faith implicite as most weak to faith more strong and expressive as formerly is proved His third Reason is Because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all unrighteousness of men which withhold the truth in unrighteousness for as much as that which may be known of God is manifest in them for saith he God hath shewed it unto them namely by the Creation and the Gospel Rom. 1.19 as aforesaid for that is here implyed The first Reason why the Spirit of God thus strives with the spirits of these Heathens and all men else may be this although it be all alike unto God in respect of his final end whether the most or least number of men be made vessels of honour or dishonour unto eternity so all be either one or the other because by his mercifull and just proceedings in the suitable rule his glory in a most sweet righteousness shineth forth eternally in either to his praise and yet nevertheless in respect to man it being his Creature Acts 17. from 25. to 29. his offsprings and generation which as saith the Text he hath made of one blood and under the aforesaid universal election yet in this respect God would rather man would as he should and might according to this rule and Christs Spirit striving with his spirit return by his operation into the said posture to receive the said gift of life and be blessed for ever As I live saith the Lord God Ezek. 18.27 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his waies and live when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed Ezek. 33.11 and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall save his soul alive The second Reason why the Spirit of Christ thus strives with the spirits of these Heathens and all men is because the Apostate Angels do universally indeavour by their temptations lies and delusions to keep all mankind from receiving the said gift of life and therefore do endeavour not only to extinguish the Preaching of the Gospel but also to extinguish and turn the internal light of Christ in all men into darkness and if they could possible draw all men into eternal darkness and their main end in all this is that God might not have any glory in mans felicity to eternity and therefore to repel this their designe in that particular branch it is that the Spirit of Christ thus strives with all men and for this end we see the seed of the woman was elected to be Christ the Lord and second Adam and for this end God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever by believing operations will receive the said gift of life shall not perish but have everlasting life for therefore we see God elected the falne Mass of mankind out of that despicable estate into the said posture as is proved and also therefore we see that God elected one Nation to be and to be in the said posture to carry on his said final end as it respected this particular branch not for their sakes but for his own names sake and likewise we see to carry on this said final end in this particular branch He hath mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth when by their acquired habits in sin against the said posture they are all alike dead in sin and trespasses I say not in love or hatred to any of these men personally considered but only in love to himself in the prosecution of this branch of his said final end as is proved that he called the Gentiles to this posture but denied it at that time to the Iews and so on this sixteen hundred years and that in pursuance of the said branch will call them to this posture again by which they may receive the said gift of life and this is the ground why he precedently made so many glorious promises of calling the Gentiles and also of the Iews according to his Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and from this cause only they are beloved for their Fathers sakes as is proved and therefore it is that the Spirit of Christ thus strived with the spirits of these Heathens and all men else as is proved The third Reason may be this Because the more men are brought by the striving of Christs Spirit with their spirits to believing operations in this posture by the reception of this gift of life in point of justification the more fruit of righteousness abounds also in their sanctification in a redundancy to Gods glory against the Apostate Angels said designe and therefore it is that the Spirit of Christ thus strives as with these Heathens so with all men The first Use is for Information That if the Spirit of Christ thus strives with the spirits of all mankind to bring them to and to keep them in this posture Hence we learn two things First That the striving of this Spirit to all mankind as is proved is the universal favour of God in Iesus Christ to all men in the world The second is this That those amongst men which by believing operations rightly receive the said gift of righteousness shall muchmore receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness and shall reigne in life by one namely Iesus Christ that as sin had reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse Rom. 5.19 unto eternal life by Iesus Christ The second use is this That God will never revoke that pardon of the guilt and punishment namely eternal death due to all mankind for Adams one offence First because of his said gift of life which came upon all men unto justification in the imputative righteousness of Christ as is proved for for this end he gave the Spirit of Christ thus to strive with the spirits of all men from the beginning of the world to the end thereof that they might receive the said gift of life therefore the pardon of the said guilt and punishment due to all mankind for Adams one offence stands irrevocable to eternity for ever since the fall this is the condemnation now this light of life is come into the world because men love darkness rather then light The third Use God is irrevocable in this Point also namely To give to any man the possession of eternal life in this world by belief and the fruition in the next world which is constant in his believing operations in the said posture according to the striving of Christs Spirit with his spirit for saith our Lord He that endureth to the end shall be saved In the fourth place this informs us also That if any man be by God dispossest of his eternal life in this world and so in the next it must needs follow he quencheth this Spirit of Christ which thus by belief gave him possession of it here and so would have done there had he not
