slain for us he is become the Righteousness of God to and for men and so is set forth in the Gospel of God as he is therein declared to be the forgiver of sins and justifier of them that believe in him upon the account of the Righteousness wrought and compleated in and by him And so he is or in him is held forth to us men the Righteousness of Faith or the Righteousness which is of God by Faith as it 's diversly tearmed that is to say through and by vertue of Christ and the Righteousness performed by him whosoever gives credit to his Testimony and believeth looketh to and stayeth upon him are accepted for righteous in the presence of God though in themselves and with respect to the Righteousness given them in Adam they be sinful and defiled creatures and shall be dealt with as righteous persons in abiding in him and shall have the grace and spirit of God administred to them also both to justifie them in their Consciences and effect in them righteous frames and affections conforming them to God and fitting them for his Kingdom All which also depend upon the Righteousness of Christ to be performed to and in them But this Righteousness comes not to and upon men as the righteousness of the first man should have done had he stood for that should have been by Propagation Rom. 5.17 but this by Spiritual Regeneration free Gift and Imputation and is received by men in coming in to him and being born to and of him of the faith and knowledge of him and of God as manifested in and by him The Righteousness wrought by Christ â—om 3.22 23 24 25. 5.17 18 19 20 21. and that is in Christ is indeed for and to all men to justification of life both so as to justifie exempt or free them from being held under the first judgement or condemnation so as to perish therein and so as to give them life and righteousness in Christ as a thing prepared for them and ready to be in their closing with him imparted to them But it come upon cloaths and makes righteous so as to gracious acceptation and title to the Kingdom and Inheritance promised only those who receive and believe in him SECT 4. Of two kinds of Sin 4. THere is also a twofold consideration of Sin with reference to these two men and the Covenants made with men in and by them The one is natural to us the root and original of which was voluntary to Adam and this stood in the breaking the Law he was under and it is transmitted to us as his righteousness had he stood should have been by propagation so as we come sinners into the world and under the sentence of Death Rom. 5.13 14 Rom. 3.9 10 19 23. as is evident in Children that sin not after the similitude of Adams transgression and so not by imitation and yet do dye And this sin also brings forth and necessitates men naturally to innumerable sins actual sins that stand in the breach of Gods law according to which all have sinned and as they grow up do sin continually till and further then by grace they be prevented and inabled to do better The second kind of sin was not found in the second man the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2.22 2 Cor. 5.21 for he had no sin in him nor on him but other mens he never did sin nor was guile found in his mouth but it is found in particular men against the second man and against God in him and the law of grace held forth by him not in him against the law given to him and imposed upon him for making attonement for and ransoming men from under the judgment of the former kind of sin which law he fulfilled to perfection And it is a sinning after the similitude of Adams transgression Rom. 5.14 Hos 6.7 though not simply against the first Covenant but against the second too viz. that in Christ for men hating the light when it comes John 3.19 20. 5.40 8.44 Prov. 1.24 25. Psal 81.11 12. and loving darkness rather not coming to Christ for life when called in a word the rejecting Christ and putting him away that 's the original and bottom of it preferring Satan sin and the world before him and refusing to be healed and saved by him And this is the condemning kind of sin the retaining natural corruption against the light and grace of Christ coming to save men from it and the chusing to do Satans will rather than Christs And though this kind of sin comes not to men from any publick root of mankind as the first doth but is received from Satan and committed by men in their particular persons to which through original corruption may apt yet in the seasons of Gods grace it necessitates not yea and though Christ did not primarily and directly in his first stepping in to ransome us come to take away this kind of sin as the former it being consequential to his coming to ransom us and to his bringing grace and salvation to us yet from this sin also he hath by the superabundancy of his Merit Rom. 5.16 and the worth of his Obedience and righteousness received power and authority to justifie and save us and doth forgive it to men and save them from it if upon convincement of it during the day of Gods grace they be prevailed with to own or confess it and repent of it turning in to him with whom there is plenteousness of Redemption for that purpose as was before shewed SECT 5. Of two General Judgements besides Particular ones 5. NOw answerable to those two kinds of sin we find mentioned too in the Gospel Doctrine two General Judgements passing upon all men the first passing upon all men in one man before any man was born to him of which the Apostle saith Rom. 5.16 18. the judgement was of one offence to condemnation and was upon all men to condemnation And this was for sin of the first kind Adams sin and the sin of all men as in him and as made sinners and so necessitated to sin by him and this was the judgement threatned before his sin separation and banishment from the presence of God and there through death in soul and body though after the fall pronounced mitigatedly through the interposure of the second man and it was upon all men the same not to some one way to some another way but to all alike and to condemnation as in the Scriptures above quoted Now the weight of this judgement was executed upon Christ John 12.31 the judgement of this world was upon him when he was sorrowful unto death What is through Christ ordered to men 〈◊〉 is for testimony of Gods displeasure against sin indeed but in such a way as none shall perish everlastingly therein being for nurturing men to look to Christ and God in Christ and so to lay hold of the everlasting life
Christ in the Flesh and so on 6. From thence to these times In which too this will be evidenced that all the said Revelations of God as to the way of mens salvation have either expresly or implyedly spoken of Christ and of his appearance in the Flesh as may be seen in the following Sections of that Induction SECT 3. Of the Dispensation of the knowledge of God and Christ by his words in Paradise and from thence to the Flood NO sooner had our First Parents Tempted of the Serpent Fallen from God and was Convicted thereof by the Voice of God but God in the greatness of his Mercy in threatning Destruction to the Serpent and his Works Preached Grace and Redemption to Mankind and intimately made Promise of a Saviour to us in that expression Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between her seed and thy seed He that is her Seed shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Indeed these Expressions were somewhat Mystical yet contained in a manner Isa 7.9 9.15 the whole Gospel for surely by the Serpent was primely signifyed That old Serpent the Devil and Satan Rev. 20.1 2. And by his Head his Plot Device and Project and the Principallity and Power he thereby got over Mankind His Plot was to separate between us and God to our utter ruine by inticeing us to Sin against him whom he knew to be so perfect a hater of Sin and to have so solemnly threatned Death to Man in case of his sinning as that he might rationally expect that in case he would draw him to Sin his Ruine would inevitably follow thereupon and that being cast off by God He should be left to his the Serpent Power and Malice to do what He pleas'd with him The bruising of his Head Heb. 2.14 Coll. 2.16 Luk. 11.22 2 Tim. 1.10 Luk. 1.74 75. 