Adam and that is the next generall ground to be handled Observation If this dreadfull judgement was not executed as most certainly it was not then here observe that for Adams offence or evill of sinne in transgressing the Covenant by eating the forbidden fruite not one of man-kinde was ever damned or ever shall be because of the second Adams righteousnesse interposing that judgement by Gods guift imputed to all man-kinde as will more appeare in the next Chapter Observation Although man-kind was so dead * As is described in Cap. 3. yet no man but Adam and Eve in the justice of the Covenant was individually so dead but radically all men was so dead and that two waies as first in their loynes as in our naturall roote but this was not properly it from whence we came to be totally evill as the Devills as is described for this Estate simply considered propounded us no evill but good only as is proved Secondly that wherein they were our most proper roote in this point was the Covenant for in that God propounded for us evill aswell as good and from this ground came our evill in which we might and did become so deservedly deeply dead in sinnes and trespasses but because Chriâ—t tooke off the execution of that judgement therefore although we were deservedly radically so dead yet therefore neither radically inherently so neither individually * That is not totally according to justice in neither so therefore praise to God ever in him and for him Amen CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth estate of Adam and all man-kinde under the second Adams Restauration IN this Estate is handled six points whereof five are finished in this Chapter but the sixt point is handled in the eight ensuing Chapters The first is that the Lord Iesus Christ is the second Adam 2. That God appointed him so to be before the world was 3. That in that very point of time that Adam failed in the worke the Covenant the Lord Iesus the second Adam first entred upon the worke of the Covenant 4. That by the same entrance he removed for ever that judgement which passed upon all men to condemnation and therefore it never proceeded to execution 5. By him also the world together with all man-kinde was estated to goe on travailing towards that perfection which by Adams fall it lâ—st 6. That in this fourth State the proceedings of God is equally alike intended and extended to all man-kinde for eternall life and death without respect of persons That the Lord Iesus was the second Adam Saint Paul speaketh expressely for saith hee the first man Adam was made a living Soule the second man Adam was made a quickening Spirit The first was of the Earth Earthly the second was the Lord from Heaven And the same Apostle saith further as by one man came death by man came also the * All mankinde first had a dependance on the first Adam hee being a publike person by Covenant whence all fell in him so also on the second Adam did all mankinde depend to be raised from that fall and so were all and therefore non perished for Adams transgression so shall all be raised by him out of the dust they first which by Faith have submitted to receive life in Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse shall rise to eternall felicity and they which refuse so to submit shall be raised by him to perpetuall shame Resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die even so by Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his owne order c. 1 Cor. 15. Againe saith hee If by one mans transgression death raigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the free guift of righteousnesse shall raigne in life by one Jesus Christ Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free guift came upon all to the justification of life for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by tâ—e obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5.17 18 19. Therefore Christ was the second Adam He was appointed by God so to be before the world was for St. Paul affirmes that that felicitie which was lost and which men now or ever hereafter shall attaine unto was appointed with him for them by God before the world was Titus 1.5 Ephe. 1.4 2 Tim. 1.9 Againe saith Wisdome or Christ of himselfe The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old was I set up from everlasting from the beginning before ever the Earth was Prov. 8 22. Againe Christ pray'd his Father to glorifie him by his assistance in the worke of the Restauration of the world to attain the glory hee had with him before the world was Iohn 17.1 2 3 4. c. Againe Saint Peter saith Our Redeemer was a Lamb without blemâ—sh or spot who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you 1 Pet 1.19.20 And the ground of God his revealing to the world that he did fore-appoint Christ before the world was to this worke was not only to give us to understand that in him hee worketh all things after the councell of his will but also that we should know by his mercifull appointment he stood ready as the Ram in the Bush to save Isaac from his Fathers executing knife as the Male-Lambe without spot to take off that most dangerous judgement which was to passe to execution immediatly to the worlds unrecoverable misery for Adam his transgressing the Covenant mans misery being Gods opportunity for in the Mount will the Lord be se ne Gen. 22.13 14 verses That in that very point of time wherein Adam failed in performing the worke of the Covenant the Lord Iesus Christ the * Câ—â—ist was not the second man by naturall production and so the second Adam for if so then must Caâ—â— have