that posture in which they might receive the said gift of eternal life wherefore saith the Apostle The Scriptures fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith Preach the Gospel before unto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Nations be blessed Hence observe Observe that in the said taking hold of this Nation in Abrahams loyns or seed God not only elected that Nation to be as a part of the whole nature of man but as such to be Christs visible Church and Spouse I say the nature of man as such but not Angels nature as such nor elected he this Nation upon his fore-sight of their faith or believing operations Esa 44.1 Psal 147.20 but to be put in the said posture in which they might believe and in believing operations receive the said gift of eternal life Rom. 3.2 Hos 2.19.20 For unto them was committed the Oracles of God when denyed to all Nations wherefore saith God to this Nation I will marry thee unto me for ever and so forth Rom. 11.29.30 in pursuance of my final end for that 's imply'd and in this sense the gifts and calling of God are without repentance From this ground God did call the Gentiles to the said posture and so will the Iews that now lay in their apostacy and I say in this sense the gifts and callings of God are without repentance to mankind with respect to his said final end Observe Again observe this Election conferred upon that Nation the greatest honour that ever any Nation had Nationally considered First that of them concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever The second was the aforesaid Election of humane nature as such in them to be Christs Spouse elect Rom. 9.5 The third was this as saith our Lord Salvation is of the Iews John 4.22 because the Oracles that were committed to them was from them derived being the light of eternal peace to all Nations that then sate in darkness or shades of death Observe Again observ that this election confer'd not their being nor their being so honor'd for their own sakes no more then any other people who had none of these honorsbut only for Gods own namesake in pursuance of his said final end Esa 43.25 Esa 48 9.11 Ezek. 36.29 30.31 Not for your sakes do I these things saith the Lord God be it known unto you O House of Israel So Samuel tels them saying The Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake 1 Sam. 12. c. 22. because it hath pleased him to make you his people Again Observe Observe that the visibility of Christs Church is in the flesh or bodily part of man or in bodily operations which as saith our Lord profiteth little therefore let all men within the visible Churches of Christ Tim. 1.4.8 take heed they perish not in making the visibility of their profession their religion but to be sure to make eternal life as obtained by Christ and so Christ their Religion in their Intellectual spirit and in truth according to the Scriptures for the quintescence of true Religion is invisible because as God and Christ the object is invisible so the intellectual acts of mans belief or credit he gives to God and acts of love are invisible Rom. 2.28.29 whose praise is of God and not of men that cannot see invisibly or invisible things CHAP. VI. In which is opened the second Branch propounded That as Adams unrighteousnesse in its guilt and punishment by God imputatively in the falne Mass was extended unto all mankind even so in that falne Mass the righteousness of the seed of the woman was by God imputatively extended to all mankind to justification of life that is to put them in a posture in which they may receive his said gift of life eternal or to be either as is said FOr proof of this Point the Scripture saith Ioh 1.29 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5.18 Heb. 2.9 1 Ion 2.2 2 Cor. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.22 even so the free gift of the righteousness of one came upon all men to justification of life Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Again men from their believing operations in Scripture speaks the same for say they We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world and we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive that is to the said posture in which they might receive life as well as to receive judgement according to their works good or evil Again the same men say also that all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself in Iesus Christ and hath given unto us that is Us Apostles and those that succeed us in the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and not imputing their trespasses unto them And then the Apostle demonstrates a reason of this reconciliation of all mankind into the said posture namely because God hath made Christ to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him But sin inherently was not in him nor actually committed by him for the Text saith He knew no sin and himself saith Sathan has nothing in me therefore he was only imputatively made sin for us and contrarily we were imputatively only made the righteousness of God in him to justification and acceptation into the said posture to a right reception of the said gift of eternal life in pursuance of Gods said final end Therefore as by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they namely believers which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Iesus Christ Thus all mankind were put into the said posture by the imputation of Christs righteousness Again if the whole frame of nature was put into a posture by Christs righteousness imputed in opposition to the unrighteousness imputed of Adam as is proved and so travelleth untill now from the bondage of corruption to be partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God then much more did the force of the imputation of that righteousness put the principal part of the frame of Nature namely man into the said posture of reception of eternal life Hence observe that the imputed guilt and punishment of Adams one offence and the imputed gift of Christs one righteousness were both of one universal extent to the whole Creation and so to all mankind the principal part thereof for even as
one extended judgement to condemnation upon all Gen. 12.1 even so we see the other removed the guilt and punishment thereof that is of Adams one offence so as never man perished for it that is for Adams one offence once committed for it came as saith the Text upon all men to justification of life as is proved Again observe That in this universal justification in the Point of remission of the said guilt and punishment so far as to put all men into a capacity to the said posture I say Hence observe That mans faith or belief was of no use in this justification for we see it came upon all men when it was neither thought on nor sought by them even when God said Adam Where art thou Seeking to save that which was lost in the seed of the woman by breaking the Serpents head as is proved Again Though in point of remission of the guilt and punishment of Adams one offence so farr as to put man into a capacity to the said posture his faith was of no use but observe that as that righteousness is a gift which brought in it the said life so also in this point mans belief of this truth is now of use namely as an instrumental qualification in point of reception of that gift for as it is a gift so it must be received for as the imputative gift gives man right unto eternal life so his reception of it gives him possession of that gift from this ground It is said He that believeth hath eternal life but he that receives it not has it not and therefore abideth in death because he hath not believed in the only begotten Son of God Again Observe therefore when the Scripture affirms man is justified by faith it is because by his belief he received this justification as is opened in this Point of Eternal life for then he hath the end of what did precede his reception thereof namely of the remission of Adams one offence and the said capacity to the said posture because