1 Pet. 3.18 then could signifie no less then the spoiling of his Plot and devesting him of his Power by destroying his Works and abolishing their Fruit taking away his Armour Sin and the sentence and curse of the Law upon Man for Sin and so evacuating Death the Wages of Sin and setting Man at liberty from Satan so as he may return to God again all which God intimately promised should be done not immediately by himself for he said I will break thy head no God would have Satan know he disdained to match himself with him as it were in the Combat he would do it by a Man one in that nature that he had got Victory over and which was spoiled by him even a Seed to be born to and to come forth of the Woman And so he signifyed both that Man should be Ransomed from that his Fall and from the jurisdiction of the Serpent the Devil thereby obtained And that the Saviour should be a Man nor Adam himself nor Eve but one to descend from them the Seed of the Woman with respect to which Adam hearing and believing it called his Wife by a new Name for whereas before he called her Ishah a Woman Gen. 2.23 with 3.20 or Manness because one with and taken out of Man now he calls her Chavah or Evah because by this gracious appointment of God she was made the Mother of all Living the bringer forth of a Seed remotely that should remedy dead and destroyed Man and remove the Curse come upon the Creation by Man's Sin and so bring in Life and Immortality to Man but for which She might rather have been called the Mother of all Dying This Promise God was pleased to put as a Foundation sure and firm Isa 28.16 under Man's Feet to support and bear him up in all his following Griefs and Sorrows Labours and Turmoyles even to Death that now were to come upon him because of his Sin that he might not despair and sink under them And this before God proceeded to denounce any of those things upon him or to take away Paradise and the Tree of Life from him that so yet the Woman might thenceforth conceive and bear in hope And the Man labour and eat his Bread though in the sweat of his brows yet in Hope and both Man and Woman both live and dye in Hope even in the hope of Eternal Life through this Faith of the Promised Seed or Messiah which is the Faith that the Just have had to live by and to dye in in all Ages So much was implyedly Revealed then to Man even to all Mankind then Being Yea sure and God further implyed That that Seed should be one with himself and so God-man when he after added ver 22. Behold Man is become as one of us to know good and evil not by way of Irony or Derision but by way of Prediction with respect to his former appointment That Man's Nature should be in the Promised Seed as one of the Persons in the Trinity taken up into Unity with God and to his glory and throne of Dignity to have indeed a knowledge of Good and Evil such as the Devil little thought of not such as Adam got by Sin to know the difference between his former good and his present bad Condition but both an Experimental Knowledge of the Depth of Man's Misery to be born by him and of the height of Good in the injoyment of God's Glory to be injoyed of him and such a knowledg of them as is with and is given forth by the Divine Majesty as also thereby may be implyed his Power and Authority over Men in the Person of Christ to Save and enliven Fallen Man and to help him against Satan and all adverse Power being as one of the Persons in the Trinity Isa 11.2 3. 42.1 the Spirit of Might Counsel Judgment upon him c. Thence also God took away that Tree of Life that might have preserved him Immortal in his Fall that he might be forced to look to the Promised Seed and live by the Faith of him in a Mortal Dying condition By the Faith of whom Preached and held forth doubtless by Adam and Eve to their Posterity as they came into the world Abel afterwards offer'd up to God a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11.4 with Gen. 4.4 Yea doubtless the very Law and practise of Sacrificing mentioned all along after the Fall and propagated to all Nations and places of the world had its rise and spring from the Promise of Christ and was an outward Testimony of their acknowledging themselves Sinners and that they needed by some Ransome or shedding of Blood to have Attonement made for them and that there-through onely they might have access to and liberty to Worship God though all that offered understood not or believed so much and that seems rather the meaning of their Bloody Sacrifices such as Abel brought then of such dry ones as Cain Offered Cain by his Offering seemed onely to acknowledge God Lord of the World the giver of the Creatures to
and declares himself to be and so calling upon him in all their wants and needs acknowledging confessing and glorifying him in all things by Jesus Christ even in all his goodness 1 Thess 5.16 17 18. Philip. 4.6 7. Ephes 5.18 19 20. Rom. 6.11 12 13 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 6.20 and gracious Dispensations to and dealings with them or others as manifest to them yielding up themselves and all their powers and members to walk with obey and serve him as his grace afforded instructs and strengthens them 5. Matth. 28.19 20. 26.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11.25 26 27 28. Acts 2.41 42. Rom. 15.9 10. Col. 3.16 Heb. 3.12 13. 10.25 Ephes 6.17 18. Phillip 3.3 John 4.23 24. Jude 20. Matth. 16.24 Rom. 6.2 3 4 5 6. Gal. 2.19 20 21. 3.25 26 27 28 29. That they attend unto and upon God and Christ in such ways ordinances and appointments of his as He hath made known to them in his Doctrine to be injoyed and appointed of God for them in the present Administration of his Grace and Truth according to his mind therein is manifested to them and perceived by them As in times past they had the Observations of the New Moons Sabbaths Sollemn meetings appointed of God by Moses where they had them Revealed to them So now we have the use of Baptism the Supper and Assemblies of Believers in the Name of Christ as may be warrantably injoyed And such an hearty spiritual and close obedience to God and Christ in the Spirit denying our Selves and going out of all knowledge of our Selves after and confidence in and glorying of the Flesh and being Baptized or Planted into Christ to seek all our Life Peace and Righteousness Wisdom Strength Salvation in him is required of us and is to be held forth by us as required of all Men according to their capacities of obeying in and by the Gospel-Doctrine And this also is good and true in it self and to be held forth with the Gospel to All men not to be first required of men to prepare them for the Gospel nor to be their Righteousness toward God But upon Phil. 3.7 8 9 10. Rom. 10.3 and with the Preaching of the Gospel this they are to be instructed to and admonished That they refuse not the Gospel taught to and to be Believed by them nor refuse to obey it in what it requireth and calls for from them as the way in which sowing to the Spirit they shall be more filled with the Spirit and so be more led into Christ Gal. 6.7 Col. 2.9 10. 3.9 10. in whom God hath given us a full perfect and abiding Righteousness and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness To further which also the Gospel further presents SECT 3. Gospel Terrours GOspel Terrours Arguments of Fear 2 Cor. 5.11 to awaken and quicken men to receive and obey the Truth brought to them in what it says to and requires of them As to give some brief hints as resulting from and presented in the Gospel-Faith or Doctrine 1. 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. Tit. 2.3 4. It presents sin very loathsom and displeasing to God especially willing and careless sinnings against the light truth and grace brought to men by him The presentation of what Christ hath done to take away sin Heb. 2.2 3 4. 10.26 29. 7.19 9.19 9.22 10.1 6 7. presents sin never a whit the less but the more loathsom to God in as much as it was not nor may be pardoned but through the sufferings death and sacrifice of Christ for men And if sin against God as a Creator was so loathsom how much more is sinning against him willingly Heb. 10.29 12.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. Heb. 1. 2.1 2 3 4. now he hath done so much more for us and put so much greater ingagements upon us to be his and to obey and serve him The more he hath done for us the more reason we have to listen to him and the more heinous our rebellions and sins against him and the more he loves his Son who suffered for us the more is he provoked by our disobedience to and rebellions against his Son in his calls and counsels to us for our salvation 2. Matth. 28.18 19. Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 Phil. 2.10 11. Jam. 4.5 12 13. It presents God and Christ armed with infinite power and authority to punish the transgressors and rebels against him all power in Heaven and upon Earth being his and all creatures at his beck to be imployed or made use of by him at his pleasure so as no ability in us by strength or wisdom to shift from him or from any the least part of the punishment or judgment that he will inflict upon us if we rebel against him 1 Cor. 10.22 Ezek. 22.14 3. Eccles 9.10 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Heb. 3.15 Rev. 1.18 19. 