them seeing that by this craft they get their living Let it not be grievous therefore for these high Lytae and stately Regents to stoop down to this inferiour Science as they deem it because it is more profitable for them than all their sublime Arts and Sciences can be without it and because it precedes all other wisdom even the sacred Scriptures themselves Quoad nos This strong Foundation well laid will bear up stoutly all that shall be fairly built upon it This plain Rule will try the truth of every Proposition There will be no tottering Hypotheses nor crooked Conclusions if the analogy and proportion of Natural truths be faithfully inspected and followed We may all agree in all main things if we would all look this way and fairly comply in these Principles Amphibologies Equivocations Distinctions Fallacies Tropes and Figures will be found as so many vizards and fucus's to cast a mist before the eye of the Mind and darken the clear light of the Understanding and so in time will be abandoned by all wise men This is the Light under God by which together with the Supernatural light thereupon I have wrote these things not without many failings God knows and by the same Lights they are to be examined and understood or not at all For I have had no other meaning than what is contained in natural and supernatural Revelations whatsoever is more than these is Error By these 't is safe to abide and as safe to be tried And so every man may judge and satisfie himself in his own and others Notions as well as he can and be content And this is all that can be done when all is done Do but bring all things to the common Test touchstone and standard of this Light of natural and supernatural Law and we shall all quickly meet agree kindly and pardon one anothers mistakes and be in a fairer way of mending all that is amiss every day more and more This is the way to truth and peace But alas Proud men strongly interested for honour favour and riches Ignorant men Self-conceited men Opiniators Flatterers and Lazy men that resolve to stick to their education and practice and the sentiments of their Ancestors with the Examples and Doctrines of their admired Masters will never go this way to work while the World stands There is therefore no remedy for these things but Patience The World it is to be hoped will grow older and wiser but still there must be errors and sects for the trial of steady and unbiassed Souls and the Truth at last will be no loser thereby Magna est veritas praevalebit THE CONTENTS OF THE First Volume of the Will of God To the Reader RIghts Laws Jural sense of Scriptures Title of Scriptures Distinction of old and new Testament Legists Hugo Grotius c. Will of God Superstition Fathers Schoolmen Rosicrucians Promises preached Pacification Means to understand Scriptures Mercurial spirits Principles Christianity unmixt Aspire to perfection Valn Sciences Right reasoning Sound Judgment Eloquence Demonstrations Confutations Papists Offences Two Testaments Quotations True Eloquence Prolegomena Title 1. Of Principles Theology and Laws Axioms Moral Entities Demonstrations Mathematicians Topicks Principles Aristotle Demonstrations The Authors Apology Compendiums Rules of Civil law Precepts of the law of Nature p. 1 Title 2. Of God Soul imperfect Soul under a Law Soul hath vast desires Works of God magnificent Works of God beautiful Works of God harmonious Idolatry p. 12 Title 3. Of Religion Natural Religion Supernatural Religion Revelation p. 17 Title 4. Of Scriptures Of Scriptures Writings Traditions Inspiration Testament Ethnick Theology p. 19 The First Book Of a Testament Title 1. Of Ownership Owners Proprietaries Power Gods absolute Propriety Gods disposition p. 23 Title 2. Of a Testament Testament Berith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant Sanction Asseveration Title of Scriptures Other Covenants Old Covenant New Covenant Proofs for the title of a Testament Acts of a Testament Confirmation of a Testament Instrument Inheritance Dispositions Oath Testament to Christ. Law no disannulling of Testament Law given 430 years after Promise p. 25 The Second Book Of a Covenant Title 1. Of the Nature of a Covenant Definition Precept Penalty Promises Free grace All hope from Covenant God our God by Covenant Covenant advances the Creature above Nature p. 34 Title 2. Of a Covenant with God To give ones self to God To give our Souls to the Devil Claim by Covenant p. 36 Title 3. Of the distinction of Covenants First Covenant with Adam Second Covenant with Adam Resemblance of Covenants First Covenant inculcated from the Creation Second Covenant inculcated from the Creation Law written Spirit more plentiful in the Gospel Predestination of Rewards in Christ Men would be Gods to themselves Natural to have a God Natural to be in covenant with God p 38 The Third Book Of the Law or Old Testament Title 1. Of the Nature of the Law Definition of Law p. 53 Title 2. Of Moses Law Letter Spirit Promises Precepts Judgments Works Contract Revelation of Eternal life reserved Temporals prepare for Eternals Outward obedience Sufficient means under law Love of God Love of Neighbour Life Christ expounded the law p. 55 Title 3. Of the Weakness of the law Eternal life Rites troublesome and chargeable Permission Things not originally good Sacrifices Sacrifices first from men Imperfection Rigour p. 59 Title 4. Of the Deceit of the law Sin deceives Grace undeceives My Defect Fruition High understanding Ignorance True knowledge Means to discern Truth Rules Principles Authority Infallibility Will. My lust Vnderstanding Physical and Moral Agents Will. Casual Cause of sin Law p. 63 Title 5. Of Deceit without a law Law of Nature Law Positive p. 67 Title 6 Of Deceit with a Law 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 p. 69 Title 7. Of the Reasons of Deceit Deliberation by halves Judgment by likelyhood Ampliations and limitations of Law Weighing my action by one Law Suspense between two Laws Sin hath the casting voice Reason of Law p. 78 Title 8. Of slavery under the Law Transition Nature of slavery Tye of slavery p. 80 Title 9. Of the Seat of slavery The Soul Spirit 's free p. 81 Title 10. Of the Cases of slavery Restraint from proper end Restraint from proper guide Restraint from proper act Restraint from
must suppose remission and grace a favourable and gracious acceptation which because it is voluntary and arbitrary in God less than his due and more than our merit no natural reason can teach us to appease God with Sacrifices It is indeed agreeable unto reason that blood should be poured forth when the life is to be paid because the blood is the life But that one life should redeem another that the blood of a Beast should be taken in exchange for the life of a man That no reason naturally can teach us Lev. 27.29 The life of the flesh is in the Blood and I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for poor souls for it is the Blood that maketh an atonement for the Soul according to which are those words of St. Paul Without shedding of blood there is no remission meaning that in the Law all expiation of sins was by Sacrifices to which Christ by the sacrifice of himself put a period But all this was by Gods appointment but no part of a Law of Nature 1. Because God confined it amongst the Jews to the family of Aaron and that only in the land of their own Inheritance the Land of promise which could no more be done in a natural Religion than the Sun can be confin'd to a Village Chappel 2. Because God did express oftentimes that he took no delight in the sacrifices of Beasts Psal 40 Ps 50 Ps 51. Is 1. Jer. 7. Hos 6. Mich. 6. 3. Because he tells us in opposition to Sacrifices and external Rites what that is which is the natural and essential Religion in which he does delight The sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving a broken and a contrite heart that we should walk in the way which he hath appointed that we should do justice and love mercy and walk humbly with our God He desires Mercy and not Sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings 4. Because Gabriel the Arch-angel foretold that the Messias should make the daily sacrifice to cease 5. Because for above 1600 years God hath suffered that Nation to whom he gave the Law of Sacrifices to be without Temple or Priest or Altar and therefore without Sacrifice But then if we enquire why God gave the Law of Sacrifices and was so long pleased with it the Reasons are evident and confess 't 1. Sacrifices were types of that great oblation which was made upon the Altar of the Cross 2. It was an Expiation which was next in kind to the real forfeiture of our own lives it was blood for blood a life for a life a less for a greater it was that which might make us confess Gods severity against sin though not feel it It was enough to make us hate the sin but not to sink under it It was sufficient for a sine but so as to preserve the state It was a Manuduction to a great Sacrifice but suppletory of the great loss and forfeiture It was enough to glorifie God and by it to save our selves It was insufficient in it self but accepted in the great Sacrifice It was enough in shadow when the substance was so certainly to succeed 3. It was given the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Author of the Apostolical Constitutions affirms L. 6. c. 18. That being loaden with expence of sacrifices to one God they might not be greedy upon the same terms to run after many And therefore the same Author affirms Before their golden Calf and other Idolatries Sacrifices were not commanded to the Jews but perswaded only recommended and left unto their liberty By which we are at last brought to this Truth That it was taught by God to Adam and by him taught to his posterity that they should in their several manners worship God by giving to him something of all that he had given us And therefore something of our time and something of our goods And as that was to be spent in praises and celebration of his name so these were to be given in consumptive offerings but the manner and measure was left to choice and taught by superadded reasons and positive Laws c. Idem ib. l. 2. c. 2. p. 321. I know it is said very commonly and the Casuists do commonly use that method That the explication of the Decalogue is the sum of all their moral Theology but how insufficiently the foregoing Instances do sufficiently demonstrate I remember that Tertullian I suppose to try his wits finds all the Decalogue in the Commandment which