beene the second Adam therefore Christ was the second Adam beause he immediately followed the first Adam in the work of the Covenant to the restauration of the falne world second Adam then first entred the worke of the Covenant although Saint Peter tels them to whom he wrote his Epistle that Christ was manifested in the last times for them yet Christ the second Adam in this worke was manifested by God in a figure the same houre that Adam fell which is implicitly expressed in the new Testament for saith the Text Then they sought to take him meaning the Lord Christ but no man laid held on him saith the Text and gives this to be the Reason because his houre was not yet come Joh. 7.30 So also himselfe saith the houre is come Mark 14.41 Againe and the very houre in which he did finish all righteousnesse by the expiration of his life as a satisfactory sacrifice to Divine justice as the Lambe of God is expresly set
nature of all mankinde and therefore rightly saith Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1.9 God hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the World began Againe observe that this justification not onely freed all mankinde from dying the death the day that Adam sinned but also brought life upon all men for saith the Text it came upon all men to justification of life But here ariseth a question what in this Text Question with respect to that time is meant by this word life which came upon all men The meaning is no more but this Answere that then Gods free gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed confer'd upon men this world to be the day of grace as now they enjoy it a meanes for them to receive in this gift of righteousnes the life of glory in the world to come So much for the fourth point Namely that Christ entring the worke of the Covenant as the second Adam removed that judgement that was due to all man-kind So as never man perished for Adams eating the forbidden Fruit. Againe the second Adams first entring the worke of the Covenant he then put on the whole Creation travaling towards that perfection it lost in Adams fall so saith man beleeving truth Ro. 8.19 For saith S. Paul the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God And in the next verse gives the reason why the creation is in hope because saith he the Creation it selfe shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and then concludes in the minds of al men which believe truth for saith hee wee know that the whose creation travaileth in paine untill now and not only they but our sâ—lves also who have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies ver 23. So S. Peter in the mindes of men believing truth saith and we looke for new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 And that this travailing of the whole Creation together with man was by Christ is most cleerely proved by what is formerly delivered that is when this glorious Image of the Invisible God 2 Cor. 4.4 was lost by Adams fall then the second Adam the Sonne of God restored the Image of the invisible God by coming into the worke of the Covenant as the first borne of every Creature the beginning and first borne from the dead fall of Adam in the promised seed that in all things he might have the preeminence Coloss 1.15.18 All which when Adam by Faith in the State of the restauration by Christ did see thereupon he named his wife Eve which signifieth life First because in Christ shee was now become the Mother of all living Gen. 3.20 wherefore she also in beliefe of truth saith when she had conceived and brought forth Caine I have gotten a man from IEHOVAH meaning not by the force of Gods word in the State of Creation Gen. 1.28 for that was lost by the fall and therefore God in Christ gives a second word of production to them which was now a word of grace and object of Faith in the promised seed Gen. 3.15.16 By force of which word she now obtained from Iehovah a man by Christ in whom was life and therefore she named him Possession for so his name signifies implying she was now againe by Christ in Possession of a living race of mankinde in this day of grace and so the Mother of all living Secondly the Mother of all living together with Adam by beliefe of truth in the object of Faith namely in the Promised seed and so was to Christ his first borne Church begotten not by blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of GOD for to them was delivered by him this object of Eaâ—â—h once given to the Saints from whence they received lifâ— naturall and supernaturall by Faith as here you see and therefore nursed up by instruction their Posterity to the same obiect for both Cain and Abell came to offer unto God and therefore in this second respect she was also the Mother of all living And so much that this travaile of the Creation was by Christ But here ariseth a question Quest at what time began this travaile of the whole Creation lead the faithfull befo e the flood to rest in together with man believing truth to their supernaturall end The answere is ans that God having the sixt day about the ninth houre or three of the clock in the afternoone the peâ—fect works of the seed of the woman which then was to bee accomplished in time to come that is to rest in beliefe of it for the remove all of all misery and in hopâ—â—f fruition of tâ—â—nall glory and it was the same mystery of this seaventh day which God renewed by Moses to Israell but the eight day now leads the faithfull to rest for the same things on that worke of the seed of the woman as it is now already perfected the which