have these things in my memory and keep them in my paper and do them not in my life and conversation I say therefore in brief He that hath ears to hear for every one hath ears to hear let him hear as well as he can And he that hath eyes to see for every one hath eyes to see let him see as well as he can And he that hath a heart to understand for every one hath a heart to understand let him understand as well as he can And he that hath a memory to remember for every one hath a memory to remember let him remember as well as he can And he that hath a will to choose for every one hath a will to choose let him choose as well as he can And last of all he that hath a hand to act for every one hath a hand to act let him act as well as he can Fac quod in te est Use thy Talent to the best advantage and God shall reward thee with a Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in a little thou shalt be Ruler over much In a word Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2 Pet. 1.5 c. and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was once purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall SECT VII 1. If therefore Election be a Decree then it is no Promise but a Necessity A Promise may be freely made and effected and may not but a Decree must be made and effected by consequence of Justice upon sin A Promise may take effect by the will of the Accepter but a Decree must take effect against the will of the Sufferer 2. If Election be a Promise then it is no Decree but a thing voluntary A Promise is free to be made or not made a meer grace upon consideration of pity and bounty for Reward undeserved But a Decree is a peremptory sentence in judgment of Law upon consideration of guilt of sin for revenge and punishment 3. If Faith be the Approving and Choosing of God that first approved and chosen us This is Election 4. If Infidelity be the Disapproving and Rejecting of God that hath therefore disapproved and rejected us This is Reprobation 5. A Reprobate is rejected for his Wilfulness 6. An Elect is accepted for his Willingness Ergo From these Premises I conclude with all humble submission to better Judgments 1. That Election with God is not as it is with Men A particular Free Grace of a certain picking and culling out of some few and passing by all the rest though as well deserving and standing in as much need and as willing every way to come in if they could with all their hearts and thank them too that should do them that great favour and benefit 2. But Election with God is an Universal Free Grace offered to all men that they might be saved and willingness that none should be damned upon no desert at all but meerly for love in his Son provided only that they be but a willing People which is the least thing that can be desired namely to accept of Gods choice and to choose him again or else they must needs reprobate themselves and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Quod erat Demonstrandum Now what mad work have the Disputes of this World made upon this plain Question I leave to the wiser sort of the World to judge 'T is high time for such men and no shame at all to learn better Religion prudence and manners than to think and speak of God in this point after such a fashion I appeal unto the unconceivable Mercies of God to his poor Creatures and to the universal scope tenour and purport of the whole Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Amen The CONTENTS 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 Christs 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 Luctûs Coelibate Marriage for all Estates and Degrees of men TITLE VIII Of Marriage THE Church is the Spouse and Wife of Christ Transition Contracts are either Real by which men communicate or convey their Estates and Patrimonies one to another or Personal by which their very Persons are as it were communicated and conveyed one to another Of this nature are Feudal Personal Contracts and Leagues Contracts Real and Personal where persons covenant to be true and just and loving one to another as if they were of one Soul both in rule and subjection betwixt King and People and in fellowship and communion of the Head with the Members and of the Members one with another unto which are subordinate real feudal Contracts and Conveyances of giving and receiving of holding and keeping the use and profits of the Lords Allodium and propriety upon a Personal Contract of Faith and Allegiance homage and service to him the said Lord and to his heirs and successors for ever Personal Contracts of this nature are the highest endearments and strictest obligations of love friendship and unity that can be imagined because they are the unions of Souls which must be more than of Bodies or Estates because they are Covenants for pure love not for honours or profits or pleasures of goods Because to give our Estates and Honours is a great grace but to give our selves our Souls and Bodies one to another is the greatest grace that can be given Such are the Covenants and Leagues between friends and their Allies and such is the Contract of Marriage which is for communion of Soul and Body in all temporal and spiritual things such are not the Quasi-personal Contracts of Tutor and Pupil Curator and Minor c. SECT I. Marriage Therefore this Title of Marriage with those that follow relating thereunto are not any ways exotick or disproportional with the design of this present book For as in all Feudal kingdoms the Kings are Fathers to their Subjects so in the Church the Fathers of Families are kings to their Children who as Subjects hold in Fide Amore Honore as much as Subjects do to their Princes Subjects are so by election to their Kings and Children
Christ's Mediation to bring us to God Cross to be gloried in Cross outward and inward Effect of Cross-crucifixion Procured by outward cross Philosophy Christianity Christ the Sacrifice and Priest Christians true Sacrifices and Priests Decrees Christ's doing and suffering our doing and suffering Corollaries Christ a Priest Christ quickened by his eternal spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King p. 224 APPENDIX OR Application to the Clergy and Laity Title 1. Of the Clergie's Calling Word Sacraments Gospel-spirit p. 243 Title 2. Of the Clergie's Doctrine Precepts Promises Conditions p. 244 Title 3. Of the Clergie's Persons p. 246 Title 4. Of the Clergie's Study Law Law-terms p. 247 Title 5. Of the Laitie's Calling p. 251 Title 6. Of the Laitie's Doctrine ibid. Title 5. Of the Laitie's Persons p. 252 Title 8. Of the Genius of the Gospel Joy Fear Decrees Gospel dispensations Worship spiritual Ceremonies Difference of Mosaick and Christian Rites Church of Rome Perfection of Christianity Spiritual perfection Ritual worship abolished No other Rites to be superinduced No Rites ever pleased God Greater perfections in the Christian Religion Prayer and other duties are Relativi Juris p. 254 THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Volume of the Estate of God The First Book Of Rights Title 1. Of Things TRansition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right p. 287 Title 2. Of Persons Personality Forfeiture Freedom Falling Recovery p. 293 Title 3. Of Rights Transition Right Definition Instances Independency Indifferency Liberality Creation Donation Declaration Faction Reception Justification Private right Publick right Justice Rights to God Rights to body and soul Rights to wife Rights to children Rights to estate and honour Rights not to be violated Day of Judgment Shame To be right To make right To bestow right To have right To do right Collections Rather hurt self than others Moral honesty not doubted of Vse Reason Reason of Nature Equity of Conscience Tricks in law Severity of old in the Church Man's judgment Relations Friendship Possibility of law Fates Justice in God and Man Wrong none Truth evident Caution p. 295 Title 4. Of Actions Transition Intention Execution Free-will Imperfection Willingness Implicit faith Social actions Jussion p. 316 The Second Book Of Titles Title 1. Of a Sinner Transition Vnjust legally Vnjust morally Vnjust jurally Oppressed Blemished Distressed Tainted p. 322 Title 2. Of Original sin Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of Tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniata p. 326 Title 3. Of a Just man Just Just legally Just morally Just jurally Right Accounting God righteous 349 The Third Book Of Justification Title 1. Of the Name of Justification The term Justifie Accounting Synonyma Bondage Freedom Burden Corporation Other names p. 357 Title 2. Of the form of Justification Imputation Logick Logistick Christ's Righteousness p. 364 Title 3. Of the Matter of Justification Right Corporation Impunity Liberty Provision Protection Audience Alliance Resurrection Jurisdiction Glory Rights of Christ Expectation Supplication Possession p. 371 Title 4. Of the Title of Justification Free grace Titles Birth Purchase Desert Favour Condemnation Gifts Impunity Election Glory Boasting Will of the Receiver Will of the Donor Free grace begins at God's will Free grace makes the Title stronger Free grace makes for God's grace and glory Justification is the best state of love All Rights are from Grace Donation Election Promise God justifieth Christ justifieth The wrong title Law Allegory of the two Covenants Ishmael and Isaac Hagar and Sarah Law a Covenant of bondage Gospel a Covenant of liberty Jacob and Esau Works p. 380 Title 5. Of the Continuance of Justification Relapse a revolt from God Breach of one Party disobligeth the other Mutability of Justification Kingdom of God Natural man Spiritual man Forfeiture Example of Israelites p. 398 Title 6. Of the Tenure of Justification Transition Works James 2.18 explained Works of love p. 405 Title 7. Faith Notions of Faith Credence Trust Promise given Promise taken Re-promise Courage Hope Covenant Faith in Christ Christ the conveyer of faith Christ the author of faith Declaring God's will Proving God's will Testament ad pias Causas Physical operation Moral operation Saving faith Means of faith A new heart 409 The Fourth Book Of Sanctification Title 1. Of the Spirit Transition Spirit the first Agent Hidden man Outward man Natural man Supernatural inspiration Penal and grievous Beneficial and gracious Holy spirit Spiritual man p. 421 Title 2. Of Conscience Definition Seat Vnderstanding Will Memory Reflection p. 424 Title 3. Of the disposition of Conscience To direct To urge To register To testifie To accuse Before the action In the action After the action p. 425 Title 4. Of the indisposition of Conscience Suspension of the offices of Conscience In good men In evil men Ignorance Learning Riches Poverty Self-love Idleness Prejudice Companions God 's not regarding Cross sins Success Satisfaction Want of a spiritual Clergy p. 431 Title 5. Of the restitution of Conscience Believe Conscience Not believe Conscience Self-examination Forsake sin Confess sin Collections p. 440 Title 6. Of a New Creature Transition Old man Old leaven Natural man Carnal mind New man New lump Spiritual mind New birth First resurrection Old creation Concurrency of God and man p. 444 Title 7. Of the Flesh and Spirit Transition Sensual and Spiritual life Mind and will of Flesh and Spirit Life in man threefold Spiritual senses and passions Life of Faith Corollaries Conclusion p. 450 The Fifth Book Of Assurance Title 1. Of the Nature of Assurance Transition Promises Publick Faith Spirit Waiting p. 455 Title 2. Of the Grounds of Assurance Matter of Fact Matter of Right Matter of Witness Spirit of Assurance Ability Sealed Earnest p. 460 Title 3. Of the Kinds of Assurance Names Species p. 465 Title 4. Of the Abuse of Assurance Doctrine of Masses Of no Salvation without the Pale of the Church Of lying still in sin Imputed Righteousness Collections Cautions Obstructions Rules Election p. 468 The Sixth Book Of Tenures Title 1. Of Allodium Transition Estates Allodium Lordship Model from the Goths Etymology Crown Lands Caution Apology p. 476 Title 2. Of Feudum Name Definition Promise Investiture Felony p. 481 The Seventh Book Of Christ's Church and Kingdom Title 1. Of a Feudal Kingdom Transition Feudal Customes Feudal Kingdoms best Goths and Vandals Goths honest Goths endowed the Church first with Lands and Lordships Jus Feudale Manners of Goths Resemblances of a Feudal Kingdom Blessedness Cursedness Church Militant Church Triumphant Tenure of Heaven conditional Holding of God Absolute dominion Feuds a middle government Christ sole Judge Customes in a Feudal kingdom Excellency of a Feudal government Collections Parables run not on all four Tenure of