God gave to Adam to abstain from the forbidden fruit In hâc enim lege Adae datâ omnia praecepta recondita recognoscimus L. adv Jud. quae posteà repullulaverunt data per Mosem And just so may all the Laws of Nature and of Christ be found in the Decalogue Decalogue as the Decalogue can be found in the Precept given to Adam But then also they might be found in the first Commandment of the Decalogue and then what need had their been of Ten It is therefore more than probable that this was intended as a digest of all those Moral Laws in which God would expect and exact their obedience leaving the perfection and consummation of all unto the time of the Gospel God intending by several portions of the eternal or natural Law to bring the world to that perfection from whence Mankind by sin did fall and by Christ to enlarge this Natural Law to a similitude and conformity to God himself as far as our Infirmities can bear Id. ib. l. 2. c. 3. p. 521. That which is true to day will be true to morrow and that which is in its own nature good or necessary is good or necessary every day and therefore there is no essential duty of the Religion but is to be the work of every day To confess Gods glory to be his subject to love God to be ready to do him service to live according to nature and to the Gospel to be chast to be temperate to be just these are the employments of all the periods of a Christians life For the moral law of Religion is nothing but the moral law of Nature Those who in the Primitive Church put off their Baptism to the time of their death knew that Baptism was a profession of holiness and an undertaking to keep the Faith and live according to the Commandments of Jesus Christ and that as soon as ever they were baptized that is as soon as ever they had made profession to be Christs Disciples they were bound to keep all the laws of Christ and therefore that they deferred their Baptism was so egregious a prevarication of their duty that as in all reason it might ruine their hopes so it proclaimed their folly to all the world For as soon as ever they were convinced in their understanding they were obliged in their Consciences And although Baptism does publish the Profession Baptism and is like the forms and solemnities of law yet
Fealty the best Absolute Election and Reprobation p. 485 Title 2. Of Christ's Feudal Kingdom Transition God covenanted with Christ conditionally Christ hath all power Christ's new way of conquest Covenant of Grace Christ shares with Christians Covenant of Grace with all men Parties of a Covenant must be certainly known Appellative names in Covenants Publick stipulation Obligation free Conditions of Covenants must be certainly known All Covenants are conditional Absolute Decree Collections Power Sacred p. 506 Title 3. Of the Laws of Christ's Kingdom Transition Catholick Church Scriptures Collections p. 518 Title 4. Of Merit Transition Foundation of Merit Supererogation Demerit Rewards and Punishments p. 521 Title 5. Of a Judge of Christ's Laws Transition Demonstration Traditions Scriptures Representative Church Somebody must determine Pride Calumnies Scriptures Collections p. 524 Title 6. Of Heresie Transition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heresie Sect. Separation Christian Society Corruptions Sectaries How Hereticks are to be dealt with Rules for Hereticks p. 530 Title 7. Of Election Transition Calling Election Faithful are elect Faith Walking by faith Worthies of old Election need not to be concealed Election an easie point Diligence to make Election sure p. 537 Title 8. Of Marriage Transition Contracts real and personal Marriage Devil an enemy to marriage Excellent laws for marriage Originals of marriage Definitions of marriage Effects of marriage Who may lawfully marry Members of Christ's Church Just generations of Men. Virginity Why marriage was ordained Benefits of marriage Abuse of marriage Bastardy Rights by marriage Laws about marriage Age of persons Quality of persons Infamous Captives Pupils Officers Kinds of marriage Confarreation Co-emption Vse Rights of a Wife Two wives at one time Concubine Annus Luctus Coelibate Marriage for all estates and degrees of men p. 545 Title 9. Of Consanguinity or kindred by Blood Consanguinity Cousins german Levitical law of Cousins german Christian law Publick honesty and good report Instances The Canon law p. 553 Title 10. Of the degrees of Consanguinity or kindred by Blood Computation of degrees Vnjust marriages Stemma Cognationis Right line ascending Right line descending Line transverse equal Line transverse unequal p. 557 Title 11. Of the degrees of Affinity or Alliance by marriage Affinity Instances Stemma Affinitatis Conclusion Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity p. 564 Testimonia Laciniata Peccatum Originale Lex Fides Duo Testamenta Fides Scripturae Nature Grace Absolute Decree Spirituale Sacrificium Superstitio Promissa Adamo Praedestinatio Meritum Perseverantia Satisfactio Praedestinatio Peccatum Originale Imputatio Labes Originalis Controversies Ceremonies Definitions and Determinations Scoffing and Railing Atheism Gravity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Covenants Testament New Covenant Correspondence of Covenants Sacrifices Decalogue Baptism Natural law Law and Gospel Resurrectio Justitia Imputatio Fides Justificatio Remissio Imputatio Justification Imputed Righteousness Justification Original sin Weakness Generousness Elements Non-age of the Church Fanatick's terrible representations of God Popular Errors Fathers not all pure Oeconomy of Moses decaying Signs Some jealous conceits of God's indifferency to the World Jewish Nation a Pattern for others Votum pro Pace Christian Religion Immanation of God Emanations of God Appetites of Man's happiness Recovery Doctrines troubled Vulgar errors Discerning Party Primitive Terms Reformation p. 572 ERRATA PAg. 13. line 39. read Extrinsecal p. 43. l. 2. r. Land p. 52. l. 28. r. Promiser p. 60. l. 17. r. promittuntur ib. l. 19. r. promitti p. 65. l. 37. r. erre p. 72. l. 16. r. fucus p. 101. l. 16. r. almost p. 102. l. 34. r. Paul p. 141. l. 13. r. honesty p. 157. l. 12. r. free woman ib. l. 14. r. Gospel p. 160. l. 18. r. poorly p. 179. l. 8. r. graciously p. 254. l. 14. r. to fear p. 277. l. 20. r. soon p. 279. l. 23. r. weakness p. 284. l. 18. r. Aquila p 310. l. 22. r. celare p. 402. l. 41. r. Inspiration p. 403. l. 23. r. goodness p. 435. l. 41. r. Cases p. 439. l. 37. r. pure mind p. 440. l. 19. r. are advised p. 440. l. 33. r. and more p. 441. l. 26. r. good principles p. 446. l. 45. r. purity p. 452. l. 43. r. rocks p. 452. l. 44. r. her dying p. 457. l. 46. r. fails p. 458 l. 22. r. in to p. 480. l. 24. r. Case p. 505. l. 29. r. Man's ways p. 501. l. 18. r. is it p. 502. l. 4. del as we ib. l. 39. r. in other p. 517. l. 15. r. Kings p. 524. l. 9. r. Sin p. 533. l. 28. r. expel p. 542. l. 17. r. that p. 549. l. 30. r. labours p. 551. l. 29. r. Lares p. 562. l. 8. r. Nephews Nephews p. 562. l. 14. r. Neece or with p. 564. l. 34. r. own sister p. 570. l. 12. r. keep off The Method of the whole Work First Volume GOD the Author and disposer of all Laws and Estates hath of his free Grace ordained his last Will and Testament in which he hath disposed a perfect Rule of Righteousness to be observed an Eternal estate of Happiness to be enjoyed to all that accept the Promises and upon the Conditions of the Covenant therein contained All which gracious Dispositions are actually conveyed to all that have gotten a right to them by Faith through the meritorious working of the Mediator and Executor Jesus Christ Second Volume GOD hath created all Things and all Persons of Angels and Men to be partakers of all the Rights in and belonging to all things Especially the Best Rights to the Best Things to the Best Persons the Faithful Subjects by the Best Mediator of his Best Kingdom JESVS CHRIST by whom through Faith he Justifies them to the best Inheritance of Heaven To have and to hold by the Title Tenure of Fee in this life and of Allodium in the life to come Det Deus optatum felici Sydere cursum Prolegomena The CONTENTS Theology and Laws Axioms Moral Entities Demonstrations Mathematicians Topicks Principles Aristotle Demonstrations The Authors Apology Compendiums Rules of Civil Law Precepts of the Law of Nature TITLE I. Of Principles IN Theology and Laws Theology and Laws which are the best parts of the best Philosophy called Moral many have made large Volumes and so have I being transported thereunto by the excellency of the Matter contained in them And by the way must needs find out many rare Notions that occur in those most high and stately Faculties though they and I as no man can arrive not to perfections So do Chymists extract most exquisite Salts Elixirs and Spirits by their workings in the way although they never come nor never will to the Philosophers Stone in the end These large Treatises are Axioms or ought to be grounded upon certain Axioms and Principles of Faith and Reason as Postulata from whence they demonstrate Scientifical Conclusions as firmly as from the Axioms and Postulata of Sciences called Mathematical Moral Entities For moral immaterial Entities that
