. 11.24 Philip. 3.8 Matth. 18.25 Luke 15.14 17. It is the same in effect with a lost estate This preparatory parting from sin is either external consisting in the conforming of the outward man unto the practise of known duties and the restraint of the outward man from knovvn sin Philip. 3.6 2 Pet. 2.20 Or Internal consisting in the legal restraint of the invvard man from sin for this Restraint being understood savingly and properly is in appearance only but not in truth whether to our selves or others together with such spiritual gifts and enlargements as are wrought by the common Gospel-work of the Spirit Or else the souls parting with sin is after faith viz. saving which is threefold 1. Habitual namely the death of sin or destroying of the body of death Rom. 6.6 Chap. 7.14 which is wrought by the infusion of the Spirit of life in Vocation herein the soul is passive it being the immediate effect thereof as the in-come of life was the expelling of death in the Shunamites child Or as the cessation of darkness is the effect of light coming into the air Here is the cessation of the reign of sin 2. Repentance viz. Evangelical part of which consists in sorrow for sin as sin and aversness from sin as sin in which the soul is active 3. Mortification which is a part of Sanctification wherein the soul is also active The Distinction premised the Text remains to be spoken to vvhich being a parable it is seasonable in the interpretation thereof to make use of that generally received and commanded Rule viz. That the principal Scope is to be attended the Metaphors not to be urged above what is consonant to other Scriptures where the same truth is taught in proper and simple terms Calvin Cartwright Junius Chemnitius Piscator Pareus in their Commentaries upon the place seem not to understand conversion to be the Scope of this Parable but rather that it intends the constancy of such who are already converted in the profession of the truth of the Gospel though they should be called to suffer the loss of all yea of life it self in testimony thereunto But be it supposed That Conversion is the Scope of this Parable and so the main intent thereof to be that the soul must part with all that maketh it preparatorily uncapable of believing before it can believe yet selling of all is to be understood of a preparatory not of a saving selling of all 1. Because Selling preparatorily fully answereth the Scope of the place 2. Because Selling savingly is the act of a living spiritual man vvhich none can be vvithout faith as selling civilly is the act of a natural living man Adde hereunto That it being supposed that by buying vve are to understand the first act of faith wherein the soul is active and by selling all a saving parting with sin which yet with due submission to better Judgements appeareth not to be the true meaning of the place yet even this interpretation concludes only a saving selling of all or parting with sin before the act of faith according to the sence of the distinction and as you may please to see therein which is not the matter here controverted but it doth not conclude any saving selling of all or parting with sin before the grace of faith which is the question The Sum of this Ansvver is The Text in that it is a Parable through our infirmity is the more apt to suffer by a mis-interpretation If it be taken in the first sence according to the Commentators above-mentioned it concerns not the question If taken in the latter sence whether selling of all be interpreted preparatorily or savingly it doth not conclude the question that is It doth in no sence hold forth a saving parting with sin before the grace of faith Obj. 3. Salvation is promised unto hungering thirsting poverty of spirit seeking repentance c. which are qualifications preceding faith therefore salvation may be promised to some qualification before faith Ans All Objections raised from these and the like promises vvhereof there are many in the Scriptures may receive a full answer by the right application of the distinction of qualifications into Preparatory or Legal vvhich go before faith And Saving or Evangelical vvhich follow faith intimated before in the beginning of the Answer to the second Objection Accordingly there is a Poverty Luke 4.18 Revel 3.17 A Hunger Luke 15.14 Isai 65.13 A Thirst Isai 65.13 A Seeking Luke 13.24 A Repentance Mark 1.15 Matth. 27.3 All without faith and in judgement of charity before faith viz preparatory poverty Poenitentia Legalis Poenitentia Evangelica Bucan loc 30. Poenitentia Interna salutaris Poenitentia Externa disciplinaris Spanh Exc. de grâ—â—â— Sect. 32. Sitis totalis indigentiae fruitionis complacentiae partialis Ames Coron Art 5. Recipiscentia
