in generation Though this answer may be satisfactory to many yet I rest upon the former that we become guilty by imputation Qu. How doth it appear that Adams sin is imputed to all his posterity A. It appears 1. Because sin was in the world before there was a Law given on Sinai as appears in that all Adams posterity were liable unto a temporal death which is the fruit of sin Rom. 5.13 Vntill the Law sin was in the world so that death raigned from the time of Adam to Moses vers 14. now sin would not have been imputed and consequently death when there is no Law Now if you say What Law was there before Moses Law without which sin would not have been imputed I answer Though there was the Law of Nature writ in our hearts by Nature yet the Law the Apostle there speaks of was this mentioned vers 12. That by one man Adam sinning all mankinde should sin in him by that one sin of that one man Adam death should come upon all He speaks not one word of the Law of Nature 2. It appears that Adams sin is imputed to all his posterity from the death of infants Rom. 5.14 Death reigned from Adam to Moses and so along even over them who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression which cannot be meant otherwise then of infants who had not sinned actually as Adam had so that the Apostle argues thus Where death reigned without guilt of their own actual sin there necessarily must be an imputation of the guilt of the first sin But before the Law death reigned over those that had no guilt from their own actual sins meaning little infants that could not sin actually after the similitude of Adams transgression Therefore the guilt of the first sin is necessarily imputed to infants and if so infants much more to grown persons and so to all Q. What may we learn hence A. That there is a sinning after the similitude of Adams transgression or actually 2. That there is a sinning which is not after the similitude of Adams transgression or imputatively which is called original sin Q What is original sin A. It is the corruption of all mankinde by the fall of our first Parents naturally propagated or derived unto all making them guilty of temporal and eternal death and other punishments unless forgiveness be made in Christ Rom. 3.9 to vers 25. Rom. 5.12 13 14 15. It 's called original sin because it was in being from the beginning from the first man that ever was Q. What way is their to come out of this miserable condition A. Only by Jesus Christ Col. 1.21 22. Qu. What is Jesus Christ A. The eternal Son of God Mic. 5.2 made man Rom. 1.3 4. Q. How many are the Offices of Christ in relation to his Church A. They are three Qu. Which are they A. His Kingly office whereby he rules in his Church Psal 2.6 and in the hearts of his people Luk. 17.21 2. His Prophetical office whereby he revealing his Fathers will wee are to hear him in all things Acts 3.22 Matth. 17.5 3. His Priestly Office whereby he offers sacrifice for the sins of his people Heb. 8.3 Q. What sacrifice did Christ offer A. His own body upon the Crosse Heb. 10.10 Qu. Why did Christ offer his own body upon the Crosse A. To make satisfaction for the sins of all those that believe on him Rom. 3.25 26. Q. What is faith A. It is a matrimonial act of the soul Rom. 7.4 2 Cor. 11.3 Eph. 5.32 whereby I do not only believe that there was such a person as one Jesus Christ who dyed and rose at Jerusalem but I believe also that he dyed and rose again for me yea my soul is willing to receive him John 1.12 as my Lord and Saviour Jude 21.25 and to rest upon his satisfaction Rom. 10.10 11. Quest Whether doth Faith go before the forgiveness of sins Ans We are not first washed and then believe but in Scripture-language we first believe and afterwards are washed hence we are said to be justified by Faith Rom. 3.28 and to be purified by Faith Acts 15.9 and Christ is set forth a reconciliation through Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 which blood though it have sufficient vertue to cleanse us from our sins yet it doth not actually purge any unless it be applyed when it is once applyed that the soul looks believingly and mournfully upon him whom he hath pierced in that day is there a Fountain set open to that soul the Fountain of Christ his blood Zach. 12.10 compared with chap. 13.1 Q. But whether is Faith or Repentance first in the soul A. Though Faith be in order before Repentance yet in respect of time they are both together in the soul for in the same moment the Children of God believe that Christ was crucified for their sins they melt under the sight of their sins which were the cause of his crucifying Zach. 12.12 13. compared with chap. 13.1 Q. How doth the soul act in receiving Christ A. There is not onely an assent of the understanding that Jesus is the Christ that came into the World to save sinners which may be in wicked men Heb. 6.4 and Devils Jam. 2.19 but there is also an act of the will whereby God offering his Son as a Prophet to be our Teacher as a King to take us into his Government as our Priest by his death and intercession to wash away our sins we look upon this offer as worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 and so receive Christ to be under his teachings as our Prophet Mat. 17.5 Acts 9.6 rest and repose our selves upon his Sacrifice and satisfaction as our Priest Psal 37.5 Acts 8.37 put our selves under his Government and subject our wills to his will as our King Luke 19.27 This accepting Christ by the will is that very receiving mentioned John 1.12 because whosoever thus receive him have power to become the Sons of God Qu. What are the two parts of Christ his Priesthood A. 1. His death upon the Cross whereby in respect of Gods foreknowledge Christs merit and Gods acceptation he bore the sins of all the Elect upon the Cross ransoming them to God by his death Mat. 20.28 Ephes 1.6 7. 