The Nature of the Two Testaments OR The Disposition of the WILL and ESTATE Of GOD to Mankind FOR HOLINESS and HAPPINESS BY Jesus Christ Concerning Things to be done by Men AND Concerning Things to be had of God Contained in his two great Testaments The LAW and the GOSPEL DEMONSTRATING The High SPIRIT and STATE of the Gospel above the Law In Two Volumes The First Volume of the WILL OF GOD. The Second Volume of the ESTATE OF GOD. The First Volume Of the WILL OF GOD Concerning Things to be done by Men. By ROBERT DIXON D. D. Prebendary of Rochester LONDON Printed by Tho. Roycroft for the Author MDCLXXVI Imprimatur Ex Aed Lambethanis THO. TOMKYNS TO THE READER THE principal Wisdom in all Learning is the knowledg of Rights made and granted by God or Man Rights and to whom they are made and granted and how why and when and for how long and how they are obtained and kept how lost and how recovered That men might be holy in themselves and righteous to others understanding what is their own and to do well to themselves and to all men that they and others might be happy He that can discern and judge rightly of these things is an Oracle amongst men and fit for all business in Church and State Other knowledge is very good Laws and greatly ornamental and useful in its kind but this Learning of Laws divine and humane excells all the rest as the Sun the Stars for the excellency of Piety Equity and Reason that is in it and for the infinite use and benefit that redounds by it to Soul and Body to Ecclesiastical and Civil Societies for this life and for a better I undervalue no Learning hereby but give every Art its due in its time and place and so I give this sublime Faculty of Laws its due also Hereby I do no more than perswade to choose the best things and to find out the most excellent waies Jural sense of Scriptures In order therefore to the understanding of the Scriptures which are Gods Laws I prefer the Jural sense as most genuine and kindly and make use of Jural Terms borrowed from Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil in their proper style as most homogeneal and sutable to the Divine Law in which God hath condescended to humane capacities by propounding his Will in the nature of Laws by his Servant Moses and by his Son Jesus Christ and this is the most stately eloquence for all business There are in the Scriptures which are the two Laws and Testaments of God published by the two Mediators Moses and Christ certain â—ccessories and Consequences as Histories and Prophecies to the explaining whereof Philosophy and Chronology may be very helpful But for the principal and essential Will Word Law Covenant Testament of God concerning mans salvation by Faith in Jesus Christ let any discerning person judge whether it be not expresly revealed by Christ and his Apostles especially St. Paul that great Divine and Lawyer as that other Testament by Moses and the Prophets in terms of Law Such as Predestination Election Justification Adoption Faith Grace Gift Covenant Will Testament Heir Inheritance Possession Liberty c. as shall be made more largely to appear hereafter So the Laws of God being described in terms of Law after the manner of Men are more aptly interpreted by the Science of Law than of Philosophy or any other Art whatsoever This I lay as a principle and foundation to my ensuing discourse Title of Scripture There is nothing more ordinary in our Discourses and Writings than the Laws and Testaments of God which are the Titles of the Scriptures and yet how few regard the Nature of these so considerable Titles For the Subject of every Book is best apprehended by the full Name and Title that is given to it expressing the Nature of the thing contained in it But because this is a New untrodden path and that I am almost alone in this Manner of speaking therefore unsearching and undistinguishing men that are lazy withal and hang upon others Judgments are shie of this Way and pass it by giving it no good report The terms of Philosophy and Oratory are pleasantly swallowed down by them because usual but the terms of both Laws stick and will not go down as harsh and crabbed Sure this doth mightily betray the Ignorance of these men I do not use any barbarous words as are in some Laws but the pure and elegant expressions of the best of humane Laws far more learned and significant than the froth of Rhetoricians or the Fustian stuff of Schoolmen or the Canting Rosicrucian Enthusiastick nonsense of Fanaticks This is our shame that so many Divines and Lawyers reject that most illustrious Faculty so highly useful to them and to the Nobles and Princes of the World in comparison whereof all other inferiour Arts are pedantick and base I take them to be the best Divines Distinction of Old and New Testament that distinguish best between the Old Testament and the New that preach the New Testament and not the Old the Spirit and not the Letter the power of Godliness and not the form A clear distinction between the two Testaments the Law and the Gospel I take to be the principal excellency of a Divine and a noble vein that should run through every Theological Treatise For which I note the most Illustrious Hugo Grotius Dr. Hammond Dr. Taylor Dr. Lushington Dr. Spencer Mr. Thorndike Mr. Farindon c. to be the most eminent in giving light to this great Point which deserves to be more enquired into For which cause I have