Antecedens fidem Recipiscentia Consequens fidem Med. Cap. 26. Num. 31. Quaerere in fide Quaerere sine fide Piscat preparatory hunger c. And there is a Poverty Matth. 5.3 An Hunger and Thrirst Matth. 5.6 A Seeking Matth. 7.8 James 1.6 A Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 After faith viz. a saving poverty of Spirit a saving hunger c. To this effect Ames distinguisheth thirst into a thirst of total indigence Isai 65.13 And into a thirst of partial complacency 1 Pet. 2.2 The like both he and others teach concerning Repentance Wheresoever any of these or the like qualilifications are mentioned in the Scripture which Salvation ascertained by promise to the person so qualified such qualification or qualifications are saving not preparatory Let one instance throughout the whole Scripture be produced and evinced to the contrary Obj. 4. Matth. 18.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost Here Salvation is promised to those that are lost but the lostness in this place mentioned precedes faith therefore this lostness seems to be some saving qualilification before faith Ans The words are not to be understood Collectively Christus hic loquitur de Ovibus suis h. e. de Electis Synecldâ—che integri of all that are lost but distributively of the Elect that are lost So Piscator expounds the place Christ here speaks of his Sheep that is of his Elect. So is the word Sinners to be understood Matth. 19.13 1 Tim. 1.15 And ungodly Rom. 4.5 Not as if Christ came to save all sinners or that God justifieth all ungodly but elect sinners and elect ungodly Christ maketh his Elect sensible of their lost and sinful estate before he saveth them God maketh his Elect sensible that they are ungodly before he justifieth them but neither doth Christ save nor God justifie all that are lost sinners and ungodly This text is to be interpreted distributively of the Elect lost not collectively of all nor personally of this or that man for who are these Elect cannot be known before faith Obj. 5. That hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is before faith That hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is a saving work therefore there is some saving work before faith Ans A Saving Work is taken Formally scil for that which is saving in it self though not for it self nor by it self as being for the kind thereof part of Eternal life and by reason of its necessary connexion with salvation in respect of the Ordination of God hath a promise of salvation made unto it Causally scil instrumentally for the means by which a Saving Work is wrought not for the Saving Work it self The Distinction premised the Minor scil that hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is a saving work is denyed as labouring of an Equivocation in the word Saving which the question means formally but the Argument intends causally or efficiently Doctour Ames out of whom this Argument is taken never intended it to this purpose who as he affirms in the same tract elsewhere that other preparatory dispositions have not a certain and infallible connexion with salvation so in this very place affirms that that hearing of the word by which faith is wrought hath scil to us no necessary connexion with salvation Disp Theolog de Praep. peccat ad conver for who saith he can promise before hand that God will give faith thereby and concludes it therefore to be saving not formally but causally viz. instrumentally Obj 6. If in the conversion of a sinner there be a term from which namely sin and a term to which namely faith then there must be a departing of the soul from sin the term from which before it can attain unto faith the term to which Ans The In-come of grace to and the out-going of sin from the soul is not in strictness to be compared unto two things for sin is not a thing but a corrupt privation of a thing succeeding one another in the same place after the order of a local mutation properly where one of those things must give way by being outed from its place before the other can come in But the In-come of the Spirit of grace into the soul is after the manner of a habit succeeding in the room of its contrary privation and in such alterations of the subject the privation doth not first go out and the habit then come in but the in-come of the habit causeth the out-going of the privation as we see in knowledge and ignorance in the soul sight and blindness in the eye light and darkness in the air life and death in the body Death did not first go out of the body of Lazarus or of the Shunamites child and then life come in nor doth darkness first leave the air and then light come in but the in-come of life was the expelling of death In actibus voluntatis instantaneis mutatio duntaxat reperitur non autem motus propriè dictus Actus eliciti fiunt sine motu per mutationem duntaxat instantaneam Twiss de permiss 52. Cr. 3. dig 9. Sect. 24. and the coming in of light the expelling of 〈◊〉 and so of the rest The alteration of the subâ—â—â— from a term from which unto a term to which is 〈…〉 way of local mutation or by way of a haâ—◠〈◊〉 in stead of the contrary privation The Objection holds in alterations of its first kind but not in the alterations of the second of which sort is the alteration in question Obj. 7. Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Here rest seems to be promised to the qualifications of being weary and heavy laden which precede faith Ans Be it so that weariness and being heavy laden in this place spoken of precede faith though all seem not so to understand it yet we must distinguish between the invitation of the weary and heavy laden to come and the promise made unto the weary and heavy laden if being invited they do come The invitation is made to the qualifications weary Quibus verbis promitâ—it se refocillaturum non omnes qui pecc tis omnisti sunt sed omnes qui peccati onus sentientes ad ipsum veniunt Hoc autem non faciunâ— nisi Electi qui à Patre trahuntur Piscat de praed S. 63 and heavy laden the promise to coming In which words saith Piscator he promiseth not that he will ease all that are heavily laden with their sins but all who feeling the burden of their sin come unto him but this none do but the Elect which are drawn of the Father To this place very probably Doctour Preston looked in that speech The promise is not made to preparation but to coming The invitation is absolute to all so qualified living under the call of the Gospel the promise is conditional to those so qualified if they come Obj.