he hath so received that gift of eternal life Again If this gift of righteousness thus came upon all men to justification as is described hence observe That to ascribe justification to a mans Faith or Belief is to arrogate to man that which is not his because we see it is in the said gift of righteousness and also this doth derogate from Gods glory in that gift of life as also from the glory of Christ who obtained it by his righteousness as well as the remission of the guilt and punishment of Adams one offence the said capacity to that posture in which by faith he may receive the said gift of life as precedently is proved and as will further appear in due place Again If the said gift of life came upon all men as is proved Hence observe That when the Apostle saith Abraham was justified by faith he means as faith is an instrumental qualification submitting to this righteousness of God by receiving it by belief of the Doctrine in Christ as in opposition to a supposed Doctrine of Works to attain eternal life maintained by the children of Abraham in the flesh but not his children after the faith in this Doctrine of Christ as clearly appears in the drift and scope of the third and fourth Chapter to the Romans Again If this gift of righteousness so came upon all men to justification and that before faith it justifies as in pardon of Adams one offence and so brought all mankind into the said capacity and posture and this gift of life to them then certainly God never ordained nor instituted mans faith or belief for his justification that is for acceptance to pardon of his sin and life eternal but it only comes upon man in his gift of this one righteousness as is described but for what this one righteousness is I refer the Reader to my former Treatise in pag. 113. CHAP. VII In which is handled the third Branch of the manifold Wisdom of God propounded and the first Ingredient in the said posture namely that immediately upon the said Election and Imputation God did by the Spirit of Christ put or infuse an internal disposedness into all mankind hereditarily to descend in their natural generations and so in a capacity to the said posture in which man may receive Gods said gift of eternal life TO this end immediately after the fall of Adam God dissolved the total amity of Will and operations which was between man and the Apostate Angels for God no sooner will'd it but immediately he did it by saying to the Serpent I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 mans productive root for that is implyed but the foundation of it and the derivation of an internal disposedness in all mankind to the said posture was laid in the seed of the woman namely in Humane Nature in the person of Christ who only made way to it by breaking the Serpents head for as Adam in his fall deservedly brought a total internal darkness as well as death upon all men so Christ the second Adam deservedly John 1.4.9 is life and light in himself for as saith the Text In it was life and that life was the light of men this was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Thus the Spirit of Christ doth write his Law in the hearts of all mankind Rom. 2.14 as a continued Act in their natural generation from this only ground it is that all mankind do by nature the things contained in Christs Law which as saith the Text sheweth the effect of the Law written in their hearts if written then it must needs be God writ it by Christs Spirit there being no middle state between perfection before his fall and a total devastation of righteousness and holiness in his fall Again If the effect of Christs Law be in the hearts of all mankind and disposeth them naturally to do the same things as saith the Text consequently this is a disposedness to amity with God and consequently this is a disposednesse to enmity to the apostate Angels designe in all mankind according as God said I will put enmity between thee and the woman from this light of Christ in every man it is that their consciences doe accuse and excuse as the Candle of the Lord in every mans breast which he hath thus set up Again We find in men that are apostate from the said posture to Idols by custom or the acquired habits dead in sins and trespasses to that posture to receive the said gift of life yet we find in them the remainders of this light of Christ I do not mean so much remaining only among the best of the Heathens who by a patient well-doing did seek honour and glory immortality and eternal life as in the aforesaid Text Rom. 2. but as for instance those Idolaters mentioned in Jonah as appears in two particulars First they
Sea-shore or as the Stars in Heaven then the same Spirit of Christ strived with their spirits also in the succeeding generations to preserve and increase the one and to depress the other to bring them into the said posture in which they might receive the said gift of life as saith Nehemiah unto God Neh. 9.20 30. Thou gavest them thy good Spirit to instruct them Hagg. 2.5 and saith God to them According to my Covenant with you when I came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth with you And Nehemiah saith also Yea many years didest thou bear with them and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets but for their gain saying this Spirit so striving with them all the day-long in their generations God put a period to this striving of Christs Spirit so denying them the gift of faith to believe that they might not receive his said gift of eternal life and therefore saith the Text excepting to some few of them Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your daies Esa 49.6 Luke 19.41 42 Hab. 1.5 Acts 13.41 which ye shall in no wise believe although a man declare it unto you Hence it is our Saviour said If thou hadst known even thou in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Again under the Gospel now it is unvailed of Moses vail and that the visible Churches of Christ stand constituted not as Family-Churches only as to the daies of Moses nor constituted a visible Church as was that one Nation a part of Humane Nature as such were they good or bad but now under the Gospel constituted of Believers as such according to the judgement of harity And thus the Spirit of Christ also strived with the spirits of men in the visible Churches as well as unto the men of the world to cherish and increase one and to depress the other to keep them in the said posture in a right reception of the gift of life Hence saith the Spirit of Christ to the Church of Smerna Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of Life Thus the Spirit of Christ strived with the spirits of men in the Church of Sardis Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If thou therefore wilt not watch Rev. 2.10 I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know the hour when I will come upon thee Rev. 3.11 And so likewise to the Church of Philadelphia Christs Spirit striveth with their spirits Rev. 1.4 Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast let no man take away thy Crown And this Point is apparent for the seven Epistles were sent to the seven Churches So much for the Spirit of Christ striving with the spirits of men in the visible Churches under the Gospel