Christ came and brought Life and Immortality to light he poured out a most plentiful portion of his Spirit upon all flesh and gave more Grace under the Gospel according to their present Receptibilities Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Thus by degrees Mankind arrived to the highest Revelations and Dispensations of Gods love by Jesus Christ Predestination of Rewards in Christ Therefore God from all Eternity intended and predestinated the Promises of his last Will and Covenant of Grace to be confirmed and executed by his Son Jesus Christ in the fullness of time which he had appointed by virtue whereof all that feared or do fear or shall fear God shall be rewarded of God in and through Christ from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof under all the former inferiour and imperfect adumbrations and Dispensations and under the present sublime and perfect substance and Oeconomy of the Gospel And so this everlasting great and true Covenant of Grace expressed in Gods last Will and Testament revealed by his Son Jesus Christ hath and doth and shall take full force and effect to all intents and purposes respectively to every faithful Soul all the World over for Grace and Salvation as they are able to receive it according to the measure of the dispensation of his mercy at all times God still accounting the will for the deed after the riches of his Grace according to what a man hath not according to what a man hath not and rejecting none that come unto him as well as they are able making them more able For in all Nations Act. 10.35 those that fear him and work righteousness are accepted of him And all this in Christ who is the Beloved with whom God is well-pleased and in whom and through whom God is and will be well-pleased with all men because by him he reconciled the World unto himself and so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son into the same that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have life everlasting Thus it is demonstrated that there are two eminent distinct Covenants or Testaments the one of the Law and the other of the Gospel The Law is one Husband the Gospel another The Law is a School-master of Rudiments and Elements the Gospel a Doctour of Sciences and Perfections Repentance is not fully in the Law but in the Gospel yet often inculcated by the Prophets Adam Abraham and the Patriarchs had no better things promised expressly than Earth yet by faith they looked for better things which God by his Spirit though not in words had revealed yet obscurely and afar off Thus the Law given by Moses is stiled in Scripture the first Covenant the Gospel given by Christ is stiled the second Covenant 1. Thus it appears Corollaries That God gave a particular Command to Adam to try his obedience upon a promise of Life 2. That God made a Covenant with Adam and a promise of Christ so to the Patriarchs so to Abraham and so the Inheritance came by Promise not by Works 3. That God made a Covenant of Works to Moses in the Law called the first Testament formally made 4. That the Promise of Christ was made to Adam Abraham and the Fathers but it was not framed into a Testament till Christs death 5. That the Law of Nature was made to Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Moses confirmed it by the blood of Beasts 6. That thus the Law of Grace was to the second Adam and all his Posterity but it was not made into a Testament till Christ confirmed it by his own blood 7. That many Covenants there were then of God but no Testaments save only the Old and the New 8. That before the Law the Promises of the Gospel were in part darkly revealed but never clearly and fully till Christ came 9. That the Precepts of the Old Testament were in express words but for external obedience in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Internal obedience 10. That the Promises of the Old Testament were in express words but for Temporal blessings in Moses Law but the Prophets hinted out Eternal Blessings 11. That both Precepts and Promises were spiritual and eternal by Christ 12. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Works is Moses Law 13. That that which the Scripture calls the Covenant of Grace is Christs Law 14. That every Covenant is by Faith and mutual Promises of both Parties for Works to be done and Rewards to be had 15. That the Covenant of the Gospel is meer Faith in God promising and Man accepting and Re-promising not for Works to obtain Righteousness but for Faith alone 16. That Faith is not a credence or belief of story or trust but a Promise Covenant Affiance and Alliance He is a faithful Subject not that believes the Commands of his Prince to be true but that keeps his faith and Allegiance with his Prince 17. That there is a Reformation there is Shadow and Substance there are two Mediators two Laws two Priesthoods and two Services Two Temples two Altars two Sacrifices two Tabernacles An Expiation of Carnal and Spiritual Sins a Purification of Body and Soul a Carnal and a Spiritual Worship A general Correction and Amendment of all things in the most excellent State and Condition that can be imagined 18. That the First Tabernacle is fallen the old Priesthood turned from the Altar And into the Second and True Tabernacle of Heaven Christ the great High-Priest is entred 19. That all along the first Testament for the Promises made to Abraham and confirmed by the Death of Beasts and Birds for the Land of Canaan was in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 20. That the first Testament for the Precepts made to Moses was confirmed by the Death of Beasts for the Land of Canaan in the Letter but mystically and eminently for Heaven in the Spirit 21. That the Second Testament for the Promises and Precepts made to Christ was confirmed by the Death of Christ for Heaven 22. That the Gospel was not contained and comprehended in the Law as blended both together in one but is a distinct Thing from the Law subsisting by its self as Carnal and Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Life and Death Heaven and Earth are distinct Things 23. That the Law of Nature was before Moses's Law not loaded with so many Positive Precepts but that they were brought in afterwards upon the Promise of the Land of Canaan God then instructing them by a more familiar Conversation as occasion did offer 24. That Judaism is younger and different from Christianity Moses from Christ 25. That Salvation was by Christ who was to come before and under the Law and by Christ already come under the Gospel 26. That by the Publishing of the Gospel the original Law of God is not abrogated continuing still the Rule of all mens Actions but rather
made These are Subtleties and true as to matter of outward action of Positive Law that cannot be intended by a man against himself or a Subject against his Prince in foro humano But nevertheless in plain truth and equity a man may be bound firmly to himself and a Prince to his Subjects by the Law of Nature and the action hold good in foro divino and God may require the obligation of his Creature and punish the neglect Because a Man by promising to take care of himself in tying up himself to any good is obliged to do it as he is the Servant of God and a Member of humane Society and be punishable by God and Men for not doing it As that Servant that shall disable himself from doing his Lords service or that Member of a Society that hath lamed himself or otherwise from doing his Country service is justly punishable by them both As was the Souldier that cut off his finger because he would serve no longer in War c. But to wave all niceties still this is evident and plain That in all Covenants to make them perfect there is required the Will of the Promisee and the Will of him to whom the Promise is made for where this is wanting and that this Party refuseth to accept of the thing promised though the other Party hath confirmed his Promise by an Oath yet the right of the thing so promised and sworn remains entirely with the Promiser because no man can be willing to obtrude his own Goods upon a Person that is unwilling to receive them it being alwaies a condition necessarily supposed That any man gives a thing no otherwise than if the Party for whom he intends it shall accept thereof Neither can any man be imagined so void of reason as simply to renounce his own Right and to leave those things pro derelictis at random for any body which he hath laid at the foot of the Refuser but they are his still as fully as ever The Third BOOK OF THE LAW OR Old Testament The CONTENTS Definition of Law TITLE I. Of the Nature of the Law A LAW is a publick Will Of the Nature of the Law universal and perpetual for all Persons to all Ages except necessity cause a change Definition of Law Laws and Ordinances of Men are often changed but Wills and Testaments of God or Man are never changed As a Testament is a private Will particular and temporal for one Person for his own time i. e. for the Executor so a Law is a publick Will for all Persons for all Ages As the Laws of England are the publick Will of the State for all Persons for all Ages for if the Will be not publick and perpetual it is a Testament and not a Law if not universal it is but a Decree if not perpetual it is but an Ordinance but God's Laws are publick universal and perpetual for all Men and all Ages God's Will is sometimes private concerning a single person as that Abraham should offer up his Son Isaac No Law God's Will is sometimes publick universal and perpetual concerning a whole Nation for all Ages as that of Circumcision for the Israelites God's Will is sometimes publick universal and perpetual concerning all Nations as the Law of Nature to all Mankind From this general and perpetual Law of Nature to all Mankind flow those particular Laws to some Nations but to all in those Nations intended to be perpetual but as emergencies may fall out changeable but still those Laws that succeed must be as the former agreeable to the universal Law of Nature to all Mankind which is the common fountain The Law of Moses was for the Moral part a draught of the lowest Laws of Nature which were in great part obliterated and forgotten by constant habits and examples of sin And for the Ceremonial and Judicial part sitted for that Nation at that place and time for signification of higher Rites and Rules of Perfection that were to come The Law of Christ is the perfection of the Law of Nature never revealed so fully before being the compleat and last Will of God for all to walk by for ever This new and royal Law of Christ did refine the Moral abolish the Ceremonial and Judicial Law of Moses for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof The Moral part was weak because it consisted of the meanest and lowest Laws of all and had no Spirit to give strength against the committing of sin but only to declare it and punish it without mercy And as for the Ceremonial part it was unprofitable because no part of Natures Law and only for the state of the Jews minority and was of its own nature to vanish as a shadow when Christ the great Law-giver came who was the substance of them all It is therefore called a New Commandment because it gave forth more spiritual and Coelestial Precepts and was established upon better Promises and endeared by new instances of infinite Love and gave more excellent graces and assistances by the gift of the Holy Ghost not abolishing the old matter of the Law of Nature by Moses but superadding thereunto and spiritualizing the same to the highest systeme of regularity and conformity with Christ The CONTENTS Letter Spirit Promises Precepts Judgments Works Contract Revelation of eternal life reserved Temporals prepare for Eternals Outward Obedience Sufficient means under Law Love of God Love of Neighbour Life Christ expounded the Law TITLE II. Of Moses Law AS therefore concerning the Law of Moses Of Moses Law the Subject now in hand That Law strictly taken is the whole body of Orders and Rules for life given to the Children of Israel containing 1. Promises of Blessings peculiar to that Nation 2. Precepts of Duties 1. Moral in nature as the Decalogue 2. Ceremonial in Gods pleasure 3. Judicial for their Polity or Government 4. Judgments and Punishments to the Transgressours The Law of Moses is taken at large for the Pentateuch and for all the Moral Historical and Prophetical Books of the Old Testament The Law of Moses was established by the death of Beasts because there must be blood in the case for all such Sanctions of Covenants and Testaments compare Exod. 24.5 6 7 8. with Hebrews 9.18 19 20. 2 Cor. 3.14 The Law because of the Precepts and Judgments thereof is called a Covenant of God for the observation of those Precepts and Judgments For unto Gods will to command was joyned the Peoples will to obey All that the Lord hath spoken we will observe and do Exod. 19. Exod. 24. Which agreement of Wills made up a Covenant This Law was Gods old and first Testament ordained to stand in force till the time of Reformation by the Gospel the second and everlasting Testament In this Law there is a Letter and a Spirit Ro. 2.29 the one is oldness and the other newness Ro. 7.6 the one is killing the other giving life 2 Cor. 3.6 I. The Letter