offered my poor Endeavours hoping to find acceptance from all searching and free spirited men Such divine Lawyers as these I take to have the soundest Notions and the clearest and fullest Expressions no disparagement the World knows it Legists The Linguists and Disputants and Humanists make much ado with their Criticisms and subtilties and Fineries but 't is the wise Legist that must do the business in Church and State A wise Jurisconsult in my opinion knows more of Religion Equity and Government than the profoundest Platonist Aristotelian or Ciceronian of them all I admire the most Excellent Grotius for his rare knowledge in all things but especially for his wisdom in the Laws both divine and humane which makes him shine among all other Writers H. Grotius Tanquam Luna inter minora sidera And thence spring those incomparable Notions digested by a judicious and moderate spirit his Enemies being Judges Many Currs bawl about him that mighty Giant of whom the World was not worthy and spare not to abuse him now he is in his grave who were not worthy to carry his Books after him These and such as these are the Men that divide the Word of God aright like workmen that need not to be ashamed clearly unfolding the good will of God without taking any side or party wholly aiming at satisfaction to
Birds and all sorts of Prodigies as Omens and Prognosticks of Casual contingencies in this life and the Futurities of another World as if by such absurd conveyances God had made a Divine discovery of Religious concernments The CONTENTS Of Scriptures Writings Traditions Inspiration Testament Ethnick Theology TITLE IV. Of Scriptures FOr the better settlement of all Mediums for ever in the concerns of true Religion God saw it most convenient That all his Will revealed by Moses for that Dispensation Temporal and by Christ for Reformation Eternal should both be assigned to Writing Writings because written Laws and Testaments are far more evident and lasting Monuments and Records than verbal or transient oral Traditions can possibly be 1. Because by oral Traditions when Men were few Traditions and their Ages long and Doctrines few they might the better be preserved but when Men were multiplied and their Ages cut short and Doctrines multiplied they must be the harder to continue and the sooner lost But by Writing notwithstanding Mortality the Monuments and Records might be immortal 2. Because there will be a failure of unwritten Traditions and vocal Reports by carelessness and contradictions of Delivery and Debauchery succeeding in the place of the simplicity and honesty of first Generations Hence it came to pass that the old Ethnick Laws were lost for want of writing and such as are preserved are fabulous and ridiculous for want of wit and honesty and men are lapsed thereby into Polytheisme and absurd filthy ceremonies of Religion Therefore it came to a necessity Inspiratio◠to prevent a decay of Knowledge and divine Fear that some eminent Persons should be stirred up to commit the laws of Nature and other Positive laws of God to Writing by Divine Inspiration Which was done accordingly for matter of Fact and God himself first began to do this thing by writing his own Law with his own Finger upon two Tables of Stone and delivered them to Moses and commanded him to write other Statutes in a Book to be laid up altogether in the Ark for Posterity Till he should cancel that and make another and better Law which he did and delivered it to Christ who confirmed it by his Death so as to continue for ever by way of Testament which therefore was not of force till the death of the Testatour and therefore should never be disanulled because Testamen◠Christ being dead from henceforth dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him And so we are given to understand according to the manner of Men That it can no more be changed than a mans Testament who being once dead and to live no more it is impossible he should alter his last Will having no Will after his Death because his Will died with him And for the preservation of this Testament after it was delivered by Christ to his Apostles by word of mouth They by inspiration from God committed it to writing in the Book of the New Testament as now it is preserved for us and transmitted to us I. A Testament barely nuncupative cannot be permanent 1. Because words spoken vanish into air and may be mis-heard and mis-understood or forgotten 2. Because the Hearers and Witnesses must die and then all is lost only by hear-say from others who must die also and so the farther the Testimony passes from one generation to another the more it loses or varies till at last it dies and comes to nothing II. A Testament Written is most permanent 1. Because Litera scripta manet and though errours in ignorant Souls may be committed yet the sense and comparing of Copies will direct to Orthography Thus the Testatour dies but his Will and Testament lives and never lives till he dies and ever lives after his death because none can put his Will to death but he that made it who is dead himself and therefore can have no will or power to do it 'T is true a Man may make Testaments and unmake them again as long as he liveth as God did the Law of Moses and as men may do to their Laws and Statutes but when a man dies his last Testament stands if there be a thousand before it they all fall and come to nothing