the passive voyce as being received by Christ before he makes mention of himselfe in the active voyce as having actively received Christ Receptie respeciu hominis est vel passiva vel activa Medulla l. 1. c. 26. Upon this Text Doctor Ames grounds that Spiritual and profitable distinction of a double receiving of Christ Passive and Active Passive whereby the Spiritual principle of grace is ingenerated Active proceeding from that ingenerated habit of grace and the operation of God fore-going and exciting thereunto we are received of Christ before we doe receive Christ Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us by the act of faith we receive him Christ taketh the Soul before the Soul taketh him A third place to the same purpose is Ephes 2.1.5 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ The infusion of the habit of Faith or Grace into the Soul is the quickning of the Soul until then the Soul is dead as a dead body so a dead Soul is passive in respect of its quickning or being made alive That the infusion of saving faith or saving grace is the infusion of Life appeares thus The Spirit of the Command and Promise viz. that infused grace which inclineth us to obey the Command and receive the Promise is Life the Image of God in Adam which consisted in a conformity to the Command was his spiritual life the spirit of Faith is the spirit of the Command 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandement That we should beleeve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ that it is the spirit of the Promise is out of doubt Joh. 3.33 As the Image of God in Adam which consisted in conformity to the command was his Spiritual life so the Image of God created anew in the Soul is life either this is life or what can be life As the spirit of sinne is the spirit of death so by the rule of contraries the spirit of effectual saving grace is Spiritual life He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 But every Beleever hath the Sonne From the nature of the grace of faith receiving of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour being of the essence and form thereof as a natural principle of natural sense motion and action is natural life so a supernatural principle of supernatural sense motion and action is supernatural life But such a Principle is saving faith and each other saving grace No Life-lesse principle can enable the Soul to a Life-act it cannot be reasonably conceived how a Beleever as a Beleever should not be alive The summe is this text holds forth an Active-quickning Christ enlivening a dead passive Soul So from Scripture the Arguments follow First from the supernatural nature of the Habit of saving faith or of the habitual frame of the New Creature In receiving a supernatural Habit Theologi vocant habirum infusum per se quiaper se sua natusra postulat ita non alitèr fieri suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. sect 13 n. 6. or Principle the Soul is passive saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature is a supernatural Habit or Principle therefore in receiving saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature the Soul is passive Supernatural is that which exceeds the power of Nature and is received of the Soul by way of inspiration only as the gift of Prophecy or both by inspiration and infusion as the habits of grace such habits the Schools call Habits infused of themselves their very nature denying them to be otherwise attained either by acts or any created cause whereby they are distinguished from Habits infused by accident such as are the gifts of Tongues and the gifts of healing which though they are ordinarily acquired and gotten by acts of study and practise yet have sometime been infused as in the Apostles time In receiving that supernatural saving habit or principle before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle the soul is passive But the grace of saving faith is such a supernatural saving habit or principle received before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle Therefore in receiving the supernatural saving habit or principle of faith the soul is passive From the nature of the subject of saving faith which is wholly unable to confer any causative power towards the producing of such an effect In receiving a miraculous impression the soule is passive but the infusion of the habit of faith or principle of life in Vocation or Conversion is a miraculous impression Vocation is a miracle it being no lesse a miracle to raise a soul from spiritual than a body from natural death therefore in receiving the infused habit of faith the soul is passive notwithstanding God oft-times makes such use as he pleaseth of men in working a miraculous effect in them yet because in such works the whole efficiency alwayes flows from God and none from man Men are passive in receiving such miraculous effects or impressions Moses putting his hand into and plucking it out of his bosome Exod. 4.7 Naamans dipping himself seven times in Jordan 2 King 5.14 conferred no more power to the curing of their Leprosie nor the womans touching the hem of Christs garment Mark 5.28 29. to the healing of her issue of blood than if they had done nothing In receiving