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
infinitely unlike him and disagreeable to his Spirit And only the pure Spiritual offices do remain which are in their own nature acceptable unto God very like him and agreeable to his Spirit This is the dispensation of the Grace of God Eph. 3.2 5. The Mystery which in other Ages was not made known to the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto the holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit The CONTENTS Writing in Tables Law lost Law found Law lost again Law restored Septuagints Translation Law burnt Maccabes Sects of Jews Christ's coming Law on Mount Sinai the same with that of Adam in Paradise The Renewal of the Covenant of Works The equivocal word Law TITLE XVI Of the History of the Law THE History of the Law is this 1. Besides the universal Writing in the hearts of all men much obscured by evil Practice and Examples 2. It was written by God briefly in two Tables Moral Writing in Tables It was farther written by Moses in a Book Ceremonial that it might be read by the King and published by the Priest to all the People in the solemnity of the Feast of Tabernacles Deut. 17.9 3. After that by Malice or Negligence this Book was lost Law lost Then by chance found by Hilkiah the Priest Law found 2 Chr. 34.12 2 Kings 22.8 and brought to Josiah the King and by him published 4. Few years after at the Captivity of Babylon it was lost Law lost again Neh 8.1 Dan. 9.13 or at least corrupted At the Return from seventy years Captivity Esdras Law restored the Scribe and Priest either restored it or amended it as it is now who also expounded it And hence came the Scribes and Doctours of the Law 5. Septuagints Translation This Book by Ptolomeus Philadelphus was translated by the Septuagint into Greek which Original was burnt in the Temple of Serapis by the Souldiers of Julius Caesar while he was dallying with Cleopatra the Egyptian Queen brought to him in Culcitro but by the Providence of God there had been Copies thereof in several places whereby it is preserved to this day Law burnt 1 Mac. 1.42 6. Some years after Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria compelled the Jews to forsake and burn their Law Maccabes 7. Little more than five years this mischief continued then came Judas Maccabaeus and relieved the Jews Sects of Jews 8. The Assanonaei his Race coming to reign the Law was retrieved but many Heresies and Sects arose as Scribes Pharises Sadduces Essens the Schools of Shanai and Hillel c. who falsly interpreting the Law led the People into Errours by vain Traditions Teaching for Doctrines of God the Commandments of Men. Christ's coming 9. Then came Christ in a corrupt Age and restored the Truth and confuted their vain Doctrines and Manners And abolished the Ceremonial or Ecclesiastical Law of the Priesthood and brought in a New Law and a New Priesthood of his own after the order of Melchisedeck And by this his New Law Gospel Covenant and Testament he fulfilled the Old of Types and perfected the Moral Law of Nature The Law on Mount Sinai the same with that of Adam in Paradise The Law delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and written by him in two Tables of Stone was the same Covenant of works with the Children of Israel which he had made before with Adam in Paradise before his Fall writing it in his heart Do this and live and renewed to Noah Gen. 8.21 Heb. 9.9 to Melchisedeck Gen. 14.18 To Abraham David and all the Prophets And that this was the Covenant of Works appears by that of Moses The Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers Deut. 5.3 but with us These Fathers were the Patriarchs unto Adam with whom he made the Covenant of Grace after his Fall The Renewal of the Covenant of Works The reason of the Repetition and renewal of this Covenant of Works by writing it upon Tables of Stone was because that Law which was written by God in Adams heart was obliterated and defaced by customes of Idolatry and all sorts of wickedness which the Sons of men gave themselves unto while the Sons of God by keeping the Old Traditions and the help of divine Revelations retrieved the Impressions of God's Law And yet the Posterity of Abraham Isaac and Jacob by conversation and example in Egypt had much forgotten the Old Rules of Nature's Law and the Instructions and Examples of their godly Parents and imputed not their own sin unto themselves because they saw no Law written against their Actions and could not see the Law in their own hearts Ro. 5.13 20. neither heard of any punishment denounced against them for their wickedness and would not hear the checks of their own Consciences And therefore because Sin was in them and increased and death reigned over them for their sin yet they being without a written Law to evidence this sin and death unto their Consciences God saw it necessary that there should be a New Edition and publication of the Law or Covenant of Works to bring them to the knowledge of Sin and Punishment and thereby to stop them in their career of Wickedness by the fear of a Curse and a Fleshly hope of a fruitful Land to dwell in if they would observe his Laws Reserving a greater Blessing if they would trust in his Promises which was the Covenant of Grace by which they were to be justified upon their Faith in those Promises and not by the Works of the Law So the Law was added because of Transgressions till Justification should ome by the Promise of Grace For the Law was weak and unprofitable to the purpose of Salvation but helpful to the discovery and stopping of Sin and the Curse that they might see the need they had of the Grace of God by which they might be saved and not by Works For as the Covenant of Grace made with Adam and renewed to Abraham had been needless if the Covenant of Works could have given Life So after the Promise or Covenant of Grace was once made it had been needless to renew the Covenant of Works to the end that Righteousness and Life should be had thereby Gal. 3.19 It was meerly added because of Transgressions that is not set up as a solid thing in gross sufficient of it self but added or put to the former Law given to Adam which was most forgotten Furthermore this Law given on Mount Sinai was added by way of subserviency and attendance the better to advance and make effectual the Covenant of Grace so that although the same Covenant which was made with Adam was renewed on Mount Sinai yet I say still it was not for the same purpose but it was given to Adam as a Rule of Salvation by it self if he had kept it but it was renewed only to help forward and to introduce another and better Covenant and so to be
a Manuduction unto Christ Observe it then that all this while there was no other way of life given either in whole or in part beside the Covenant of Grace And therefore there was no inconstancy either in God's Will or in his Acts only such was his Mercy that he subordinated the Covenant of Works and made it subservient to the Covenant of Grace and so to tend to Evangelical Perfection And he that truly understands and considers what the Covenant of Works requires and how unable he is to perform it it being though ordained for righteousness and life an occasion of sin and death must needs see just cause to flie from Mount Sinai unto Mount Sion or from the Covenant of Works made with Adam to the Covenant of Grace made with Christ and to admire the unspeakable Wisdom and Mercy of God in suffering the Law to enter in Rom. 5.20 21. that the offence might abound that where Sin aboundeth Grace might much more abound That as sin hath raigned unto death even so might Grace raign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Law then which was good was not made Death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good Rom. 7.13 that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Is the Law then against the Promises of God God forbid For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3.22 c. that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus The obscurity of this Great Point of Theology which I am forced to be so long upon new Notions arising continually is chiefly occasioned as Origen imagineth by the indistinct Aequivocation of the Word Law in the Epistle to the Romans let that place be viewed where it is said The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 6.2 3. The Aequivocal Word Law for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit May we not modestly say that the Word Law ascribed to the Concupiscence of the Flesh is not properly but abusively given As it is also in another Place Rom. 7.21 23. where he saith I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the Law of God after the Inward Man But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members For if Lust be a Law and do bind it hath no Right so to do because Lust is not of force by God's Prime Institution from whence Law hath its virtue but by the occasion of his Justice in punishing the Fall of our first Parents thereby And hence is this Original way of sinning from our Lusts which we are led away with