3.7 It presents the time of this life the only time for hearing his voice and obeying him and seeking favour and acquaintance with him yea it 's his pleasure whither to wait upon us so long the Keys of Heaven and Hell are in his hands Luke 13.7 8 9 25 26 27. Matth. 10.38 Luke 10.5 6. and as he can open as he pleases and keep open â—he door of life so long as he pleases so he can shut it when he will too yea our â—ives also are in his hand and not in our own He can take away our breath and spirit when he pleases and cast the Transgressors into Hell and there is no withstanding of him therein None hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither is there any power in the day of death Eccles 8.8 4. That he can and may 1 Cor. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. with 9.26 27. 11.30 Rev. 2.4 5 21 22. Deut. 28.2 Thess 2.9 10. 11 12. Act. 13.40 41. and by mens refusing his grace and truth and therein his Son and Spirit and Self is provoked to inflict heavy judgements upon them here in their souls or bodies or both either denying them or depriving them of the comfortable injoyments of such outward mercies and liberties as otherwise he is ready to give them or else imbitter his gifts to them filling them with a curse so as to fill them with vexation and anguish of Spirit or else to blast them in all and curse their spirits as to give them up to delusions lusts and ways of their own to run themselves to destruction 5. Act. 10.42 17.30 31. Rom. 2.16 14.11 12.2 Cor. 5.10 11. Rev. 20.12 13 14.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Jude 14 15. That however he hath absolutely decreed and appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Christ Jesus and then will raise all up out of their graves no darkness or shadow of death shall be able to hide or keep them from his presence but before him
purpose to work and do as to faâ— He purposed to make the World in suâ— Space and Form as he did make it 〈◊〉 purposed to make Man Upright and 〈◊〉 his own Image and give to him as 〈◊〉 did and do to him as he did and peâ—mit and suffer him to do as he did pemit and suffer him Yet by the way wâ— may distinguish of Permisson There 〈◊〉 a Legal Permission Gen. 2.16 17. 1. Cor. 9.5 6. a giving leave by thâ— Law to do things or not do them Sâ— God permitted Adam to eat of everâ— Tree of the Garden that of the Knowledge of Good and Evil excepted anâ— to the Apostles to Eat and Drink at otheâ— mens cost and to forbear Working anâ— nothing so permitted is Sin and Evil in 〈◊〉 Thus God never purposed to perâ—t nor did he permit Adam To eat of â—e fruit of the tree of knowledge of good â—d evil for then had he not therein Sinâ—ed But there is a Providential Permissiâ— a letting Men go at Liberty free from 〈◊〉 violent Coaction or Restraint to or â—om what is Commanded or Forbidden â—s a Magistrate that gives no leave by â—is Law to any to Steal or commit Adultry yet leaves Men at liberty not tying â—em up in Bonds or Chains or setting â—uards upon them to forde them to be â—onest so as they may have freedom of â—ction and be capable of obeying or â—obeying those Laws in which such â—ings are forbidden and accordingly of â—ceiving Reward or Punishment for â—beying ordisobeying In this sense God â—urposed to give and did accordingly give 〈◊〉 Adam liberty of chusing or refusing â—ting well or ill And this distinction â—f Permission is useful and to be minded â—oth in respect of Adams Sinning and â—ther Mens Yea and the Permission as â—od's Act and the Sinning as Man's Act â—e to be distinguished too And so to return to our Discourse about â—od's Purposes as they respected Manâ—ind Fallen We may say He purposed â—o do for us whatsoever the Gospel saith â—e hath done and will do for us accorâ—ing as therein is declared 2 Sam. 14.14 Job 33.23 And so he purposed to shew us Mercy and not to â—eal with us and leave us helpless as the Devil and his Angels but to save mâ— from the Death he would plunge himâ— into and call him back to himself agaiâ— and that not according to Works of Rigâ—teousness to be done by us but accordiâ— to the good pleasure of his Grace whiâ— purpose as the Apostle tells us 2 Tim. 1.9 10. is manifeâ—ed what it was by the appearance 〈◊〉 Christ Abolishing Death and bringinâ— Life and Immortality to light by thâ— Gospel that is to say He purposed 〈◊〉 Save us by the free and undeserved senâ—ing forth of his Son and making hiâ— Flesh the Seed of the Woman and â—der the Law and by delivering him 〈◊〉 to Death for us all to make an Attonâ—ment for our Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to evacuate aâ— take away the Destructive power 〈◊〉 Death and by raising him up again 〈◊〉 our Justification and giving us Eternâ— Life in him And so he purposed to 〈◊〉 Sinners by his Free-Grace to the Life anâ— Immortality obtained by Christ for them upon the account Tit. 3.3 4 5. Prov. 1.20.21 22 23. Isa 61.1 42.1 Joh. 5.25 not of any good Workfore-wrought by them but of his Soâ— undertakings and performances for themâ— and by preventing them as with the lighâ— and power of his Spirit which to thaâ— end he purposed to put upon his Soâ— while yet Dead in Sins and Trespasses so as there-through they might hear and obey him Isa 49.12 53.10 11. 55.5 And he purposed so to accompany and bless his Son in his Callinâ— Men and so to glorifie him that many of them should actually and eventually â—in after him and obey him And that â—hey whosoever that listen to and obey â—im in the grace and power in his Calls â—fforded them should be Justified and â—aved by him but those that then stop their Ears against him and reject him and so persist against all means and grace â—or their Repenting afforded them should â—e left and given up to themselves to stumble at him and fall against him to Destruction He purposed also 1 Pet. 2.7.8 That he would not onely Glorifie his Son to call Sinners and impower and authorise him â—o Save the Believers and to exercise Paâ—ience and Mercy mixt with Judgment â—ere toward the disobedient but also to â—end him again to Raise the Dead and â—o Judge all Men Believers and Unbeâ—ievers according to their Works according as in the Gospel-Doctrine is declaâ—ed And so the Gospel Eph. 3.11 is a Revelation of the Eternal purposes of God purposed in Christ Jesus from before the Foundations of the World and the Preaching of it is called the Preaching of the Decree and his purposes as so Revealed and Preached are all sure and certain and meet Psal 2.6 7. and good to be known of Men. Yea and are so far known as the Gospel is known and believed by us there being onely this difference between those his purposes and the Gospel-Doctrine as to the matter of them That the Gospel-Doctrine declares partly as acted and accomplished and partly as certain to be accomplished due time What as onely purposed and with God was neither accomplishâ— nor made known but hid and secreâ— SECT 2. That the purposes of God concerning Meâ— Ends in particular as to their Salvatâ— or Damnation are included in and 〈◊〉 sult from God's General purposes for mentioned NOW as to God's purposes of deâ—ing with particular Persons as 〈◊〉 his final dispose of them they are cleaâ— included in and result from his foreâ— General purposes concerning Mankind Christ Jesus and are in them onely to sought after and discerned As God â—posing to heal by the Brazen Serpent 〈◊〉 that being Stung would look up towâ— it it followed that it was his purpose thâ— this or that particular looking to it shoâ— be healed and it being his purpose not heal any of them otherwise it followâ— that it was not his purpose to heal this 〈◊〉 that person that neglected it So it beâ— the purpose of God in General so to gâ— his Son in love to the World that whâ—soever should Believe in him should haâ— Eternal Life it follows as a thing includâ— in it and resulting from it That Petâ— James John Paul c. through God giving his Son to and lifting him up 〈◊〉 the Salvation of the World being prevailed with to Believe on him shall have Everlasting Life And God having purposed That those who when Christ is lifted up and Light and Grace are brought to them by and through him shall be disobedient and reject him his Words and Counsels should be left to stumble at him and persisting therein to fall to Perdision It was therein included That Judas being then Disobedient should in and for so doing be