as I conceive was the ground of the change of the day and therefore nominated to be the Lords day established the foundation of the Restauration of the world in the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse figuratively in the blood of the Lamb the seaventh day morning next ensuing being then the first day houre of a daies beginning in the Estate of Restauration of the Creation by Christ as hee was the first borne of every Creature opening the womb of its tendencie to all perfections therefore that seaventh day morning in the first minute thereof was that first particle of time wherein the Creation began to put forth its first most proper step in this travaile together with man believing truth from the bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the â—onnes of GOD. And from this ground God blessed the seaventh day and hallowed it because that in it he rested from aâ—l his woâ—ks which hee had created and made so dependant upon Christ implying that God rested fully contented in the perfections of Christs works for the Râ—stauration of all his works to that perfection intended in the Covenant to which it now but travailed and * The Originall of the seventh daies Sabbath and al Sabbaths Therefore this seventh day sanctified by God Gen. 2. did in a figure therefore God set this seaventh day apart for man to rest figuratively leading him also to Christs imputative works for the perfection of al his works here by faith in hope of a full perfection in fruition of glory to come From this ground the Author to the Hebrews takes it for granted that this rest to God and to Faith and in fruition for man was finish'd from the Foundation of the world although man unbelieving
him in Angels glory in as equall a ballance as our fall into misery and God did not onely excitively draw out Adams faith and love to worke up according to the covenant to partake of Angels felicity but also on the contrary in simple and plaine termes told him of the evill namely death certaine death immediatly would ensue if hee did disobey therefore God willed not Adams fall so much as an occasion to the damnation of them that perish It wil be again objected that God if he had pleased could Object 6 have made Adam unremoveably to have repelled Satans temptation to attaine that glory but did not consequently Adam wanting that strength God therefore will'd his fall to the foresaid end I answer hee could Answ but did not yet the inference followes not because God gave him power enough so to will that he might be able if he would have applied himselfe in point of triall as he might and ought therefore he wanted it not for it is one thing not to have a thing and another to want that thing wee have not For example a man not having a sword having no occasion to use it wants it not so the Cedars in Libanus having not the locall motion of the stately Lyon to attaine their perfections nor yet doe they want it because in their kind they attaine their perfections with that power and in that place which is assigned them by their Creator so might Adam in that present condition assign'd him by God as appeareth Chap. 2. therefore God willed not Adams fall to the aforesaid end Againe if Adam had had any more perfections and meanes to attaine the end of the Covenant then what hee had it would have fallen in as a part of his wages for the worke before his tryall and that could not be because the covenant for any more good or any evill equivalently contrary was to be as he did obey or disobey therefore God willed not his fall to the foresaid end and if hee did this would follow that God onely pretended that good in the Covenant but never intended it according to the conditions exprest consequently God was in it as the Divell implyed to the woman but an Impostor and the Divell onely the true speaker but this was the Divels lie from the beginning and hee the father of it in all men which now so thinke or speake but Satan and man adhering to him shall be found lyars and God for ever true in his Word keeping promise and covenant simply * Therfore God doth not tender eternall life by his revealed will to man whom he by his secret will hath reprobated to unavoydable damnation and plainly according to the expressions of his minde to mankind without personall respects alike to all It will againe be objected God knew before hee put Object 7 Adam to that triall that he would fall in that worke and yet put him upon it consequently he will'd his fall to the foresaid end Answ Hee did know it yet I deny the inference to be rightly deducted for as God did know what Adam would doe so also hee knew what himselfe would doe namely shew himselfe faithfull in mercy to his faithlesse creature then in misery by his owne default that then by his free gift of righteousnesse imputatively hee would glorifie his grace upon all mankind to justification of life as is described Againe it was needlesse for God to will Adams fall so much as an occasion much lesse as a cause to any mans damnation to the eternall praise of his Justice because as formerly is proved if Adam had kept covenant as hee might hee then had rendred God the eternall praise of his Justice by the everlasting felicity of all mankinde and by Satans just condemnation to all eternity as Chap. 2. pag. 12. and 13. Againe suppose that which I will not grant that by Adams fulfilling the Covenant God had not so received the praise of his Justice eternally yet by the second Adams fulfilling the Covenant I am sure he hath to the full in every respect as Chap. 8. therefore though all men were