And whereas Publick Laws may be changed by new Law-makers upon new occasions for a new People and are ambulatory in every Age yet the last Wills and Testaments of men which are private Laws can never be changed by their Heirs and Successours but must stand in force for ever because they are dead that made these Laws for their private Families to tie up them and their Heirs for ever For if it be but a mans Testament no man disannuls it For the fastening therefore of the Gospel for ever amongst men this is the way that God hath taken for men after the manner of men to settle his Commands and to settle his Estate upon men And all this is left written in a Book which is the Scriptures which no other Book can rival in this pretence of a Divine Will Ethnick Theology Ethnick Legislatours Poets Philosophers in all their writings of Mythick Politick or Natural Theology they and all became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lost the seeds of God which were in them and though they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but deified the Creatures that might have led them to the Creatour Hence came Sabaisme and all the Oriental Idolatry in which Statesmen bore their part not a little pretending conversation with Numens for the better obtruding of their devices And Satan abused them all by Oracles from Oracular Priests and Pythian Virgins those mad organs of the Daemons and evil Spirits in those daies Poets they say were the first Authors of Ethnick Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by these saies Plato God speaks unto us The same Philosopher saith that Philosophers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God such were ranck Magicians who brought in prophane Dogms and impure Worship Ergo not Divine but Diabolical and Inhumane even to the sacrificing of their Sons and Daughters unto Devils If we look to the Alcoran six hundred years later than the New Testament it is answerable to the genius of the Arabians fertil of Dreams full fraught with carnal Precepts and sensual Rewards mixed with Heathenisme Judaisme and Christianity by Mahomet prompted by the Monk Nestorius and advanced by the Sword As for the Bible it is for Words plain for matter pure for stile clear in the Testamentary parts thereof The Prophesies thereof are fulfilled the History most ancient the Spirit of it most Majestick and convincing those Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is there any Eloquence like it without meretricious ornaments of Oratours and demagogues whose end was ostentation and faction The Harmony admirable the End the glorious restauration of Mankind the quality of the Pen-men venerable the Antiquity highest and
deceive by some Instrument and that Instrument must be Good For Sin is ugly and therefore naturally to be abhorred It must therefore put on the fairest Visage and Shape of Good that is naturally desirable the better to deceive us 1. Sin deceives of it self without a Law 2. Sin deceives by another much more with a Law The CONTENTS Law of Nature Law Positive TITLE V. Of Deceit without a Law SIN deceives of it self without a Law Law of Nature Properly Man is not without a Law for the Law of Nature is in all Mankind And there are Laws Positive Divine or Humane given to all Nations upon several occasions at sundry times But though there be in my heart a Law of Nature written with visible Characters to the eye of the Mind yet except I see a Positive Law written with Characters visibly to the eye of my Body I think my self safe As for the eye of my mind I care not to open it nor whether there be such an eye at all and if it be open whether I will or no I do all I can to shut it and labour to forget what I know But so long as Sense knows no Law I sin the more boldly and comfortably 1. Because there is no plain outward Contradiction to what I do as for the inward I pass that by and no body knows it but my self 2. Because there is no punishment against what I do as for the inward pain of my Conscience I pass that by and no body can read it in my face and no body feels it but my self I owe a debt in Conscience Instance but because there is no express Law to force me to pay it by reason there are no Specialties nor Witnesses in the Case therefore I will not pay it I am bound in Conscience but not in Law for there is no Law to take hold of me By this an honest man is known from an Hypocrite For an honest man will do Righteous things whether there be a Law or no Law but an Hypocrite will do nothing without Law 1 Tim. 1.9 Therefore the Law is not made for a Righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for ungodly and for Sinners Gal. 3.19 for unholy and profane for murtherers c. And Laws are added because of Transgressions Or if there be a Law yet if it watches not me or cannot find me out or the Officers of Justice be blinded and will not lay hold of me I am well enough I can do a thing in secret that it shall never be known or if it be I have a Trick in Law to come off or I can bribe and buy it out Any way to deceive my self Rom. 2.14 The Scriptures say They that have no Law are a Law unto themselves But this they can evade well enough My Conscience checks me and bids me hold Rom. 2.15 when my Lust urges me to do what my Spirit forbids This shews the work of the Law written in mens Hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 5.13 For