exist in the Intellect are as certainly One True and Good as material or real Entities that exist in Nature Demonstrations And therefore wise and painful men collect conclusions sufficient to make Faith in such a degree of Perfection as they are capable to have and we to understand in this life not presuming any further And when they have done all that they can they have done like men and let those that can mend it as well as they can and pardon those that could not do so well as they or as others should do For when we have said or done all that we can we must all acknowledg that we are in the dark Mathematicians It is common for Mathematicians to boast that they have monopolized all Demonstrations to their own Arts and all other Arts produce nothing but Probabilities Yet I could challenge the best Mathematician of them all in Uranometry or Geometry to demonstrate an exact mensuration of the Celestial or Terrestrial Bodies to the last fraction of a fraction in every Degree Digit Minute or Scruple or that they can so much as draw a straight Line or frame a Global Circle without the least gibbosity or concavity therein as may be discovered by the help of a Magnifying Glass placed in the Beams of the Sun for our eyes of themselves are not so piercingly good as to discern them I do not know but that the Bee can work the orbicular doors to her pentagonal Cells without any irregularity and so may some other works be strictly curious by the Instinct of Nature as are the gallant flowers c. But let the Rational Eye or Hand shew such Perfections I le dare them to it if they can Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these I know they can come very near and they are so wise and ingenious to perceive and confess that it is impossible for them to be infallible in their operations This is to feel our selves to be but Men lest we should be too proud and to thank God for what we have and to acknowledg all Perfection to be only in Him In some Moral Demonstrations we are able to shew a greater Certainty than any Mechanical Instruments Engins or Workings of curious Arts can bring forth which come short of something in all their Composures and Uses But Conclusions rightly framed from necessary Propositions cannot err and therefore do create Science infallible in Moral Entities which is more than all the Mathematical Demonstrations in Heaven or Earth could ever yet make to appear Topicks I wot full well that there are certain Heads or Topicks flexible and fallible enough from which only probable Arguments or Mediums can issue not certain Conclusions and this makes fine Sport among Young men to exercise their Academical wits but when they come to be older and to use their own Judgments they will perceive This is rather to be accounted the Art of Rhetorick than of Logick For it is good enough for an Orator to use such Topicks to perswade his unjudicious Auditors with fine Phrases and the Twang of a Silver Tongue and this is his glory and all that he cares for to carry Pitchers by the Ears to give Poyson a gusto of Honey and colour over a Leaden Cause with a Fucus of Gold But in the Business of Mens Souls and Bodies and Estates Divines and Lawyers are to search for sound Faith and Reason that men may understand what their True Rights are both to Heaven and Earth and how to enjoy them and how to keep them for this life and for a better Some things in Natures Light are undeniably true and discernible by all but they come short of what is further to be known by Art and Experience upon them And some things are revealed in Theology most exactly true and discernible by all but there are farther Treasures of Perfection reserved in the mind of God which we are not able to know And it is very fit we should be kept short and fed by degrees and yet not want necessaries neither lest we should be too lazy and lofty and think our selves Gods knowing Good and Evil. Knowledg is amiable and desirable to all but Prejudice and Pride and Custome and Slavery and Idleness and Interest sway mightily with Fools and wicked men and hinder that True Wisdom which they might have if they would endeavour to be better qualified and prepared to receive it at Gods hands and learn to manage it well when they have it Certain Elements therefore and Axioms I think fir to pitch upon in this and other Titles for a Foundation to my Superstructures and to finish them handsomely according to Art and Skill and this is all that can reasonably be expected And in Divinity they are these and such as these 1. God is Principles 2. God is a Rewarder in Christ 3. God Covenant with mankind is the Hope of their Salvation 4. Holiness is the Duty of Man 5. Happiness is the Estate of God 6. Christs Gospel proclaims Happiness to all 7. Faith the True Right and Title to Happiness 8. Works a Tenure to Happiness 9. The knowledg of Rights the greatest Wisdom 10. The Distribution of Rights the greatest Justice 11. Grace makes and gives the best Rights 12. Absolute Grace in the Donor 13. Conditional Grace for the Receiver 14. A Testament the best and surest Deed and Settlement of Grace 15. Wisdom in the Laws of Justice Equity and Mercy is the highest Wisdom 16. Art of Government is the highest Art 17. Christs Kingdom is a Feudal Kingdom 18. Feudal Kingdoms are the best Kingdoms 19. Feudal Kingdoms are got and kept by Arms. 20. Grace the most communicable is the best 21. Mercy is the highest Justice 22. Conscience is regulated by Law 23. Free Giving and Free Receiving the Noblest way 24. All Allodium is Gods 25. The Noblest Body is for Labour 26. All Power is Gods 27. Princes have Power from God to secure Religion and the Persons Honours and Estates of all men 28. Priests have Power from God to Treat with God for men and to Preach his Will 29. Every Action that is in our Power to do or not to do is imputable to us accordingly And on the contrary Every Action that is not in our Power to do or not to do is not imputable to us accordingly That is not of debt but of the grace of the Imputer it may if it be any good if it be hurtful it may not Imputatio circa favorabilia locum habet circa odiosa non item Quia Malum aliquid alteri imputare handquaquam licet nisi ipse facto se suo reatûs participem facit 30. Every Ruler may command his Subject with obligation to duty to do those things to which his Lawful Power over him doth extend 31. Every Covenanter is obliged to the Condition of the Covenant 32. Every one is able to judg of what he apprehends 33. Every one can
have already passed and had their Being SECTION I. I. When the First Person brought forth the Second the Second Person was God the Son He was of God because he proceeded from God the Father God of God Light of Light very God of very God He was the Son of God because he was begotten of the Father The Brightness of his Glory Heb. 1.2 Col. 1.15 and the Express Image of his Person The Image of the invisible God the first Born of every Creature SECTION II. II. When the whole Trinity brought forth Adam then Man was the Son of God Luk. 3. ult as Adam is called the Son of God Gen. 1.26 Gen. 5.1 1. Because God created him 2. Because he was after God's own likeness SECTION III. III. When Adam brought forth his Sons and they bring forth their Sons to this day and shall to the Worlds end then Man is the Son of Man 1. Because Man begets him Gen. 5.3 2. Because he is after Man 's own Likeness SECTION IV. IV. When the Blessed Virgin Mary brought forth our Blessed Saviour then God was the Son of Man 1. Because conceived and born of a Woman 2. Because he is after her own Likeness Phil. 2.7 He was made in the Likeness of Man God sent his own Son in the Likeness of Sinful flesh Rom. 8.3 In all things like unto Man Sin only excepted The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Thus it pleased God to interchange himself with Man and each to beget the other As the Plant first brings forth the Seed Sim. and then that Seed brings forth the Plant so God first brought forth Man and after Man brought forth God Thus God and Man are each others Father and Son Man the Son and Father of God and God the Father and Son of Man By two of these four Generations our Saviour was a Son viz. by the first and the last When God broughth forth God Christ was the Son of God And When Man brought forth God Christ was the Son of Man So Christ is the First and the Last the First Son of God Rev. 1.17 and the Last Son of Man The First by whom Man had his beginning and the Last in whom he hath his ending I am Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 the Beginning and the Ending But especially of his Church whose Beginning is Election and End Salvation For in him our Election begins and in him our Salvation ends Note that though our Saviour had these two Births and two Fathers yet he is not two Sons no more than he that hath two Sons is two Fathers A Curious Picture being first drawn out in Colours Sim. and after put into Frame hath two works done unto it yet it is but one Picture so the Son of God who was first the Picture of his Father's Image and the brightness of his Glory is after put into a Frame of Flesh hath thereby two Births yet is but one Son The Reason is because these two Births had but one Person to sustain them for the Person of the Godhead supported both The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Therefore these two Births being after several Images Christ must needs have two several Natures The Nature of a God as he was the Son and of God and the Nature of a Man as he was the Son of Man 1. As God he was a Son only Begotten not made 2. As Man he was a Son only Made and not begotten The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory Joh. 1.14 the Glory as of the only Begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth As he was the Son of Man no Man begat him but the Woman conceived him by the Power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her a Virgin yet he was not the Son of the Holy Ghost Lord help me in this deep Mystery and save me from sin all this while Because he was not begotten from the substance of the Holy Ghost Reason as Natural Sons are generated from their Fathers substance but by the Power of the Holy Ghost And being born Man he had not the Image of the Holy Ghost therefore was not his Son seeing every Son must be like his Father in Nature and Essence But he was properly the Son of the Virgin therefore the True Son of Mankind with indifferency to either Sex In the Virgins Womb he was conceived and cherished essentiated with the Parts of a Man Body and Soul perfectly united Had Infirmities natural to all Mankind not Personal of this or that Man nor Poenal for this or that Sin but for all sins And these defects did Man him most A Passive Mortal Man Vir dolorum A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs Man in all things except Man's Sin Is 53.6 yet he bore the Punishment of that For the Lord laid upon him the Iniquity of us all But why the Son of God all this VVhy Christ became the Son of Man rather than the Father or the Holy Ghost A Mediator The Father or the Holy Ghost might either have been the Son of Man had they been so pleased but had either of them been the Son of Man then the name of Son would have belonged to two Persons of the Trinity Therefore it was most convenient for that Person that was the Son to become the Son of Man Reasons 1. In respect of the whole Trinity 2. On the Father's Part. 3. On the Son's Part. 4. On Man's Part. SECTION V. I. In respect of the whole Trinity VVhen things of a different Nature are united they are best combined by a Third Mean Sim. that is of a middle Complexion to them both so the Body and Soul are combined by the Spirits that are of a middle Nature between both VVhen Man and VVife are at odds the best way to reconcile them is their Son Because he is a Middle Party between both the one is his Father the other is his Mother From all Eternity God loved us in his Son He before our Fall was as the Spirits to maintain our Union with God But when we were fallen at odds and God would be reconciled God mediated between Himself and Us by his Son Because he being the Middle Person of the Trinity and being both God and Man was the fitter to make a Mediator between God and Man That having God to his Father and Man to his Mother he might make a full Reconciliation between God and his Spouse as the Son doth between Man and VVife 2 Cor. 5.18 God hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath cemmitted unto us the Word of