2. His Resurrection from the dead together with his intercession in Heaven whereby as an Advocate he pleades their cause 1 John 2.6 appearing in the presence of God for them Hebrews 9.24 presenting the merits of his own death whose blood speaketh good things for them Hebrews 9.24 So that he is able to save them to the uttermost Hebrews 7.25 Q. How may a Believer know that Christ is his Advocate or Intercessor A. Hereby do we know that we know him so to be if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2.1 2 3 4. Q. How doth a Believer keep the Commandments A. 1. He keepeth them in his head Christ in whose flesh sin was condemned that the righteousness of the
be said They were liable to wrath but it could not be said they were children of wrath it might be said they were upon their fall cursed but it could not be said they were born cursed So that besides temporal and eternal death there is a viciousnes of nature that passeth from Adam to all his posterity so that as a creature begotten partakes of the nature of the begetter as an horse of the nature of an horse so we partake of the sinful nature of our first Parents all along so that no man can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 for we were shapen in wickedness and in sin did our mother conceive us Psal 51.5 so that naturally we are estranged from God from the womb speaking lyes as soon as we can speak Psal 58.3 The looking-glasse of our misery we may see Rom. 3.9 to the 20. which the Apostle applyes to himself as well as others vers 9. What are we better then they that is by nature No in no wise To say we become guilty by imitation only as one Ox learns to plow by the sight of another is most false For corrupt nature teaches many persons evill for which they never saw example as Cain when he killed Abel To say the immediate will of the sinner is absolutely necessary to constitute sin is to tye the Creator to the Law of the creature who had a soveraigne power in himself to propose what Law he pleased unto his creature To say there is no such defilement upon our natures because our consciences accuse us not for it no more doth our conscience accuse us for sins of ignorance and many other sins yet will we say they are not sins The consciences of the Jewes did not condemn them for not dwelling in Boothes in the feast of the seventh month which they had omitted welnigh a thousand years from the days of Joshua to the days of Nehemiah Neh. 8.14 to the 18. was it therefore not a sin And whereas some say They cannot see how the sin of our first Parents should be both a sin and a punishment was not Pharaoh's hardness of heart both a sin and a punishment Was not the Idolatry of the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 23 24 26 28. Q. Whereas some say No Infant no not of the Heathens is damned meerly for original sin A. We know nothing of their damnation but we speak of the desert of original sin I rather incline to judge of their salvation they dying in Infancy because Christ saith Of such is the Kingdom of God The innocency of all Infants in respect of actual sins whether of heathen or christian Parents is the same they may be saved as the elect Angels are saved or else God may forgive that offence without satisfaction for if that power be in a creature to forgive a debt without payment much more is it in God and I humbly suppose there cannot be a more fit object to exercise the same and to bring it into act then towards poor dying Infants But that which I most incline to concerning the salvation of dying Infants is that though God can pardon dying infants without satisfaction yet that he will not because Christ Is the way to the Father and No man comes to the Father without Christ John 14.6 Now Christ's satisfaction becomes effectual through believing only to them that have the power of believing but to dying infants it may become effectual by bare applying without believing because infants cannot believe Deut. 1.39 Joh. 4.11 That there is some way of salvation for infants the Scripture speaks Luke 18.15 16. but for any other way of salvation for them besides Christ his satisfaction we know not nor for the conveyance of satisfaction in behalfe of infants any other way then by bare application on the Mediators part and acceptation on Gods part I cannot conceive And should infants be damned meerly for original sin then should God deal more severely with poor dying infants then with the Devils