that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving power the soul is passive we cannot do any thing whilst we are but yet receiving power to do but in receiving the habit of faith we receive that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving-power Therefore in receiving the habit of faith the soul is passive Vocation is compared to Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 to Creation to powring out of the Spirit so is the habit of faith there called Tit. 3.6 to quickning or making alive As therefore the person circumcised was passive in Circumcision the creature in its creation the subject quickned in its vivification and the subject into which precious water is powred is passive in respect of the water powred thereinto So the soul in Vocation which is all these spiritually as being that work wherein the heart is circumcised quickned hath inherent saving grace created in it and powred out into it by the Spirit must needs be passive The contrary tenet makes us in the creation of faith to be our own creators in part An assertion as full of pride as empty of reason it makes us in part authors of our faith a high degree of spiritual facrilege against the glory of Christ and grace of the Gospel Obj. 1. The Soul before and in receiving of grace is active in respect of the use of means therefore not meerly passive Sol. Passive is taken either absolutely for that which is simply passive and
there is no Blessednesse God is not God Heaven is not Heaven the Creature according to the best namely the Gospel-dispensation of God is capable of no more needs no more can have no more God in Christ doth no more for Man man needs no more from God Hereby the Soul enters into joy Mat. 25.21 23. which is the rest of the wil in its utmost and perfecting end In this Life joy enters into us the Soul here being larger than its joy in the Life to come we are said to enter into joy as into that whereby our Soul is exceeded and wherein as it were we are contained If in the state of faith the Soul is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory how much more shal it be full and running over in the state of fruition Faith is the best Rhetorick to walk so as whether present or absent we may be accepted of him is the best Elocution to admire is short of the cause a holy astonishment answereth not the object The Apostle telling us the good things laid up for the godly in this life exceed our thoughts 1 Cor. 2.9 we must needs grant that those much better things reserved for us in glory doe farre super-exceed our words The Soul separated Consid 3. The Soul separated upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth c. upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth Blessedness in the presence and sight of God and Christ before the eyes of the dead body are closed the Soul with open eyes beholds the face of Jesus Christ then viz. at death shal the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shal return to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 When Christ giveth up the Ghost he commendeth his Spirit into his Fathers hand Luk. 23.46 When the body of Stephen falleth asleep the Lord Jesus receiveth his Spirit Act. 7.59 This Christ saith and that with an asseveration to the Thief upon the Crosse Luk. 23 43. Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise If our earthly house of this Body be dissolved the Soul enters into a house not made with hands No sooner is the cloathing of Mortality put off but the cloathing which is from Heaven is put on Paul dissolved is with Christ Phil. 1.23 the Souls of those Martyrs and Confessors departing during the persecution of Antichrist who came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb are before the Throne of God serving him in his Temple Rev. 7.14 15. that is in his immediate presence For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it Rev. 21.22 The Servants of God may rest assured should Antichrist prevail against them unto death their death should afford them an immediate passage unto happinesse And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works dâ—â— follow them Revel 14.13 Christ is in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 Sits upon the Throne with his Father Revel 3.21 The Souls of the Saints departed are with Christ Phil. 1.23 therefore the Souls of the Saints departed are in the presence of God The Angels behold the face of God Mat. 18.10 The Souls departed are with the Angels Revel 4.8 and 5.8 7.9 Heb. 12.22.23 and like the Angels Mat. 22.30 For if their Bodies at the Resurrection are expresly said to be as the Angels we may wel inferre the same concerning their spirits much more agreeing with the nature of Angels therefore the Saints departed see the face of God They that are in the third Heaven are in the presence of God the Saints departed are in the third Heaven they are in Paradise Luk 23.43 which is the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 4. therefore As the Souls of the wicked depart immediately to the place of Torment so the Souls of the Saints depart immediately to the place of Blessedness Lazarus Soul is as soon in Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 that is in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 18.11 as Dives his Soul is in Hel. Luk. 16.23 For the fuller understanding hereof Bellar. de Beat. Sanct. lib. 1. c. 2. consider these four following Propositions Prop. 1 The Soul considered in it self is a subject