about with Powder and Shot to a man of War Farewell THE Second Volume OF THE ESTATE OF GOD Concerning things to be had of God The First BOOK OF RIGHTS The CONTENTS Transition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right TITLE I. Of Things A Testament is a just Disposition of things to be had or done Transition Testament and the things disposed to be done are the conditions of the things disposed to be had And because the conditions or things disposed to be done are contingent for daily experience shews that many of them are not done therefore the Legacies or things disposed to be had are contingent for daily experience shews that they are not had Because where precepts or things devised to be done are not done there Legacies or things devised to be had are not had And this is a just Disposition The object of God's Predestination or purpose to dispose are not Persons only but things also with relation to persons and it is all one in effect to predestinate the person to have or do a thing and to predestinate a thing to be had or done by a person For there is no difference between these two dispositions I purpose such a Mannour for my Son John and I purpose my Son John to have such a Mannour SECT III. Things All Entities or Beings are Things Rights Persons and Actions that is things to be had or done or actually had or done i. e. Corporeal or Incorporeal things by all Persons The best Disposition that can be made by God or Man is of an Inheritance because an Inheritance is an universal right to the whole Estate of the Testator And such is the Inheritance of the Estate of God by Jesus Christ For the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord in whom we are heirs and co-heirs for all things are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and if God hath given us Christ How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Now because by the works of the Law which is the first Disposition by way of Testament no flesh living can be justified to the Inheritance of Eternal Life which was by promise therefore Justification is without the works of the Law by faith in the promises of the Gospel which is the second Disposition by way of Testament So then Legal Righteousness by works is altogether insufficient as to give us any Right or Titles to the Kingdom of Heaven and Evangelical Righteousness of Faith is the only means to obtain the Inheritance of Promise SECT IV. Method The Nature therefore and Differences of the Old and New Testament being understood a way is fairly laid open to the true understanding of the great and so much controverted point of Justification which is very easie in it self but hath been made obscure and grievous by the perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and reprobate as concerning the right apprehension of true and saving Faith First therefore to treat of Rights and then of justification to the best of Rights in the best Testament of God to the best Inheritance will be the natural method herein to be followed After this order we will now begin speaking first of Things then of Persons then of Rights belonging to them and last of all of the Actions of those Persons for the obtaining of those Rights in those things that belong to those Persons for an Estate consists not only of Material goods of Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable and moveable but of immaterial goods as Rights to Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable or moveable And Actions Pleas Services or Priviledges in all these which are both beneficiary and honorary and burdensome parts of mens Estates of all which they may make a voluntary Disposition SECT V. God is an Eternal Being of all things in himself God's Donation and from him all things have their being and by him they are preserved and governed All things beside God are either Spiritual or Corporeal with or without life have or have no end and they all serve for the glory of their Creatour These things thus framed upheld and ruled by God are the Heavens and the Earth with the Waters and all that belong unto them The use and benefit of them all together with the regiment of some he hath given to the Sons of men Besides all this he hath of his abundant grace and bounty given and granted eternal blessedness to them in his Son the Principal Heir of all things that by him they might be made the Sons of God and Heirs together with him of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven In order to this great donation we must consider the Things to be had by it and the Things to be done for it SECT VI. I. Things to be had The Things to be had by it are 1. Present all Spiritual and Temporal Things 2. Future all Celestial and Eternal Things For Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come and all things are ours whether the world or life or death or things present or things to come and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and God is all in all SECT VII II. Things to be done The Things to be done for it are 1. Natural to understand desire remember put forth and exercise the faculties of Soul and Body in God's Service 2. Spiritual to receive and use higher illustrations affections memorials and aids for the exercising of Soul and Body in Divine Faith Hope and Love Now there is great reason that where there is something to be had there should be something to be done for it But especially in gifts of this nature where all things are to be had it is honourable for the giver and reasonable to the receiver that some small thing should be done which can no ways be commensurable nor proportionable to the liberality of the donor and those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal things bestowed by him yet at least in acknowledgment and gratitude they are justly and honourably expected and required by the benefactor at the hands of the beneficiary Obj. It is objected that all is given by the free-grace of God and nothing to be done by us Answ All things are given indeed freely because Christ is given but not absolutely without any condition for such a gift is not in wisdom and honour to give all and expect no return no not so much as of Love and Obedience As for Recompense and Requital there can be none in the Receiver nor is expected or needed from the Giver But every gift ought to be disposed prudently else it is no true bounty but waste and prodigality And all such gifts are thrown away from which there ariseth no true benefit to the Receiver nor honour to the Giver Now God doth all things most freely and with the greatest love imaginable
donation of the second and last Testament for the best conveyance and surest settlement of the best rights in the best of things to the best inheritance by the best Mediator by the best title of faith justifying the sons of men by nature to be the sons of God by Grace which is the best assurance to eternal life SECT III. This state and condition these humane persons are put into by God Freedom which must needs be a state of Liberty and great Honour For Slavery is incapable of any Right to any thing Slaves possess not because they are possessed they have no Wills because they are at the Wills of others nor can they act or suffer any thing do no right nor suffer any wrong because they are dead in Law and as dead by them neither Right nor Wrong can be had done or suffered and to them no Right or Wrong can be inflicted This Freedom is of Sons in the Family and Citizens in the Common-wealth of God This gives them capacity and receptibility of Rights if they will consent to receive and enjoy them Being therefore placed by God in this noble estate and way of happiness they may and ought to look out and sue for those pretious promises that God hath made them To the atchievement whereof he requireth nothing but their own faith and acceptation without which it is morally impossible that any gift of good-will should take effect And as men are thus made by God liberal agents freely to accept or freely to reject hold or let go so accordingly they may and do choose or refuse enjoy or lose If they accept they shall have the mercy offered and when they have it if they take care they may hold and keep it and encrease it constantly to the end of the full enjoyment when they are out of all harm 's way above and beyond all frailty or temptation to let go their hold SECT IV. But here they are frail and dangerously enticed in this world Falling and therefore without great care and vigilancy they may come off from those rights and they may not also according as they behave themselves in their love to God and care of their own Souls in keeping themselves from being drowned in the cares pleasures and profits of this life by too much sensuality and neglect of exciting and exercising their spiritual and rational appetites to their due objects which is a great forgetfulness and unthankfulness in a reasonable and free creature so much obliged to his Creatour for so noble a Being and so beyond measure engaged for an everlasting well-being promised unto him and freely laid before him which he cannot but shamefully and freely refuse if he will be so ungracious to so gracious a Saviour And thus if he perish he may thank himself for he is without all excuse SECT V. But while it is time he may recover again Recovery For God does not dodge with him either to take him at the first refusal of his Grace and never offer him more or to take him at the first faileur after acceptation and never suffer him to recover himself again God's ways are not like man's ways neither are his thoughts like man's thoughts but they are of another fashion We are too apt to think of God as if he were such an one as our selves to do as we do and lie upon the catch according to our evil natures but there is mercy with God and therefore he may be feared and hoped and trusted in Men will lie close and take men at advantage seize upon forfeitures re-enter ransack and play the devil and all in rigour and fierceness It is not so with God if it were wo worth to the world it were better for us that we had never been born or that we had been like the untimely fruit of a woman and had never seen the Sun But thanks be to God for his infinite grace but no thanks to the world at all If I fall there I may lie and perish and none careth for it but if I fall here I may repent and rise and recover all and be in as good and better condition than before and continue to the end And all this is the Grace of God and there is no such grace amongst the Sons of Men nor nothing like it For they neither will nor can do after this fashion the tender Mercies of the wicked are cruel God only wounds and heals again he only kills and makes alive he brings to the grave and back again and his Compassions fail not and therefore we see the Sons of Men are not consumed As therefore after Exile all Rights of a free man are lost but when a return is made he is restored into his pristine estate jure Postliminii with a capacity to acquire and retain all other Rights that he is or shall be proper for So after Spiritual bondage and Captivity all Rights are lost because Faith it self the vessel that held them is shipwrackt but when there is a return though by the single plank of Repentance or any other escape which we can make to shift for our selves to get into our own country again we are fairly and fully and freely received and welcomed into all our former Rights and Priviledges and met and embraced by our heavenly Father and joyfully entertained and engaged by heaped up Favours and Oblivions of all former miscarriages never to be so negligent as to suffer our selves to be surprized and taken by the common enemy and kept from God and our own Country any more Persons are considered as Private or Publick 1. Natural in themselves and to themselves 2. Civil in Human Society Politick to and with others 3. Religious in Divine Society to and with others The CONTENTS Transition Right Definition Instances Independency Indifferency Liberality Creation Donation Declaration Faction Reception Justification Private Right Publick Right Justice Rights to God Rights to Body and Soul Rights to Wife Rights to Children Rights to Estate and Honour Rights not to be violated Day of Judgment Shame To be Right To make Right To bestow Right To have Right To do Right Collections Rather hurt self than others Moral Honesty not doubted of Vse Reason Reason of Nature Equity of Conscience Tricks in Law Severity of old in the Church Man's Judgment Relations Friendship Possibility of Law Fates Justice in God and Man Wrong none Truth evident Caution TITLE III. Of Rights SECT I. HAVING then the fair New Testament of God before us Transition so confirmed and published as it is by Jesus Christ in which Men are the Persons only concerned as in a state of freedom rightly qualified to accept take hold of and use those gracious Rights to such high things as God hath be queathed It must needs be a matter of the highest moment to consider by what means such Interests and Priviledges may be acquired held and enjoyed how lost and how retrieved retained and kept unto