until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile but glory and honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first also to the Gentile Rom. 2.9 c. For as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law When the Commandment came Rom. 7.9.5 sin revived and I died The Motions of sin which were by the Law did work in my members to bring forth fruit unto death and by the Law came the knowledg of Sin Law positive So the Law of Nature is in all and the Law Positive is given to all But Lust broke all these Laws and the long habits of sin and frequent and constant examples of evil Practicers obliterated the Law Natural in good part and caused an oblivion willful for the most part of all Positive Statutes The Law of Nature consists of general Principles and Common Notions So that the Collections and Consequences of Reason from them to be applied to particular cases and occurrences are difficult and the remembrance of those generals very faint Wherefore God renewed this General Law 1. By his own Revelation to the Patriarchs 2. By his own Writing to the Israelites 3. By the Writings of Lawgivers as of Solon Lycurgus Romulus c. to the Gentiles In the mean time before this extraordinary Revelation and Writing Sin was in the world sufficiently even until the Law was written by God and Moses but sin was not so strongly imputed by the bare writing in the heart as it was when over and above to make them without all excuse it was written upon Tables that he that runs may read it for then it confuted them with a witness of a high contempt of Natural and Positive Law both written Rom. 2.9 So all were concluded under sin and are without all excuse and shall be judged for sin as well those that are without Law as with Law Rom. 3.20 But by the Law written came the greater Knowledg of sin and the greater Conviction of sin and the greater Punishment for sin so that the Sinner that before went on rashly in pleasing his lust without much conviction or fear was by the coming of the Law in writing more strongly convinced and frighted and smarted too for it though all this while it raged and broke out more than before to the working of all manner of Concupiscence The CONTENTS By all good Law Lust a Law Law a restraint Law an equivocal Word Law of Mind Law of Flesh Law of God Law of Sin Grace a sole Remedy By all Bad law By one Law in the same law Words and Sense of Law Letter and Spirit By one Law in another By the Law of God in the law of Man By the law of Man in the Law of God By one Moral law in another By the law of Nature in a Positive law By a Pretended Law of God in a certain law of Man By a Private law in a Publick law By the Moral law in the Ceremonial law By the Ceremonial law in the Moral law By one law in all other Laws TITLE VI. Of Deceit with a Law SIN decieves with and by a Law Sin is a transgression of a Law Of deceit with a Law whether it be written or not written but especially written because of the express Precept and Penalty therein contained And by how much the more the Law is good by so much the more I set my self in opposition against it 1. Because it is a grievous contradiction of my will which I would fain fulfil 2. Because it is a sore punishment to my Soul and Body or
are in the Corporation but not of it As the Bastard is in the Family not of it he is disabled from inheriting because he is a Person unlawful and unright He is not right himself and therefore he can have no right he is not born as he should be therefore not born to what he should be As the Slave is in the Family but not of the Family he is uncapable of possessing any thing because he himself is possessed he can be no Master of any goods because he is his Master's goods All his acts are nothing because he is dead in Law As the Alien is in the City but not of the City he hath no right there he is not Homo legalis because he is not born there as he should be As an unbeliever is in the Church but not of the Church he hath no right he is not Homo fidelis because he is not born again as he should be Contrarily some Persons have right they are in the Corporation and of it they have title to claim the benefit and power to sue for it As a Son hath right in the Family to succeed his Father if he dies intestate As a Wife hath right of Dower for her joynture or her Thirds As a native Subject in a Kingdom is free to enjoy and dispose and hath a suffrage in Elections and other Priviledges to which he is born As a Believer is in the Church and of the Church he hath right to Christ and to the ordinances of Christ the Word and Sacraments because he is Homo fidelis and born again as he should be Now when he that had no right is made to have a right he is said to be justified to it or he that is absolved and released from some burden is justified from it All Legitimation is a justifying for therein a Child is released from the burden of Bastardy All Absolution is justifying for the party is released from the burden of some Bond. All Purifying and cleansing under the Law was justifying for therein the party was released from the burden of uncleanness And so Men were justified in the Law of Moses in some things but not in all Acts 13.39 But Faith justifies from all things from which the Law of Moses could not justifie All Pardoning is justifying for therein a Sinner is released from the burden of punishment The Romish