saved by him as certainly they might if they would but submit to receive that gift of righteousnesse in the power of Gods grace and mercifull supportance as is proved therefore God never intended that which was needlesse that is not Adams fall so much as the occasion of any mans damnation much lesse as a cause thereof Object 8 It will again be objected that all mankind which perish in eternall damnation could not so perish if God had not willed it therefore they perish by the will of God Answer True it is that God doth will the damnation of all that perish eternally as formerly is proved at large by his proceedings without any personall respects in his justice by the distribution of his mercy in Jesus Christ as to Cain the old world and by his rejection of his elect Spouse the Iewes and all Gentiles which to this day turne the grace of salvation to wantonnesse walking after the flesh proudly despising this day of grace as a meanes to receive his free gift of righteousnesse imputed to their salvation and so reject their owne day of eternall glory therefore as saith Christ as before I noted this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light because their deeds were evill that is in winking at the light that so they might the more fully follow their own Lusts for that 's implyed Luk. the 14. 18 Ioh. 3.19 Againe I answere that God so wâ—lâ—'s the damnation of them which perish for ever that yet he would rather glorifie his grace in their blessednesse for ever then his justice in the eternall ruine of his creatures as appeares through all generations of mankinde as is largely proved through this whole Treatise from Gods word of truth yet to his word he hath added his oath to put the point out of doubt because he can sweare by no greater then himselfe therefore hee sweares by himselfe As I live faith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turne yee turne yee from your evill waies for why will you die c. Ezek. 33 11. Therefore notwithstanding all these objections the point stands firme that Gods proceedings is without any personall respect intending and extending to mankinde equally and alike to all for life and death eternall and because God from the time hee cast Adam out of Paradise hath proceeded not only in his universall grace in Christ Jesus but also in his most speciaâ—l grace even to the members of Christ without any personall respects consequently he will proceed so to all mankinde till time shall be no more (a) Gods spirit in Paul fore-prophecying mans ungrateful wickednesse and Gods justice to proceed thereupon therefore to this head may be reserâ—ed Gods dealing with Ahab and
Covenant in Christ which God renewed with Abraham is here distinguished into its parts Abraham get thee from thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House to a Land that I will shew thee and then at that time saith God to him I will make of thee a great Nation In which words in Abrahams Loynes God did now predestinate the Iewes unborne to Grace and Glory in Iesus Christ Againe secondly saith God to Abraham Thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee In these words in Abrahams Loynes is implyed the glorious exaltation of Christ the second Adam and saviour of the world as proceeding therein without respect of persons Againe thirdly saith God to Abraham In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed In these words is comprehended the Gentiles Predestination to Grace and glory in Jesus Christ for to him restrictively were all these promises made as witnesseth Saint Paul for saith hee To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made yet said hee God said not unto (a) Yet Christ and right beleevers is th s most pâ—oper seed câ—nsidered in his most peculiar mysticall body for Christ is coÌ„siderable in divers respects seeds as of many that is to all the Off-spring of Abraham in the flesh but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 Therefore at this time all mankinde was Predestinate to Grace and glory in Iesus Christ without difference as upon the immediate fall of Adam (b) For from the time that God promised Christ to Adam till the Gospell was unveiled this mistery lay as hid Col 1.26 Eph 2.7 when this righteousnesse came upon all men to justification of life so now in this predestination to be Vessells of mercy being by their own (c) Therefore it must needs follow that when we were enemies to him God communicated his love and mercy upon man out of love to the glory and praise of his grace by the second Adam Christ Iesus Apostacie Vessells fitted to destruction wherefore when these Gentiles were called to the reception of this grace in the object of Justification rightly doth Saint Paul then say God made knowne the riches of glory on the vessells of mercy whom he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Rom. 9.23 29. Also when the Apostle called these Gentiles according to Gods purpose about 18-hundred yeares after this Predestination he then saith those whom he did foreknow them he also did predestinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren And in the next verse hee tells the Gentiles God now accordingly had effected it for he saith moreover whom hee did predestinate them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.29 30. And from this ground the Apostle rightly concludes that this promise of God to Abraham contained the Summe of the Gospell concerning the Gentiles for saith hee the Scriptures All these Texts referrs Predestination not to any decree before Abrahams time foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Gal. 3.8 Againe to proceed from this generall ground to a particular proceeding in this universall mercy and to begin where God begins that is at the Restauration of Shems Family to glory And because this glory is restored to this Family from one mans Loynes onely namely Abraham this directs us to two things First that the precedent Apostates of Shems Family were cut off by God from Christ therfore he would ra sâ— the Iewes as a new generation but from this one mans loynes of Shem Off-spring to enjoy this mercy Secondly it implies that mans deepest misery is Gods most proper object of mercy therefore from this Sonne of Terah of Shems Appostate Family he now promises to make not onely a Nation but also a Nation great and glorious and from this ground of Free Grace in future times when this Nation was a great People and famous but ungratefull to God for this honour God then tells thy birth and thy Natâ—vity is of the Land of Canaan that is an Idolatrous brood for saith God God would have them to coÌ„sider what they were when hee predestinated them to this glory in the promised seed with Abraham thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite c. as Josua 24 from the 2. ver to the 6. and Ezekiel 16. from the 3. to the 15. to the 15. yet in the mercy of this promised seed God gave to the Son of this Idolatrous brood three things First hee gave him a Land Secondly from his own Loynes a Nation great and glorious to inherit that Land Thirdly The seed from his own Bowells in whom that Nation was to be heires intail'd to that Land for ever To the first point Gen. 12.7 Moses saith Iehovah appeared unto Abraham and said unto him unto thy seed will I give this Land Cap. 13.14 Iehovah said unto Abraham lift up now thine eyes and looke from this place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever Chap. 15.18 Iehovah made a Covenant with Abraham saying Vnto thy seed have I given this Land from the River of Egypt unto the great River Euphrates c. Againe to the second point namely the gift of a great and glorious Nation from his own Loynes to inherit this Land as Chap. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth So that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred likewise Chap. 15. and 5. he brought him forth abroad and said looke up now towards Heaven and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be Againe to the third point namely the guift of the seed in whom this glorious and great Nation should be heires intail'd to this promised land forever for when Abraham had thought that he should be Childlesse and therefore determin'd to make Eleazar his heire to what God had given him then Gen 15.3 behold the word of Iehovah came to him saying this shall not be thine heire but he that shall come forth of thine owne bowells shall be thine Heire and accordingly from him did spring this numberlesse Nation to inherit this Promised Land in the right of the seed promised precedently to Adam and now renewed to be the Sonne of Abraham after the flesh by promise 430 yeares before the Law as it is Gal. 3.16 17 Gen. 13.15 the Land was not in-tail'd by promise in the Plurall to seedes but to thy seed for ever meaning in Christ as
figured in Isaak the Child of Promise Therefore this Terrestriall Canaan was intaild to them in Christ for an everlasting inheritance as it was a figure of the Caelestiall Canaan yet eternall life intail'd with this proviso implicitly of their right submittance in beliefe of truth and so to enjoy this day of grace as a day of grace and therefore at this universall Predestination in Christ God gives this generall rule I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee That is blessing more speciall to them which by beliefe of truth rightly receive all good in the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as did Abell the first ten Fathers and Abraham their Father or the contrary to them that beleeve not this truth as to Cain the old world the Off-spring of Noah Shems Posterity and Terah Abrahams Father So that Gods proceedings by this Covenant in the promised seed was here layd downe without all respect of persons Iewes or Gentiles both being comprehended in this Covenant Againe to goe on for in the raysing of this Nation from misery to mercy in Christ Jesus God exprest himselfe in divers figures as first in the manner of Isaacs conception and birth he being the Child of promise therefore that God might by this figure lead this Nation by a streight line to receive by beliefe of truth this land as their terrestriall day of grace and to receive by Faith in Christs righteousnesse the celestiall day of glory therefore hee gave the naturall being of this Nation not so much from the force of nature as from Faiths object for Abrahams naturall force in the flesh especially Sarahs wombe was now as good as dead to this production yet she by beliefe of the promised Messias in Isaac to spring figuratively (a) So that Isaac was borne after the Spirit and therefore as a right figure of Christs bâ—thâ— so also of all beleevers which are borne after the will of God and not of the will of the flesh as was Ishmâ—ell the figure of all which walke after the will of the flesh in terrestriall contentments and so Hagar in Arabia and Sarah in the Land of Promise were figuratively two Testaments as Gal. 4.24 25. Rom. 4.19 Heb. 11.12 Gen. 12.12 from her wombe she received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a Child from whence sprang this numberlesse Nation to (b) Christ as head and his