and deceived by though in themselves they are not naturally sinful but became exorbitant against reason and peccant upon forbidden objects by our own consent of Will and God's just Punishment therefore But when the Law of the Spirit of life is clearly meant to be the Gospel preached and alone having the Promise of the Spirit The Law that is weak because of the Flesh that is condemned by the flesh of Christ must needs be understood to be a carnal Law from whence Salvation can never be hoped But that Law by which Justification is had by them which walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh is Spiritual whether it be the same for the Law of Nature perfected by Christ for the Covenant of Grace or diverse as commanded by Moses for the Covenant of Works When these things are rightly distinguished the difficulty whereof St. Peter as well as Origen complains is taken off for when the Apostle saith Rom. 2.14 That the Gentiles which have not a Law are a Law unto themselves doing by Nature the things contained in the Law shew the Work of the Law written in their hearts It is manifest that although we usurp the Appellation of the Law of Nature indifferently St. Paul doth abstain from giving the Name of a Law to that Light that is in us when he says the Gentiles had no Law but were a Law to themselves because the usurping of the Name Law belongs to the solemn Imposition of that name in the Law of Moses and to the Law of Nature and of sin but by Trope and Figure The Law of Moses is carnal in all men the Covenant of Works The Law of Christ is Spiritual in the Faithful before under and after the Law the Covenant of Grace Therefore the Institutions of Nature in Moses's Law are Scriptures and the Word of God no less than the Gospel but not binding as delivered by Moses but by Christ by whom they were made perfect Neither doth a Believer receive the Moral Law at the hands of Moses but altogether at the hands of Christ Though it be the same Law for Matter and Substance yet in the lowest grounds that was delivered by Moses yet Believers are not to receive it as the Law of Moses but of Christ in the highest perfections thereof For when Christ the Son of God comes and speaks himself Moses the Servant of God must hold his peace as Moses himself foretold A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me Act. 3.22 Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And therefore in the Mount Tabor when Moses and Elias were departed and had given place the voice from Heaven came and said Math. 17.5 This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye Him And though heretofore God hath spoken divers wayes and in sundry fashions to the World by his Servants the Prophets Heb. 1.2 yet now in these last dayes he hath spoken to us by his Son and this is he that we must trust to And they that believed in Moses must believe in Christ and they that believed before Moses did believe in Christ and they that believe after Moses must believe in Christ and so to the World's end For there never was nor will be
Ro. 2.19 20. the Law written in their hearts but turned to Idolatry and all unnatural wickedness becoming still more and more vain in their Imaginations Gentiles feared God Yet during the time of all this first wilful Ignorance and then just obduration many of the Gentiles that used their Natural light well and therefore had more given them did truly fear God and were rewarded by him Law written When the Law of Nature was thus obscured partly by wilful neglect of the use of the Rational faculties and partly by heedless following after the multitude of evil Examples of such whose imaginations and deeds were only evil and that continually It pleased God after many Revelations to the ancient Patriarchs and more clearly by Promise to Abraham and to his Seed to write that Law of Nature which they also began to forget as to the first rudiments and elements thereof in Tables of Stone that they might read what they should have read in their own hearts because they were a very dull and carnal People Rites why commanded And to this Law Natural or Moral he added a Law Ceremonial to busie them with the use of such Rites to the Worship of the True God as others used in the worship of false Gods because he knew they were most prone to Idolatry out of fondness wantonness and novelty to be like unto other Nations And to encourage them he promised and performed real Rewards of a Land flowing with Milk and Hony And moreover Civil Law he gave them Civil Laws and Statutes proper for them at that time and in that place the better to keep them in their obedience unto him And engaged them over and above by many miraculous Deliverances And for the same purpose he Ruled them by men of Prophetical and Princely Spirits such as he chose on purpose Rule as Moses and the rest of the Judges to teach them rule them and fight for them till they began to shake off that divine Rule by God their King and to affect the Kingly Government after the manner of other Nations To which humour God also condescended still â—roving them and striving to win them to their duty to him who had done such great and signal things for them and promised to be their God as he had been the God of their Fathers setling them in the Promised Land But notwithstanding all these Endearments as of a tender Father cherishing his Children in his bosom and carrying them as a Nurse in his arms yet still they observed not his Laws Moral Ceremonial or Judicial but went a whoring after their own Inventions and did according to all the Abominations of the Heathens that were round about them And because when they abstained from actual Idolatry Outward Service trusted in they either murmured and snuffed at the Service which God enjoyned them or trusted only in the outward performances thereof though their deeds were never so wicked or if not so yet to the bare external Sacrifices and other Ceremonies enjoyned them thinking thereby to obtain God's favour though in their hearts they continued wicked and would have exprest it in their works if they durst for God shook his Rod over them I say because they thus degenerated from Abraham Isaac and Jacob Prophets sent and at the best trusted to a Carnal Ordinance therefore God was not wanting to send them Prophets rising up early and sending them to call upon them to keep his Laws outwardly and moreover to look to the inward sincerity of their hearts and thereupon to expect more than a Land of Milk and Hony and long Life or any other Temporal Reward Yet still they were dull of hearing and a crooked perverse and stiff-necked Generation At last Christ sent after all these Husbandmen and Servants slighted and abused by them Christ the Son of God comes and puts an end to the Carnal Services and Worship made but for a time and enjoyned them a Spiritual Worship and declared an Eternal Reward to them and to all other Nations upon their Faith and Repentance only The Jews notwithstanding Christ's own Presence Miracles Doctrine Jews Idolaters before Christ's time Death and Resurrection and the Preaching of the Apostles after his Ascension still lingred after Moses his Law and yet increased in all kind of wickedness except that one sin of Idolatry for which they had been so sorely swinged by a never to be forgotten Babylonish seventy years Captivity that they dreaded that Sin ever after and do to this day Jews destroyed And still they deny Christ to be the True Messiah though the Learned'st of them cannot deny but that all the Prophecies concerning him are fulfilled and dream of a Temporal Messiah to deliver them from the power of the Romans and now from all other Powers wherever they are scattered and for this their unbelief they were destroyed from being a Nation and are become Vagabonds unto this day Gentiles called Then did God call in the Gentiles to supply their places who accordingly did come in by the means of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles and their Disciples This is the last and fullest Dispensation that ever God did make by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Old Religion antiquated Thus the Old Religion of the Old Testament was antiquated and abolished and the New Religion of the New Testament established and confirmed among all People for ever The middle wall of Partition that was between the Jews and the Gentiles being broken down of twain making them one Eph. 2.14 having slain the Enmity thereby blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and was contrary unto us Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Such is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so various and wonderful are God's Dispensations and his waies past finding out Thus Christ is the end of the Law continuing till John the last of the old Prophets and the first of the new So Aarons Priesthood is turned from the Altar So Aarons Priestly Law is vanished and gone and a New Priesthood and a New Law appears to endure for ever Here is a manifest and famous change of Law and of Priesthood Because Aarons Priesthood I. In Aaron's Priesthood all things are weak and imperfect As Heb. 7.28 1. A Priest weak a mortal man The Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmity One that was fain to offer for his own sins and stood trembling in the Holy place and sprinkling the Blood upon the Vessels and upon himself for fear the wrath of God should break forth upon him Heb. 9.24 2. A Tabernacle weak made with hands of wood and stone and skins of Beasts c. in which were Cherubins and Candlesticks c. Heb. 9.9 3. Sacrifices weak that could not purifie the Conscience and therefore reiterated Heb. 8.13 4. A Covenant weak old and decaying and ready to vanish away