capable of happiness It is a subject capable either of Blessedness or Misery the Promise or the Curse Heaven or Hel. It was a good answer of him that upon the proposal of the Question What the Soul was replied I know not Man since the Fall being lesse than himself understands not himself nor wil he fully til he be fully restored to himself in glory yet as a help to our apprehension we may conceive of it after this or the like manner The Soul is a Spiritual substance created after the Image of God indued with the faculties of Understanding Wil Memory and Affections with a power of reflex acting upon it self whereby it knoweth that it knoweth according to the Latitude of the whole revealed Wil and Works of God infused into the body as the form thereof and being separated there-from subsists by it self to be re-united thereunto at the Resurrection to abide as the form thereof for ever More briefly The Soul of the Saints is a Spiritual and Immortal substance created after the Image of God and renewed after the immortal Image of God in Christ The Soul is a Spirit not a Body consisting of matter Luk. 24.39 It is a real and very being as the body is only of a higher kind the Body is of the Earth the Soul is immediately from God It should not prejudice the being of the Soul because it is not visible to our eyes we may as wel question the being of God himself or of the Angels who are invisible or our own selves to be Men for from the Soul it principally is that we are Men or Women It is a substance not depending in respect of its being upon any other Fellow-creature as accidents doe whose being is by having their in-being in another Fellow-creature as their subject It s subsistence exceeds that of the Body the Soul can subsist without the Body but the Body continueth not a Body without the Soul Hence we read of separated Souls but not of separated Bodies The Soul is compared to a large vessel Rom. 9.22 23. as high as Heaven as deep as the earth Prov. 25.3 more capacious than the world Eccles 3.11 As the capacity of a vessel may be learned by the quantity it is able to contain so the understanding of the word of command which considered alone is exceeding broad Psal 119.90 Promise and Curse together with the works of God helps us to conceive of the largeness of the Soul Solomon in respect of his exceeding much understanding is said to have largeness of heart even as the
sand which is by the Sea shore 1 King 4.29 yet Solomons heart compared with Adams innocency or his own Soul now in glory was but a narrow heart Between Pauls Soul in the body and in glory there is as great a disproportion as between a childe and Solomon 1 Cor. 13.11 Prop. 2. The Soul separated dependeth not upon the Body in respect of its operations It dependeth not upon the body for the knowledge either of immaterial or material objects both being present to the Soul either by the essence of things themselves or by their intelligible species or by the Divine essence supplying all species Three things are required to the operation of the understanding 1. An intelligent faculty 2. Light to illustrate the understanding 3 The presence of the object with the understanding whatsoever is understood must be united with and touch the understanding which is done either by the eminent presence of things in the Divine Essence Zanch. de operibus Dei part 3. l. 2. c. 2 so the soul understands in glory or by the formal presence of the very things so the Angels understand themselves and so we as some conceive see the Light or by the similitude or image of the thing commonly called a Species so we understand intelligible objects in this Life The soul whilst it is in the body dependeth not upon any corporcal organ phantasie inward or outward sense as an instrument whereby it understands but as an instrument to represent the object to be understood which representative faculty of the phantasie being performed and that in a more eminent manner either by the Divine Essence it self supplying those Species or by way of infusion of them at or immediately upon the instant of its separation after the manner of the concreated Species of things in Angels or by occasional abstraction of them from objects The soul separated remaineth free to its operations without the use of the body Angels understand material and immaterial objects Angeli cognoscunt materialia per hoc quod sunt in iis per suas spocies intelligibiles The par 1. q. 57. art 1. Piscat praesatin Ezech. by the SPECIES or that which answereth the species of such objects without Corporeal organs In an extasie rapture or trance of which some reckon about five thirty in the Scripture which are spiritual Visions of the soul during that space retiring as it were out of the body or at the least not making any use of the body therein so far is the soul from not understanding at all or from not understanding so well as that it then understandeth best in this life Paul is taken into the third Heaven heareth unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter all which we must needs grant might be done without corporeal organs he himself telling us once and again That whether it was in the body or out of the body he could not tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Conimb de de anima l. 3. c. 8. q. 8. art 2. Tollet q. 21. Immaterial Objects may be understood by the soul in the body without corporeal organs or sensible species The soul in its separation from the body undergoeth a privative not a