nationall spouse elect as members being promised to issue as numberlesse from Abrahams Loynes then dead to thaâ— production 〈◊〉 were a figure of Christ and his numberlesse members of right beleevers yet Aâ—â—aham to be such a Father in these three respects believed God was able and faithfull to accomplish that pâ—omise and therefore humbly submitted in beliefe to receive in that gift the righteous seed his satisfactory righteousnesse imputed all that felicity according to this fourth estate of man and therefore God reckoned or imputed or manifested to Abraham that that act was very sutable or agreeable to his minde as in another case hee expressed to Phineas Numb 25.10 11. See this further explained at the end of the exposition of the ninth of the Rom. in cha 6. this honour Yet when Sarah would cast out Ishmaell from inheriting this honour with Isaac this to Abraham was grievous then said God to Abraham let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad and because of the bond-woman In all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken to her voyce for in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is figuratively in him to Christ by this streight line to receive the riches of mercy only in him in whose righteousnesse imputed I received all upon Adams fall as now by Restauration I intend to receive all wherefore Abraham accordingly in this righteousnesse received the riches of grace to him and the whole world and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse as saith the Apostle Rom. 4.3.11.13 Gen. 15.6 And hereupon God gave Abraham circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse imputed in the object of Faith which he received by beliefe of truth and then God gave this rule that that man or Family which refused to receiue this Seale of righteousnesse which is by Faith should be cut off from the nationall spouse of Christ Gen. 16.14 implying Gods impartiall proceedings towards them as precedently to Abell and Cain If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinne lies at the dore Againe to goe on with this elect Nation and then we meete with another remarkeable figure when Rebecca also had conceived twinns by Isaac God then considered these two babes in her wombe as two Nations and two manner of people to be separated from her bowells for so to Rebecca God explaines himselfe Gen. 25. And because God by tradition intended to leade this Nation by this figure as by a streight line of truth to know in future times that that rise from their Idolatrous denne to this honour in Abrahams Loynes was with no respect to Abrahams person more then to any other mans but onely to Gods mercifull election as before is described therefore before the Babes were borne God elected the youngest Babe and his posterity to this honour but hee rejected from this honour the eldest babe and his posterity although he was the first-borne in the naturall line as hateing this Elect Nations rise to this mercy with any respect to Abrahams or Iacobs fleshly line as any cause moving him so to doe Therefore he did this that the purpose of God according to the Election might stand only according to his call of Abraham from an Idolatrous denne by mercy from that misery Againe this Election and rejection of these babes and their posterity was before the babes were borne as here we see and therefore as saith Saint Paul it was before they had done good or evill and so this figure told this Nation that as their evill works in Terah from whom in Abrahams flesh they came did not hinder God from shewing mercy to them being miserable so neither on the contrary did any good (a) As not workes so not faith fore-seen in Abraham or any other is any ground of Gods election of miserable man to life and glory but onely Gods love to himselfe in the glory of his free grace in Iesus Christ is the ground of election as when God elected all mankind from reprobate divels we being the same with them in Adams fall so also the secoÌ„d time when he elected both Iews and Gentiles in the promised seed by Covenant with Abraham when they were all gone out of the way of peace became abominable by their Apostacy from that grace as in this Chap. doth appeare works of Abrahams or theirs foreseene further or bring on this honourable election to temporall and eternall felicity in Christ Iesus And therefore that the purpose of God might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said
judge of that holy man Arminius that he is not to be reckoned one of the least worthies of the Lord Jesus Christ because this man in those darke * For Mr. Peter Du. Moulin chargeth him with holding these points first that God elected some men to eternall life upon his foresight of their faith Secondly that God elects all men to eternall life under the condition of faith Thirdly that originall sinne in Infants hath no respect of vice or sinne properly called for nothing is sinne or vice unlesse it be committed by free-will Fourthly hat Arminius against Mr Perkins affirmeth that mans will is free to good as to evill without grace the which points in this Treatise are clearely proved from Scriptures to be errors See Peter Du-moulin against Arminius Cap. 8. p. 48. Cap. 17. Cap. 18. Cap. 32. p. 256. times of the knowledge of this point put forth all his power according to his light and talent against great oppositions to maintaine and preach that God in his gracious mercy in Christ Jesus doth both intend and extend it universally alike to all mankinde without respect of persons Therefore in him God accepted the will for the deed and so must we And on the contrary as for reverend Calvin his stiffe maintaining that error which made the waters of life bitter to mankinde namely that God hath personally decreed before the world to unavoydable destruction the greatest part of mankinde for the everlasting praise of his justice Calvin Instit 3 book 22. cap. 11. 