and most wisely according to the counsel of his own Will for the praise of the glory of his Grace Obj. Things to be had are of God Things to be done are of Christ he only satisfies and expiates and mediates and undertakes all for us and therefore there is nothing left for us to do Answ All is done that can be done for us by Christ and nothing for us to do at all in that business But yet nothing that for Christ's sake is to be had of God can be had till that be done which God and Christ command us to do for them and that is no more than to receive and take them thankfully and use them to his glory No benefit intended by a Benefactor can be conveyed without acceptation nor ought to be without obligation of improvement and observation of duty and gratitude SECT VIII 1. Dispositions cannot be made but by a free agent whether God or Man Free-will that hath wherewithal to dispose of and a free will to dispose 2. Things to be had as they cannot be given without a free will to give them no more can they be received without a free will to receive them 3. Things to be done as they cannot be commanded without a free will to command them so they cannot be performed without a free will to perform them So that every way in God or Man the will must be free to dispose to receive or to command or obey And If God freely give for his part upon some condition to be performed on our part our Will is free to accept or perform the condition as his was to bestow the gift and command the condition And though Christ hath undertaken and procured Reconciliation for us yet it cannot be applied to us without or against our Wills So that although nothing can be done by us to merit our own Salvation but all is done for us by Christ yet something may and must be done by us to convey the benefit of our Salvation to us The Things that are to be had are 1. By the Right of Creation Food Raiment and all things necessary and delightful to the Body 2. By the Right of Redemption 1. Present Pardon the Spirit Audience Protection Adoption c. 2. Future Resurrection Ascension Possession of Glory The Things to be done are 1. By our Creation Natural to apprehend will endeavour in that lower sphere Principles 2. By our Redemption supernatural to understand desire and work in a higher orb Perfections Obj. We are merely Passive Answ So are all dead things that have no will to act But whatsoever creature hath a Will it cannot be merely passive though it be but a sensitive Will yet can it act sensibly but if it be a rational Will it can act rationally Nothing but dead things therefore or such as are void of sense or reason are merely passive but living and reasonable things are active because they have Wills and if they have Wills they are not in vain but can act according to such Wills whether they be of sense only or sense and reason both together or pure reason all alone as Brutes Men and Angels God therefore that endued men with the will of sense and the will of reason hath given them power to use them and commanded them so to do and if they use them rightly will help them to use them better and reward them for all that he hath enabled them to do Thus God is all things in himself from all eternity and needeth nothing beside himself And God made all things beside himself that was all things to himself for Man's sake 1. The propriety of all things Temporal is God's by right of Creation 2. The use of all things Temporal is Man's by right of Donation 1. The propriety of all things Eternal is God's eminently by right of Creation 2. The use of all things Eternal is Man's by right of Donation SECT IX This Right being forfeited is restored by right of Redemption by Christ and actually obtained by all that embrace his ransome Right for so all things are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and in him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen Temporal things in order to Spiritual and Eternal things Things are not merely for each particular thing but belong to some other things and serve one another for some use or end for the good of each other and for the universal good of all and for God's glory So God retains the dominion of all things to himself and conveys the usufruct of all things to men and angels who have right unto them altogether by Christ who hath it immediately from his Father and they mediately from Christ So that there can be no claim to any thing but in and by Christ to whom all right and power is given both in heaven and earth in whom only God is an exceeding great reward who is all in all to all that believe in him Things are considered as Private or Publick 1. Natural by Nature's original Law 2. Civil Moral and Sociable by Laws positive and derived 3. Religious or Christian 1. Single belonging to single persons 2. Common belonging to Corporations The CONTENTS Personality Forfeiture Freedome Falling Recovery TITLE II. Of Persons Personality GOD is one Essence in and from himself in three Subsistencies the Father Son and Holy Ghost after an ineffable and unconceivable manner one God blessed for evermore Other persons are in and from God in their several Subsistencies by themselves as is every Angel and Man All kinds of living creatures have their several individual persons distinct from each other But most commonly we ascribe personality to none but rational creatures which are partly corporeal and partly incorporeal partly temporal and partly eternal or wholly spiritual and wholly eternal And these are Angels and Men. For these several sustsistencies and for them all in general the good things of God were created and bestowed upon them by promise and covenant as having only among all the rest understandings to know and wills to choose them for their use and comfort For these therefore being the best of God's creatures he hath provided all things else but more especially for mankind to whom by Will and Testament he hath given the principal inheritance of blessedness in Christ and by Codicil annexed the accessories of the helps and comforts of Angels and all other creatures And these by their knowledg of God's Grace and Bounty have will to embrace and entertain these great gifts and to offer to God themselves and all that he hath given them for his service and glory and to do all his farther will and pleasure which he shall for ever command them SECT II. Forfeiture There was an unhappy Forfeiture made of the first Donation of the first Testament by yielding to a strong Temptation of Disobedience but there is a re-investiture of greater Grace to all that was lost by the second
and improbous as well as originally miserable and calamitous that is oppressed blemished distressed and especially tainted or corrupted from the womb Eccles 25.24 This is the Original sin with which all Men are defiled Rom. 5.12 for which death entred into the world Of the Woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die By one Man sin entred into the world Chrys and death by sin so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd 1.12.16 All the Generations of Men were healthful and there is no poyson in them nor the kingdom of death but ungodly Men by their wicked works and words have called it to them Contractio Causae SECT I. This cause of original sin may be thus contracted into these Corollaries or Aphorisms Accounting Corol. 1. All are made sinners in Adam as all are made righteous in Christ so accounted but both are really sinners and really righteous in their own actions 1. Because Adam had our Nature and we his but his Will was not ours Reason Adam's Will not ours nor ours his We were as to our Bodies in his loyns but not as to our Souls nor actually our Bodies neither but seminally causally and virtually But which way can any Man imagine that our Souls were propagated from him or that our Souls were in his Soul as our Bodies were in his Body Did not he judg for himself and choose for himself and do not we judg for our selves and choose for our selves for his Will was his own and our Wills are our own How can we imagine it otherwise He was deceived not we Reason He eat the forbidden fruit not we He was thrust out of Paradise not we 2. Because as it is just in Men to account the Sons of Traitors sinners Reason and punish them accordingly so it is much more just in God to account the Sons of Adam sinners and to punish them accordingly Adam sinned for himself and was punished for himself so that neither his sin was ours nor his punishment ours really but by imputation We are by Nature the Children of wrath Object Because we are Children of sin and of a sinner Solut. Adam a Representative of all Mankind as a Parliament is of a whole Kingdom If a Parliament err the Kingdom erres if they suffer the Kingdom suffers A Representative Will is a real Will in Law not in Nature Parliament's Wills are our Wills their Decrees oblige us because of our consent given to choose them to act for us How did we make such a Compact with Adam Yet Adam was a Corporation and we in him are included so as to stand or fall by him Adam was obliged to obey not to sin but he was obliged to suffer because he sinned We are obliged to obey not to sin but we are obliged to suffer because we sin And we are obliged to suffer because he sinned but how we are obliged to sin because he sinned I cannot understand SECT II. Object Solut. Levi's paying of Tithes Levi pay'd Tithes in Abraham's loyns A token of subjection in the Father which is derived to the Children If the Head yielded the Members must So they pay'd Tithes virtually in their Father before they were born but they must pay them actually in their own persons and for themselves after they are born As heirs have rights to Honours and Estates in their Father's Honours and Estates and also in their shames and Debts while they live but after their death they enjoy the profits and bear the burdens and shames of their Fathers How were our Persons in Adam Seminally as the plant in the root and seed potentially not actually But where were our Wills even where our Souls were with God that gives us them when he frames us in the womb Yet a Jural will we had in Adam to have a right in him and by him or else a wrong as people have in their Knights and Burgesses who nevertheless have distinct wills for themselves in other things as they have in whose wills for their election only their wills are included So Adam was for us all to stand or fall for us all not to do good or bad for us all and now we must all suffer by him though we did not act actually sin in him but virtually We have the same natural Body and inclinations thereof as Adam had But as his Body and his inclinations were personal to himself so our Bodies and our inclinations are personal to our selves If Adam in nature had been created a Child he could not have sinned because he as a Child could have no use of his will When I am born into the world I cannot sin in the world till I come to the use of my reason and will in the world how then could I sin before I was born or had a being in the world any more than as I was as the fruit is in the winter fast asleep in my causes How then say some we were sinners before we were and how indeed not so as they mean let them prove it if they can Corruption of Bodies is manifest and so Health is by weak or strong Progenitors Diseases and