positive change It suffereth a change in respect of its information of the body and operations by the instruments of the body It informed the body before but not now It exerciseth the same operations now that it exercised before though not in the same manner then with but now without the body In the state of glory Tho. 2.2 qu. 175. art 4. Conim de anima l. 3. c. 8. qu. 8 art 3. the soul is free to contemplate materiall objects either in themselves by intelligible and sensible species according to the use of corporeal organs glorified or according to their representation in the Divine Essence As grace doth not destroy but help so glory doth not destroy but perfect nature The soul glorified and reunited to the body at its pleasure useth but dependeth not upon the phantasie for the understanding of material objects Prop. 3. The condition of the body in the state of death prejudiceth not the blessednesse of the soul The soul may be blessed though the body be dead We look too much upon the dead carkass and too little upon the living soul Christs body in the grave interrupts not the happinesse of his soul in Paradise As the body in the grave doth neither good nor evil so it feeleth neither good nor evil It is as if it were not Joseph is not Ger. 42.36 The bodies of the Saints at death cease for ever from sin and from all suffering that is felt there is neither sin nor tear in the grave And from suffering it self at the Resurrection The body is neither sensible of the want of the soul nor doth the soul feel any misse of the body The body is neither sensible of good or evill concerning it self nor concerning the soul the soul though it be not touched with any evill yet it is affected with good concerning the body whilst it looks at it as sown 1 Cor. 15.43 As at rest Isa 57.2 As fallen a sleep 1 Cor. 15.6 As in Covenant with Christ Matth. 22.32 all which phrases are proper to the bodies of the Saints The soul hath no grievance for the absence of the body yet it hath contentation in its Rest and a glad expectation of its future meeting Such is the condition of the body in the grave which yet we must so mind as not forgetting the soul in glory The body is at rest the soul is in blessednesse that the one is at rest hindreth not the blessednesse of the other the body is asleep but the soul putteth forth its perfect operations The body is asleep in the custody of Jesus 1 Cor. 15.18 The soul beholds the face of Jesus Jacobs sleeping body troubleth not his communion with Christ and his Angels Gen. 28. Pauls soul in the third heavens misseth not his body though as may be supposed for the time soul-lesse upon earth 2 Cor. 12.2 The condition of the soul dissolved in the Lord is as it were a blessed rapture lasting from our dissolution to our resurrection though the grave be a land of darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death without any order where the Light is as darkness Job 10.22 yet is not that long-home of the body so dark and disorderly as the everlasting home of the soul is light and beautiful The godly soul prepared should be no more afraid of death in regard of the body than of its fall into a kindly sleep after weary labour and as glad of dissolution in respect of it self as of going to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1.23 Prop. 4. The soul from the instant of its dissolution is freed from all imperfections of sin sorrow and infirmity God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.17 The spirits of just men
17.2 Luk. 9.31.33 Mar. 9.6 The power of the Body containeth vigor activity strength Dos Agilitatis and aptnesse for the Soul to act by Their vigor shal always last in the flower height and excellence of it always in its most absolute and perfect efficacy that which we read of Moses Deut. 34.7 and which Joshua speaks of himself Chap. 14.11 shal be verified concerning glorified Bodies in a more excellent manner Eliah is as lively and fit for action now as at the first moment of his entring into glory Their activity and aptness to action exceeds what we can wel conceive all the Saints in Heaven are such as Pharaoh enquired after Gen. 47.6 persons of activity Much is the activeness which at times God hath been and is pleased to give to Mortal bodies Eliah the hand of God being upon him runneth and out-runneth Ahabs Charriot making haste as is likely that the rain stopt him not 1 King 18.46 Asael was as light of foot as a wild Roe 2 Sam. 2.18 They in their immortal estate shal be like the Sun in respect of its brightness why not in respect of its motion which the Learned allow to move a Million and one hundred sixty thousand miles in an hour if so swift may be the motion of Natural Bodies how swift the motion of Glorious Bodies shal be we shal know when we come to make use of it Vbivolet Spiritus ibi protinus erit corpus August Haec igitur Dos erit facultatis quod potuerunt facere se movere momento quodcunque quocunque volunt Paraeus in 1 Cor. 15 43. out of the Scripture it appears that Angels in their assumed Bodies have moved very swiftly Elias when departing out of the Disciples sight toward Heaven not by assumption that is by extrinsecal help as in fiery Chariot but by the ascension according to the inherent Principle and vertue of his glorified Body Luke 9. goeth up to the cloud easily and quickly and Christ is quickly out of their sight Act. 1.9 As is their condition so also is their strength Sampson yet in a Mortal body makes no more of Cords about his arms