who were condemned to hell only for actual sins Q. Wherein doth our natural defilement reside A. In every faculty of soul and member of body Psal 14.3 They are all gon aside they are altogether become filthy So that the whole man stands in need to be sanctified 1 Thes 5.23 the Understanding is full of blindness Psal 14.2 the Will full of rebellion Ioh. 5.40 and 8.44 the Affections of disorder Rom. 7.5 the Conscience of benummedness and other defilements Tit. 1.16 the Ears full of filthy listnings the Eyes full of wanton gazings c. Q. Wherein doth our natural defilement consist which we drew from our first Parents A. In two things 1. In an aversnes to every thing that is good Psal 14.3 and 58.3 2. In a proneness to every thing that is evil Rom. 7.5 So that corruption takes occasion from the holy law of God to stir us up to sin Rom. 7.8 13. Q. How came Adams sin to seize upon his posterity A. That man by nature is wholly sinful nothing is more plain but the manner how he came to be so is hard to understand Now as when we are fallen into a ditch we stand not questioning so much how we fell in as how to get out so should we see how to get out of this sinful condition But to answer some say the Parent begets the soul as well as body but God is called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 See also Zach. 12.1 Num. 27.16 Eccles 12.7 Either the Parent in generation conveyes part of his soul and so the soul should be divisible contrary to the nature of spirits which are not quantitative or he conveys his whole soul and so the Parent should be without a soul or else souls multiply which is more then Angels do Therefore 1. we become guilty by imputation or by Gods ordination in one man God ordained to adorn us all if he stood in one man he ordained to strip us all if he fell 2. By natural propagation or generation of that most filthy nature which Adam had after his fall Gen. 5.1 Adam begat a son in his own likeness after HIS IMAGE What image had Adam then save a corrupt image Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean no body Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin did my mother conceive me So that sinful man by man I mean both man and woman who though they be two in sex yet are they one in nature and one in wedlock I say sinful man begets sinful man so that sin is in the seed inbidingly as fire is in the flint as some suppose This power that the body should have over the soul being above nature may be ascribed to Gods justice punishing Adams sin in his base subjecting of his spirit to the flesh Through the seed hereditary diseases of Gout Stone Consumption Leprosy are conveyed which are invisible and why may not sin be conveyed by the father to the childe
suffers it so to do 3. His ordination or appointment whereby God orders brings and disposes all things and the actions of things how disorderly soever they may seem to be to certain ends according as it seemeth good to him for the bringing about of which ends he also appointeth means Q. How is the providence of God conversant about sinne A. 1. God preserves that nature and will that produces sinful actions God hath a concurrence about sinful actions as appears Gen. 45.8 It was not you that sent me hither but God Deut. 2.30 God hardened the Spirit of Sihon King of Heshbon Psal 105.25 God changed the mindes of the Egyptians that they hated his people But as in a chain that breaks there is no link in fault but that which breaks so in these concurrences of causes none is to be blamed but the next and immediate cause which is the will of man so that though God will the being yet man alone wills the nature of sin Q. What are the positive actions of God in and about sin A. Three 1. His withdrawment of his help and grace from the creature both the help of light Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and also the help of supportance 2 Chron. 32.31 Hezekiah was left of God to his pride that he might know what was in his heart which two helps being withdrawn the creature sins necessarily but voluntarily so that as the Sun causes darkness not by overcasting the air but by hiding his light as the staffe falls to the ground being not forced by the hand but only forsaken of it so God withdrawing either light or supportment man sins God who suffers sin hath the power of hindering without any obligation to us and man hath the power of doing without any compulsion the action in God is without fault the action in man without excuse 2. God works about sin by removing the impediments that hindered us from sinning God took away good Jehoiada and then Joash shewed his wickedness 2 Chron. 