Health are much hereditary in Nature but virtues or vices of Souls I could never apprehend any descent or conveyance of them from Parents to their Children Estates Honours and Shames are convey'd and pass upon posterity but not by the passage of Nature but of Law We are all concluded by Adam's will yet how If he had done good altogether his goodness was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we should be the better for it But being he did evil his evil was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we shall fare the worse for it Adam was obliged to do good so are we Adam was not obliged to sin no more are we We are as free to good or bad as Adam and Eve were How is a Traitor's blood that runs in his veins or his Son's blood tainted the Wise can tell We put a great stress upon many things as upon this of Original sin and upon Hoc est corpus meum and upon Tu es Petrus and of being born in sin and of the power of the Keyes and of the Free-will and of Imputed Righteousness as also of Predestination Election Reprobation and of a Judg in matters of Faith of Infallibility and Universal Supremacy Heresy c. It was the custom then to speak yea think so as they declare in these matters Who can hinder or blame us justly for labouring to understand the meaning of these things and not be abused as our Fathers were We all agree concerning these matters of Original sin Election Reprobation Free-will Imputed righteousness the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist the washing of Baptism but we cannot agree concerning the manner If we would leave
quarrelling and sit still and consider these points we should in time understand them sufficiently by our own experience better than they do that dispute of them daily We are prone to nothing but evil Object Flesh is prone to evil by exceeding the bounds of reason Solut. but Reason it self tends another way With my mind I serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 Rom. 7.22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members Adam's faculties were corrupted so are ours Object Both true in a safe sense and if these safe senses were admitted Solut. all would agree but there is though not acknowledged Pride Interest and uncharitableness in the way that obstructs this universal good that would be both in Church and State But who can help it it must be born only wise Men and honest Men will be no slaves SECT III. We are made mortal in Adam Not actually by dying in his body and with his body Corol. 2. All mortal in Adam for we sprang from his body before dead but causatively by descent from his made mortal body As he sinned for himself so we sin for our selves Reason And as he died for himself so we die for our selves But his sin was not ours and his death was not ours but only the cause of our sin and the cause of our death Mortalis gignit mortalem Immortalis gignit immortalem Servus gignit servos Nobilis gignit Nobiles Fortes creantur fortibus Morbosi creantur à morbosis Infamis non gignit infamem Sed Peccator non gignit peccatorem Doctus non gignit Doctum Innocens non gignit innocentem In true and safe senses some Natural some Jural A Mortal begets a Mortal An Immortal begets an Immortal Cum grano salis Deus de Deo Servants beget servants Free-Men beget Free-Men Nobles beget Nobles Strength begets strength Weakness begets weakness Infamous doth not beget infamous But a sinner begets not a sinner A Learned Man begets not a Learned Man A virtuous Man begets not a virtuous Man SECT IV. Corol. 3. Righteous in Christ We are made righteous in Christ i. e. Accounted Reason 1 Christ's righteousness was not individually ours nor is our righteousness individually his nor can any person's qualities be communicated to another Reason 2 Nature made us in Adam Grace makes us in Christ Bodies were in Adam not Souls Souls are in Christ not Bodies One Man's will is not really in anothers Sin is in Soul not Body Death is in Body not Soul Righteousness is in Soul not Body We are born of the Bodies not of the Souls of our Parents SECT V. Corol. 4. Immortal in Christ Reason We are immortal in Christ by Christ's Body Christ's immortality was not individually ours as our immortality is not individually his But we are made immortal by his immortality 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam we all die so in Christ all are made alive Souls were not in Adam's Soul Souls are not in Christ's Soul Bodies are not in Christ's Body Our persons were not in Adam's person Our persons are not in Christ's person Our bodies seminally in Adam's body i. e. not to act in Adam but fast asleep in him as their cause Our Souls not at all in Adam's Soul but created apart and infused by God So the acts of Adam's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Adam's Soul were not the acts of our Souls So the acts of Christ's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Christ's Soul were not the acts of our Souls SECT VI. Every Individual body naturally acts for it self Every Individual Soul naturally acts for it self Corol. 5. Reason Every Individuum acts for its self Ez. 18. And is rewarded or punished for it self The Soul that sinneth it shall die Fathers eat sowre grapes Children's teeth not set an edge Every mortal individual is mortal for it self Every immortal individual is immortal for it self Every individual is good for it self Every individual is bad for it self So in a right sense 1. We are made Sinners by Adam's sin 2. We are made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness 3. We are made Mortal by Adam's mortality 4. We are made Immortal by Christ's Immortality If any Man can express these things better let him a God's Name I shall be glad to learn One Touch more and then I have done Adam's body the root and seed of our bodies Adam's Soul not the root nor seed of our Souls Adam's body acted for it self Adam's Soul acted for it self Our bodies act for themselves Our Souls act for themselves Ergo Adam's virtues were not ours Adam's vices were not ours Adam's rewards were not ours Adam's punishments were not ours Rules Unusquisque habet judicium pro semetipso Unusquisque habet voluntatem pro semetipso Unusquisque habet passiones pro semetipso Unusquisque habet actiones pro semetipso Every one hath a judgment for himself Every one hath a will for himself Every one hath passions for himself Every one hath actions for himself Individuals communicate not their actions or passions but are distinct as their persons Sin is not Nature Nature is not Sin Righteousness is not Nature Nature is not Righteousness The Close Natural actions of Body and Soul reach not beyond the person that acts them Moral actions extend not beyond the person that acts them Jural actions do extend beyond the persons that act them for punishment or reward by act of Law or Grace c. SECT VI. Once more and use it not I beg leave to review the triple distinction that I made of a Sinner Sinner Legal 1. A Sinner Legally is a transgressor and offender against the rules of the Law in not doing that right whereto the Law binds him and he that doth not right according to the Law he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Such sinners were the sinners of the Gentiles who lived in idolatry such a sinner was the Woman who washed the feet of Christ with her tears Joh. 7.37 and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed them and anoynted them with oyntment for she was an adulteress Such a sinner was the Woman taken in Adultery in the very act and was therefore brought by the Scribes and Pharisees unto Christ to be stoned to death John 8.3 4. And this kind of sinner who is a transgressor of the Law is opposed to the person who is legally righteous by doing that right which the Law requireth SECT VII Sinner Moral 2. A sinner Morally quoad mores is a Trespasser offending against the rules of Good manners of Humanity Equity Charity Mercy and Courtesy not dealing handsomly or kindly not doing that right whereto the rule of
a man is bound to live the life of a Christian as soon as ever he believes the doctrines and commandments of Christianity for indeed he is obliged as soon as he can use reason or hear reason The first things a man can learn are some parts of Christianity Not to hurt any one to do all that he can understand to be good that is as soon as ever he begins to live like a rational Creature so soon he begins to live like as Christ commanded And since Baptism as to this relation and intention of it is nothing else but the publication of our undertaking to do that which in our very nature and by the first and universal laws of God to Mankind we are obliged To refuse to be baptized or to defer it is nothing but a refusing or deferring to own our natural obligation a denying or not accepting the duty of living according to the law of Nature Which deferring as it must needs be the Argument of an evil man and an indication of unwillingness to live worthily so it can serve really no prudent ends to which it can fallaciously pretend Natural Law For Christianity being in its moral part nothing but the perfection of the natural Law binds no more upon us than God does by the very reason of our Nature By the Natural law we are bound to live in holiness and righteousness all the daies of our life and so we are by the Christian law as appears in the Song of Zachary and in very many other places And therefore although when some of our time is elapsed and lost in carelesness and folly the goodness of God will admit us to second counsels and the Death of Christ and his Intercession will make them acceptable yet Christianity obliges us to obedience as soon as the law of Nature does and we must profess to live according to Christianity as soon as we can live by the measures of the Natural law and that is even in the very infancy of our Reason And therefore Baptism is not to be deferred longer it may be sooner because some little images of choice and reason which must be conducted by the measures of Nature appear even in infancy but it must not be deferred longer there is no excuse for that because there can be no reason for so doing unless where there is a necessity and it can be no otherwise c. Idem Great Exemplar p. 275. The Blessed Master began his office with a Sermon of Repentance as his predecessor John the Baptist did in his ministration to tell the world that the New Covenant which was to be established by the Mediation and office of the Holy Jesus was a Covenant of Grace and Favour not