proper rule Restraint from proper state Restraint from proper right Constraint to base actions p. 83 Title 11. Of the Subject of slavery The Sinner habitual p. 87 Title 12. Of the Reasons of slavery Restraint from proper end Restraint from proper guide Restraint from proper act Restraint from proper rule Restraint from proper state Restraint from proper right Captivity Constraint to base actions p. 88 Title 13. Of the Lord of slavery Sin Satan p. 91 Title 14. Of the Innocency of the Law Grace cannot deceive p. 92 Title 15. Of the Mystery of the Law Mystical Precepts Mystical Providences p. 96 Title 16. Of the History of the Law 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 p. 99 The Fourth Book Of the Gospel or New Testament Title 1. Of the Reformation Law changed Priesthood changed Sacrifices Gospel a Covenant of Faith God may change the law Law advanced to Spirit Types Secret of Christ understood by degrees Divine Dispensations Creation Fall Promise Faithful Vnfaithful Gentiles feared God Law written Rites why commanded Civil law Rule Outward service trusted in Prophets sent Christ sent Jews Idolaters before Christ's time Jews destroyed Gentiles called Old Religion antiquated Aaron's Priesthood Christ's Priesthood Typical Redemption from typical sins Real redemption from real sins Salvation of all men No more Changes p. 105 Title 2. Of the Nature of the Gospel Few Disciples in Christ's time Resipicence True Wisdom p. 115 Title 3. Of the Gospel a Testament What the Old Testament contains What the New Testament contains Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant p. 117 Title 4. Of a Testament the best Deed. Evidences Promises Earnest Oath Security Donation Testament a single Will A last Will. In force alone Confirmed by death Testament the Noblest deed Solemn Nuncupative Declarative Witnesses Plainness Heir Finishing by Hand and Seal In giving all In dying Testament most solemn Most liberal Marriage A near Vnion Acquisition of goods Love of God Love of Saints Communion Adoption Heir the most beloved Definition of the Gospel Definition of a Testament Testatour Appellative name of Believers Consent Testament of Father to Children Testamentum ad pias Causas No Praeterition No inofficious Testament p. 120 Title 5. Of the Grace of the New Testament Definition of Grace Nature Free-grace Right Nature Law Throne of Grace Wrath. Works Free grace Rich grace Assurance Jews loth to leave the law p. 128 Title 6. Of the Confirmation of the New Testament Writing Testimony Confirmation Execution Christ the Executor Executorship conditional Flesh and Blood Christ's Ascension Spirit 's Mission p. 132 Title 7. Of the Testament compared Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations p. 136 Title 8. Of Liberty Nature of Liberty Form Loosness from all Incumbrances Largeness p. 142 Title 9. Of the Seat of Liberty Soul p. 143 Title 10. Of the Terms of Liberty Recess from Evil. Access to Good p. 145 Title 11. Of the Cases of Liberty Loosness to proper end Loosness to proper guide Loosness to proper act Loosness to proper rule Loosness to proper state Loosness to proper right p. 146 Title 12. Of the Subject of Liberty God Christ Faithful Term of recess Bondage Term of access Sonship p. 149 Title 13. Of the Allegory of the two Covenants Ismael Isaac But two eminent Covenants State of Christian liberty p. 153 Title 14. Of the Minority and Majority of the Church Fulness of time Jews a childish people Time of Minority Redemption Adoption Plenage Gentiles exempted from Minority Popery Administration of both Testaments Idolatry Remedy against Idolatry p. 159 The Fifth Book Of a Mediatour Title 1. Of the Name and Thing Transition Mediatour Reconciliation Moses p. 167 Title 2. Of the Person of Christ Two Natures Vnion Incarnation p. 170 Title 3. Of the Mediatorship of Christ Christ sole Mediator God is one All Nations sinners Jews and Gentiles made one Christ a Soveraign Mediator Testament includes a Covenant Wherein Christ's Mediatorship consists Mediator and Testator how concurring p. 177 Title 4. Of Christ's Priesthood Christ's offering One God to mediate to One Man to mediate for One God and Man to mediate One Ransom to mediate by Christ a Man Christ the greatest and truest High Priest Christ offered Self p. 180 Title 5. Of the Dignity of Melchisedec A Priest A singular Priest A perpetual Priest Greater than Abraham Abraham paid Tithes to Melchisedec Melchisedec not of Aaron's Tribe Abraham blessed of Melchisedec Sacerdotal Blessing Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedec Actions of Fathers transmitted to Children Levi blessed of Melchisedec Melchisedec immortal p. 184 Title 6. Of the Order of Melchisedec Christ of that order Christ's pedigree Joseph's pedigree Maries pedigree Christ no Priest by birth Christ made a Priest by oath Christ a Royal Priest Christ Priest and Sacrifice Christ ministers in Heaven Tabernacle imperfect Sanctuary a worldly manufacture Ordinances arbitrary Way to Holiest not made Christ first enters the Holy place Faithful enter at the last day Services imperfect Christ's blood dedicates the Holy of Holies One offering Christ offers Self in heaven Christ reigns in heaven Melchisedec a type of Christ Of the offering of Christ Through the spirit Without spot Once In Heaven p. 189 Title 7. Of Christ's Humiliation Extent of Christ's obedience To all Law Above all Law Against all Law Extremity of Christ's obedience Rarity Shame Curse Reasons of Christ's obedience To confirm Testament To expiate sin and misery p. 202 Title 8. Of Christ's Exaltation Victory over sin Imputation of righteousness Jural righteousness Reasons of victory over sin Light conquers darkness Sin no native Propension in Nature to its proper state Genuine nature of the Spirit Superiour faculties predominate Active cooperation Christ's victory over Law Outward Covenant of Works Inward state of Mind Alive to sin Dead to Law Carnal liberty to sin Legal perfection Our victory over Law Grace stronger than Law Spirit of Grace stronger than spirit of Law God delights more in mercy than vengeance Man object of Gods love Christ's pleading undeniable to God Christ's victory over death Victory procured meritoriously by Christ's death Victory obtained by the spirit of Faith Our victory over death Sin conquered Law conquered Devil conquered Christ entred into the Holy of Holies p. 210 Title 9. Of mistakes of the effects of Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Nothing for us to do Trust to outward Mortifications Superstition Natural complexion for Divine grace Rhetoricating Consequences of Christ's death and resurrection Material Cross Spiritual Cross Material resurrection Spiritual resurrection Material ascension Spiritual Ascension No oblation pleased God but Christ's Every one that comes to God must offer Christian Religion most spiritual and glorious No Mediatour but Christ End of
and saving Faith as shall be shewn hereafter Contrary unto this is our Covenanting with the Devil and the World To give our Souls to the Devil and the Flesh in giving away our Souls and Bodies for propriety and our Faculties and Estates for usufruct to these Enemies of God and our selves to our destruction and this is Infidelity and renouncing all Covenant or Communion with God So I give me and mine to God and God receives what I give and I am his So God gives Himself to me and I receive what he gives and He is mine And this is a perfect Covenant betwixt God and me and holds all the while I keep my Faith and true Allegiance unto him During the continuance of which Faith that maintains this League and Covenant betwixt God and my Soul Claim by Covenant I may claim all Gods Promises as my due with a holy boldness and he may challenge all mine and that we may first make and afterwards maintain and keep this our Covenant with God unto the end we have alwaies free access unto the Throne of his Grace for Grace sufficient to help us in the time of all our needs The CONTENTS 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 TITLE III. Of the distinction of Covenants Of the distinction of Covenants TO speak clearly and properly according to the Analogy of Faith concerning Gods two most eminent Covenants with Mankind Thus First Covenant with Adam I. The first Covenant that God made was with the first Man Adam in which was one Negative Commandment The Condition was to abstain from tasting of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil The Promise was to eat of the Tree of Life in the earthly Paradise and by the help thereof to live for ever The Threatning was if he did break this Law he should pass his time in labour and sorrow be shut out of Paradise and at last die the death This is not the same Covenant with that of Moses Law 1. Because the Condition was diverse To obey all the Commandments which God then gave Ten whereof he wrote with his own Finger the rest he dictated to Moses and commanded him to write them in a Book 2. Because the Promises were diverse To enjoy long life honour Friends plenty peace and victory in the Land of Canaan 3. Because the Threatning was diverse Stoning scourging hanging c. Second Covenant with Adam II. The second Covenant that God made was with the first Man Adam The Condition was Love to the Seed of the Woman Enmity to the Seed of the Serpent The Promise was That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Thou shalt break his head The Threatning was That the seed of the Serpent should bruise the Womans heel And he shall bruise thy heel This may not be the same Covenant with that of God in Christ 1. Because the Condition was diverse viz. Faith and Love 2. Because the Promise was diverse viz. Eternal life and in order thereunto Remission of sins the Holy Spirit Resurrection and Ascension 3. Because the Threatning was diverse viz. Eternal death The first Covenant Resemblance of Covenants may in part resemble the Covenant of Works by the Law of Moses because of a prohibition from one thing and a permission of all the rest because of a promise of one Earthly Paradise because of the threatning of a Bodily Death The second Covenant may in part resemble the Covenant of Grace by the Gospel of Christ Because of the condition of Love to the true Seed of the Woman which is Christ and of Hatred to the true seed of the Serpent which is the Devil because of the true breaking of the true Serpents head which is the Devil by the true promised Seed of the Woman which is Christ And because of the true bruising of the true seed of the Woman by the true seed of the Serpent But though there were Promises many and Covenants many yet in the Scriptures it is evident that there are but two Covenants of God eminently and properly so called which are I. The Law of Moses which is the Old Covenant of Works The Condition was Obedience to the whole Law The Promise was the Land of Canaan and Rest therein The Threatning was Temporal punishments and Death without mercy The Mediatour was Moses The Duration was till Christ should come in the flesh II. The Gospel of Christ which is the New Covenant of Grace The Condition was Faith The Promise was Life eternal in Heaven The Threatning was Death eternal in Hell The Mediatour was Christ The Duration was till Christs second coming in Glory Yet no body can deny First Covenant inculcated from the Creation but that the first Covenant of the Old Testament was hinted from the Creation for the Precepts in the Law of Nature written in the heart and for the Promises and Rewards due to the obedience of a happy life on Earth never to have end and for the Threatnings of Calamities and Death never to end And so also the second Covenant of the New Testament was hinted from the Creation in the revelation in part of a Spiritual Law Second Covenant inculcated from the Creation to those that did obey the Law of Nature and in the obscure revelation of spiritual and eternal Promises to those that embraced the carnal and temporal ones But still there was no Law written in Tables till Moses and still there was no full Revelation of the spiritual Law and of spiritual and eternal Promises till Christ came and wrote them perfectly by his Spirit in the heart Law written Therefore when the writing of the Law of Nature upon the heart was almost quite worn out by habits and practices of unnatural Evils and the universal Examples of Wicked men turning from God to Idols and walking after the imaginations of their own hearts continually God made a Covenant with the Children of Abraham by Moses for the performance of Carnal duties and fruition of Carnal rewards to lead them on farther and prepare them to the practice of spiritual Services and enjoyment of eternal Rewards which to them as to Children were represented and shadowed out by several Rites and Ceremonies and temporal Prosperities These lesser and weaker Commands and Promises God gave unto them for that time of their Minority and reserved the manifestation of his higher and stronger Commands and Promises till the fullness of time when all things should be made perfect Spirit more plentiful in the Gospel Therefore God sprinckled a lesser portion of his Spirit upon some before and under the Law according to their present capacities But afterward when