God over and toward these persons no ways clasht with his general purposes of mens ends according to their believing and obeying or disobedience to God in Christ before mentioned The two former being particular purposes perhaps only of temporal destructions for their persâ— wickednesses or at the highest judiâ— purposes of their final estates upon 〈◊〉 foresight or consideration of and with â—â—spect unto their abuses of Gods grace aâ— goodness which yet he purposed accoâ—â—ing to the counsel of his Will to theâ— because it was in his Power and Choâ— whether to make them examples anâ— instances of his severity in resolving theâ— destruction upon the account of their forepast sins or to have purposed further patience and grace to them for the rescuing them from the ways of sin unto salvation as the latter may speak of it intimately it being not so much a purpose of their end peremptorily and absolutely decreed to those persons I suppose as a purpose or rather a dispensation oâ— grace to dispose and order them to oâ— for such an end as he hath purposed to those that believe SECT 5. Of the distinction of Gods Purposes into Respective and Irrespective GOds purposes of mens ends then appear to be not irrespective and previous to the consideration of their way and works but respective to them as rewards for of Gods purposes some aâ—â— Irrespective and some Respective Respective I say not only to men as their object nor only to Christ in whom Gen. 3.15 16 17 c. and with respect to whose undertakings some things yea all that follow thereupon are purposed but with respect also to something veiwed or foreseen in men to Isa 48.3 4 5 6 7 8. and concerning whom they are purposed foreseen I say and so respected either as occasions of or apt dispositions to or meritorious causes of the things purposed with respect to them According to this distinction God did absolutely and irrespectively purpose the Creation of the World and all things therein The Creation of man in a good condition the leaving him to his liberty to obey or disobey his Law purposed also to be given him So the giving forth of Christ and preparing him to be a meet Saviour for us and the preventing men with his grace more or less clearly through him according to his good pleasure were purposed in some consideration irrespectively for though they had respect to the sin and fall and misery of man thereby as occasioning a need of those things yet as to any works of righteousness found in men or to be found in men as deserving them or as preparing and disposing men to such salvation to be wrought in and by Christ for them and for grace to call them they were irrespective But then Gods purposes of hardning rejecting and condemning this or that man were respective and lookt upon them as sinning against his grace and truth rejecting his Son and refusing him as deseâ—ving and rendring them worthy suâ— hardning rejecting and condemning And his purposes of giving more specâ— favour and salvation to such and such men believing as are properly consequent to or rewards of faith respected Christ not only as obtaining such grace but also a received and believed in by those men and so rendring them worthy in a Gospeâ— sense of such grace to be dispensed to them Unto this branch of respective purposes clearly appertain purposes of punishing and rewarding as such though most clearly it is seen in purposes of punishing either by giving up to sin or inflicting destructive vengeance upon menâ— such doubtless was his purpose of casting Adam out of Paradise it had respect to his sin sure he did not absolutely purpose to cast him out whither he sinned or not or to necessitate his sin that he might cast him out The like may be said of his purpose of drowning the World destroying Sodom establishing the Kingdom to Saul or taking it from him and so that such or such a man shall dye of such a death as their wilfull sinnings bring upon them in which though t is true that their days are determined yet its true also that they dye before their times namely before the times they should have lived to had they not ran into such sins Eccles 7.17 As Ahitophel Haman Judas Pharaoh though they must have dyed had they not sinned in such wicked ways as they did yet they should not have dyed such deaths been given up to and destroyed in such a way of judgement had they not been wicked or had they timely thereof repented Such was the purpose of God for hardning Pharaohs heart it had respect to his stubbornness and wickedness foreseen He see he would oppress his people and not let them go Exod. 3.19 20. 4.21 and with respect thereto purposed to harden him that he should not no not by many mighty Signs and Judgements be willing to let them go Such also the purpose of God concerning the believers sufferings of which it 's said 1 Thes 3.3 That we were thereunto appointed surely not as this or that man simply considered but as Believers in and confessors of Christ and so all such as such were appointed to sufferings especially in those times Such surely was Gods purpose and determination concerning Herod Pontius Pilate with the Jews and Gentiles opposing Acts 4.27 28. with 2.23 persecuting and crucifying or rather of his delivering him up to them and determining and fore-bounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they should do to him his determining counsel therein was joyned with his foreknowledge and with respect to what he foreknew they would be he determined to yeild them up to them and what they should do to him God did not purpose to make them wicked and stir them up or impel them to crucifie him as some over-rashly speak making God the Cauâ— Contriver and Author of their sin bâ— foreseeing what they would be and do if permitted he determined to permit them to do what he pleased to permit what should be done Suffering their malice so far to break forth as might be to his praise and restraining the remainder thereof as Psal 76.10 Not that he needed their crucifying him or Judas betraying him to work mans redemption by nor was it his dying as the effect of their wickedness that did properly ransome us nor did their betraying and crucifying him necessarily bring forth his death No man took his life from him but he laid it down of himself Acts 2.23 3.15 5.30 7.52 John 10.18 though yet they are truly and properly chargeable with killing and slaying him and putting him to death both as to their desire and intention and as to the consequent of what they did to him but he yeilded his life voluntarily to his Father who made his soul an offering for sin And his Death as needful for and effectual to our ransoming and redemption was that which the Fathers wrath or curse of the Law
and for release and liberty to Servants and Bondmen as it were a year of rest Levit. 25.3 4 5 6. Exod. 21.2 3 4 5 6. so it Typed out the Rest and release from Labour and Sorrow to be brought in by Christ as before But as it was a year of Release for Servants so it Typed out the Liberty to be brought in by Christ from Sin Satan and the Paedagogy of the Law procured by his Death and offered in the preaching of the Gospel and to be effected by the Spirit of God in the belief thereof But as there he that accepted of it had and enjoyed it but he that said Nay he loved his old Master better and so would not go out from him he was to be brought to the door and his Master was to bore his Ear through with an Awl and he was to serve him for ever So here he that embraces the Grace of God in Christ in the accepted time and day of Salvation he shall be set free but he that refusing it prefers the service of Sin Satan and Mosaical Law above it shall be given over to serve and perish in his corruptions and legal bondage 4. The like was Typified but more fully in the great Sabbatical Year or Year of Jubile when on the day of Atonement the Trumpet of the Jubile was to be sounded through all the Land and they were to proclaim liberty through all the land to all the Inhabitants thereof and every man was to return to his possession and every man to his Family Leâ— 25.8 9 10 11 c. for therein was prefigured 1. The general Release of Men from Thraldom to Curse and Wrath to which in Adam they were sold and by their own actual sins were further imbondaged many of them procured 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of Christ and the Atoâ—ment thereby made and proclaimed 〈◊〉 the Gospel which like the Jubilee Trumpet Isa 61.1 2. being founded proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord the day of the vengeance of our God even the vengeance executed upon Christ or upon out enemies by Christ to comfort all that mourn Blessed are the people that know mind own and so take hold of and prove that joyfull sound they shall walk in the light of God's countenance c. Psal 89.15 16. 