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
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
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
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