Writers quarrel with our Divines when they place Justification partly in the Remission of sins for indeed that is a part or branch of it for all pardoning or remitting of sin is justifying but all justifying is not pardoning He whose right is declared is justified the Judg justifies the party whose right was controverted and doubtful The Matter of right the Judg creates not but only declares what was concealed He whose right is restored is justified All restitution is justifying for thereby the party hath his right again and repossesseth that which was his own before All In-lawing is justifying for thereby the party out-lawed is restored to his former right So as Legitimation is to a Bastard as Manumission is to a Slave as Naturalization and Enfranchisement is to an Alien so is Justification to a Sinner The Reasons are these 1. From the Names that are given to Persons justified before justification We are Bastards not born right but born in sin And God was our Natural Father not our Legitimate not our Spiritual Father For except a Man be born again he can never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3.3 Bastards are not born as they should be We are Aliens and Forreigners we should be born in Paradise where our first Parents dwelt in Innocency and Immortality but we are born in the World a place of banishment to them and us where God is our Ruler only Eph. 2.12 not our King Without Christ we are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers to the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the World That is having no right in Christ nor hope of Inheritance in Glory but dead Men as Slaves are in Law i. e. morally dead in trespasses and sins and therefore jurally dead as to the capacity to any right For the dead loose all other rights save only that of Burial we are not born where we should be 2. From the Names that are given to the acts of justification As Joh. 17.20 1. Uniting or making us one with God and Christ That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Ro. 12.17 2. Grafting Christ is the true Olive stock the Jews the natural branches the Gentiles wild branches till ingrafted into Christ 3. Marrying while we were in the Flesh we were married to the Law but when justified by the Spirit we are dead unto the Law and married unto Christ Ro. 7.4 4. Adopting Redeemed from being under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. The Spirit of the Son sent forth into our hearts crying Rom. 8. Abba Father We have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father As many as have received him i. e. have believed on him to them gave he power i. e. a right Joh. 1.12 as in the Margin to be called the Sons of God which is their justification by Faith For we are all the Sons of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 5. From the Names given to our state in Christ after justification as 1. Our being in Christ As the Wife is in the Husband the Child in the Parents Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Our Fellowship with Christ the first born and heir So we are born again die with him rise with him Co-heirs with him shall co-rule with him Reign together with him in Heavenly places God hath called us to the Fellowship of his Son 1 Cor. 1.9 And we have fellowship with the Father and the Son 3. Our Corporation with Christ Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Heaven Our Bodies are the Members of Christ Phil. 3.10 1 Cor. 6.15 Eph. 5.3 we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones not naturally but jurally The matter of our Justification being our right of Incorporation into God and Christ in general from thence may follow these three principal rights in particular 1. A right to things present 2. A right to things in future 3. The degrees of our Right to both these things in present and in future SECT II. 1. A right to things in present As 1. A right of Impunity or Pardon of sins Impunity That all his sins whatsoever he hath committed or shall commit hereafter are forgiven God may correct his Children in this Life otherwise they should not be his true Children but Bastards but he will not punish them in the Life to
kind Mother and Mistress This Ishmael was born after the flesh of Hagar a young Woman and Abraham able to beget by her Isaak born after the Spirit of Sarah an old Woman and Abraham an old Man not able to beget but Abraham was supernaturally enabled Heb. 11.12 especially Sarah who was both old and barren 1. Ishmael typifies those that seek Justification by the Law or works 2. Isaak typifies those that seeks Justification by Grace or Faith They that seek Justification by works depend upon themselves and their own natural goodness or strength or the works of Law They who seek Justification by Faith depend upon God's Grace and free Promise ☞ Note here by the way that Isaak was a Type not of personal Election from all Eternity but of such as shall be justified by Faith in the Promise For the scope of the Epistle is in opposition to the Jewish confidence to prove that Justification is not by the Law So that the conceit of Election and Reprobation from this place is quite and clear Eccentrical from the scope and business which the Apostle aims at in this place 1. From whence I observe That the Mysteries of Salvation are declared not by words only but by Providences and Dispensations 2. That