2. The general actual Release of all from under the first Death and Judgment to be presented before the Tribunal sear of Christ to be judged anew and the full and total release of all the Israel of God that have here believed in Christ from all their terrours sufferings and thraldoms to Sin and Death into the quiet and full possession of all the Kingdom and Glory promised and this to be effected at the great Day of the Lord When the Lord Jesus shall descend again from heaven with the voice of a Trumpet and of the the Arch-Angel of God when the seventh Angel sounding the mystery of God shall be fulfilled 1 Thess 4.16 Rev. 10.7 3. The general restitution of all things spoken of by the Prophets Acts 3.20 21. Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. when the Creature it self shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the liberty of the Glory of the Sons of God at the â—d Great day of Christ's appearing all which are signified to be the effects of the Atoning Sacrifice of Christ in that that Jubilee Trumpet was to be sounded and the said Liberty Release and Restitution proclaimed on the day of Expiation or Atonement 2. They had also divers Feasts appointed them Monthly and Yearly as 1. They had Monthly New Moons which appear to have been Festivals 1 Sam. 20.5 times appointed for Sacrificing and gladness and for the blowing of Trumpets over their Sacrifices Numb 10.10 Psal 81.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5.17 Typifying the renovation of the creature in and by Christ through his vertuous Sacrifice He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new as also the Reformation and change of Worship to be brought in by him in the faith of which they were to blow their Trumpets and sing aloud to him with Thanksgiving thereby also figuring the joy and gladness the renovation made by Christ should bring in Psal 40.1 2 3 4. Rev. 14.1 2 3. Heb. 9 9 10 11 12. Yearly Festivals were their Feast of Passover First-fruits and Tabernacles in which besides the Rests required in them by vertue of which they were also Sabbaths some days beâ—nging to them and the abundance of â—crifices then to be offered which appertained to the Ordinance of Sacrificing they did solemnly appear and feast before the Lord rejoycing in the abundance of his goodness Prov. 9.12.3 4 5 6. Matth. 22.12 3 4. Isa 25.6 Joh. 4.14 6.35 48 51 55 c. and in the remembrance of the great things he had done for them providing for and feasting their poor Brethren also with them Neh. 8.10 11. Exod. 23.14 15 16. Levit. 23. which in general led them to behold by Faith the abundance of the Grace to be procured and brought in by Christ the Feast of Fat things full of Marrow to be made in Christ for all People For Christ is himself the Feast or matter of it the meat indeed and the drink indeed which whosoever eateth shall find satisfaction in so as not to hunger after other dainties and whoso drinks of shall not thirst for ever after other Waters Yea they might mind them of the great joy and delight to be brought in by his Incarnation or making his Tabernacle amongst us his sufferings for us and pouring down of his Spirit upon us but more fully at the harvest and full income of all the promises when the Tabernacle of God shall be with men for ever Rev. 21.4.5 so that these also had their foundation in Christ and poined at Christ to come 3. Besides which they had also other Ordinances yet under the Tabernacle and Temple and pertaining thereto pointing out Christ Levit. 12. 13. 14. 15. in which they were to exercise themselves till his actual appeâ—ting as diverse Washings and Puriâ—â—ons cleansings from uncleanness Heb. 9.12 13 14. as issues Leprosies c. all Typing out the cleansing away of our Sins by the Bloud and Spirit of Christ especially that Num. 10. of the ashes of the red Heifer is most significant For there God appointed that a red Heifer should be burnt and the ashes of it preserved and laid up in a clean place and then to be mixed with clean Water and by a clean Person with Hyssop to be sprinkled upon the unclean for the cleansing of him c. which Water and way of Purification was prepared for all the Congregation yet so as he that refused to be cleansed thereby was to remain in his unclearness and to be cut off from the Congregation vers 9.20 21. and evident Type and instruction that in and by Christ his sufferings and
a Trinity in respect of the manner of his subsisting and working the Father the Son or Word and the Holy Ghost or in other tearms coming up to the same Truth â—th 3.17 â— 19. That God even the Father hath a Son and an holy Spirit the spirit of the Son and of the Father one in Essence and Godhead with himself 4. That this One God is an eternal 1 Tun. 1.17 1 King 8.27 Psal 135.5 8. 139.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 147.5 1 Sam. 2.2 Psal 100.5 36.5 6 7. Isa 44.6 59.6 1 Cor. 8.6 2 Cor. 5.18 Mic. 2.7 1 John 3.8 infinite and infinitely wise powerful holy and good Spirit who hath his Being of himself and is the Author of all Beings Sin excepted which hath its Being of and from the Sinner and Satan whatsoever 5. That this glorious God is onely perfectly and fully knowable by and known to himself and cannot be known either perfectly or in part by us or any other Creature but in his own Light and Manifestation of himself to us Job 11.7 8 9. Psal 139.6 and 36.9 John 1.18 Matth. 11.27 6. That this glorious God Rev. 4.10.11 Isa 40.28 Col. 1.16 17. Heb. 1.2 3. Job 34.13 did for manifestation of himself and his own Glory Make Create give Beginning and Being to the World and all things therein visible and invisible by his Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness and is also the Upholder and Governour thereof and of all things therein according to his own wisdom and good-pleasure 7. That amongst Gen. 1.25 26 27. 2.7 21 22. 5.2 and after all other things Man also had his Being and Beginning of or from God and was made by him as his choice visible Creature in one man made of the Dust of the Earth and inspired and inlivened with a living rational Soul and in one Woman made of that Man to be a Meet-help for him Male and Female made he them 8. That man Gen. 1.26.27 Eccles 7.29 Psâ—l 49.12 20. Prov. 8.31 Act. 17.27 28. Gen. 3.22 with 2.17 was in that one Man and one Woman made very honourable happy and glorious in Gods own image and likeness upright and without sin capable of knowing and having converse with God and of serving and living to him in whom he also lives moves and hath his being and so of living for ever The Ruler over the rest of Gods Works and the subordinate end of their Creation they being made for Man's use and service so as nothing was wanting to man that might make for his comfort and happiness so good and bountiful was God to him onely man was mutable and so might if he would be so foolish to Sin and forfeit all And sure the Gospel supposes this both as to the goodness of man's condition otherwise Sin had not been mans or chargeable upon him much less at so high a rate as to deserve such a Penalty to be inflicted upon as the Gospel also implies if man had not been made Righteous and without Sin and both in a capacity and unspeakably obliged to have continued so as also to the mutability of his Condition otherwise he could not have sinned and lost it all 9. That God made also other intelligent Creatures besides Man Col. 1.16 invisible Spirits called Angels made good and excellent glorious Creatures 1 Pet. 3.21 of whom some fell from their Principality and glorious station and are become Devils 2 Pet. 2.4 unclean and wicked Spirits Enemies to God and Men Jude 6. Matth. 8.28 31. 12.24 27 43 45. 25.41 Mark 4.2.12 Gen. 3.1 with Rev. 20.1 2 3 8. with 16.13 14. and to all goodness of whom one is chief and Principal and the rest his Angels who being for their voluntary sin and defection thrust down from God inticed and still endeavour to entice men to revolt from God and Rebel against him that they might by incurring his Wrath become as miserable as themselves that is endlesly and irrecoverably miserable for such they are being forsaken of God and bound over in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day to be then for ever Tormented 2 Pet. 2.4 Matt. 25.41 The rest of the Angels keeping their places are happy and glorious Spirits 1 Tim. 5.21 Mark 8.38 Psal 103.20 beholding God's Face rejoycing in his Presence Glory and Works always ready prest to do his Commands employ'd by him as Ministring Spirits for the guard and helpfulness of Mankind especially such as are Heirs of his Protection and Salvation Matth. 