Again Not only with the visible but the same Spirit strives with the spirits of the invisible Members of Christ's mystical body to preserve and increase their internal and spiritual graces and to depress the power of original sin in them as in others to keep them in the said posture and right reception of the said gift of eternal life for saith the Text to the said visible Churches Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches these words four times repeated implies That in these visible Churches there were some whose spirits did hear and understand what the Spirit spake And thus the Spirit of Christ strived with the spirits of the eleven Apostles Mark 16.14 which were invisible Members Judas being dead for the Text saith He appeared unto the eleven and upbraided them with their unbelief at another time Thus strives his Spirit with theirs saying As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love John 15.9 10. if ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love Another time thus the Spirit strived with theirs Oh faithless and perverse generation Mark 17.17 how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you At another time thus the Spirit strived with the spirit of Nathaniel to establish him Because I said I saw thee under the Figg-Tree John 1.50 Believest thou Thou shalt see greater things then these Is is so that Christs Spirit thus strives with the spirits of all sorts of men in the world Hence observe That all those who have not yet received the gift of Faith nor the gift of eternal Life and so do fall into eternal death shall be left without excuse in their own consciences to eternity because it will witness to them that God would have given them both but they refused and if they had received it then their salvation was of God because attained by his Son given by himself As also Christ's Spirit thus striving with their spirits and therefore it will also witness that their destruction is of themselves and so Gods most sweet righteousness in this administration will shine to his glory in their ruine to eternity Again Is it so that Christ's Spirit thus strives with all men to cherish and increase the said light of Christ in them and to depress the seed of the Serpent in them and that they are thus internally meetly disposed towards the said posture Hence observe it must needs follow that all men which become totally dead in sins and in trespasses to that posture so as that they cannot change or alter their operations thereunto no more then the Black Moor can change his skin or the Leopard his spots I say Hence observe That all men that are thus dead in sins and in trespasses in the world it ariseth not from the seed of original sin but as an occasion and only from their custom in sin and wickedness unto the acquired habits therein as the cause for it is custom in any thing that brings another nature Again Is it so that the Spirit of Christ strives with the spirits of all men to preserve and repress as is proved Hence observe That when God by Christs Spirit is pleas'd to inliven the spirits of some men to the said posture which were dead in sin and in trespasses and leaves other some in the same condition so to perish I say hence observe That God in this case neither inlivens the one nor leaves the other from love or hatred to either of them personally considered but out of love to himself in pursuance of his final end for thus he took up the Jews when they lay polluted in their bloud being Terah's Idolatrous brood and said they should live that is in this posture that they might receive his gift of life and that not for their sakes but for his own names sake and thus he had mercy upon some of the Gentiles in the fulness of time that were dead in sins and in trespasses that they might live in this
be under a Covenant of works properly so called the Lord Christ only excepted therefore it is a mistake to affirm that all men which are not true believers are under a Covenant of works and wrath of God and out of the grace and favour of God in Christ For we see proved at large that the favour of God in Christ pardoned to all mankind eternal death due to them for Adams one offence and that every man is born with the internal light of Christ in him and hath reduced the total nature of sin to a seed and also God hath given the Spirit of Christ to strive with the spirits of all men to keep that seed of original sin from the acquired habits if men will be faithfull in their little and to increase the internal light of Christ in them and to bring them to and to keep them into the said posture that they may receive his gift of life in Christ therefore it must needs follow that the former Doctrine is a great mistake Secondly Is it so That this Rule the Gospel Tenor is the only and alone suitable rule for all men to work in reference to their eternal happiness Then hence observe If any man desires or expects union with God in point of blessedness it must only be by his works in the said posture because only by the reception of the said gift of life wrapt up in Christs righteousness imputed man comes to God the fountain of life for so Christ is only the way the truth and the life therefore those fantastick men which dream of an union with the Divine Essence have an union indeed but not in their sense for only this union they have namely That they live and move and have their being in God as have all creatures as such and so have the Apostate Angels and the damned in hell but not that union which they dream of namely an Union in the Divine Essence essencially the same nature and therefore as they reject all Ordinances so their operations in this posture according to the said suitable rule and yet the Text which affirms we are partakers of the Divine Nature shews wherein it consists namely by operations and workings according to this rule to suppress the effects of the seed of original sin for saith the Text We are partakers of the Divine Nature in that we fly the corruptions that are in the world through lusts and this sin and lusts we came to know by the Law that is the Gospel which was once under a vail for saith the Apostle I had not not known sin except the Law had said thou shalt not lust Now the ground of this blasphemous error is this These men fancie to themselves that the Creation is eternal that is without beginning or end and themselves being a part thereof are therefore eternal yea God himself all which is contrary to the testimonies of the sacred Oracles of God for it positively affirms the world had a beginning it shall have an end and God will according to his sacred Oracles as he shaketh the wicked out of the corners of the earth as Iobe speaks so will he shake and make these men vessels of dishonour in torments to eternity according to the justice of this rule of mercy which they now despise and he will laugh when their fear cometh to their destruction if they return not in to the work of the said posture in time therefore let all men beware of these mens fancies and what God saies in his word we must believe it or else do worse for the Scripture speaks in this tone to man from God Thus saith the Lord as did the Prophets in old time implying what God saies in his word we must believe it