established upon Works but upon Promises and remission of right on Gods part and remission of sins on our part The Law was a Covenant of Works and whoever prevaricated any of its sanctions in a considerable degree he stood sentenced by it without any hopes of restitution supplied by the Law And therefore it was the Covenant of Works not because good works were then required more than now Law and Gospel or because they had more efficacy than now but because all our hopes did rely upon the perfection of Works and innocence without the suppletories of Grace pardon and repentance But the Gospel is therefore a Covenant of Grace not that works are excluded from our duty or from co-operating to heaven but because there is in it so much mercy that the imperfections of the works are made up by the grace of Jesus and the defects of innocence are supplied by the substitution of Repentance Abatements are made for the infirmities and miseries of humanity and if we do our endeavour now after the manner of men the faith of Jesus Christ that is conformity to his laws and submission to his doctrines entitles us to the grace he hath purchased for us that is our sins for his sake shall be pardoned So that the Law and the Gospel are not opposed barely upon the title of Faith and Works but as the Covenant of Faith and the Covenant of Works In the faith of a Christian works are the great Ingredient and the chief of the constitution but the Gospel is not a Covenant of works that is it is not an agreement upon the stock of Innocence without allowances of Repentance requiring obedience in rigour and strictest estimate But the Gospel requires the holiness of a Christian and yet after the manner of a man for alwaies provided that we do not allow to our selves a liberty but endeavour with all our strength and love with all our soul that which if it were upon our allowance would be required at our hands now that it is against our will and highly contested against is put upon the stock of Christ and allowed unto us by God in the accounts of pardon by the merits of Jesus by the Covenant of the Gospel v. Eundem ib. of Repentance p. 280 c. H. Grot. Matth. 5. Et haec quidem docendi ratio apud populum crassior limatior apud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtinuisse videtur ad ea tempora quae Babylonium exilium sunt secuta Tum verò gravi periculo imminente nè populus solitus ea tantum audire quae in sensum caderent ablato splendore Judaici Imperii gemens sub externo Dominatu damni cruciatûs mortis denique metu solicitus deficeret à Judaismo Primus omnium Daniel de Resurrectione egit apertiùs confirmans Populum spe restitutionis in statum meliorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrectio ut loquitur scriptor ad Hebraeos Danielem secutus Ezekiel Et quos respiciens scriptor Paraeneseos ad Graecos inter opera Justini quae de Judicio post hanc vitam habet Plato ait de Prophetis hausta Hinc incipiunt Sapientes quos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant qui humanitùs non divinitùs eruditi Prophetis sed impart auctoritate successerunt Hi quoque necessarium judicarent ex Dan populum adversus tentamenta praemunire Quod fieri satis non poterat nisi palam Dei Causa morientibus proposita spes vitae melioris Itaque ea tùm doctrina velut è latebris educta certis vocibus obsignata est Hinc illud Taciti de Judaeis Animas Praelio aut suppliciis peremptorum aeternas putant Hinc moriendi contemptus Quibus addendi loci illustres duo ex historiâ Maccabaica l. 2. c. 7. quorum prior sic habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alter verò ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. H. Grot. in Rom. c. 3. p. 213. Apostolus hinc infert legem Mosis in quâ Judaei plus aequo fiduciae collocabant ut vidimus suprà 11. 17. per se spectatam i. e. seorsim ab iis quae antè legem fuerant non eas habuisse vires ut homines ad veram ac Deo placentem Justitiam perduceret Quippe cum Abrahamus sine
an hereditary bondage to be drudges about the Temple Now therefore ye are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being Bond-Men Jos 9.23 and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God Such sinners are all they who are made heirs to the misery of their Parents those transgressors whose punishment the Law makes hereditary to pass upon themselves and consequently to descend unto their Children As the Sons of Achan Jos 7.24 25. who for their Father's Sacriledg were stoned to death in the Vally of Achan And the seven Sons of Saul who for their Father's cruelty were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord 2 Sam. 21.9 And the Sons of Gehezi 2 Kings 5.25 if he had any who for their Father's bribery were to be heirs of his Leprosy And all Mankind who for the transgression or Legal sin of Adam are made Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to be afflicted with death and mortality For by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 i. e. Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to lose the right of Paradise and Blessedness And this Jural Sinner is opposed to an owner Lastly such sinners as are oppressed by force fraud or colour of Law who are criminated by calumny and suffer death by an unjust Sentence as Bathsheba and Solomon in case Adonijah had prevailed for the Kingdom had been made sinners 1 Kings 1.12 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders Such a sinner is a Man who in dangerous times when terrible ones watch for iniquity is made an offender for a word Is 29.21 And with all Religious reverence be it written such a sinner was Jesus Christ who though he be very true God and true Man the truest and justest Man that ever lived who did no sin nor spake no guile yet he suffered as a sinner For He poured out his Soul unto death Is 53.12 and was numbred with the transgressors He was made a Quasi-transgressor and so handled God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin i. e. he who really was no sinner 2 Cor. 5.20 was made a Quasi sinner and was afflicted as a sinner Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us i. e. he who really was not a curse was made a Quasi-curse and was afflicted as if a cursed person These three several sinners the Legal the Moral and the Jural are not three opposit sorts of sinners so contradistinct that the one is repugnant to the other or that one sense excludeth the rest but they are different degrees of sinners whereof the one may be without the other and yet so consistent that they may all concurre in one and the same person For Christ was a sinner Jurally only but no way Legally nor Morally And Dives was a sinner Morally only not Legally for we read not that he was a transgressor against the Law nor Jurally for he had great Possessions But in the sight of God Men are sinners all three waies Legally Morally and Jurally being transgressors against the Law and offenders against Equity and Aliens Forreigners and Strangers to the rights priviledges and inheritances of the Kingdom of Heaven whereto Man as Man and as the Son of Adam hath no right interest or claim but is born and stands in the state of a Quasi trespasser and Quasi sinner Adam was created upright i. e. not a transgressor Legally nor a trespasser Morally and he was created an owner for upon his creation God gave him a humane right of Dominion over Fish Foul and Beasts But by virtue of his creation he had no Supernatural or Divine right for he had no right to Paradise and the Blessings thereof For when Adam was created Paradise was not yet planted but after the creation of Adam follow'd the plantation of Eden and God by putting Adam into Eden did further justify him for unto that right which was at first given him by Nature God superadded another right by Grace in setling and seating him in Paradise And this right was hereditary to him and his heirs But Adam by his transgression in offending against the Law of Paradise made himself a transgressor and all his heirs Quasi trespassers For the punishment or curse upon him for his transgression was his ejection and mortality which ejection and mortality descended also to all his Posterity For according to God's Contract with Adam and according to the rule of Equity and Reason sueing the Blessing was hereditary to him and his heirs therefore the curse also became hereditary to him and his heirs This affliction of Man or his ejection from Paradise and his mortality that now he is born to no divine inheritance but is born an out-cast from God's Blessing born a mortal Creature that must necessarily die this is the condition that makes Man a Quasi-trespasser and puts him into the state of a Jural sinner and this Quasi-trespasser or Jural sinner is the Man who in the next verse shall be justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ For the Person who is the proper subject of Justification is Man considered as a Jural sinnner not excluding his legal or moral sins from which he is also justified yet they unto his justifying are but accidental for although legally and morally he were never so righteous yet unless he be justified he cannot be saved for he is still a Jural or Quasi sinner 1. Because he is not a sinner actively by committing any act of sin as were the two former sinners who were offenders legally and morally by acting against Law and Equity but he is a sinner passively by suffering that loss or pain which is inflicted on him who is a sinner actively For the Verb Sinning is sometimes put passively for suffering as Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of Beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the loss of it where the Hebrew word is Chata i. e. I sinned for it 2. Because he is not a sinner really in whom sin is inherent but putatively to whom sin is imputed and who being innocent is reputed a delinquent and put into the state of a sinner that he may suffer that affliction which is the usual punishment of a sinner As the Beasts which the Law declared unclean were not in themselves unclean really and inherently but imaginarily and putatively for uncleanness was therefore imputed unto them that they might be forborn as if they had been really unclean 3. Because the fact which constituteth a Man thus a Quasi-sinner to be miserable and wretched is no act of his own but is either the act of some Law which justly imputeth unto him that sin whereof some other is guilty or is the act of some adversary who unjustly imputeth and chargeth upon him that sin whereof he is not guilty