18.10 Heb. 1.7 14. 10. That God as it was but meet Gen. 2.16 17. 3.23 and as seemed good to his own infinite Wisdom having made Man so good and happy and having put so great Ingagements upon him to Love and Serve him did also give him a Law very reasonable and easie being but to abstain from one tree or fruit when he had all variety for necessity and delight besides freely given him and a tree of life which had vertue in it to have preserved him from Dying By which Law Man had occasion and advantage given him of testifying his love and obedience to him and to acknowledge his Soveraignty over them adding withal a Penalty That in case he brake it he should surely die 11. That Man having this Law given him Gen. 3.1 2 6. with Rev. 20.1 2. Jam. 1.2 3 4. Eccles 7.29 and being wisely permitted of God to be Tempted by the old Serpent the Devil and Satan that God might try his love and obedience to him and prove his thankful gratitude for so great goodness did foolishly and needlesly by his own meer will incline to the Tempter and break the Commandment given him although such as might so easily have been obstructed by him 12. That Man so Sinning Defiled himself with the Poyson of Satans Temptation Rom. 5.12 18 19. 3.23 Gen. 3.22 23. with Psal 30.5 Rom. 3.9 10 11 12 19.23 Gen. 3.10 11 16 17 18. and incurred the Penalty annexed to the Law even Death upon Himself and his whole Posterity Naturally to descend from him in as much as they were all in him and he the publick Head and Representative of them what God did to him and gave to him he did and gave to us all in him therefore also what he did concerned us all by and from him and so He and all his fell under the displeasure of our Great Creator and thereby into woful misery to be cast out of God's favour and from his presence and fellowship the spring and source of all happiness and blessing and so to be devested of his Image and Glory inward Righteousness and Integrity and outward Lustre or Sanctity or soundness Psal 14.1 2 3 4. Eph. 2.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.8 Heb. 2.14 and to be filled with sin and sinfulness as a loathsome Disease apting us to all vanity and wickedness and to be filled with pain Morality and
made rich being thereby made capable of acting and Suffering for us so as to procure our Salvation being God and Man in one person 5. That in pursuance of our Redemption he was also made under the Law Gal. 4.4 3.13 Rom. 3.19 both as it was upon and against all men and as given to be observed by the Jews that He might Redeem us from the Law that is that being in Bond as it were with us as a clear man that enters Bond for a grear Debtor he might be liable to be called forth to the Payment of our Debt and procure our discharge from it 6. And accordingly God called him forth to the Judgment Joh. 12.31 Heb. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. 1 Pet. 2.24 as the onely responsible Person and caused the Judgment of the World to pass upon him to which also he willingly and desirously yielded himself bearing our sins in his own body on the Tree and so gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 5.12 14 15 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 15.17 18 21 22. Joh. 1.29 Phil. 2.6 7 8. with Gen. 3.5 6. Psal 69.4 Gal. 3.10 13. Phil. 2.8 9. Matth. 26.38 39. 27.46 and by the grace of God tasted Death for every man the Second Adam satisfying for the sins of the First and all in and of him as fallen in him both for root and Branch the first Revolt from God in our First Parents and all that Naturally and necessarily spring up from it giving or laying down to that purpose as much as the First Adam usurped or aspired to even the Form of God and enduring all that thereby that the First Adam incurred by way of penalty to himself and all his Posterity equivolently even the Curse of the Law to Death the Death of the Cross in which he sustained and endured not onely great Pains and Torments in his Body but also unspeakable Agonies and Afflictions in his Soul pouring it out to Death John 12.27 Isa 53.8 9 10 11 12. Psal 22.1 2 8 9 10-16 c. 7. That in this his abasement and Death His obedience and sufferings were so well-pleasing Isa 53.10 11 12. Rom. 4.25 1.3 4. Act. 2.24 Rom. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.3 4 5. Matth. 12.40 and satisfactory to God that He in Testimony thereof raised him up from the Dead the third day taking him therein from Prison and Judgment Yea he himself was God-man and so a person not to be swallowed up of Death though to manifest that he was indeed Dead and to sanctifie the Grave to us and Redeem us from it he was pleased to abide in it part of Three Days and Three Nights rose again by his Divine Power and after he had shewed himself by divers infallible proofs to his Disciples Act. 1.1 2 3 4 10. 10.39 40 41. Luk. 24.9.10 50.51 Heb. 9.14 Act. 2.33.36 Heb. 1.3 12.2 Act. 2. 3 4 5. by the space of forty Days after his Resurrection for a manifestation of the Truth of it and confirmation of their Faith in it He in their sight Ascended up visibly into Heaven and there presented his own Crucified and raised Body a spotless Sacrifice to God being taken up thither and there received of God his Father and set down at his Right hand even upon the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens as his after sending forth his Spirit upon his Disciples according to his fore-promise to them and Working many notable Miracles by them also did evidently declare SECT 4. Of the Love of God to fallen Man in glorifying his Son for him and of the compleatness and fitness of Christ as now in Heaven to be the Saviour of all Men and especially of such as Believe SO that now the same Jesus Eph. 4.8 9 10. with Psal 68.18 1 Pet. 3.18 19. Gal. 3.13 Heb. 2.14 2 Tim. 1.10 the Son of God who in love to us was abased and Suffered for us in the weakness of the Flesh and Descended into the lower parts of the Earth to Ransom us from the Sin and Misery fore-come upon us lives also being ascended up on high and having led captivity captive even Sin Death Law Devil who led us Captive at Gods Right hand in the Glory and Power of God thence to succour and Save us in all our Danger Act. 2.33 5 30 31. Matth. 28.18 19 20. Col. 1.19 2.9.10 and from all our Enemies being made in the Name and Authority of the Father the Saviour of all Men and especially of those that Believe unto which also He is compleatly and fully furnished of the Father in that He hath there given gifts in the man for man even for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them for he hath there made him 1. Lord Act. 2.36 10.36 Phil. 2.10 11. 1 Pet. 13.21 Eph. 1.20 21. Isa 9.6 Joh. 5.22 23. Lord of all giving him all power and all authority in Heaven and in Earth a Name above every Name That at his Name every knee should bow both of things in heaven and in earth and under the earth Angels Men Devils and all Creatures being given into his hand and dispose the whole Government laid upon his shoulders and all Judgment committed into his hand To inable and furnish him in which in the Nature of Man he is also made 2. Christ Act. 2 36. Isa 42.1 61.1.2 11.1 2 3. Act. 10.38 the Anointed one of God filled with the Spirit of God without measure which Spirit is an infinite wise powerful and gracious Spirit inabling and strengthning him to all such Offices and the Works of them as he is anointed and designed to and are needful for our further saving That is to say 1. To be the Great Prophet Act. 3.21 22. the Light of the World to give forth the Light Truth and Knowledge of God and what may concern us to know for our peace and welfare as in his Wisdom he sees fit that whosoever believes in Joh. 1.9 8.12 12.46 Isa 42.1 2 3 4. 49.6 7. 1 Cor. 15.45 John 5.22.23 25. Isa 55.2 3 5. Psal 25.8 9 12 14. Matth. 13.11 1 Pet. 2.25 Joh. 10.2 11. and follows his Light might not abide in Darkness but might see the Light of Life And being a quickning Spirit he is in the Spirit fitted and able so to speak in and through the means he affords to the spirit of Men as to cause the Dead in Spirit to hear and so as that they who in hearing hear or listen to him may live for ever He being more peculiarly ordain'd a further Teacher and Leader to them to shew them the Mysteries of the Kingdom the Secrets of the Lord and as a Shepherd and Bishop of their Souls to feed them with Knowledge and Understanding unto Eternal Life 2. To be the Great Psal 2.1 6.7 8 9. Jer. 10.7 with Rev. 15.4 Isa 33.22 Matth. 28.18 19 20. Psal 149.2 Rev.