24.17 So God takes away a Master or Father that kept such a person from wickedness who being removed his wickedness appears 3. God works about sin by setting before us objects whereby he knows our corruption will be enticed as a beautiful woman before an unchast person wine or beer before a Drunkard 4. God works about sin by setting bounds to sin that it shall go so far and no further Psal 76.10 The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain 5. God works about sin in that he preserves the person nature and faculties of the sinner even whiles he is in sinning Act. 17.28 In him we live and move as an hors-man driving a lame horse is the cause of his going not of his halting so is God the cause of our moving though not of the sinfulness in our moving Q. What use may we make of Gods providence A. 1. See that nothing befalls unto thee by chance if we take chance as a cause in opposition to God as the Philistims took it 1 Sam. 6.9 2. To perswade us to the use of prayer Gen. 24.12 Neh. 2.4 3. To free the heart from disquieting carefulness Matth. 6.32 34. 4. Eye God in all thy affaires Psal 145.15 Prov. 3.6 Psal 139.3 5. Not to fear the terrors of men and so neglect duty Matth. 10.28 29. 6. To comfort us that we are in covenant with him that sits at the stern and governs all 7. To comfort us in respect 1. of our poor condition 1 Sam. 2.7 2. against enemyes plots Luk. 11.31 33. See Exod. 34.24 3. against fear of danger Matth. 2.13 Job 29.4 8. To work patience in afflictions 1 Sam. 3.19 Psal 39.9 Job 1.20 21. Qu. In what condition did God create man at first A. In an holy and happy condition Gen. 1.26 Eccles 7.29 God made man upright which uprightness consisted in a perfect conformity of the faculties of the soul and members of the body to the will of God Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Qu. Did man continue in that state wherein he was created A. No All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Qu. What death did Adams sin procure was it only a temporal death or was it not also eternal A. Adams sin procured to his posterity eternal death in respect of desert Rom. 5.15 If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace hath abounded unto many As the grace of God gift by grace abounded unto many that is to eternal life and to remission of sins so the offence on the contrary abounded unto eternal death and so it is set down vers 25. that as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ as if he should say As the one is so is the other 2. Such as the justification is by the second Adam such is the condemnation by the first Adam But the justification by the second Adam is a justification of life that is of or to eternal Therefore the condemnation by the first Adam is a condemnation to eternal death Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one the judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life If any man object that it 's against equity that eternal death should be inflicted for another man's sin A. The same may be said against temporal death it 's as unjust that natural life should be taken away for the sin of another yet the Objectors whether Socinians or Arminians acknowledge this 2. The will of God is the rule of righteousness and if Adam would enter into such an agreement with God that if he stood he and all his posterity should stand eternally and if he fell he and his posterity should perish eternally Who hath any thing to reason against it Hos 6.7 the words are They like Adam have transgressed the Covenant so you have it varied in the margin So that a Covenant passed betwixt God and Adam for the violation whereof on Adams part he and his incur'd eternal death and we hold it equitable in the Courts of men that for the treason of the Father the Posterity smarts also Levi in the loynes of Abraham is said to pay tithes Heb. 7.9 Qu. What did Adam passe over to his posterity besides temporal and eternal death A. Besides their being children of wrath that is not only persons with whom God is angry but upon whom his wrath abides John 3.36 they are children of wrath by nature Eph. 2.3 signifying not only that we are cursed but that we are so by nature or birth natura being derived a nascendo from being born Of Adam and Eve it might
cleanse the soul from all filthiness in the reigne thereof Ezek. 36.25 26. compared with Rom. 6.12 15. but also puts a new spirit or a new frame of a Spirit within which the Seripture calls transformation or change of minde Rom. 12.2 The fifth Branch is the putting of his laws in the hearts of the elect Heb. 8.10 11. so that they shall not teach every man his neighbour or every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest which is not meant of Notional knowledge as if persons in covenant with God stood in no need of being taught by Pastors parents or neighbors but of affective knowledge that is such a knowledge as carries affection with it whereby they relish and savour good things For this see John 17.3 John 6.45 1 Thess 4.9 1 John 2.27 this is such a teaching as God teaches the Bees to work in their kind whereby he puts an instinct in them so to work The sixth Branch is the writing of his law in our hearts Jer. 31.33 The pen wherewith he writes them is his own Spirit though the ministration be of men 2 Cor. 3.3 Now this writing is nothing but the inclination of the will to close with Gods law in the bredth of it the which branch Ezekiel expresseth thus Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my judgements so that whereas in the natural state there was an enmity betwixt the heart and the law the Spirit so bends the will that the heart and the