3 book cap. 21.5 and personally elected the lesser part unavoydably to eternall life for the praise of his glorious grace I say notwithstanding this holy mans error his works and great labours savour of most unfeyned Godlinesse which setleth a Crowne of reverence upon his head through all ages wherefore we are thus to judge of him that this error fell from him from love to Gods glory in the comforting of the distressed Church of God and therefore in him it was error of love and not that he loved to erre Ninthly againe it will be objected he that loveth another Object 9 hath fulfilled the Law consequently that man is a perfect man in the perfeâ—tion of degrees of inherent righteousnesse Rom. 13.8 The conclusion is falsely deducted for hee that loveth God by his rules or Lawes Answ as leading to him in Christ the object of faith hath fulfilled the Law but how even because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth as God imputed it to Abraham Rom. 10. for his further entrance into the glorious Kingdome of Christs gracious mercy as is formerly declared Againe he that loveth another being his Idolatrous and wicked Neighbour as he is his own flesh and Gods creature made of one and the same blood and Gods as is himselfe by right of redemption or that doth love another man as a mysticall member of Christ as is himselfe and in that love doth cherish him as Abraham did Lot In both these respects he is kinde to the unkinde to the just and the unjust and so is perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect that is in a similie or likenesse unto him for as saith our Proverb every like is not the same and therefore but imperfect inherently still for he that saith hee hath no sinne is a lyar c. Againe the truth is God never required such perfect obedience of any man but of those which were able so to performe it and they were only two of all mankinde the one was Adam when he was a publique person before his fall the other was Christ who was the second Adam in the worke of the first to the redemption of all Therefore do not derogate from his glorious works not arrogate to thine own inglorious * For returning to God by beliefe in the object of justification is right repentance only therefore although faith is the receptive instrument of that object and mourning and weeping doth accompany that repentance yet neâ—ther is the removall of sins guilt or punishment only Christs righteousnesse imputed is the ground of acceptance therefore beware of ascribing sorrow to be repentance of of faith for acceptance lest we unawares uphold the erroneously of the mystery of iniquity maintained by the Roman Antichrist works nor be not deceived by that wicked one who teacheth this Doctrine whom Christ shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming Object Againe it will be objected that by those words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman is meant the woman should envie Satan for the evill done unto her and so one Divell may envie another Answ This implies that God gave in the promised seed no more good in these words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman then have the damned Spirits under eternall reprobation which is absurd Reply To this is replyed that all mankinde since the fall are conceived and borne with no better internall dispositions tending to God then is the nature of Divells Answ It appeares the contrary in the worst of men if not delivered up from the universall grace of the Covenant to a finall impenitency notwithstanding their acquired habits in evill there is in them some internall dispositions naturally to God which is not found in Divells for although Mathew the 8.29 Divells can ground their requests to God on his justice not to torment them before the time of their finall bruise by the seed of the woman Mat. 25 41. but they are not naturally inclined as are all mankinde to ground their prayers unto God upon his goodnesse and mercy as for instance that innumerable company of Heathenish Ninivites beleeved Gods word of wrath to be true for their present destruction yet they invocate him intirely upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 2 9. So the Mariners in their Idolatrous manner implore the Divine Majesty in apparant destruction upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 1.15.14 Secondly there is in all mankinde a naturall inclination to worship the divine Majesty as is apparant not only in the Ninivites and Marriners but also it is the ground why all Nations whatsoever have some kinde of Religious worship even to those which are Divells as to a Deity above themselves and also to God as unknowne Acts 17.23 which internall dispositions are not in Divells although the true God to them be knowne for as they cannot implore God under the Notion of goodnesse nor mercy so have they neither any set form of religious worship to God but all destruction and Idolatrous errors and lies in Gods worship amongst men originally arose from them aswell as from mens own remissenesse by not improving this internall principle of enmity to Satan and amity to God as precedently is proved To this it will be objected the divels know Gods Law Object 11 and the very knowledge of it writes