than of Flax burnt with fire takes the doors of the Gate of the City and the two Posts Barre and all and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the hil Judg. 16.3 breaks the Wit hs as a thread of Towe is broken when it toucheth the fire ver 9. goeth away with the pin of the Beam and with the Web c. May we not wel conclude that the weakest in glory shal be stronger than Sampson in his great strength the Bodies subjection to the Soul is its exquisite aptness and readiness as an instrument for the Soul to operate by with all dexterity and promptness without all retarding and hinderance The distribution of the Body into Natural Dos Subtilitatis Animal and Spiritual is a distribution of the subject in respect of the Adjuncts concerning the manner of the living of the Body before and after the Resurrection and is as if you should say Here it liveth an Animal life after the manner of Sensitive Creatures maintained by Meat Drink Sleep and the like in the necessary observation whereof a great part of our little time if not neer the one half is spent and from the use whereof Adams body in innocency was not exempt but hereafter the Body shal live after the manner of Spirits having no need or use of these things Jesus said unto them You doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.29 30. Moses though in a corruptible body liveth without bread whilst he is with God in the Mount Que. Consider 6. Whether the blessedness of the Soul shal be greater after the Resurrection than it was before Ans The blessedness of the Soul is considered either Extensively in regard of the extent thereof reaching unto the Body the glory of the Body being an addition of joy unto the Soul in which sense the Soul may be said to be more blessed after the Resurrection than before Or intensively consisting in the Vision of God Valentia To. 2. p. 1. q. 4. punct 2. which is the Essence of Blessednesse it self In this respect the blessedness of the soul is the same both before and after the Resurrection there being the same principle namely the glorified understanding with the concurrence of the light of glory The same subject viz. The blessed soul the same object viz. God and Christ Blessednesse is either essential which consists in the Beatifical Vision it self or accidental comprehending together with Essenital blessednesse those adjuncts of blessednesse which are both antecedent and consequent to the Resurrection in the latter sense the soul may be said to be more blessed after the Resurrection than before The Essential blessednesse of the soul is the same after the Resurrection with that which was before the Resurrection but the joy of the soul after the Re-union of the body and those Adjuncts of blessednesse which are consequent thereunto will be greater than it was formerly We may distinguish between the blessednesse of the person and the blessednesse of the soul the blessedness of the person which consists both of soul and body shall be greater though the Essential blessedness of the soul be the same The frequent consideration of the state of the blessed is useful many wayes Amongst others 1 To provoke us to labour to be such as may be made meet for this inheritance of the Saints that is in light 2 To endeavour to attain and retain the earnest of the Spirit whence we may alwayes be able to say We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 3 To fill the soul with strong consolation against the sufferings of life and the fear of death 4 To work an answerable conversation That whether absent or present we may so walk as we may be accepted of him 5 To dispose us to a patient waiting for and longing expectation of our change which draweth on apace Here it may not be unworthy the labour to reminde the strong impression which the contemplation of immortality hath left upon the hearts of Heathen Good Authors report of some Indians so affectionately moved with the immortality of the soul separated from the body as that impatient of staying for their dissolution by a natural death they with their own hands built those piles of wood wherein their bodies were to be burned and then behold them set on fire accounting them wisest that dyed soonest The hearers of one Hegesias of Cyrene reading of his Oration touching the state of the soul after death were so taken with it that they looked at death as a thing to be desired Socrates at the point of suffering death
in testimony that there was but one God comforts himself over his draught of poyson with the meditation of this very subject If I in this erre faith Cato majer that I beleeve the souls of men to be immortal I erre willingly neither will I ever suffer this errour in which I delight to be wrested from me as long as I live If heathens having a dark view and vain hope of the immortality of the soul were so remarkably though passionately affected what and how vigorous then should the effects be flowing from the strong and solid consolations of beleevers who infallibly though darkly see here what they shall hereafter both be and see cleerly Whom God hath wrought for the self-same end who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit Those are they who are and ought to be in Gods time willing to dye We are confident I say and willing c. 2 Cor. 5.8 Desirous to depart Phil. 1.23 groaning earnestly to be cloathed upon with that house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 Rejoycing in the finishing of their course Act 20.24 Yea triumphing over