Christ by Jude 2 Epist Joh. 3.12 Jude ver 7. concludes the execution of the justice of the said Rule upon Cain as upon Balaam and Corah and so a vessel of dishonour for ever consequently thus God executed his final end upon those of the old world who were without the Church 2 Pet. 2.5 that is which were not of the Family-Churches of the first ten Fathers before the Flood for the Text saith God spared not the old world and brought in the Flood upon the world of ungodly and the like execution after the Flood on men without the Church namely Noah's posterity Rom. 2.11 12. when they became Heathens upon their confounding and scattering at Babel for of them the Text saith As many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law and God will render to every man according to his deeds Consequently thus this execution doth and shall proceed upon men without the Church to the worlds end So much for those without the Church Secondly concerning the visible Church God declared this execution impartially unto Cain when he was a member of the visible Church when he said unto him If thou dost well Shalt thou not be accepted meaning as is Abel thy brother implying Yea most certainly thou shalt But if thou dost not well sin lies at thy dore And accordingly the justice and mercy of this Rule was executed upon Abel for because his operations were Right in belief Heb 11.4 therefore according to the justice of this Rule God rewarded his labour of love by mercy receiving him into glory in the imputed righteousness of his Son both which is implyed in the Text which saith By faith Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain and obtained witness that he was righteous consequently thus the Lord proceeded in execution in the Families of the ten Fathers before the Flood and it is implyed Genesis the fixth in that he took special notice of their degeneration from their operations to him in their posture to amity with the world in that the Text saith The Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all which they chose for thus did God when there was but one Family-Church of Christs left and that was Noahs for saith God to him Come thou and thy house into the Ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation that is Thee only for that is implyed Again this execution proceeded thus upon the Family-Churches of Christ after the Flood as is implyed in the eleventh of Genesis For there all that did apostate at Babel and were scattered from being a visible Church of Christ their names are wholly left out in the Genealogy of Noah in that Chapter implying this execution had cut them off and left them in the vanity of their minds to perish excepting some few of them which did seek honour and glory in that narrow way to eternal life as before is proved but the contrary it implies the mercy of this rule was executed upon Shems Family-Church of Christ Gen. 11.10 to verse last which kept to this posture and so were preserved to be vessels of honour as is implyed in this that Shems Family their names are all upon Record their births their lives their deaths written as it were in the book of life Again thus this impartial execution proceeded upon the next visible Church which sprang out of Terah's idolatrous brood namely elect in Abrahams seed then unborn to be a visible national Church of Christ as before is proved and of this Church the Text doth say Although the number of the children of Israel be as the sand on the Seas shore a remnant shall be saved for God will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness that is according to this righteous rule of justice and mercy and therefore when the generality of that people did degenerate by undervaluing the righteousness of Christ which as to us so to them was the righteousness of God in which was included life and glory for them by overvaluation of their own works and operations in that posture they were in by this they brought on the execution of the justice of the said rule of mercy as is implyed in the Text which saith They sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and they stumbled at that stone they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God and thus they fell by degrees under the execution of Gods said final end this sixteen hundred years and now are to this day no visible Church of Christ Again the next visible Churches of Christ to this were those under the New Testament and were chosen and elected into those Churches by a new way as never none was before that is only of believers according to the judgement of charity and not mixt of believers and undbelievers as it was in the said Family-Churches from the beginning now as in the Jewish Churches to the times of the Gospel and the said admittance into the Church as believers only under the Gospel unvailed is implyed in the words of our Lord in his great Commission Rev. 2.12 Rev. 2.7 And as more may appear at large in c. 2 3. He that believeth and is baptized that is he that believeth and is received into the Church by Baptism is in the Ark of salvation and God executes his final end by the said just and mercifull rule as before some to honour some to dishonour according to their works to eternity as appears in those Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia in that the Lord Christ takes special notice of their good works and their bad to their good works in the said posture he makes gracious promises and incouragements as that he will give them a Crown of life and so forth and for their several evil works many grievous threatnings among the rest to remove their Candlestick of light and life in him and so to leave them in darkness as vessels of dishonour for ever that is to be no Churches of his Again thus God executes his final end by the justice and mercy of the Gospels Tenor upon the invisible members of Christs mystical body according to their works good or bad some to honour some to dishonour for ever for Paul speaking of these men as of himself saith We walk by faith and not by sight implying they were the invisible members of Christ which walk not by sight only as do those which are only visible members Wherefore we labour saith he being present or absent we may be accepted of him And in the next words he gives a reason why they do so 1 Cor. 3.16 17. namely We must all appear before the judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that