law become sutable answering one another as the Seal and the Wax The seventh Branch is I will be their God and they shall be my people whereby God promiseth to communicate to us not only every good thing Psalm 84.1.2 but also himself and that we that were enemies and strangers shall be his people Rom. 9.25.26 Hos 1.10 Q. Who was the Mediator of this new Covenant A. Jesus Christ Heb. 9.15 First the promises were made to Abrahams seed not Seeds but Seed one Seed which was Christ Gal. 3.15 16. And by vertue of our union with Christ we come to be heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 the promises being first instated upon Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 as being heir of all things Heb. 1.12 Q. Who are the persons that have benefit by this new Covenant A. All the elect from the beginning to the end of the world Rev. 13.8 Gen. 3.15 In the times of the old Testament there were many children of the new Covenant and though Jeremiah chap. 31.31 call it a new Covenant yet doth he so call it because it was clearly manifested by the Apostles preaching Q. But how can the Covenant be made with all the elect seeing sundry of them are not capable of divers branches thereof as infants idiots c. A. You must remember that the new Covenant is called a Testament Mat. 26.28 or a Will Now an Infant is capable of a Legacy 2. Though they are not capable of all the Branches of the Covenant yet are they of some as forgiveness of sins and eternal life by these they are saved though they have not the other Q How doth it appear the new Covenant was also a Testament A. Because as other Wills and Testaments are it was confirmed with the death of the Testator Heb. 9.16 This was established in the blood of Christ Mat. 26.28 1 Cor. 11.25 Besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies a Testament Q. What difference betwixt the two Covenants A. The old Covenant required perfect obedience but gave no strength to do it hence called Faulty Heb. 8.7 not in respect of it self but us faulty with a faultiness of imperfection not of sinfulness but in the new Covenant is a promise of ability to do what God requires As he requires love of us Mat. 10.37 so he promises it so doth he for faith Eph. 2.8 repentance Ezek. 36.26 27. and Gods fear Jer. 32.40 Hence called a Covenant of Grace because he doth our part as well as his own Secondly the old Covenant required obedience in the rigor and curst the transgressor for every breach Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 the new Covenant requires on the creatures part onely the perfection of sincerity which consists principally in an universal purpose and endeavour for new obedience John 15.14 with an hearty sorrow if they be overtaken contrary to this purpose Thirdly the old Covenant was much upon temporal promises as Levit. 16.3 Deut. 28.1 17. but the new Covenant runs upon spiritual and eternal promises Heb. 8.6 Fourthly the old Covenant is abolished and come to an end Heb. 8.13 Cast out the Bond-woman and her son Gal. 4.30 But the new Covenant is everlasting Heb. 13.20 in opposition to the abrogated covenant so that as a wife is free from her husband when he is dead so we are freed from the old Covenant it being dead and we being new married unto Christ Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. Fifthly the old Covenant was very dark 2 Cor. 3.13 Moses put a veil over his face to signifie the children of Israel could not see Christ Hence as those that learn the Rudiments or beginning of a language are in bondage not knowing what benefit will come by them so were sundry Jews and others under the bondage of the Rudiments of the world Gal. 4.9 and could not with any clearness understand it Contrary the new Testament is clear the Ministers of it use great plainness of speech 2 Cor. 3.12 13. and the children of the new Covenant see with much plainness as in a looking-glass 2 Cor. 3.18 Q But seeing you say the old Covenant is abolished whether or no are we freed from the Law of Moses A. Believers are delivered First from the curse for breach of it Gal. 3.13 Secondly from the covenant of the Law under which notion it seems to have been delivered on Mount Sinai Exod. 19.5 6.8 Exod. 24.8 Thirdly from the hand-writing of the Law as it testified against us our guilt Col. 2.14 as a free Creditor not onely forgives the debt but also cancels the bond that might witness it against his debtor Fourthly from the power it hath to stir up to sin Rom. 7.5 8. the more the Law forbids sin to natural men with much more proneness they are carried to it Fifthly from the Mosaical institution of it as it was by Moses peculiarly appointed to the Jews Iohn 7.19 Did not Moss give You the Law John 15.25 It is written in Their law And else why did Moses command the seventh day from the creation to be observed and we observe the first day of the week Q How are we bound to observe Moses his Lawes A. 1. As they are Laws of Nature I call those laws of Nature which men by the light of nature practice Rom. 2.14 as that God is to be worshipped parents honoured that no man is to take away the Wife or goods of another 2. So far as