and so rest and if we believe the Lord and his Prophets we shall surely prosper Again thirdly Is it so That this is the only rule suitable to all men as is proved hence observe This Rule points us unto a twofold righteousness The first is the rectitude of mans internal intentions and external operations by the force of which man rightly receives the said gift of life and this righteousness is called in Scripeure Sanctification The second righteousness is this When man by the said rectitude hath believingly received Gods gifts of Christs righteousness imputed and because in that righteousness is included life eternal Rom. 4. and acceptance with God therefore this righteousness so received is called our justification Therefore let no man presume to be acceptable with God for his own operations in the said posture that is for works as works as did the Jews before mentioned for if we do it is true we may rejoyce in our selves but not in God no more then could Abraham if he had been of this opinion as the Apostle affirms Fourthly Is it so That God makes all men good or bad according to their works vessels of honour or dishonour as is proved and as will more appear in the next Chapter Then hence observe That the absolute power and soveraign pleasure of the infinite God in reducing the reasonable creature to its final end to eternity as the Potter makes one vessel to honour and another to dishonour of the same lump he doth it only and alone by this rule so suitable to all man kind according to their works and not by a decree of reprobation personally considered upon man as is rendred by reverend Calvin in these words Not mans undeservings is the cause of mans reprobations but the will of God to reprobate the which Point the Scripture speaks not and we see it proved that thus to shape men as is thus described is Gods final end beyond which there is none for Calvins instications in the Margent p. 462. for this end he made all things for his glory as we see proved he made the whole world and all its parts for this and he ordained and elected the Lord Christ the seed of the woman to carry on and accomplish this his final end as is proved CHAP. XII In which is handled the sixth Branch of the manifold wisdom of God formerly propounded in the fifth Chapter namely the Executiou of Gods final End upon all men some to honour and some to dishonour by the said Tenor of the Gospel according to their works good or bad to men without the Church and to men within the Church visible yea and the invisible members of Christ ANd first Cain was the first man without the Church from the time he departed from Adams Family the first visible Family-Church of Christ in the world and in reference to this Point Gen. 4.14.16 the Text saith Cain went forth from the presence of Jehovah and saith Cain to him From thy face shall I be hid and saith the Text Cain was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him The Text answers Because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous wherefore the Spirit of
way of peace in pursuance of his said final end Rom. 11.32.33 This was the insearchable depth of Gods wisdom that Paul so much adored and admired Again although the Text saith Observe God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Observe the moving cause why God sent his Son was not his love to the world primarily but in love to himself in this said final end wherefore when the Text said God so loved the world that he sent his Son it comes with this proviso That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life otherwise not for that 's imply'd Again observe although mans efficiency was wholly excluded in producing Christ Gen. 2.22 23. yet nevertheless he was verily the Son of Man as he cals himself First because woman was produced out of man and so flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and he of the womans seed Therefore the Son of Man also his Mother the Virgin was produced by generation of man and woman in the course of nature and he of her and so the Sonne of Abraham and the Sonne of David and so forth Mat. 1.2.6 CHAP. V. In which is laid down how in this seventh means God doth carry on and accomplish his final end IN this Point fals in the manfold wisdom of God but I will pitch only upon six principal Branches thereof as first When man became with the apostate Angels one in deserved misery to eternity and also one in their diabolical nature as is proved then in that point of time In the seed of the woman God elected the fallen mass of man-kind out of that state into a posture in which all man-kind may receive the said gift of life attained by Christ the second Adam which they lost in Adam or be either Vessels of honour or dishonour to eternity according to their works good or bad The second Branch Rom. 5.18 That as Adams unrighteousness in the fall by one offence in its guilt and punishment by God was imputed to all mankind even so the one righteousness of the seed of the woman the second Adam by Gods gift imputatively came upon all man kind and so put al men by mercy in a posture in which they might receive the said gift of life or to be either as is said The third Branch That immediately upon the said Election and Imputation by the Spirit of Christ God put an internal disposedness into all man-kind to descend hereditarily in their natural generations disposing them to operations according to the said posture The fourth Branch immediately upon the said Election and Imputation the same Spirit of Christ began to strive and still so doth with the spirits of all men to keep them in that posture in all ages and in all places of the world The fifth branch immediately upon that Election and Imputation God in mercy gave a rule suitable to all man-kind in the state they are in by that Election to direct their operations proceeding from their internal disposedness to receive the said gift of life and to avoid the contrary death The sixth Branch That according to the operations of all men good or bad God by that suitable rule maketh them vessels of honour or dishonour to eternity So that thus by this seventh means Gods final end is carried on and accomplished eternally to his glory in the said branch notwithstanding what was done by the apostate Angels In mans fall or ever fince according to that God said unto the Serpent He shall break thy head Of these six branches in their order First in the Election of the falne mass of mankind out of that state into the said posture which is the first branch proposed the foundation of this universal election was laid in the humane nature of Christ the seed of the woman I will put enmity saith God between thy seed and her seed clearly implying that humane nature as such womans offspring was elected out of that falne Mass into the said posture in Christ but not the nature of Angels but left to sink deeper in their falne estate and designe by the power of Christ the womans seed for saith God He shal break thy head and the Apostle affirms the same He chose us in him saith he before the foundation of the world and it implies in the Text as before is noted Mans Election was out of the fallen mass that is as unholy and under blame and not loved as in our selves and therefore he saith