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
all these So the Church hath her Pupillage and Tutorage and also her Majority and full Age. However God revealed himself at sundry times and after divers manners by his Servants to the infant Church in former Ages Heb. 1.2 yet in these last and riper daies he hath more fully revealed himself by his Son Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 10 11 12. ready to be revealed in the last time of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angels desire to look into And these all having obtained a good report through Faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect SECTION II. Jews a childish People The Jews are reckoned a childish People who though they had perpetual Oracles Miracles and Prophets among them as evidences of God's Presence and Protection yet they fell of shamefully to Idolatry A Prodigy GOD being daily in their eye and as it were handled by them in Egypt at the Red-Sea by a Pillar of Fire by night and of Cloud by day in the Wilderness giving them the Law and Manna from heaven c. in the Tabernacle and in the Temple when they came into the Land of Canaan That all along they should distrust his Goodness and Rebel against him But after seventy years Captivity that sore and lasting Calamity for all their Idolatries they began to come to their Wits arriving at some degree of maturity and growth The Temple so destroyed and now so proudly re-edified and their Enemies still increasing upon them and God withdrawing his visible presence from them by little and little and no Angel nor Prophet appearing to comfort them they were taught that there was some higher Worship and more Spiritual happiness intended for them than the Law did promse And they began by degrees to elevate their minds to seek him in his proper dwelling place of Heaven and to rely upon Coelestial and Eternal Promises as appeared by the constancy of their Sufferings under Antiochus even to Martyrdom in the Hope that their Fathers the best of them had That they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 Thus their Affections were weaned by degrees towards the dawning of the Gospel and the Day-spring from on high which was shortly to visit them All hopes of Temporal happiness failing them being put under the Roman-yoke also which they so much abhorred the Wisest among them did look up higher than this World and waited for the greater Consolation of Israel who was to be the Hopes of all the ends of the Earth The Glory of the Scepter being at last departed from Judah first ravished from them by one of the Limbs of the Macedonian Lion and afterwards grasped by the Talons of the Roman Eagle after this deadly gripe the Royal Stock was quite extinct and the Office of Aaron perplexed and all things in Church and State so blended contrary to their Original Institution that they were at their wits end as to any Temporal recovery which made the Understanding Party look up higher but the Generality were sorely abused by their Leaders and Teachers Then came John the Baptist the Preacher of Repentance to the Poor people and to the Scribes and Pharisees that generation of Vipers warning them to flee from the Wrath and to embrace the Mercy that was to come and to bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance and not to say any more in their hearts That they had Abraham to their Father for God was able out of the Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham not to trust in the Temple for not a stone shall be left upon a stone and the Axe was laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire Also Christ was to come with his Fann in his hand who would throughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with unquenchable fire And except men were born again and except their Righteousness did exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should never enter into the Kingdom of heaven but must be baptized not with VVater but with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Many mighty Miracles were done by Jesus Christ and his Disciples in all the Regions round about so as it was never heard of or seen before since the VVorld stood At this hearing and seeing of these VVonders the People were amazed and all sorts began to enquire saying What shall we do The Law and the Prophets were until John Luk. 10.16 since that time the Kingdom of heaven is taken by violence and every man presseth into it Thus was the way of the Lord prepared and his paths made streight Every Valley was exalted and every Mountain and Hill brought low Luk. 3.5 c. and the crooked paths made streight and the rough waies made smooth and all flesh was to see the Salvation of God And the Axe laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire So the Jewish Church was in its Minority under the Law as under a School master which taught them Elements and gave them Corrections i. e. Elements of civil Conversation with others and sobriety in their own persons Principles of Morality as forbidding of Murther Adultery Theft c. sitting them thereby for the prohibition of Anger Malice Lust c. in the New Law of Christ who saith Math. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart And he that hateth his Brother is a Murtherer And from Usury he teacheth to lend freely looking for nothing again and from Oaths not to swear at all but let their Yea be Yea and their Nay Nay and from Shadows and Ceremonies to bring them to Substantial and Spiritual worship and from Circumcision with hands in the Flesh to Circumcision without hands in the Spirit Coll 2.11 in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ All this Service was Servile as 1. To be subject to positive Laws against the Laws of Nature and forced to Punishments for breaking of them An ignorance or neglect of a Statute was expiated by a Sacrifice or Sin offering but a wilful breach by Presumption was
Christ the Mediator of the second Testament For finding fault with them he saith Behold the daies come saith the Lord Heb. 8.8 when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old Heb. 13.7 now that which decayeth and waxeth Old is ready to vanish away for if the first Covenant had been faultless there should have been no place sought for the second The first Testament therefore being made void by the death of Christ Moses is no longer a Mediator of that which is not but the New and and last Testament succeeding in the room of the first Christ is become the Mediator thereof And this is the True Testament and this is the True Mediator whereof the Law and Moses were but the Figures and Types Moses but a Man though a Man of God and Christ both God and Man The CONTENTS Two Natures Vnion Incarnation TITLE II. Of the Person of Christ IN the first place therefore being come to so great a Mediator of so great a Covenant let us describe with all reverence who this Mediator is by whom all these great and everlasting Blessings are dispensed Two Natures There are in Christ Two Natures 1. A Divine Nature Quis ille qui venit quis novus Hercules A strange Person Who can declare his Generation whose goings forth were before all Eternity The Son of God God of God Light of Light very God of very God being of the substance of the Father by whom all things were made Joh. 1. 2. A Humane Nature The Son of Man The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homo de Matre. We have seen him with our eyes 1 Joh. 1.1 we have heard him and our hands have handled of the Word of Life Thus we may safely speak what the Scriptures speak De Deo vel seriò loqui piriculosum nè fortè Deo indigna loquamur It is dangerous to speak of God though we endeavour to speak as seriously as we can lest peradventure we should speak unworthily of him Christians I fear have been too bold to speak so much more and so far different from what is written He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and a Worm and no Man rejected of men and they hid as it were their faces from him because there was no beauty in him for which they should desire him Heb. 4.15 In the form of a Servant Like unto us in all things Sin only excepted Never yet any Heretick blasted him with Sin Union 3. A Union of two Natures Nestorius denying communication of Idioms divided Christ Homo Christus nascitur Deus Christ is born God and Man Mary was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Psal 40.16 Corpus aptasti mihi A Body hast thou prepared me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like unto Man in all things Flesh of our Flesh and Bone of our Bone Perfect God and Perfect Man of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting no Confusion of Substance but Unity of Person As the Sun and Light are one as the Graff and the Plant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil A fiery Sword two Natures fire and steel two Acts cut and burn to cut burning and burn cutting Sic liceat magnis componere parva Alas we do but stammer In all our expressions there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some likeness and some disproportion The whole Mystery is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above our understanding above our expression above the apprehension of a Created Nature A dark glimmering we have of it a spark 1 Pet. 1.12 The Angels stoop down to look into this Abyss but cannot fathom it Great Wits have been too bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrius was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too subtil a Disputant Naz. Nestorius had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tongue too well hung The manner of these things is unconceiveable Tu disputa ego credam Let whoso will dispute it is safest to believe Just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the best Foundation It is to be believed that God and Man are mutually each others Sons and of this great Subject with reverence I thus as a weak man declare my sentiments without School-Terms begging pardon for all failings When our Work is wrought out of us in nature it is our own Incarnation because it is our nature and like our selves as a Son is wrought out of his Father in nature he is his Fathers because he is his Nature and like his Father When our Work is wrought out of us in our Fancy or Judgment it is our own because it is our fancy and like our minds as a volume or structure is the Idaea of our Imagination and is our Imagination and the Child of our Imagination because it is like its Father Now as it is with Man so after the model of our apprehension it is with God When God's Actions are like himself then the genuine Effects are his Sons As Adam God's Creature was the Son of God and Christ the Emanation of himself the Brightness of his Glory and the Express Image of his Person is the Son of God There are but four Relations I humbly conceive of Sonship between God and Man As thus 1. Either God is the Son of God 2. Or Man is the Son of God 3. Or Man is the Son of Man 4. Or God is the Son of Man 1. Because when God bringeth forth a Son Reason that Son is either God or Man And when Man bringeth forth a Son that Son is either Man or God For besides God or Man no other Thing can have Sons Angels and Beasts have none The Reason is To produce a Son these two Properties are required 1. In the Parent a faculty of Reason 2. A power to Generate Now none but God and Man can have these two Properties concurring Angels and Beasts have but each of them one and want the other Angels have Reason but not Generation and Beasts have Generation but not Reason Therefore 1. When God bringeth forth God according to God's Image then God is the Son of God 2. When God bringeth forth Man according to God's Image then Man is the Son of God 3. When Man bringeth forth Man according to Man's Image then Man is the Son of Man 4. When Man bringeth forth God according to Man's Image then God is the Son of Man Though in all these Relations Man as Man is not the Son of God nor God as God is the Son of Man Pardon O thou Great GOD the faint conceptions and expressions of a Worm and help the understanding and utterance of thy poor Creature and teach me to believe what I am not able to express All these four Generations of Fathers and subordinate Productions of Sons