in their raised and immortalised bodies they shall appear Matth. 13.40 41 42 49 50. 16.26 27. 25.41 46. 3.12 when he shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance even armed with the power and wrath of God in unspeakable unconceivable terror with an innumerable company of mighty Angels attending on him ready to execute his commands against them and then shall he utterly destroy the Rebels sentence them to be everlastingly companions with the Devil and his Angels that seduced them Rev. 20.10 12 13 14. Isa 30.33 Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. and whom they chose to adhere and cleave to rather than to folfollow the Lamb in his Light and Grace wherewith he prevented and followed them And then he shall execute the Doom also upon them Rev. 14.9 10 11 12. Isa 66.24 thrusting them down with the Devil and his Angels into an ever-burning Lake of Fire and Brimstone into the Rivers of the wrath of God to be perpetually kindled upon them by the power of that Spirit that came to them and convinced them and being obeyed would have saved them which Spirit being infinite and eternally wise and powerful Oh! how infinite eternal and unbearably great must needs be the wrath executed upon them by him when their bodies being immortal and insepaâ—able from their souls again they shall be capable of enduring it endlesly and being separated from God and all his Creature-comforts too they shall have pure wrath without mixture no dram of good or ease or comfort afforded with it The fire of his wrath shall torment them perpetually and the Conscience of their own willing sinnings against him and despising their Saviour and his salvation when freely offered them and made attainable to them shall perpetually grieve and confound them and as a Worm that dyes not for ever gnaw them All the good they had from God Luk. 16.23 24 25. and might have had for ever had they hearkned to him being evermore before them on the one side and the remembrance of it infinitely dolorous to them and on the other side the several wickednesses committed contrived thought and acted by them in word and deed Jonas 2.8 with the aggravations of them as for what foolish trivial sorry and vile things and against what checks warnings faithfull means of preventing them they have made the forfeiture and sustain the loss of that eternal glory that others have and they might have had in their obeying Christ in the light and truth offered them shall add unconceivably to their everlasting woe and horror and lamentation Rev. 14.8 10 11 12. and yet no ease after inconceivable times or duration nor no way or possibility of Redemption such the terror of the Lord in that day even such as his goodness abused by men in this day and the good the grace the glory trampled under foot by them the worth of the person and sufferings of Christ sin'd against and the greatness of the glory and majesty of God contemned and 〈◊〉 at nought 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Tit. 1.2 2.13 Matth. 11.29 30. 1 Joh. 5.3 2 Cor. 5.11 and that for vile things inâ—nitely below them deserves to be reveâ—ged with The faith exceeding true and precious The hope firm and infinitely glorious The obedience required exceeding reasonable and not grievous because he is ready at hand to effect it in us and therefore also the Terror and Torment upon the refusers exceedingly and incomprehensibly Dolorous SECT 4. A Digression about the Endlesness of the punishments mentioned in the Gospel-Terrors AGainst this Doctrine of the Terrors of the Gospel and endlesness of the torments or punishment to which Christ will at the Great Day adjudge his enemies Some may object that sure it cannot be consistent with his love mercy and goodness to adjudge his Creatures for any cause whatsoever to such endless misery Probably Mr. Hobbs Yea there is an Anonymous Author that hath put out a Discourse on purpose to prove the the Doctrine of Hell torments false and fabulous Therefore I shall add some Considerations here briefly for confirmation of the truth already said thereabout Yet not by way of particular Answer to that Book which I have also otherwise answered to some Friends for indeed it is so monstrous in its assertion and so self-contradictory that I hope none that give credit to God and are able in any measure to judge of things will be snared by it for it saith Sin is only punisht in this life no greater punishment of it than death quite contrary to the words of Christ that tell us John 5.29 That some shall be raised out of their Graves at the last day to condemnation and Dan. 12.2 That some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt yea that after the Resurrection some shall be adjudged to a second death a lake that burns with fire and brimstone Rev. 20.13 14 15. True the said Author also confesses a second death but he makes it but the same with the first save only as it is judicially executed for he asserts that Adam and all men should have died had they not sinned but now the death that should have been otherwise natural is now judicially executed and so a man that is hanged for murther or the like he makes to dye there in the second death But how cross this is to the Scripture who is so blind as not to see Seeing the Scriptures plainly make the second death to be a death adjudged to some men after their Resurrection from the first as in Rev. 20. before quoted yea the same nameless Author would perswade men that God works in them their sins wills their sins and falls before they will them that Gods will is the womb in which all the actings of men at first conceived that he was never displeased or unsatisfied with the Being oâ—sin and divers the like monstrous assertions that I suppose none but Atheisâ— or Ranters can easily digest and which indeed could they be proved true would render it unreasonable to conceive that God can or will inflict any punishment upon men for sin at all either in this life or after it much less endless Though indeed it might as reasonably be thought that God will punish his creature with endless torments Psal 5.4 5. Habbak 1.12 though their sins deserve them not as that he can or will be the Author Willer and Worker of their sin seeing sin is more directly contrary to his purity and holiness then the inflicting of Pain or Torments upon his Creature is or can be But not to trouble our selves with the several reasonings of the said Author in the said Book which also broadly enough contradicts it self while sometime it represents God as a punisher of sin in this life only sometimes tell us the wicked shall be burnt up with the earth and that shall be their punishment and sometimes that God was never unsatisfied with the being of Sin and so
it cannot signifie in our Saviours use of it that very place and fire or any such external punishment in this life as the above-mentioned Author would insinuate but a perpetual and everlasting punishment of the damned is evident 1. By our Saviours implying that God only can cast men into it and that after men have killed the body whereas if it were that very punishment or such like men might as well cast the body into it Matth. 10.28 Luke 12.5 Matth. 18.8 9. Mark 9.44 45. or the whole man while alive as kill the body 2. And by his saying God is able to cast the soul also after the body is killed into it as well as the body As also 3. By warning his Disciples and Hearers in general to pluck out the right eye where it offends c. rather than to be cast into that fire but to be cast into that Valley of Hinnom litterally or into any such like external punishment in this life we are not in any great danger of by retaining our lusts and corruptions Psa 73.3 4 5 6 Job 21.8 9 12 13. seeing we be very far remote from that place and many that live in their lusts live and dye in prosperity No nor yet doth it signifie any internal punishment here both because it 's a punishment after the body is killed and because it 's perpetual and everlasting as appears by other expressions joyned with it by which also it 's called as 2. It 's called the fire that shall never be quenched so Mark 9.43 to 49. 3. A Lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second Death Re◠20.15 4. Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 those expressions of the Worm not dying an◠Fire that is not quenched are borrowed from Isa 66.24 which speaks of the punishment of the wicked in the time 〈◊〉 the new Heavens and new Earth ver 22. which is the time after the Resurrection and the Judgement Rev. 20. and 21. and it 's to be minded that not only that fire is said to be quenchable which may be extinguished while the combustable matter lasteth but also that which goes out of it self for want of matter to feed it it being all consumed for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to be quenched and of the which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated unquenchable is derived is used of the lamps of the foolish Virgins which went out for want of Oyl to feed them Matth. 25.8 And therefore if the fire of Gods wrath in which the wicked shall be burned shall end and go out as wanting matter to work upon they being thereby annihilated and their being totally destroyed as the said Author evades those sayings then could it not be called unquenchable And if the wicked should be annihilated in that Judgement must not their Worm needs dye having no subject to subsist in Those expressions therefore joyned with Gehenna as the others also which we have mentioned both signifie the being of such severe torments and punishments after the Resurrections as the worst of punishments here imaginable are but shadows of and also their perpetuity and endless duration which is also expressed in other phrases As 5. Everlasting punishment Matth. 2.46 and everlasting destruction 2 The◠1.7 8. That in Matth. 