He chose us in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1.1.4 And the Apostle Peter points out that our Election was to the said posture when he saith Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father unto sanctification of the spirit through obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 This word Us in the Text He chose us in its full drift and scope is to be understood in a twofold sense that is restrictively and universally Restrictively thus He chose us that is us among mankind which believingly operate according to our rule and posture as all were elected unto to receive eternal life by Christs own righteousness imputed so that he chose us into the possession of that eternal life in belief and so this word Us comprehends all Believers only as such to whom the Epistle was sent Secondly This word Us is to be understood Us Men that is Humane Nature as such and so it comprehends all man-kind universally as chosen out of the falne mass into the said posture when the falne nature of Angels were left to sink deeper into their diabolical nature and damnation as is proved But if it be questioned what that posture is to which all man-kind was elected unto out of the falne Mass Answer It is no more but this namely A disposedness to operate to receive the said gift of life and to make up this meet disposedness there goes a threefold ingredient First as is said immediately upon the said Election and Imputation by the Spirit of Christ God put an internal disposedness into all mankind hereditarily to descend in their natural generations disposing them in operation according to the said posture which fals to be handled in the third Branch of the manifold wisdom of God propounded Secondly immediately upon the said election and imputation the same Spirit of Christ began to strive and still so doth with the spirits of all men to keep them in that posture in all ages and in all places of the world which is to be handled in the fourth Branch propounded Thirdly immediately up on that election and imputation God gave a rule suitable to all mankind in that state they are in by that election to direct their operations to receive the said gift of of life and to avoid the contrary death which fals to be handled in the fift branch propounded the which threeing redients make
did believe that God is although remotely And secondly that he is a rewarder of them that seek him although they do it with much confusion and the like in the Ninivites but first in the Marriners they referr their cause by lot to God to determine a point of difficulty implying they did believe though remotely yet truely that God is and conceiving the second they prayed him not to lay innocent bloud to them implying they did believe he is a rewarder of those that seek him So likewise the King of Ninnive he did believe God as saith the Text that is That God is as well as his threatnings to be true by Jonah And as for the second That he is a rewarder of them that seek him is clear also because he did seek him upon this reason saying Who knows whether God will be intreated to turn away from his first wrath If thus much amity toward God be in such men as these certainly some remainders of enmity to Satan and amity to God is in all mankind Hence it follows without all contradiction that the precedent premisses are true That Christ is the true light which lighteth every man which cometh into the world Hence it is that our Lord said unto such men or that man which by custom in sin hath turned that light into darkness as we see here these men had done saying If the light which is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Again The force of this internal light and Law of Christ demonstrates it self to be his Law by this particular in all mankind that is as Christ himself is Gods only Seat of mercy or mercies seat to the world so all mankind in their distress invocate God to take off their misery under the notion of mercy so cannot the apostate Angels invocate God under the notion of mercy or pitty and the ground of it is this as they have no internal princple by Christ as here we see all mankind hath therefore they have no internal disposedness to seek relief from him under the notion of mercy and from this ground it is that their consciences cannot excuse them as mens can do Objection If the natural liberty of mans will consists in its chusing and refusing all objects as it likes or liks them not then man by nature may without this internal Law of Christs Spirit from the natural power of his will chuse Gods gift of eternal life Answer It is one thing to have power to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes or as it likes them not as have the Devils and good and bad men for this power cannot be lost but in the annihilation of the Creature and another thing rightly to chuse that which is good and rightly to refuse that which is evil This power man lost in the fall therefore no man can rightly chuse or rightly refuse any object good or evil since the fall according to Gods will in relation to Christ but by the Spirit of Christ which put the said enmity into all mankind and so from degree to degree they being faithfull in that little would give them more even to the gift of faith rightly to receive the said gift of life and thus if the Son make them free they are free indeed rightly to chuse good and to refuse evil for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty Objection If the natural Liberty of Mans Will is to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes or as it likes them not How can the Will be disposed naturally to any one thing as naturally to Gods Law in a capacity to the said posture Answer The natural Liberty of the Will is one thing and the natural Property of the Will is another For as the natural property of the Understanding is to adhere to Truth as such or as it appears to be such so the natural property of the will of man is to adhere to God as such or as it appears to be such and in the fall man lost not this natural property no more then its natural liberty but the rectitude thereof was totally lost both in Will and understanding for he lost all righteousness and holyness wholly and so became totally evil as are the Devils themselves for there was no middle estate in the nature of Adams Covenant but good and evil Therefore in the depth of that darkness Christ enlightneth by his Spirit the intellectual spirits of all mankind so farr as attendency to adhere to truth and to the true good as such which includes a vertual tendency to love God above all and its neighbour as it self Therefore the Will by the assistance of Christs Spirit may be terminated to one thing to which it has thus a natural tendency as in the Saints when they in the third degree of belief are Fathers in the faith Rev. 3.10 11 12. Rom. 8. from 35 to 39. 