God without acceptation of persons may advance one above another in temporal benefits Acceptation of Persons hath place only in Judiciary rewards not in Dispensations of Grace and Mercy to eternal Rewards SECT XXXII Gen. 25.3 Jacob and Esau Besides that Allegory of Jacob and Esau denotes two Nations for the Text saith Two Nations are in thy womb and is by the Apostle applied to the Freedom of God preferring the younger Brother the Gentiles before the Elder the Jews Ro. 9.11 c. not upon any account of works For the children being yet unborn neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated But the Preferring of the Gentiles before the Jews was only upon the account of Faith by the which they were justified and the Jews could not be justified because they stood upon their works So Jacob and Esau were not Types of a Personal Election and Reprobation but of a specifical National Election and Reprobation whosoever how many or how few soever not to an Eternal but to a Temporal Inheritance 2 Sam. 8.14 For the Elder shall serve the Younger and so the Edomite did serve the Israelite v. 2 Sam. 8.14 Je. 60. 1 Chron. 18.11 13. And the Idumaeans revolted Psal 137.7 Ez. 35.5 10. yet were they subjects 1660 years Jacob signifies the People of the New Testament by Faith Esau signifies the People of the Old Testament by Works Object Gal. 3.17 The Covenant that was confirmed of God before in Christ the Law that was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannull that it should make the promise of God of no effect Solut. These words prove not that the Gospel or Covenant of Grace was before the Law or Covenant of works but before that solemn repetition or new Delivery thereof upon Mount Sinai When there was a Brief Transcript of it written and delivered unto Moses in Tables of Stone by God Rom. 5.20 Gal. 3 19 c. The Law entred that the offence might abound The Law was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made c. And that the Law or Covenant of Works was in being yea in force in the World before the publication of it from Mount Sion appears For untill Law sin was in the world Rom. 5.13 that is from the beginning of the World until the giving of the Law in words and writing from Mount Sinai And Consequently a necessity of the Law because where no Law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 but sin is not imputed where there is no Law that is Ro. 5.13 sin is not charged upon Men or punished nevertheless death reigned from Adam inclusivè unto Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression and consequently there must needs have been a Law without the breach whereof Men had not been obnoxious unto death Yea not only the Moral Law properly so called was extant in Men's hearts and delivered by Tradition but some particulars of the Ritual Law practised in the World before the delivery of the same Law much disused and forgotten to Moses in Writing upon Tables of Stone upon Mount Sinai As appears by the offering of Sacrifices of old and of the Sabbath and of Circumcision commanded to Abraham and his Seed and by the Marriage of the Widow of a Kinsman dying without Issue before the Law Yea the Law or Covenant of Works was as ancient as Adam and by transgression thereof he and all his Posterity incurred the guilt and punishment of Death Therefore the Law or Covenant of Works was the first born Testament or Covenant of Works made by God with Mankind And upon this account they who are of the Law i. e. who seek for Justification by the Law of works are resembled by Esau the Elder Son and they who expect Justification by the New Testament or Law of Grace i. e. by Faith are properly typified by Jacob the Younger Brother When God said to Rebecca Two Nations are in thy Womb ☜ and the Elder shall serve the Younger he mystically signified that his absolute will and purpose was never to own for Sons and Heirs of Heaven the People of the Elder Covenent i. e. those that should seek for Justification by the Law but to assign over those for Servants or Bondmen to his Children i. e. those of the later or younger Covenant who should seek the Adoption of Sons or Justification by Faith Thus God was pleased to declare to the World that his purpose according to Election might stand firme and unchanged and that he meant not to elect or make choice of those whom he should or would adopt by the rule of Works or by any rule that Men should commend to him or desire to impose or obtrude upon him but only by the Rule of his own most free gracious and wise pleasure which he hath declared to be the Rule of Faith Inasmuch as in equitable Right the making his own choice in this kind accrueth unto him as he is the sole Magnificent Founder of this Blessed Feast of Justification calling and inviting the World from all Quarters to come unto it For a Clench to keep this Interpretation from stirring The Prophet Malachi brings in God thus Saying Was not Esau Jacob's Brother Mal. 1.2 c. yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau and laid his Mountains and Heritage waste for the Dragons of the wilderness He gave Esau a lesser portion of an earthly
and tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth And all these having obtained a good report through faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect For the same Promises were made more lively to us and expect a more lively faith from us and they came in by accession to the same Promises and are made perfect by them together with us in one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the same blessedness and salvation through him to whom be all praise and glory for ever Amen SECT V. Seeing therefore as hath been demonstrated the Faithful are the Elect people of God and in Covenant with him it must of necessity follow that the Unfaithful are the Reprobated of God and out of Covenant with him For as it is plain that the Elect are the peculiar and choice People because God hath propounded the Right to be chosen by them and they have chosen that Right and are approved of God for choosing that Right So it is as plain that the Reprobate are the strange and Refuse people because God hath propounded the Right to be chosen by them and they have refused that Right and chosen the wrong and are disapproved and condemned of God for choosing the wrong By Faith men are elected or intituled to a Promise of salvation By Infidelity men are rejected from a Promise to damnation Election not to be concealed This is that great point of Election which hath been represented as an Abyss that none could ever see into the bottom of a Mystery unconceivable and therefore dangerous for any but high and mighty Doctors to dispute of and sat intra Cancellos in their retired Schools apart from the rude Multitude from their Chairs not from their Pulpits And their Writings must be lockt up in Archivis never exposed to common view What is the matter Is it the Will of God the Law of God the Testament of God and must it not be known Are not all Laws proclaimed and Testaments opened And are they not made when wisely made so plain that all that are concerned might understand them or else how shall they know what is commanded them and conferred upon them that they might perform that obedience and gratitude which is due from them to such their Rulers and Benefactors The Learned use to say Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus tractari debet That which concerns all is to be understood by all Does not the good Will and Word of God concern all Is it only to be spoken to the Learned and Nobles in such languages and phrases which they only understand Are we sent to preach only to such as they that are in high places of employment in Church and State and not as well to the poor Watchmen that sit on the Wall that they might hear the Will of God and understand it as well as others Surely God is no respecter of persons but we may plainly perceive his mind and will is to have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth and that in all Nations he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Heb. 10.6 c. Say not therefore in thine heart Who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith the Scripture The word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Under the favour therefore of the Deeper Clerks my poorest judgment is apt to believe Election an easie Point◠that this Doctrine of Election is the most easie and familiar in all Divinity take Divinity for the Scripture and not for systems and sums and postils or golden decisions c. Especially for Christ's Sermon in the Mount and his other Sermons and answers as also the Sermons of the Apostles and all of their Epistles except that of the Romans and Galatians where most things are easie but some things are hard to be understood which some that are unlearned and hardly honest have wrested to their own destruction and grievously abused the Vulgar in catching at some dubious expressions which may be variously construed and neglecting the main scope of the whole Bible especially of those two most famous Epistles which is to prove Justification by Faith and not by Works or the Righteousness of God which is by Faith distinct from the Righteousness of Man which is by Works And the just rejection of the Jews the Elder Brother for going about to establish their own Righteousness which is by the Law and the just election of the Gentiles the younger Brother for embracing the righteousness of Faith which is by the Gospel SECT VI. Take therefore St. Peters godly Admonition 2 Pet. 1.10 Diligence to make Election sure to give all diligence to make your calling and election sure And do you long and pant and thirst after God and endeavour honestly to close with God in hearing and understanding and doing the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do but well and God will meet you And that of St. Paul Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure And know that Veritas non est salutanda in transitu Truth is not to be saluted in haste It is the diligent hand that maketh rich And Manus est causa sapientiae It is the hand that is the cause of wisdom Dii omnia laboribus vendunt God gives all upon labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God helpeth all that labour And he that hath and useth well what he hath shall have more Ex mandato mandatum discimus By doing Gods Command we learn to do his command If any man will do his will he shall know the Doctrine whether it be of God or no. We learn to do well by doing well and the more we do well the more we may Devotion comes by prayer and Charity by Alms. The Practical hand makes better than the Speculative brains Vae mihi si haec habeo in mente servo in charta non facio in vitâ Wo be unto me if I