25.41 is with a◠Emphesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the everlasting fire The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated everlasting is indeed used in the Old Testament to signifie of a long continuance and sometime of an age but that is not its usual if ever its signification in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles but everlasting or never ending Matth. 25 46. it 's the same word that 's used to signifie 1. The lastingness of the life glory and happiness of the righteous and everlasting punishment is opposed to everlasting life as signifying a like duration of the one as of the other even as the fire of the Valley of Hinnom probably burn◠perpetually so long as the old Jerusalem was standing so those torments shall be of equal duration with the new Jerusalem the joy and glory of the Righteous even for ever 2. The duration of the honour and power ascribed to God himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too everlasting 1 Tim. 6.16 Yea. 3. The everlastingness of the being o◠God and Christ Rom. 16 2◠Isa 9.6 than which what can be more significant of never ending And yet not only that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting is used to this purpose but 4. It 's said the smoak of their torment ascends up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ages o◠ages even for ever and over Rev. 14 9 10. an Expression used to in the Glory and Honour ascribed to God and Christ and to set forth the Eternity of God and of his Living Rev. 1.6 and 4.9 and 5.13 14. So that the Scriptures are very Pregnant in laying down this Assertion and therefore it 's to be believed and dreaded and diligence is to be given in looking and yielding up to Christ to be accounted worthy to be delivered therefrom 2. As for the Reasons and Grounds of God's so Punishing they are by the Scriptures signified to be such as these 1. The Greatness and Majesty of God sin'd against and despis'd Deut. 10.17 Matth. 10.28 Luk. 12.5 Isa 27.31 Men Punish Traytors against their Life and Majesty with Bodily Death but God both Body and Soul in a Death as much beyond that of the Body as He is greater than Man that is sin'd against and despis'd Such great Punishment is but answerable to his Greatness as his other Works be 2. The Greatness Unspeakableness Deut. 32.5 6 7 8 9 21 22. Isa 1.2 3 4 5 24. Gen. 1.26 27. Psal 8.3 4 3. 49.12 and Infiniteness of the Love and Goodness of God in and by Christ toward Men that Rebel against him it notwithstanding He not onely inconceivably honoured us in raising us up at the first out of the Dust of the Earth and making us in his own Image Lords of his Works and capable of knowing and having Fellowship with himself but also when we were utterly lost was pleased so to set his heart upon us Joh. 3.16 17. Gal. 4.4 5. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom 4.25 1 Pet. 1.21 24. Philip. 2.6 7 8 9. 1 Tim. 2.6 Isa 45.22 Psal 81.9 10 50.1 2. Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. Joh. 16.7 8 9.10 12 13 14 15. Gen. 6.3 Rom. 2.4 5. Psal 68.18 19 20. Job 33.16 29 Psal 68.21 Rom. 2.5 Heb. 6.6 7. 10.26 29. Jonas 2.8 as not to spare his ow◠Son but give him up to the Death the Death of the Cross to Redeem us again and impowred him to Save us and bring us to endless and infinitely Glorious Happiness His Son that was in his Form infinitely Glorious with God his Father was pleased also in Love to abase himself and lay
inflicted on him brought him to which began to come upon him to death before his enemies came near him as Matth. 26.38 Luke 22.41 42 43 44. John 12.27 28 31. yea and that prest him too on the Cross and brought him to the dust of death as Matth. 26.46 50. with Psalm 22.15 seem to signifie thence also it 's observable that he dyed sooner than the Malefactors that were crucified with him yea so as Pilate wondred that he was so soon dead Mark 15.44 45. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23 24. Doubtless that wrath and curse that caused his so sore agonies might have brought him to death though his Enemies had had no such hand in it or though he had had no such Enemies but to yeild himself a more perfect exemplary pattern of obedience and patience and to make it manifest that he was made a curse for us according to that Deut. 21.23 He that is hanged is cursed of God there being such Enemies foreseen of God God also foreordained him to be delivered up to them to be so put to death the death of the Cross by them accordingly as he was I might instance in many other particular purposes that appear clearly to have been respective yea even in purposes of dispensing mercies when ever they were purposed as rewards there must needs have been an eye to the works purposed to be rewarded by them 1 King 21.29 As the purpose of respiring the judgement on Ahabs Family till his Sons reign as a reward of Ahabs humiliation of himself 2 King 10.30 and the giving Jehues seed to sit upon the Throne of Israel to the fourth generation as a reward of his executing judgement on Ahabs Family For it could not rightly be said that God would do or did those things to them because of their so doing as it is said of Ahab Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days and to Jehu Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes c. thy Children of the fourth generation shall sit upon the Throne of Israel if those things were before absolutely and irrespectively to those things done by them purposed and doomed to them As I cannot be properly said to give my Son a new Suit for plying his Book well which I without any eye or respect to his so doing Matth. 19.27 28 29. intended absolutely to give him The like might be said of setting the Apostles on twelve Thrones to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel as the reward of their leaving all for him and following him in the regeneration the purpose of that reward to them took in doubtless the foreknowledge and consideration of that their love and faithfulness to him as also the preparation of the Kingdom for the Sheep Matth. 25.35 36 c. before the foundations of the World was with respect to them as Sheep and as so demeaning themselves as is represented as the reason of the possession of it being adjudged to them But whereas Judas one of the then Twelve to whom Christ promised the forementioned reward by transgression and unfaithfulness lost his share therein it might seem as if there were a reversibility too in Gods promises if not in his purposes therein implyed let us take that therefore next into consideration SECT 6. Of the Reversibility or Irreversibleness of God's Purposes REversibility of God's purposes Psa 33.11 Isa 14.24 46.10.11 Numb 22.19 1 Sam. 15.29 I know will sound somewhat harshly in some Mens Ears as seeming to imply a changeableness in God and to contradict such sayings as those That God purposes and who can turn it back And he will do and perform all his purposes And as he hath purposed it shall stand And that he is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should Repent Which Sayings are without controversie most true yet in some sense and respect and that also according to the Language of the Scripture in other passages which are as true being all the Language of one and the same Holy Spirit of Truth it may be affirmed That Men do miss and deprive themselves of what was in some sense purposed of God to them and that God repents him of his purpose or of the good and evil purposed by him though he Repents not as Men through any change of his Mind by reason of ignorance inadvertency or mutability of his Wi'l but onely changes his work and respects to Men as Men being Changed fall under different unchangeable purposes His irrespective purposes according to their Tenour and so his Absolute and General purposes mentioned in the Gospel stand all firm and unalterable as his purposes of what he would do for Men in Christ and to Christ for Men as also That he will Bless the Believer do good to those that are good and walk uprightly with him and reject the Wicked Evil doer c. and so those purposes against particular Men or Nations that are respective when the Decree brings forth and the day is past the day of Grace and Patience expired towards any in any respect they be then irreversible too As with Saul 1 Sam. 15.29 when he had disobeyed the Lord's Commandment concerning the Amalekites with respect to setling the Kingdom on him and his House But as to his respective purposes which respect some condition in Man which may be changeably in this or that Person and before such day past with respect to the Change made in such Persons by which they pass from under one General Degree or purpose to be under another God may be said to Repent of his purpose toward them or alter or Reverse his purpose as to them when as yet the alteration is wholly in them coming under diverse Irreversible purposes and not in God's purposes themselves in the General either as concerning them or any man as to give some Instances to make the matter more evident and understandable when an evil Man or Unbeliever who as such an Evil Man is under the General purpose of Evil and Punishment for God purposes to hide himself from and stand against Men that are Evil in their Evil ways while Evil generally shall or doth through the grace of God mixed with those Punishments Repent him of and turn from his Evil way then God Repents of the Evil purposed against him that is which his purpose against Evil Doers contain'd in it against him as and while an Evil Doer and doth him good according to his purpose towards Penitents and well-doers under which by his Repentance he is now brought for he is not the same man now as to that formality of him that rendred him an Object of God's purpose of Evil but is another a New Man a Man in Christ with whom old things are past away and all things become new and so the purposes of God concerning him are new purposes 2 Cor. 5.17 the purposes