up the said posture And from this posture it is that most men in the world before they can come to receive Gods gifts of justifying faith Iona 2.8 do apostate to lying vanities so forsaking their own mercies Thus did Cain and the old world before the Flood for which God brought in the Flood Thus did Noah's posterity after the Flood apostate to lying vanities by building the City of Babel and a Tower therein to reach the Heavens for which God confounded and scattered them Thus did Terah in Shems Family Abrahams Father apostate to Idols and so became a Den of Devils But when all Families of the earth was thus sinking Ios 24.2 3 4. Ezek. 16. from 3. to 15. as vessels of dishonour eternally for ought themselves can do from which condition that aforesaid election out of Adams fall relieved man into the said posture yet nevertheless then in that point of time in pursuance of his final end God taketh hold of the universal nature of man and preserves it from sinking for he not only commanded Abraham to depart from his Country and kindred and from his father Terah's house but with reference to that very time saith the Text Verily he taketh not hold on the nature of Angels but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold These words lead us to a fourfold Querie First why Abraham is named more in this businesse then any other man Secondly Why Abraham is named in reference to the seed of man as in his loynes he being Terah's son Thirdly Heb. 2.16 Why was not Abraham's person assum'd in personal union with the second in the one God he being thus named by way of eminency in the Text 4 Why this word he taketh hold as to the nature of Angels is spoken negatively and to the common nature of man affirmatively both being in the fall one in apostacy as is proved nay now all Nations of men were in a relapst apostacy to them we see and as will more appear in due place For Answer unto the first Querie Gen. 12.1 Why Abraham is named more in this business then any other man It was because when all the Families of the earth did apostate at Babel except Semes wherefore in his Family the Oracle of Christ was only resident and because Abrahams father Terah was the first in that Family that did apostate from this posture to Idols and became a den of Devils Abraham being his son was therefore named rather then any other man implying mans misery is Gods oportunity for in the Mount will the Lord be seen as to all mankind in the falne mass he was Answer to the second Question Why Abraham is named in reference to the seed of man in his loynes he being Terah's son the meaning is no more but this the proper subject of election is not only man as corrupt but as universally corrupt Therefore God names the common seed of man in the loynes of one of this idolatrous brood the fittest Emblem of the continued act of God in Election of man out of the falne mass as in Adams loyns and therefore the seed of Abraham is named in the Text. Answer to the third Query Why was not Abrahams person assum'd into personal union with the second in the one God he being thus named by way of eminency in the Text Answer If Abrahams person or any mans else had been assumed to the second in the one God it would have pointed out a personal election and rejection of mankind and therefore to remove that he assumed not the person of any man but the nature of every man and so elected humane natures falne mass out of that estate into the said posture either to honour or dishonour for ever as is proved Answer to the fourth Query Why this word he taketh Hold as to the nature of Angels is spoke negatively and to the common nature of man affirmatively both being in the fall one in Apostacy nay now all Nations of men were relapst in Apostacy as we are Answer The meaning is no more then this When men universally do apostate from the said posture so sinking unto destruction then sometimes in this case in pursuance of his final end God as a continued act to the nature of Angels letteth the nature of Angels sink lower and lower into destruction and as a continued act taketh hold of the nature of man to stay it from sinking and therefore the Text speaketh negatively to them and affirmatively to man for first he taketh hold of the nature of man by promise into personal union with the second in the one God when the seed of the woman was first named and in these words to Abraham In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed God saith not of seeds as of many but as of one that is Christ saith the Text and here he taketh not hold of the nature of Angels but here we see he takes hold of the seed of Abraham in Christ's person Again the extent of this taking hold reacheth all Nations for God did not only take hold of the humane nature into the person of Christ as is said but also taketh hold of a seed of humane nature in a national extent at that time by promise in Abrahams loynes in the seed to be when they were not and to this end to be a means to return the blessing of Christ upon humane nature over all Nations that is to return them to the aforesaid posture in which they might receive the said gift of eternal life and all comprehended in these words to Abraham I will make of thee a great Nation and thou shalt be a blessing in thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed that is that now lie under a curse in my wrath in Heathenism And here again God taketh not hold of the nature of Angels but in the election of this one Nation in Abrahams loyns of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold as a continued act of the universal election of Adams falne mass But if you ask me what was that wrath they lie under and how all Nations but one became Heathens I answer It was when Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God and saw that they were all gone out of the way and all corrupt and abominable which made God wrath with them under which wrath they then lay If you ask me when this was God came down to see I answer It was when Jehovah came down to see the City of Babel and the Tower that the offspring of Noah was building in the Plain of Shinor for then and there he confounded their Language and so scattered them upon the face of all the earth to walk in their own waies and so they all became Heathens excepting a very few untill by vertue of the said continued Act of a twofold laying hold of the seed of Abraham they were put into
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