as fully every way as upon those vulgar or scholastick notions that they have been used to and spent their oratory upon in the Geneva knack of sermonizing Now whether Preaching have not been extremely abused let the sober judg When the plain simplicity and purity of the Gospel is left and sentences of Fathers and Councils or School-subtilties or Casuistical Mootings but especially Rhetorical flourishings mingled with Poetical flashings and ginglings are all hudled together in a Pulpit to amaze the Hearers that the Preacher may be admired for a deep Scholar and a precious man of God All the Learning that hath been in esteem for the most part was the learning of the Antients and of the latter Schools and to stuff our Books with their Sayings was our greatest glory but give me the men that can invent of their own and add better to the former labours of learned men Lord what great care and psins is there taken and what vast expences made to search in forrain Parts for old ends of Gold and Silver Brass Wood and Stone in Coins Mettals Plates Marbles Statues Tables Pictures Banners Escucheons and Manuscripts to print them in stately Volumes to know the customes and habits of Idolatrous Heathens or superstitious orders of ignorant Monks and Friers and to what purpose How do some men stretch their memories for there is nothing of judgment in the case to understand the Oriental Tongues consuming the precious time and strength of rare Wits in Criticisms upon words and Idioms of strange tongues by Lexicons only which might be far better imployed in the understanding of things profitable to the Church and State I deal freely and ingenuously with my Reader I care not to pump and plod for other mens notions less proper for my purpose and so lose my own If I meet with any better I shall not stick to use them and so to make them mine in my own composition without plagiary He is no fool that saith Potest homo sine Magistri ductu Claubergius Invention suo remigio è solâ mentis suae Tabulà mundi vasto volumine studere imò pluris in rebus naturali lumini subjectis facienda est una veritas proprio Marte reperta quà m decem ab aliis acceptae dantur exempla eorum qui è semetipsis mundi libro studentes magni viri evaserunt Every man may without the conduct of a Master guide himself by his own steerage and study in the Book of his mind and in the large volume of Nature and one truth so found out by a man 's own ingenuity in those things which are evident by the light of nature is of more worth than ten that are conveyed to us from the wits of other men And there are not wanting examples of many that being students of themselves and of the world have attained to be very great and learned men The Mind is sensible of the Distemper of the Body but the Body is not sensible of the discomposure of the Soul Most men not using their rational faculties lead more an animal than an intellectual life Our reason began to be disturbed as soon as ever we began to speak and that corruption corrupted our speech afterwards and most men go clear away with false reasons or flashes of wit for sense And by custome for want of observation this cheat is established and none but discerning and honest unbiassed men do seriously mark it An Oratour or a Buffoon makes us merry and gets applause when a sober plain wise man cannot be heard and especially when mens interests come in to get favour or gain any thing is swallowed and the cunning man will not own it that he cheats another or is cheated himself If therefore we use the common way of speaking we shall speak truly but if we use the common way of reasoning we shall not reason truly For right reason is a very hard thing to come by and few have it and yet every man pretends to enjoy it Fearfulness For my own part I am distrustful of my self and this is the only satisfaction that I can give my own Soul that I am sensible of nothing more than of mine own weakness I do therefore fearfully commend my Thoughts to the world and because I have few or no succours nor encouragements I am come a begging to every wise man's door for his relief in charity to tell me truly where I am and how I am likely to be accepted and whether all this be worth my labour I confess I may be over-conceited of my own conceptions and dote upon my own homely Brat I would fain know my errors which my own self-favouring spirit may not suffer me to understand Act. 8.26 I seem to aim as Apollos was taught by Aquilla and Prissilla to understand the way of God more perfectly The things I deliver are the same but they have not had the luck to be clothed altogether in the habit And what then have I done And what will become of me How shall I be slash'd for my presumption Some body I hope will take my part for I look to be hated because I single my self from the company of other men Giants to me and whose Books I am not worthy to carry nor be named the same day with them Yet still my little Candle may give a small Light amongst those vast Tapers Tell me some good body my fortune in this case and what I am likely to trust to for I am by nature very fearful Imperial Law If in this great case of God's disposal of rights to his Church and their Justification to them by faith I have made use of the Terms of the Imperial Law of the Romans or the Feudal Law of the Lombards Feudal Law I hope it is not without good grounds And if in any point I have erred I shall be glad to be convinced thereof that I might amend it And if in any thing I have afforded any light towards the right understanding of the Two Testaments and the great cases of Justification and of Christ's Church in order to a fair composure of needless Controversies I shall be mightily satisfied and heartily thankful to God and good men And I hope by this Essay some stately spirits will rouze up their Lion-like strength Essay and carry all before them with an high hand laying all the perverse disturbers of the Church at their conquering Feet and tumble them into their everlasting graves from ever rising up again to perplex the world any more at least in a degree if God so please If any be so scornful as to slight me or so cruel as to smite me with reproaches I shall never reply but lie still and defend my self with my good intentions to be serviceable in the Tabernacle of God though but as a Hewer of Wood or Drawer of Water And why may not a Dwarf carry Arms for a Giant Or a poor Boy run
taken or received this is jus habere in them that have power to consent SECT VIII Creation 1. The creating all Rights as of all Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Being and Justice who giveth power unto men subordinately to make Laws and to do acts of Grace in imitation of that absolute Supremacy Legislative power and Prerogative that is in him alone this is Jurisfaction or making of Rights SECT IX Donation 2. The giving of all Rights as of Things is absolutely in God the fountain of all Beings and Graces from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed who giveth power unto men to do acts of kindness and good will in imitation of that absolute Bounty and Liberality that is in him alone this is Jurisdation and Mercy SECT X. Declaration 3. The declaring of Rights is absolutely in God the fountain of all Wisdom who giveth power to men to know good and evil Right and Wrong that they might give every one his due in commuting just valuations and distributing proportionable rewards or punishments to vertue or vice in imitation of that infinite wisdom prudence justice and bounty that is in him eminently alone This is Jurisdiction and Justice SECT XI Faction 4. The Doing of Right is absolutely in God for there is none good but God the fountain of all goodness who giveth power unto men to do good and eschew evil by the practice of all vertue and honesty in imitation of that infinite goodness and integrity which is highly in him alone This is Righteousness and goodness SECT XII Reception The Taking of Right is absolutely in God who hath all right properly in and from himself who giveth power unto men to receive and take from him and them to whom he hath given Rights to such things as may be their own by free gift or law in imitation of that infinite possession and profit which is in him transcendently alone This is owning and enjoying Right SECT XIII Amongst all Rights whatsoever Justification the act of Justifying others unto Rights is the best and highest act of Justice or Judgment because it produceth or bringeth forth all original Rights as the parent or stock to the off-spring and branches that spring from the same For if he do right that either deals right or declares right much more doth he do right who creates that Right whereby actual Right is done by a neighbour to his neighbour or by a Judg to his Client When a Tenant pays thee his Rent he doth thee right but when thy Father gave thee thy Estate he did thee more right for he made that right and gave it to thee whereby thy Tenant doth thee right When I was questioned for my Living the Judg justified me by declaring me to have a good right thereunto but when my Patron presented me he justified me much more for he created and gave to me that right which the Judg declared me to have SECT XIV Of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour or benefit of every private person as they are in private capacity and society with themselves 2. Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of all persons as they are considered in publick capacity and communion with the State or Commonwealth which things are farther illustrated in the Civil Law In the Church of Rights some are private and some publick 1. Private Right is that which belongeth to the honour and profit of every particular person as Faith Justification Sanctification Love Hope Patience Temperance c Adoption Resurrection Ascension Glory SECT XV. 2. Publick Right Publick Right is that which belongeth to the honour and benefit of the whole communion of Saints and Body of Christ as 1. The Rights of Creation Protection Maintenance 2. The Rights of Redemption as Victory over World Flesh Death Devil 1. The Rights of Creation or Nature are common to all men good and bad and to all creatures and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be to the world's end And though the wicked amongst men are unrighteous legally and morally and therefore jurally have no spiritual Rights of the Gospel yet they are not unrighteous naturally to the use of the Creatures for food and raiment or temporal Dominion which are not founded upon Grace but upon natural and Civil Establishments Thus God left not the heathen that worshipped him not as God without Witness Act. 14.17 but gave them rain from heaven filling their hearts with food and gladness 1. The Rights of Redemption or Grace are peculiarly enjoyed by the Faithful only and are the same that ever they were and ever shall be world without end These Rights of Grace by Regeneration and a new Creature which were lost by the Fall of Adam are restored by the Redemption of the Second Adam Christ Jesus And all that have put off the Old man with the corruptions and lusts and have put on the New man which after Christ is renewed in righteousness and holiness are the righteous Heirs of God that have right to themselves and to their own spiritual actions and to the food and clothing of the Soul and all things that conduce to their everlasting welfare Rights are considered as private or publick 1. Natural in all natural Entities 2. Civil in all Corporations Politick 3. Religious in all Civil Communions 1. Singly to each person 2. Jointly in Divine or Humane Society SECT XVI Justice All Rights are Dues and may be claimed and Just and therefore Sacred and therefore not to be violated or profaned Because they are allowed to those to whom they do belong by the Laws of God and Man And therefore God forbid but every man should have his due that is his own Just Rights And this way of Justice and Honesty if it were trod in exactly would bring peace and quietness into the world and for want of it is all strife war and misery SECT XVII Rights to God My chiefest Rights of my Soul and Body Wife and Children Honour and Estate are of and to and from my God whose I am and all mine SECT XVIII Rights to Body and Soul My next Rights of my Soul and Body are to my self for I have Right to my self to be mine own for God hath given me my self my Soul and Body to be mine under him and for him and they are mine as they are his and therefore they are mine because they are his and because he hath given them to me and therefore he hath given them unto me which is his act and deed that I might give them again to him and this is my act and deed and so we have Rights interchangeably to each other And so I am contracted to my God and my God is contracted to me and I am his and he is mine I have interest in him and he