1 Tim. 1.19 20 2 Tim 2.12 13 Acts 10.34 35 See my former Treatise p. 108 131 132 133. and from page 134 to 140. then God so terminates their wils to himself vertually at least that nothing shall be able to separate them from him nor he from them and the grounds why God will so terminate the Will to the Saints that improve their measure under manifold tryals is this He loves to glorifie his Justice in the distribution of his mercy by the Gospels Tenor so on the contrary to the Saints which totally backslide before they come to the third degree of Faith so farr as to make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience he by the justice of the same rule of mercy doth make that final which they have made total for God is no respecter of persons The ground why this internal disposedness is Christs Law is not only because it is infused by Christs Spirit as is proved but also the whole government of all mankind in relation to eternal life and death Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 is only and alone in his power since the fall and therefore he gives all Laws external or internal and he adjudges men for transgressing those Laws This was that which was figured at Mount Sinai when God gave all those Laws to that one Nation as a part of the whole of mankind he then gave all those Laws by an Angel into the hand of a Mediator the which Mediator was Christ in the truth but Moses in the Type who administred those Laws to the people Hence observe That all mankind in their native production and succeeding generations are not conceived and born dead in sins and in trespasses nor children of wrath for by reason of the said universal election and universal imputation of Christs own righteousness all mankind are conceived and born in the favour and mercy of God by Christ notwithstanding the bitter seed of original sin in their natural production for we see it is reduced to be but a seed by the said internal disposedness and so are in a
persisted in quenching and also in resisting the said Spirit by following lying vanities and so forsaking his own mercies as did Demas and the seven Churches of Asia till God removed the Candlestick from them and left them in darknesse and Demas to imbrace this present world Is it so That the Gospel and the Universe of this Creation has a tendency and bends joyntly as one in mans universal good and vertually to breed in him the faith of God in Iesus Christ as is proved Then hence observe That those that stand in an universal relation to men at the Stern of Magistracy as Gods stand bound universally to further the good of man not of this life only but of that which is to come namely to set up in their Territories and Dominions in all convenient places the Preaching of the Gospel to beget the belief of God in Iesus Christ in the minds of men CHAP. XI In which is handled the third particular in the said Rule namely to let all men see how suitabble this Rule is to them THe suitableness whereof is opened in nine particulars as first It has its Institution in Gods word of truth and the natural property of the understanding of all men being as is proved to follow truth as such or as it appears to be such wherefore we see the Apostate Angels came to our first Parents in the appearance of truth therefore it is universally suitable to all mankind in this respect Secondly This rule tenders to man not only a good to be received by his operations according to it but also his sweetest and chiefest good namely to enjoy God in belief of the truth in this life and according to truth to eternity in the next and so this rule is suitable to mans will whose natural property is to follow good or as it appears so to be as the natural property of the eye is to follow the light wherefore the Apostate Angels came to us in our first parents as is proved in appearance of a good wherefore this rule is universally suitable to all men in this respect Thirdly ever since the fall of Adam God in his word requires no man by his workings to attain eternal life for himself or others but only by his workings in the said posture to receive eternal life attained only by the Lord Christ and given imputatively by God himself therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted but Christ himself Fourthly Because the natural liberty of mans will consists in this namely to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes them or as it likes them not as is proved And because this rule tenders a twofold object to will or nill that is to chuse or refuse namely good or evil that is eternal life or death for it to chuse or refuse therefore it is universally suitable to all in this respect none excepted Fifthly because this just and mercifull rule admits mercy to man after he hath not done well according to his said posture man being ever since the fall imperfect therefore this rule is suitable universally to all men none excepted but Christ the Lord. Sixthly Because it is propper to all men which propound to themselves an end in their workings to ground those workings and operations upon their own belief or faith of a good to be attained and attainable as do Merchants which send or go by Sea or Land for wealth or the like or upon their own belief of some evil or danger as did these Marriners which to avoid the danger of death by their operations cast the wheat out of the Ship into the Sea and therefore because this rule requires mans own belief of Gods truth and the said good and to avoid the contrary evil to be the ground of all their operations in the said posture He that believes shall be saved he that will not believe shall be damned as is proved Wherefore because this Rule requires all men thus to make their own belief as is said the ground of their operations in this posture therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted but men that are dead in sins and trespasses by acquired habits herein or sots idiots mad men or the like From this ground it is that our Lord saith This is the work of God That ye believe and so forth and from this ground it is that Abrahams believing operations in this posture Rom. 4.4 was so much respected as opposed to men that made their own works as works in this posture to be the ground only of their acceptance with God to eternal life and from this ground namely That man makes his own belief of Gods truth and the said good to be the ground of his operations in this said posture it is that faith is so highly extol'd in Scriptures by the Spirit of Christ for in so doing they render unto God the sole glory of all his truth and goodness revealed in the seed of the woman Christ the Lord and his imputed righteousness and Gods gift of life therein Seventhly Because mans reasonable soul or spirit is of an everlasting duration and never to be extinct and mans body when raised a spiritual body so to be also and because this rule tenders to man an estate of well and woe of an everlasting duration and that all things else under the Sun are only suitable to his moldring body and to a change as also is it therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men in this respect none excepted Eightly Because this rule not only admits man to do well after he hath done evil as is said but when he so returns admits pardon of the guilt and punishment due to him for his sin or sins as is proved therefore this rule is suitable to all men capable to operate to this rule Christ only excepted in whom was no sin Ninthly Because God hath given an impression and dictate of the effect of this rule as it respects its execution in reference to his final end in the minds of all men naturally namely that he will render unto all men according to their works and from this ground it is that the consciences of all men do either excuse or accuse them according to their own works good or bad the which is the dictate of this rule and Gods said final end as is said therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted From the Premisses thus proved ariseth these following Observations First That this Gospel as carrying along in it this Tenor a just and a mercifull rule is it which all mankind are under to work by in relation to their eternal state and none other as is proved Hence saith the Apostle The Gospel was Preached unto us as to them meaning to us in the last daies as to the Jews and unto all in former ages before them wherefore not any of mankind since the fall ever was or now is nor never shall