death 1 Cor. 15.55 How would it sweeten the bitter waters of this Wilderness to live and dye in the Mount in the sight of this Canaan unto the comparative speediness of Christs coming at the Resurrection when we shall enjoy the blessedness of our persons which yet in it self considered admits long delay mentioned by the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 10.37 as an effectual cordial against the sorrows of this present life Adde this consideration of the blessednesse of our souls which immediately follows upon our dissolution from the body and admits no delay the soul is not sooner out of this earthly than it is in its heavenly house it goeth as fast into a better as it goeth out of this miserable world it is instantly with him in whom it findes all rest upon its ceasing to be with man of whom it shall there find no want In a moment in the twinkling of an eye before the eyes of the dead body are closed the eye of the living soul shall behold the face of Jesus Christ Amen Even so come Lord Jesus A Table of the Chapters contained in this Treatise OF the Divine Essence Chap. 1. Page 1 Of the Trinity c. 2. p. 21 Of Christ c. 3. p. 35 Of the Decree c. 4. p. 50 Of the Efficiency of God c. 5. 9. 101 There are certain preparatory works coming between the carnall rest of the soul in the state of Nature and effectuall Vocation c. 6. p. 129 What are the principal heads whereunto the substance of preparatory work in the full extent thereof may be referred c. 7. p. 141 Whether there be any saving qualifications before the grace of faith viz. any such qualifications whereupon salvation may be certainly promised unto the person so qualified c. 8. p. 163 Of the first object of saving faith c. 9. p. 194 Saving faith is the effect of free special grace that is of grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and designed head of his Elect. c. 10. p. 219 What is the first saving gift actually applyed unto an elect soul c. 11. p. 249 The soul is passive in Vocation c. 12. p. 257 Of the union of the beleever with Christ c. 13. p. 283 Of Justification by faith c. 14. p. 297 Of the state of the blessed where Of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution and of their persons after the Resurrection c. 15. p. 327 An Alphabetical Table of the principal matters contained in this Book A. A Meer act what Ch. 1. Pag. 5 Acts of God of three sorts Essential personal mixt and what c. 2. p. 24 The same act both evitable and inevitable in a diverse sense c. 4. p. 64 The second act or exercise of grace what c. 12. p. 260 The act of faith not given before the habit in Vocation c. 12. p. 261 Adams sin how made ours c. 7. p. 142 143 Adjuncts of blessednesse c. 15. p. 342 We are inabled in Adam to beleave in Christ. c. 9. 202 203 204 Appellations of the three Persons in the Divine nature used in Scripture c. 2. p. 24 Ascertaining salvation before faith stands not with Christs Method in preaching the Gospel c. 8. p. 171 Attributes what c. 1. p. 3 Attributes how distinguished from the Divine Essence and one from another c. 1. p. 4 Attributes distributed c. 1. p. 4 Four Attributes of the beatifical object c. 15. p. 335 B. The Bands whereby Christ and the Beleevers are united c. 13. p. 288 289 The Beatifical Vision What. c. 15. p. 229 230. In it three things considered c. 15. p. 230 Qualified sinners onely invited immediately to Beleeve proved by Scripture and by Types c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Reasons c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Examples c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Arguments moving to Beleeve c. 7. p. 158 This Proposition Whosoever Beleeveth shall be saved containeth a command and a particular conditional promise c. 8. p. 172 Why God commandeth them to Beleeve concerning whom hee hath decreed that they shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 How they have hope to Beleeve whom God hath decreed shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 Of the difficulty of Beleeving c. 9. p. 206 207. seq to 212 Beleevers receive both the Person and the Spirit of Christ c. 11. p. 249 Benignity of God what c. 1. p. 12 The society of the Blessed and wherein the good thereof consisteth c. 15. p. 346 347 The Blessednesse of the soul before and after the Resurrection in what respect the same and in what not the same c. 15. p. 352 353 Frequent consideration of the state of the Blessed usefull many wayes c. 15. p. 268 C. Calling extraordinary or ordinary c. 6. p. 130 Ordinary Calling mediate or immediate c. 6. p. ib. The universal efficiencie of the first cause and the subordinate efficiencie of the second cause consist together c. 5. p. 111. 114 The causes of union efficient c. 13. p. 285 Instrumental p. 285 The matter p. 286 The form 287 The end 291 Nothing falleth out beside the purpose of the first cause c. 4. p. 93 A Caution concerning fixing conversion to such a time c. 7. p. 162 In what sense there is no chance c. 5. p. 123 Some things in Scripture ascribed to chance deny not that all things are ordered by God c. 5. p. 123 124 Christ dyed for his when they were sinners c. 9. p. 215 Christ the cause of the application of the good of election but not of election c. 10. p. 225 Without union no communion c. 13. p. 291 292 The excellency of Communion flowing from union c. 13. p. 225 296 The content of the Communion of the blessed c. 15. p. 347 348 Sores of Composition seven which and what c. 1. p. 6 The Concourse of the