in me I may challenge my Right in him and he may challenge his Right in me These are my greatest Rights to my God and to my self SECT XIX Next to these Rights I have Right to one Person especially from all the world beside Rights to Wife which God hath given me to my self and made my second self that is my Wife who is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and are no longer two but one Flesh and by a higher Law she is Soul of my Soul and Spirit of my Spirit and we are no longer two but one Spirit By her I come to have Right to be a Husband and so a Father and so have Right to her as to a Wife and I have power over her as a Husband and she hath right to me as to a Husband and she hath power over me as a Wife And so I come to have Right to Children by her and she hath Right to Children by me and the Children have Right to us both So we have Right to Rule and they to Obey we have Right to instruct and they to be instructed Therefore next to my Right to God and to my self is my Right to my Second self which is my Wife SECT XX. And next to these is my Right to my Children Rights to Children that they are lawfully begotten of my Body and of my Wives Body and therefore they are mine and they are hers by right of Nature and of Law and none but God and we can claim any interest in them or title to them as Children But as Subjects and Servants to the King and his Ministers both Parents and Children may be claimed and used by their Superiours and all for God who hath given this power over them and made them as Gods unto us SECT XXI After my Right to my God to my self to my wife and children Rights to Estate and Honour I come to have right to my Estate or Office or Degree or what Honour and Benefit accrues to me by them and from them and these are the goods that God hath given me to feed and clothe and protect my self and my wife and children and servants c. With these I am invested and infeudated and they are mine under God of whom I hold and no body may invade my Bed where is the Honour and Estate of my wife and family nor my House or Land Cattel or other goods thereupon which is the Revenue and maintenance of my House or my Patrimony nor my Degree and Quality which is the augmentation of my Head and a badge of my Honour All these the most Rich and Bountiful God hath given me to use them rightly for his glory And he is a Traitor in my family if wife child or servant and a Robber out of my family that shall go about to ravish any of these my Just Rights from me and God that gave them me will defend them to me and cursed be those that shall estraye them from me but if they do by Divine leave I must submit and shall either have Restitutio in integrum in things of the same kind or ex gratia uberiori abundanti things of a better kind even Spiritual and Eternal shall be added to me and I will trust God with my self even with all that I am and all that I can do and with all that I have or possess and though I am not worthy to understand when or why or how yet I believe that God is my sheild and will be my exceeding great Reward and then I rest my self contented with his good will and pleasure Let me therefore look carefully to preserve my own Rights every way and to abstain from invasion or hurting any mans Rights any way SECT XXII Rights not to be violated Let me therefore first be so wise as to understand what Rights are both God's and mine and other mens both private and publick Let me next be so honest and just as to do Right to God and to my self and to all men For they are the wisest men that know best what is right and what is wrong and to whose persons they do belong And they are the honestest men that practice the right and avoid the wrong So shall there be no accusation from God nor regret from our own Consciences nor cries and clamours of men or other creatures spoiled or abused by me All is right and peace to a just and righteous God to a good Conscience in a wicked world I shall stand right in the sight of God I shall have right to Jesus Christ and in him to all things and shall be able to lift up my head at the day of Judgment when my redemption draweth near 1. Let me not violate my right to my God by unfaithfulness nor destroy his right to me of Adoption by my rebellion 2. Let me not violate my right to my self by sinning against my Conscience by sinning against my Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 3. Let me not violate the right I have to my Wife by prostituting her and my self to base lusts 4. Let me not violate my right to my Children by suffering Adultery in her and my self 5. Let me not violate my right to my Honour by base actions and by neglect of their Education 6. Let me not violate my right to my Prince and Country by Rebellion and Murder c. The Rights that accrue to me are these 1. Birth-right or chiefly first Birth-right 2. Purchase-right 3. Labour or Work-right 4. Promise or Gift-right And because all these are sacred in themselves and the more when they are concerning Holy and Spiritual Things therefore it must needs be profane 1. When a man willfully parts with his own rights without just consideration or reason as Esau who is therefore called profane because he sold his Sacred Birth-right or Primogeniture by which he was to be both Prince and Priest so basely and rashly for a Mess of Pottage 2. When another wilfully and covetously ravishes the rights of others to whom they do belong and taketh them by extortion to himself or giveth them to strangers This is a horrid and crying sin causing sad cries and complaints in the ears of God and Man from Orphans Widows Strangers and miserable persons many a bitter curse is darted to Heaven for these things Heavy is the load that presseth down these guilty Souls unto the Nethermost Hell and is an everlasting clog upon their Consciences in the world to come Great are the Destructions and Devastations that are made in this World 1. In single persons 2. In Families 3. In Towns and Cities 4. In Provinces and Kingdoms Hinc illae Ruinae hinc illae Lachrymae Hence are Ruines hence are Complaints one draws another and takes away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him This sets the Gowned and the armed Militia on work and sets the world together by the ears And for this reason 1. Because men do
Atheism being a canker in my Estate and theirs and a poyson to me and their Souls that I have not fed my self or mine at all or as I ought or provided for my self or them at all or as I ought that I have not taught my self or them at all or as I ought But especially let not an army of strangers and of miserable persons made so by me come in against me to rail and curse me or go to God with strong cries and tears to help them from the wrongs that I have done them or call for vengeance from Heaven upon me for the same O these are lowd and bitter cries O they rent the very heavens O they come up to the ears of God day and night O what should I do or whether should I go if these Fatherless Widows Strangers should come in against me which God forbid or if the very brutes and inanimate creatures should find mouths to clamour to men to God and to the world against me And all this while which is worse I should cry lowdest against my self in a wounded Conscience which who is able to bear Therefore what ever I do what ever I suffer let me not eat the bread that should nourish others and for want of which they curse and starve Let me not be cloathed with the fleece that should keep others warm and for want of which their nakedness is discovered and they die for cold Let me not shelter my self under the roof of another which should be his castle to save himself nor let me possess the goods or lands of others which they of right should use or enjoy In a word Let none be hurt lamed killed deformed oppressed robbed spoiled or undone by me let no such stain be upon my honour in this world nor no such clog upon my soul to press it down in the world to come But rather let me truly say to my comfort and credit Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded I am innocent from the blood of all men I have endeavoured to get and keep a good Conscience in all things void of offence to God or Man which will bring me peace to my latter end and to all eternity O Adam Adam What inevitable wrongs are done by thee by the miseries and deaths brought upon all thy Race if not the sins by thy example at least the imputation for thy sake What inevitable damnation hast thou brought upon thy self and all men had not the second Adam procured salvation for thee and all men O sinful and cruel men What sins and miseries have you brought upon your selves your families and countries by making them to sin by making them to suffer in peace and war in plenty and want in health and sickness O all ye Oppressours Ranters Rebels and Tyrants How much is the world the worse for you How much is the Church the worse for you What waste and havock and spoil have beastly prodigal and barbarous men made upon the good creatures of God ransacked rifled and preyed upon by your pride and wantonness The first Adam lost all right The second Adam recovered all right God created all right and truth and the Devil created all wrong and falsehood These are the two principles of right and wrong good and evil SECT XXXII Collect. Moral Honesty not doubted of 2 Therefore though many revealed truths of faith are called into question and many natural causes are doubted of yet we cannot if we be in our wits make any just scruple of moral honesty no body can deny it he must put out the light of nature if he do which cannot be A spade must be a spade and honesty is honesty when all is done whether we will or no and goes through the world A true man is the only man when all is done that hath honour and conscience in him his enemies themselves being Judges So there can be no difference about honesty that there is and ought to be such a thing But what that thing is and where to find it what is Right and Truth and Wrong and False we cannot we will not agree but call Right Wrong Lyes Truth Evill Good Darkness Light and é contra Every Man will be in the right a common sin to flatter our selves in sin to preach of it praise it pray for it inveigh against evill commend good but act against it Every Man is as his phancy and passion guides him as his party and interest lyes so he judges so he acts so do States and Kingdoms so do Churches too What shall we do in this case how shall we know Right from Wrong that we may do right I answer 1. God hath shew'd it unto us in the light of Nature if we will open our eyes to see it there it is in the common principles thereof very plain 2. Princes from God have shew'd it unto us in their Laws taken from the Law of Nature for our temporal good 3. Priests from God have shew'd it unto us in God's Laws revealed by the Apostles and Prophets for our spiritual good For the Priest's lips preserve knowledg and God's Law is to be enquired of from their mouthes for the good of the Soul 4. Physicians from God have shew'd it unto us in their skill what is for the Body 5. Lawyers from God shew it unto us in their wisdom what is good good for our Estates But in all we are deceiv'd and lose the Right while it is before us holding the Truth in unrighteousness SECT XXXIII Therefore every Man must see with his own eyes Collect. 3. Use Reason and hear with his own ears and understand with his own heart as well as he can and God will help him Let the world know that to assert Infallibility is a cheat and to set up Supremacy is a cheat and to impose Antiquity in all things is a cheat But right Reason humble and unbiassed not excluding frailties is no cheat He that seeketh findeth he that asketh shall have and he that knocketh at Wisdom's gate shall enter in SECT XXXIV Two Guides God hath given to all Men. Reason of Nature 1. Reason of Nature in common principles Quaedam Jura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora saith Cicero There are some Laws which are not written but they are more certain than all the written Laws in the world This is the fountain of Right and it cannot at the same time send forth sweet waters and bitter This is the Treasure which God hath committed to the charge of every one to keep and improve SECT XXXV 2. Equity of conscience Equity of Conscience in common Conclusions drawn from the pure Truths These must guide us when positive Laws fail us Nec omne quod honestum est legibus praecipitur For not every thing that is honest is commanded by the Laws The reason is because Law-givers are not Diviners and Prophets to fore-see every contingent
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