Christ by Jude 2 Epist Joh. 3.12 Jude ver 7. concludes the execution of the justice of the said Rule upon Cain as upon Balaam and Corah and so a vessel of dishonour for ever consequently thus God executed his final end upon those of the old world who were without the Church 2 Pet. 2.5 that is which were not of the Family-Churches of the first ten Fathers before the Flood for the Text saith God spared not the old world and brought in the Flood upon the world of ungodly and the like execution after the Flood on men without the Church namely Noah's posterity Rom. 2.11 12. when they became Heathens upon their confounding and scattering at Babel for of them the Text saith As many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law and God will render to every man according to his deeds Consequently thus this execution doth and shall proceed upon men without the Church to the worlds end So much for those without the Church Secondly concerning the visible Church God declared this execution impartially unto Cain when he was a member of the visible Church when he said unto him If thou dost well Shalt thou not be accepted meaning as is Abel thy brother implying Yea most certainly thou shalt But if thou dost not well sin lies at thy dore And accordingly the justice and mercy of this Rule was executed upon Abel for because his operations were Right in belief Heb 11.4 therefore according to the justice of this Rule God rewarded his labour of love by mercy receiving him into glory in the imputed righteousness of his Son both which is implyed in the Text which saith By faith Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain and obtained witness that he was righteous consequently thus the Lord proceeded in execution in the Families of the ten Fathers before the Flood and it is implyed Genesis the fixth in that he took special notice of their degeneration from their operations to him in their posture to amity with the world in that the Text saith The Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all which they chose for thus did God when there was but one Family-Church of Christs left and that was Noahs for saith God to him Come thou and thy house into the Ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation that is Thee only for that is implyed Again this execution proceeded thus upon the Family-Churches of Christ after the Flood as is implyed in the eleventh of Genesis For there all that did apostate at Babel and were scattered from being a visible Church of Christ their names are wholly left out in the Genealogy of Noah in that Chapter implying this execution had cut them off and left them in the vanity of their minds to perish excepting some few of them which did seek honour and glory in that narrow way to eternal life as before is proved but the contrary it implies the mercy of this rule was executed upon Shems Family-Church of Christ Gen. 11.10 to verse last which kept to this posture and so were preserved to be vessels of honour as is implyed in this that Shems Family their names are all upon Record their births their lives their deaths written as it were in the book of life Again thus this impartial execution proceeded upon the next visible Church which sprang out of Terah's idolatrous brood namely elect in Abrahams seed then unborn to be a visible national Church of Christ as before is proved and of this Church the Text doth say Although the number of the children of Israel be as the sand on the Seas shore a remnant shall be saved for God will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness that is according to this righteous rule of justice and mercy and therefore when the generality of that people did degenerate by undervaluing the righteousness of Christ which as to us so to them was the righteousness of God in which was included life and glory for them by overvaluation of their own works and operations in that posture they were in by this they brought on the execution of the justice of the said rule of mercy as is implyed in the Text which saith They sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and they stumbled at that stone they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God and thus they fell by degrees under the execution of Gods said final end this sixteen hundred years and now are to this day no visible Church of Christ Again the next visible Churches of Christ to this were those under the New Testament and were chosen and elected into those Churches by a new way as never none was before that is only of believers according to the judgement of charity and not mixt of believers and undbelievers as it was in the said Family-Churches from the beginning now as in the Jewish Churches to the times of the Gospel and the said admittance into the Church as believers only under the Gospel unvailed is implyed in the words of our Lord in his great Commission Rev. 2.12 Rev. 2.7 And as more may appear at large in c. 2 3. He that believeth and is baptized that is he that believeth and is received into the Church by Baptism is in the Ark of salvation and God executes his final end by the said just and mercifull rule as before some to honour some to dishonour according to their works to eternity as appears in those Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia in that the Lord Christ takes special notice of their good works and their bad to their good works in the said posture he makes gracious promises and incouragements as that he will give them a Crown of life and so forth and for their several evil works many grievous threatnings among the rest to remove their Candlestick of light and life in him and so to leave them in darkness as vessels of dishonour for ever that is to be no Churches of his Again thus God executes his final end by the justice and mercy of the Gospels Tenor upon the invisible members of Christs mystical body according to their works good or bad some to honour some to dishonour for ever for Paul speaking of these men as of himself saith We walk by faith and not by sight implying they were the invisible members of Christ which walk not by sight only as do those which are only visible members Wherefore we labour saith he being present or absent we may be accepted of him And in the next words he gives a reason why they do so 1 Cor. 3.16 17. namely We must all appear before the judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that