or condemneth for the approving or rejecting of truth or falshood is called the Conscience For the Mind Will and Conscience are faculties of that substance which is the Spirit Hidden Man This Spirit is the very Being and Person of a Man called in the Scripture the Hidden Man and the Inward Man because it is a fine secret substance which is both unseen and invisible and because it dwelleth inward within the Body as in a moving Tent or House which in Scripture is called the Outward Man i. e. a poor weak cottage framed of a few slender bones Outward Man clouted together with rags of Flesh plaistered over with a skin of Parchment and thatched over head with a shag of Hair which after a few years is half blown off and after a few more the whole hovel is quite blown down to the ground for it is but a sorry composure of Flesh and Bloud mire and clay God knows Natural Man And while this Native Spirit or inmate or inward Man to the Body acteth no otherwise than according to that native force and strength which he hath by Nature so long is he called the Natural Man and the Carnal Man Supernatural Inspiration But moreover when any supernatural influence or ability is inspired into the Native Spirit of Man it is also called the Spirit For such an ability inspired is as it were a Super-spirit or Spirit upon Spirit or an After-spirit whereby the Spirit of man is changed altered and moved to act otherwise than by the course of Nature it could or easily would And this Supernatural inspiration is differenced by the effects which it operateth upon the Native Spirit Penal and grievous For when the Justification is penal and grievous to depress deject and vex the Native Spirit then it is called in Scripture an Evil Spirit Such an evil Spirit was upon the Native Spirit of Saul after his disobedience Such were the evil Spirits 1 Sam. 16.14 Luc. 7.21 Luc. 8.2 whereof Christ cured many And such was that evil Spirit mentioned Acts 19.15 16. Beneficial and gracious And when the Inspiration is beneficial and gracious to elevate and exalt and sublimate the native Spirit of man refining re-enforcing and strengthening the native fineness force and strength thereof then it is called a Good Spirit Which Good Spirit is again diversified according to the diverse effects which it worketh upon the native Spirit Hence we read The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Is 11.2 the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And again 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear but of power of Love and of a sound mind But when this good Inspiration is beneficial in a peculiar manner Holy Spirit for pious uses and holy purposes exalting the native Spirit of man to such a degree that thereby he disrelisheth despiseth and forsaketh vanity worldly and earthly things relisheth affecteth and aspireth after Divine and Heavenly things performeth or is enabled to perform the true Service of God in the duties and works of true holiness according to the precepts of the New Testament then this good Inspiration is called the Holy Spirit and many times singularly The Spirit in an Eminent and excellent sense And the man whose native Spirit is inspired with this Holy Spirit Spiritual Man is called the Spiritual man the New man and a new Creature because by this Holy Spirit his native Spirit is sanctified regenerated or re-nated i. e. begotten again born again new formed or new created The Spirit then is a supernatural ability of man's native Spirit to form the works of true Holiness And the words Mortification Sanctification Regeneration and Renovation and the like signifie either that thing or the effects of that thing whereof the name is the Spirit For the works of true Holiness are Love Joy Peace long suffering Gal. 5.21 gentleness Good Fidelity Meekness Temperance and such like all which are called the Fruits of the Spirit This Spirit which sanctifieth the knowing faculty of the mind of Man to discern between good and evil as also the moving faculty of the Will to choose good from evil doth also farther sanctifie the judging faults of the conscience to accuse or excuse acquit or condemn rightly and truly as it ought to do keeping a conscience in all things void of offence both towards God and towards Men. The CONTENTS Definition Seat Vnderstanding Will. Memory Reflection TITLE II. Of Conscience Definition COnscience is the judging faculty of the Soul of a Man regulated by a Law for the practise of life and conversation Seat There needs no dispute about the Seat of Conscience whether it be in the Understanding Will or Memory for it is in them all even in the whole Soul Understanding The Understanding speculative considereth Universals Principles Axioms that is Notions or Rules natural or revealed for contemplation of wisdom so the conscience intends the truth of things The Understanding practical considereth particulars consequences and conclusions that flow from those natural Axioms in order to action So the conscience intends the goodness of things and both these are one and the same faculty Will. The Will is created with liberty to follow the dictates of the understanding for the exerting of internal and external actions in the practise of life and conversation Memory Reflection The Memory is the Treasury of all that is done in the whole Man And when the conscience in all these faculties hath speculated considered directed and willed it doth also reflect upon all these internal acts and glances shrewdly upon all the external acts that flow from them judging exactly and impartially upon every one of them and passing sentence accordingly For which cause it may be fitly described Judicium hominis de semetipso The judgment of a Man upon himself A Watchman an Intelligencer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Porter of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Houshold God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Overseer upon the place an Universal Spye to all our practises or if you will God's Vice-gerent in our own breasts The CONTENTS To direct To urge To register To testifie To accuse Before the Action In the Action After the Action TITLE III. Of the Disposition of Conscience THe Disposition of the conscience is rightly to perform these several Offices 1. To direct 2. to urge 3. to record 4. to testifie 5. to accuse or excuse for grief or comfort SECT I. 1. To direct as a Law This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law of the mind To direct the Spirit that delights in the Law of God Ro. 7.23 James 1.21 Rom. 1.19 Arist That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common notions in all nature the work of the Law written in the heart
dispensation of the Gospel God hath now in a great measure left frighting of men to heaven by visible terrors The Law of the Messias was delivered upon the Mount in the small and still voice and is set home upon the hearts of men by the terrour only of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.14 a more heavy vengeance in another world than what overtook the despisers of Moses Law God expects now that we should be judiciously religious and acted to his service by a spirit of love and of a sound mind to fear his threatning more than the burnings of Sinai to look upon a bad man since the appearance of Christ to take away sin as the greatest prodigy and to expect the signs of an approaching Judgment non in Erratis naturae sed Saeculi Id. ib. p. 18. Fanaticks Now we shall ever find that all Persons which take up Opinions from their own poetical genius and busie fancy are impregnable to all the assaults of reason The Rosicrucians acted so hugely by imagination in Philosophy Some kind of Chymists in Medicks The Cabalists in Scripture Expositions Enthusiasts in Religion Figure-casters in Astrology are so invincibly resolved upon their Hypotheses that like him in the story when their hands those little reasonings wherewith they hold them are cut off they will mordicùs defendere hold them with their teeth biting and reviling language thrown upon their opposers and neglecters They are entertained with pleasant and easie dreams and therefore angry with those that attempt to awaken them and discompose them Ib. p. 19. As the assistance of God the Spirit with our holy endeavours doth not take away the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weaknesses attendant on Christian practises because he acts us ad modum nostrum so neither doth the Co-assistance of God the Father with all natural Agents quite remove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Errours of Nature Ib. p. 23. Terrible Representations of God The opinion of Prodigies represents God before the Soul with a rod of Vengeance perpetually in his hand A Belief of a God is that Fort which the Devil could never storm force by any direct temptation and therefore he designs by such terrible and servile conceits wrought in the hearts of men to undermine it For perpetual jealousies and slavish fears of God like over-heated waters boyl over at last and extinguish that fire that faith and sense of God which first produc't them When the Notion of a Deity stands alway before the mind like a Gorgons head pregnant with nothing but horrours and dismaies it quickly works and turns it to a stony stupid neglect of him so to get rid of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mighty Fear which was its continual Executioner Moreover the Devil no doubt loves to bring men off from a noble and generous temper And as it is the design of Religion to cast out fear and to introduce a spirit of true freedom and confidence toward God so it is the work of the Devil to call on a spirit of Bondage and Fear that so he see may in men the more lively and express images and pourtraictures of himself who believes and trembles He would have his Rites of Worship of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frightful and amazing mysteries the Idols wherein he was worshipped bear in their very Names and Titles a remembrance of that Baseness and Servility of spirit which attended his Votaries in the service of so absolute a Tyrant being styled sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 horrours Is 40 5. Jer. 50.38 Ps 106.36 as 't is rendred in the Margin 2 Chron. 15.16 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying trouble and terrour and the Devils are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming from a word which signifies horrour because usually tendring themselves to view in the most frightful forms Now this Superstitious perswasion of Prodigies doth hugely minister to bondage of Spirit and tends to seal men with the mark of Cain according to the Jews a perpetual Trembling and Astonishment P. 24. That which possibly assisted this Tradition was the succeeding of Rome Christian as into the place so into very many of the Rites and usages of Rome Pagan as might be easily made appear at large were that our business and into as large a power over the Faiths and Consciences of men as Rome Pagan had over their Bodies and so was enabled to mold them into what Opinions or Practises they might best serve themselves upon Ib. p. 29. As in Heresie Populus sequitur Doctiores ☜ Popular Errors the People follow the Learned as being in a matter more abstract and subtil more apt to believe than to judge so in Superstition Doctiores sequuntur Populum the Learned are not seldom observed to follow the People because early surprized into an opinion that can enter so valuable a plea for its self as common Consent This Notion of presages by Prodigies being so popular and Catholick Wise men in their first and unwary years when they are Discipuli Plebis may entertain conceits thereof which shall plead prescription against the strongest reasons to dispossess them As Iron in a greater and more massie body sequitur Naturam communem follows the Law of common Nature in all heavy bodies and moves to the earth but in smaller pieces sequitur Naturam privatam it follows its own private Nature and directs it self to the Load-stone Thus Learned men where they are prest by the force and weight of Education and a Common prejudice generally follow common Nature in men which inclines to embrace Society and therefore more in Judgment Secundum viam Terrae but in matters out of vulgar ken and where they cannot be tempted by a common Agreement they move Secundum viam Consilii and pursue the dictates of their private light and understanding Even wise men in many instances held Aras Focos their Faith and their Estates by the same Tenure Tradition from Ancestours and therefore we may receive their Judgments tanquam ex Cathedrâ as engagements to consider not alwaies tanquam ex Tripode as obligations to believe Ib. p. 39. They look upon their Gods as a kind of Fairies which would throw Firebrands and Furies about the house for the omission of some petty Criticisms in their Rites and that therefore they gave forth frequent intimations of those impotencies and distastes They thought they were lost with a Trifle and won again to a good opinion of them by paying them the homage of a little crouching and circumstantial Devotion ☞ Fathers not all pure To the Testimony of Fathers I answer in general That 't were no wonder to find them living so near the times of Gentilism speaking in favour sometimes for some of the Doctrines thereof The main trunk and body of the Gentile Superstition was indeed hewen down in their minds but still there were some small roots and fibres remaining which are observed to spring up ever